#a classic sad romantic line before DEATH

[jeena-says-hi]

Ok so I started watching the life series when they were all out so I couldn’t rly make theories while waiting for new episodes

BUT

I thought of a scenario that would be rly cool and sad if it would happen

Ok so, since Jimmy always (perma) dies first and everyone says he has to win if he doesn’t, I thought that what if SCOTT dies first and Jimmy wins it for him…

Full on flower husbands angst

[isagrimorie]

For the ask game, absolutely Emily Prentiss.

An obsession of mine since she first joined the BAU.

Predictable of me? Maybe

I have no shame when it comes to Prentiss

Or if you want to go old school, maybe some Shaw from POI

for the character ask game: Emily Prentiss

How I feel about this character

I really love Emily Prentiss! She's my favorite character on Criminal Minds even through my first watch of CM.

Honestly, I didn't expect to like Criminal Minds as much as I do because I'm not usually into shows that has a lot of well... gory deaths. But CM managed to walk the line and a large part of that is the main characters and the character dynamic!

Emily was one of the people that really caught my attention, I loved Elle in the first season and was so sad to see her go but then Emily entered the picture and she has such a different dynamic. And Paget Brewster is so charismatic.

It took me years to realize that she's Kathy on Friends.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I think Emily has chemistry with everyone! (Except, funnily enough with her last boyfriend in season 15).

So, of course, I ship Emily with JJ and with Morgan.

I can see the Hotch thing but it didn't really click for me but also I can definitely see Tara/Emily too. They have similar backgrounds and instant understanding of each other.

Briefly, there was this frisson with Luke Alvez, but I think it fizzled because yeah she is his boss and rightly so Luke's been smitten with Penelope ever since.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Honestly? I think it's David Rossi. Rewatching things, I like the slow build of their friendship and he is not quite a father figure to Emily. But enough of an authority something figure that when Rossi says stupid things like 'I forbid you', it triggers Emily's rebellious hindbrain.

Tara also occupies this place, I think it's partly due to them sharing a similar background and she wasn't there the first time for the Doyle stuff so Emily can feel okay bouncing off ideas with her. She wasn't a teammate from before so she can also properly establish that she's the boss. Not that her friends don't accept her team lead but sometimes I think Emily just wants a clean slate.

My unpopular opinion about this character

Unpopular even to myself! But I think now, after everything she's been through, what her friends have been through, Emily needed that time away from the BAU.

If she stayed in immediately after Ian Doyle thing and kept seeing the same thing, she would have burned out. Emily had to find her footing outside of the BAU.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Oh. So many things!

I wish they recast the actress for Elizabeth Prentiss, I know the OG actress retired doesn't mean we shouldn't at least see Emily interact with her mother again. Emily's in Washington DC, don't tell me her mother wouldn't visit one time and make Emily's life a nightmare by requiring her to attend some state dinner with her, even if Emily is in her 50s she still reverts back to Classic Emily.

I wish that the show would acknowledge Emily actually would have more political connections because *waves hand* Ambassador Prentiss. But also, she would have built her own. Emily was head of London's Interpol branch! Or at least, I think the counterterrorism part of Interpol... Clyde's job was really hazy and the show never really clarified what Emily did.

Still, that's big, IMO.

I wish the show delved more into the fact that Hotch knew Emily while she was just getting over her rebellious teen phase. He must have some amusing stories about Emily that I wish he shared with the team.

I wish the show would lean into some spy thriller episodes now that Criminal Minds is now on streaming. Counter-terrorism still deals with Human behavior after all.

There was that one Vampire episode with Gavin Rossdale as a guest star and the show didn't delve into the Goth subculture even though they lampshaded Emily's past. Like, she's a decades out of that subculture but she's still a goth at heart (look at all her clothes), she could at least share some insight.

I wish the show didn't forget that Emily is actually better than Reid at both chess and poker.

Criminal Minds writers admit that they don't really plan things ahead of time but there are some moments I can point to now in hindsight that works to foreshadow Emily being both a great spy/undercover agent and team leader.

[fishylife]

Fishy’s top movies watched in 2022

I do love making these posts every year. It's a lot of fun!

Once again, this post is not to rank movies based on how objectively good they are, but rather, ranking them based on how much of an impact they had on me personally. They will also be ranked in tiers rather than a numbered post (i.e. not in any particular order).

Here are the links to my movie posts in previous years: (2020) (2021) I also regularly do write ups on every movie I watch over at my (Dreamwidth).

Let's begin!

My favourite movies of the year

These were the movies that had the biggest impacts on me. I have a lot of thoughts about them.

First Reformed (2017)

I always love stories with Christian themes lol. This movie followed a reverend as he counselled an environmental extremist, and slowly started to question his own beliefs as well. I thought this movie's insights on both religion (and crises of faith) and extremism were really interesting. It took some thinking before I made sense of it but I thought this movie was really well thought out in how it connected the dots between the characters and the main themes of the movie. Highly recommend if you like drama films and films about religion.

Network (1976)

Awesome movie about a TV network. At the beginning of the movie, a TV anchorman found out that he was going to be let go due to low ratings, and he told the audience that he was going to kill himself on live TV, which naturally drove ratings up.

The movie covered several story lines on the relationships between TV, TV executives, people who appeared on TV, and people who watched TV, and it really dug into what drew the attention of the masses, which tended to be extreme stuff like death and outrage, but also sympathetic programs that made viewers feel seen and acknowledged.

The gif I chose is from one of my favourite scenes in the movie, of which an executive was explaining "corporate cosmology," a pseudoreligion that worshipped corporations.

A black comedy through and through, definitely recommend for those who are interested in people's relationships with media.

Shadow (影) (2018)

Zhang Yimou's new movies tend to be hit-or-miss for me, but this one was a hit. It reminded me of early 2000s Zhang Yimou style in its visual aesthetic. To be honest I teared up at one point in this movie because I found the visuals so moving (at a part that's not even sad, how embarrassing lol). So that's one of the reasons why this movie made it high on my list. I had a hard time choosing one gif for this movie because it looked so fantastic from beginning to end.

The story was an adaptation of a story from the Three Kingdoms period, specifically the battle at Jingzhou. All of the names of the characters were changed, likely because the story wasn't historically accurate. The major difference of this movie (revealed towards the beginning) was that one of the major generals was in fact in hiding and the man who posed as him was his body double (his shadow). The acting for this movie was great. I think what also set this movie apart from some of Zhang Yimou's more classic works was that the style of acting was generally livelier.

This movie was on the simple side of Zhang Yimou's high production value movies, but something about it just spoke to me personally. I recommend this for people who love pretty looking movies.

5 Centimeters per Second (秒速5センチメートル) (2007)

I don't normally love romance movies, but I thought the messages this movie communicated about romantic love were so thoughtful and nuanced. This movie was split into three parts, each covering a different part of the main character's life, and exploring his love and the love directed at him. In particular, it explored themes of growing with or without love, how love stays with one and how to deal with it when a love that cannot be attained stays with you. A relatively simple story, as there were only a few characters but I think exploring them at different ages was a great way to get the message across. I'd recommend this for people who like mature romances.

Honourable mentions

I liked these movies a lot, and they did also make me think, but they just didn't make the top of my list.

The Vanishing (Sporloos) (1988)

This movie covered two timelines. The past story line was about a couple, where a girlfriend disappeared. The present story line was about the boyfriend finally getting answers.

Why I rated this movie highly was that a little while after watching this movie (like 24 hours later), I started to feel a sense of dread and fear. And I think it was because the psychological aspect of the movie took some time to sink in, but once it did, it just made me feel kind of sick.

Definitely check this out if you like psychological movies.

Hero (英雄) (2002)

This movie was about a nameless hero on a mission to kill the king, Ying Zheng, who was the first Emperor to unite the Warring States of China. The movie was portrayed in a Rashomon style, where the nameless hero and the king each told stories about how the hero came to have an audience with the king, each version with different variations.

Before I'd watched this movie, I was a bit skeptical about this movie being a wuxia movie, because I knew there was a political story line to it. Having watched this movie though, I felt it melded the wuxia and political genres well, finding a middle ground and commenting on how wuxia and political/patriotism themes compared and contrasted against each other.

This wasn't a strictly action movie so it wasn't non-stop all the time, but I do think that Jet Li's fighting looks awesome. Like with Shadow, I'd recommend this movie for people who love great looking movies, but also for people who are interested in Chinese culture, as I thought the discussions between the hero and the king were thoughtful.

The Favourite (2018)

This movie was about two ladies vying to be Queen Anne's favourite (basically her favoured lover). One lady, Sarah, was Queen Anne's childhood friend. She loved Queen Anne, in a way that was not only romantic, but she was also comfortable enough with Queen Anne to not always be flattering her. Abigail was the new girl in the castle, who wanted to flatter and seduce her way up into a better life.

This story line reminded me of harem Cdramas. It's all about how you flatter the main authority, which in this case was Queen Anne. But this movie had a different take, because though Queen Anne was the main authority here, her power was not absolute and she also went through a character journey, which was not something I often saw with such characters in Cdramas. I especially found the aftermath of the conflicts and the ending really interesting.

Yorgos Lanthimos has a very distinct and strange direction style, and it persisted in this movie. I can see why it may be offputting to certain people. For example, one of things that are very distinct about his direction style is that his actors always have very cold line delivery, almost with little emotion. But I've come to appreciate it. Maybe it's because the delivery is so cold that we really focus on what's being said.

Check this out if you like Yorgos Lanthimos, or if you want to "ease" into his work, because this movie is probably one of the "less weird" of his lol.

Border (Gräns) (2018)

A very peculiar movie. I read other people's comments on this movie, and even among people who liked this movie, many found it a bit too "weird" at times. But I thought it was weird enough to express a message. As a spoiler, this movie is considered fantasy.

Our main character was a woman who worked as a border services guard. She had an unusual appearance and a very good sense of smell, going so far as to be able to smell emotions like fear or worry. But she really had trouble fitting in. One day, she met a man who had a similar appearance to her, and was also similarly odd in behaviour. Through him, she learned more about herself. I won't go too much into this to avoid further spoilers.

This movie explored themes of humanity, what moral values make a person human, and humans' relationship with people who are different.

In terms of what I think turned people away, this movie leaned into the nitty gritty of fantasy, as in the actual biological particulars, so that was why some people were weirded out. Personally I didn't find it so weird, and I thought it really helped flesh the world out.

Check this movie out if you're interested in more "realistic" fantasy.

Confessions (告白) (2010)

This movie was about a middle school teacher taking revenge on two of her students for killing her daughter. As a middle school teacher, she was aware of the leniencies afforded to kids that weren't afforded to adults, so that's why she needed to go around the law.

To be honest I bumped up the score on this movie because I really liked the novel it was based on and the movie followed the novel quite closely.

The novel was called Confessions, as it was made up of a handful of very long monologues by various characters in the story. Because of the inherent differences between novels and movies as media, this aspect of the story could not be communicated. As well, some aspects of the movie production were a bit dated (older music, dramatic direction). So for those reasons, I'd still highly recommend the book, but this movie was still a solid thriller.

Capernaum (كفرناحوم‎) (2018)

This movie started with a boy in court, telling the judge of his intention to sue his parents for giving birth to him. The movie then went back in time to show the suffering that the boy experienced in his life, much of it coming from child poverty and child abuse. There were parts of the movie that were very bleak and showed how kids really are subject to the fates of the adults around them.

This was a very bleak movie. It had some moments that were very striking and will stay with me for a long time. I will spoil that the movie did have a somewhat hopeful ending. Though I felt that the ending didn't exactly fit this movie, perhaps this ending would be more preferable for people who would hate the bleak parts of the movie.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend this movie because it was so bleak, but I did think the stories and relationships between the children in this movie were touching, which really contrasted against the society around them that didn't do enough to protect children.

Movies that were still good

I thought these movies were good, and I can see these movies speaking to people, though they weren't my personal top movies.

Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) (1997)

This movie has been on my to-watch list for a while. It was one of the more serious Studio Ghibli films. The story was about a prince going across the land to find the Deer God who could lift the curse he'd encountered while battling a demon boar. During his journey, he met a girl who was raised by a Wolf God (who would be the eponymous princess).

I've noticed that Studio Ghibli films tend to have environmentalist themes, and this movie was definitely one of them. Through this story, the movie explored the relationships between human industrialization and nature. I also appreciated that this movie's take on human industrialization was nuanced, showing how industry was harmful to the forest, but also gave a life to disadvantaged people (such as women or those who were disabled).

Blue Velvet (1986)

This movie followed a main character as he attempted to uncover the truth behind a human ear he found. He got deeper and deeper into the story and so many things were left unexplained but he kept going.

This movie was extremely freaky and to this day I am still a bit afraid of it. It isn't horror in the traditional sense but there was so much unexplained weirdness in this movie that I started feeling dread or horror whenever I thought about this movie.

I thought it was interesting to explore this story through our main character, who is also not normal. Watch this movie if you're ready for weirdness, but it can get really intense at times. For me it was scary because I didn't know where the limits were. I didn't know that something insane wasn't going to happen because all the characters in this movie were capable of doing something totally unhinged.

The only other movie I'd seen from David Lynch was Mulholland Drive, and I definitely saw the similarities, with the story being a bit dreamlike and ambiguous, with some freaky moments (that hobo in Mulholland Drive still freaks me out to this day).

A Passage to India (1984)

This movie was about a lady visiting her fiance in India, which at the time was a British colony. I'd say that this movie was about how her trip to India and the people she met there changed her.

Though I thought this movie had some interesting points, the fact that it's a bit dated is why I'm a little hesitant to recommend it too strongly. The 1924 book that this movie was based on was said to have Orientalist takes, and I think some of them bled over into the movie. Alec Guinness portraying an Indian professor, a guru-like character was definitely a huge yikes!!!

There were some interactions between characters which I thought were a bit cringe and definitely Orientalist, but there were also some interactions where the ethnic tensions and class differences were very much the point, and I did find those interesting. So this is why I'm a little…mixed on this movie. Advance at your own risk.

Only Yesterday (おもひでぽろぽろ) (1991)

This was a light but still mature movie, about a woman working in the city but whose heart belonged to the country. I did think that there were some aspects of the story that were a bit dated and represented social norms at the time. But I thought that the main character's past and memories being explored was really interesting and really cute at times too. I can see why this movie was as popular as it was at the time. It was a mature romance, and by romance I mean both romantic love, but also a sense of yearning and wishing for a certain lifestyle.

Arrietty (借りぐらしのアリエッティ) (2010)

Another Studio Ghibli film that I felt had very strong environmentalist themes. This movie was about a boy who moved to the countryside for his health. At the house he moved to, he found that there was a family of little tiny people who lived there too. The boy wanted to strike up a friendship with the family, but there were repercussions to the family being discovered by humans.

I thought this movie was pretty unambiguous in expressing that we may admire nature, but it's not meant to be tampered with by us. And I think this film attempted to show us this still with a hopeful tone, expressing that this is how to ensure survival of both.

Train to Busan (부산행) (2016)

Very highly touted thriller movie, and I can see why it was so popular. This movie was about a businessman who was taking his daughter to Busan for the day. While on the train, there was a zombie outbreak, and the movie covered the cast of characters trying to survive.

I think this movie was popular because it was a good mix of different kinds of story lines. You had the pure action/survival story line, in which all of our characters used various methods to fend off the zombies and to protect themselves and their loved ones. There was also a drama story line surrounding each of the characters. Each of them had their own story, and in their dying hours, we saw how each of them dealt with their impending death, what they found worthy of dying for, what they would miss, who they loved, etc.

Closing Remarks

Towards the end of the year, around November, I started thinking that I wouldn't have many movies to include in this year's list. But I think what's happening is that I'm starting to look at pockets of film (by genre, by director, etc.) that can be a hit or miss for me.

Have you seen any of these movies? Are there any movies that sound interesting to you? Let me know :3 I love talking about movies!

[pandaspwnz]

I decided to watch season 3 of the witcher (the first 5 episodes that are out at this point at least) and by the time I finished it, I kind of forgot why I had been so hesitant to start watching it in the first place, aside of course the whole Henry Cavill leaving thing (and to clarify, I'm not watching season 4 and onwards because he's absolutely correct in why he's leaving, the show won't be the same without him, and the whole Joey having to write a 7000 word essay to get proper representation vis a vis Jaskier thing etc etc) because honestly I thoroughly enjoyed s3 so far! I did think the 5th episode was a bit.. or a lot 'meh'? But still. Then I remembered ofc that I'd been so hesitant because season 2 was ASS.

Anyway, I never watched Blood Origin, and after looking around the witcher subreddit and seeing that everybody apparently fucking hates s3, which I've concluded I liked so far, and also hates Blood Origin, I figured hey it might just be another one of those things where I would feel differently than the people who hate it.

So I just finished watching it and oh. my god. It SUCKS. ASS.

It's so fucking bad!!

Now I won't do what a lot of people have and go EUGH WOKE LEFTISTS RUINED IT or IT'S FULL OF BAD ACTING because what the hell are you talking about. First of all the only truly good thing about Blood Origin imo was the diversity. The most interesting story lines imo was Meldof and what happened with Gwen, I would have loved to see more of her story and her getting revenge, and Meldof was so endearing! I really loved how Francesca Mills played her. The humor came across as humorous, the grief was sad, and the weird goofy offball energy was delightful. I also think she did the fight scenes really well!

Also Eredin and Brían's story would have been so much more interesting to explore than what we got. Like hello? High ranking fancy schmancy general falls in love with a low born merchant? Even goes so far as to betray his ally for the sake of raising his lover in society, so they can be together without sneaking around? That's a classic premise for a reason! The reason being it's compelling and romantic! I love that shit.

I also don't feel like we needed seven characters. I loved Scìan and wish we had seen more of her life both before and after losing her clan. I didn't really feel we had time at all to get to know Brother Death and Zacaré at all, and even though I especially liked the actress who played Zacaré, neither of those two characters really made much impact on their own. I feel like they could have been condensed into other characters to make fewer stronger characters instead of many weaker ones. I also don't think we really learned very much about Syndril as a person, so if he had been combined with Zacaré, I think that would have worked better.

BUT I think every single actor in that show acted their heart out. They put their whole entire pussies into it!! And they did a great job with the material they had to work with. Unfortunately the material was bad (like jesus christ. by the power of friendship and also singing to calm the hulk like 3 times can we do literally anything else. Also everyone fucking singing the rose song like we GET IT but it felt so inauthentic and staged.) Also Fjall and Éile you knew each other for like 3 days calm down. There was no reason for them to fall in love aside from man meets woman and they are in physical proximity. I understand logically that they traveled together longer but it was SO rushed on screen. It was bad.

Anyway the costume design was gorgeous, and the makeup was as well. The fight scenes were nicely choreographed and shot. The effects were pretty good overall, I think!

But the pacing was bad, the script was bad, the dialogue was bad, it was bad. Beautiful but bad.

[demonslayedher]

IT WOULD HAD BEEN FINE FOR KAMADO TANJIRO TO DIE

Narratively speaking, at least.

Purely my opinions on the multiple ways it could had worked, as well as SPOILERS AHEAD.

First, please allow me to state that I love Tanjiro. I love Tanjiro so much and he deserves every good thing that's ever happened to him, plot armor and all. It's because I love Tanjiro so much that I care a lot about how his death would had played out, had that been built into the narrative.

The final chapters of KnY gave me the best serialized manga-induced emotional turmoil I had experienced had had in five years. The timing was remarkable; it was just as the cherry blossoms were scattering that Chapter 200 dropped and took my heart with it, and then by the time 203 came out, the wisteria were in full bloom. I had been through so much in the span between those chapters, including coming to terms with the fact that not only might Kamado Tanjiro be dead, but that it might be best for him to go, especially given the weight that would cap this series off with.

I like the ending we got, whether or not you include the fever dream that was Chapter 205. While a lot of people expressed letdown that the final battle plot twist was resolved too quickly (and I concurred, resulting in a 120K+ word fanfic to play it out to what felt like its natural consequences), it was supremely gratifying to see Tanjiro go home. We know how hard he worked for that and how much he wanted that, even if he'd never get back what he lost in Chapter 1.

It's a sugary ending, with some bitter notes to make it palatable. While bittersweet endings are my favorite flavor, sometimes we crave a more salty, savory, heavy finish, don't we? A flavor left in our mouths not to feel refreshing, but to linger and remind us what a hell of a good meal we had.

Not only would KnY had been shocking in it's role among the major shonen title pantheon for doing it, but in its tone and in paying off on previous elements introduced throughout the series, Gotouge, cruel, cruel creator, totally could had gotten away with killing Tanjiro.

Tanjiro: Dying As A Human

Ah, the noble hero ending. Not an example we see all that often in manga comparable to KnY, where despite all the deaths of supporting cast members, the hero, instead "returning home forever changed" Campbell style, goes on Shueisha style to be a functional adult in the labor force and making positive contributions in light of Japan's declining birth rate. But so often classics do show us how a hero's last acts before (and after) death are the capstone touches on their lives. While not strictly main characters, there is no riding into the sunset for master strategist Zhuge Liang unless it's a ruse to scar the pants off his rival general which gains one last escape for Zhuge Liang's dwindling army, there's no happily ever after for Musashibo Benkei whose standing death while pelted with arrows served as a shield for his master to escape to a more honorable end. Even Robin Hood in the West tells us how our beloved hero romantically and tragically winds up, after what should had been his happy ending crumbles. Great stories are full of tragic hero death.

Tanjiro's death, however, would not had been a simple tragic ending. Had his story concluded at Chapter 200, he'd have succeeded in accomplishing the happy ending he strove for all along: defeating Kibutsuji Muzan and securing a healthy human future for Nezuko. He'd have left the world better than he found it; amidst all the sadness and pain, he'd have left hope for others whom he was compassionate to.

This is completely in line with Tanjiro's actions throughout the entire manga, especially given that he was always mentally prepared for getting killed on the job even without accomplishing his goals. But, as he tells Kotetsu in Chapter 103, he believes that someone will live on to accomplish that in his stead. The same could be said for a peaceful, happy ending that he might not get to live out himself, he trusts that it's just as good to secure that future for Nezuko and other people he cares about. Having Tanjiro die also would have cemented his place as a normal Corp member among normal Corp members; in the end even Pillars were only human and whether or not they died could be as random as a mudslide or disease; Muzan is right in saying it's all the same and Tanjiro's survival would be unfair to everyone just as deserving of it. While Tanjiro also insists correctly that the departed would not hold ill will about this, taking off Tanjiro's plot armor would truly show his solidarity with everyone else in the Corp.

While the bereaved left behind--most especially Giyuu, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Nezuko--would be faced with the task of accepting the gift Tanjiro left them (which would also continue a running theme about survivor's guilt, and they'd have to show some triumph over that to give the ending the right amount of hopefulness), Tanjiro's compassion would also have an opportunity for fulfillment and conclusion on the other side. Apart from the satisfaction of reuniting with his family and maybe even Rengoku-san there to tell him he did a good job, Tanjiro has (almost) always shown demons the last bit of kindness they'd ever know before passing off to hell.

Which brings me to a point some people have made about how we got do many tragic backstories throughout this manga that not getting one for Muzan felt like a letdown. I feel we got enough, but wouldn't it had made the ultimate act of Tanjiro-style compassion if he helped lay Muzan's terrified soul to rest, after over a thousand years of fleeing from what should be the natural course of humanity? Carrying on from the undeserved compassion he showed the Hand Demon and Rui and other previous examples, as well as following examples from other self-giving characters like Koyuki and Sanemi, what if Tanjiro took his self-sacrifice even further, escorting a scared Muzan to hell itself, where so many other demons whom Tanjiro pitied and wished to see a better future for wound up? Not saying this is the best route, but it would had been a believable one.

Tanjiro: Dying As A Demon

I don’t think Gotouge would have had Tanjiro kill anyone, barely, if this wound up being his conclusion. The only silver lining would be as Giyuu prayed, "live and die as a human." In my light analysis of the KnY afterlife, it seems demons are doomed to hell after their first life taken, and it would had been too heartbreaking to see this happen to Tanjiro after all his goodness and efforts.

Tanjiro wouldn't think he deserves any mercy if he became a demon. Rather, in Chapter 93, he trusts that someone in the Corp would cut off his head for him if ever that fate befell him (Ufotable sure gave us some foreshadowing with all those swords and wisteria petals); and he later even asks that Inosuke and Zenitsu stop him if he ever goes down the wrong path. He knows he's capable of it; if even Nezuko could be turned into a bloodthirsty demon, anyone could. Nezuko's resistance was special enough to stake Urokodaki and Giyuu's lives on, but Tanjiro knows he'd likely be as much of a victim as any other demon. That would mean the likely only way to save those he might hurt would be to kill him.

A few ways Tanjiro might had accepted death as a demon have foreshadowing earlier in the manga. For example, with Giyuu having been the one to set Tanjiro on his journey, it would be a bookend to have him end it, especially since he had the most emotional take on Tanjiro's transformation and quickest action in fighting Tanjiro when there was no choice but to. It would be the defining moment in Giyuu's career as a Pillar, being the last Pillar standing and actively taking a role in Tanjiro's end instead of helplessly watching it happen. Furthermore, we only saw the merciful Fifth Form of Water Breathing used once in this series to relieve the Mother Spider, and with the bond between Giyuu and Tanjiro, we could had seen that kindly rain after the drought brought back as Tanjiro manages enough control over himself to offer his head.

But wait! The Nichirin blade doesn't work on a demon resistant to the sun! Ohoho, yes, that does complicate things.

Good thing Tanjiro witnessed Akaza's death, and how Akaza willed himself to perish. For as much anger as Tanjiro harbored toward Akaza, it'd have made a circle of forgiveness if Akaza's actions gave Tanjiro the idea and strength he needed to win against himself.

But what if Giyuu physically can't do it? What if everyone was incapacitated after Tanjiro's horrendous attacks, Nezuko was about to die if this went on, and Kanao had no surprise serum? The only one left would be Tanjiro himself. If Enmu learned anything about Tanjiro, it's that Tanjiro has the resolve to take his own head, however many times it takes.

That really takes us into the tragic ending territory; for no one left behind would feel they had been able to do anything for him after all Tanjiro had always given them. At least if Giyuu did it, he'd be able to take some pride as a Pillar knowing he acted as in honor of everyone--survivors and fallen Pillars alike.

Ultimately, Giyuu does gets that conclusion to his arc by having been the one to try. Which brings me to my conclusion of this post...

What We Got Still Works

Kanao's serum was a perhaps a bit of a letdown for how quickly it resolved this issue, it felt convenient that she had exactly what he needed all along. But let's be honest, having Kanao play the hero with a move like that was freaking awesome and we'd never had been so worried for Tanjiro if there had been so much as a drop of foreshadowing. Forgoing foreshadowing is Kimetsu Logic, this is how we run. We run straight into an alligator's mouth and belly, that's how.

When it comes to weighty bookends, we still get the payoff from Chapter 1 in Nezuko's resistance to hurting Tanjiro, what with Tanjiro showing he's not as special, he succumbed like any of the other demons he ever felt sympathy for. We didn't need the heartbreak of Tanjiro dying, because we got the heartbreak of him failing both of his main goals: through him Muzan lives on, and Tanjiro personally harms Nezuko. It was already a solid juxtaposition to Chapter 1 the moment he bit her and got the taste of human blood; but it just kept getting worse as he hurt her over and over.

Even though Shinobu's influence from beyond the grave and Kanao's come-from-behind heroism were what ultimately determined Tanjiro's fate, the fact that Nezuko, as a human, fought as hard for Tanjiro as he spent years fighting for her is what makes the ending of Chapter 203 so satisfying; it's a sibling reunion full of well-earned relief felt on both ends. It fulfills what's driven this whole story, that the bond between them can't be broken by anything.

And, with that being the manga's theme, it's the best ending that they still have that bond. Now with both having been through demonic transformations, that gives their bond even more depth, and makes the other even more irreplaceable as someone who would understand them best.

But, touching back on previous ideas about what could had made Tanjiro's death serve the story as well, it really did come down to plot armor that our main character survived more than any other human in KnY's world has ever been through, all in a matter of hours. However, Tanjiro's recognizes that he's not the only one to have suffered in cruel and unusual ways, or to have pushed the limits of human capability. In many cases, those people died. When it comes to raw power and polished ability, Tanjiro still isn't on the Pillars' level; it's just his luck that Hinokami Kagura burns demons harder.

Tanjiro's survival as it played out in canon still shows us that his avoiding death is not due to his own merit, it was likewise only his stroke of luck. The humility with which Tanjiro wears his plot armor and lives out his days is what makes his happy conclusion with Zenitsu, Inosuke, and especially Nezuko so touching; he trusts they'll be fine with or without him. The fact that he's there to live with them at all is cause for the deepest gratitude.

[beccanoodles]

Spike and Faye Pairing Analysis

March 2021

Ah the hit or miss pairing of the century! If you don’t love it, you probably hate it lol. I’m a very analytical person so I love analyzing works of art and overall enjoy deep discussions about them too. I have SO much to say when it comes to Cowboy Bebop (and oh I plan to), but I have decided to start with my very own OTP. Here, I am not really going to discuss Spike and Faye’s feelings for each other, but rather why I think people are drawn to this pairing and why I think they're totally valid. Get ready for a long read!😁

⚠️SPOILER WARNING!!! [Major Cowboy Bebop and the movie Out of the Past spoilers]⚠️

First off, let’s clear something up. I am confident most of us can agree that Spike was in love with Julia. Some people assume Spike and Faye fans are deranged and disregard Spike and Julia’s romantic relationship to try and make something of Spike and Faye that never was. While some people may have their various theories and opinions on this, generally, I don’t think anyone denies Spike’s love for Julia. As we will see, this pairing is not really driven by who loves who...let’s first look on the surface.

I don’t know your experiences with the series, but in mine, every time I show this to people it never fails for someone to say something along the lines of,

“Wait, they don’t end up together?”

“Why didn’t he kiss her!?”

“He should have stayed with her...”

and so fourth. 

Naturally, this pairing catches many eyes. 

Think about it, you are given two really cool, really hot and really deep characters that are really fun to see together! There are so many parallels between the two and they are arguably the strongest characters of the bunch. Granted, you can agree with this and still not ship them, but these aspects are part of what opens up the door for many fans of the pairing.

However, there is certainly more to this pairing than them simply looking good together right? As the years pass and I’ve now seen the show multiple times, my understanding of it has evolved in many areas, Spike and Faye included. 

Spike and Faye really couldn’t have ended up together. Sure, it’s a nice thought, but It would have been an entirely different show if they had. I don’t feel that the show should have happened any other way and I don’t think many other fans would either. 

So, what am I saying here?

What’s the point of this paring if I don’t think they should have ended up together? 

It is what's so frustrating about them, yet keeps you coming back and what honestly validates this pairing in my opinion. Spike and Faye are not driven by what is, but rather, what could be.  

I personally feel the themes of classic film Noir are not discussed enough when it comes to Cowboy Bebop! This is one of the show's major influences, especially when it comes to the plot and characters.

One of the common tropes of a film noir is that of a protagonist who is drawn back into his past and ultimate doom, usually by the “seduction” of a femme fatale. In these movies, the women are either a femme fatale [devious, dangerous, mysterious, greedy, troubled, or unreliable] or a woman of virtue [reliable, dutiful, trustworthy, conventional and loving]. 

I am going to use the 1947 classic, Out of the Past to make my comparisons from here on out.

In Out of the Past, Jeff is a former detective who gets caught up in a love triangle between a gangster and his girlfriend Kathie, sound familiar? He attempts to run away with her, but is betrayed and runs off to start a new life in a new town. Here, he meets Ann and falls in love with her, but of course, his past catches up to him and he is drawn back into the world of criminals (largely by Kathie’s involvement). This ultimately results in his and Kathie’s deaths and Ann’s heartbreak. 

Even though Kathie is the femme fatale in this movie, I found myself comparing her more to Julia’s role in the show, than to Faye’s and I found that Faye actually fit best in Ann’s role (this is a bit unusual considering Faye is typically seen as the femme fatale of this show).

Does that mean I think Julia was as ill intentioned as Kathie or that Spike fell in love with Faye? Well, not exactly, let’s look at it a bit further.

“The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can’t leave alone...Like an angel from the underworld or a devil from paradise.”

Most of what we get about Julia is from Spike’s point of view. From this, we learn she is at the center of Vicious and Spike’s conflict, but aside from that she is basically depicted as “The Virtuous Woman” of a noir. The colors around her are warm and she is shown caring for Spike. There is an innocence and modestly about her as well.

Yet, when we finally do meet Julia, we get a different image. We know she is tied up with dangerous men, but is she herself a dangerous woman?

She is certainly capable of betrayal. 

Suddenly she is a bad-ass-gun-toting woman in leather and black, surrounded by hues of grey and dark blue. Intentional or not, Julia is a major part of what lures Spike back into the past and ultimately to his death. In this case, Julia is the femme fatale of Spike’s story and thus, their relationship is doomed from the start.

Faye, on the other hand, is portrayed in somewhat of a contrast. When we first meet her, she is the clear cut femme fatale, appearing cunning, strong willed and seductive. However, we soon find that she has quite a bit of kindness and naivety hidden behind her facade. She uses the former tactics as a way of emotional (and probably physical) protection. Gren points this out in his conversation with her. 

Gren, 

“You’re just afraid they’d abandon you so you abandoned them. You distanced yourself from the whole thing.”

As the show progresses, we start to see less of her “femme fatale nature” and something more genuine. Think about it, between Hard Luck Woman and RFB Part 2 we don’t see much of Faye as her typical conniving or unreliable self, aside from changing the course of the Bebop maybe. Sure she takes off, but it isn’t at all for the same reasons she did in Jupiter Jazz or Speak Like a Child, for example. 

I would argue we actually see her more trustworthy and caring than ever. Since I don’t want to spend too much time talking about Faye’s character development (not here at least) I’ll give one example of this. 

When she returns to the Bebop after her encounter with Julia in RFB Part 1, she gives Spike the message, even though the outcome might hurt her (i.e. he leaves and/or dies). While she does first say “It’s gonna cost you,” she doesn’t really mean it because she tells him without hesitation only moments later.

This isn’t to say Faye good, Julia bad. Both women have their layers and even though we know way more about Faye, I don’t get the impression that Julia is selfish and cunning like Kathie was. But I do get the feeling she was enclosed in a world of crime and betrayal the way Kathie was. We really only know the basics of Spike and Julia’s situation. Who knows the details like motive or how long it lasted etc. etc. We can only speculate...

There is a scene towards the end of Out Of The Past, where Kathie tells Jeff to go away with her. This time it is her asking him, just like Julia asks Spike. During this she mentions,

“I never told you I was anything but what I am, you just wanted to imagine I was. That’s why I left you.”

This got me thinking...did Spike imagine Julia as something she wasn’t? Or something he wanted her to be that she just couldn’t be? 

It could explain why we get such contrasted images of her.

There are themes of this “dreamlike” relationship between Jeff and Kathie, similar to Spike and Julia’s “It was all a dream.”

The two of them were going to “live and be free,” probably something neither of them knew how to do and most likely wouldn’t have been able to get away with.

When Jet asks Spike if he can just forget the past, this is his answer.

Spike,

“There was a woman. For the first time in my life I saw a woman that was truly alive. At least that’s what I thought. She was the part of me I had lost, that part that was missing, that I had been longing for.”

I always wondered about this, because Spike is clearly talking about Julia, but right after is when Faye shows up. To me, that spoke volumes...

Faye is a woman who is terribly human and terribly alive.

Going back to Faye and Ann, I find their similarities shine not so much in the “Virtuous Woman,” concept, but rather in Ann’s dedication to Jeff and her optimism for the future. She is also the last person to talk to Jeff before he leaves for the final time, as if he were being presented with one last alternative. Spike spends his last moments with Faye as well, in which she basically begs him not to go and keep him in the present that she has now discovered for herself. She may be stuck, but she is definitely someone that yearns for human connection, love, and life.

The problem is, Spike and Faye are both set in opposite directions. Her’s leads to a future and Spike knows this because he points it out early on (My Funny Valentine). He also knows, his most likely does not. He has already dug himself too deep into this hole, if you will, that there is really no turning back. 

But let’s say none of that was an issue? What could be?

I sat and watched this movie (Out of the Past) with my mom. She didn’t know anything about it and didn’t know why I was watching it. I wanted her genuine reaction. The whole time she was getting mad at Jeff until the very end. I asked her why and she said that she wanted him to be able to live happily with Ann. I explained to her why he had to do what he did. She understood this, but still couldn’t help but be sad at how things turned out for him, when they could have been good.

Even though Kathie and Jeff are the “lovers,” of this movie, you don’t really want them to end up together. Forget that Kathie has a devious nature, regardless, you know where it has to end and you don’t want to see your hero die.

Like Kathie, Julia symbolizes Spike’s inevitable doom and Like Ann, Faye symbolizes his possible future. 

“I’ll be with you till the end”

                           “You’re the one still tied to the past Spike!”

                                                               “Why do you have to go? Where are you going? What are you gonna do, just throw your life away like it was nothing?!”

It’s two sides of a sad coin...

We want Spike to have a future and because we love the characters of the show, it would be really great if he could have it with them, but that is where the tragedy is. It's only an idea we can think about, a possibility presented to us as it was to Jeff and Spike before their deaths.

The bottom line is, when it comes to Spike and Faye you are really only given a taste. You are not given what you expect to see, which is why I say this ship is driven by what could be. As it is with most of the character relationships in the show, no major breakthroughs are made until the very end, when it's too late. Then it just feels like such wasted potential, but sometimes in life, that's how it is. And thus, we have been given a very classic noir here ladies and gentlemen!

So no, I don’t think people miss the mark when they ship Spike and Faye, nor do I find they invalidate the show by any means. I kind of like that Watanabe switched it up and didn’t do the expected, but left us those subtle hints. He didn’t outright give Spike another lover, but he gave us someone that represents what he could have. Kind of does that with the crew as a whole too!

UGH. I love-hate this show and I love this pairing! Thank you for reading my thoughts and I know this may not be the case or reasoning for everyone, but just based on what I have seen around the community and where this show draws inspiration, this is what I have concluded. I didn’t get into Spike and Faye’s feelings for each other because it gets a little more theoretical there, but I would like to do a post on my thoughts on that as well sometime. I also didn’t touch too much on Spike’s reasoning for choosing to face Vicious in the end, just because I know that will only lead into a whole other analysis lol. But you know I have my thoughts on that and certainly plan to share them 😎 Also, I know I basically spoiled it, but Out of the Past is such a great movie!! I think if you’re a fan of this show it's definitely worth a watch! There are so many more parallels to Cowboy Bebop that I didn’t even mention. Anyways, thanks again and talk to you soon!

[sunmoontruth-stiles]

Ok this is gonna be long. I’ve literally been slowly working on this for… too long. I’m just in a mood to have a long discussion about ships. I’ll be looking at canon and not, so bare with me. I don’t ship all of these personally. I’m mostly just picking the most popular ones. I chose to leave out a few that I just don’t want to talk about. I tried to keep this loosely chronological, but that quickly went to hell. None of this is meant to be hate towards anyone’s ship, just my personal opinions on each of them.

Canon:

Scott x Allison: True Classic

Scallison is so sweet as it is truly the epitome of young love. Romeo and Juliet, except Romeo is even more of an idiot and Juliet is a badass who dies for a cause. They’re moral and ethical codes are both highly valued by themselves, even if they don’t align with others very often. They loved with everything they had. They were beautiful. We’re they soulmates in the end, or just the first love who will always hold a special place in your heart? Who knows, but I’ll always love these immature kids who thought their love could change everything.

Stiles x Lydia: The Long Awaited

Stydia is as slow burn as you can get. Unfortunately their actual getting together was slightly rushed in my opinion. They didn’t have time to find their own as a couple because Stiles just wasn’t in the show enough at that point. I know the reasons behind it, but it did leave this couple at an awkward stage of official-but-not-shown. The idea that Stiles loved her as a kid, immature and infatuated, and he saw her for who she really was, will always be cute. Then they grew, changed, became friends, and found other people. Them finding each other later on, having real love that’s developed slowly, is a wonderful arc. Though, a part of me will always believe they should have pursued other story lines in the wake of Stiles’ absence from the plot. They’re finally together! …but we don’t get to see it.

Jackson x Lydia: The Image

Oh Jackson and Lydia. Honestly, I love them. Their connection at a time in their lives when they couldn’t open up to anyone else, just hits me right in the feels. I mean, god that HUG. You know the one. Always brings me to tears. I’m so sad their relationship was almost entirely depicted during Jackson’s kanima time when he couldn’t think nor truly act for himself. Those small moments of scared vulnerability when he wanted to protect her from himself… I’ll miss these two. They deserved to find other people and remain life-long friends. I loved their moment in the last episode. I wish they’d gotten to see each other grow. Also they had such bixbi solidarity vibes, and I’ll die on that hill.

Scott x Lydia: Leaders

Ok, I’m gonna be honest here. I ship it. The power couple they would have been?? Also them coming together after they lost Allison would have actually made sense. A part of me kinda wishes the writers had moved on from Stydia as a romantic relationship and leaned into them growing as friends and Stiles moving on from his childhood crush. Scott and Lydia actually would have had good chemistry. They were both very headstrong heroic types, but Lydia would have balanced Scott out well intellectually. They had the history, and I think it could had worked if they wrote it right. Plus, Scott and Lydia would have been a better endgame that Scalia.

Scott x Kira: New Beginnings

These two were adorable. Kira was a badass, don’t get me wrong, but she let herself be soft in a way Allison was always afraid to. This couple was truly Baby. Absolute dorks. I can definitely see the lasting quality between the two of them. They saw things very similarly, and had a ton in common. I do think Kira deserves more characterization outside of their relationship, like more of her friendship with Malia. Overall, her departure from the show will always be sad to me. It was bad writing. Scott was over her far too quickly.

Aiden x Lydia: Pretty People Herd

I honestly didn’t see much between these two other than mutual attraction. The best thing to come out of this relationship was Lydia’s line, “You’re not just a bad boy, Aiden. You’re a bad guy. And I don’t want to be with the bad guys.” Good character development moment.

Ethan x Danny: Step to Redemption

Danny really was the thing that made Ethan look outside of the pack for what he really wanted out of life. They had a few cute scenes. Gotta love Danny’s final remarks, “Dude, it’s Beacon Hills.”

Allison x Isaac: Unexpected Rebound

Ok, I like these two. Isaac could match Allison’s snark in a way Scott couldn’t. They both fought the progression of the relationship slightly. They didn’t expect to fall for each other. They were less willing to let someone in close. I’d love to have seen more… but unfortunately their time was limited. On a side note, sometimes their relationship did feel like ‘we both are in love with the same guy, let’s cope with each other’, but I find that completely valid. I’ll talk about Scallisaac later though.

Stiles x Malia: Anchors

Ok but, them <3 I love what they did for each other. Stiles was able to help Malia connect to her humanity and other people. He never tried to isolate her in their relationship and encouraged her growth. Malia offered Stiles the emotional support he never asked for. She defended him, fought for him, and loved him fiercely. Stiles needed that so much after season 3. I think they were a love that wasn’t meant to last, but the impact of it was forever. I wish we’d gotten to see a real end for them where they agreed that they needed to grow as individuals but would always still care.

Liam x Hayden: Three’s a Pattern

These two’s characterization stopped whenever they had storylines together. Their relationship was built on Scallison references. Hayden’s character could have been interesting, but they never really gave her a moment to shine. Liam has the worst plots when they revolved around her. Cute couple, poor writing.

Derek x Braeden: Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girl Boss

Derek deserves to be happy so much. Kate and Jennifer were just... jeez. Him and Braeden were cute and deserved more screen time. I think her intensity allowed for Derek to let go of control a bit more comfortably. Let Derek Be Soft. Anyway, love them.

Corey x Mason: Gotta Have That Rep TM

These two could have been cute if they were shown for more than two seconds at a time. I highkey forget Corey even existed all the time. Kinda just felt like a relationship to fill TW’s gay quota.

Jackson x Ethan: The Callback

Honestly? Loved them. Loved the chemistry. Loved the dynamic. Best twist. I know it was probably written in like that because Colton came out during his time away from the show, but it absolutely fit his character. Jethan is top tier.

Melissa x Chris: BAMF Parent Duo

Ok, so like, Melissa deserved this plot. She deserved someone to care about her. However... what the hell? Chris? In canon, his wife died like 2-ish years prior? His daughter died 1 year prior?? Is Chris really in a position to pursue a new relationship?? Also, like, Scott and Allison dated and loved each other up to her death. Kinda weird to have their parents hook up. I don’t hate it, but I don’t ship it…?

Scott x Malia: Lead up? What’s lead up?

These two came out of nowhere I stg. Like, 6B really tried to tell us this was something that had been slowly developing in the background? Also, I understand that they are their own people, adults, and completely in charge of their own romantic pursuits: but did Scott seriously never call Stiles? Like, Malia wasn’t just his first girlfriend. She was his first. Like, dude that’s your best friend?? Not even a head’s up? No, ‘hey would this bother you?’ Oof. Plus Malia was way too chaotic for Scott. She existed in gray morality that always prioritized her immediate circle, and Scott was a very black/white type of heroism. I just didn’t feel like they fit.

Non-Canon:

Scott x Stiles: Childhood Best Friends

Ya, sorry, I don’t ship Sciles at all. I get it. Like, I totally understand the ship, and I mean no judgment at all. I just see them as friends. I really value good male friendships in media because I feel like we don’t get enough, and I always liked these two.

Stiles x Derek: Enemies to Lovers. 100k. Angst. Hurt/Comfort.

God these two really are what fanfiction was made for. I could write a much longer discussion about Sterek, and I probably will eventually. I’ll try to keep this brief. These two weren’t always on the same side, but their approach was the same. They were very similar at their core. Plus, wow the chemistry. This should have been canon. Jeff’s a coward.

Allison x Lydia: Powerful.

This ship is so great. They really had a great dynamic, and a romantic plot would have easily fit the established narrative. Lydia’s confidence in herself and Allison’s confidence in her own abilities crossing over to each other because that’s what the other lacked? Iconic.

Danny x Jackson: He Gets Him

Danny really saw Jackson for everything he was and still cared. I wished we’d gotten to see more of them. I  want more background with Jackson’s eventual coming out and his friendship with Danny. Like, they ended up dating the same guy. What did Ethan have to say about that??

Stiles x Jackson: Bastards

Ok these two had a super fun dynamic. The asshole-energy between them was, great. The snark was always so entertaining.

Melissa x Noah: Family

How were these two not endgame? Their sons were practically brothers already. They had amazing chemistry. The flirting? Not to mention, their timeline would have made way more sense. Missed opportunity.

Chris x Peter: The Opposite of Love is Indifference, Not Hate

Ok so like, this was definitely one of those ships that I had absolutely no knowledge of before I was pretty into the fandom. Like, this was not something I would have guessed just after watching the show. That being said; my god the chaos alone…

Scott x Isaac: The Disaster Duo

Okay ya I love these two. Two dumb asses who act like idiot puppies. Such a fun dynamic. Plus?? Chemistry??? Hellooo

Scott x Allison x Isaac: Three Heads Are Better Than One

This ship is definitely one of my personal favorites. I very rarely poly-ship. I just feel like most of them are just love triangles with an ‘easy solution’, when two of them have no real connection. That is so not the case here. I feel like all of them have such great chemistry with each other. They also have a great dynamic as a group. Season 3A was really just Scallisaac rights.

Stiles x Isaac: I Hate You, jk…Not Really

Ok I loved their banter, but I really just don’t see this ship. Idk, I don’t personally ship it. Would have loved to see their friendship develop more tho.

Erica x Allison: Duo that would stab you with a stiletto

I don’t ship it, but I do wish we’d seen them become friends. I feel like they had a very artificial ‘girls fighting over a boy’ dynamic? They could have been such a badass duo.

Stiles x Erica: Batman x Catwoman

Ok I’m not sure exactly how to express my feelings for these two so bare with me. OMG I love their dynamic so much, and they are sooo cute. Their energy? Amazing. Chemistry? Great. History? It’s there and has so much potential. 10/10. Love them. But, no, I don’t ship it lol. Just really love their friendship, but with the underlying history of crushes.

Boyd x Erica: Was This Not Canon?

How can anyone not love Berica? Ugh they are adorable. These two deserved so much better.

Boyd x Cora: Survivors

Honestly I don’t really see it? Like they definitely had a connection, but it never felt romantic. I really feel like they just had to lean on each other and bond to make it through captivity, and it just lasted.

Boyd x Erica x Cora: The Pack

I literally learned this was a ship a couple days ago. Similar feelings towards this as Bora, but with the added hesitancy of we never actually saw Erica and Cora interact.

Cora x Stiles: Slow Build Up

These two were clearing being lined up to be a thing before Cora ended up leaving. I can’t say I’m disappointed they never happened. Kinda felt like they just wanted to straight-code Sterek.

Cora x Lydia: Mean Lesbians

Not much interaction to actually go off of, but yes I 100% support. They have very different approaches to problems, which is fun. Very ‘opposites attract’.

Malia x Kira: “Maybe you could date the coyote?”

Another one of my favorites!! They really complimented each other. Also, how full circle would they have been? They were introduced in back-to-back episodes. Malia stalking her as a coyote? The line from Kira’s dad about dating it? It would have been so funny if that ended up happening.

Malia x Lydia: Beauty and the Beast, but make it wlw

These two were fun. I liked their friendship, but I don’t really ship it. Though, rip Stiles that would have been hilarious.

Parrish x Lydia: The Cop and The Minor

Must I say more? Like, Parrish’s character, so sweet and big rule follower, did not make sense for what went down with Lydia. I love Parrish, but the dynamic just felt off. It didn’t feel consistent with the rest of his characterization.

Parrish x Stiles: The Cop and The Minor, but gay?

Ok, same reasoning as above, but also they had absolutely no connection romantically.

Scott x Theo / Stiles x Theo: Sometimes The Villain is Hot

Ok I’ve put these together because I have the same opinion for both. I don’t ship it. Neither had any rebuilding of trust, and Theo really hurt both of them. I just don’t really think they work.

Mason x Liam: Sciles Puppy Pack Edition

Similar to my feeling about Sciles, I just don’t ship these two. They had a good friendship, from the little we saw of it.

Theo x Liam: Anchors 2: Electric Boogaloo

Another personal favorite! I really don’t even understand why this didn’t go canon?? The elevator scene was just, so intense. They helped each other grow in 6B, and I really loved their dynamic. They should have hooked up.

Honorable Mention?: 

Parrish x Laura: What’s canon?

I’ve seen this in fanfic a lot, and I actually really like it lol. I thought I’d add it in here because I do love the creativity of fandoms.

[a34trgv2]

Why It Worked: The Princess and The Frog

Introduction: The Princess and The Frog is an animated musical fantasy romantic comedy film. Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, the film stars Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Lewis, Jennifer Cody, John Goodman, Oprah Winfrey and Terrence Howard. The film was released on December 11, 2009 and recieved very positive reviews from critics and audiences (85% of 200 reviews agregated by Rotten Tomatoes gave an average rating of 7.4/10). The film grossed $269 million on a budget of $105 million. For the past decade, I've grown to love this movie more and more with each passing year. Having rewatched it recently, I now firmly believe this is one of Disney's best films. In this post, I'd like to go into detail as to why.

The Plot: Based on the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, The Frog Prince, mixed with the material in The Frog Princess by E.D. Maker, this film tells the story of Tiana, a waitress trying to earn enough money to start her own restaurtant. She encounters a talking frog, who's actually Prince Naveen turned into a frog by Dr. Facilier. He agrees to help Tiana get her her restaurant if she helps him turn back into a prince by recreating the classic tale of The Frog Prince. This backfires and now they're both frogs hopping around the buyou with their gator friend, Louis and a cajun firefly named Ray, to find a way to reverse the spell they were put under. The film is really a subversion of classic fairy tale tropes that makes the film feel fresh and new. The goal for our leading lady is not to fall in love with a prince but to make her childhood dream come true. What also makes this film standout is how magical they make New Orleans, paying tributes to jazz music and cajun cuisine. I also found the humor to be very funny, with many of the jokes getting a great laugh out of me. One of the funniest scenes in the film is when Tiana and Naveen outwit a trio of frog hunters. The slapstick and perfect timing had me in stitches. What really makes the story so engaging is the animation. It's too bad Disney hasn't used 2D animation in their recent films (not to say they don't look amazing in 3D) because the animation in the Princess and The Frog is amazing. The character movements feel so smooth and fluid and they're designs are unique and well defined. It should also be noted that some 3D was used for background elements yet are coated with a 2D paint so well you never would've noticed.

Cast and Characters: The cast of this movie did outstanding jobs voicing these characters, who are all well developed and very likable. Starting with our leading lady, Tiana is a smart hardworking woman that's determined to start up her restaurant. She's also sassy, funny and a great cook. Anika Noni Rose was perfect as Tiana as gives the character a very determined and no-nonsense tone in her voice. Prince Naveen starts off as an arrogant playboy that only wants to live a carefree life. However, the more time he spends with Tiana, the more he realizes that not everything is just going to be handed to him. This is especially true during the scene when he and Tiana are making gumbo and he comes to realize he's so used to having everything be done for him that he doesn't even know how to take care of himself. Bruno Campos gave a very stellar performance as Naveen, giving him such charm and funny lines while also selling the more personal aspects of his character. Louis the gator is such a fun comic relief that plays a mean trumpet. He easily brings out some of the best laughs and Michael-Leon Wooley gave a very memorable performance as the character. Ray the cajun firefly just might be one of Jim Cummings' best vocal performances, up there with Darkwing Duck, Pete, and (of course) Winnie The Pooh and Tigger. Ray might appear to have a screw or too loose, but he's actually a really smart, brave and reliable ally who's more than willing to help his friends. His love for Evangeline (which is actually the North Star) feels very genuine even if it might come across as odd at first. Then there's the film's made baddie, Dr. Facilier (often referred to as The Shadow Man). Dr. Facilier is every bit as charming as he is sinister. He's manipulative, he's smart, he's charsmatic and he loves what he does. Keith David was excellent in the role, giving him a deep yet unsettling tone in his voice.

Super Supporting Players: This film has one of the strongest supporting cast I have ever seen. Each of the supporting and even minor characters leave a lasting impression and make the film feel lived in. Lawrence, Naveen's butler, acts as the secondary antagonist of the film, being the catalyst of Naveen's desire for a carefree lifestyle. He sides with the Shadow Man and poses as Naveen while the prince is a frog in order to marry Charlotte La Bouff. Speaking of Charlotte, is very much nothing like the standard spoiled brat. Rather than be snobbish, selfish and rude, Lottie is a true friend to Tiana and is willing to help her get her restaurant. Believe me folks, after having to deal with the likes of Gem Stone, Princess Morbucks, Sincerity (What About Mimi), and Tricia Holmes (6teen), Charlotte is a breath of fresh air. Her father, Eli (aka Big Daddy) is also a very kind and caring figure who, despite spoiling his daughter, clearly raised her well as she gets her generosity from him. Mama Odie is a wise 197 year old blind lady that not only helps our heroes on their journey, but helps them understand the difference between what they want vs what they need. This is echoed by Eudora (Tiana's Mom) earlier in the film, who even in the limited amount of screen time she had exerts such a motherly personality and has authentic chemistry with her daughter. Then there's James (Tiana's Dad), the main driving force behind Tiana's desire to open her restaurant. Despite succumbing to the frequently used "dead parent" trope, every second he's on screen is imperative to the story. He's a kind hard working man who dreamed of opening his own restaurtant with his daughter Tiana. When she tells her Dad about the wishing star, he gives her great advice: "that little star can only take you part of the way. You got to help it along with some hard work of your own and then you can do anything you set your mind to." What truly makes this supporting cast come alive are the stupendous voice work from the actors who portrayed them. Jennifer Cody was fantastic as Lottie, making her sound so energetic and lively. John Goodman is always a treat to hear and he brings such a humble fatherly presence to Eli. Jennifer Lewis perfectly captures the sass and erratic nature of Mama Odie and is an amazing singer. Peter Bartlett right captured the bumbling mannerisms of Lawrence and when he's disguised as Naveen he exerts more confidence in his voice. Oprah Winfrey, who was also a consultant for the film, played Eudora beautifully as a kind and caring mother and they couldn't have picked a better actor than Terence Howard for the role of James.

Songs and Music: Randy Newman is a musical genius! Every single song in this film is written wonderfully with an awesome beat, wonderful lyrics and the amazing vocal talents of the stars. Starting with the opening track after the lovely melody prologue, Down in New Orleans perfectly introduces the audience to this city and what it's like to live here. The late Dr. John brought such authenticity to the song being a New Orleans native and he had great singing chops. Almost There, Tiana's number, is not so much an I want song, but more like "I'm so close I can almost taste it." Anika Noni Rose has great singing talents and carried that long final note like a champ. The villain song, Friends From The Other Side is (in my opinion) one of the best Disney villain songs. It perfectly captures the charismatic and manipulative nature if Dr. Facilier and Keith David's baritone singing makes this all the more memorable. When We're Human is an upbeat song that showcases the excellent singing talents of Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos and Michael-Leon Wooley as they sing about what they'll do when they're human. It also makes great use of the trumpet, the go-to instrument for jazz. Ray is given the distinct honor of singing 2 songs, which are polar opposites yet are both wonderfully well crafted musical numbers. The first is Gonna Take You There, which is a classic cajun song in with Ray sings while he and his firefly family take our heroes to Mama Odie's. It's bounce, it's fun, it's makes great use of the accordion, it's just a great song to listen to. The second is Ma Belle Evangeline, a slow yet beautiful love ballad Ray sings for Evangeline. Even though Ray is singing to a star, it feels very genuine with his mix of French compliments and Louis' slow trumpet playing. Than there's the last musical number before the reprise of the opening track, Dig A Little Deeper. This is my personal favorite song in the film, and that's saying something because they're all great. Dig A Little Deeper incorporates a choir of roseate spoonbills to make it look like a church service on Sunday. It also has a great message behind it about finding what you need versus trying to get what you want. Also, Anika Noni Rose coming in with that extra verse was the perfect cherry on top. In addition to these spectacular musical numbers, Randy Newman also made a very memorable score incorporating strings and strong brass for intense scenes and some soft, subtle tunes for the quiet moments. Where the score truly shines is during Ray's death and funeral. From the sad reprise of Ma Belle Evangeline all the way up to the music slowy but surely picking up as Ray essentially becomes the brightness star in the sky next to Evangeline, this scene best showcases what a great score this film has. The song that plays during the credits, Never Knew I Needed by Ne-Yo, was also the picture bookend to the film, capturing the film's central message in a wonderfully crafted pop ballad with a beautiful piano tune.

Where It Falters: 👆. No, seriously this film is still a 10/10 in my book, but I personally would've amended this response from Lottie to "Travis, when I said later, I really meant not ever." Still shoots the guy down but without making her speak for all women. This concludes my meaningless nitpick.

Conclusion: The Princess and The Frog is without a doubt one of Disney's best films and Tiana is my personal favorite Disney Princess. The animation is spectacular, the characters are great, the songs are all wonderful, the voice acting is superb and it delivers a great message of finding what you need versus trying to get what you want. If you haven't seen this film, I highly recommend giving this film a watch on Disney+ if you have it. Thank you so much for reading and I'll see you soon ;)

This addition of Why It Worked is dedicated in memory of my grandmother, Margaret "Peggy" Simpson. I'll see you in Heaven Grandma.

[mxgilray]

I... have some thoughts on the Loki finale. It was not what I was expecting, but I'm still hopeful for season 2.

This felt like a meh finale, like how a lot of season finales felt in Spring 2020 when they unexpectedly quit filming and had to cut things short by a couple episodes thanks to the pandemic. Only this was the planned out finale, they should've given a bit more oomph. I'm quite a fan of exposition and character development usually, but all the dialog was centered on He Who Remains, so it felt like our main characters were just side pieces.

Plus, the final "cliffhanger" of Mobius not knowing Loki and the statue of HWR replacing the Time Keeper statues felt quite lackluster. Not sure how they could've made it hit harder, but it didn't deliver the "oh shit" vibes they intended, but maybe that's cuz Mobius not remembering Loki has been an expected plot line on tumblr for half the season so it wasn't a blindside.

I get the point of the Sylki kiss. From what I've seen on tumblr so far I feel like the nuance of Sylvies actions was lost to most people (both Sylki fans and antis just Didn't Get It). It wasn't a big declaration of love like the fans are grasping onto it as, and it wasn't shoving selfcest into the canon to keep the heternormativity like antis are accusing it of being; it was Sylvie using Loki's attachment to her to trick him. She needed Loki out of her way, and she knew the only way to get past him and get He Who Remains' tempad was through emotional distraction. She used his love against him and betrayed him, a kiss was simply the most efficient way to do it. I did a whole post last week about Sylvie's feelings towards Loki, but to sum up I firmly believe that while Loki harbors some romantic feelings for Sylvie, she feels strictly platonic towards him, but is very aware of his attraction. She took advantage of his care for her to get the upper hand during their fight. Heck she even foreshadowed it herself in ep 5. "There are more important things than friends" "like taking down the TVA" she told Loki that taking down whoever is behind the TVA comes before everything; it's priority #1 in her book, above friendship or love or trust. Loki proved that his priority now is the greater good of the universe not her revenge, so Sylvie has no use for him anymore (partners only when it's convenient, because she is a Loki and that's how emotionally stunted Lokis behave).

I would like to point out the irony of her being worried about Loki betraying her, only to turn around and betray him. It's in the realm of "people who cheat assuming their partner is cheating" / "not using a turn signal when changing planes to avoid being cut off because when you see someone else use their signal you tend to cut them off", it's assuming other people will behave like you do. Sylvie feared in ep 5 that Loki would betray her in the end because she knew if it came down to it she'd betray him. But the thing is, he's actually grown past that. Loki is finally thinking about how his actions can damage others, not just his own wants and needs. Sylvie saw this moral change in Loki, realized there was no chance of getting him back on the blind revenge boat, and decided to exploit his newfound selflessness and emotional attachment to get him out of her path.

This whole season Loki has been maturing emotionally and growing into the best, most heroic version of himself. Sylvie, on the other hand, still has that deceptive, selfish, can't trust anyone persona that every Loki develops to combat insecurity. She hasn't had the emotional growth needed to see the bigger picture, she's still trapped in her own self centered mindset. As such, she disregards the impact her betrayal will have on Loki, the impact killing HWR will have on the universe. She doesn't even take a beat to consider whether revenge is still the right path cuz she doesn't practice self reflection yet; revenge has always been the goal and she refuses to give herself a chance of changing her mind. I hope in season 2 she'll get some character growth, now that her 1 goal has been accomplished.

Now on to Mobius. I enjoyed his scenes, I wish we'd been shown more of what he did to reveal the truth to the rest of the TVA. Again, I feel like too much time was given to HWR's monologing and not enough was spent on the other characters so Mobius and B-15 got very little screen time to display their plan. I am happy Mobius got the opportunity to throw Ranslayers betrayal back in her face, and his attemp at attacking her...my boy you work a desk job you ain't no fighter, she used to work in the field collecting variants, you had no chance. Also, where the F did she go??? I kept expecting her to show up at the end of time but she didn't. Where did Miss Minutes send her??

I'm sad Mobius doesn't know Loki anymore, but I can't say I'm surprised. I've got a few different thoughts on what the heck is going on with him and the TVA:

Sylvie accidentally sent Loki way back to a time early on in the TVA before HWR created the Time Keepers for anonymity. As such, this is a past Mobius who has yet to meet Loki or even learn of Loki's existence. If this is the case, then I think Loki and Past!Mobius's interaction at the end of ep 6 will be the catalyst for him becoming a Loki expert. The 63 branching timelines Mobius and B-15 are discussing before Loki interrupts are from some currently unknown disaster that'll be a plot line in s2. (This is my least favorite theory, but nevertheless a possibility)

HWR was correct when he said that if Sylvie kills him and destroys the TVA then another variant of him will just start it all up again. This variant didn't care to remain anonymous, hence the big statue of him, but kept all the memory wiped variants working there. Because time is a chaotic bitch, the changeover from one HWR variant to another may have been near seamless at the TVA and just involved a quick memory wipe of anything relating to the Time Keepers, Loki and Sylvie, or knowledge that the TVA are all variants. The 63 branches may be thanks to something Renslayer is doing like killing all the HWR variants in existence in order to negate the need for the TVA. The branching could also be from Sylvie's revenge still, we have no idea how much time has passed between her killing HWR and a new HWR taking over so the branching she caused could still be an issue.

There have actually been multiple TVAs running simultaneously, each in their own multiverse. Each one employs memory wiped variants, each one is in charge of a certain subset of timelines, and all work under the one HWR. Sylvie used HWR's tempad to eject Loki back to the TVA, but she accidentally sent him to the TVA of a different multiverse not realizing that's a Thing. The 63 branching timelines Mobius and B-15 are discussing are indeed from Sylvie killing HWR, but there's only 63 as opposed to the countless we saw diverging from Sylvie's perspective because this TVA only sees branches on timelines within their own multiverse. Mobius doesn't know Loki because he isn't our Mobius and in the multiverse he works in maybe Loki's aren't as much of an issue because none of them ever escaped the TVA like Sylvie did (or none of them have Tom's face so he doesn't recognize him as a Loki). If this is the case, then Loki is gonna have to find his way back to his own multiverse in order to be reunited with his Mobius, and that could end up happening thanks to Renslayer. Miss Minutes gave her a file that I suspect only HWR should have access to. Maybe it was tempad coordinates for other multiverses? It took til the 31st century for the multiverses to be connected despite Tony figuring out time travel in the 21st century because travel between universes is much harder, maybe HWR is still the only one who knows how to do that. (If this theory is correct then all the time travel done during Endgame was through timelines within one multiverse) Also just thought of this but what if the reason there are so many extreme variations of loki that grew to adulthood is because the criteria of "sacred timeline" is different in each multiverse. Classic Loki and maybe President Loki and Kid Loki are from the same universe as MCU Loki, but red haired Loki, Croki, Boastful Loki, etc are all from other universes. Think about it, Classic Loki, 2012 Loki, and MCU Loki all have an exact identical path up until their nexus event (or death in MCU Loki's case). I think other than identifying as female, Sylvie's childhood was identical as well and that her nexus event was coming to terms with her adoption as a child, which erased the catalyst of 2011 Thor's plot and would've changed everything for her future path. Had her adoption remained a secret and she grew up on asgard, I believe her story would mirror MCU Loki's. It mildly hit me weird that there would be such wild variation amongst Lokis, even with him being a shapeshifter, because there's a rigid sacred timeline (that supposedly the MCU movies have all adhered to) and they all felt like too big of a divergence to have been left unchecked so long. If boastful Loki was telling the truth about getting all 6 infinity stones then he should've triggered a nexus event as soon as he got more than the 3 he is "supposed to" interact with, unless in his multiverse the sacred timeline criteria is different. Another theory: the agents employed in each TVA are from multiverses other than the one they're working in. It would make sense, keep them from running into their own past by fully detaching each agent from their home timeline/universe. So the Principal!Renslayer that B-15 found will never in any future become the TVA judge we know. The one we know maybe came from the universe Loki got sent to, and that's how the two of them will end up crossing paths again.

[nyerus]

Hi, nyerus.....If you don't mind me asking, who are your favorite MXTX characters (top 5 from each novel)? And why? I'm sorry if you've answered this question before.

Thank you so much for asking! I would love to! (Apologies for the delay, and also for how long this is lol....)

TGCF

1.) Xie Lian: I could write forever about why I love him, but XL is just a really great character who subverted my expectations. He's gentle and compassionate, but also funny and snarky on the inside. His character arc is the classic hero's journey but told out of order. So we meet him when he's already wise and world-weary, then get to see what he was like before, and how he finishes his journey later on. He's extremely inspiring, to show that our choices and our actions are what make us, and ultimately no one can take those from us.

2.) Hua Cheng: This is no surprise! I also just adore HC for being a very intense character! He's completely devoted to XL and that zealotry is very unique in a character. He's 100%, not 50, not 75. While he has a lot of relateable aspects, this part of him is utterly fantastical, on the level only myth and fable can achieve--which tracks. After all, he isnt a Ghost King for nothing. In the story, he is the embodiment of the purest devotion, no strings attached.

3.) He Xuan: I actually like him for the same reasons as HC! He too is a walking fable, only instead of devotion, he represents vengence. (They're actually like foils of each other, which is quite neat.) I really adore his arc, and how murky his whole character is. It tells a cautionary tale of how sometimes, our worst enemy--the one who makes us most miserable--is often ourselves. SWD wronged him greviously, but HX's obsession with vengence ultimately prevented him from getting the peace and recompense he wanted in the end. Absolutely stellar storytelling.

4.) Mei Nianqing: While I often question his motives and methods, he is still a really good character. Caught between wanting to be a mentor and protector to XL, but still loving (platonically or romantically, that's up to you) JW. He's the only father figure in XL's life that actually took him seriously, even if he did have to come around to it. But ultimately, he was proud of who XL became even before he ascended. He was just terrified of XL drawing the attention of the one man he shouldn't--and did. However his belief in superstition and fear of Hong Hong-er also makes sense, even if it's sad. MNQ is also just a quirky and fun dude lol.

5.) Mu Qing: I really like how complicated and murky MQ's is in terms of his inner turmoil. I'm somewhat similar to him in the way he thinks, and it's real work not to make things worse for myself by expecting the worse. His background makes him naturally suspicious of... basically everyone, all the time, and it's honestly understandable. Ultimately, he does understand that you can't make assumptions about people's intentions by projecting your own insecurities onto them--which I think is something everyone can relate to. I really like his subtle journey of self-realization and self-forgiveness, and he ends up far better for it.

MDZS

1.) Lan Wangji: I love the fact that LWJ was just so ready to Night Hunt himself to death upon the loss of his beloved. As you can tell, I really like complicated characters who have extreme traits, haha! That being said, I just also really like his stoicism and reliability.

2.) Wei Wuxian: Naturally, it's hard not to love WWX! He decided "yeah maybe the ends do justify the means" and went for it. To us, he is the hero. To the regular people of the world? Whose ancestors were dug up and disturbed to be used by the Yiling Laozu? His blackened reputation is not without cause! (Like... JGY literally has done more positive and helpful things for regular people than Wangxian, but those metas already exist lol.) Once again, his gray morality is what makes him so damn good, and can be debated at length!

3.) Jiang Cheng: JC gets a bad rep, but oh boy he doesn't make things easy for himself at all. However if I was in his position, I probably would be much worse off. He lost EVERYTHING, and still trudged on because there were people who depended on him. His hatred of the Wens also makes sense in the context that... that's often how humans react to and process extreme trauma. We find something to blame and *waves at literally every major conflict since the dawn of time.* (His rumored torture of innocent people due to that is reprehensible, of course, but given that MDZS is a book about how rumors can make or break someone's life... we should take that line with a grain of skepticism, much like all other hearsay.) He's not typically the type of character I like, but I found him really interesting to read.

4.) Jiang Yanli: I really love JYL, who decided to be the emotional backbone of her family from the time she was a child. It was an undue and extremely heavy burden to bear, but she did all of it without complaint. That's strength. I think many elder siblings can relate to her having to step up and be the third parent, when the actual adults fail at it.

5.) Wen Qing: I really like her arc in the novel, where she makes some of the hardest decisions anyone will ever have to make, over and over and over again. I don't typically love very "rough" characters, but she has ever right to be that way (and it makes sense for her character, and isn't just a tacked-on character trait like hair color or eye color in a CC), and honestly I want to marry her very seriously.

SVSSS

1.) Luo Binghe: Probably the most misunderstood main character of all of MXTX's works. LBH is neither truly a crybaby nor is he a ruthless maniac. He's right in the middle, in the valley of misanthropy. And yet, he knows just how to use his charisma to get his way. Cunning and devious, intelligent and ruthless. Meanwhile, he craves love and intimacy--something he could only ever dream of.

2.) Shen Qingqiu (Shen Yuan): Extremely refreshing to see an transmigrator know how to handle transmigration almost flawlessly. (Me reading/watching other works with this trope and wanting to tear my hair out at the protags = me sympathizing on a personal level with SQQ.) This also proves to be SQQ's fatal flaw!! His knowledge of the novel is both a boon and a obstacle to him, and prevents him from understanding the other characters as people until he lets go of his pre-conceived notions. And of course, his snarky as heck inner dialogue is amazing.

3.) Liu Qingge: I don't actually even know why I love LQG as much as I do. He's just neat.

4.) Tianlang-Jun: Honestly same goes for TLJ. He's just great though, and I have a blast reading about him. He wanted to see the good in humanity, and ultimately comes around after writing them off.

5.) Yue Qingyuan: He's a fascinating character. Harmless on the outside, but a quagmire on the inside. His love for Shen Jiu was quite... problematic, in that he saught forgiveness from SJ, without actually ever taking the time to understand him or to make amends. Patronizing and judgemental, yet willing to let SJ get away with literally anything because of his own unresolved turmoil, etc etc. Fascinating.

[the-necessary-unnecessary]

A list of all the films, series and web series that have been recommended as hidden must sees during isolation and beyond. 

Note: I have divided them into films with happy endings or not, series that haven’t finished so the exact ending is unknown I have put an asterisk (*) next to

Note 2: the descriptions are a mixture of my own and of the reviews I was sent by anons

She gets the girl

A Date For Mad Mary, 2016 (needs a date for a wedding, more about her complicated reconnecting with friends after prison but romance is cute)

Almost Adults, 2016 (centers around the broader themes of growing up and friendship but one of them is a giant gay. There is a happy ending for both the gay one and the straight one, gotta give the straights some food because they so rarely get fed)

Anne+, 2018* (Dutch webseries with fresh and new vibes with a great mid-twenties actress about mid-twenties gay lives. Everyone in it is LGBTQ+ yet nothing about it is LGBTQ+, it’s all just treated as natural and normal)

Bound, 1996 (you can't beat the lesbian noir classic which should one day be inducted into the lesbian hall of fame)

But I’m A Cheerleader, 1999 (camp and a lot of fun despite the very serious themes, starring Natasha Lyonne- one of the gayest straights out there)

Carmilla, 2014-16 (webseries based on the groundbreaking 19th century book. Some great chemistry and a lot of breaking of the fourth wall)

Carol, 2015 (Cate Blanchett movie based on the book The Price of Salt which caused issue when it was realised in 1952 because it gave its lovers a open ended happy ending)

Couple-Ish, 2015-16 (cute Canadian web series, bit on the nose but important gay, bi and enby rep)

Desert Hearts, 1985 (the looks, the emotions, the gorgeousness of them both, the chemistry, oh god it was so good. Vivian Bell deserves all the orgasms)

Elisa Y Marcela, 2019 (A Spanish film based on the true story of two women who got married with one of them pretending to be a man in 1901. A tearjerker but ultimately their love is stronger than the adversaries they face)

Entre Nous, 1983 (a French 1983 film which has Jews & Nazi's but doesn't end in complete horror. There are straights who think it’s a friendship but we know better)

Fingersmith, 2005 (BBC drama based on a book by Sarah Waters)

Fried Green Tomatoes, 1991 (based on a more obvious book, they’re sold as best friends but if you know you know)

Fucking Åmål, 1998 (one of the first films aimed at teenagers about two girls falling in love and getting together.)

Getrieben, 2018 (they're ex's and share a dog and then maybe they're not so ex anymore)

I Can't Think Straight, 2008 (cute romantic comedy adapted from a novel about a London-based Jordanian of Palestinian descent preparing for a wedding before events take a gay turn)

If These Walls Could Talk 2, 2000 (some happy and some sad endings in this film which portrays three generations of lesbian storylines from the same house)

Imagine Me and You, 2004 (not my fav but a classic and has Queen Cersei playing a wlw)

Kyss Mig, 2011 (heart eyes, a lovely film, does have maybe a bit too much man in it but he's gone when we get to the nitty gritty)

Our Love Story, 2016 (Korean, subtle nuanced relationship story)

Rosebud, 1996 (a channel 4 short with Julie Graham and questionable fashion choices. Who needs words when you can have such tantalising and vivid visuals? Teeny bit of man but it's fitting in the particular setting and its very fleeting, although admittedly nude)

Saving Face, 2004 (romantic comedy which had less of an impact that Imagine Me and You due to lesser known actors and probably partly to do with race- the main characters are Chinese-American. But it's a gorgeous movie that has a lot more than just rom com elements. The Half Of It is by the same director.

Sjukt Oklar, 2018* (very Swedish, very lesbian, very very funny)

Supervoksen, 2006 (Danish teenage coming of age type thing)

The Carmilla Movie, 2017 (based on the webseries but still accessible to those that haven’t watched it. Quite sweet and the actresses seem very comfortable with each other. Plus there is a great sex scene in it where the muscles on one of the girl’s back are especially sexy)

The World Unseen, 2007 (period film during South Africa's apartheid era with great chemistry)

The Handmaiden, 2016 (extremely nsfw but its got some incredibly powerful meaning to it especially the final sex scene with the bells. It's also incredibly shot and the sex scenes were done very sensitively on set with only women around and the director even in another room.)

Thelma, 2017 (a supernatural thriller about a girl starting college who suddenly starts getting seizures but they don’t know why and she has a female love interest)

Tipping The Velvet, 2002 (BBC series, also has a Victorian era strap on in it and Keeley Hawes, what's not to love?)

When Night is Falling, 1995 (An uptight and conservative woman, working as a literacy professor, finds herself attracted to a free-spirited, liberal woman who works at a local carnival. It’s got quite a lot of a boyfriend in it so its not for everyone.)

Yes or No, 2010 (literally a ‘and they were roommates’ movie as well as an enemies to lovers plot)

Zwischen Sommer Und Herbst, 2018 (coming of age elements, does have a man involved especially at the beginning, who happened to be the brother of one of the girls, but overall it was okay, no lesbians die and it doesn't end in abject misery)

She doesn’t get the girl but neither does the trope

Aimée and Jaguar, 1999 (based on a true story. Beautiful but painful, it’s a Jew falling for a German housewife in Nazi Germany, hence its sad as hell ending)

Bloomington, 2010 (coming of age, teacher student thing which walks that line relatively well without being too icky)

Freeheld, 2015 (an extremely powerful and important story to tell)

Gia, 1998 (Angelina Jolie gets it on with Elizabeth Mitchell in a moving film about model and lesbian Gia Carangi)

Kontrola, 2019* (a masterpiece of a mini web series with a great soundtrack, aesthetic and storyline. Season 2 may present a better future for them)

Mädchen in Uniform, 1931 (German cult classic almost entirely produced by women. Sexual awakening/teenage coming out of her shell stuff, there is also a 1958 redo which is okay. She doesn’t get the girl but it’s still a positive portrayal of sexuality where the object of desire isn't disgusted or weirded out by it)

My Summer of Love, 2004 (At first glance a coming of age movie, but has a lot of phycological elements too. Emily Blunt with a girl, not happy but no lesbians die)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire, 2019 (spell-bounding french film with amazing rawness and visuals. One of my best cinematographic experiences ever)

Reaching for the Moon, 2017 (the love story of the poet Elizabeth Bishop and the architect Soares in the 60s)

Snapshots, 2018 (sad ending but great chemistry with no closed mouthed straight girl kisses)

Summertime, 2015 (French lesbian movie- dare I say more? Sad but no deaths)

The Hunger, 1983 (a gothic cult classic, vampires, its got David Bowie, Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve in it)

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, 2018 (she doesn’t get the girl because there is no girl, but she does begin to find and accept herself. Based on a highly recommendable book by the same name)

Viola di Mare, 2009 (depressing as hell but beautiful to look and the couple have some good chemistry)

[akampana]

ArchGil/Arturia and LancerCu/Arturia for the ask please ? 💕

I already answered for GilArt but BUCKLE UP FOR SOME CUTURIA YALL time to overanalyze as usual

Cú Chulainn (Lancer) x Arturia - Ship It

What made you ship it?

What planted the seed in my mind was a particular doujinshi I read eons ago. But the whole reason I ended up shipping this so bad can be found in their fight. And it’s mostly Cú-centered too. 

Now let’s remember a few things, by this time Kirei has taken Bazzett’s command spells and Lancer’s now forced to obey the damn priest. And even if he doesn’t like it, he has to go with the man’s whims and stagnate as a mere spy. 

I imagine he still clings to the reason he ever answered the summoning anyway: a valiant fight to the death. (which he never gets. damn Lancer luck)

In clashing with Saber, he thought he could fulfil it. And unlike his previous fight, this time she is the one ramping up the pressure. 

Look at that smirk as he realizes her strength. That offer of a draw to preserve his chances to fight this worthy opponent for later. The disappointed face when she declines, because now he’s forced to use his NP (cuz he was commanded to do recon). If it succeeds, he’d have lost an opponent too early, and if it fails, which we see later, he’d be forced to retreat. 

Then he goes out of his way to explain himself before saying: “You’re more than welcome to follow. But if you do, be prepared to die.”

Tell me that isn’t a provocation, I dare you. I’m betting he would have loved it had she chased him down, because her pursuit would have given him an excuse to ignore Kirei’s command and have the fight of his life. 

And that, friends, is how I fell into this hell-hole. 

PUTTING THE REST UNDER A CUT ‘cause this is VERY long. 

What are your favorite things about the ship?

UMMM THEY’RE SO CUTE?!?

THAT HEIGHT DIFFERENCE

THAT SUS LOOK

THIS SCREENSHOT WHICH WAS TOTALLY NOT TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT ON PURPOSE

look at THEMMMMMM

Also Lancer has fun with them this episode. It actually makes me feel a little sad, since he prolly never had dinner or any sort of happy times with his prick of a Master.

EHEM Okay, be serious. I’m gonna try to break this up into parts.

The Dynamic

Carefree X Serious, ahhhhh classic.

Lancer’s a notorious flirt, he hits on everyone. And thanks to Shirou’s loving description of Arturia being beautiful enough that the clanging of her armor sounds like the gentle ringing of bells we know she’s canonically beautiful, which also means she’s an obvious target. 

But she’s not an easy target.

Not only is she serious and straightforward, but she also has difficulty detecting emotions. Which means all his flirtations would go over her head. Fine, he’d just move on to a different girl--

Except Arturia also comes with the ability to hand Cú his own ass in a fight. And smile while doing it. A powerful woman as clever as she is quick (see first fight) 

Now that is something Cú can’t ignore. 

But what else?

Their Past

Both characters have tragedy-ridden backstories, and yet they reacted to them differently. 

Arturia so heavily regretted the way her reign ended that she fought in two HGWs in an attempt to change it. The first to save her country. The second, to make sure someone worthier than her would pull the sword from the stone. 

Cú, despite dying so young after a life of hurting those that he cared about one after the other and being forced to break geis that was so important to him appears to not really regret anything. He just wanted a good fight out of the HGW.

She is serious and he is carefree, and being too much of either of those things proves damaging. Think about it. Lancer’s too busy taking things in his stride that he doesn’t ever process. Saber’s got such a horrible obsession with blaming herself (until Shirou happened), that she was literally frozen by it.

Being with Cú would help her loosen up, and by knowing Arturia, Cú would learn to care just a tad bit more about thing’s he’d dismissed. Finally realize that things...weren’t just okay.

I’m not saying this will go smoothly, but that’s what makes it so interesting. They can heal. And do it together.

THIS:

Pretty cute tsundere moment but wait, that’s not all. He means it. Cú did not have the best experiences with kings, his was a fool. 

I like to think, that meeting someone like her...would change that. (by the way this is also one of the reasons I ship her and Cú Alter which u must have noticed if you follow me)

Bottom line, I just think that they could be happy together, you know? I really do. They complement each other in a way that’s just right. 

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Criminally underrated. Needs more followers. More content. More everything. I love them. 

Also works as a threesome with EMIYA

Or Diarmuid

Platonic or romantic this totally works yall

THANK YOU FOR THE ASK

[ftstorm]

My take on 5x10

Welp, that was a big one!

You know, before going into this episode I reminded myself this was the first episode of a new era, the first episode completely made by the new team.

So with that in mind my expectations were "Okay, let's see what they've got."

And oh boy did they surprise me.

DISCLAIMER: this text post is long af, not kidding.

1. THE INTRO SCENE.

You guys have no idea how glad I am that we got Mac doing a usual MacGyvering in his house. It's been ages since they implemented this format of showing his dynamics outside Phoenix and around his house.

I wasn't worried about the proposal thing at all. Guys, you have to accept that MacRiley was always going to happen after that 4x04 episode.

There was also the fact that this was the intro scene (usually the most important plot issues happen in the outro scene), Bozer's weird reaction and the melancholic audio cue.

If that proposal was happening, they would've made it more uplifting.

(I gotta say that watching Monica Marcer and the official MacGyver account making damage control in Twitter 3mins into the episode was a funny experience)

So my initial questions about Mac wanting to propose were: "what are his motivations?" and "how is this not going to work out by the end of the episode?"

The second question we got the answer later on. The first question remains unanswered. If we take on Mac's words, he says:

Mac: Unexpected, I know, I know. But that's why I like about it. You know ever since I lost my dad and Jack I've been thinking about the bigger picture. A commitment to make things work it's exactly what Desi and I need. A grand romantic gesture. *cue melancholic music*

Here we're presented with a bunch of things worth analysing, in my opinion.

He's trying to see the "bigger picture" which, for me, it means he's trying to tackle down different issues from his life with one specific, efficient action [the proposal]. Those issues being:

> his current romantic relationship: make is aware they have an inconsistent relationship > his performance at work: he needs balance between his personal affairs and his work, which is based on saving the world in a daily basis and for that he needs to be focused. > dealing with his past losses: to my understanding, saying "ever isn I lost my dad and Jac I've been thinking about the bigger picture" means that he doesn't want hopelessness to take over him, he wants to keep on moving and being proactive about his life.

So... you have to understand that in some sort of way, this proposal thing is a signal that Mac is healing. In some sort of way, if you were in Mac's shoes you would see that it was a positive thing for him. A step forward.

The thing is, we [the audience] have an extended understanding of the situation and we know that an engagement would be an incredibly rushed decision.

As well as it is that Mac's trying to move forward, he obviously hasn't been able to pinpoint the true issue behind his relationship with Desi. He isn't wrong about them lacking in the commitment department, but forcing the relationship to scalate isn't the right move. He should be asking himself: "Why are we avoiding commitment?"

And that's when he'd find out that they have very deep and important trust and communication issues.

~~~~

2. Moving on. MURDOC.

Russ: I can process it more efficiently by having it all spread out ahead me, you know. I reckon see the bigger picture at once.

This is when I realized that the episode was centered on this whole "bigger picture" idea. Russ struggles to see the full picture until the very end and Mac finds out that he hasn't been seeing the full picture of his life at all by the end of the episode.

Fast forward, the team's in Mexico, Riley knows about the ring already and she has already had the talk with Bozer in which she refers to her feelings for Mac in a past tense.

Then Murdoc appears.

And as if the episode wasn't already a rollercoaster after Mac's reveal, now Murdoc shows up to put everything upside down.

First I gotta say, man Dastmalchian is SUCH A GOOD MURDOC. Excellent actor. The way he delivers his lines, his facial expressions, all of it make an original and very entertaining Murdoc.

He always gives me such a Andrew Scott's Moriarty vibes and I love it.

Secondly, his dynamic with Andrews: *cheff kiss*

I loved how Andrews was so over Murdoc's theatrics, to the point his facial expression screamed "Why did I even reclute this guy" LOL.

Back to the story.

This is something I was hoping it wouldn't happen but at the same time I don't see another way it could've happened which is the explanation behind Murdoc's escape and how Phoenix didn't know about it.

Because what they told us is that the FBI didn't let them in on Murdoc's escape, right? Does that imply that the FBI has a corrupt agent in charge? Does it imply that the order of not letting Phoenix in came from above? Maybe someone with higher clearence than Matty? A politician? Governement conspiracy?

It smells like plot hole, tbh. I feel like the Murdoc's escape is a classic "it is what it is". We'll see if they come back to this in later episodes.

~~~~

3. BIG SECRET REVEAL 1.

By now we're at the point of the rollercoaster where you're going up and up and up. Your tension building more and more as you're getting close to the drop.

Bozer and Riley's audio was the drop.

You know, during this scene I jumped from my seat, closed my eyes, cringed, squealed, my heart accelarated, forgot how to breathe...

As a person who is a little bit bipolar when it comes to romance (I can be very shy about it or very outspoken about it) that scene made me SO UNCOMFORTABLE.

Imagine having your feelings exposed not only to the person you have feelings for but also his girlfriend who happens to be your friend, your boss and the criminal that's threatening to kill hundreds of people.

I was like: "Not like this!!"

And Mac's reaction didn't help because of the lack of it. I don't know what I expected but his slightly monotone reaction broke my heart.

Thankfully, I've recovered since then and I don't mind that it happened that way.

Still, imagine how suffocating it must've been for Riley. That idea was what made me so uncomfortable and I think that's what they were going for. They wanted to make it as straightforward and awkward as possible.

But it doesn't end there. It's followed by Mac revealing the ring to Desi (and Riley). Mac's in "fuck it" mood and Desi kinda panics.

Little side note here, using GUM and a DIAMOND to break a bullet proof glass... BIG YES. That's an intrinsic MacGyverism.

~~~~

4. BIG SECRET REVEAL 2.

Then we get a breather from this drama by introducing another drama, Leanna's death.

Bozer's reaction to the news was heartbreaking for my already heartbroken heart.

I have my suspicions as to why they decided to kill her... The other episode completely made by the new team was the Quarantine one (5x06). During that episode Mac and Bozer bond over Bozer's pain. After learning about Bozer's mom, Mac chooses to share a piece of his own pain with him.

So, hear me out, I think they writers are planning to help Mac process his own grief THROUGH Bozer's grief. Keep in mind that we still have a Bozer centered episode coming up.

This is just a theory. I may be wrong, but I think it may be right too.

Back to the episode.

Once again we see a three dimensional Russ. He does something accordingly to his own judgement thinking it's the right decision [hiding Leanna's death], he realizes he screwed up, he gives Bozer a very heartfelt apology about it.

Henry's acting talent shone with this narrative. Actually, most of the actors had the chance to shine THANKS to the NARRATIVE. Murdoc, Andrews, Desi, Mac, Russ and Bozer... they all had their highlight moments (I'll talk about Riley later).

Parenthesis here... THE NARRATIVE HAS RETURNED THEIR SOULS TO OUR DEAR CHARACTERS!

WOW, they aren't brooding, angry, sad or whiny ALL THE EFFIN TIME. ABOUT TIME!

~~~~

5. LAST ACT.

For the third or fouth time in this episode my heart broke again when Mac was friendly towards Riley, after she explained herself. It really felt like he was friendzoning her.

But here's something to point out. Riley visibly relaxed when he reacted that way. What does that tell us?

> She had been so tense up until that point. Imo, she's on the defensive now. You can even see it in her wardrobe, make up and hairstyle choices. They're very contrasting to Riley's most vulnerable moments in this show (like when Audrey broke up with her).

Riley has had a year to sort out her feelings. We see in this episode that she spoke about them in a past tense. Whether she achieved it or not is unknown. We just know that she has at least tried to move on.

> She was mostly afraid of ruining her close relationship with Mac (who's her only family, along with Bozer) and her friendship (?) with Desi. We've seen it over and over again: Riley DID NOT WANT to get in the middle of them.

Keep that in mind as we go in the last scene.

It took me a while to figure out a possible thread of thought inside Mac's mind. Why did he look at the ring and decided to go to Riley's house? It really didn't make sense to me.

One moment he was thinking about his proposal and somehow that lead to him having the necessity to know if Riley still had feelings for him? Why??

My theory is that he went to her apartment for permission.

His question was a way of asking Riley for permission to propose to Desi. It was a way of reassuring himself that proposing was still the right decision.

In a way, he could also be fishing for an excuse to not do it [the proposal].

Because now he has doubts. He's confused, unsure.

Mac asks:

Mac: Hiding your emotions and letting it pass. Did it go away?

What could her answer have been? Here I wanna go back again to Riley being emotionally defensive, added her strong desire of not wanting to be in the middle of Mac and Desi's relationship.

I think she would've said "Yes, it worked."

Because it also lines up with my idea that the love triangle has changed from "Riley's a better match for Mac" to "Mac needs to win Riley's heart".

Riley's done her job. She worked out her feelings. Now it's time for Mac to sort out his humongously messed up internal self and reignite her spark. That's what I think.

Also, if anyone has any idea on how the song that played in that scene relates with the moment please share it with me because I don't really understand the song choice lol.

~~~~

6. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Desi. I'm not sure what's going on in her mind. She seemed stressed out by the ring, very serious about Riley, lenient with Mac... I'm really not sure.

My guess would be that she doesn't want that type of commitment but she wants to be with Mac yet she can't ignore Riley so does that mean she has to end it with Mac? That's the thought process she may have had? Idk...

I'm glad they let her be mature about it, with no overreactions, no whining, no blaming, nothing of that style that we're used to see in her.

I'm also glad about that moment when she defeats Murdoc and Andrews. THAT'S HOW YOU WRITE A TOUGH DESI. It was filmed with such a gracefulness and elegance. I liked it.

From a MacDesi point of view, she's probably being open minded and giving him space and waiting for him to come back to her... but somehow I got the vibe that she's actually... running away?

Lastly but no less important.

THE HISPANIC REPRESANTION OMG. RUSS SPEAKING SPANISH AND THAT CUMBIA MUSIC FILLED MY HEART WITH SO MUCH PRIDE!!! :')

[ljf613]

OOOOOHHHHHH, IT'S SISTER THEN?? THIS IS GETTING A LOT MORE INTERESTING EACH DAY!! Expect a lenghty review here when the new story drops, then!! And it will surprise you but i've already read all of your recs, i consider symbolism like a classic toko fanfic and i really enjoyed the sequel one shot that author did back in the day... About "A Simple Request", well it's not your typical arranged marriage trop but it's more like Iroh playing matchmaker and arranging their marriage kind of story (1)

I really enjoyed because i've always believed that if you make Toph and Zuko spend time together, they are gonna fall in love for each other at some point... So, that's why Arranged Marriage is a perfect trope for them, because it forces them to spend time to know together and to know each other in a deeply way. The other way is Uncle Iroh, but it works more like friends to lovers kind of story and slowburn.  But regardless of if they’re in love when they get engaged, it still could be seen as an arranged marriage because of the political implications of their union. I mean, the Fire Lord marrying an Earth Kingdom's noble screams politics and rebuilding the trust between their nations.  So, at the end of the day their relationship is beneficial to everybody, not only themselves. And it's a good topic to treat in fiction, like in this fanfiction called  (Is there a line I’m missing?)  If you don't want to go the Lin/Tenzin route, i'm all for it because it's very sad thinking about it and i love angst but i prefer the "life is not easy" type of angst you're going for in these series than romantic angst... like in my point of view, there are more heartbreaking and painful things than a broken relationship, i'm not trying to dismiss someone experiencing a heartbreak because it's also painful, but to me, if i'm very honest, losing a loved one is the worst hearbreak you could ever experience...  Death is a really hard topic to deal with and you never get over it, truly, you only learn to live with it but like i said that's my approach to life... but i think whatever you is gonna be amazing because i love your writing and the way you've outlined this so far, so i can't wait for you to surprise us with more!! 

-WonderBabe. 

I did not say it was a sister, either! I refuse to reveal any identifying information about my OC lavababies until they crop up in my fics, so you shall have to wait and see! 

And, wow, you’ve read all of them? Noice! Symbolism is definitely a classic (I should reread that one, it’s been a while), but I think my favorites are A Tale of Earth and Fire, @pigeonchest’s not supposed to come home (major inspiration for we all want love/we all want honor!), and @this-acuteneurosis’s Third Time’s the Charm.  There’s one other currently updating arranged marriage Toko fic I haven’t had the chance to add to the list yet: @lone-star-ranger’s How to Scam Your Way into Marriage, which he wrote for the @avatar-rare-pair-ship-challenge​ and was kind enough to gift to me. (Thanks again, Lone Star!) 

I did read A Simple Request, and I realized pretty quickly that it wasn’t actually an arranged marriage story, but I was not disappointed-- a 15k word Toko fic I haven’t read yet is still a Toko fic I haven’t read yet. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in this ship-- the writer had a really good handle on Zuko and Toph’s character dynamic, especially considering that this one was written before season 3 aired (in other words, before the two of them had ever actually interacted with each other on screen). (TW for Iroh death.)  

Arranged marriage is one of my favorite tropes in general, and it works really well with Toph and Zuko-- I’ll go into this in depth some other time, but suffice it to say that, politically speaking, Zuko’s best marriage option would be a minor Earth Kingdom noble, preferably one stubborn and thick-skinned enough to be able to handle the intrigues of the Fire Nation royal court, and Toph checks all of those boxes.  (Did you forget to include the title of a fic you were trying to recommend?) 

As for Lin and Tenzin I feel like I read their relationship pre-canon very differently from how most of the LOK fandom seems to.  The story I put together while watching the show was not one of childhood sweethearts who were dating for nearly two decades before Pema swept in and broke them apart.  No, my interpretation was that they were a pair of childhood friends who, upon entering their thirties and and realizing that they were still single, decided that they may as well try out a relationship-- which failed miserably and ended in disaster.  In short, I don’t think that they dated for more than a few months, a year or two at most, and Lin is less upset about Tenzin “breaking her heart” than she is about how he broke up with her. (Maybe with some added bitterness that Tenzin, who she always considered to be “in the same boat” as she was, was able to find someone to settle down with while she wasn’t.) 

Back to my writing; I’m a lot more comfortable working with that “life isn’t always easy” angst you’re talking about than your standard romantic angst plotlines.  Broken romantic entaglements are hard, sure, but you can always find stories about those. I prefer stories about the struggles relationships experience that actually require effort to work through. 

As always, it was really nice to hear from you, WonderBabe! 

(PS: Do you have an AO3 account?)

[cheryls-blossomed]

I wish fans would stop nitpicking WA scenes to death. I thought it was a beautiful scene, they stood in each’s arms afterwards just taking that moment. As for what that anon mentioned, Barry has had his hands down before while Iris has spoken to him with her hands around his neck. It happened in season 3, 4 and 5 from off the top of my head, and no they don’t always kiss after every scene like the one from episode, even in season 3. Look I get wanting kisses and all that mushy stuff and missing seeing that more often because it’s not something we get as much since season 4 but WA will never be that couple from season 3 again. They’re just different people but they still give us moments like this scene where Barry’s anxiety is high because when he thinks about something bad happening that can drive him insane, the first and only person he thinks about is Iris. There was such a sadness to Barry in that moment. I guess I’m just in a different place when it comes to WA, I’m not looking for all that in every episode or every time they have a deep conversation. I enjoyed that scene so I guess I’m the odd ball again 🤷🏽‍♀️😆

I really liked that scene as well, and I thought it hit the right notes, especially given that the characters are in this stressful atmosphere. But I'm 100% that person that if you give me any Westallen content with romantic lines and classic WA softness, I will be guaranteed to love the scene.

Anyways, I agree with you, nonnie! We can be the odd ones out on this one together, lol. In my mind, I just want to enjoy the Westallen content that we get. This show is relatively close to ending, so personally I just want to enjoy all the new Westallen content that we get before the show does in fact end.

[canary-prince]

Okay I’m sad and my therapist is always tripping about “not hating myself” so I’m doing a Director’s Commentary thing. I’m picking the best lines (IMO) of several of my fics and then talking about why I like them. I was raised by Modern American Atheists; I feel the need to prove my emotions by analysis. 

All that’s under the cut. 

First up, from ‘For Old Times Sake’:  Those eyes were going to be the death of him. But they’d be kinder than the fists had been, and he welcomed their lethality.

So. This is objectively just a very good line. This was evocative and visual and very classically romantic, while also staying consistent with how quietly sad Asterius is when I write him. Plus, in this fic, there’s a persistent theme of Asterius being enamored with Theseus’ hands; that was on purpose, because, as I mention in the tags, I went with the version of the myth where Theseus killed the Minotaur with only his hands. Which is this section was the runner up:  Both of his hands were clasped around Asterius’; there was such strength there, and such warmth as well. Asterius felt calluses and scars, bumps from where bones had broken and then healed a bit oddly. He was struck by Theseus' choice to keep these signs of wear and hardship. Again, he thought of pride.

SECOND IN LINE, ‘Foreign Dreams’:  “My only wish was for her to move her wing aside, so that I might see your face again before I died.”

Again, despite my crushingly low self-esteem, this is a PRETTY FUCKING LINE. Like, mwah, will I ever be this romantic ever again? Writing romantic declarations for characters who are Of Few Words or generally very inexperienced with this type of intimacy is an interesting challenge. It often has to be something beyond ‘I love you’, but it can’t be Shakespearean sonnets either. So, for Asterius, in this moment, as he talks about Nemesis’ proposal? I just had him state exactly what happened. Because it was perfect; it said EVERYTHING. 

Third, we have ‘No God But The State’: Zim spent the night smashing windows and screaming curses to the indifferent stars. No Irken is disposable. Especially not one as grand as Captain Cea. 

Okay, this is not the BEST line in God-State. Its just the one I like the best. Because in this Very Pretentious and Self-Indulgent Fic, this is the moment where Zim actually breaks. This is when he actually understands how hypocritical and pointless and beyond salvation the Empire is. (The later line, about the expansion returning under “better leadership” is the narrator/Zim sneering at the notion of reform. The idea that we commit atrocities in a “better” way.) Also the repetition of ‘No Irken Is Disposable’ is one of the defining traits of that piece and it feels impactful here, the timing of it feels good. Indifferent Stars is taken from the title of a book about the Donner Party: “The Indifferent Stars Above”; the reason I chose that sentiment is because of the futility of conquest, the emptiness of cruelty. We are all small before the stars. We do not become bigger by standing on a pile of the dead. 

Fourth, ‘Omelas’:  “Because you don’t exist for other people,” Sal said simply.

Omelas is also pretentious. But maybe I’m best at pretentious, because inside all that self-importance is, sometimes, a line like this. You don’t exist for other people. That’s just true, and I’m glad I wrote it. 

Fifth, we’ve got ‘Flying Blind’: Troy pushed himself up and continued without missing a beat. “No, you didn’t, not yet. I’ve wanted you since we were ten.”

So. Out of every line in ALL of my Troyreen fics, this is the one I think about the most. And I was never sure WHY until recently. It’s because of the context. This completely inverts the perspective we’ve had until this point: that Tyreen is the one pining, the one hiding feelings, the one who’s spent a long time desperately wanting something she cannot have. And then THIS exchange happens. Surprise, Troy has been burying incestuous lust and romantic love for OVER TWENTY YEARS. It’s been, at the most 5 to 7 for Tyreen’s feelings, and she only put a name to them MAYBE 18 months prior to this. This is also just my favorite headcanon for their relationship; that Troy has been in love with his sister since they were children and, due to his complete lack of self-worth, just swallowed it down. 

Another thing? It puts his shitty mind games in a different context; he’s been resisting the urge to grab her, kiss her, touch her, since before puberty. Of course he tests the waters and observes her reactions for MONTHS, until things get to a crisis point. He has a lot riding on this; what if he’s wrong? Honestly, his whole confession here is a point of pride for me. Bad consent shit aside, this is a GOOD confession damn it.