#What an outstanding podcast I love it

[crispycreambacon]

The Journey to Break Free • An Analysis of Malevolent's Themes

This is more like a ramble, but analysis sounds more professional y'know y'know-

Major Spoiler Warning for Episode 19

-

Episode 19 may be my favourite episode at least for Season 2 – bear in mind that as I type this, I haven't gone past Episode 19. Regardless, it is definitely a highlight of this podcast for me. It unpacked a lot about Arthur and John, and it explored many interesting themes. The strength of kindess and letting yourself be vulnerable, the reality that healing and becoming a better person isn't always a clean journey, the significance of the connections we make and the memories we carry from them...

The first one is subversive in how despite Arthur losing some of his morality in order to survive, he still retains some of it and uses it ro his advantage. It may be baffling to see Arthur still wanting to trust others and treat them kindly, as seen with Arthur wanting to offer water to the cana, because this world can turn on you so quickly. However, that may be the point. The fact that Arthur can still find it in himself to care about the beings in this world is a true testament to his resilience. The Dreamlands is unrelentlessly cruel and tests you, trying to mold you to become the monsters that roam this realm, and I think that is why Arthur won't succumb to this world's terrors like so many before him did.

It ties into the tone of the podcast and how it shifts. Arthur may need to be cruel at times, but that doesn't mean he needs to be a monster. Likewise, Malevolent may be a bleak story, but it is not one which needs to overly indulges in tragedy and darkness. Even within the episode itself, there are moments where Arthur and John laugh. There's an entire section in which Arthur interacts with a buopoth, and it's the most adorable thing ever. These moments provide a balance that help emphasize the impact of intense moments even more than if the entire story had just been trudged in grimdark.

(Putting the rest under a "Read More" section as to not make this post too long to scroll through)

As for the second theme, I particularly appreciate it as people who try to heal, typically victims of trauma, are often villanized for not being perfect, nice or behaving. Anyone who doesn't fit the mold of being sad and helpless via lashing out or express anger about their trauma get dogpiled with insults and accusations from those who refuse to understand them. Those who only want to imagine a narrative that recovery is always pretty and always going up with no relapses whatsoever. That narrative formed because society crafted it and enforced it with media tackling trauma victims in a shallow way at best. Because it's uncomfortable for society to face the truth that trauma is ugly, and those that went through it won't come out unscathed like people want them to.

The theme of names being significant is an uncommon but meaningful one. John Doe is a name to give the King in Yellow a new identity, a way to rebuild himself. Lilly is a name that meant a lot to John as the only form of human connection he had while Arthur was comatose and the catalyst to John becoming a better person. Faroe is a name that Arthur keeps recalling because he can't let go of his daughter and the trauma that came with it.

Even the name of the episode is important. I think "the Prison" truly is an apt title for this episode. Not only because this involves Arthur and John escaping the pit they're trapped it, but it's also a metaphor for Arthur's situation. His body is a prison for John that both want him to get out of, yet Arthur is the real prisoner as he loses control over everything from his body to his life. He is trapped in the past because he can never let go of Fareo. He can never forgive himself for causing her death through his neglect no matter how unintentional it was.

And he gave in at the end. He gave in to the past and went to the city to search for Faroe even though the cana instructed them to avoid the city. Even though so many signs point to it being yet another trap. Even though the chances of Fareo being there were next to none.

Yet John didn't protest. It really shows how much John has grown to emphathize with humanity. How he has grown from someone who is selfish and uses others to his whims, discarding them when they no longer serve him purpose to someone who may not fully understand humanity but can genuinely appreciate and care about it. He may not understand why Arthur still clings onto Faroe, but he understands Arthur deserves closure, so even if this may be a trap, he lets him walk in. We, the audience, may not fully understand either, but we understand this is a necessary step for Arthur even if it may be one that leads to his doom.

[witchinatree]

the differences in TMA and TMAGP are incredible

both had an existing story, TMA had the jonah magnus lifetime and the gertrude robinson empire but no one had experienced that. we didn't see what led to TMA we just learned it along the way. we had no idea what jon was getting himself to. TMAGP had TMA, some of us experienced it, we know what's coming, and the writers know it too

TMA didn't have some massive traumatic event behind it, there wasn't obviously (at least to my dumb ass) a secret slowly being chipped away at

TMAGP is more obvious, there's something that happened™ (mag200) and we're watching them learn what we already know, walk into the trap that we've seen before, uncover the secret that we learned

all of the writers are doing an outstanding job at changing how the story is written because of what we Know and idk i just really love these podcasts

also small side note, us being part of the problem is so fun, every magnus pod listener is an avatar of the eye and we cannot escape it anymore. we need to know.

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

03/15/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Cast & Crew; Samba; Guz; Lube As A Crew; GLAAD Awards; Fan Spotlight; Ari Azure's Renew As A Crew (Act Of Grace); Big Gay Energy Podcast; Cast Cards; SchadenFreude; Watch Parties; In Soup Now; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Tonight's Taika;

== Cast & Crew Sightings ==

== Samba Schutte BTS ==

Samba was kind enough to grace us with more BTS today. Some pictures and a lot of videos!

CW: Fake Blood and Gore

Video 1: Vico Freaking out over the outfittings

Video 2: Cursed Ship On Deck

Video 3: Revenge Crew Jumping On Deck from Back

Video 4: Bloody

Video 5: Geo-met-ery

Video 6: More On Deck

== Guz Khan ==

Guz Khan's got some upcoming shows! If you're in NYC or LA, feel free to check him out this April! Tickets

== Final Lube As A Crew ==

It was a fun and sad day with our crewmates over at @astroglideofficial. The Social Media conductor was having a lovely time, but obviously was bittersweet with it ending. Here's some highlights from the watch party. To see more visit their twitter. If I get some time this weekend i'll try to put all the lube as a crew stuff together on the repo so you can see it all, just not gonna get to it tonight. I tried to get the timeline in order.. if not, apologies!

== GLAADforOFMD==

So in case it comes up.. there was some drama with some other fandoms regarding GLAAD today on Twitter. The TLDR; version is, some tweets went out regarding how disappointed we were about Ted Lasso winning out over Our Flag Means Death for Outstanding Comedy Series. Somehow, Yellowjackets fandom, who won a different category Outstanding Drama Series somehow got the idea that OFMD fans were complaining about Yellowjackets winning. It was corrected multiple times by multiple people but they kept coming. So yeah, twitter being twitter, not a great time. Sending love to @koneko_army and any other crewmates who had to deal with it.

If you wanna see the GlaadWinners visit The Hollywood Reporter

If you really wanna see the whole thread, you can visit Koneko's Twitter but honestly I don't recommend it, I wasn't even part of it and it stresses me out reading it.

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Ari Azure's Renew As A Crew =

Ari Azure's Renew As A Crew (Act of Grace) song came out today!

Tumblr Post

= Big Gay Energy Podcast =

New Big Gay Energy Podcast dropped!

= Cast Cards =

Our crewmate @melvisik has spotlighted one of our dearest friends Dominic Burgess this time! Starting to round out the collection! Thanks hon!

== Schaden Freude ==

Still trending downward! Great job fam!

== Watch Parties ==

Mar 17th: The Boat That Rocked AKA Pirate Radio Watch Party

7:30 pm GMT / 3:30 pm EST / 1:30 pm CST

Watch Party Hashtags:

PirateRadio 

AdoptOurCrew

SaveOFMD

OurFlagMeansWatchAlong

Mar 18 - Mar 22: Wrecked Season 3

Season 3 watch from March 18th to March 22nd. 

Times will be 10pm GMT / 5pm EST / 4pm CST / 2pm PST. Watch two episodes per day. Episodes are 21-22 minutes each. Use the following Saturday for the tags/watch if interested but not able to make this time.

Hashtags: 

#WreckedPirates

#SaveOFMD

#RhysDarbyFaction

== In Soup Now ==

In Soup Now is back! Post your soups/stews/recipes with!

#InSoupNow

#SaveOFMD

#LongLiveOFMD

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies. Another week has passed. I really hope it wasn't too hard on you-- and if you're off to work tomorrow too, that you get some semblance of rest soon. Sometimes it feels like we're too small to make a difference, or we don't know enough, or we're not pretty enough, or we're not strong enough. Or we're not enough of something, whatever it happens to be. But you know what? You do plenty. You are plenty. You are plenty beautiful, and plenty strong, and plenty full of life, and plenty knowledgeable, and you make plenty of a difference. You make a difference every day, in our lives, and the lives around you. I hope you get some rest and tomorrow you get to see even a glimpse of awesome you truly are. Take care lovelies <3

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Tonight's theme is DRINKIES!

Darby Gif Courtesy of @fandomsmeantheworldtome

Taika Gif Courtesy of @caribbean1989

[zeynepaura]

𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒔 ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

First off, giving up an old bad habit is difficult, that I know; however, it is not impossible. I've had a lot of difficulties in my life where I repeated the same habit over and over again and I thought for me I would never overcome them. But you know what changed? trying. I tried my best every day and even if I failed, I slowly accepted that I am not perfect and I am only human. That is who we are, and that is why Allah the Almighty is so merciful, because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala himself knows we humans will slip up and fall. But listen, it's not impossible and as annoying as it is, as long as you keep trying, keep having that good intentions of becoming better and to do better; trust me those habits will be history.

Whenever we do something for the sake of our lord, everything works out, everything clicks together. These habits you have won't be vanished for one day of course, or a week, it's a process--a journey that we all need to accept. Think of it as a fitness journey, you won't get fit in one day. These things take time and after feeling so negative about myself I realized as long as you try, asking Allah for help, and doing the most you can--it is possible.

I hope these tips do help you, and everyone is different as everyone has different struggles and bad habits. These will either help you or guide you to overcome those habits in your own way. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make it easy for us.

⤑ 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑶𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛

I have seen a video of someone asking a scholar why do I still commit these bad deeds/habits if I am performing my five daily prayers? and the answer to this was the quality of your namaz. Do you rush into prayer, are you zoning out, are you not on time for namaz, and etc.

There is of course a lot to this but the quality of your namaz and how much time you spend with our lord does affect our hearts.

One of many ways to re-connect with our lord to become better with our daily prayers are:

Performing your prayers on time (I understand how our laziness could get in the way or how we are so into whatever we were doing before and cannot detach ourselves from this but, a quote I read and did help me at times like this was "Put your time and effort to Allah, and Allah will put his time and effort to you too.")

Recite a dua/surah after your namaz (Ayetel kursi, a repentance dua, La ilaha illallah, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul hamdu, yuhyi wa yumitu, wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir, and etc.)

Perform your wudhu 15-10 minutes earlier (Let me tell you when I did this it was so effective. When you perform wudhu earlier, you are in a clear-minded state and are purified. Along with you being on time for namaz, this additionally helps you become more focused during namaz)

Perform Dhikr (Subhanallah, Alhamdullilah, Astaghfirullah, La illaha illallah, Allahu Akbar)

Learn the meaning of what you are reciting (When you learn and understand the meaning of the surah/dua's you are reciting, being focused becomes easier and the connection becomes stronger)

⤑ 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

Create distractions for yourself to not commit those deeds/habits!

Do what you love and enjoy (Go back to those hobbies you used to enjoy! or hang out with your friends and family.)

Educate yourself (Look up interesting things; Learn something new; Watch an islamic podcast)

Get to work (If you have any outstanding work or homework, get straight to it.)

Learn a new surah (Let's say you REALLY have nothing else to do, then what better way to spend that time in something worthy--learning a surah!)

Go outside and enjoy nature!

⤑ 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑯𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒔

Along with giving up those bad habits, create new good habits to incorporate in your day-to-day life!

Each day, add something in your routine--even if its small! For instance, get back to that skin care routine you were so lazy to do; or go on that walk you kept saying later to; or even folding your clothes and organizing your closet. Each time you add a good habit to do, you become distracted to those bad habits, have less time do commit them, and on the long run you are creating habits for a better difference!

With this in mind, please do not do everything at once. To prevent a negative on-going cycle, just like that book "Atomic Habits" said, that "If you can get 1% better each day for one year, you'll end up with 37 times better by the time you're done."

A habit to always include and progress even more is repentance! Recite and repeat Astaghfirullah; Ya Gaffar and Ya Gafoor; as well as the repentance surah's! Before doing anything, always say Bismillah and whether you're doing chores or scrolling on your phone, always say Astaghfirullah. This helps you be more aware of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala!

And lastly, remember you can do it!

: ̗̀➛ Allahumma musarrifal-qulubi, sarrif qulubana 'ala ta'atika

O Allah! Controller of the hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience.

[wildfernflower]

Tony is a Band Manager not Music Producer. Problem is that except for the major media that interviewed Cait most are crappy articles on dubious online sites that simply copy and paste wrong information from other shady sites and continue to post as clickbait. In a recent podcast with Lauren Lyle, the host clearly said that he knows Tony very well and that he is The Fratellis' band manager. HIs name is mentioned twice on the band's last album with thanks and appreciation. He doesn't need a SM to do his work. Phone calls, messaging, e-mails and in person meetings are still used to do business and obviously he does them all.

The fact that you continue to use wrong info. to push your own agenda is quite clear to anyone who is aware of both sides.

“Tony is a Band Manager not Music Producer”

Whether T is a music producer, band manager, or both, it doesn't make his persona look better, more professional, or just more "real". In numerous articles though he’s mentioned as a music producer:

According to your own words, these are “crappy articles on dubious online sites that simply copy and paste wrong information from other shady sites and continue to post as clickbait”. So these are not credible sources, as you’ve admitted, but no others exist. Nobody can verify his qualifications and find out what his real job is, because there is no mention about him to be found either in serious press or on serious websites like Linkedin – you have surely read my reply to an Anon, where I compared T’s skills and accomplishments (zero entries) to those of N. Brown, the tour manager of The Fratellis.

The difference is striking and puzzling, but you deliberately ignore it. It seems natural and beneficial for a career and recognition in any field, specifically in the music/entertainment industry, to have many skills, achievements, contracts, etc. and to make these facts public and widely known to the potential new clients. Well documented career path proves professionalism and competences of the producer/manager and encourages the clients to start successful cooperation, regardless of what your working style is. Why to harm your own career by staying anonymous and hiding that all? (Unless you have nothing to show …). T does have a phone (we saw him sitting at the table glued to the screen during the events C had dragged him to), possibly he has an e-mail address, too … Do you expect him reciting his competences each time a client calls him? E-mails and phone calls are “still used to do business and obviously he does them all” – do you know him personally to be sure what his working style is and that he “obviously” do them all? Perhaps you believe T enjoys such a broad recognition and his accomplishments are so significant that he’s in great demand and doesn’t need any publicity? So why nobody has heard about him? If he was that recognized, why - when press reported on C's wedding 4 years ago - had there never been any mention of how outstanding and talented man Caitriona had married? Usually, the journalists (especially tabloid journos) dig a lot to find out some interesting facts and details about the person with whom the celebrity is getting married to. But nothing more apart from T being a music producer had been found back then and hasn’t been so far. Isn't it a bit weird? I’ll bet many people hadn’t heard about him and his profession until then.

“His name is mentioned twice on the band's last album with thanks and appreciation”

That’s possible, maybe his name was mentioned also on one or two older albums of Fratellis, you probably know better than me. But have anybody heard about his other achievements? Is that all he did during all his professional life? One mention on the album? Almost 20 years in the industry working supposedly as a producer/manager, almost 47 year old guy and his only “success” is his contribution to one album and being acknowledged once or twice by the same band? No cooperations with other artists? No other projects? Simply these acknowledgements? That’s all? T and the members of Fratellis are surely good friends, there was a photo of them on IG, and probably that’s why he’s mentioned occasionally as a manager, and why Fratellis are his only connection with the music industry over many years.

“In a recent podcast with Lauren Lyle, the host clearly said that he knows Tony very well and that he is The Fratellis' band manager”

This was the first time anyone had spoken publicly about T in the context of his career in the music industry. How do we know what he said is credible? Perhaps, as I wrote in my comment back then, that journalist wanted to give his good pal T some publicity if he’s not doing well in the music industry? It’s a bit suspicious to mention him at all, and definitely unprofessional to suggest him managing Fratellis links OL to great music. If T is such “an amazing fella”, why does C never say a word about him and never mention his name, why isn’t she proud of him, why does she never walk red carpet with him, why does she avoid being photographed with him in front of the media wall, why is he always trailing behind her along the corridors, why does she use him as a coat hanger, why does she keep him in a background, why is she ashamed of such an “amazing fella”? It seems to me that T is much more involved in his job as Cait's paid assistant whom she drags along everywhere, even to insignificant interviews, to prove he’s her husband than he is in his alleged job as the music producer/manager.

“The fact that you continue to use wrong info to push your own agenda is quite clear to anyone who is aware of both sides”

I’m not pushing my own agenda, I don’t force anybody to adopt my point of view. I’ve explained how I see the things.

If you think I'm using wrong info, please, tell me the source of the correct one if you know. If you're “aware of another side” – perhaps you're in touch with T, or hanging around with the people who know him, or have tips from reliable friends in the know, etc. - feel free to share your knowledge and prove me wrong by evidence.

[he-is-lightning-in-a-bottle]

2023 Year in Review

In celebration of the coming New Year, I decided to do a re-watch of every drama I gave 3 or more stars in 2023. Only 15 made the cut, which given the number of dramas I watched (I started well over 200, although I dropped at least a third of those) is not that many.

(My rating system is pretty simple: 1 ⭐ = terrible/don't recommend/waste of time, 2 ⭐⭐ = pretty good/enjoyable/would recommend to others but probably never re-watch, 3 ⭐⭐⭐ = good/likely to re-watch, 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = practically perfect/would re-watch frequently. As you can see, it's more about what I personally enjoy than what's objectively great. So some objectively good shows aren't on this list, like La Pluie or Wedding Plan or Our Dating Sim or Doctor Cha or King the Land or Call it Love, because they got a lower score from me because I'm not that likely to ever re-watch them even though I'm glad I watched them and I'll happily recommend them to others. Of course, my ratings are subject to change over time too because I often surprise myself with what I re-watch. Some shows that I originally gave 2.5 stars have eeked out 3.5 stars over the following year or two just because they grew on me and I kept re-watching them.)

As such, my plan to ring in the New Year is to re-watch:

Lost/Human Disqualification - ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ - (IQIYI/Amazon Prime, kdrama, slice of life, healing journey, slight romance, a 42yo woman pushed to the breaking point by life crosses paths with a 27yo man who is mourning the loss of his friend, outstanding dialog, killer A+ acting, tw: infidelity, miscarriage, and suicide BUT DON'T LET THAT SCARE YOU AWAY)

Hit The Spot ⭐⭐⭐ (Viki, kdrama, romcom, 2 women begin hosting a sex advice podcast, funny, sex positive education, extraordinarily relatable, high heat, 8 30min eps)

The Glory ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (Netflix, kdrama, 36yo woman patiently takes revenge on her childhood bullies, slight romance, incredible dialog, A+ acting, excellent pacing and powerful reveals, tw: the highschool bullies are evil little sociopaths who do some extremely horrific shit)

The Eighth Sense ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (Viki, gay romance, kdrama, incoming freshman who is a rural-transplant to Seoul meets exiting senior and joins his surf club, gorgeous production, healing past trauma, A+ acting and insanely believable physical chemistry, good OST)

Love Tractor ⭐⭐⭐ (IQIYI, gay, short kbl, big city law student with musical ambitions hides from his responsibilities in the countryside and meets a younger himbo farmer with a heart of gold)

Sing My Crush ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (IQIYI, kBL, a talented but heartbroken young man is about to give up on his musical dreams when he is adopted by an eager wannabe manager, best friends to lovers, cohabitation, pining, good plot and chemistry)

Moonlight Chicken ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (YouTube, Thai, gay romance + BL, one night stand between a struggling chicken diner owner and a recently promoted office worker turns into more, HS student and lonely deaf boy become the cutest couple to ever cute, A+ writing and acting, themes of: found family, making a home, love matters even when it doesn't end well, class inequality, queer generational divides, letting go of the past, a radically compassionate look at first love, last love, lost love, and unrequited love)

Bed Friend ⭐⭐⭐ (IQIYI, Thai, gay office romance, enemies to FWB to lovers, healing past trauma done right, ridiculously pretty leads, consent kings, high heat, A+ lead chemistry and acting, soft landing in the final 2 eps, tw: sexual assault)

My School President ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (Viki, Thai, BL, high school boys singing their feelings [well!], wholesome, gentle, sweet and funny, A+ production values, peak low-heat BL with well-executed tropes)

Be My Favorite ⭐⭐⭐ (Youtube, Thai, BL, repressed and fearful boy travels back in time to his college days to woo his crush and falls in love with his supposed rival instead, themes: living each moment to the fullest so you won't have regrets, kindness as a catalyst for character growth and positive change, bravery in the face of uncertainty, telling people you love them can only be a good thing)

Laws of Attraction ⭐⭐⭐ (IQIYI, Thai, gay, mystery/romance lakorn, evil unhinged babygirl lawyer and the heroic idealistic taekwondo instructor who falls for him work together to solve the mystery of his niece's death, loveable granny, A+ lesbians, happy endings all around, great acting and lead chemistry)

Jack O'Frost ⭐⭐⭐ (Viki, Japan, gay, amnesiac young man and his co-habitating ex begin their relationship again, short 6 ep, A+ acting, excellent production values)

Hold my Hand at Twilight ⭐⭐⭐ (Viki, jdrama, twenty-something city mouse meets country mouse and they begin the journey towards making their dreams come true, cohabitation, warm-hearted, angsty 3rd act, A+ acting, excellent banter, post-credit epilogue)

Kiseki: Dear to Me ⭐⭐⭐ (Viki, Taiwan, gay, hardworking med student falls for the gang member he secretly treats, insane plot includes time skip and amnesia [2 tropes I usually hate, but actually done well in this case and not annoying], domesticity, cohabitation, hurt/comfort, friends to lovers, short total runtime)

Fake It Till You Make It ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (Viki, China, romance, 🔥 lead chemistry, snappy banter, disarmingly honest and vulnerable leads, this couple wants to eat each other for dinner AND dessert but constantly chooses not to because of other life priorities and fears, friends with killer UST to lovers who communicate shockingly well, all the characters feel like real people instead of caricatures)

[c-schroed]

Podcasts I Adore - Within the Wires, Season Four: The Cradle

Sigrid, I don't tell you this enough. I love you.

You're my daughter. Of course I love you with all my heart and I am proud of you, Sigrid.

You have a lot of responsibility, a lot of stress, managing the daily needs of The Cradle as your mother travels the world, learning everything she can about how to better our little commune. How to restore the innate love of mother and child to the Society.

Season four is so darn well written. And gosh, I really  h a t e  this season. I hate it from the bottom of my heart. Because season four excels at presenting us a true cornucopia of a thing that other seasons also gave us, but only in small doses: Frustration.

Meet Freya Brigettesdotter, wannabe-leader of "The Cradle" a commune living out of reach for mainstream society in what in our world would be Sweden. In the world of Within the Wires, however, there is no Sweden, as nations have been dissolved in this alternate history after what would have been our world's World War 2 (only much, much mor catastrophic). And more importantly even, families have been forbidden as a fertile ground for triblism and nationalism, to prevent any new catastrophies like this. Of course, not everyone agrees with the ideas of this New Society, and thus communes like the Cradle exist, where children still grow up together with their parents instead of being raised in governmental facilities.

However, the Cradle is unfortunately lead by Freya, who one day had to go undercover because the government found out about her missing IDs. But seemingly, Freya's understanding of "undercover" is more one of "Live, Laugh, Love", and so she travels the world on a trip of self-discovery that eventually will turn into an ego-trip of classical "Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss" qualities.

Of course, Freya stays in contact with her poor flock of followers, by cassettes sent to the Cradle from wherever she resides currently. These cassettes always have two parts: One personal letter to Sigrid, Freya's daughter, and one public part, with inspirational tales or sermons for her followers at the Cradle. And as both parts perfectly document Freya's journey into egotism and recklessness while in return giving us just a few hints about the reactions of the people addressed by her, we as audience are left very, very helpless.

Of course, one is always quite helpless when listening to a narrative podcast. The story will be told either way, and the listener seldomly can influence how it progresses. But no podcasts can make you really feel this helplessness as intensely as Within the Wires, and no other season focuses that much on this feeling as season four.

So yeah, I hate season four. Not because it happens to be bad, but because it's designed to be bad. Because voice actress Mona Grenne does an outstanding job in playing this self-bedazzled villainess, and because the production of the podcast is above any suspicion of cheapness. But still. It took me a while to really appreciate this season for what it is: Nothing more and nothing less than a perfect little lesson in frustration. 8 out of 10 points.

< My review of the Black Box bonus season

My review of season five>

[flatbstanley]

Justin: This is Justin Santoro with Quotidianum, your daily guide to the Holy Catholic Church. Today we’ll be discussing the role of women in the Church. To that end, I’ve invited two outstanding young women to join me: my daughter, Gianna, and Claire Newton from the podcast “Catholic Girl Things.” Claire, why don’t you start us off by telling us a little about yourself.

Claire: Sure! Thanks so much for having me! So I grew up Catholic, but in a very, like, liberal way. My parents were always telling my sister and me that we could do anything a boy could do. We were even altar servers! I got to a point where I was like, “If men and women are equal, why can’t I be a priest?”

Justin: That’s something that so many people get wrong. Women and men have separate roles to play. They are not equivalent. Women are the givers of life and the nurturers, while men are the ones that Christ chose to lead his Church.

Claire: Exactly! But it took me a really long time to get that. When I was in high school, though, I started listening to some great Catholic podcasts. Quotidianum was one of them, actually! That was when I realized it was better to embrace what God gave me rather than trying to be a man.

Gia: I'm glad you said that, because I think it’s really important. Girls my age get so offended when somebody tells them that they can’t be exactly like boys. They start shouting about women’s rights and all. But thinking about what you can't have just makes you miserable, and you can miss out on the great opportunities that God's given you. For example, if I were set on being an altar server, I never would have gotten involved with embroidering the altar cloths at our church. That's a great job for women, and I absolutely love it!

Two hours earlier...

[liminal-zone]

What are your thoughts on Charlie Vickers comments on Halbrand/Sauron and Galadriel's relationship? I know some people were upset by them but I feel like that's just his own interpretation of their relationship (and he even says it is) but that doesn't mean that's the showrunners's intentions. I also feel like he thinks "romance" means loving, healthy relationship which ... isn't really the appeal of Sauron/Galadriel in my opinion.

A GREAT QUESTION, ANON, FOR IT IS ALSO ON ~MY MIND~.

So for context, yes, Charlie Vickers (who I genuinely adore and is giving outstanding interviews and saying amazing wonderful things in a way that makes me go PLS HAVE HIM BE SAURON AS LONG AS POSSIBLE WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS WITH CHARLIE) continues to state the feelings~ Sauron has about Galadriel are cosmic and manipulation, not romantic or about attraction.

COOL STORY, BRO. YOU PLAYED YOURSELF. Don't provide a performance showing how your dark lord character caught feels if you didn't intend to do so. ::looks at nails and flips hair::

Actors like Charlie who dig deep into the character are my favorite, and I appreciate them so much. But actors are just one part of the stageplay - it is also how the character is written, directed, edited, and then perceived by us. Your perception of the performance is always a valid one.

On the Ringerverse podcast this past Friday, the showrunners were interviewed and they said the bit in FOTR "The Mirror of Galadriel" where Galadriel says "I perceive the Dark Lord and know his mind, or all of his mind that concerns the Elves. And he gropes ever to see me and my thought. But still the door is closed!" IS THE THESIS AND BASIS OF THE SHOW. And specifically that they wanted to interrogate the word and verb choice in that speech to Frodo. So I have a strong suspicion that Charlie Vickers can say all he wants, but, fleabag voice, this is is a love story.

Final point. Yes, I can see being an actor faced with this question of "is this a romance" and being like "no, because romance is genuine, kind, loving, etc. and that's not what this is." Good news, the deranged unhinged girlies like me want your love, and we want your revenge, you and me could write a BAD ROMAAAANCE.

Thank you for the question, my brain has been very brrrrrrrr about it since I read the interviews. SOME PEOPLE ARE VILLAIN FUCKERS, CHARLIE. xoxox

[twwpress]

Briefing #83: January 21st - January 27th

Welcome back to the Weekly Press Briefing, where we bring you highlights from The West Wing fandom each week, including new fics, ongoing challenges, and more! This briefing covers all things posted from January 21 – January 27. Did we miss something? Let us know; you can find our contact info at the bottom of this briefing! 

Challenges/Prompts:

Do you have a challenge or event you’d like us to promote or know of one we’re missing? Be sure to get in touch with us! Contact info is at the bottom of this briefing.

@thefinestmuffin and @JessBakesCakes are hosting the 3rd Annual Josh/Donna Rom-Com Fest. Anyone can prompt or claim, and the fest reveals on February 14. Details here. 

This Week in Canon:

Welcome back to This Week in Canon, where we revisit moments in The West Wing that occurred on these dates during the show’s run.

Season 1, Episode 13: Take Out the Trash Day aired on January 26, 2000.

Season 2, Episode 12: The Drop-In aired on January 24, 2001.

Season 6, Episode 13: King Corn aired on January 26, 2005.

Season 7, Episode 12: Duck and Cover aired on January 22, 2006.

Photos/Videos:

Here’s what was posted from January 21 - January 27:

Allison Janney posted a screenshot from Deadline about her upcoming role in Miss You, Love You.

Allison Janney posted a screenshot from Variety announcing her role in season two of Netflix’s The Diplomat. 

Allison Janney posted photos of herself from a recent photo shoot. Bradley Whitford posted a poster for a Natalie Morales and “The Night Crew” event he will be appearing in at the Lodge Room on February 3.

Dule Hill posted photos and a supportive message celebrating POC actors nominated for Oscars this year.  

Dule Hill posted an image announcing his nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for the NAACP Image Awards. 

Mary McCormack and Melissa Fitzgerald posted photos of themselves with Allison Janney and an announcement about their upcoming book about The West Wing, called What’s Next? which will drop in August and is now available for preorder. (Allison Janney, Dule Hill, and The West Wing Weekly also posted photos promoting the book.)

Rob Lowe posted a video of himself and Kevin Bacon talking for his podcast, Literally. 

Donna Moss Daily: January 26 | January 27

Daily Josh Lyman: January 21 | January 22 | January 23 | January 24 | January 25 | January 26 | January 27

No Context BWhit: January 21 | January 22 | January 23 | January 24 | January 25 | January 26 | January 27

@twwarchive: January 22 | January 23 | January 24 | January 25 | January 26 | January 27

Edits/Artwork

#joshlyman: boyfriend material by @nacejisbon [VIDEO EDIT]

Editors’ Choice: 

We’re skipping recommendations this week. We’ll catch you with more great stories next week! 

Fics:

Presenting your weekly roundup of fics posted in the tag for The West Wing on Archive of Our Own. 

Josh/Donna

Locus Amoenus by spooky_spacegirl | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

like a kennedy when camelot went down in flames by MarvelousAvengfulSlytherin | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Joey Lucas/Sam Seaborn | In Progress

Come Back, Be Here by MatthewsMary | Rated E | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete [Editor’s Note: While this fic is listed on AO3 as complete, it has continued to update and appears to be a WIP]

Taking Care of You by wootcanal | Not Rated | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

where time of our lives is all we have by flowersinapril | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

Surprise Suprise by Shonio | Not Rated | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

Fairytale Ending? by Tyrols | Not Rated | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

everybody talks (it started with a whisper) by JessBakesCakes | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

CJ/Danny

oh, and I will be with you to feel the California sun by Luppiters | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg | Complete

Make the Leap by  onekisstotakewithme for daylight_angel, miabicicletta, Luppiters | Rated T | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg | Complete

Other Pairings/Gen Fic

A Different Life by PreppyPrincess5103 (JAG crossover) | Rated M | Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie/Sam Seaborn | In Progress 

And the Silence Haunts our Bedchamber by unseenacademic | Rated T | Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet | Complete

written in red ink by helsinkibaby | Rated G | Will Bailey/Kate Harper | Complete

Multiple Pairings

What Sons Do by kcat1971 | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Helen Santos/Matt Santos, Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet, Ainsley Hayes/Sam Seaborn, Zoey Bartlet/Charlie Young | In Progress

War & Peace by miabicicletta for krazykitkat, onekisstotakewithme | Rated T | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg, Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Andrea Wyatt/Toby Ziegler, Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet | In Progress 

Interpreting by ladyemma42 | Rated E | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Joey Lucas/Josh Lyman, Joey Lucas/Donna Moss, Donna Moss/Kenny Thurman | Complete

THE WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING TEAM CAN BE REACHED VIA THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

Twitter: @TWWPress

Email: weeklypressbriefing@gmail.com

Feel free to let us know if we missed something, if you have an event you’d like us to promote, or if you have an item that you’d like included in the next briefing!

xx, What’s next?

[drdavidhuxley]

Because I recently went to see WDAS' most recent film, Wish, and because it's their centennial, and because I'm currently listening to a mega-draft podcast of the films, here are my Top Ten Walt Disney Animation Studios films (not my list of personal favorites, the top ten films I would say are the top ten best of the canon):

Beauty and the Beast (1991) - an assuredly told version of the story, an outstanding score, stellar cast and voice work paired with great animation, a highlight of the medium of animation

Pinocchio (1940) - this was their second one out of the gate! i mean there's so much to admire: the shot of jiminy's perspective as he hops to geppetto's shop, the overhead shot of the town, the horror of lampwick turning into a donkey, the monstro chase, everything with figaro and cleo!!!

Sleeping Beauty (1959) - they set out to create a literal moving work of art and they did it. the tchaikovsky score and gorgeous painted backgrounds, PLUS you got The Golden Girls raising a child in the woods, "And now you shall deal with me O Prince, and all the powers of Hell!" FUCK.

101 Dalmatians (1961) - I watched this in its entirety for the first time as an adult after previously only seeing part of it once or twice and I never knew how fucking tight of a film this is. So tightly told. And it looks exciting and charming. A real gem from the studio.

Cinderella (1950) - the part when the grand duke is talking to the king about how the prince would react if the girl of his dreams showed up to the ball and they show the prince reacting to cindy walking into the ballroom, good shit. the message of "a dream is a wish your heart makes" gets a bad rap, but it's a pretty song and sentiment. also this movie has one of my favorite animated scenes where lady tremaine wakes up the stepsisters to tell them about the slipper and cinderella slowly realizes she danced with the prince the night before and she has this dreamy look on her face and then lady tremaine figures what's up and they pull in on her glowing green eyes and it's over for her. also I think this is one of the most gorgeous and elegant animated films. cinderelly, cinderelly!

The Little Mermaid (1989) - this probably wouldn't be on my list a few years ago, but with the live action adaptation this year and its entry into the National Film Registry, I've been reconsidering this movie and it's such a joyous and ✨ magical ✨ animated work with an emotional center that connects with so many who watch it. the YEARNING. ashman understood it. also, glen keane's (i believe he animated this part?) animation on the part of your world reprise is glorious with that fucking hair, pat carroll and the design of ursula, a heavenly match. and menken's delightful score. it's so good.

Aladdin (1992) - this is actually my number one personal fave, it's the VHS tape I watched the most growing up, but I think this is a good placement for it. It's beautiful to look at, it's a full-fledged animated comedy, it's the last of howard ashman's contributions, "friend like me" is one of the best animated sequences ever, aladdin was my first animated crush, i still stan jasmine, it spawned a pretty terrific spinoff series, jonathan freeman's cackle is the best villain cackle, and of course, robin. also, ron clements and john musker are kings.

Lilo & Stitch (2002) - the more time passes, the more I think this film proves itself to be a grand achievement in the canon. the amount of sentiment is just right, stitch is an entertaining creation and his connection with lilo is relatable, i mean the ending scene always gets me with the "it's broken but still good", also the fact that not another film in the canon looks like this one makes it stand out. and the ending shot of stitch's picture attached to the weathered family photo, ugh. it's also a love letter to "weird little kids". i love it.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) - i mean, yeah. it's scary, it's silly, the queen's transformation into the hag still rules. "one song" is an underrated song.

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) - this movie is legendary. the story of how it came to be is insane. i read that there is actually no completed screenplay of the movie??? that's how much they had to scramble to put this together? i would also put this on a list of great comedy films. eartha kitt, eartha kitt. i don't know what things would look like if we actually got kingdom of the sun, but we are so lucky to have this hilarious movie.

[boltupbitches]

My opinion on Nick Bosa's recent dip in performance

Watching Joey Bosa ball out tonight got me thinking... Joey has had to persevere through a lot of injuries and dips in production throughout his career. Plus, according to Cheryl Bosa on the Your Mom podcast, he has had unfortunate luck throughout his career (from childhood) playing under inconsistent and subpar coaching often. She chalked it up as bad luck.

When he missed almost all of last season, and then performed at his worst, people dog-piled him and reminded him constantly how Nick was the better player.. Hell, his own parents admit that Nick was obsessed from childhood with football and was 1000% about it all the time. They expected Nick to be the star. He was placed on a pedestal from an early age. Joey? A of love-hate relationship with the sport over time.

Nick was said to have had more passion, but Joey had to struggle the most and work a lot harder to get farther. Sure, John and Cheryl having ties to pro football helped, but Joey's success is the blueprint for Nick.

This season alone for both guys shows it.

Nick has not experienced dips in performance like this or issues with coaching staff throughout his career. This is arguably the first time in his career that he's experiencing that and I don't think he knows how to handle it. When he came into the Niners organization, they were equipped and ready for him. He just needed to do the work and slip into place. It was already BUILT. There was little to no rebuilding needed. He flourished.

Now? The Niners defense has hit a snag. Players underperforming, some are out injured, and and there is a new defensive coordinator who is changing things up from Coach Ryan's approach the last couple of years. Don’t forget Shanahan who never ever takes ownership for his failures (but what's new with his ass).

Suddenly, it's much more obvious that Brock Purdy isn't the only one exposed for his shortcomings, but even Nick too. Aside from two season-ending injuries (one at Ohio State and one his second season as a Niner), what other adversity has Nick faced as a player?

He's experiencing a dip in production, has admitted the holdout and missing preseason has impacted him 'a little', and doesn't seem to know how to react to what's happening around him. If things aren't already pre-set for him to flourish, Nick is a non-factor. Nick looks good when everything is in place but when it’s not, he falls short. Not the same way Purdy is - but it is noticeable.

Finally, Nick is a solid player. My critique here of him is not to say he's not worth the money he's being paid. It's not to shit on him as a player. I actually really like Nick Bosa and I am a fan of his. His stats alone over the last few seasons cement him as a great player. Nick's dedication to his craft is commendable too. There are a lot of NFL players who were outstanding in college and then fizzled in the NFL. Do I think that'll be Nick Bosa? No. What I do think, though, is that his luck in landing good teams and consistent coaching from an early age has definitely helped his career a lot more than what's given credit.

[vergess]

Curious question, how many Sherlock Holmes adaptations have you watched? Also, if you watched several , which one is your favorite?

Well, setting aside the Great Mouse Detective because it's unfair to compare other adaptations to something I loved as a child and thus can only view with perfect adoration in spite of any actual truths.

I am a tumblr user of repute, so I've of course seen the BBC's Sherlock. I think that A Study in Pink is the best episode in the show because the editing and cinematography are outstanding and serve the story beautifully. The writing is mediocre but competently sets expectations for the quality of the rest of the show. Then the second episode is so shockingly racist. So overall, it's bad, but influential in fandom whether we want it to be or not. I enjoyed it at the time, but as a more... like. Informed adult? It's bad. Don't bother.

A Study in Emerald. Short story by Neil Gaiman. Barely constitutes an adaptation, but we deserve to be reminded of good writing after that last one. It's available for free on Mr Gaiman's website, here:

Apparently there's a graphic novel version of Emerald, but I've not read it. Unless the graphic novel is just the fake newspaper on the website? Wikipedia was somewhat unclear.

Downey Jr movies: I love them. Absolutely horrible adaptations, but fucking amazing films. More fun than you're expecting. Highly recommended.

Elementary: Probably the best modern adaptation. Captures the serial spirit and commitment to Solving Mysteries Realistically of the original. However, I cannot watch it. The lead actor's performance is basically perfect for 'what would the Holmes character be like today' but I cannot stand it for some reason. I haaaaate watching him, and that makes this one hard for me. I recommend it highly anyway.

I watched two of the Basil Rathbone films to the point of nausea as a kid, but over exposure to the Worst Kinds Of White People in high school discussions of his body of films left a bitter taste for me. Because these films were an adaptation for an audience MUCH closer to the audience of the original stories, there is a period and character authenticity that just cannot be matched by anything else. Honestly, if you only ever watch one adaptation, it should be one of these. I say that in spite of these movies attracting the worst people on earth. There's a reason the 'generic' image of Holmes looks that way, and it's Basil Rathbone.

I've only seen the Peter Cushing movie, not the show. But, he's very much the performance I imagine in my head when reading the stories these days. My favourite live action Holmes actor, and a really top tier Watson. Definitely worth the time. I'm told the show is, um. Not so good on the Watson front.

I didn't like The Private Life of Holmes. I thought it sucked. I have no redeeming statements for it. It's objectively better that the 2010 BBC show, but I have nostalgia for that one's fandom. I just hate this one. It's bad!! Watch anything else. Watch the Great Mouse Detective, it has the same plot but it doesn't suck.

Young Sherlock Holmes is also a bad movie, but it's a bad Pixar Kids Movie so it's still perfectly competent for what it wants to be. If you need something to give a Holmes loving kid under 12 has 'seen them all' give them this. It's forgettable, and thus kids never really see it anymore.

I haven't seen Enola Holmes yet, but I'll probably get around to it. So I guess that's a tentative recommendation there.

The BBC radio drama Adventures of Holmes and its sequel Further Adventures of Holmes is REALLY FUCKING GOOD. If you like podcasts or audio books or stage plays, you have GOT to try these. The first half is a complete adaptation of every Holmes story, and the second half is professional fanfic of identical quality. I've never tried the American version and don't intend to.

I liked the 3 VHS tapes of the Granada tv series that I watched as a little kid, but I honestly couldn't tell you if they're good. I haven't watched any of it since I turned 9. A lot of people like them to the point of thinking Jeremy Brett is THE Holmes actor, so they had to be doing something right.

Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century and Case Closed are both like... impossible for me to parse as Holmes adaptations. Wikipedia says they are but like........ okay. I've seen them both and they are their own entities to me lol. Case Closed in particular is bomb as hell, highly recommended. But like... in a retro anime way, not a Holmes way.

Miss Sherlock has been good so far. I haven't watched enough to have a strong opinion beyond, like. Gay shit. As a Known Fagotte, I gotta say. They sure did cast very attractive actresses and leave all the homoeroticism in place. This, reasonably IMO, distracts me from having anything valuable to say.

The Star Trek TNG episodes with Data and Moriarty are obviously personal favourites. If you can suspend your disbelief enough to accept the god like powers of the holodeck, I think it's a really good time.

And the only one I can remember that wasn't on the Wikipedia list of adaptations is Slylock Fox. These are riddle comics for very young kids, like, ages 3-7. They're to help early readers learn new vocabulary and practice critical thinking. They were my very, very first Holmes media.

I. Hated. Those. Goddamn. Comics. I wanted to kill them. Not the characters or the author, but the comics themselves as a concept. I NEVER solved ANY of the fucking riddles, and to this DAY I will NEVER FORGET that latex paint dyes water and oil paint doesn't.

Probably good for kids who get bored in class a lot, but be ready for the rage.

[notafraidofredyellowandblue]

Hi! I apologize for this casual approach, but I needed to thank you for transcribing the most interesting facts from Flake’s podcast. It’s an outstanding work, and I’m enjoying thoroughly every bit. I’m new to your blog, but I love it already! So, just wanted tell you how great it is, for people like me, who would die to be fluent in such a wonderful language as German is. (Well my English isn’t good either) . Anyway! Thanks a lot and greetings from Mexico .

Hi! Lovely to hear you like my takes on Flake's podcasts, I love his sense of humor and his music-choices (well..most of them anyway 😊), and am always hoping he'll sneak in a little band-anecdote. I try to transcribe the essence of what he says, as I understand it, but I don't always know all his references, so I possibly miss some points 🌺

Coming tuesday there will be another Flake podcast on Radio Eins, and on second tuesdays those are usually new ones, so I hope this one will be too (his last one titles 'Abschiede/Goodbyes' had me doubting a little if he was quitting, but hopefully not).

My secret dream is that he one day will invite one of his bandmates as a guest for some more anecdotes 😊 if he would, my bet is on Till or Paul (probably won't happen, but never give up hope) 🌺 Although if he'd invite Paul there probably would be more chatting than playing music, and Flake already mentions occassionally he thinks he himself talks too much on his podcast 😄

(which reminds me, i think i still have one old podcast that i didn't do a post on...maybe i'll do that today so the list is complete, good way to spend a sunday 😊)

[acourtofthought]

First, I just wanna say I love all your Elucien posts! ❤️

How do you think SJM will tie in Feyre and Rhysand (and even the IC) into Elucien’s story/book? We all saw how she did it with Nessian and how some people were salty 🙄 and felt like there was too much of Feysand in SF and that their plot line was still the driving factor of the story (they rule the NC you guys! Of course they’re gonna be a big factor! And SJM loves Feysand, you can cry about it, but that won’t change!). I think Elucien’s story will happen outside of the NC so even more interesting to see what role Feysand could play. A part of me just wants Feyre and Lucien to get a proper bestfriendship again. Heh. And for Feyre and Elain to have a better or maybe more involved healing journey for their sisterhood than Nesta did.

And to add to that, do you think SJM will put Elucien and Gwynriel’s story in one book (aka ACOTAR 5)? Because then that would leave SJM with one final book that has a POV from all the main characters a la Kingdom of Ash. Oh and rumor has it, Mor is getting a novella 🤷‍♀️ anyway, I just can’t imagine SJM finishing the entire ACOTAR series without making Feyre (and even Rhys) as a POV character again. What do you think?

🌸☀️🦊

PS. I like how I talk as if I know that Elucien and Gwynriel will for sure happen 😂

Thank you!!!

And you and me both (as far as talking as if Elucien and Gwynriel are endgame)😂

Personally I don't think she'll combine Elucien and Gwynriel into one book for a few reasons. The first is that in a podcast she confirmed that the spin-off series would follow a new pairing in each book. As we got Nessian that means Elucien would also have their own book as well as Gwynriel. I could see the novella being given to Mor as well as a few other side characters such as Eris, Vassa and Jurian, and possibly a chapter or two given to each of the sisters and their Mates. I'm almost certain SJM did say Rhys and Feyre's POV are pretty much finished though they'll continue being a part of the series overall. The second is both couples have a lot of ground to cover all on their own. I'm less comfortable with predicting what a Gwynriel plot will look like (though I have a few ideas) but Elucien needs to tackle not one but two characters discovering unknown powers, dealing with their Mating Bond, Lucien discovering his real father and possibly visiting the Day Court, his making amends (to some degree) with Eris and Tamlin, and possible stories (based on what I think are hints) involving them restoring Spring and helping free Vassa from Koschei, and Elain's found friends being further explored. I don't think she'll train in the way Feyre and Nesta did but I could see her learning some general self defense. SJM will also have to decide where Elain and Lucien will be living. With Nessian, we only had one character really learning about their powers, no "real father reveal", dealing with their Mating Bond and Nesta's strained relationship with Feyre and Amren, and it all took place in the NC except for a quick visit to Spring and the Human Lands. Nesta did train and meet her friends which was a huge part of her story, but we already knew the NC would end up being her home. That's not to say Nesta's story wasn't interesting, it's just that there were less loose threads that needed tied up in her book compared to what is still outstanding for an Elucien book.

I definitely think Rhys and Feyre will have some on page time in an Elucien book simply because Lucien is still reporting back to them regarding Spring and even though these are standalone books, they're all leading to a final conclusion. But while Elain might have certain things to address with Nesta and Feyre, she doesn't seem to have the deep seeded animosity towards Feyre that Nesta did so I don't think that will be a huge part of the story in the way Nesta's was (I also think we’ll see everyone in the IC finally respecting Lucien at the end of it.  Rhys has been coming around but both Cassian and Az are offish towards him at times). I really do think an Elucien book will give us a chance to further explore the rest of the ACOTAR world (sort of how TOD took us away from Aelin and Rowan before the final book of the series to visit places the characters hadn't been) where we've only had small glimpses until now. I think Feysand will play the smallest role in their book than any of the others. Which is why I could see Gwynriel being the last one. We know an Az story will heavily feature the IC and I think it would make a lot of sense for SJM to bring it back to Feysand, Nessian, etc everyone in Gwynriel's book since that will maybe build up to main battle.  As much as a Gwynriel book will feature Az and Gwyn as the main characters and dual POV, as High Lord and High Lady of the NC Rhys and Feyre will need to be heavily involved in what they’re doing as it relates to the war.  And as true warriors, it would make more sense for the war to occur from their POV than say Lucien and Elain who will fight when necessary but don’t embrace that role.  

I realize my opinion on this is in the minority though as a lot of people feel Gwynriel is next.  

[jerseydeanne]

Hi, I have a question and I don’t want you to think of it as an insult, I genuinely want to learn. You think Covid and Monkeypox are viruses invented or ‘released’ by governments around the world in order to…? Ruin the economy? Kill off people? Is this correct? And if so, why do nations want to ruin the economy/kill their populations etc? Thank you.

Hey Anon, I'm not insulted, and these are outstanding questions.

My research started about 3 years ago with my friends from around the world.

It's called the Great Reset from the WEF (World Economic Forum) The Great Reset (Klaus the Nazi Schwab), WHO (World Health Organization), and Bill Gates and others (politicians, China, billionaires) that are in Davos, Switzerland right now talking about limiting your right to free speech among other things.

These people talk about climate demise, overpopulation, and what a great time to install the Great Reset on a virus they made and released upon the citizens of earth.

Please watch my pinned video Indoctrination II with the experts. I promise you your mouth will drop. These people aren't hiding anything anymore.

Klaus Schwab and these assholes laid out what would happen to us. Limited wars, viruses, cyber-attacks, food shortages, riots, disinformation/misinformation, people being chipped under their skin for total surveillance of every human on earth. If you aren't chipped, you won't be able to travel.

"You'll own nothing and be happy."

I listened to one of their podcasts a few years ago, and an Indian billion said we have to bring down the United States first, and the rest will follow. They want total control of the useless eaters and debt slaves. No meat for you; eat bugs! Not a joke; Klaus actually said this.

Do you think they have been watching too many sci-fi movies? One jerk said that they are close to putting a port in your neck to know all your thoughts and arrest you if you think about murder. They will send you messages to make you comply.

Now, I wish I was writing fan fiction, but I posted the Dan Bongino video where the guy is saying this, and he is part of the Great Reset with millions of followers.

Do I sound like an alarmist? Yep, because humanity is at stake, our God-given rights will be trampled on. It's happening so fast that my head is spinning.

Ask yourself, who is going to gain by going all battery? China controls 90% of the Rare earth elements (REE) that go into big-screen TV, cell phones, and car batteries. He who controls energy rules the world.

We know that Joe Biden took kickbacks from eastern block countries and China. He owes them. Thanks, Hunter!

Let's talk fentanyl. I did a deep dive into Heroin from Afghanistan. I found that the Chinese have a 25-year contract to mine rare earth elements from their country. Notice people dropping like flies due to overdoses of fentanyl-laced heroin? Fentanyl is made in China. Obama told the troops not to burn all the poppy fields.

We all need to wake up and vote for the right people. Some Republicans (RINOS) don't have your interest at heart. Be careful who we send to Washington.

Aborted babies are being used at big Pharma.

Remember, the earth is in constant flux. The climate narrative is BS.

I got receipts here! I may have been deplatformed on WP, but it's still here.

I could keep going, but I think I've given a good summary of the issues.

Please add on, and I'll keep reblogging it.

Love, JD 😜💋