#THE romance song that EVERY ship should have a gif set to

[orionsangel86]

Subtext Glorious Subtext! A Dreamling on Netflix analysis in The Sandman - Part 7

1989

You've given me shattered dreams, but I know you'll come back to me...

Here's where we step into unchartered territory - what is a show to do when its source material ends 33 years too soon? Apparantly lean fully into the angst, pining, and misunderstandings tropes that all good fandom ships thrive on!

After the disastrous break up of 1889, Hob is clearly nervous about whether or not Dream will show up to the next meeting. In both comic and show, he calls out that he will still be there in a hundred years, and if Dream is too then its because they are friends. Dream doesn't answer leaving Hob to wonder whether he pushed Dream too far.

In the comic though, Dream escapes from his imprisonment in time, and is able to reunite with Hob, having spent 70 odd years contemplating his past behaviours and actions in his solitude, and evidentally makes the decision to meet Hob and accept his offer of friendship:

In the comic, they reunite with Dream reassuring Hob that they are in fact friends, and it ends there. The next time they meet in Season of Mists Hob states how surprised he is to see Dream before their next meeting. There is no hint in the comics that they had changed their once-a-century date to be more frequent.

But the show changes all of this. Dream doesn't escape until 2022 so he misses his date with Hob. Instead we get to see Hob grow more and more concerned as he waits all day for Dream.

Whilst Hob waits, they show the passage of time by playing a mix of popular 80s songs, and although I know the fandom talked about this a lot when the show first aired, I can't not bring it up here because it such a hugely important part of the 1989 scene. Song choices in media are always carefully picked out. Nothing is unintentional. Producers have to apply for the rights to use songs in their shows and get those songs signed off and it isn't always an easy process, so song choices are always significant. ALWAYS. They are one of the principle ways we can analyse media and theorise about what the creators are trying to tell us. Every song choice has meaning.

For example, in Stranger Things both Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill and Journey's Worlds Apart are important song choices which reflect the emotional conflicts and journeys of the characters in season 4.

Our Flag Means Death also uses modern songs in an exceptional way to support the story and the emotional journeys of the characters. Using Fleetwood Mac's The Chain at the emotional climax for the characters in episode 8 was a work of genius.

Whilst songs specifically about love, romance, and break ups aren't always used for romantic character arcs, using three break up songs in a row for what should be interpreted as a falling out/misunderstanding between platonic friends is... unusual. Outside of comedy where the song choice could specifically be used in a humorous way (for example an overly emotional lovers break up song used for friendships in comedy could be a commentary on how ridiculous and overdramatic the two friends are being, with them acting like dramatic lovers being part of the joke.) But the scene in 1989 isn't a comedic one. Hob is genuinely hurting and Dream at this point is imprisoned. The song choices are therefore sincere. The message in the song choices should be taken at face value.

So please dear reader. Tell me what you think the following is supposed to be telling us?

Song 1: She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals

I can't stop the way I feel Things you do don't seem real Tell me what you've got in mind 'Cause we're running out of time Won't you ever set me free? This waiting 'round's killing me

She drives me crazy Like no one else She drives me crazy And I can't help myself

I can't get any rest People say I'm obsessed Everything you say is lies But to me there's no surprise What I had for you was true Things go wrong, they always do

She drives me crazy Like no one else She drives me crazy And I can't help myself

I won't make it on my own No one likes to be alone

Song 2:Shattered Dreams by Johnny Hates Jazz

So much for your promises They died the day you let me go Caught up in a web of lies But it was just too late to know

I thought it was you Who would stand by my side

And now you've given me, given me Nothing but shattered dreams, shattered dreams Feel like I could run away, run away From this empty heart You said you'd die for me

Woke up to reality And found the future not so bright I dreamt the impossible That maybe things could work out right

I thought it was you Who would do me no wrong

But now you've given me, given me Nothing but shattered dreams, shattered dreams Feel like I could run away, run away From this empty heart

You've given me, given me Nothing but shattered dreams, shattered dreams Feel like I could run away, run away From this empty heart

From this empty heart

I thought it was you Who said they'd die for love

And now you've given me, given me Nothing but shattered dreams, shattered dreams Feel like I could run away, run away From this empty heart

You've given me, given me Nothing but shattered dreams, shattered dreams Feel like I could run away, run away From this empty heart

Oh, no, no, no You said you'd die for me Oh, for Die for me So much for your promises So much for your promises

Song 3: Keep on Movin' by Soul II Soul

Keep on moving Don't stop, like the hands of time Click-clock, find your own way to stay The time will come one day

Why do people choose to live their lives (lives)

This way?

No-oh-oh (Keep on moving) (Keep on moving) Keep on moving yeah, yeah (Keep on moving, don't stop, no) (Keep on moving)

It's our time, time today The right time is here to stay Stay in my life, my life always Yellow is the color of sun rays

I hide myself, from no-one I know the time will surely come when You'll be in my life, my life always Yellow is the color of sun rays

Keep on moving (Keep on moving) Don't stop! (Keep on moving don't stop, no) Like the hands of time (Keep on moving) Click-clock, find your own way (Keep on moving) To stay (The time will come one day)

No-o-oh (Keep on moving) Hey-ey-ey (Keep on moving) (Keep on moving, don't stop, no) (Keep on moving) Oh!

I know the time, time today Walking alone in my own way Extremely cold and rainy day Friends and I have fun along the way Yes we do!

I hide myself from no one I know the time will really come when You'll be in my life, my life always Yellow is the color of sun rays

Keep on moving (Keep on moving) Don't stop (Keep on moving, don't stop, no) Like the hands of time (Keep on moving) Click-clock (Keep on moving) Find your own way to stay, yeah (The time will come one day) Yes!

Oh! (Keep on moving, don't stop, no) (Keep on moving) Ah-hey! (Keep on moving) Keep moving along, moving along (The time will come one day) Hey-yeah!

Keep movin', don't stop, no (Don't stop, like the hands of time) Hey-yeah! (Click-clock, find your own way to stay) Find your own way to stay (The time will come one day) (Why do people choose to live their lives this way?) Oh-woh-oh Oh, why do they choose to live this way?

Yeah! Ah-hey! (Keep on moving) Keep on moving (Keep on moving, don't stop, no) No-woh-oh (Keep on moving) No! (Keep on moving) Keep on moving in my own way I know the time will come today (The time will come one day) Ah-hey! Yeah! (Keep on moving) Yeah-hey Keep on moving, don't stop, no) Don't stop Keep on moving) Ah-hey-ey (Keep on moving) Hey-yeah! (The time will come one day) The time will surely come one day!

Hey-yeah! (Keep on moving, don't stop, no) No-oh-oh! (Keep on moving) Oh-woh-oh (Keep on moving) Hey-yeah!

I mean... *gestures at all of this*

The way I interpret these songs is a very linear emotional journey. It's a narrative in itself of Hob's state of mind as day turns to night and he waits and realises that his date isn't going to show.

First he contemplates how he can't help the way he feels. The waiting around is killing him, he's being driven crazy by his feelings, he's obsessed. But his feelings are true, and he won't make it on his own without [Dream].

Next comes the heartbreak. He dreamt that things might work out, but his dreams have been shattered. He feels like he wants to run away from his empty heart.

Finally, he realises that life goes on, he's gotta keep on moving, because he has hope that the time will come when [Dream] will be in his life again and this time [Dream] will stay.

I don't think I even need to attempt to make this any clearer! All these songs are about love, either obsessive love, heartbreak, or hope for future love. This is the kind of shit Johnlock and Destiel fans would have eaten up back in the day. At this point in Dream and Hob's relationship, at this point in this half hour sequence of television, I am not sure how else to interpret this, which is why the conversation Hob has with the bartender comes across so bizarre.

Bartender: You waiting for someone?

Hob: I think I've been stood up. We had a fight, last time we were here, but it was my fault. wish I could say I was drunk at the time, but I was just an idiot.

Bartender: I've seen plenty of friends get into fights in pubs, even more of them laugh about later.

Hob: *chuckling* maybe in another hundred years.

We all agree how bloody bizarre this is right? I have to praise this bartender for not jumping to conclusions but it would have been far more natural for him to assume Hob was stood up by a date, a woman (this is 1989 after all) and instead given his apologies and said something like "Don't worry mate, just send her some flowers and be honest with her. She'll come around."

Why does he assume they are just friends? Being "stood up" is commonly used to indicate a failed romantic date. It just isn't a natural assumption for someone to make based on the information Hob gave him. Hob cleverly keeps his explanation gender neutral, so the bartender does too, but even with gender neutral language the immediate conclusion should be that Hob was abandoned by a romantic date.

But the natural conclusion would have prompted a clarification. A definitive from Hob on the nature of his and Dream's relationship, and for whatever reason, the writers decided they didn't want there to be a definitive clarification here. Just like how they removed all the references to canon queer characters in 1589 to avoid distinguishing them from Hob and Dream, here they made sure that Hob was unable to refute or deny any implication that he and Dream may be more than platonic friends. Instead they chose to go with clunky language that doesn't really make sense, all to avoid having to make clarifications. Sorry y'all, but thats some SPN writer levels of ambiguity layering and I ain't buying it *side eyes Neil Gaiman suspiciously*. What are those writers up too eh?

I did read an interesting meta on this that the bartender could have assumed that Hob was talking about a man, clocked him as queer, and spoken in safe language to avoid an accidental outing (1989 was a difficult time for the LGBTQ+ community) but I couldn't find it or remember who wrote it to link it here. I found that interpretation to be really interesting and certainly worth considering, even if it's not my initial reading of the scene.

The other explanation is that maybe it was an attempt to "no homo" what otherwise comes across as a failed romantic date. But if that was what they were going for, it was very sloppily done and in fact only called further attention to the very romantic implications of the whole scene at least from Hob's side of things. If they really wanted to "no homo" the scene, why not just have Hob tell the bartender that he was supposed to be meeting his friend?

Then in a totally new decision made for the show, Hob finds out that the White Horse Tavern is closing its doors for good. This adds a further layer of angst and drama to Dream and Hob's relationship that the comics do not have. The worry that should Dream ever decide to return, how would he find Hob if the tavern is closed? It's once again pretty tropey in that its yet another external force keeping our boys apart. Anymore of this and we start falling dangerously close to star crossed territory.

The 1989 scene ends with a distressed and sad looking Hob, with a hint of determination, leaving the audience expecting him to do something about this.

Then we get that final glorious transition, from the whiskey glass to the glass sphere holding Dream, reminding us all that no, Dream did not stand Hob up, he was in fact stuck in his prison. Dream looks stoic as always, but the glance upwards indicates that he too remembers the date, and is regretting his inability to be there to make things right.

That look then transitions seemlessly into the modern day, as Dream stares sadly at the ruins of the White Horse tavern. Which is where we leave this chapter.

Check out Part 8 for my analysis of the glorious reunion!

[vera-keller]

Hey I saw that your ships are open and was wondering if I could request one?

I have short dark brown hair and brown eyes. I have pearl earrings currently. I am 5'6. I am also ftm and gay. He/him pronouns

I am currently learning German and Ukrainian. I play the cello (I would say that I'm pretty decent at it). I want to join the paratroopers soon and maybe get a doctorate degree in the medical field. I like writing books, reading, and drawing. I am very interested in history, mainly the 20th century. I also know how to cross-country ski and love the winter.

My MBTI type if I remember correctly is INTJ. I love procrastinating and do well under a lot of pressure. I'm also very stubborn and awkward with talking to people so I don't have many close friends. For some reason, I have a sort of knack for doing things well, even if it's the first time I've tried it and that might be because I listen really closely to stuff to make sure I'm doing everything correctly. I need a straightforward path and a list of things I should do to get something done.

I have depression, anxiety and maybe (I say maybe because it's undiagnosed) maladaptive daydreaming, which basically means I daydream too much that it's a problem. Any small words of affection or reassurance sends me through the roof and makes me happy for the rest of the day (idk why). I also get angry very quickly and forget things quickly.

I am converting to Judaism so that’s cool. My sense of clothing style is just me pretending I’m in the military, pleather jackets, heavy jackets that are either camo or dark green, aviator sunglasses, a lot of neutral colours, fancy dress shirts/blouses, combat boots (which I currently do not own so just tennis shoes or winter boots), I have a few BoB pins which I have created on my own :) I like wearing t-shirts in winter under my jacket just because. The t-shirts usually have designs like aeroplanes, space, and museum shirts. I also have a collection of shirts from places I’ve never been cause I think it’s hilarious. I do a lot of things just cuz I think they’re funny.

I keep a lot of stuff in my pockets “just in case”. I impulse buy, which is a big insecurity of mine. People intimidate me easily so I usually wait to get approached to start a conversation. I like watching adventure shows like extinct or alive or expedition unknown.

 I would say that I have a very dark sense of humour and am almost always sarcastic when talking to my friends (also I love irony). I have an interesting music taste, most any song I listen to goes onto my liked songs on Spotify heh. I sometimes slip into a British accent or one that isn’t mine at all. I also tend to get myself injured at least once daily and now it’s a running joke with my friends.

I don’t really know much about romance, but I try. I don’t like that much physical affection but I do like praise, as I said before, and gifts. I love giving gifts to people.

Thank you!!

hey mister anon i was wondering whether you've been introduced to carwood lipton yet?

that's him looking at you up close to make sure you're real because christ on a cracker you're perfect.

this old boy earned his chevrons as first sergeant of easy company for a good reason. he gets into friendly campus tour guide mode every time he hears someone express interest in joining the paratroopers and he's a seasoned nco at this point, so he's pretty good at telling those who are genuinely committed to seeing through their interest apart from those who blouse their trousers over their boots just because they can. you fall into the former category. that's already one point in his books.

being off to a great start already, the other points come soon enough, quicker than he can count them. as genuinely excited as he is for the possibility that one day soon enough you'll be part of easy company, standing in perfect rank and file with the rest of his comrades-in-arms at camp toccoa after warming up for pt, he almost dreads the day you'll have to set your own clothes aside in favour of the paratroopers' standardised uniform because the way you dress is utterly striking to him. the image of you in your clearly military-inspired getup, your silhouette clean-cut and dashing in the way he imagines only gary cooper or errol flynn or someone worlds away from him can pull off, is burned into his mind as though by firebrand. both the initial sight of it and every time he then proceeds to reconstruct it in his mind following your first meeting bring forth a foreign sensation without a name or shape. it comes in like a tide, washes over him, pulls him under.

he knows he can never dress like you. he doesn't think he can pull it off, but by god do you make a good case for every outfit you put together. the aviators? yum. maybe lip does appreciate a man who knows how to dress himself.

your chemistry and compatibility become palpable facts the more time you spend together. lip is a meticulous planner who relies on structure to get things done. he plans down to to the minute. and he's always been a little in awe of the genius types who can seemingly be on hiatus for days and then get all the work accumulated throughout that time done to an incredulously high standard within hours of it all being due. you're a dark horse, a prodigy, who embodies this archetype right down to your bones. he doesn't resent you for it in the slightest, as you might initially suspect someone with his style of work ethic might do. he finds it an absolute phenomenon to watch and will never even think about asking you to change the habits of yours which fascinate him so endlessly. if you pull an all-nighter, he'll almost certainly go boil the kettle and make you a hot drink. he reads your writing with pleasure and often asks if he can help with organising any notes you might take from your historical research. he makes it a point to research judaism on his own when he learns you're converting. every now and then he worries for your wellbeing, worries that you're pushing yourself too much, but along with his worries comes resolve that he'll be there to catch you if you burn out. having figured out your communication style and working habits fairly early on in your acquaintanceship, he's more than happy to provide you with that straightforward past and to-do list that will allow you to exercise your efficiency to the maximum.

and, in recognition of your brilliance, he asks you to teach him german while you study the language yourself, considering it would be a practical second language to know and everything, given the circumstances. ukrainian is a smidge more difficult for him to master. he intends on making a proper start on it later, perhaps when the war is over. when he asks you good-naturedly whether you'll find some time to teach him then, you understand that it's another way of asking you to stay in contact after europe.

lip is the human embodiment of a packet of twinings superblends tea. his very presence is grounding. he reads your body language, memorises it like code, knows it by heart, by instinct. those big arms of his? yeah, he lifts. your fucking spirits up! he's your number one fan and he's not at all obnoxious about it. when you bend down at the table in the mess hall to pick up some dropped item on the floor, his hand – without him even thinking about it – goes to cover the corner of the table so you don't hit your head on your way back up. he calms your moments of acute frustration with that steadiness of his that you find yourself thinking of more and more even when he isn't there. when your mind begins to take you elsewhere into a daydream that threatens to keep you captive, he alone detects the almost imperceptible changes in your face and brings you back to reality with a gentle and non-intrusive touch. he has a soothing way about him that only serves to elevate 1.) his command abilities in the field and 2.) his ability to connect with you. he gets in all the places you don't expect, finding honesty and vulnerability behind the stubbornness. talking to him is easy because he expects nothing of you and does not hold you to judgement. he's familiar with you and accepts you, and you have nothing to prove to him. that's how it always will be. he makes that clear to you.

perhaps it's the way he always tells you "well done" or "good job" or "you did great", the act of acknowledging and praising you coming easy to him. he is reserved but tender this way, gilding each of your days with reassurance without going overboard with declarations of love and devotion that he's never been particularly good at. perhaps it's the way that, despite his occasional awkwardness with verbalising his deeper feelings, he refuses to be vague about the fact that he cares for you. but falling in love with carwood lipton is natural and slow-seeping, like water into sand, like coming home at the end of a long day.

and, to him, falling in love with you does not come as a surprise at all.

if we're going era-appropriate, then heteronormativity and its associated ugly side are rife in the 40s but lip cannot give two hoots about any of that. he loves who he loves, and either way it's nobody else's business but his own (and the beloved in question). perhaps he might put it in the sense that he falls for a soul and not a gender. so who you are now, who you were before, all of that is you, and he loves you, every single iteration of you that has led up to the man standing in front of him today. he never wavers on this. but – just because of the times you and he live in – he knows the importance of discretion and boundaries. there are subjects that he will only broach with you if you let him, information that he will only seek out if you choose to share it with him first. he's also smart enough to know not to let any of this on in public, but he promises you one night when you're lying next to him, your head on his chest, that the two of you will someday live in a world that will look upon your love with clear eyes.

but if we're not going era-appropriate because fuck that angst and fuck homophobia, then lip shows his love for you in the most gentlest of forms, little gestures imbued with his feelings for you. pda as a concept doesn't really exist to him. he's not a touchy person either and his affection never breaches boundaries in public or in private, but it is never withheld for even a moment should you want it.

and, of course, it is no question that your sense of humour just. straight up fucking baffles him. one might call you various things: the "archbishop of banterbury", an "absolute madlad" or a "menace" are just a few of the many different options available to choose from, and lip is honestly just out here smiling uncontrollably in spite of himself at your antics and right about here is when you get presented with a medal for making the mom friend break character in his complete amusement. besides, even he must admit that "clifford" is most fun to say in a british accent.

he keeps the gifts you give him with him, on his person if possible, but if not then in his footlocker, along with other precious mementos from your relationship. he looks at them often but what he sees in his mind's eye is the two of you, after the war, making a home for yourselves together.

first sergeant lipton is very much in love with you and he's a man who loves without reservation. congrats mister anon! this is the good ending. if y'all want to go ahead and adopt me i'm not saying no

[arsenicpanda]

"Oh my god, it's my muse." - Jughead Jones

[lydia-yougowith-stiles]

My Top 2021 Ships

Just like that 2021 is coming to an end, which means one of my favorite posts of the year is upon us: Ranking my favorite ships from this past year in TV and movies (that I watched). I look forward to this every year, and feel like there are a lot of new couples being featured this year. You will see some familiar favorites as well. Slight spoilers ahead (you’ve been warned :) So, without further a do let’s do this!

 Crack Ships

Ever since the one year I didn’t include this category and feature Nancy x Ace I have been kicking myself because I felt something early and then it actually became (is officially becoming) something! So, this year I’m including:

Jonathan and Sarah from Superman & Lois. 

I know that Sarah is dating Jonathan’s brother, and that her friendship with Jonathan is cute and a brotp, but I just feel so much chemistry on screen when these two share it and I feel their relationship has the potential to be a strong one romantically. 

20. Luna and Matteo (Soy Luna)

It took me a little bit to get on board the Luna and Matteo train, but once I did I fell hard. I thought the love triangle between Luna, Matteo, and Simon was one where I would have been cool for Luna to pick either guy. (Btw, I have only finished season 1. No spoilers please. Taking a rest before jumping into season 2). I loved Ruggero Pasquarelli as Federico in Violetta, so I was happy to see him on screen again in Soy Luna. His character is very different and while I don’t always love the bad boy trope, as the show grew and he distanced himself from Ambar I liked him more. I think it had to be around the time he officially broke up with Ambar and joined Luna’s team I was sold on him. Definitely when he wrote the song for Luna, which I LOVED the acoustic version. They have such cute moments at school, and the way they joke, and their nicknames for each other. Okay, so I guess I could go on and on about them. I’m just happy that my journey with this couple isn’t over yet. I just want to see some happiness before more drama starts up again.  

19. Zoey and Max (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist)

An anticipated ship from one of 2021′s cancelled shows. I will not get over that Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist got cancelled this year--ESPECIALLY with that finale! I know there’s a Christmas special, but I haven’t gotten the chance to watch it yet, so this placement is strictly from season 2 (which I have mixed feelings about). I was very excited when Zoey chose Max early on. I’m a sucker (…HA didn’t even intend for the irony there) for a friends to lovers romance, and felt Max was more of the underdog in the first season. I feel their relationship was too short/rushed and that maybe it should have been delayed for Zoey to explore her feelings with Simon first. But overall, I liked the cliffhanger at the end and how she came to realize how strong her feelings are for Max. I’ve seen some gif sets of the two of them in the Christmas special and I’m looking forward to seeing more of them. 

18. Geoff and Erica (The Goldbergs) 

Geoff and Erica from the Goldbergs are a ship that I jumped on board early in the show, and I am SO happy with where they are now. The season finale of last season was precious, and I loved how the proposal went about. Geoff’s dynamic with the rest of the Goldbergs is one of my favorites, and I think this show does a great job of the brother’s best friend turned boyfriend trope. I don’t think it’s one we often see on other shows (but the Goldbergs does this a lot with Barry’s girlfriends as well. They always seem to be Erica’s friends and I think it’s happened too much. Even though, I know he’s with Joanne now, but she is Geoff’s sister.) It still warms my heart to know these two are endgame (after that episode of Schooled and seeing future Erica in the 90s), but it’s still nice to see the developments of their relationship in 1980-something. 

17. Alina and Mal (Shadow and Bone)

The first of many Shadow and Bone ships, Elena and Mal are one that I enjoyed more than I anticipated. Another friends to lovers ship, there were times when I wanted less flashbacks to them as kids and looking at their identical scars on their hands, but overall I couldn’t wait for the two of them to reunite and profess their feelings for one another. I haven’t read the books, but I know a good amount of people said their relationship was redeemed if not a lot stronger in the Netflix show. They felt that Mal was more well-rounded compared to the novel. As this is something I’ve heard and not read for myself (and I don’t plan on reading that series, although I LOVED Six of Crows...more to come on that), I’m only judging on the show’s relationship of these two characters, which I loved. I’m excited for season 2!

16. Lois and Clark (Superman and Lois)

Lois Lane and Clark Kent are forever one of my favorite ships. So, there was a lot of pressure on Bitsie Tulloch and Tyler Hoechlin when I started the pilot episode of Superman and Lois. Other than the Elseworlds crossover, I hadn’t really seen them in action as I stopped watching Supergirl after season 3. Well, I can say they are fantastic and a welcome addition to the history of Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman on screen. I love how this show is set in the future from the other Arrowverse shows, so we get to see the Kent family raise their two teenage sons in Smallville. Their family unit is one of my favorite parts of the show, and I really like how they’re able to keep the core of these legendary characters, while at the same time show them in new situations-such as being parents. They balance each other out so well, and the trust is so strong. I love seeing an equal romantic pairing (and that’s with him being Superman!). You can just feel how long the characters have been together, which is refreshing. I have seriously loved every minute and am greatly looking forward to season two which will start in January. 

15. Talon and Garret (The Outpost)

From #4 last year to #15 this year, Talon and Garret from CW’s The Outpost will go down as one of my favorite ships of all time. This last season wasn’t my favorite in terms of their relationship as it didn’t feel consistent throughout. The pacing was all over the place and there were several times where I didn’t think they’d be endgame. But in the end they were and (SPOILER ALERT) GOT MARRIED! I truly loved the end featuring their wedding, and both being King and Queen of the Outpost. The flashback scenes showcasing their relationship was beautiful and something I am constantly searching for on YouTube for a re-watch. (This show is so underrated, it’s so difficult to find anything with it). As I’ve stated previously, I absolutely love how evenly matched these two are in their warrior status. It’s something I continue to look for in things I read and watch. (They have even inspired me to try my hand at writing a couple like this.) I think I’ll be re-watching the series as whole sometime in the near future. 

14. Kaz and Inej (Shadow and Bone)

Going into watching Shadow and Bone on Netflix, I knew about the love for the Crows as well as the love for Kaz and Inej. After watching the show and reading the first book (Six of Crows), I understand why these two together are so beloved. They are drastically different from each other, and that’s why they work so well. The tension is amazing, and also heartbreaking at the same time. They LOOKS they give one another are HUGE; and I love how in the book we get to read more into Kaz’s thoughts as he’s not a man of many words. Freddy and Amita’s chemistry is off the charts (and I also enjoyed watching behind the scenes clips and interviews with them. You can tell how much they love these characters). I’m so happy that Netflix picked up the show for a second season and I hope that more of the Six of Crows storyline is showcased. I’m worried about the outcome for these two and the status of their relationship in Crooked Kingdom, which I intend to start my year reading. (Please no spoilers :)

13. JJ and Kiara (Outer Banks)

Another show where I went into it knowing how beloved the JJ and Kiara ship was. So, I was surprised when Kiara and John B kissed early in the first season, and then Kiara was with Pope at the end of the first, and for a good amount of the second. I watched both seasons back to back, and felt my love growing for JJ and Kiara’s relationship as the episodes progressed. The two are often paired up together, and their dynamic is great. As Kiara and Pope became more of a thing, I could feel JJ’s jealousy grow-whether it was a look or how constant he was at bringing up their relationship/how it was going. Then I was totally sold when JJ and Ki helped JJ’s dad leave, and then OF COURSE the above scene in the season 2 finale. I’m very invested in what’s ahead for these two :) 

12. Captain Holt and Kevin (Brooklyn 99)

Captain Holt and Kevin have always been a great ship on Brooklyn 99 and as the show came to a close this season, I knew they had to be included on this list. In the final season, their relationship saw more ups and downs, showing how realistic relationships can be (despite being fictional and on a comedy). I loved how they worked it out, and in the end were stronger than ever. I also feel that we have always seen Kevin in previous seasons, but this year it was more of a focal point in the show’s plot. These two characters will always be Holt and Kevin to me. 

11. Nina and Matthias (Shadow and Bone)

What a rollercoaster it’s been with these two. This is my last Shadow and Bone ship that I’m spotlighting on for this list. While I have enjoyed each of the above ones I listed, there’s something about Nina and Matthias that puts them as my favorite (although, it’s a close list). Once again, I have not read Crooked Kingdom yet, so this is strictly based on the show and Six of Crows. They did give a very accurate backstory for the two of them in the show, and I was impressed how close they were able to get to the book; even quoting dialogue word for word. Their journey is a wild one, and I think that’s one of the main reasons why I enjoy their relationship so much. They’re not supposed to be together or work, but extreme obstacles pair them together and that makes them fall in love. Once again we have an opposites attract trope, which I am here for and think it really works. Shouldn’t be a shock that I’m interested to see what’s ahead of them (and I am worried as they end the book separated). If you haven’t guessed already I highly recommend watching Shadow and Bone on Netflix! 

10. Eliza and William (Miss Scarlet and the Duke)

Miss Scarlet and the Duke was a very early 2021 watch for me as it aired on PBS in January. As an avid lover of all things historical and on Masterpiece, I instantly was invested, and also upset that the season went by so fast. (I know it’s been picked up for a second season, but don’t know if they’ve gotten to filming yet. I hope so.) The show focuses on Eliza Scarlet who is an investigator at her father’s P.I. office after he mysteriously dies in the first episode. Her childhood friend, William (aka “The Duke”) works at Scotland Yard and (at first) does not take Eliza’s detective skills seriously. He’s not the only one as this show takes place in Victorian times and women were not expected to have occupations, ESPECIALLY not something as ‘morose’ as being around murderers and the dead. Eliza and William’s relationship really makes the show. They have a past from childhood, which allows a closeness, but also banter like enemies. While you can always feel the chemistry there, they start to feel it as the first season progresses. (Now you can see why I desperately need a second season.) The last episode was *chef’s kiss.*   

9. Wren and Janzo (The Outpost)

That’s right, Talon and Garret aren’t the only great ship on the Outpost. Wren and Janzo are also one of my favorites and perfectly encapsulate the “pair the smart ones” trope. Wren became a character on the show in the third season, and her and Janzo’s expertise aligned, proving that while, at first, they butted heads, they were bound to fall in love...and they did. Their relationship has always been solid throughout the many conflicts that occurred on the show. I like how much of a powerhouse the two of them are. They are so smart, and so many people look to them for help. I also like the dialogue they had this past season about how she’s a Black-blood and he’s human, and what that means for their children and place in society. I’m upset the show ended before seeing their baby be born.   

#8. Gaston and Nina (Soy Luna)

Another pairing that has warmed my heart this year is Gaston and Nina from Soy Luna. As I mentioned when I spoke about Luna and Matteo, I have only watched the first season of Soy Luna, so I haven’t seen these two date yet. I also know that their ending isn’t satisfying, but I’m going to live in the moment for the good parts to come. Early on I shipped these two. They have so many elements I look for in a couple. They’re complete opposites (especially at the start). Nina is a big introvert and Gaston is popular at school. They had an online relationship without knowing the true identity of the other person, and then Gaston started falling for Nina too! Ah! Still so good as I think back on it. My only frustration is the pacing as the first season is 80 episodes, so there’s times where things get dragged out more than necessary, but they are definitely one of the biggest highlights of the series for me.  

#7. Sara and Ava (Legends of Tomorrow)

Legends of Tomorrow is one of the remaining original Arrowverse shows that I still tune into each week. I didn’t love last season with the aliens plot as it was tough for me to get into, and I didn’t enjoy seeing Sara and Ava separated for such a long time. But there were still so many great moments between this ship as Ava traveled space and time to find Sara, and Sara did anything to get back to Ava. I loved how Ava learned that Sara was going to propose and I am happy they were able to officially get married before the start of the new season. I’m loving seeing them as the Blonde Bombshells, and on screen together at the same time. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: They are both badass, female action heroes, and I’m so happy to see this representation on the CW.  

#6. Wanda and Vision (Wandavision)

Disney Plus’ Wandavision gave us the most Wanda and Vision content in the entire MCU thus far....and I loved every second of it. The show kept you on your toes the entire time as we didn’t exactly know what was going on and who was behind it all. We got to see Wanda and Vision’s relationship, and what Wanda hoped their future would be like. The show was heartbreaking at times, but also gave us so many precious and quotable moments. I absolutely loved their family and don’t want this to be the last we see of them. I wish Wanda and Vision could have more time together, but we’ll have to see what happens in Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Maddness.  

#5. George and Nick (Nancy Drew)

These two are too good for the world. Protect them at all costs!

Nick and George are one of the best ships on the CW’s Nancy Drew. (Here’s my first plug: Make sure to watch this show if you aren’t already. It’ll be one of the best decisions you’ll make.) They are such a healthy relationship that we don’t often get to see on TV. They listen to each other, and don’t jump to conclusions causing unnecessary conflict. While the show has only taken place over a short amount of time, their relationship is well paced and feels realistic and what people could hope for (minus the supernatural stuff that happens). I didn’t see them becoming a couple in the beginning, and it is one of the best things to happen on the show. I am looking forward to how their relationship continues to strengthen and progress. We need to see more relationships like this in shows.

#4. Jake and Amy (Brooklyn 99)

Jake and Amy will forever go down as one of my favorite comedy couples. While I’m sad Brooklyn Nine-Nine ended this year, I was really happy with the way the show ended and how Jake and Amy’s story concluded. Looking back on the pilot, it’s crazy to think that Jake would give up his job to be a stay at home Dad, but he does it for Amy. For her to succeed and advance in her career, Jake stays home with Mac, but that doesn’t mean his time at the 99 is over. (I liked the flashforward in the last scene.) With this couple we have another opposites attract and enemies to lovers, and it works so well. Not only do they balance each other out, but they have also taken on characteristics of each other--like a real couple. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a great show and Jake and Amy are just one highlight of it. 

#3. Nicky and Henry (Kung Fu)

GUYS! I love these two SO MUCH! It has been months since I finished watching the CW’s new reboot of Kung Fu and just looking for a picture of these two have made me want to go back and watch this first season. Nicky and Henry are the perfect combination, and I am SO HAPPY that she chose him in the love triangle. I was worried for a little bit as he was up against Evan who had history as the ex-boyfriend that Nicky left behind without an explanation, but Henry had so much more to offer and I was ecstatic when the two became official. Nicky and Henry are both strong fighters and warriors in their own right, but when they come together they’re even more powerful. They had sleuthing moments as they tried to uncover the mystery behind the sword and the other mystical weapons. And they look great together, btw. The list of my favorite tropes goes on and on and these two check off so many of the boxes. I was so happy when I first posted about them here, and I found the love for this ship was so strong. 

#2. Devi and Ben (Never Have I Ever)

Where do I start with these two? There’s so much that I want to say. This was another ship where I knew the love for them before entering the show and seeing gif sets made me want to check it out. It was also another love triangle that I thought was well done. While I was always pulling for Ben, I liked how the show created character growth in Paxton. Once again, there’s so many of my favorite tropes with these two: rivals-enemies-lovers, pair the smart ones, the banter, Ben’s dating someone else, but you can clearly see he’s still in love with Devi and doesn’t want to see her upset even though she broke his heart. He calls her David and she doesn’t react like anything is wrong. HIS FACE WHEN ELEANOR TELLS HIM THE TRUTH! And now we’re going to have to see his pining for Devi as she dates Paxton, for real this time. I believe Ben and Devi are endgame as he’s always been there for her, and what Devi needs even if she believes Paxton is. Ugh! It’s SO GOOD! But also slow burns hurt so much!!

Speaking about slow burns that are amazing, but hurt my soul....

#1. Nancy and Ace (Nancy Drew)

We all knew where this list was headed...right? If not, then you’ve got to be new to this page. 

I just love these two SO MUCH. They were my number one pick last year and that was even before the season 2 finale. Now I have even more content to help solidify them in this spot. First, the chemistry between Kennedy McMann and Alex Saxon is amazing, and beautiful to watch. In the early season 1 scenes, it’s hard to see them as platonic as there’s just something that oozes between them in each scene. (1x14 will forever be one of my favorites in season 1 because it was one of the first times we see the two of them investigating and the “I love you too” moment at the computer was just chilling!) In season 2 the crumbs continued to grow and then we get the “I couldn’t lose you” moment and the entire fandom lost their minds. We were beginning to get recognition that we weren’t just seeing things and these two had a future together on the show. Now in season 3 we were left off on one of the biggest mid-season cliffhangers of Ace owning his feelings, and wanting to talk to Nancy, but then getting trapped in an alternate world at the last minute (you know, because these things happen-:)

From the close proximity to the eye contact, Nancy and Ace don’t know what personal space is, and I am so looking forward to the moment when they know their feels are mutual. I long for the times they share the screen together whether that’s investigating something supernatural or having a heart to heart about the future. There’s so many layers to their relationship, and it’s a beautiful thing. I’m happy to be a part of Nace Nation, and for getting here so early so I could watch the love for this ship grow. It’s been a pleasure. 

And so, my top 2021 ships list has been completed! Let me know if your favorite made the list, and of any shows you think I should check out because of their fantastic ships. I’m always looking for more to add to my list for 2022. Till then, I just want to say thank you for all who follow or share a like/re-blog, and thank you to the content creators out there. I love searching for your stuff to share. 

Happy New Year :)  

[sifeng]

What Makes a Guzhuang Drama Good?

As someone who has watched an adequate amount of guzhuang dramas, I feel like I’ve realized a pattern between the highly rated ones and low rated ones. Be warned, this is not an objective analysis, this is just my thoughts on what makes a guzhuang drama enjoyable and good.

The Two Types of Guzhuang Dramas

Loosely generalized, there are two different types of guzhuang dramas - epic dramas and what is called 沙雕剧 in Chinese which could be translated as comedic dramas (technically its more of a combination of silliness, stupidity and cuteness but comedic works.)

You can generally see a different between these dramas just based on a synopsis or one look at the first episode but here are a few differences between epic dramas and comedic dramas:

Epic dramas are usually longer. They typically have above 30 episodes because it is almost impossible to fit all of the storyline in such a small amount of episodes; with comedic dramas there isn’t really a plot so they often have 20-30 episodes. 

Epic dramas usually have higher budgets. This is not to say they have to have high budgets, but unlike comedic dramas which almost always have lower budgets, epic dramas often have higher budgets. 

Famous actors usually only act in epic dramas, never comedic ones. This is not true vice versa though.

Epic dramas usually have more characters.

Epic drama usually have more original songs.

Epic romances usually have these kinds of scenes:

Romance comedic dramas have scenes like these:

For some dramas the lines blur. For example, it’s clear to see that Eternal Love (双世宠妃) is a comedic drama and The Eternal Love or Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms (三生三世十里桃花) is an epic drama. But take a drama like The Legend of Yunxi (芸汐传). It’s long so that belongs to “epic drama”, but the budget is low so that puts it with comedic dramas. It has relatively smaller actors and less characters, but has good songs and an epic storyline. It’s also not comedic. So where does it belong? I’ve decided it belongs to epic dramas. 

Let’s just take a look at the guzhuang dramas that have just broadcasted and categorize them to make this more clear:

To rate these two types of drama you have to make different criteria, as there is something fundamentally different about comedy and drama. 

My Criteria for Epic Dramas

Plot - 50%

Acting - 40%

Cinematography - 10%

Plot contains the plot, characters and script. The plot is obviously very important as epic dramas have 30+ episodes and if the plot sucks no one will dedicate all that time to a drama. Characters need to be realistic for the era the show is set in, or the genre it belongs to. The script is also important because if you’ve watched epic guzhuang dramas you know that the characters in those dramas don’t speak like people in modern day. 

Acting contains mostly acting ability but also chemistry between actors. Acting ability is extremely important in epic dramas because epics are often dramatic and tragic and even if the plot is amazing, if an actor cannot correctly portray an emotional climax, the entirety of the storyline is broken. Chemistry is very important in those epic romances like Goodbye My Princess (东宫), but as these shows don’t live solely on chemistry and cuteness, it isn’t nearly as important.

Cinematography is also very important. In some of the best epic guzhuang dramas, the scenery is beautiful! It helps add to the realism.

My Criteria for Comedic Dramas

Plot: 25%

Acting: 45%

Comedy/Cuteness: 30%

Plot here contains the plot, characters and script again. Even though these dramas are supposed to be simple and easy to watch, I still need it to have some sort of logic so it at least makes basic sense. Characters are also important because you actually want to root for them. The script here is not really important at all. As comedic dramas are geared towards the modern viewer, the jokes are much more modernized and there is much less historical speech. For example I actually need subtitles to watch stuff like Nirvana in Fire (琅琊榜), but I can watch The Romance of Tiger and Rose (传闻中的陈芊芊) while multitasking and still understand it. But, the plot does need to make the lead couple believable, so the script can’t be actually horrible. 

Acting contains mostly chemistry but also acting ability. Romance comedic dramas require us to want to ship the main couple and want to see them be in scenes together. But, if they have horrible acting ability, it also won’t be believable and we can’t really root for them.

The comedy and cuteness is obviously very important because we watch these types of dramas for that.

So What Makes a Guzhuang Good?

Obviously it would be best if plot, acting, characters etc were all good, but I think many dramas give up one certain aspect in order to make time for others. Guzhuang dramas need to stop using basic tropes for their females. Obviously starting out characterization with a trope is fine, but you have to build up their positive and negative traits, give them goals, a brain, a personality, and a reason for us to want to root for them. Why is Young Blood (大宋少年志) so successful despite low budget? (Well yes plot and acting but also) Good female characters! What about The Story of Yanxi Palace (延禧攻略)? (Besides cinematography and acting) Good female characters! Of course this isn’t the golden rule. An epic drama can be good without good female characters, but this is one aspect that (when done well) can instantly raise a dramas rating. (On another note, I really want to see that hero rescues beauty trope be reversed. I really want to see a beauty rescue a hero okay? I just feel like it has so rarely happened in guzhuang dramas but every single show has to have at least five shots of hero rescues beauty). 

For comedic dramas it’s not very easy to make it unanimously loved. I think the highest rated comedic drama on douban is an 8 (which is quite high but considering the highest epic drama of last decade was 9.3 there’s still some way to go). But, so long as actors are cute, chemistry is good, and romance is shippable, it’ll garner viewers and good ratings. But, many comedic dramas are often too trope heavy (one of the reasons why Tiger and Rose was so enjoyable for me was because it was surprisingly light on using tropes and clichés) which makes watching many in a row unbelievably difficult. When making comedic dramas people ought to try to create more interesting characters that aren’t so basic.

This also applies to epic dramas. I want to see more epic dramas try to dive deeper into morally grey characters. I loved Goodbye My Princess (东宫) because of many reasons, one of which was the complicated character of Li Chengyin which was really fun to analyze. As epic dramas are usually very long, they should take some time to focus on character development. Also for epic dramas, or dramas in general, scriptwriters really need to learn how to make sure the entire drama is good, not just a certain part of it. It’s too often to see a drama start out amazingly, but end with a less than satisfactory ending. 

For wuxia dramas: the fight scenes need to be good. Who is going to believe these are the strongest people on the jianghu if they can’t even hold a sword right? Stop using so much slo mo! One or two slow pans of a fight scene are super cool, but slow mo for everything is just lazy. 

Last piece of advice for epic dramas. The pacing for certain dramas need to be faster. Producers have to ask themselves: “does this drama really need 80 episodes?” Unless the answer, “most definitely yes” there is no need. Make the first episode at least somewhat interesting for I am an impatient person. I cannot get into a drama in which nothing occurs for the first ten episodes. But, don’t rush a drama too. I am currently watch Love a Lifetime (暮白首) and in the first two episodes I am so confused. Too much is happening without explanation. 

[chaoswillfallrpg]

SAOIRSE MACMILLAN is TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OLD and a WRITER in SHORT STORIES AND OTHER FABLES at THE QUIBBLER. She looks remarkably like KATHRYN NEWTON and considers herself NEUTRAL. She is currently TAKEN. 

→ OVERVIEW: 

Never without a quill in her hand and a fire in her heart, there were few as free spirited as Saorise MacMillan. Raised on the coast of Ireland in County Wicklow, there was never a day that went by that the Irish witch didn’t encapsulate her time with the written word. Both her own and in the many fables she devoured. Saorise dreamed in ink, imaging the world not as it was but how it could be. While her other siblings MARIANNE, FIONN and ORLAITH found romance in people, Saorise found them in moments. In the wish as she blew a dandelion into the brisk air and the hope it could hold. In laughter and tumbling hills where she spent her days scribbling in her dearly clutched notebook bursting with clipping and photographs. In the glimmer of someone’s eyes as they spoke of their dreams, forgotten letters and cobble stoned paths. In the flicker of a street light and the melody of a song she held close to her heart. Romance for Saorise was filled in the salty wind blowing through her wild locks, leaving a deep sense of satisfaction in her chest and a longing of adventure in her heart. Unlike her siblings she didn’t dream of affection from another person. Content just as she was and with the company of her family. Thinking that they were marvelous on their own, why would they want that to change? Furiously independent, outspoken and opinionated, Saorise became the ring leader of the group. Despite being the second youngest, she led the siblings with the stories she imaged. Writing tales of famous wizards adventures, creatures they’d faced and the above all the colourful characters that they met alone their journeys. 

Ink stains became a permanent aesthetic attached to her attire. From her hands, to the stars she scribbled on the cuffs of her jeans, to the loose drop of a ink spot on every item she owned; unlike her sisters, Saorise didn’t take note of her own appearance. In fact she negated the societal expectation as frequently as she could. Aesthetics never something she found herself thinking of unless it was commented on by her sisters. While Mar and Orla gushed about boys and ribbons, Saoirse had grass stains and loose leaves tangled in her hair from rolling in the hills with her brother Fionn. Fionn and Sersh were more like twins than they were elder and younger. Rough playing with one another, they’d spend hours play fighting and climbing trees at the edge of the fields of their family cottage. The dynamic fit. With Saorise and Orla having a tendency to butt heads, both being equally as stubborn and Orla longing to be the centre of attention, it was usually Fionn’s job to drag Sersh off to calm her angry, while Mar mothered and dried the youngest’s tears. The MacMillan’s lives were quaint. Despite the family being members of the famous twenty eight, they weren’t as frivolous and didn’t hold as many riches as other families in the community. Instead of money, grand balls and meaningless conversations; the MacMillan home was always filled with laughter. Love radiated throughout the home, with the smell of freshly baked pies from Marianne and their mother, to music from their father and Fionn, wishful tales of adventure in the plays they put on from Saorise and the art that Orla created. Despite being more secluded, there was never a dull moment in their lives. 

Unbeknownst to them, their little group had been missing a key piece until AUGUSTUS ABBOTT had entered their lives. A quite boy from Godric’s Hollow, Sersh encouraged him to come out of his shell and fully experience the things life offered. Though when they met he was quiet and reserved, she was able to quickly pull him out of his shell. With Augustus’s parents fickle and heated with a divorce; fun was something Gus lacked in his life and something he found ten folds in the Macmillan family. Colour, vibrancy and fun was finally brought into Gus’s life and soon it was hard to imagine the siblings without Gus. The five children spent hours together, encouraged into childish fantasy. Spending days dreaming and nights laughing over dinner tables and camp fires. Gus and his mother quickly became honorary MacMillan’s after little persuasion to the rest from Saorise. There wasn’t a day that past where Saorise and Gus weren’t together. Hours spent building pirate ships to sail off and become lost boys like in the muggle story they had read; only for it to sink and them to reveal in the adventure over wrapped peanut butter sandwiches. Gazing at the stars and telling each other their strangest thoughts, deepest secrets and expressing their hopes and dreams no matter how small and ridiculous they may be. Saorise was sure others would deem them peculiar, but they were perfectly normal people to her. Believing whole heartedly that no matter what universe or past lives they had lived, at some point they would always be bound to find each other. A bond so strong their parents often referred to them as two sides of the same coin. 

There was never a person that could imagine a version of Saorise without Augustus or Augustus without Saorise. Coming to Hogwarts, she was delighted to be storted into Hufflepuff with her brother and alongside Gus. It was the best scenario and what they’d always hoped. Even from the first dinner, her and Gus set out to recruit individuals into their own little gang of misfits. The unexpected and be known ‘weirdos’ of Hogwarts were exactly the people that they were looking for. The quieter and more unsuspecting ones – just like Gus had been - were always the most fun in Sersh’s eyes. Over the years they found their people. Fellow Hufflepuff’s, EDGAR BONES, EVE DIGGORY, TILDEN TOOTS, were quick to make their name in their little gang. Although a few years younger, upon her joining Hogwarts, misunderstood SYBILL TRELAWNEY soon joined their little gang. All unique and brilliant in their own right, the friendship group would often spent hours together by The Black Lake. Dancing to muggle music played on a turn table, listening to copious amounts of Muggle rock music, smoking cigarette and even drinking the occasional punch. Priding themselves in being outlandish and unusual, they enjoyed and basked in the stares and disapproving glances; Sersh maybe most of all. 

Known for her bold and loud opinions, her unique and quirky personality often ended her in trouble with a few of the purists in the school. Despite standing at only 5′4, Sersh was never afraid to make her opinions know even to those much larger than she was. Standing on tables if she had to just so she could dare look them in the eye, one person that she become quick to quarrel with was VIOLET BULLSTRODE. Furiously loyal to her friends, as soon as Violet spoke against Sybil, there was no way she could sit ideally by. Becoming passionate about equal rights for all, she joined ‘Sorcerers for Equality’. Voicing boldly and loudly about the inequalities the wizarding community was facing, having no issue in standing up for those with less privilege than her family. A believe that carried on after she left Hogwarts. Delighting in Muggle music, literature and history, one of Saorise’s most prized possession is the record player Gus got her for her sixteenth birthday, along with her patched denim jacket which she wears with pride. Admiring particularly CHARITY BURBAGE, Saorise is unashamedly a feminist and has no issue in speaking against those who are set in the ‘traditional’ ideologies about what the wizarding community should be.

Her bold nature took the attention of publisher XENOPHILIUS LOVEGOOOD. While traveling in France with Gus the summer after graduation, she’d received an owl offering her a writing position at The Quibbler. Saorise was ecstatic at the idea of finally being able to do what she wished and write for a living. Though it wasn’t necessarily the novels that she dreamed of writing one day, it still put bread on the table. Even if she had to admit some of the things she was writing were ridiculous nonsense just to please the readers, atleast she was writing and living in the big city she had always longed for. Though as time passes, turbulence feels like it is growing. Recently, she has caught herself looking at Gus slightly differently. Granted she had occasionally in the past, but always passed it off as nothing in their teens. Adamant in herself that she was perfectly fine as she was. But the jealous pang in her chest whenever they spend a night drinking in The Leaky Cauldron and a witch interrupts them to speak to Gus is evident. As is the slight warmth in her chest when his laugh catches her ears. New and a little unnerving, she’s pushing down the notion because the reality would be earth shattering. Instead she laid her focus on the growing turn of events and the displeasure of her brother taking fancy to a known purist. Everyone can feel that there is an unease in the air, while Philius is trying to encourage her to take a more journalistic route and start reporting on the mysterious on-goings, Saorise can’t help but fear for the safety of her siblings and friends with the growing evidence that something more sinister is at play.

→ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Blood Status → Pure-Blood

Pronouns → She/Her

Identification → Cis Female 

Sexuality → Demisexual

Relationship Status → Single

Previous Education → Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Hufflepuff)

Family → Marianne MacMillan (sister), Fionn MacMillan (brother/housemate), Orlaith MacMillan (sister)

Connections → Augustus Abbott (best friend/potential love interest), Eve Diggory (close friend), Sybill Trelawney (close friend), Tilden Toots (close friend), Edgar Bones (close friend), Xenophilius Lovegood (boss), Cardorac Dearoborn (friend), Charity Burbage (admiration), Ted Tonks (friend), Violet Bullstrode (adversary)

Future Information → Aunt of Ernest MacMillan

SAOIRSE MACMILLAN IS A LEVEL 4 WITCH.

[ladyandtheghost]

Reason #23: Ambiguity and (Duck-) Decoys - Why we have every right to question everything we have been “told” in Season 7

In “real life” we tend to go by the “duck test” (”If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck.”) but in fiction we rely on the way something is presented to us by the author or film maker to denote one thing or the other. 

In good fiction, plots and characters are ideally presented as multi-faceted, complex and “ambiguous”, i.e. enabling different ways of interpretation and also enabling twists and changes throughout the story (e.g. character can develop in different directions, and plots can take surprising turns known as “plot twists”) 

So far, so good. 

Then why is it that we are suddenly supposed to all turn our brains off and accept everything we have been presented or “told” up to Season 7 of GoT as gospel, as an unquestionable “truth” that is not up for interpretation? 

If D&D tell us in Season 7 that it “looks like a duck” do we automatically have to believe it?

Pretty sure D&D laugh every time they see articles going around pushing the “decoys” they have planted in Season 7

After 7 years of being deceived and “shocked” by Game of Thrones’ twists and turns, how do we react after the penultimate season, heading for the finale?  Have we learned to question the “truths” of one season going into the next?

Exactly...we haven’t.

We still tend to go for the most “obvious”, the most blatantly advertised thing - a bit like magpies, we love to be distracted by the shiny and glamorous, the “badass” moments, explosions and roaring dragons...

When it comes to plot developments and characterisation, though, the show makers are very crafty and careful not to give away too much that can not be retracted later - they “tell” us one thing, yet at the same time “show” us the opposite; they bait and switch, open up possibilities in ALL directions...

What was Littlefinger’s cryptic speech to Sansa all about^^ if not to make us aware that things are almost NEVER as they seem...

Basically, we are being explicitly “told” about one thing and therefore assume that it is exactly as it is being told and assume the characters who tell us these things are telling the truth ---> the Duck (it’s also often the “popular opinion”)

However, when we consider other interpretations of the same thing, it turns out that there is a lot of ambiguity and the “duck” may just be a “decoy” to distract us and set us up for a plot twist...

Examples:

Who or what is the Song of Ice and Fire? 

The Duck/popular opinion: Jon and Dani, because Melisandre said it...and she’s always right...

Ambiguity/other interpretations: Jon himself is the son(g) of ice and fire (the R+L=J reveal yet has to happen on screen); or, it’s literally the title of the chronicle Sam will write about the two great threats to Westeros: ice = the NK; fire=Dani T.

Jon Snow’s motives in S7: 

The Duck/popular opinion: Jon Snow is incapable of lying or playing “the game” because he said so in the dragon pit, and Tyrion said he trusts him and Tyrion is always right! Also, Cersei said that Jon is Ned Stark’s son and she knows Ned Stark’s son would never lie and we know that Cersei is always right..

Ambiguity/other interpretations: Jon is a political player in the game now who has lied before and has lied again to everyone about his allegiances to secure the force of dragon fire for his quest to save the North/Westeros; Jon would absolutely lie and deceive to make sure his family and people are safe and well;

Who is the “Younger, more beautiful Queen”:

The Duck/popular opinion: It can only be Da*nerys, because Margaery is dead; and Cersei thinks it’s Dany and Cersei is always right. Plus, Dani is the fan favourite everyone expects to win and get everything she wanted, so she must be the one to cast Cersei down.

Ambiguity/other interpretations: Sansa Stark who is the dark horse candidate and was there from the beginning with Cersei and has *actually* already taken “all you hold dear” away from Cersei, being the reason why Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen had to die, not to mention unwittingly contributing to their deaths; also from what we saw in the promo pics to S8, Jaime is wearing House Stark armor - Sansa is head of House Stark, so he is fighting for her now. It’s actually becoming quite blantant here... 

Jon Snow’s (Romantic) Endgame: 

The Duck/popular opinion: Da*nerys, because Tyrion told us Jon’s in love with her and Davos said he looked at her boobs, and both Tyrion and Davos are always right! Also because Dani loves Jon, so Jon *must* also be in love with Dani, otherwise it would not be *fair*. There is no way this love could only be on-sided because all other men are in love with Dany so Jon must be, too. And last but not least: they had sex, and we know ALL couples who have sex are endgame and get a HEA)

Ambiguity/other interpretations: Sansa who is Jon’s cousin, not sister; and continuously “shown” together with Jon in situations, scenes and contexts that are blatantly “romantic” - this is also to a lesser degree still possible with Arya, though their relationship was always clear to be a beautiful “sibling bond” and their reunion and interactions happen too late in the show now to be established as equally “ambiguous” as Jon and Sansa’s relationship; or, None of the above because Jon only loved Ygritte and is reunited with her in death - until proven otherwise this is also a valid interpretation; since Jon is canonically “shown” to care deeply for Sansa, to react (even overreact) and as it is confirmed in the scipts that their relationship has an unspoken “subtext” that permeates their interactions, Jon is framed as and “shown” to the viewer as the romantic hero to Sansa’s heroine.  

Sansa Stark’s third and last husband: 

The Duck/popular opinion pt. 1: Tyrion or the Hound, because they were kind to her in King’s Landing and therefore deserve to have her because girls should always give themselves to men who are “nice” to them, no matter whether they are attractive or not...

The Duck pt. 2: virtually any other young male character with the exception of Jon because Jon *belongs* to Dani and fans want them to be endgame, so if Sansa gets another shot at romance, it could be anyone - just not Jon - even candidates who never interacted with her and are already paired up in other ships, i.e. Braime or Gendrya.

Ambiguity/other interpretations: Ned Stark’s words that Sansa should marry someone “brave, gentle and strong” establish Jon as the only possible candidate by way of elimination (Tyrion is not strong; the Hound is not gentle); it also makes zero sense for Sansa to be romantically involved with any of the following: Gendry, Pod or Jaime, she had next to no contact or screen time with them and Gendry is clearly linked to Arya, just as Jaime is linked to Brienne; according to the Ashford Tourney theory, Sansa’s last suitor will be a Targaryen and there is only one male Targaryen left.  

All these plot points and character arcs^^ are open for interpretation one way or another. These characters, their motivations and feelings are deliberately hidden or revealed, “shown” or “not shown” to leave the ultimate ending and the fate of these characters wide open and “ambiguous” until the moment of “revelation”, the moment when it is convenient for the writers of the story to reveal what they are truly thinking, feeling and planning. 

And deep down, people know this to be true. This is how Game of Thrones works. It’s the only way it worked in the past and unless we want the final season to be the “duck” of the previous season - i.e. everything is revealed to be exactly as it has been told to us in S7 - there will be some major turn arounds and twists! 

Not all of the “other interpretations” are equally possible, but they are as valid as the “duck” versions certain fans want to see. Some of the “ducks” might be right, others might just be “decoys”. And it may turn out that none of these^^ ideas by us fans are correct and D&D and GRRM throw us for an even bigger loop than we expected. 

All I know is, it would be a disservice to this great show with it’s fantastic ambiguous characters and plots to assume that the writers have no more tricks up their sleeves and that they already told us exactly what is going to happen in the finale. 

If so, why bother with all the secrecy - if we already saw the endgame on the EW cover? 

[crimsonrevolt]

Congratulations Chloe you’ve been accepted to Crimson Revolt as Sybill Trewlawney!

↳ please refer to our character checklist

Your application was such a treat to find in our inbox, Chloe! From the expanded traits to the wonderful headcanons you gave, your Sybill is so wonderfully fleshed out. The love you have for her is amazing and we all loved just how well you captured her - ‘she’s always been unafraid to march to the beat of her own drum‘ completely sold us. It’s so clear to see from you application just how much you’ve thought about the role that Sybill has to play in the war and gone into so much detail about her involvement with Aversio it’s such a pleasure to see! We think that Sybill will fit in just wonderfully and we cannot wait to have you both in our roleplay!

Application beneath the cut 

OUT OF CHARACTER

INTRODUCTION  

Chloe, she/her, GMT, from England  

ACTIVITY  

Well it’s been a little while since I’ve actively roleplayed so I might start out a little rusty, but given the preference you have for longer threads and your lenient activity limit I’m sure I’ll be around fairly often, like three times a week at least. (to give you a number I’d say like 7/10 on the active scale)

TRIGGERS

*removed for privacy

HOW DID YOU FIND US?  

I was looking through the hp rp tag, and to be honest I was looking specifically for a Sybill Trelawney to play that I felt was actually a good representation of her character and also sat within an rp that had a good plot aha

WHAT HARRY POTTER CHARACTER DO YOU IDENTIFY WITH MOST?

Maybe a cliché but I really loved Ginny (in the books of course, don’t EVER get me started with the mess they made of her character in the movies dear god) she was spunky and confident (and ginger like myself, which tbqh has made me slightly bias in favour of the whole Weasley clan. Like you’re telling me not only do they deal w/ shit for being blood traitors but they redheads too??? Hard knock life, my man.) And of course my dear Sybill, who was just trying to be understood in a world that wasn’t quite ready for her.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Nope

IN CHARACTER

DESIRED CHARACTER  

Sybill Trelawney  

FACE CLAIM

Alycia Debnam Carey isn’t an fc I’ve ever worked with before but after browsing her tag and doing a little research she seems an excellent choice for Sybill in my opinion, and since she’s your chosen fc too I’m sure you’d have no problem with me picking her. (I am also partial to Juno Temple as Sybill, but I kinda feel that’s getting a little overdone)

REASON FOR CHOSEN CHARACTER  

Uhhhh this is just a general comment but I really love that you’ve made Sybill a big of a fighter and actually self confident like all the time I see her portrayed as this scared little thing and I don’t think that’s accurate, like I’ve always felt that (at least in her younger years, before the world beat her down a bit) Sybill would have been a passionate and confident woman with faith in her gift and a desire to set the world to rights. Her words aren’t always tactful, sure, but I think everything Sybill says she says because she thinks it needs to be heard.

When I first read about this Aversio group you’d created I wasn’t sure that putting Sybill in with such people was the right choice but after a little thought the idea really grew on me. I think Sybill’s visions have forced her to witness so much death and destruction that she has been powerless to prevent, and who wouldn’t be made angry like that? Who wouldn’t grab the first chance that came along to take back some of that power, to try and defend the people she loved? Sybill is part of this group for all the right reasons. She’s fighting for freedom and safety, but she’s not naïve, she doesn’t think the order sitting around and just waiting to form counter attacks are doing enough. I also feel she was something of a loner in school and despite being quite clever was never really invited into or considered for the order and so perhaps this comes from the ever so slight niggling urge she has to prove herself, because despite being a hippy dippy seer she’s also capable of affecting change and taking part in things. (If anything her visions and prophecies have only made her more determined to change the world, for she will have seen how truly tits up everything could go.)

I just have a longstanding love for Sybill, she’s always been unafraid to march to the beat of her own drum. Like, refusing to take on the name ‘higglebottom’ and so causing the end of your own marriage?? That’s hardcore. That’s a woman who won’t take no shit. Yeah, I love Sybill and I am forever searching for an rp with what I feel is an accurate representation of her. This is getting long so I’ll wind it down now, but if you’d like to hear anything more about my love for Syb pls just do message me lmao.

PREFERRED SHIPS // CHARACTER SEXUALITY // GENDER & PRONOUNS

Sybill has always been wary of romance and love. With her gift it is easy to see the multitude of ways things can fall apart. Not only that, but it is hard to find someone with complete faith in this gift of hers, someone who truly believes all her madcap ramblings and feels the power of nature and the universe as much as she does. (Of course, she would only ever settle down with someone who believed in this power as much as she did and yet like her was not afraid to question it.) Sex is different to romance, though, I think Sybill views sex as something much simpler and it’s very much a pleasure she indulges in without ever feeling guilty about it. Honestly I think she can be quite the flirt when she wants, not ashamed of her desire to lure a man or woman into her bed for the night, because why should we deny ourselves such a simple craving? We shouldn’t.

As far as ships go I’m very happy just to go with the flow, nothing prioritised. Sybill goes by she/her pronouns, did consider them/they for a while but after some contemplation in the forest realised her energy was decidedly feminine in its nurturing and care, even if it was a little wilder and more adventurous. (Sexuality I touched on a little above, i feel like she’d be very fluid about it and call herself bisexual if pushed on the subject)

CREATE ONE (OR MORE!) OF THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR CHARACTER:

-EXPAND ON THE TRAITS

Self-assured- Sybill has gotten comfortable with her gift of sight, and by extension- since she’s long felt like that was the most drastic aspect of her personality- the rest of herself. She’s confident in who she is and the doubts of others can no longer throw her off her chosen course.

Free-spirited- spends a lot of time out in nature, but its much more than that. Sybill is very unassuming and so as long as what/who you are is not a cause of harm (for example, unless you are a death eater) she is quite happy to not only let you continue with your life and hobbies, but likely also interested in learning about it. She is happy for you to be in love, she is happy for you to mindlessly fuck, she is happy for you to abstain and spend all your time writing. As long as your soul is good and warm, you can be counted as a friend of Sybill’s.

Crafty- well, there’s the obvious definition of her being artistic which is true, Sybill likes to paint and tell fanciful stories and take one mans trash to make into her own treasure. But her crafty mind also  makes her quite statistical, she can wriggle her way out of almost any problem and really earns her keep as one of the strategic minds of Aversio.

Genuine- Another fairly obvious I feel. Some of the stuff Sybill says may be odd, but she means every word of it. This applies to her actions too. She has not one conniving or manipulative bone in her body, she never lies. Everything Sybill does is honest and true to the core of who she is.

Dreamer- constantly lost in her own world. Idealistic almost to a fault, often too optimistic about the future. Sometimes too optimistic about the present and so gets herself into dangerous situations just because she underestimated the circumstances.

Emotional- oh GOD if you criticise Sybill’s shoes she will CRY for a week. If you call her pretty in passing it will make her smile all year. Let me be clear here I don’t think Sybill holds grudges or has preferences, but I think she remembers everything that people do and everything impacts her as much as it did at the time it truly happened (does that make sense? Every time she remembers that Lily once complimented her hair it fills her with the same joy as the initial compliment did, for example.) I think this is why her gift takes such a toll on her, every bad thing that happens (whether it really ends up happening or not) affects her psyche terribly.

Dramatic- it’s very up and down with Sybill. I think being dramatic is good and bad, because every small show of kindness is an absolute joy but also every little negative moment or action is the worst betrayal imaginable. Nothing is done in halves by Sybill.

Weird- I mean self explanatory. She talks to plants, she’s constantly blabbering on about the energies of nature and the universe. She relies too heavily on her inner eye to guide her rather than just watching and responding. It’s a weirdness she’s comfortable with but that doesn’t mean everyone else is so ok with it, sometimes she makes people uncomfortable with her frank statements and odd habits.

-A FEW HEADCANONS

Sybill can play guitar. Yeah, she loves music, I think she plays guitar really very well and finds it quite relaxing (can’t think about anything else if you’re trying to master difficult songs y’know) but it isn’t a talent she often shares.

She writes poetry too, doesn’t call it that, just calls it writing. Often times her visions and prophecies can be a lot to digest and so writing about it all can help to sort her crazy imaginings from what might actually be possible.

Not adverse to substance abuse. She lives alone, and sometimes being part of Aversio leaves her incredibly amped up and angry, so it can be difficult to sleep. A few glasses of whiskey or a couple of joints sort that problem out, though.

Can get aggressive with fellow Aversio members. See she knows they can handle it and all the negative energy has to go somewhere (where else would she take it out? Nature? Absolutely not.)

She meditates because it helps focus her inner eye.

-A FEW POTENTIAL PLOT POINTS

This aggression with Aversio members might be an interesting one- like, does she think some of them are really just death eaters afraid to admit that? Are some of them scared of her? Do they think she’s too pushy with the people she’s supposedly aligned with? Yeah, lots interesting to say there.

Of course as an Aversio member there’s always the chance that the order or DE might find out that she’s part of such a group and try to sway her one such way (the DE would have no chance, and i don’t really see the order being much luckier, though she may be willing to form some kind of cooperation with them.)

There’s always the chance of her abandoning everything to just live in the forest.

More prophecies or visions! Are they always accurate? Who knows?!?!?! No one really.

IN CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE

The following section should be looked at like a survey for your character. Answer them in character and feel free to use gifs. Or, if you’d rather, answer them in third person or OOC without gifs. Answers do not have to be extremely lengthy.

♔ If you were able to invent one spell, potion, or charm, what would it do, what would you use it for or how would you use it? Feel free to name it:

I think I’d like to invent a potion that would make me immune to all poisons. To be honest, that’s one of the few things that forces me to buy actual food from shops and stops me from living purely off the foods nature provides. I’m quite worried about being poisoned by something not meant for me you see, so if I had a potion that meant no such poisons affected me I would live only off the bounty provided by nature.

♔ You have to venture deep into the Forbidden Forest one night. Pick one other character and one object (muggle or magical), besides your wand, that you’d want with you:

I think Xenophilius Lovegood would make for very good company. He’s easy on the eye and we’re both the types who see more in the world than most people do. I don’t suppose i’d pick anyone for their ability to keep me safe- I’m quite capable of that, thank you. Rather I think I’d pick Xenophilius because we would not run out of things to talk about. Ad far as objects go, maybe a sword? They fascinate me to be perfectly honest- so violent, so pretty- and I think it would be most useful should magic fail me.

♔ What kinds of decisions are the most difficult for you to make?

Who to send on missions or counter attacks. It’s never very easy to decide if you need stealth and logic or aggression and strength, you know? And always I am so fearful that by sending the wrong type we will do more harm than good.

♔ What is one thing you would never want said about you?

That I am a liar. That’s easy, people can say much about me as long as they always believe I am true.

WRITING SAMPLE

Sybill could not sleep. This was not a rare occurrence. More often than not she’d use alcohol or drugs to knock herself out for the night, acutely aware of all the work that there was to be done the next day and so too focused on being alert for that to be concerned with her own body. Tonight, however, she chose the forest. And drugs. There was a lovely little wood right by her house (would Sybill move anywhere without nature close by? Of course not.) And so she meandered through the trees until a small clearing came about, settling herself with a joint and her notebook for a sleepless night.  

See, tomorrows attack did not directly involve her. It was more an urban stealth mission, not really her style, and so she saw no harm in turning up to the meeting a little tired and out of it. Hey, she was usually ‘out of it’ as far as the others thought anyway, and so what was the harm really. So for this plan she had taken more a strategic role, using her gift to her advantage to help plan the timing, who she be where and when they should be there. It was something of an arduous task to be honest, left her a little drained to look so closely at individuals, but Sybill would never complain about it. Her inner eye was a gift very few possessed and she intended to use it to it’s full potential.

Besides being out here among nature’s glory with her writing and a joint would be sufficient to restore the balance of her energy. She took a drag and sighed into the quiet night, shifting to lay on her back and feel the full flow of the earth against her body. Her fingertips tingled and her toes curled. God, you know what would really help her sleep? Sex. But so few were as interested in no strings in the same way she was. Still willing to form a connection and truly bon with each other, just not so insistent that such a bond be permanent. It was okay to need someone only for a night or two. The summer she’d bounced around muggle music festivals had spoiled her, obviously. Maybe most wizards were so interested in commitment because it carried on the family name.

Not that she could blame them for such. Cassandra Trelawney had claimed the gift skipped three generations after all and by golly the family had seen to it that her point be proved. The idea made her giggle, bright energy pushing out against a dark sky.

Whatever the case, she was antsy and restless and worried about tomorrows plans. Worried about tomorrows’ people. If things went wrong those few were the ones who would pay most dearly. She closed her eyes, trying to feel the influence of the universe move through her and search for the answers she desired. Would tomorrow be okay? Had they chosen well? The universe, as it so often was in what it considered small affairs, had little more to offer than a small reassurance that Sybill wasn’t driving towards utter disaster.

[timelessish]

[text: “I didn’t know where else to go.”] source: mine

Keenler Week Day 1: why I love them/the moment they became my OTP

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So, some backstory first: this is a show I only saw bits and pieces of on TV during season one but what I saw intrigued me. I remember seeing the Judge, Ivan, and Mako Tanido episodes in their entirety with my parents (they were hooked on the show during its first season) and being enthralled. The scenes I remember most from watching live were the Liz/Tom shower scene with blood on his hands (so sick but so compelling) and the Tom/Jolene scene while the song Jolene is played. That song just got to me, and I remember thinking, “Oh my god, this is perfect.” So that summer when The Blacklist got put on Netflix, I watched the full first season and loved it. I’d really never loved a procedural so much (or at all) before. I think it was a mix of the Liz/Red connection, Red’s mystery past, the Tom intrigue, creepy Apple Man, Liz being a badass, rootable-for heroine, and the unique, crazy Blacklisters in each episode that drew me in. I could and have watched season one over and over again without growing tired.

As for Keenler: while watching the show originally, shipping wasn’t on my mind. I just loved the story and plotting that was going on. I loved Tom’s story season one and all the second-guessing that went on between him and Liz, the questions of his connections to Red, Gina, and Victor Fokin, and just his being an awesome villain/spy/double agent. I loved his and Liz’s dynamic portraying the illusion of a perfect, happy marriage, but I loved it even more when it came shattering down around them. I thought Tom’s story season one was resolved perfectly with his death by Liz’s hands, and I was so thrilled to have writers who weren’t afraid to kill their darlings when it was time. Though I was more saddened by Meera’s death, I was more shocked by Tom’s. He’d had more of a main role, so I thought it was such a brave move by the writers and it reaffirmed my love of the show.

… but little did I know, the writers weren’t actually that brave. I rolled my eyes and sighed at the “Tom’s alive!!” reveal in season 2. I wasn’t surprised, but it did made me think a little less of the show. I think all the questions surrounding Tom could have been better answered after his death, because at this point, the answers haven’t been satisfactorily explained to me, and I still have so many questions. So while I loved their dynamic season one, I didn’t ship them, giving me no problem jumping onto the Keenler ship once they reeled me in.

Honestly, I saw something there from episode one. “Who the hell is Elizabeth Keen?” is such an iconic line, and it sets up so much of the story. Just who is Elizabeth Keen? Lizzie, Liz, Masha Rostova; adoptee, daughter, wife, profiler, agent, criminal, killer, fugitive, asset, mother, survivor. Her story keeps unfolding and I don’t think we’re done figuring her out yet. But beyond that, just who is she to Donald Ressler, and who will she become?

Then he shows up at her doorstep with helicopters and an army of SUVs. I mean. That’s such an amazing first meeting. You really can’t top that. Also, okay, the cinematography of the Pilot is just incredible. The way the focus shifts to Ressler watching Liz as she speaks to Cooper? That shot of him watching her, framed by golden light? It’s absolutely stunning and you can’t convince me that wasn’t the show setting the basis for a power couple. And the Pilot also gave us Ressler breaking the rules for Liz for the first time when he let her see Red in his hospital room, though it’s certainly not the last time he breaks the rules for her. It becomes such a recurring theme for him: he always follows the rules, except when it comes to Liz.

The tense banter Liz and Ress share in the next few episodes is amazing. It’s a dance of learning to trust each other and work together despite their misgivings, and I love every bit of it. There’s that shot of them squaring off after he busted in with the Canadian police to Red’s dinner with Liz, which pisses her off, and the way the camera circles around them and the way they play off each other there is insane. Can I just say: HOLY CHEMISTRY. HOLY SEXUAL TENSION.

Then comes the Stewmaker (my favorite episode of all time) and that infamous hug. Seeing that was my first, “… hmm.” I saw something there between them from the beginning, but this was the first moment I really felt it.

A highlight from the Courier: “That was hot.” “You know he can hear you, right?“ When Meera says that (oh, how I miss Meera!), Liz gives her this great side-eye and I’ll be honest, my first thought was - is someone a little jealous? Also there’s a lovely moment later when Liz asks Ressler about what he said about having nothing in the world, recognizing that on some level, he did mean it despite his denial. In that moment, she sees his vulnerability like he saw hers post-Stewmaker, and she knows not to push him, but I think she sees a bit of herself in him - in putting up a facade against the world to hide insecurities and loss. The way she described herself as being called a bitch, the way Ressler gets called an ass. There’s more alike there than there is different.

So they’re finally getting past their rocky start when Sam dies and then Anslo Garrick happens. Liz is such a brave badass, fighting instead of running away until she gets caught and brought to the box where Red and Ressler are. Her face and Ressler’s kill me there. Her expression, so sad and scared but determined, shaking her head no, don’t do it, don’t give him the code. Him in clear physical pain and indecision as Cooper tells him no. Agent Ressler, no. That’s an order. and all the while Red has a gun in his face. And Ressler gives up the code.

That’s a pivotal moment. I don’t think he gives up the code because he’s afraid of dying. I think it’s because he’s afraid of Liz dying. The Agent Ressler who’d been presented to us before would have followed his commanding officer’s orders. He would have followed protocol and protected the asset no matter the personal cost. He’s a by-the-book guy, not an emotional decision-maker. And with the career he chose, you have to figure he’s not afraid of dying in the line of duty. So he’s okay with his own death, but when it comes down to it, not Liz’s.

On top of everything, the code is Romeo. Liz loves Shakespeare, as stated by Aram at her funeral. Romeo and Juliet is a tragic romance. The connotation of Romeo in that moment draws the possibility of romance between Liz and Ress.

To go on a side tangent here, you could choose to find more connections. Romeo (Ressler) is enamored with Rosalind (Audrey), though she isn’t interested (left him), until he meets Juliet (Liz), who’s engaged (married) to Paris (Tom), who was chosen for her by her parents (inserted into her life by Red/Berlin). Romeo and Juliet fall in love but can’t be together. They get separated (she shoots the AG and goes on the run with Red) and Juliet, with the help of the Friar (Mr. Kaplan), fakes her death (she does this twice: once in Arioch Cain, once in Mr. Solomon: Conclusion). Romeo doesn’t receive the message that Juliet is actually alive (this fits slightly more for the Arioch Cain death, when all of the team was in on the plan except him), so he buys poison from the Apothecary (interestingly, they had a Blacklister by this name in the last episode) and travels back to see her body. Paris comes and they duel, Romeo killing him. Romeo then drinks the poison. When Juliet awakes, finding Romeo to be dead, she uses his dagger to kill herself. After their mutual deaths, there’s finally peace in Verona. Obviously, I don’t think all of these parallels are exact, but I do think that there are a lot of connections to be drawn between Shakespeare and the Blacklist. At any rate, it’s interesting to see some of the groundwork laid. Okay, end of side tangent.

Ressler and Liz keep growing stronger as partners and friends. He trusts her enough to talk about Audrey and Tassles, and she trusts him enough to talk about Tom. He offers to rough Tom up for her.

Another big moment: he chooses Liz over Audrey in Madeline Pratt. She’s distraught, saying she thinks Tom is going to leave her. Ressler is on his way out, but sits down at that. She tells him to leave. He says no, ditching his dinner date with Audrey, choosing to stay and be with her instead.

Then comes the Kingmaker, and this is the episode that did it for me. This is when I went … crap. I have an actual ship in this procedural crime show. First it was their moment on the bridge when he tells her it’s not over. The way they look at each other there, with the beautiful blue sky behind them… it’s breathtaking. And then he saves her life, killing the Kingmaker while he’s strangling her. I have a thing for Liz and Ress saving each other, okay? Don’t judge. And then comes the crowning moment (haha, Kingmaker, crown, get it?) : she shows up at his apartment. “I didn’t know where else to go.” No questions asked, he lets her in. For whatever reason, that’s when they got me. That wordless communication, those beautiful mooneyes. And then they cut the scene at the close of his door, which I both love and hate because yay, I get to come up with my own headcanons about what happened, but boo, I want to know what happened.

So. There’s that. And then the next day, they go to Liz’s house (now a crime scene) where she tells him, “I should have let you rough him up,” with this sad smile that he returns, and her body language is so relaxed around him in her home, where you’d think she’d feel more defensive and self-conscious. But there he is, standing in the ruins of her married life, and she seems okay with it. Alright with being vulnerable and real around him, and that’s what I love the most about them: when they can be wholly themselves with each other.

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Anyways, that’s about all from season one that sums up the development of my Keenler ship. Sorry for the long post, it sort of got away from me! I’ll be back tomorrow with my Day 2 post :)