#age of empires 4 update

[valoniaart]

Age of empires II 🏰

Illustration made for the sports event "REDBULL WOLOLO" on the Age of Empires license. The event took place in Heidelberg Castle in Germany (October 2022). I made two illustrations that were hung on the stage, this one is for the game "Age of Empires II". The Shelby Cobra car, accompanied by scouts on horseback.

[majorhortonisonleaveinlondon]

An updated (April 3, 2024 7:48am pst) list of WW2 movies and TV shows in chronological order

thought out WW2 -(Imitation Game 2014) -(The Book Thief 2013) -(The Zookeeper’s Wife 2017) -(The Pianist 2002)

1937

October 26, 1937 Defence of Sihang Warehouse (The Eight Hundred 2020)

December 13, 1937 Nanjing Massacre - (John Rabe 2009) - (The Flowers of War 2011)

1938

Fall of 1938 (Munich – The Edge of War 2022)

1939

Summer 1939 (Six Minutes to Midnight 2020)

September 3, 1939 King George VI first wartime speech (King’s Speech 2010)

September 17, 1939, Soviet Union Invitation of Poland (The Way Back 2010)

November 30, 1939 Soviet Union invades Finland (The Winter War 1989)

1940

April 9, 1940 Operation Weserübung -(April 9th [movie] 2015) -(King’s Choice 2016) -(Narvik 2022) -(War Sailors 2023)

April 27, 1940 (Into the White 2011)

June 4, 1940 -Churchill gives “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech (Darkest Hour 2017) -Dunkirk Evaluation (Dunkirk 2017)

July 10-October 31, 1940 Battle of Britain (Battle of Britain 1969)

1941

May 1941 (Call to Spy 2019)

June 22, 1941 Operation Barbarossa -(Fortress of War [The Brest Fortres 2010) -(Defiance 2008)

September 8, 1941, Siege of Leningrad begins. -(Battle of Leningrad [Saving Leningrad] 2019) -(Leningrad 2009)

October 1941 Battle of Moscow (The Last Frontier [The Final Stand] 2020)

October 1941 Battle of Sevastopol (Battle for Sevastopol 2015)

December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan attacks Pearl Harbor (Tora! Tora! Tora! 1970)

December 8, 1941 Japan invades Shanghai International Settlement (Empire of the Sun 1987)

1942

January 20, 1942, Wannsee Conference (Conspiracy 2001)

February 1942 Battle of the Atlantic (Greyhound 2020)

February 1942 (The Railway Man 2013)

February 19, 1942, Bombing of Darwin (Australia 2008)

Spring 1942 (U-571 2000)

April 18, 1942 The Doolittle Raid (In Harm’s Way 2018)

June 4, 1942 Battle of Midway (Midway 2019)

1942 Summer Occupation of Jersey Island (Another Mother’s Son 2017 Prime)

July, 10 1942 Easy Company Trains in Camp Tocca (Band of Brothers 01x10 Currahee 2001)

July 21, 1942, Kokoda Track Campaign (Kokoda: 39th Battalion 2006)

August 7, 1942, 1st Marine Division land on Guadalcanal (The Pacific Ep. 1 Guadalcanal/Leckie 2010)

August 19, 1942, Dieppe Raid (Dieppe 1993)

August 23, 1942 Battle of Stalingrad begins (Stalingrad 1993)

September 1942 Formation of Troop 30 (Age of Heroes 2011)

September 18, 1942, 7th Marines Land on Guadalcanal (The Pacific Ep. 2 Basilone 2010)

Autumn of 1942 Battle of the Atlantic (Das Boot 1981)

October 18, 1942, Operation Grouse (Heavy Water War Ep. 2 2015)

November 8, 1942, Operation Torch (The Big Red One 1980)

November 10-17 1942 Vasily Zaytsev kills 225 German Soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad (Enemy at the Gates 2001)

December 1942 The 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal is relieved (The Pacific Ep. 3 Melbourne 2010)

December 15, 1942, Battle of Mount Austen (Thin Red Line 1998)

1943

March 13-14 1943, liquidation of the Kraków Ghetto -(Schindler’s List 1993)

April 17, 1943 Operation Mincemeat (Operation Mincemeat 2021)

April 19, 1943, beginning of the Warsaw Uprising (Uprising 2001)

May 4, 1943, Final Mission of The Memphis Bell (Memphis Bell 1990)

May 15, 1943, Salamo Arouch and his family arrive in Auschwitz Concentration Camp (Triumph of the Spirit 1989)

May 27, 1943 Louis Zamperini plane crashes on a search and rescue mission (Unbroken 2014)

May 30, 1943 first All-American Girls Professional Baseball League game played (A League of Their Own 1992)

June 25, 1943, 100th Bomb Group flew its first 8th Air Force combat mission (Master of the Air: Part One 2024)

July 1943 -(The Tuskegee Airmen 1995) -(The Liberator Ep. 1 2020) -(Heavy Water War Ep. 5 2015)

July 16, 1943, The 100th Bomb Group bombed U-Boats in Tronbhdim (Masters of the Air: Part Two 2024)

August 17, 1943 the 4th Bomb Wing of the 100th Bomb Group bombed Regenberg (Masters of the Air: Part Three 2024)

September 16, 1943, William Quinn and Charles Bailey leave Belgium (Masters of the Air: Part Four 2024)

September 18, 1943 John ‘Bucky’ Egan returns from leave to join the mission to bomb Munster (Master of the Air: Part Five 2024

October 14, 1943, John ‘Bucky’ Egan interrogated at Dulag Lut, Frankfurt Germany (Masters of the Air: Part Six 2024)

December 26, 1943, 1st Marine Division lands on Cape Gloucester (The Pacific Ep. 4 Gloucester/Pavuvu/Banika 2010)

1944

January 22, 1944, Battle of Anzio -(The Liberator Ep. 2 2020) -(Red Tails 2012) -(Anzio 1968)

February 20, 1944, Hydro Ferry bombing (Heavy Water War Ep. 6 2015)

March 7, 1944, Stalag Luft III Sagan, Germany, Germans find the concealed radio Bucky was using to learn news of the War (Master of the Air: Part Seven 2024)

March 24/25, 1944 Allied Mass Escape of Stalag Luft III (The Great Escape 1963)

June 1944 (Cross of Iron 1977)

June 6, 1944, 00:48 & 01:40 First airborne troops begin to land on Normandy (Band of Brothers 02x10 Day of Days 2001)

June 6, 1944, 06:30 D-Day landings -(Storming Juno 2010)

-(Saving Private Ryan 1998)

June 10, 1944, Easy Company Takes Carentan (Band of Brothers 03x10 Carentan 2001)

June 15-July 9, 1944 Battle of Saipan

-(Windtalkers 2002)

-(Oba: The Last Samurai 2011)

July, 1944 The Monuments Men land in Normandy (The Monuments Men 2014)

July 20, 1944 Operation Valkyrie (Valkyrie 2008)

August 12, 1944, The 332nd Fighter Group attack Radar stations in Southern France (Masters of the Air: Part Eight 2024)

September 15, 1944, U.S. Marines landed on Peleliu at 08:32 (the Pacific Ep. 5 2010)

September 16, 1944, U.S Marines take Peleliu Airfield (the Pacific Ep. 5 2010)

September 17, 1944, Operation Market Garden

-(Band of Brothers 04x10 Replacements 2001)

-(A Bridge Too Far 1977)

October 2, 1944 Battle of Scheldt (Forgotten Battle 2021)

October 12, 1944, Battle of Peleliu, Assault on Bloody Nose Ridge (the Pacific Ep. 7 Peleliu Hills 2010)

October 13, 1944, Rovaniemi public buildings were destroyed (Sisu 2022)

October 14, 1944, Erwin Rommel is arrested (Rommel 2012 Prime)

October 22/23, 1944, 2100 – 0200 Operation Pegasus (Band of Brothers 05x10 Crossroads 2001)

November 1944 middle of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest (When Trumpets Fade 1998)

December 16, 1944, Battle of the Bulge (Band of Brothers 06x10 Bastogne 2001)

December 1944 (Hart’s War 2002)

1945

January 2, 1945 (The Liberator Ep 3 2020)

January 10, 1945 (Attack Force Z)

January 13, 1945, Battle of Foy (Band of Brothers 07x10 The Breaking Point 2001)

January 30, 1945 The Raid at Cabanatuan (The Great Raid 2002)

February 14, 1945, David Webb rejoins the 506th in Haguenau (Band of Brothers 08x10 The Last Patrol 2001)

February 19, 1945, Battle of Iwo Jima starts. - (Letters from Iwo Jima 2006) - (The Pacific Ep. 8 Iwo Jima 2010) - (Flags of our Fathers 2006)

March 21, 1945, Operation Carthage (The Bombardment 2021)

April, 1945 (Fury 2014)

April 5, 1945, 506th Finds abandoned Concentration Camp (Band of Brothers 09x10 Why We Fight 2001)

April 26, 1945, near the end of the war in Europe (A Woman in Berlin 2008)

April 29, 1945, 45th Infantry Division liberated Dachau Concentration camp (The Liberator Ep. 4 2020)

May 2, 1945, Fall of Berlin -(Downfall 2004) -(Jojo Rabbit 2019)

May 1945 Battle of Okinawa -(Hacksaw Ridge 2016) -(The Pacific Ep. 9 Okinawa 2010)

May 7, 1945, Germany Surrenders V-E Day - (Master of the Air: Part Nine 2024) - (Band of Brothers 10x10 Points 2001)

July 30, 1945, USS Indianapolis sank. (USS Indianapolis 2016)

August 15, 1945, The Empire of Japan surrenders end of the War. -(Oppenheimer 2023) -(The Pacific Part Ten: Home 2010)

September 11, 1945 US Military search and Arrest Japanese Leaders for war crimes (Emperor 2012)

1946 April 29, 1946 Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal (Tokyo Trial 2016)

[astralscrivener]

✨ fic directory ✨

i’ve created a post to keep all of my fics in one place. all fics can be found on ao3. (last updated may 4th, 2024)

major ongoing works

STEALING OUR OWN PLACE IN THE SUN

- voltron: legendary defender: a rewrite of vld seasons 4-8. - team focus, broganes, klance, adashi, romellura - rated M, graphic depictions of violence + other warnings in author notes - 22/45 chapters, 251k words (december 25th, 2022) - last posted: chapter 22: season 7, episode 3: elliptical orbit

AT SKYFALL

- voltron: legendary defender: canon-divergent au in which keith and shiro are captured by the galra at a coalition gala. things become more complicated when the team’s search for shiro turns up someone else: adam, shiro’s fiancé.  - broganes, klance, adashi - rated M, graphic depictions of violence + other warnings in author notes - 8/? chapters, 25k words (september 2nd, 2023) - last posted: chapter 8: division and discord

ABCS OF KLANCE

- voltron: legendary defender: oneshots, one prompt for each letter of the alphabet, focused on keith and lance’s relationship - variety of aus, some overlap with squad up (2017-19 modern au), mostly established relationship klance - 18 works, 87k words (may 4th, 2024) - a: artistry • b: brutality • c: comfort • d: defeat • e: elegance • f: faithfulness • g: grief • h: homelessness • i: information • j: jealousy • k: knell • l: loyalty • m: mercy • n: need • o: opportunity • p: pain • q: quest • r: rumor • s: sleep • t: trust • u: uncertainty • v: victory • w: worry • x: xenon • y: yearning • z: zero - last posted: lightning in a bottle (y: yearning)

other ongoing works

THESE 20S ARE RAWRING AND THESE DUNGEONS ARE DRAGONING

- voltron: legendary defender: modern au + d&d series started in 2020 as a stress response to quarantine - team focus, klance, adashi, romellua, hunay

• main work: the rawring 20s XD - chatfic that only updates if i think it will be funny - rated M, no archive warnings apply + other warnings in author notes - 5/5 chapters, 17k words - last posted: chapter 5: there is no easter bunny, there is no tooth fairy, (september 8th, 2022)

- other works include klance-centric oneshots + snippets of the group’s ongoing d&d campaign - 5 works, 37k words - last posted: midnight into morning coffee (february 7th, 2024)

VLD FIC REQUESTS

- voltron: legendary defender: oneshots across a variety of aus written in response to prompts from friends and followers - variety of ships, but mainly klance and adashi - some overlap with squad up  - 15 works, 92k words (july 8th, 2023) - last posted: distraction

major completed works

DECEIT SO NATURAL

- voltron: legendary defender: canon-divergent trilogy in which lance and keith fool their way behind enemy lines and onto lotor’s ship to steal vital information on the galra empire—only for lotor to become far more dangerous than anyone anticipated. - mainly klance, extremely one-sided lancelot - written before gay shiro reveal + age discourse, contains side shallura - 3 works, 315k words - completed june 15th, 2018

• WHERE PEOPLE GO TO DIE - lotor mistakenly believes that lance is a galra soldier spying on the paladins, and invites him to return home. keith follows him undercover as a prisoner, and quickly draws lotor’s ire as things spiral rapidly out of control. - rated M, graphic depictions of violence - 14/14 chapters, 49k words - completed july 9th, 2017

• DYNASTY DECAPITATED - lotor becomes vindictive after having been played for a fool by team voltron, and the team struggles to hold the voltron alliance together while fending off his rapid advances. meanwhile, keith and lance explore a new stage of their relationship and learn exactly what the other means to them. - rated M, graphic depictions of violence - 18/18 chapters, 67k words - completed august 7th, 2017

• STARS GO DOWN - lotor has captured lance and sentenced keith to death halfway across the universe. lance struggles to hold onto himself as he plays the role of an amnesiac, while keith attempts to fight his way back to the team, alone. meanwhile, the team, down two lions and two paladins, scrambles to bring keith and lance home amidst betrayals and tumult in the voltron alliance. - rated M, graphic depictions of violence, temporary major character death + other warnings in author notes - 37/37 chapters, 198k words - completed june 15th, 2018

SQUAD UP

- voltron: legendary defender: modern au written from 2017-19 to cope with the horrors of being in high school and the transition into college - written before gay shiro reveal + age discourse, contains side shallura and shiro/allura/matt - 25 works, 561k words - completed may 10th, 2019

• main work: squad up - chatfic chronicling the gang’s last year of high school - rated M, no archive warnings apply + other warnings in author note - 140/140 chapters, 327k words - completed june 15th, 2018

• main work: a midsummer night’s meme - chatfic chronicling the gang’s last summer before college - rated M, no archive warnings apply + other warnings in author note - 27/27 chapters, 79k words - completed august 31st, 2018

• main work: because guys like us are cool in college - series of oneshots/snippets following keith and lance’s freshman year of college - rated M, no archive warnings apply + other warnings in author note - 84/84 chapters, 83k words - completed may 10th, 2019

LIGHT UP THE PATH (THROUGH A SKY FULL OF STARS)

- voltron: legendary defender: 28 oneshots completed for klance au month february 2019. - klance - variety of aus, including but not limited to modern au, canon-divergent/other paladinsverse, fantasy au, and more - rated M, creator chose not to use archive warnings + other warnings in author note - 28/28 chapters, 49k words - completed february 28th, 2019

additional oneshots not mentioned here can be found on archive of our own ✨ other writing (including drabbles, snippets, and prompts from tumblr ask games) can be found in my writing tag ✨

happy reading!

[littlespacereader]

hii there i dont rly know how this works so i hope im doing it right >-<

can i perhaps req little!crosshair hcs and how the batch would accommodate him and help him? they would be the best big brothers to him ik!!! ^^ if also omega could be included too not as a cg but i think she'd be so sweet about it n the best sister :o

GET OUT OF HERE!! Don’t actually because this is such a cute idea!!! Before I read this I always saw Crosshair as more of a CG but THEN this request had my brain short circuit with ideas!! I absolutely love a Little who doesn’t want to regress but is loved and accepted by those around them that they start to regress without realizing it! And that’s definitely Crosshair! I decided not just to write a general Headcannons for him but him as a Little throughout the first seasons to the current season. So we see Little Crosshair before the empire, during and after. This is LONG, I think I got a little carried away!😅😅

(I will keep updating this every Wednesday so that it’s up to date with the show. If you’re reading this right now it is updated to Season 3 ep 11 - Point of No Return)

Without further ado, please enjoy Little! Crosshair Headcannons with the Bad Batch as Caregivers & Omega as a Little sibling! Thank you for the request and feel free to leave another if anything from this inspires you! 😄

Little! Crosshair🎯Headcannons / Storyline 🤍 (SFW)

Tags/ TW - BAD BATCH SPOILERS, mentions of clone wars & bad batch typical violence (shooting/death), classification au, accidents, cuddles, self doubt/hatred

Background on the Republic and on Regressors in the Clone Wars era:

Just like every citizen, every clone of the republic must be tested for their Classification and have it on their file. They get it right after they’ve finished all their training and their ready to be shipped out into battle. As much as the Kaminoans would like for all of the clone to be Neutrals, they have no control over it. They just hide all notes about it and tell the republic all their clones are neutrals. But the clones know otherwise. Though most of the clones are Neutrals, there are the few exceptions. It’s rare to get a Caregiver Clone, but even rarer to find a Little Clone.

The Bad Batch have been and continue to be anything but normal. So when it comes for them to get classified, the results don’t come to much of a shock. Each one test right after the other, then waits in their shared room for everyone to come back and say their results.

Hunter is the first to test and his comes back as a Caregiver. Then Tech is up and is tested as a Caregiver as well. The two are shocked at first, never expecting their classification to come to any use. Then Wrecker test and his comes back as a Little with the age of a big kid (7-9). That…wasn’t much of a shock to the team. What is a bit shock to the team is Crosshair’s classification.

Little Crosshair before the Empire & Omega :

Crosshair is the last one to test mostly because he’s the youngest. He expects, no, he knows he’s a neutral. So when he’s told otherwise he loses it. He demands the droid test him again, then again, then again. But it’s the same result every time. He’s a Little with the age of a little kid (4-6).

He starts to panic. Before he sees his brother he takes time for himself to try and calm down but he can’t. He has this stern tough guy persona to himself. What if his brothers see him differently? What if they think he’s not as capable? What will happen when he regresses? No! No, he’s never going to regress. That is not happening.

After a moment of pulling himself together and cooling his emotions, he leaves and head back to his room with the rest of the squad. Wreck is eager to hear his classification but Crosshair just shrugs him off saying he’s a neutral. Tech and Hunter share a look but don’t say anything.

Crosshair can feel it bubbling inside, almost scratching at the back of his brain to regress but he fights it. Wrecker always regresses after a long mission. Something inside of Crosshair always yearns for him to do the same with him.

Crosshair keeps his classification well hidden. No one questions Crosshair on his Neutral classification and he doesn’t regress…that is before their latest mission goes south.

Crosshair gets hurt, badly hurts. A broken leg and possibly a concussion. He hits the ground HARD. His leg hurts and his head is pounding. Wrecker picks him up and carries him back to the ship with the others. Once they’re all safe in the Marauder, Hunter and Tech realize Crosshair regressed.

Wrecker doesn’t understand what’s happening and questions it. “Why’s he acting like that?” “Because he’s regressed” Tech explains plainly. “But he’s a neutral.” Wrecker adds, but Hunter shakes his head, “He never has been. Isn’t that right Crosshair?” Crosshair just looks away as tears start to fall from his eyes.

They start to take care of him while he’s injured and regressed. The more they do, the more Crosshair realizes his regression isn’t such a bad thing after all, So the crew of the Marauder start to learn a few new things about their newly regressed squad member.

For one, Hunter is Crosshair’s favorite person. When he isn’t around Crosshair he begins to panic and look for him. It’s an unspoken truth with the Batch that when Crosshair regresses he’s always hanging around Hunter. “Hunter?” “Over here little sniper.”

Hates cutsie nicknames. Really only accepts Little sniper, Cross, and very rarely little one.

He’s a very quiet Little as opposed to Wrecker who is a very loud energetic Little.

Though he is very quiet, he does have a voice when it comes to something he doesn’t like. He is extremely stubborn. (More below on this)

Wrecker loves to take the lead and guide Crosshair to play along with their crazy games. He’s an older headspace than him so he loves to be big brother.

Whenever Crosshair is upset, Wrecker will bring him Lula to make him. As much as he doesn’t want to admit it, it does make him better.

Crosshair is super cuddly when he’s regressed. But you can’t force him, he just walks over to either Hunter or Tech while they’re relaxing in their bunk, doesn’t say a word, and just snuggled up beside them.

Tech loves to read to him, it always seems to relax him and sometimes it makes him fall asleep with all the knowledge.

Crosshair throws tantrums often. He is a fussy Little. When something doesn’t go his way, he doesn’t want to do something, or something wasn’t what he wanted he will throw a huge tantrum.

He also fights most if not all of Hunter & Tech’s rules. They’re getting a bit tired of his constant rebellion to their rules but nonetheless their as patient as they can be with him, knowing he’s probably lashing out because he needs some attention and is too shy to ask for it.

In and out of his regression his brothers love and respect him. They don’t look down at him for being a Regressor and they certainly don’t underestimate him.

No toothpicks when Crosshair is regressed, as it’s too dangerous. Instead the Batch find him an alternative in the way of chewable necklaces and teethers. Pacifiers are labeled too babyish by Crosshair so the alternatives make him feel a lot better.

When Echo joins the team, Crosshair doesn’t regress for a while around him. Nervous of the new Caregiver on the ship, though he’d never admit it.

When he does eventually regress, Echo is extremely kind to Crosshair. Whenever he get fussy or is on the verge of a tantrum, Echo seems to have the magic touch or the magic saying that starts to settle him down. “Why don’t we go look at the stars outside?” “I don’t want to!” “Oh, well I guess I’ll just go out by myself and look at the starts. *sigh* I’ll just be so lonely.” He leaves the ship to look at the stars and find Crosshair beside him a minute later.

After their mission with the Jedi during order 66, they meet Omega. And at the same time as meeting Omega, Crosshair begins to have terrible headaches. Usually when he has a headache it turns into him regressing but this one is doing the opposite. Plus now with Omega, he can’t help but feel a slight twinge of jealousy for her.

They learn that Omega is a part of their squad. But not only that, she’s also a Little same headspace as Wrecker.

Crosshair fights with the team against being on the opposite side of the Empire. Deep down he just wants things to be the same as they were before.

When they are captured again, Crosshair hold his head in pain. Whatever was going on, Omega seemed to sense it. She takes a seat by him and takes his hand in his. “I know this isn’t your fault.” Maybe this isn’t his fault. Before he’s decided whether he was going to ask her about it or just roll his eyes, the Empire goes to take him away.

“Ct-9904 you’re coming with us.” Hunter is the first to stand up and block them from taking Crosshair but he is punched in the stomach. Crosshair is dragged out of his cell, casting one last worrying look to his squad.

Little Crosshair during the Empire (Season 1)

The Empire begins experimenting on him to keep him as their “good soldier.” In doing so his regression starts to fade away for him for the time being. He doesn’t feel the usual pull to regress like he did before.

His brothers leaving him behind doesn’t hit him at first. But when the realization and loneliness hit him, it’s like a train. Late at night in their old barracks, Crosshair lays awake in his bed. He longs for Hunter, Tech or even Echo to come and comfort him. But now as the Empire’s perfect soldier, he forced himself to push it down.

(The Reunion s1 ep 8) When he gets injured by the cruiser engine and is medically evaluated off the planet he involuntarily regresses for the first time since joining the empire. Something happens with him getting burns to the side of his head. It makes his chip or his motives to stay with the Empire wavier.

His injuries brings him back to when he first regressed with his squad. Except now he was surrounded by medical droids. He freaks out but is only restrained more by the droids until they finish the proper treatment to the burns on the side of his head. He has an accident while they treat him, something that has only happen on extremely few occasions. The embarrassment eats away at him.

Once treated he is sent to his barracks to heal. This time everything feels different. He cries as he sit in his bed all alone. He longs for Hunter, or Tech, or Echo, or even Wrecker to make him feel better.

(War-Mantle s1 ep14 & Return to Kamino s1 ep15) When Hunter is captured by the empire, Crosshair makes it a point to be in charge of his arrest. While he acts sassy on the outside, Hunter sees right through it all. When Crosshair confronts Hunter in his cell Hunter asks him about it, “Crosshair…when was the last time you-.” “I DON’T! Not anymore.”

(Kamino Lost s1 ep16) Capturing Hunter was the biggest part of his plan. Why? So the rest of the squad could come and get him. With everyone back together he offers them to join the empire once more. But again, they refuse. Crosshair lashes out. Hunter and Crosshair fight which results in Hunter taking down Crosshair.

During their escape out of Kamino, Omega and Crosshair have a chance to chat. She really just wants to connect and be an older sister to him, being a Little herself. But he scoffs her off, choosing to self isolate himself rather than make friends with Omega. There’s also something inside of him that feels a bit of jealousy when he sees Omega around the others, especially Hunter.

Crosshair save Omega from drowning. He looks around at the guns surrounding him. He wasn’t going to shoot Omega, he was saving her life! But he’s done too much damage and that shows in the way Wrecker, Tech and Echo look at him.

They offer him a choice to join them again, no questions asked. There’s something deep down inside of Crosshair that’s screaming at him to join his squad again. But his stubborn need to be a good solider wins over and once again his squad leaves him. As they fly away he can’t help but let a few tears fall.

Little Crosshair during the Empire (Season 2)

The Empire left him on that platform in the ruins of Kamino for thirty two rotations, left to starve.

By this time back with Empire he is starting to notice more and more clone question the Empire’s intentions. The first of whom that really gets Crosshairs attention is Commander Cody.

It’s like a breath of fresh air to work with Cody. But even he could see that a good soldier like Cody is even questioning the Empire’s intentions. This starts to have Crosshair thinking about the Empire’s intentions for him.

After Cody disappears, Crosshair continues to work for the Empire but his treatment gets worse and worse. The stormtroopers disrespect his abilities, he eats alone and is isolated from everything expect work.

At night Crosshair stays awake, curled in a ball crying. His regression is becoming a big issue for him. He can’t stop feeling the pull to fully regress but with how the Empire is treating clones he scared he’ll be disregarded if he did.

(The Outpost s2 ep 12) Everything changes when he’s assigned to the Outpost. There he meet another clone named Mayday who reminds him so much of Hunter. It brings that Little feeling deep down inside. It doesn’t help that Mayday is also a Caregiver and can sense that Crosshair isn’t the neutral he says he is.

When they go out to retrieve the items stolen by raiders they come to find that all their hard work has led them to just retrieve new armor for the stormtroopers that plan on replacing them.

During the battle to get the supplies back, Mayday pushes Crosshair out of the way, saving his life but injuring himself. Though he insists on Crosshair leaving him, Crosshair doesn’t abandon him there. Instead he helps him go back to the Outpost.

There were moments spent huddled next to one another as the snow blew back and forth. As injured as Mayday was, he always tried to comfort Crosshair who regressed on and off because of his worrying about Mayday. “It’s okay Crosshair, we’ll make it. Just stay close to me. I’ve got you.”

Crosshair takes his arm and wrap his around his shoulders for support. Both to support Mayday as he walks and for the comfort of keeping him close.

Eventually they do make it back to the base. Crosshair lays Mayday down for a minute as the Lieutenant comes over to the two. He begs him to get a medic for Mayday, tears falling down his face. But the Lieutenant mocks Crosshair, saying how weak and expendable the clones are and how angry he is that they came back empty handed. When Crosshair looks to Mayday, he’s passed away.

Crosshair losses it. Everything he felt about the Empire fades away. He realizes the mistake his made and more than anything wants to be back with his squad. But he’s stuck here, with the Empire. He begin to cry, holding onto Mayday hand as the Lieutenant turns away.

There’s only one way out and that’s the option he goes for. He takes his gun and shoot the man. There’s a sense of relief that washes over him. But that relief immediately turns to exhaustion. He crumbles to the ground as storm troopers run over and passes out.

When Crosshair awakes he’s taken prisoner by Hemlock and Emerie. They inform him that they’re going to use him to capture Omega. It’s with this knowledge Crosshair sets out to do one last good deed to redeem a bit of his old self.

He breaks out and goes to the communications board where he sends out an encrypted message to the Bad Batch, “Plan 88. You have to hide. They’re after…..”

The last part of the message doesn’t go through. Gas fills the room and Crosshair collapses. Hemlock walks through the gas as it doesn’t affect him. He tells Crosshair of the mistake he’s made and how he’ll pay for it. A single tear falls from Crosshair’s eye before he passes out.

His punishment is being thrown into a cell, forced to be subject to different test both of his defective qualities and his Little classification.

When Omega is captured, she find Crosshair strapped to a table unconscious. At least the two Littles of the Batch are reunited.

Little Crosshair is back with the Batch (Season 3)

Crosshair has lost hope of ever escaping Tantiss. He has his usual schedule of trying to train him to be some brain washed assassin (doesn’t work on him), then he’s experimented on and then thrown into his cell. Most nights he’s alone, left to cry. But soon, Omega starts to visit him.

At first he tries to steer her away from him. Saying mean things so she’ll leave him alone and escape herself. He feels in some twisted way he deserve this punishment. But unlike everyone who he’s felt abandoned him, Omega never gives up on him. She visits him every night.

Some nights he’s regressed, others he’s not. Omega stays with him through and throughout. She loves his little side, though it’s mostly just him crying and holding her hand through the cell door. The small comfort is needed.

They break out! Omega takes the lead getting them out of the prison while Crosshair mans the guns. He feels comfortable not making the decisions and instead letting his sister do it for them. Though nowadays his shooting isn’t as good as it used to be thanks to all the experiments to him.

Once free they crash land, steal a ship and travel to meet Hunter and Wrecker. The whole adventure brings Crosshair very close to Omega who looks after him like Wrecker used to. He now protects her at all cost.

When they land, Omega is first to run and hug Hunter and Wrecker. The happy reunion is ruined by Crosshair as he also steps down off the ship. Too much betrayal has caused their relationship to splinter. It makes his heart sink

(The Return Season 3 ep 5) Back with the Batch and back to somewhat safe place. Crosshair tries to find his place back in the group again. But he knows Wrecker and Hunter don’t trust him at all. So he isolated himself from the group, looking to instead fix his shaking hand. The only one who’s close to him is still Omega. She urges him to talk to Hunter who has given him the cold shoulder.

When Echo arrives they realize they need to go to an imperial base to help unlock a datapad from Tantiss and free the clones. The only issue, this isn’t just any imperial base, this is The Outpost.

Wrecker is kind enough to give him his old armor back. He steps inside the Marauder and changes. Looking in the mirror he sees a hint of his old self again. The hope makes his heart stop for a second.

Walking outside brings back all the memories of Mayday, something that wrenches his heart.

He lashes out at Hunter throughout their entire time at the Outpost. It brings back old memories of when Crosshair would deny regressing, throw a tantrum, eventually break down and regress with Hunter.

The only thing is, Hunter is not being as kind as he used to be. Crosshair hasn’t exactly been kind to him and the rest of the Batch. So it’s all expected.

There’s small insults thrown here and there between Hunter and Crosshair. All with Omega and Echo trying to get the two to talk to one another, knowing that’s how it would fix everything between them.

When they enter the Outpost, the team works on the datapad while Crosshair slips away, looking through the outpost, remembering the last time he was there.

Out of the corner of his eye he spot a group of clone helmets and in the middle sits Mayday’s helmet. He immediately goes over and fixes the helmets, putting Maydays in the middle to honor him. A stray tear falls from his eye as he stares at the helmet. He quickly wipes it away, unaware Hunter had been watching him.

But slowly but surely Crosshair and Hunter get on each other nerves to the point of having an all out argument with one another. Hunter questions Crosshair’s loyalty to the squad and Crosshair just lashes out, saying things only to hurt Hunter.

Their argument is interrupted by a giant monster! (Of course) During the mission to get rid of this giant monster, Crosshair and Hunter work together for the first time in forever. Crosshair saves Hunter’s life by merely getting eaten himself.

After that they just sit in the snow, breathing heavy next to one another. They look over and silently there’s a difference in the air. All the anger all the heartache is gone. What’s left is what they were before, brothers, Caregiver and Little.

They walk back to the squad. Wrecker runs over and hugs the two together in a group hug like he used to do. Echo smiles at Omega saying “See? They always work it out. And this time Hunter’s not bleeding from one of Crosshair’s tantrums. I’d say it’s a win win.”

Once they start packing up to leave, Hunter and Crosshair get a moment to talk to one another. “Hunter, I…I thought I knew what I was getting into with the Empire. I thought I was being a good soldier.” Tears threaten to spill from his eyes. It’s all too much. Now that he’s in Hunter and the squad’s good side. He feels the need to regress once more.

Hunter steps up, walking over to Crosshair, “Nobody really understood what was happening back then.”

“I’ve done thing, I’ve made mistakes.” The tears that threatened to spill start falling as soon as he turns and looks at Hunter.

Hunter decides to clear the space between them. He brings Crosshair close and wrap him in a hug, something he hasn’t had in forever, “I have regrets too, Crosshair. All we can do is keep trying to be better. And who knows? There just might be hope for us yet. It’s okay my little sniper. You’re home now.”

Crosshair just cries and cries into Hunter’s shoulder. So much being built up over time that just finally being let out. After a moment Crosshair lifts his head and Hunter wipes the remaining tears away. “I already told the squad, tonight you and I are going to spend some quality time together. Sound good?” Crosshair nods, taking his hand and being led onto the ship.

The night feels like a dream to Crosshair. He’s finally able to fully regress and feel safe doing so. He cuddles close to Hunter and never leaves his side. With him, his old chewable necklace that getting pretty worn out.

(Infiltration s3 ep 6) Things remain pretty peaceful until a call from Rex comes through. The Batch are brought to give anymore information about Tantiss to Rex.

Crosshair meets Howzer again, who rightly so, doesn’t like him. Hunter sticking up for him brings a sense of warmth and happiness to him. His brothers truly accept him again.

But seeing the Assassin clone has Crosshair’s heart stop all together. This is bad, really bad. He fears not only for his own safety but mostly for his sister safety who the Empire desperately wants. After everything the two have been through together Crosshair couldn’t be without his big sister.

(Extraction s3 ep7) Running away from the assassin is a daunting task. This clone is good and Crosshair’s shaking hand isn’t helping. He still is useful but not as good as he hoped to be.

Once outside Crosshair check up on Omega, “you good?” “Un-huh.” “Got your crossbow?” “Yup.” “Sure you can carry those supplies?” “Yes.” “Stay close. It’s easy to get lost in this terrain.” Omega smiles but rolls her eyes, “You’re as bad as Hunter.” “Oh, I’m much worse.”

As they journey through the forest to get to the pick up location with Echo, Crosshair can sense the clone assassin is close. He turns to go alone, hoping to draw the assassin away from Omega.

The assassin seems almost mad at Crosshair for not being one of the assassins like himself. As the fight goes on, Crosshair is starting to slip up. The assassin hold his underwater and he struggles to breathe. But thankfully the rest of the team gets there to save Crosshair before he drowns or worse, falls down the giant water fall like the assassin did.

Hunter and Omega rush over as Crosshair coughs up water. Both the Caregiver and the Little are worried about him.

Finally they are about to be picked up when an old clone commander Wolffe tries to stop them. But after Rex’s speech, he has a change of heart. Crosshair notices how more clones, like Cody are beginning to question the order like all of them.

Once saved by Echo and heading to Padu, Wrecker and Omega begin to regress and play around the ship. And despite it all, Crosshair joins them, letting the worries of the missions and what happen tonight.

(Bad Territory s3 ep8) Hunter and Omega worry about Crosshair’s shaking hand. He tried to hide it from all the Caregivers and even Omega but everyone begins to notice it.

So while away on a mission Hunter instruct Omega to have Crosshair check it out. Sadly though it isn’t a medical issue. It’s because of the severe anxiety and PTSD he has since Tantiss.

Despite being against it at first, Crosshair follows Omega along and listens to his older sister as she teaches him how to meditate. At first he thinks it stupid and is about to walk away but she takes his hand in his.

With a deep breath he closes his eyes and focuses. And without him noticing, his hand stops shaking.

(The Harbinger s3 ep 9) Crosshair and Hunter work as the ultimate Dad team duo against Ventress who the don’t trust or want Omega to be around.

They work extremely well together. Despite getting their butts handed to them by Ventress they both see that their main priority is to keep Omega safe. That to them is what matters most.

In the end, Ventress warns them about Padu, saying it’s not safe. While it shouldn’t bother Crosshair, it eats away at him all night. Maybe they should leave? Maybe they should hide? He wakes Hunter up and explains his worries. “No use in staying up all night worry Cross, here. I’ll protect you and Omega tonight.”

It seems Crosshair was beat to Hunter’s bed by Omega who’s cuddle against his side. Old Crosshair would’ve been jealous. But now? Now he feels happy to have both of them around. He snuggles with the two. Happy to be protected by Hunter and happy to protect Omega.

(Point of No Return, s3 ep11) While Crosshair hasn’t been on Padu for as long as the others, he feels a bit sad to see it go. He sticks with Hunter, helping to load supplies onto the ship before the take off.

Just as they’re making their last trip BOOM! The Marauder, their home, explodes. Hunter, Omega and Crosshair run to the docks to find an unconscious and injured Wrecker. Crosshairs heart stops seeing his brother so injured.

But they’ve got bigger issues. They look to the skies and see an Imperial cruiser entering the airspace. He subconsciously goes closer to Omega, knowing that they’re here for her.

The three take off, trying to figure out a plan. Hunter suggests Crosshair stay with Omega while he finds a ship for them. Crosshair happily agrees, afraid of being away from Omega. The two run away, hiding with Wrecker’s unconscious body as AZ works on him.

Crosshair can see it in Omega’s eyes and on her face. She’s guilty. The people of the planet are being hurt and she feels as though she is to blame for it all. Crosshair wishes he could say something to reassure her it’s not her fault but he doesn’t say anything.

They watch as Hunter’s plan fails. He falls into the ocean. Crosshair grabs a view finder frantically and searches the ocean. His heart doesn’t start pumping again until he sees Hunter’s head pop up from the water. “He’s okay.” He says both to Omega and to himself.

Back inside Omega stops Crosshair and tells him she’s going to surrender herself. Crosshair is immediately against it, insisting they stick to Hunter’s plan. But Omega has made up her mind. She doesn’t want to see another suffer because of her.

Her plan is simple, hide a tracker on her and have Crosshair shoot a tracker on the ship. That way they can track her to Tantiss and they’ll be able to save the other clones, Crosshair is not confident on the mission. He doesn’t agree with it but Omega made her mind up. She’s doing it.

So when Omega surrenders herself they find her tracker, leaving it up to Crosshair to be the one to put the tracker on the ship.

Storm troopers are everywhere. With only seconds to shoot the tracker he’s attacked by troopers. He stops them and then takes his position again, but this time the ship is taking off.

He shoots and…he misses. The tracker lands in the ocean and the ship takes off with Omega with no way of tracking her at all.

Crosshair just watches the ship leave, in shock and in anguish. Tears fall from his face under his helmet as the ship gets small and small before disappearing from view. He failed them, he failed her.

How will be ever face Hunter and Wrecker who don’t know? How will be able to live with himself?

[paralleljulieverse]

70th anniversary of Cinderella London Palladium, 122 performances (24 December 1953 - 6 March 1954)

This month marks the 70th anniversary of a milestone in the early career of Julie Andrews: the opening of Val Parnell's lavish Christmas pantomime, Cinderella, at the London Palladium on 24 December 1953. Cinderella would be Julie’s fifth and final UK pantomime, following earlier runs in Humpty Dumpty (1948), Red Riding Hood (1950) Aladdin (1951), and Jack and the Beanstalk (1952). It was the biggest theatrical production Julie had yet undertaken and it would prove a turning point in the young star's career.

'No Pigtails for Julie'

By 1953, Julie was turning 18 and fast outgrowing the "infant prodigy" label of her early career. Efforts had been made for some time to update Julie's star image with a more mature look and an expanded musical repertoire. Much was made in the press about the new "[g]rown up now (or almost) Julie Andrews" (Bendle 1953: 2). "The tiny pigtailed schoolgirl who at age 13 sang in a Royal Command Performance," remarked one newspaper commentator, "is now a long-limbed attractive young lady who is wearing her first strapless dresses" (Pearce 1954: 6). As an archetypal tale of girl-to-woman metamorphosis, Cinderella was an ideal vehicle with which to advance these transformative ambitions. It not only gave Julie titular 'principal girl' status, but called on her to assume a role of emotional nuance and adult sophistication.

Even Julie's mother, Barbara, is reported to have exclaimed:

“Julie, this is the perfect part for you at the perfect age. It couldn’t have come at a better time in your career" (Andrews 2008: 156-57).

Val Parnell presents...

Underscoring the significance of Cinderella was the fact it was a Val Parnell production. Dubbed 'Britain's Mr. Show Business', Parnell was a hugely influential impresario who dominated the British entertainment scene for many decades. He had started in provincial variety management before progressively rising up the ranks to assume control of the prestigious Moss Empires theatre chain (Bullar & Evans 1950: 219). Later, Parnell would go on to play a significant role in the expansion of the British television industry as General Manager of ATV, the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom (Sendall 1982: 250). Renowned for his astute promotion of new talent, Parnell had been instrumental in launching Julie's career when he cast her in her first professional show at just 12 years of age: the now legendary  Starlight Roof at the London Hippodrome in 1947/48 (Alldridge 1954: 1). Cinderella would bring the two together again for the first time in six years. To hear Parnell tell the story, it was a reunion long in the making.

"From the moment [I] first heard her sing," he declared, I "made a mental note that one day [I] was going to present Julie Andrews as Cinderella." As he explained:

"So many child performers are inclined to be precocious...But Julie was not. She had that appealing simplicity which she still retains. It struck me at the time that she had all the qualities of an ideal Cinderella -- youth. freshness, charm" (Lanchbery 1954: 1).

At the London Palladium

Of all the theatres managed by Parnell, none was more celebrated than the London Palladium, a 2200 seat theatre noted for its opulent architecture and state-of-the-art stage facilities (Woodward 2009). Parnell's adept leadership propelled the Palladium to international acclaim as the most famous variety theatre in the world and a top drawcard for international stars. "To appear at the Palladium is the goal to which every artist strives," noted a 1957 newspaper commentary, "to appear at the Palladium is to have achieved star status!" (Hoddinott 1957: 4). The Palladium was also an important venue for Christmas pantomimes. Under Parnell, the Palladium "became the home of spectacular pantomime" with audiences eagerly anticipating each year's offering (Baker 2014: 219). Parnell applied the same triumphant formula to the humble British panto that he used in his variety revues: a blend of star power, spectacle, and money.

Writing in 1952, Ian Beven chronicled Parnell's studied approach to his annual pantomime at the Palladium:

"Each year...Parnell has tried to produce something bigger and better than the year before...He starts in midsummer, with a bare stage. By the third week in December, he has spent about £25,000 on scenery, costumes, musical arrangements, script, and rehearsals...Running costs of the show are high, as Parnell is prodigal with talent and fills his stage with people, and there are only about 140 performances on which to make a profit; but there is no disguising the fact that pantomime in this manner is a highly remunerative proposition, for there is rarely an empty seat throughout the run" (Seven 1952: 223).

Val Parnell's Magnificent 'Cinderella'

Cinderella would be Parnell's sixth pantomime at the Palladium. It would also be the only fully-staged panto in the West End for the 1953 Christmas season. In a sign of the rapidly changing post-war theatre scene, most of the other major London houses were tied up with long-running musicals and plays, largely imported from America. In addition, arena-style ice spectaculars were increasingly in vogue with a slew of new-fangled pantos "on ice" scheduled for suburban venues, leading some wags to quip that Parnell should call his show "Cinderella on Wood" ('Old fashioned Val' 1953: 6).  While many lamented it as a sign of "the decline and fall of the honoured institution" of the traditional panto, the absence of competition gave Parnell a distinct commercial advantage ('At the Pantomime', 1954: 4). When pre-sales for Cinderella opened in the autumn of 1953, the booking office was inundated and the show would become the theatre's most successful pantomime to date (Alldridge 1954: 4).

It also spoke to Parnell's innate sense of theatrical traditionalism. Though he was certainly not averse to innovation and was quick to adopt state-of-the-art technologies, Parnell was a producer of the old school. He believed in sticking to the tried-and-true and giving audiences what they expected. "Audiences haven't changed at all," he opined, "Certainly not the Palladium audiences. It's the same as it ever was. People go the the theatre to enjoy themselves...My job is to give it to them in bigger and better shows" (Hoddinott, 1957: 4)

True to this crowd-pleasing philosophy, Parnell determined to make Cinderella his most spectacular panto yet. Planning for the show started early in 1953. "I always start pantomime with a bare stage," he declared, "Everything must be new" (Fagence 1958: 4). Heading the production team were two influential figures who were something of righthand men to Parnell: Charles Henry and Charles Reading. Henry was Chief of Production at the Moss Empire chain for over thirty years. During his tenure, he would produce over 200 revues and pantomimes, as well as fourteen Royal Command Performances (Born & Frame 1960: 4; 'Charles Henry' 1959: 1). Known as a canny talent-spotter with an encyclopaedic memory -- Bud Flanagan famously called him "a blinking card index of comedy" -- Henry was fondly remembered by Parnell at his passing in 1968 as "one of the theatre's greatest backroom boys" and "my closest associate" (Evening Standard Reporter 1968: 17).

Reading was an equally trusted majordomo for Parnell. A true theatre polymath, Reading trained as an actor before expanding into production, direction, writing, and design. It was the latter talent that brought Reading initial fame with a series of innovative opera and ballet designs for Sadler's Wells and the Old Vic. He subsequently moved into designing more commercial fare in the West End and, in 1947, was contracted by Parnell as resident designer and production assistant at the Palladium (Barker 199: 20; Vallance 199: 36).

Together Parnell, Henry, and Reading set about staging Cinderella as an unparalleled spectacular. Set and costume design alone was budgeted at over £20,000, which equates to almost £700,000 in today's money (Webster 2013). Reading designed an intricate series of progressively spectacular sets, including a palatial Ballroom, a Cave of Crystal Lustres, and a Palace of Porcelain for the grand finale (V&A 2015).

Famed stage couturier, Robert St John-Roper, designed a complementary suite of costumes including a dazzling ballgown and bejewelled wedding dress for Julie. In her 2008 memoir, Julie recalled the breathtaking splendour of it all:

"Everything about that 1953/1954 production of Cinderella had a certain elegance...The production values on the show were terrific; there were revolving stages, and real white ponies pulling the spectacularly gilded coach...In the grand finale wedding sequence, my crinoline was so huge that I had to arrive backstage dressed in my bodice, sleeves, and petticoat, and walk into the crinoline skirt, which was braced on a stand because it was so bejewelled and cumbersome. The company, Prince Charming, and I were brought up from below stage on a hydraulic elevator, to be revealed in a sparkling white set and costumes for the final tableau" (Andrews 2008: 155-57).

Spectacle, Humour, and Charm

Careful attention was equally paid to the other production elements of Cinderella to ensure a well-wrought work of quality theatrical entertainment. To write the script, Parnell commissioned a trio of talented young writers who were only then beginning to make a name for themselves but who would go on to become giants of British comedy: Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan, and Mike Bishop. Their original treatment hewed closely to the core elements of the well-known fairy story but embroidered with innovations and, true to panto style, comic flourishes.

In the Sykes et al script, the story opens with Baron Pastry of Stoneybroke Hall lamenting that he has fallen on hard times (Stoneybroke...get it?!). He lives with his beloved daughter, Cinderella, and their faithful but hopeless retainer, Buttons who carries an unrequited flame for Cinderella. The Baron announces he has just married a wealthy widow in the vain hope of restoring his fortune. She comes to the Hall with her two unloved and unlovable daughters -- the Ugly Stepsisters, of course -- and they set about making Cinderella's life a misery. The requisite Royal Ball, benevolent Fairy Godmother, and Glass Slipper hunt all ensue before the inevitable happily-ever-after ending (Sykes et al. 1953).

Woven around these well-worn plot points were a series of comic interludes designed to accomodate the pantomime conventions of audience participation and novelty acts. These ran the gamut from a demonic door and a bomb-toting spaceman ("it's behind you") to jive singing footmen and a giant electric washing machine that tumbled a hapless Baron Pastry along with an assortment of oversized clothes (Sykes et al. 1953).

Song and Dance

No pantomime would be complete without music and dance and Cinderella served both in abundance. Overseeing the musical side of things were another pair of Palladium panto stalwarts: Phil Park and Bobby Howell. 

Park had been a star cinema organist during the picture palace era but, following the war, he turned his attention to composing and arranging. It was in this capacity that Park worked frequently for Parnell on his Palladium pantos which he "tailored to the stars appearing in the shows but always preserved the time-honoured tradition" ('Obituary: Phil Park' 1978: 6).

Bobby (aka Bobbie) Howell was a prominent band leader of the inter-war years, touring the cinema and dance circuits. After the Second World War, he became a musical director in the West End, working on a string of successful shows such as Strike a New Note, The Lisbon Story, and Piccadilly Hayride. He also worked as musical director and conductor on many of Parnell's pantomimes, including Cinderella ('Bobby Howell' 1962: 3).

In crafting the musical score for Cinderella, Park and Howell followed typical pantomime form of mixing existing well-known tunes with bespoke compositions. Many of the latter were written by Park including a humorous duet between Cinderella and Buttons (played by Max Bygraves). In this duet, Cinderella fantasises about a romantic future with the Prince, while Buttons humorously interjects with sardonic quips:

Cinders: There's a lady -- and she curtseys, Who she is, I cannot guess. She might be me, except that she Has such a pretty dress. And there's her handsome partner, Who is he, do you suppose? Buttons: All I see's a turkey, With a whopping parson's nose! Cinders: Now I see him very clearly, With a smile upon his face; I'm certain he's a Prince, Because he bows with royal grace. See now he takes her hand, And lifts it gently to his lips! Buttons: He looks like George Dawson, With a plate of fish and chips!

In addition to the duets, Julie had two showcase solos in Cinderella: "Chasing Shadows", a 1935 torch song by Silver and Davis, and "Is it Any Wonder," a lilting pop ballad by Bob Hayes and Roy Rodde which had been a recent chart hit for Joni James. 

Interestingly, both solos were modern pop standards and, thus, a marked departure from the light classical repertoire that had been Julie's stock-in-trade. She did get to do some limited coloratura trilling in the extended Transformation Scene at the climax of Act 1 where Strauss waltzes formed the musical accompaniment, but the strong emphasis on popular tunes was indicative of the strategic shift in Julie's image mentioned earlier.

A number of reviewers remarked that Julie didn't seem to do as much singing in Cinderella as they were expecting. She did, however, compensate with quite a bit of dancing -- more dancing in fact than she'd ever done in a professional context. 

Not only was there the mandatory waltz with the Prince, but Julie had a solo dance early in Act 1. She was also a key part of the pre-intermission ballet sequence. Choreography for Cinderella was provided by Pauline Grant with whom Julie had worked so happily the previous year in Jack and the Beanstalk. Pre-show publicity photos showcased Julie's dance rehearsals with Grant, underscoring her now mature lithe figure and womanly style. 

A Who’s Who of Cinderella

Alongside Julie, the cast of Cinderella was a roster of star names and variety notables:

Max Bygraves as Buttons: Born in 1922 in London, Bygraves was a versatile entertainer known for his Cockney persona, humorous storytelling, and sentimental singing. His endearing catchphrases and relaxed chummy style made him a beloved figure in British entertainment. Growing up in a modest family, he showed early signs of showmanship, encouraged by his prizefighter father. Bygraves left school at 14 and served in the RAF during WWII, where he began entertaining troops. His career took off post-war with various stage and radio appearances, including Educating Archie where he first performed alongside Julie. He made several films in the 1950s and his recordings, often nostalgic or comedic, were hugely popular. He continued performing internationally for many years, eventually settling in Australia. Recognised for his contribution to entertainment, he was awarded an OBE in 1982. He passed away in 2012 (Leigh 2012: 37).

Richard Hearne as Baron Pastry: Born in Norwich in 1909, Hearne came from a family with deep roots in music hall and circus arts, and he started performing on stage as a child. Hearne's career in variety and revue culminated in the creation of the beloved Mr. Pastry, a bowler-hatted, walrus-moustached character that brought him success in West End shows, pantomime, and TV, both in the UK and internationally. His role in Cinderella was effectively an adaptation of Mr Pastry complete with his signature comic dance, "The Lancers". A dedicated philanthropist, Hearne was a very active supporter of handicapped children and was honoured with an OBE in 1970 for his charity work. He passed away in 1979 ('Obituary: Richard Hearne', 1979: 27).

Adele Dixon as Prince Charming: Born in South London in 1908, Adele Dixon was a versatile performer known for her roles in London and Broadway musicals, Palladium pantomimes, and Shakespearean plays. After training at the Italia Conti Academy and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she joined the Old Vic company. There, she shone in roles like Juliet and Ophelia. Dixon's transition to musical comedy in the 1930s made her a celebrated figure in the West End, admired for her red-gold hair, expressive brown eyes, and clear soprano voice. Her noteworthy performances included leading roles in Lucky Break, Anything Goes, and Over She Goes. Additionally, she appeared in the film Calling the Tune and became the first female performer on BBC Television in 1936. Dixon continued her success in post-war years with major hits like The Fleet's Lit Up and All Clear. She was also highly acclaimed as a Principal Boy in pantomimes, performing in these trouser roles 14 times throughout her career. Her portrayal of Prince Charming in the 1953 production of Cinderella marked her last appearance on the West End stage. While she continued to perform in provincial roles, health issues forced her into early retirement in the late 1950s. Dixon passed away in 1992 (Thornton, 1992: 29).

Joan Mann as Dandini: Welsh-born Mann trained as a dancer and started touring the variety circuit in her teens where she appeared on bills with stars including Max Miller and Tommy Trinder. A tall attractive brunette with a pleasant voice and shapely dancer’s legs, Mann was a perfect pantomime boy. She played opposite Julie in Jack and the Beanstalk (1952) and also toured with her as part of the musical revue, ‘Cap and Belles’ in 1953 (Andrews 2008: 146). Though she wasn't Principal Boy in Cinderella, Mann played the other leading pants role of Dandini, the Prince's Squire. Mann’s greatest fame came later as part of the celebrated Fols-de-Rols variety troupe with whom she performed for almost two decades. She also starred opposite Dame Anna Neagle in the hit West End musical, Charlie Girl in the late-1960s. Mann died in 2007 aged 87 (P.N., 2007: 53).

Jon Pertwee as Buttercup: Born in 1919, Pertwee was a versatile actor who left a significant mark in television, radio, theatre, and film. Educated at Sherborne, he belonged to a family of distinguished artists and made his acting debut in 1939 in Brighton. His notable wartime service on the HMS Hood led to a fruitful collaboration with Eric Barker in comedy writing and radio. Pertwee became a household name with his long-running role in the BBC radio series, The Navy Lark. He gained even greater international fame on television as the third Doctor Who from 1970 to 1975, and as Worzel Gummidge. Pertwee's career spanned over 100 films, including two Carry On movies, and numerous stage productions. In Cinderella, Pertwee took on the comic drag role of Buttercup, one of the Ugly Sisters. Pertwee passed away in 1996, leaving a legacy as a unique and memorable actor (Newley, 1996: 38).

Tony Sympson as Dandelion: Born in East London in 1907, Tony Sympson had a dynamic career in music and theatre. Initially trained as a choral scholar at St Clement Danes Church Strand, he made his stage debut as a specialty dancer in Dear Love. A mainstay character actor in West End theatre, he appeared in plays, musicals, revues, pantomimes, and operas. Sympson also featured in television ads where he earned a reputation for well-conceived characterisations. A pantomime regular, Sympson played the second of the Ugly Sisters, Dandelion, in Cinderella, a role he would repeat in subsequent productions. Sympson died in 1983 at the age of seventy-six (Marriott, 1983: 7).

Cyril Wells as Baroness Pastry: Born in Belfast in 1907, Wells' entry into acting was fortuitous. Initially a bank clerk, his passion for dancing led him to become a rehearsal partner for actress Jessie Matthews. This collaboration resulted in Wells being cast as her dance partner in the 1936 film It's Love Again, his only appearance on screen but a stepping stone into show business. He then featured in West End musical comedies like Order to View (1938), Here's Looking at Them (1939), and The Charcoal-Burner's Son (1939). Post-war, Wells shifted to comic roles in theatre and variety, notably in pantomime. In Cinderella, he played the Dame role of the blue-wigged Baroness. Wells passed away in 1958 in Southport, Lancashire ('Obituary: Cyril Wells', 1958: 9).

Ted and George Durante as the Broker's Men: One of several novelty acts to appear in Cinderella, the Durantes were a popular acrobat comic duo who found popularity on the post-war variety circuit. Contrary to their billing as brothers, the duo actually comprised two unrelated individuals, Ted Aston and George Mooney. They met in 1946 while performing as part of an acrobatic troupe and decided to branch out as partners, adopting the Durante surname at random. Their act ran for nine years till the late-1950s when Ted married and formed a new double act with his wife, becoming 'Ted and Hilda Durante'. This husband-and-wife team continued for many decades, becaming regulars on TV variety shows in the sixties and seventies (Wilmut, 1985: 182).

Elaine Garreau as the Godmother: Anglo-French actor Garreau, born in 1903, had an extensive and diverse career in British theatre, film, and television. She trained as a dancer, starting on the London stage at age 11 with a company of child artists. At 16, she was principal dancer at the Théâtre des Ambassadeurs in Paris and, at 20, understudy to the legendary Mistinguett. Returning to the UK, Garreau transitioned to acting and performed for many years in various London and provincial troupes across drama, comedy and musicals. Throughout the 40s and 50s, Garreau appeared frequently in pantomimes. In Cinderella, she took on the role of the magical Fairy Godmother. A few years later in 1958, Garreau would play again opposite Julie as part of the original London production of My Fair Lady, in the role of Lady Boxington. Garreau would remain with the show for over 10 years in both the Drury Lane and touring productions, racking up over 3,000 performances which was a world record. In her later career, Garreau increasingly appeared as a character actor in film and television. Garreau died in 2000 at the grand age of 97.

Silvia Ashmole as the Fairy Queen: Born in 1926, Ashmole enjoyed an idyllic childhood, travelling through Europe with her affluent parents and attending Cheltenham Ladies College. A trip with her mother to the ballet in London inspired Ashmole to take dancing lessons and, at age 16, she enrolled in the Cone-Ripman School of Dance, where she quickly excelled. Soon thereafter she secured a place in the coveted Royal Ballet (Sadler's Wells) and toured with them for several years. During a season at Glyndebourne, she met and eventually married the renowned Anglo-German opera director Peter Ebert. Ashmole continued her career as a dancer, often performing in operas at Glyndebourne and Edinburgh. She also worked frequently with choreographer Pauline Grant who contracted her to appear as the Fairy Queen in Cinderella (Wigglesworth 2018).

The Casavecchia Troupe as the Clowns: Billed as the "World's Greatest Comedy Tumblers," the Casavecchia Troupe was a team of acrobats who had worked individually in circus and variety before combining their talents. They toured widely in the UK variety circuit during the late-40s and early-50s. In Cinderella, they appeared as part of the Harlequinade sequence where their slapstick routine offered well-received comic relief.

William Barrett and Edna Busse as Harlequin and Columbine: Barrett and Busse were a pair of classically trained ballet dancers who danced the classic roles of Harlequin and Columbine in the Act 1 Harlequinade. Barrett was born in 1919 in Staffordshire and joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet company in the late-40s, touring with them to the US ('From Farm' 1954: 11). In the 60s and 70s, he performed in theatre and TV as a resident member of the Black and White Minstrel Show. He later retrained as a drama teacher and passed in 1995 (Jevons 1995: 29). Edna Busse was born in Melbourne in 1918. A protégé of Edouard Borovansky, she later honed her skills in London with Mathilde Kschessinska. Returning to Australia, she continued to perform, before transitioning into a revered ballet teacher. She passed in 2019, aged 100 (Yeo 2019).

The Aida Foster Babes: One of many companies of dancing juveniles popular in the era, the Aida Foster Babes were students of the Aida Foster Academy in Golders Green, London. Established in 1929, the Academy trained several generations of young hopefuls till ists closure in 1970, including several famous alumni such as Jean Simmons and Barbara Windsor ('End' 1970: 43). For Cinderella, Foster provided a group of 12 ‘babes’ who performed in several of the show’s lavish dance sequences.

Critical and Popular Reception

Cinderella was very well received by audiences and critics alike. The following excerpts give a sense of the uniformly glowing notices earned by the show, with particular mention of Julie:

Daily News: "Mr. Val Parnell has really done us proud. There can hardly be two more endearing comics than Max Bygraves and Richard Hearne. Julie Andrews, less operatic than I would have expected, is just the girl for Cinders, and she dances gracefully...a most spiffing pantomime" (E.F. 1953: 4).

The Tatler: "Cinderella has taste, beauty and elegance...But if there is more spectacle than of other good things who will complain, since the result...is so giddily splendiferous. The lighting and the costumes and the scenery could not better done...The principals are worthy of their splendiferous surroundings. Miss Adele Dixon has the right princely strut and Miss Julie Andrews, though she is less vocal than she was expected to be, makes Cinderella a young lady of character and charm" (Cookman 1954: 10).

Daily Mail: "Star names may shine all over the programme -- Max Bygraves and Richard Hearne here; Adele Dixon and Julie Andrews there -- but spectacle is the real star of Val Parnell's typically sumptuous pantomime. Instead of scuffling through the usual sleight-of-stagehand transformation scene Cinderella escapes from the kitchen by way of magic force, fairy spinning wheel, and luminous flying ballet to the cave of crystal lustres: a silvery-white vision as glittering as a wedding cake brush to life" (Wilson 1953: 4).

The Guardian: "Pantomime, though represented only by a single Cinderella in Central London, still flourishes...Cinders (Julie Andrews) croons before the dying kitchen fire...Max Bygraves and Richard Hearne use routine 'biz' to good effect...But what is really remarkable and characteristic of Pantomime 1953 is the standard of the ballet: the scene before Cinders goes off in her glittering coach is as smart, fast, extravagant and excitingly danced as a finale at the Moscow Opera" (F.B. 1953: 3).

The Observer: "The new Palladium Cinderella is magnificent to the eve and its Transformation Scene has fine taste as well as sumptuosity...Julie Andrews is a most attractive Cinderella but not so vocal as I expected" (Brown 1953: 6).

Daily Telegraph: "Cinderella...is up to the best Palladium standard. Elaborate spectacle and attractive dancing combine to delight one's eye. Adele Dixon is an admirable Prince Charming -- she has always been able to fill a big stage with her personality -- and Julie Andrews, kept oddly short of chances to sing, makes Cinderella a young lady of character and charm" (Darlington 1953: 7).

The People: "This is a grand and glamorous show with Julie Andrews as Cinderella. But it would have been grander still had they let her sing more. Adele Dixon constantly charms as the Prince. Max Bygraves and Richard Hearne provide a crescendo of laughs" (Shepherd 1953: 5).

The Times: "It is a hard fact for traditionalists to swallow that there is only one pantomime on the grand scale in the West End...yet if the dismayed traditionalists go the Palladium..., they will soon be cheered up....Here, it seems to say with complete confidence, is one of the few things in a changing world that have remained constant...The humour...is received with every sign of enjoyment and the romantic side of the show is from the first in good trim...Miss Adele Dixon and Miss Julie Andrews belong to the order of unobtrusively pleasant principles. They are an appealing pair, and they have in Mr. Max Bygraves an affable Buttons" ('The Palladium' 1953: 8).

The Stage: "Mr. Parnell has thrown everything into a demonstration of faith, assembling a director's dream of a cast and applying it to all the skill, experience and efficiency that have set the Palladium high in the world of entertainment. He lavishes talent and creative art, he employs every device of lighting, mechanical contrivance and novel effect that the theatre possesses, underlines it all with a defiant and traditional Harlequinade, and the result is the pantomime of pantomimes...Julie Andrews's fragile charm graces Cinderella's rags and raiments alike, and Adele Dixon's slim figure and are of intelligent humour are a delight" ('Christmas Shows' 1953: 5).

The Sketch: "It is the happiest panto-subject, and this is as happy a version as I remember. Richard Hearne in the bowels of a washing-machine, Adele Dixon and Julie Andrews to end rightly as Prince and Princess, Max Bygraves to chant 'Bighead!' -- here they all are, and Val Parnell has never had a spectacle more satisfying than the magical creation of coach and gown." (Trewin 1954: 18).

A Real-Life Cinderella

In many ways, Cinderella signalled something of a pinnacle for Julie's early British career. She was now a young woman in a starring role on the West End stage and, in professional terms, could scarcely go much further. Julie herself writes that "I felt that with Cinderella, my career had peaked" and whatever future she may have would be a continued cycle of "radio, vaudeville and pantomime" (Andrews 2008: 157). 

But the theatre gods had other plans and a real-life Fairy Godmother materialised to change the course of Julie's life forever. Midway through the run of Cinderella, Julie was paid a backstage visit by Vida Hope, the producer of the smash hit London musical, The Boy Friend. There were plans to take the show to New York with a new company, but the producers were struggling to cast the lead role of Polly Browne. At the suggestion of Hattie Jacques, Julie's former co-star in Educating Archie, Hope went to see Julie in Cinderella and offered her the role. 

It is part of theatrical lore that Julie was initially reluctant to accept the offer, but she was eventually persuaded to seize the opportunity (Andrews 2008: 157-58). Five months after the close of Cinderella, Julie flew off to New York and the rest, as they say, is history...

References:

Alldridge, John (1954). 'Oh, for another Gracie! says Mr Show Business.' Manchester Evening News. 12 October 1954: 1.

Andrews, Julie (2008). Home: A memoir of my early years. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.

'At the Pantomime.' (1953). Belfast Telegraph. 30 December: 4.

Baker, Richard Anthony (2005). British Music Hall : An Illustrated History. Stroud: Sutton.

Barker, Dennis. (1999). 'Obituary: Charles Reaaing.' The Guardian. 19 May: 20.

Bendle, Alan (1953). 'Keeping a Straight Bat on a Sticky Wicket.' Manchester Evening News. 15 August: 2.

Bevan, Ian (1952). Top of the Bill: The Story of the London Palladium. London: Frederick Muller Ltd.

'Bobby Howell.' (1962) The Stage and Television Today. 8 February: 3.

Brown, Ivor (1953). "At the Theatre: Not on Ice." The Observer. 27 December: 6.

Bullar, Guy R. & Evans, Len (1950). The Performer: Who's Who in Variety. London: The Performer Ltd.

Cameron, Don (1958). 'The Val Parnell Story Parts 1-4'. The :

Chanticleer (1953). 'People: Old Fashioned Val.' Daily Herald. 3 November: 6.

'Charles Henry Resigning.' (1959). The Stage. 2 April: 1.

'Christmas Shows: The Palladium "Cinderella'".' (1953). The Stage. 31 December: 5.

Cookman, Anthony (1954). 'At the Theatre: Cinderella (London Palladium).' The Tatler and Bystander. 6 January: 10.

Cottrell, John (1968). Julie Andrews: The Story of a Star. London: Arthur Barker.

Darlington, W.A. (1953). "Christmas Shows: Modern Twist to Cinderella, Elaborate Show at Palladium." Daily Telegraph. 28 December: 7.

Double, Oliver (2012). Britain Had Talent: A History of Variety Theatre. London: Palgrave MacMillan.

E.F. (1953). 'A Most Spiffing Pantomime." Daily News. 28 December: 4.

Even Standard Reporter. (1968). 'Ex-Palladium Showman Dies.' Evening Standard. 28 February: 17.

Fagence, Maurice (1958). 'Curtain Up on Mr. Palladium'. Daily Herald. 17 February: 4.

F.B. (1953). "From a Nose in Egypt to Abandon in the Outer Suburbs." The Guardian. 28 December: 3.

Frame, Colin & Boorn, Bill. (1960). 'Palladium Nights.' The Birmingham Evening Mail. 9 November: 6.

Hoddinott, Derek (1957). 'Val Parnell Speaks". The Stage. 29 August: 4.

Lanchbery, Edward (1954). 'Teen-age Cinderella task to the CN: Julie Andrews' dream comes true.' Children's Newspaper. 16 January: 1.

Leigh, Spencer (2012). 'Obituary: Max Bygraves.' The Independent. 3 September: 37

Marriott, R.B. (1983). 'Obituary: Tony Sympson'. The Stage and Television Today. 21 April: 7.

Newley, Patrick. (1996). 'Obituary: Jon Pertwee'. The Stage. 23 May: 38.

'Obituary: Cyril Wells' (1958). The Stage. 17 April: 9.

'Obituary: Phil Park' (1978). The Stage and Television Today. 23 November: 6.

'Obituary: Richard Hearne' (1979). The Stage and Television Today. 30 August: 27.

Pearce, Emery (1954). “No Pigtails for Julie.” Daily Herald. 11 January: 6.

P.N. (2007). ‘Obituary: Joan Mann’. The Stage. 6 December: 53.

Ray, Ted (1956). 'Palladium Nights.' The Liverpool Echo. 27 October: 3.

Sean, Neil (2014). Live from the London Palladium: The World's Most Famous Theatre in the Words of the Stars Who Have Played There. London: Amberley Publishing.

Shepherd, Ross (1953). "London Holiday Shows." The People. 28 December: 5.

Sykes, Eric; Milligan, Spike; Bishop, Michael; and, Park, Phil. (1953). Val Parnell's Cinderella: For production at the London Palladium Xmas 1953. Moss Empires Ltd. [Manuscript held in the Lord Chamberlain's Plays Collection, British Library].

"The Palladium: Cinderella." (1953). The Times. 28 December: 8.

Thornton, Michael. (1992). 'Obituary: Adele Dixon.' The Stage. 4 June: 29.

Trewin, C.W (1954). "At the Theatre: Cinderella (Palladium)." The Sketch. 13 January: 18.

V&A (2015). 'Charles Reading.' V&A Theatre and Performance Collection. https://collections.vam.ac.uk.

Vallance, Tom. (1999). 'Obituary: Charles Reading.' The Independent. 17 June: 36.

'Variety Stage: Palladium Plans' (1953). The Stage. 17 September: 3.

Webster, Ian (2013). 'U.K. Inflation Calculator.' In2013dollars.com. https://www.in2013dollars.com/UK-inflation.

Wilmut, Roger (1985). Kindly leave the stage! : the story of variety, 1919-1960. London: Methuen.

Wilson, Cecil (1953). "Spectacle gets the star role." Daily Mail. 28 December: 4.

Woodward, Chris (2009). The London Palladium: The Story of the Theatre and its Stars. Huddersfield: Northern Heritage Pub.

©2023, Brett Farmer. All rights reserved.

[incorrect-mtg]

Flavor Text Highlights

So, one thing that I did two years ago (and have kept updated since) on twitter was my flavor text thread, where I went through each set in Magic history and picked the top 4 (or, for some exceptional cases, 8) best pieces of flavor text in my opinion.

Since then, I have regreted some choices and very much dislike the fact I can't edit the original tweets to reflect changes on the rules I followed for card selection... So I might as well use Tumblr as the place to correct all that.

Every day from now on, I will re-post a set from the list until I catch up to it, then eventually update it as new magic sets come out. The rules for selection can be seen after the linebreak below (as well as a full list of sets I've already gone through, with links). The first one can be found here.

1- Categorization

I will always try to select a diverse list of cards so as to fill the following 4 categories of flavor text types:

Cool - Boasts and descriptions that serve to make the subject matter of the card seem powerful and/or interesting.

Funny - Dialogue, descriptions or epigrams meant to get a laugh out of you

Worldbuilding - Flavor text whose biggest strength comes not from what it says on its own, but how it helps build upon either the world the set takes place in or the story of the set in question

Emotional - This one could conceivably be separated in two whole categories, but it encompasses cards that would fill the same niche as the "Cool" category but with a specific focus on either sadness or horror.

However, there will be situations where there might be a number of good flavor texts within a certain category while another is found lacking of any truly great options. In such scenarios, I will simply remove one (and in rare cases more) of the categories and repeat one of the remaining options. For an extreme example, the first Un-sets barely had any non-Funny options, so when picking cards from those sets most/all of the picks will be from the Funny category.

2- Card Selection

Cards will be reviewed only if they have new flavor text (using scryfall's "new:flavor" filter) and only if it's original flavor text (aka no real world references or quotes from literature) while sets will either be reviewed alone or grouped up depending on the amount of eligible cards in the set. Although I don't have a hard cut-off point for how many new flavor texts a set needs to be reviewed alone, the general range is around 150.

For sets that don't reach that number, they will either be bundled with an associated set (i.e. reviewing Commander precons with their associated Standard set) or bundled with a lot of other smaller products until a suitable number is reached (i.e. bundling all early Masters sets and Duel Decks together, since the amount of new flavor texts in those products is very low).

2.1 - Cycles

For some sets, a collection of cards (usually a cycle) will have flavor texts that work together, expand on each other or combine into a single theme. If said interaction is particularly good or if there isn't already a good flavor text that can stand up on its own, a cycle might be picked for a specific entry. Below, I will try to set up a list of every post for this, in order:

1. Alpha/Beta/Unlimited

2. Antiquities

3. Legends

4. The Dark

5. Fallen Empires

6. Ice Age

7. Homelands

8. Alliances

9. Mirage

10. Visions

11. Portal

11. Weatherlight

12. Tempest

13. Stronghold

14. Exodus

15. Portal Second Age

16. Unhinged + Unglued

17. Urza's Saga

18. Urza's Legacy

19. Urza's Destiny

20. Mercadian Masques

21. Nemesis

22. Prophecy

23. Invasion

24. Planeshift

25. Apocalypse

26. Odyssey

27. Torment

28. Judgment

29. Onslaught

30. Legions

31. Scourge

32. Mirrodin

33. Darksteel

34. Fifth Dawn

35. Champions of Kamigawa

36. Betrayers of Kamigawa

37. Saviors of Kamigawa

38. Core Sets (4th Edition - 10th Edition)

39. Ravnica: City of Guilds

40. Guildpact

41. Dissension

42. Coldsnap

43. Time Spiral

44. Planar Chaos

45. Future Sight

46. Lorwyn

47. Morningtide

48. Shadowmoor

49. Eventide

50. Duel Decks

51. Shards of Alara

52. Conflux

53. Alara Reborn

54. Magic 2010

55. Zendikar

56. Worldwake

57. Rise of the Eldrazi

58. Magic 2011

59. Scars of Mirrodin

60. Mirrodin Besieged

61. New Phyrexia

62. Commander Precons (Commander 2011 - Commander 2019)

63. Magic 2012

64. Innistrad

65. Dark Ascension

66. Avacyn Restored

67. Magic 2013

68. Return to Ravnica

69. Gatecrash

70. Dragon's Maze

71. Masters Sets

72. Magic 2014

73. Theros

74. Born of the Gods

75. Journey into Nyx

76. Conspiracy + Conspiracy: Take the Crown

77. Magic 2015

78. Khans of Tarkir

79. Fate Reforged

80. Dragons of Tarkir

[stardusthuntress]

YOU GUYS!!! I noticed something while rewatching the Mandalorian today and needed to share it with my fellow Star Wars nerds!!! (Galactic geeks perhaps? We need a name for us Star Wars nerds!)

They specify in Mando that the last 4 digits of the chain code tell the individual’s age!

Which tells us a few things:

1) there are at least a few species of interest to the empire that can live up to or beyond 1000 years of age, or they wouldn’t really care about that. We know over 100 years is fairly common, Ugnauts for example, but only a few examples of species over 1000. Even Yoda didn’t live for 1 whole millennia, tho it’s hard to say if that’s common for his species or if his life was actually cut short because Jedi have a tendency to have shorter lifespans than their natural species

2) with every year that passes the chain code changes. Making it easy for them to catch someone if they type the wrong age, whether accidentally or not

3) it’s also why it’s hard to hide a clone. Even with forged identities and fake ages, they’d have to keep forging new identities every few years, or the empire is gonna notice that their ages increase too fast for a normal human

Layer upon layer, the empire has built bias into everything they do… but in such a way that it is easy to miss and difficult to avoid. Tho, making them “chain” code is very symbolic. They really are chains shackling all people of the Galaxy to the Empire

I wonder if Thrawn gave them his real age…

I wonder if the chain codes also include a species code… and what else is contained in them? Anyone know more details about these chain codes?

This also means that Din’s age might be on screen in that one episode with Jack Black and the Lizzo when Din and Bo show their chain codes! Will update this if I find it when I get there!

Side note: I also love the way the subtitles translate “e chu ta” as “hey” in episode 1, as though it’s just a minor thing

[anghraine]

Fic author interview (meme)

I was tagged by @incognitajones! Thank you very much <3

1- How many works do you have on AO3?

222, though some are very closely interconnected.

2- What's your total AO3 word count?

1,193,545, says the AO3 statistics page!

o_O

3- What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

LOL, I had just automatically rearranged my stats graph to rank fics by kudos instead of hits. It's:

Season of Courtship (inevitably), a Darcy/Elizabeth canon-compliant engagement interquel I wrote as a teenager;

But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul In Hell (always a pleasant surprise), a short AU in which Luke convinces Anakin/Vader to flee the Empire with him;

per ardua ad astra, a Rogue One+ANH Jyn/Cassian AU in which Jyn, Cassian, and Bodhi escape Scarif only to get trapped on the Death Star and forced to pass themselves off as Imperials;

we get dark, only to shine, a longggg yet unfinished AU of The Borgias in which Cesare and Lucrezia begin their affair during S1 instead of S3 (CW for canon sibling incest, murder, etc).

Contradictions and Varieties (baffling), a short Darcy/Elizabeth AU I wrote for a fest in which it takes them slightly longer to get together.

4- Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try, especially with fics I'm actively updating, but I'm always behind on it. I mostly just get distracted and forget.

5- What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

Oh, interesting question! I don't write a lot of angsty endings, but there are a few options, and I think it probably would have to be the gift of men, a short (~1k) Fourth Age fic in which Eldarion goes along with a politically convenient marriage to one of Faramir and Éowyn's daughters, and falls in love with her, only for her to die of old age while Aragorn and Faramir are still alive and Eldarion remains young.

Honorable mentions: Set On This Path (Luke and Leia are brought up in the Empire + fusion with the story of the bloodbending brothers in B1 of Legend of Korra, complete with murder-suicide) and the last day (a chirpy epistolary fic that takes an abrupt turn after the genocidal attack that begins the Guild Wars games).

6- What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

Um, just considering the ones that have endings, to be fair, and ... hmm, that's harder. A lot of happy endings! Probably the ones that are happiest for me, personally, are First Impressions (m!Elizabeth/f!Darcy re-telling of P&P) and whatever we deny or embrace (f!Cassian/Jyn).

7- Do you write crossovers?

Not often, but sometimes! Like now.

8- Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yes! I've gotten hate more than once wrt Season of Courtship in various versions (even before it become so overwhelmingly the popular favorite of my fics). The rest has been on other fics and mostly on ff.net.

TBH the subtler stuff bothers me more than outright hate (corrections based on adaptations or fanon or expanded universe material I already said I wasn't using, concern that I might switch permanently to a new format I'm trying out, etc).

9- Do you write smut?

Very rarely. I respect people who can write good smut (hi incognita!), but I'm definitely a fade to black sort unless the ship is already so out there that I'm long past feeling self-conscious about it.

10- Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes. It's happened a couple of times, but the main one was someone who stole a few Austen fics from various people and tried to piece them together into something they could sell on Amazon. One of the fics was The Rich Are Always Respectable (not what I would choose to plagiarize if I were going to, but ... okay).

11- Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, several times. I think it's cool!

12- Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I wrote a short fic with my friend @tulinlina many years ago :)

13- What's your all-time favorite ship?

Darcy/Elizabeth. Truly this ship is the terror of the seas!

14- What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

Oh, man. This probably requires more self-knowledge than I really have. Um ... I hate saying it, but we get dark, only to shine is likely this. I had so many plans for where it was going to go, but I'm just in a very different fannish place these days.

15- What are your writing strengths?

It feels weird to say, but I think I write solid dialogue (it's certainly my favorite thing to write!) and fairly clean prose in general.

16- What are your writing weaknesses?

Description is my truest nemesis—I tend to place scenes in just empty or vaguely described space. Fight scenes and that sort of thing are really difficult (for related reasons). Finishing things—my stuff nearly always grows out of control and it screws up pacing and so on.

17- What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

A little goes a long way, IMO. I did a bit of it in my fic about Leia and Cassian and Alderaanian, in tongues and quiet sighs, so I can't judge it too hard, but it's very much something to handle with care (especially with conlangs—Tolkien fic can be pretty grating this way).

18- What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Tolkien! My first attempt at a fic was a Faramir-goes-to-Rivendell-instead-of-Boromir AU that never got very far.

Well, my first serious attempt at fanfic, that is—I wrote original stuff for years before that, and I guess technically I tried to write Trixie Belden fanfic when I was about 10 ... and the original stuff spun off from a piece that was basically a Secret of Mana fanfic I wrote even before the Trixie Belden stuff. But in terms of something written within a fandom community, the Faramir fic.

19- What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

Hmm. I'm not sure, actually. I mostly just write stuff if I feel like it. Oh—it's cheating, but I've barely written Korra/Kuvira even though I adore the ship. I'd like to write a proper Korvira fic someday.

20- What's your favorite fic you've written?

This changes pretty often, though there are always a few that come up when I'm asked. At this moment in time, probably The Jedi and the Sith Lord, the third (sort of) of my f!Luke Skywalker fics, and the one where the story finally swerves off the canon tracks and becomes its own thing. Maybe (probably?) not my best work, but the Lucyverse is my baby and I think TJATSL is my best work in it.

Tagging: @elwing, @kareenvorbarra, @heckofabecca, @veliseraptor, @rain-sleet-snow

[amywritesthings]

ownership of mine. (1/4)

Pairing: Kino Loy x Reader (ANDOR)

Word Count: 3.7K

Summary: The Empire has settled on a new experiment involving prison integration, with you as a test subject as one of the few women in Narkina 5. In a surprise turn of events, the manager of the unit takes you under his wing -- but for reasons you didn't anticipate.

Warnings: Rated M -- Prison, Implied Power Imbalance, Age Difference, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Mentions of Violence/Death (please note: because this is a prison, there is a fear of assault but no assault happens)

A/N: As is the Amy way, I wrote this in about four hours. Kino Loy is so goddamn fine. This could become a 2 or 3 parter, should people be interested. UPDATE - this is now a 3-parter.

                 PART ONE / PART TWO / PART THREE / PART FOUR

( Read on AO3 )

“Who were you in another life?”

Within these confined ivory walls, your whisper echoes like a shout. Yet no one in the cell block stirs from their slumber, your words drowned out by rumbling snores and palpable exhaustion.

It used to terrify you, how quiet this place could get after lockdown. How a breath felt like a scream, while screams bled into the whines and wears of factory machinery. Now you barely notice; it’s easy to become complacent, comfortable, in the inevitable.

(This is it. No way out.)

Kino Loy stares from across the electrified barrier in his neighboring cell, surveying you with scrutiny. He sits with both hands clasped, elbows balanced on either knee and expression indiscernible as he faces you directly. Watches you, directly.

Because everything, everyone, is under his watch — including you, the mistake that’s now cost the floor dearly.

“Doesn’t matter,” he gruffly responds. “Not anymore.”

. . . . . . . . .

                                        ONE WEEK PRIOR 

The Empire’s decision to integrate women into a men’s facility is not a mistake.

It’s a choice.

On your transport sat two other women in chains, scared out of their wits. Clearly fresh meat, by the looks of how much blood has drained from their body and pooled like dead weight to their feet. Trembling, too afraid to look around or up.

You watch, because this isn’t your first transport. Planted theft; the charge already made you go through the motions, the trembles, but it’s been seventy-eight days in the women’s prison back on Tertiere 2.

You’re not quite sure what warranted to the transfer to another women’s prison, but you’re not meant to ask questions. Keep your head down, endure, and maybe they’ll let you go.

None of you knew it was a transport to Narkina 5.

Narkina 5 is notoriously a male prison.

“We want to integrate populations,” is the reason you’re given by the head of operations once you step off the transport, painfully barefoot and freezing. “Consider yourselves the lucky three that decide if it’s worth it.”

One of the women cry out in fear when they announce her unit: One-Two-F. Another trembles harder at her verdict: Seven-Three-C.

You keep your mouth shut, but there is dread that fills your lungs so you wouldn’t be able to speak even if you tried: Five-Two-D.

They explain the floors are tungstoid steel, ready to light up at a moment’s notice. Something similar was used at the women’s prison, something as vile, but you make no sudden movement or reaction when you reach the guard tower overlooking a factory floor of two-dozen men.

A pin needle could drop in the silence that exists when they open the door and reveal the unit’s next victim.

Hands behind your head, you press your tongue to the roof of your mouth as you descend. Whispers start to trickle about your gender — some in wonder, others in disgust.

Yet a singular man — shorter, broad chested with a scowl — breaks the formations to receive you on the landing’s edge. His thick salt and pepper hair is combed back, groomed neatly despite the conditions.

You refuse to make eye contact as the Imperial guard shoves you off the platform, putting you at the mercy of the factory floor masses.

A pregnant pause almost makes you scared.

“My name is Kino Loy.” The man speaks, voice baritone and low with an unmistakable growl. “I own you now.”

The statement is matter of fact, but not in a malicious way.

You finally raise your eyes to him when the guard tower is sealed off, nostrils flaring with a mask of aggression.

His gaze is cold, but it’s calculated. Rehearsed.

“What is your name?”

At first, you don’t give it. You’re too busy giving a pointed look to every table of shocked faces: establishing dominance, if you can, before you’re meant to retire in the same barracks. You’re sure they didn’t design women-centric quarters.

(Hell, it looks like none of these men were given a warning that they were integrating.)

“Don’t look at them,” the man named Kino demands. “You don’t report or answer to them, you answer to me, is that clear? I asked for your name.”

“Doesn’t matter what my name is,” you reply under your breath.

“It does to me.”

Despite yourself, you focus back on him with a surprise lost in its translation. He doesn’t falter in his intensity.

(He means it.)

You mumble your name so that only he can hear, and Kino draws in a long, slow breath. The other men begin to abandon their posts to gawk around corners, the whispers growing to loud concern and worry.

Soon a half-circle forms like a pack of wolves.

“Now I know this isn’t our usual addition, but nothing’s changed.” Kino’s voice echoes with power along the ivory walls as he steps back, brows sliding higher in regard to the rest of the men here. “Do you hear me? Nothing. That means we leave her be, just as we leave everyone else be, and we don’t treat her any different.”

A protest breaks out from a gangly, lean man with thick black hair to your left. “She’ll slow us down!”

“She won’t.”

This isn’t a vote of confidence from Kino, but a threat. He looks at you, really looks at you, with a determination you cannot refuse.

“I won’t,” you supply belatedly, swallowing thickly to coat your throat as you look around the room to the others who aren’t so convinced. “I worked well at the other facility. I did what I needed to do.”

“The other facility?” one elderly man inquires. “You mean they transferred you?”

“This is heavy machinery,” another of the men sneers, and you step towards him with your own hiss of venom. 

“What do you think they have the women’s prisons doing? Knitting Imperial sweaters?” 

“Enough.” Palm flat and raised to keep you in your place, Kino signals a ceasefire before the war can start. “I spoke my terms, and those are the rules I expect you all to obey. Have I made myself clear?”

The floor goes silent, but eventually the masses nod in reluctant agreement. The power Kino has over the other men is enough to take your breath away — they respect another inmate so completely, with a clear and present hierarchy, that you cannot help but feel small.

“Good. Time to clean up for the evening, boys. Lights are gonna go in twenty. Make it quick. You—” He means you. “—they didn’t give you a separate unit, did they?”

“No.”

His jaw clenches with a decisive nod. “Then you’ll follow.”

To the barracks from the elevator, where you can feel everyone’s breath crawling down the back of your throat. Kino stays by your side, chin raised like a proud soldier.

Everyone disperses once the doors open to the barracks, leaving you as the final person standing in the broken semi-circle. Kino turns on a heel without another word, padding lightly down the brightly lit hallway with puzzle pieces for jail cells. You wait a second to ponder whether or not engaging is a good idea until you find yourself walking his way, crossing your arms over your chest.

“I will do what I need to do,” you reassure him once you’ve caught up, shoulder to shoulder. 

His nostrils flare in a pause. “I know you will,” he responds, “because you have no other choice. You’ll be assigned Table Four. We have an opening there.”

“What position?”

“Whatever one I give you,” he says, and you feel your stomach curl. “I like my floors to be precise, hardworking, and pristine. You will not ruin my men’s chances of getting out of here.”

“I won’t.”

“I do not accept anything less.” 

“Yes, sir.”

Kino pauses at that, turning his chin to stare you down. You stare back, uncertain of the elongated eye contact.

“Don’t do that.”

“What?” 

He shifts his attention to the empty cell behind you, opting to leave his request in the past.

“That’s yours. Keep it tidy, keep it quiet, and don’t touch the floor.”

When you open your mouth to ask, the overhead speakers sound with a minute’s warning and Kino steps up to the cell to the left. The rest of the floor find their order like dominoes, one by one disappearing into their cell units until you remain. 

You stumble backwards, up a step, until you're clear of the final few seconds. The floor glows red, simmering to a cool eggshell white with a trim, and that is it.

Kino turns away, back to you, and finds his place on the cot for sleep.

Five-hundred twenty-two days to go.

. . . . . . . . . The first three months are grueling. 

At Tertiere 2, they have the women working on their factory floors with finer details. Magnifying technology, precision — everything has to be just so, or you lose.

Narkina 5 is a whole new level of ache.

While most men avoid even looking at you — wouldn’t dare, not when Kino rounds every corner like a rabid animal waiting to strike — Table Four does their best to include you. They make it a point to learn your name, treat you as one of their own, even if it means you don’t always make it to the winning table.

From what you’ve learned, they don’t really ever win the flavored food. Resign. Good enough to make it to the middle of the leaderboard, but not enough to get fried. 

Everyone gets by. Everyone, in relative terms, is happy.

In your work, you frequently meet the older man’s gaze. He’s partial to watching you work; nodding every so often with approval when you beat the others in the assembly line, shaking his head if you fumble with a part, pausing in his pace if you lock eyes, but you never question it.

Maybe it’s because when you eat dinner alone in your cell, Kino Loy makes it a point to engage in the briefest of conversations. Little check-in’s that he affords the other inmates, but not at the frequency of yours.

Maybe it’s because when you take your leave to shower, you’ve seen Kino block the entryway with his own build on more than one occasion.

Maybe it’s because he gives you pointers, like how to opt for a counterclockwise approach to the knobs that you need to assemble or that your stance on the floor gives you less momentum than it would if you stood taller, prouder, like you’re a contributing member and not a hindrance.

Regardless, those little things may cease today when you finally say what you’ve wanted to tell him for the last several weeks — because there is a reason this table isn’t making top marks.

And it isn’t because of you.

You’re sucking through the clear tube for sustenance when you see Kino’s gray hair come into view. His lack of smiling somehow brings you comfort, but the constant surveying like he’s trying to figure you out negates it.

“You seem like you’re in a mood,” he states after a moment when you don’t greet him.

Removing the tube from your lips, you give a half-hearted shrug. “Because we have to talk.”

His brows bunch in the center. “Do we?”

“Yes.”

“About?”

“You know what.”

Kino’s expression smooths with recognition. His bare foot steps up, then the other, until he stands in your cell. You note Melshi’s look from the top barrack as he feeds, but he turns the other cheek when your eyes meet.

“Enlighten me.”

Better now then never.

“You need to change my position on the Table.” That intrigues him. Kino takes a step closer, crossing his arms over his chest in order to lean against the wall, cornering you into your cot. You stare up at him, legs crossed.

“You’re where you need to be.”

“But I’m not, and you know it,” you argue swift and low to avoid the masses from listening in. “You know Winshaw is Table Four's weakest link.”

“Excuse me?” Kino is not amused. You push on.

“It’s easy to blame me for the shortcomings of the table, but I’m ahead of everyone else. You’ve seen it.”

I know you watch me, is the subtext. His jaw sets.

“He has a bad hand.”

“So then he should have my station, and I can take his. It’ll put less strain on his hands.” You place the feeding tube back in its cubby hole before stranding, meeting Kino with a closeness you would never award anyone else. He doesn’t move, giving a look of contemplation. “I can lift the heavier equipment. I can benefit the unit’s productivity.”

“Bold of you,” Kino sniffs, “to assume all this.”

“I’m ready.” Toeing the line to step closer, you murmur with a softness that could get you killed. “Kino, I know I’m ready.”

If you didn’t know any better, then you’d swear his eyes dropped to your lips before finding your eyes. Always making a point of eye contact, to see you as a person — you’ve grown to greatly admire Kino for his principles, but you swallow the butterflies before they can float any higher.

“Please?”

You don’t recognize your own voice as you whisper.

Kino hovers in what little space is between you, mulling over your offer, before disengaging. You find yourself missing the warmth radiating from him. You don’t know why.

Without a word, he nods once — a yes — before the minute’s warning starts. 

He walks across the hall with his back turned to you, but when the lights go out and the floor is ignited, he sleeps towards you.

. . . . . . . . . Swapping places with Winshaw gives you a second place win.

At first, Table Four adamantly hated the idea. Still do, with how they glare at you through the twelve-hour shift. Kino’s new directive to bring you to the other side of the table, trading Winshaw a new position, doesn’t sit right.

They don’t say no to Kino Loy.

They will, however, say their piece of mind to you when the shift is over and you’re on your way to the showers.

The table that once learned your name sits in a pack, arms crossed and waiting for your arrival. You shrug it off, trying not to notice, but a stocky man named Gris steps into your path.

“Some shit you pulled today, Lady Narkina,” he tells you, bending to find your attention. You keep your eyes low, somewhere pegged in the chest of his shirt where you’d surely like to punch.

“We won second,” you reply, monotone. “If anything, you should be celebrating.”

“You don’t get to make decisions for the rest of us,” Gris reasons. “You’ve been here for three kriffing months.”

“I have,” you say, “and not once have we gotten remotely close to the top — until now.”

“It’s ‘cus she worked her way to the top,” a man named Pusl grumbles, causing you to finally stare with wide eyes.

“Excuse you?”

Pusl grimaces. “Not sure how you fuck him so quietly, like.”

“Pusl,” a mousy addition, Trem, warns with a sharp gasp.

“What? S’the truth.”

You take the step to the right towards Pusl, chin raised with a challenge. “I’m hearing a lot of words, Pusl, but they all sound like bullshit.”

“It’s not like we don’t see him coming right to your cell after shifts,” Gris agrees without as much fervor. “Someone has to be offering favors to get beneficial treatment like today.”

You huff with disgust. “I asked for a change to help Winshaw. Everyone here pretends they don’t see his left hand going, so I offered to take the heavier load in order to save it from getting even more fucked. Kino would have your fucking head if he knew you thought so low of him.”

“And which one of these fucks thinks so low of me?”

The booming voice of Kino Loy breaks up the precipice of a fight, causing Table Four to cower from their interrogation. The older man's face is a tint of red, neck muscles strained as he flexes and balls his fist at his side.

“Nothing, Kino,” you hear from Gris.

“Didn’t sound like ‘nothing’.”

Kino simmers, taking purposeful steps into the circle to directly address Gris and Pusl. They keep their chins down, trying desperately to blend in with the wall. Kino doesn’t back down.

“If you have something to say about my decisions for this unit, then you come directly to me.”

“Yes, Kino.”

“Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, Kino.”

“Good.”

One by one, Table Four disbands from the fresher doors to hide in their climbable cells. You don’t move, wouldn’t dare, until it’s only Kino that remains.

He breaks his own rule: when you turn to make way to the showers, Kino follows.

“You will remain in Winshaw’s spot tomorrow.”

Your heel turns, whipping around at the audacity of his intrusion and his order. Eyes wide, you laugh humorlessly at the manager of the unit.

“You’re serious?” you ask him.

“Do you question me?” he asks instead, brow quirked. You soften, smile blank.

“They think I’m blowing you to do this.” Kino doesn’t react to your vulgar confession beyond a blink. “That I’m influencing your decisions when you visit my cell.”

“You do influence my decisions,” he replies. “You made a good observation on Winshaw.”

“Did you hear what I just said?”

“And if they have issue with—”

“Kino.”

The desperation in his name causes him to stir, shift, against the tiles of the shower floor. You blink away with a defeat you cannot afford in the barracks. When you return your attention to him, you notice a chip in the manager’s resolve.

“I heard what you said,” he murmurs. “They’ve been assuming it since your first month here.”

Your mouth drops open. “Why?”

“Because we’re in unique positions. Manager of the unit and the only woman on the bloody floor, of course they’d assume.”

“And you didn’t elect to tell me?”

“Did I have to?”

His question brings a sort of clarity to your senses, filling your legs with lead. Of course. Of course they would assume, given his extra care to make sure no one gave you trouble. Of course they would speak behind your back, because you are not truly one of them.

Not even after getting them second kriffing place.

Deep down you always knew your constant interactions with Kino would make waves, but knowing is an entirely different beast.

“No matter what I say, they won’t believe me, will they?”

Kino observes your reaction, calculating what to say next, but all he can do is shake his head.

No. Nothing you say will make anyone believe differently.

You toss your towel to the shower stall with force, dragging a hand through your hair. The laugh just happens — first a snort, drowning in disbelief, before turning into a fully-fledged laugh. Kino remains still, waiting, but there is an inflection in his stare.

“Guess I won’t feel so bad now if I get off like Taga does every night without putting a mute button on,” you cruelly respond, taking to a turn towards the stall. “If everyone thinks I’m getting my shit rocked anyway—”

You lose your train of thought entirely when you feel a strong hand grab your forearm, closing around your flesh.

“Stop.”

You do, obeying the command of the older man. Kino looks different in this light, almost bordering on apologetic when he doesn’t need to be.

“I know… it isn’t pleasant to hear, and I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier.”

You wet your lips, tongue darting between them, and Kino’s attention drops. It isn’t until now that you realize you haven’t touched another person in nearly six months.

“I thought not talking about it would protect you.”

“Protect me?”

“They don’t bother you,” he finally states, but the sentence doesn’t sound like him. It’s coarse, sure, but it’s laced with uncertainty — something Kino Loy doesn’t possess. “Not if they think you’re mine.”

Oh.

Your entire body electrifies like the floor’s been activated unannounced.

No one has attacked you, no one has ever tried, because they all think their leader has taken a claim first. They must all notice how he looks at you, how he visits your cell to discuss work and menial tasks.

(Has he done all of this on purpose, to ensure your safety in the prison?)

“I’m sorry.”

You didn’t think he was capable of apologies. He never felt the need to.

“Don’t be,” you answer after several beats pass. “You’re right.”

There it is again: that flicker of an emotion he won’t relay, not fully. His grip lessens on your arm, but you do the unthinkable — you reach for his hand, placing your palm over his tired knuckles.

Kino becomes a statue.

“The goal is to get out of here, right?” When he doesn’t answer your question, you duck your head to evoke proximity. The older man inhales, slow and controlled, through his nose. “That’s the end game. That’s what we’re all striving for. If anything, you’ve done me a favor.”

“Don’t make me sound noble,” he warns without bite, slipping more of his grip from your arm. “Winshaw’s position is yours now. They’ll hate you for it, but if you do the same work as you did today, then the storm will pass.”

“And will you still visit?”

You ask despite yourself, suddenly feeling small. All of this could take your only ally in Narkina 5 away. In the depths of the rumor is truth: you care for the man, even if it’s foolish to care at all.

The absurdity of the question instinctively brings the grip to your arm, as if it’s an anchor when he tilts his chin in silent inquiry. You find yourself relishing in the proximity.

“It’s the only way they’ll keep assuming,” he answers plainly, before putting his free hand on yours. Gently he pries your fingers away until they’re held in his hand, small in the weight of his. “Do your job, keep your head low, and I will visit. Do I make myself clear?”

By the time you’re used to the calluses on his palm, the man completely removes himself from you and steps backwards once, twice, until he turns to resume his post as a guard to the stalls — for you.

You watch as a newfound feeling creeps into your veins and up your neck.

“Yes, Kino.”

[soraka-in-warhammer40k]

Who's up next for a refresh?

Now that the Nids got their ancient kits modernized, I decided to check on all the factions over at the Lexicanum that had no relevant releases over the last years.

Of course 99% of Space Marines disqualifies by default. Their minis might be the aesthetical equivalent of drywall, but that doesn't change the fact that they at least got something. Unlike, ya know, Grey Knights, who since 2011 have gotten TWO CHARACTERS and that's it. If anyone would be due for a makeover on the imperial side it would be them, but given how for over a decade GW has tried their best to pretend the faction does not exist I doubt they will get anything. So onwards to the other factions:

Adeptas Sororitas: Got re-released as a faction in 8th, and got a whole bunch of stuff in 9th. Not likely to get a refresh anywhere.

Adeptus Custodes: Also released in 8th with an miniscule model range. How these guys qualify as an army faction and not a variant of Agents is beyond me. Might get some stuff, but no refreshes.

Astra Militarum: Literally just got an update towards the end of 9th, but there's probably a lot of older stuff that need redoing. Likely to get a bone when their codex drops but nothing massive.

Heretic Astartes: Got a whole bunch in 8th and 9th, also not very likely to get a massive refresh.

Death Guard: Became a faction in their own right models-wise in 8th, and got some more in 9th. Too new to get some refreshes.

Thousand Sons: Released with Magnus in 7th, got a bit of stuff during 8th, and only a single token character in 9th. Nothing up there needed a refresh but rather new stuff really.

World Eaters: Released literally last year - we might get a new Kharn tho.

Chaos Demons: shares the range with AoS so no shortage of new releases on big characters and monsters, but a lot of their rank-and-file units are getting somewhat dated. Wouldn't be surprised if we got an upgrade to 2008's Bloodletters and Daemonettes.

Craftworld Eldar: Got a bit of a refesh in 9th, but I wouldn't be surprised if we also get some upgrades to their 6th edition stuff. Despite all memes not a very high priority from what I can see.

Dark Eldar: These guys are NOT having a good time. Most of their stuff is from 5th edition, and since then we have gotten a bunch of characters, two units, and a flyer - all over the course of 4 whole-ass editions. In dire need of a refresh.

Harlequins: lol. lmao even.

Genestealer Cults: fairly new, given how they only got a single character in 9th they will most likely get new stuff, but no refreshes

Leagues of Votann: Literally came out last year, same situation as World Eaters, currently waiting for their second wave.

Necrons: Got a refresh in 9th, most likely getting their 2012 and earlier characters redone this edition (Trayzin, Stormlord, Orrikan) when their codex comes out, although Camoptek-stuff and the Ghost Ark sure be showing their age.

Orks: gigantic model range. Despite solid releases every edition there's always stuff that needs to be updated.

T'au Empire: Got a bunch of stuff 8 years ago, and not much since then. 2 Killteam boxes and 3 named characters sounds like something, but when armies field models from 2001 that definetly does not help.

Overall in that list there's only three that stand out: Demons, Dark Eldar and T'au. If we look at the severety of outdated stuff, the DE should be totally up next, but my guess is that GW will tie their refresh to when the story focus jumps back to where Arks of Omen left off in the Webway. If that happens still this year, they get it first, otherwise T'au gets their Codex early 2024 which is the most likely time they will get anything.

[photogirl894]

"Sun and Rain Part 2: Age of the Empire"

Chapters

For anyone interested in reading part 2 of my "Bad Batch" Hunter x fem OC fanfic, I will have the links to each chapter posted here and will update this post when each chapter is uploaded in case anyone misses them. Part 2 will most likely follow just season 1 of "The Bad Batch" show.

(Art used in the header is a commission from lightspringrain)

If you haven't read all or any of the previous "Sun and Rain" chapters from part 1, you can find the part 1 masterlist here.

Here are the chapters posted so far:

Chapter 1 ~ "One More Mission"

Chapter 2 ~ "Order 66"

Chapter 3 ~ "Aftermath"

Chapter 4 ~ "Live Rounds and Insurgents"

Chapter 5 ~ "Ultimatums"

Chapter 6 ~ "On the Run"

Chapter 7 ~ "Far Away"

Chapter 8 ~ "The Chain Code Escape"

Chapter 9 ~ "A Night of Promises"

Chapter 10 ~ "The Crash"

Chapter 11 ~ "Shocks on Pantora"

Chapter 12 ~ "Both Teams Out"

Chapter 13 ~ "The One That Got Away"

Chapter 14 ~ "Trust Issues"

Chapter 15 ~ "You've got this"

Chapter 16 ~ "Circuitry and Assets"

Chapter 17 ~ "The Balmorra Mission"

Chapter 18 ~ "The Doctor"

Chapter 19 ~ "Invitations and Scars"

Chapter 20 ~ "Feelings"

Chapter 21 ~ "Discomfort and Doubt"

Chapter 22 ~ "The Imperial Masquerade Gala"

Chapter 23 ~ "Mob Funnel"

Chapter 24 ~ "A Captain's Return"

Chapter 25 ~ "Final Moments"

Chapter 26 ~ "One Last Day"

Chapter 27 ~ "Bracca"

Chapter 28 ~ "Fear and Understanding"

Chapter 29 ~ "All Too Easy"

Chapter 30 ~ "A Tense Rescue"

Chapter 31 ~ "The Koriena Way"

[cryo-lily]

Behold! The newest members of the Shir Legacy!

Since I finally got Legendary Status this past week I figured it was time to update the OC list for the Shir Legacy with some of the newest OCs to come out of my grind of getting all the class stories done.

First up we have Orla Cevrus.

She was/is the character I made for my trooper run but quickly ran with the concept for her as a whole.

She is Isadola & Lana’s second child but their oldest. As a force-sensitive Chiss Orla was orphaned and shunned at a young age. She was a runaway stowing away on ships until she eventually ended up on Odessen before she was even 5 years old. She was formally adopted by Issie & Lana before their own firstborn daughter could even sleep through the night.

Despite being the oldest of Isadola & Lana’s daughters she is also the tallest, and doesn’t let her younger sisters forget it. Not as graceful on her feet as the rest of her sisters, but can still hold her own when a fight amongst them eventually breaks out.

Orla or Ori as her sisters call her, was trained just like the rest of her sisters to at least control their force abilities and trained with lightsabers. But was given the freedom to choose her own path in that regard by her mothers. Given the choice they didn’t get when in regards to using her force talents. Now she chooses to fight using assault cannons and lots and lots of plasma cell caused fires.

Orla eventually went on to command Havoc Squad later down the line under the command of General Elara Dorne. It took Orla a good bit of time to earn Elara’s trust after she learned who her parents were. Elara certainly didn’t forget what happened on Iokath after Isadola sided with the empire during that moment in time.

Next up we have Kelsa Tilera.

The character I made for my Smuggler class story, Which I also decided to run with for her own story.

She is Isadola & Lana’s firstborn daughter and their second oldest child. Half-human/half-Miraluka. Named after both of her grandmothers.

She has pale green eyes (if the game let me have that option) but is physically blind; bright side though she inherited Isadola’s miraluka ability to see with the force.

Strong with the force like her mothers, but chose to use her abilities differently than her sisters. Kelsa had a talent for disappearing at a young age which she managed to turn into a career down the line thanks to the encouragement of her Uncle Taskar, who later took her under his wing as a protege. Under his guidance she managed to make a decent name for herself as a smuggler.

Unlike her younger sisters, Kelsa wasn’t born on Odessen, but was raised there for most of her life along with her 3 sisters. Chances are if some trouble went down when they were younger, Kelsa was the mastermind of it all between the 4 Beniko children.

And (for now) finally we have Anira Candora.

The character I made for my Bounty Hunter playthrough but decided to run with that story for as well.

Anira is the youngest of Isadola & Lana’s 3 biological children. You wouldn’t know it by looking at her but like her 2 older sisters she is also half-human/half-miraluka. Anira was a tad luckier than Kelsa as she wasn’t born physically blind, but still inherited Isadola’s Miraluka ability to also see with the force if she focuses enough or is briefly blinded. Anira like her one older sister (sadly not in this bunch as I still yet to make her) doesn’t need to rely on that ability to see. Anira got her red hair from her grandmother Tilera, and like the rest of her sisters got her green eyes from Lana.

Anira fell into the bounty hunter profession after she learned to apply her own force talents in her own way. Deadly with a blaster and lightsaber, but also armed with enough fire to set a planet a blaze. Anira was mentored for a time by Shae Vizla at Isadola’s request when Anira became set on becoming a Bounty Hunter.

Anira may be the youngest of Isadola & Lana’s 4 children, but is easily the fiercest, and the one to start most of the physical fights between the 4 sisters. Underneath the surface though she is also the most empathetic, a trait she got from Isadola.

Lana would never outright admit it, as she loves all her daughters equally, but Anira is her favorite.

I have so many ideas for the 4 Beniko children. Yes despite the legacy name, they were all given Lana’s last name to avoid the stigma that still follows the Shir name around.

The 4 girls were the rowdiest bunch of kids on Odessen, but also ironically the most disciplined. The girls could go from causing utter chaos to “Yes Ma’am” standing properly at attention and working like a well oiled machine with one one word or stern glance from Lana. Theron still isn’t sure how Lana & Isadola managed that.

I could go on about them, even the missing sister not pictured here yet. But I still have so much to write about before even any of them came into the picture (so to speak). I love them all your honor.

[cuteniarose]

can you plz infodump about your ocs?? so new people to your blog can understand them

Hey, anon? I hope you know that this ask is the best one I’ve gotten in all my 3 1/2 years on this hellsite, so thank you!! You really don’t need to know about my OCs to follow this blog cause a) I post once in a blue moon nowadays, and b) it’s rarely about my OCs, BUT SINCE YOU ASKED-

K, so, my main OCs are Suiren and Midori, sisters who just so happen to be Ghazan and Ming-Hua’s daughters. They were 7 and 4 respectively when their parents were imprisoned for trying to kidnap Korra, which led to them being placed in the ‘care’ of Ghazan’s older sister, Haya. What happens to them after that? Well, you’d have to be more specific, since I have about a trillion different AUs featuring them. The two most important ones (aka the ones written down) are:

1. Seeds of the Red Lotus. The very first fic I wrote about them, which I... haven’t updated in two years. It currently stands at 5 chapters BUT I am in the process of rewriting and continuing it. The basic concept is that the girls grow up in utter misery under Haya’s iron fist, and in a desperate attempt to get enough money to leave and live a happy, comfortable life somewhere else, Suiren becomes an assassin at the bright old age of 17. Fast forward 6 years, and Team Avatar, unable to take down the Earth Empire on their own, hire her to kill Kuvira

2. Under the Oak’s Shade. A rather self indulgent AU written as a form of catharsis and spiritual healing. Six months into living with Haya, the girls are taken in by Zhi, a cranky lesbian with a bad sense of direction/P’Li’s firebending teacher from the Red Lotus/my friend @katkastrofa‘s OC from her fic Lost and Found (which, unlike the multichaps I write, is complete and you should go read it immediately). Once I pull myself together to actually figure out how the next instalment in the series should go, this will, most likely, eventually become a Red Lotus Korra AU, which I’m definitely looking forward to writing.

Now that the basics are out of the way, let’s get to actual infodumping about my two precious cinnamon rolls. Most of this info is from SotRL-verse, as that is the main story I’ve got about them, so keep that in mind

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Suiren:

23 years old as of 174 AG. Master waterbender and deadly assassin. Cold, calculating and precise in everything she does, leaving no room for error. Takes no shit from anyone, is fiercely defensive and independent, and is the last person to ever accept any help or charity. Confident in her abilities and borderline cocky at times, a lot of which is a front. Extremely short tempered, nihilistic, cynical and high strung, not willing to let anyone get close enough to her to see her hidden vulnerabilities

She wasn’t always like this. A long time ago, back before she lost her parents, she was much, much softer, kinder and more gentle. Her parents called her their little water lily, and the nickname suited her well. However, P’Li’s nickname for her was ‘my little firecracker’, so she very much still had quite a temper even back then. Overall, she was a happy little girl with bright eyes and a mischievous smile who was determined to excel in her waterbending lessons. She was Ming-Hua’s pride and joy. 16 years of taking the brunt of Haya’s anger to shield her sister, as well as destroying the part of herself that wouldn’t let her mindlessly do the bidding of whoever paid her, changed her, perhaps irreversibly.

Her old life still haunts her, though. Genetics played a cruel joke on her – the silky black hair reaching below her waist, the angular features, the prominent cheekbones, the (relatively) short height – it all serves to make her see her mother every single time she glances in the mirror. Being just like her mother was something she once aspired to, but now follows her like a curse. Even the things she got from her dad, dark skin and golden brown eyes, don’t help, and just make her look like Haya, especially when she’s angry

There is another side to her that no one but Midori gets to see. She may not be as soft as sixteen years ago, but she is still capable of love and gentleness. She loves her sister more than anything else in life, has already killed and would die for her. She is very protective of Midori (though often to a fault). She hugs her tight and kisses her forehead and cheeks, quietly sings her (their mother’s) lullabies as she calms her down from a nightmare, heals any and all her wounds, tells her stories of their parents, always puts her first no matter how pained and exhausted she herself is... In short, Suiren took on the role of a self sacrificing parent a long time ago and has played it well

Suiren is a distinguished lesbian but can’t keep a partner longer than a few weeks. Girls fawn all over her, but once they see past the pretty face and confident demeanour and notice everything wrong with her, they run (which only serves to make Suiren’s abandonment issues worse). She has taken to sticking to one night stands when she needs an outlet for her frustrations, convinced she will never have, and isn’t deserving of, a long lasting, loving relationship

She struggles severely with her mental health, constantly plagued by what she has done. She tries to limit her sleep to avoid nightmares that she knows will come and represses all emotions except for anger as that is the safest to latch onto and channel into killing. She is almost always on edge and feels pressure mounting with every single day. Very prone to overstimulation when it comes to noise, light and people. The only times she ever relaxes (or, at least, pretends to) is when she’s alone with Midori or with Lotus, her pet sabertooth moose lion.

To sum up: the poor girl is a vessel for my trauma and deserves a 30 hour nap, a hug, a warm blanket, the whole world and her parents back

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Midori:

20 years old as of 174 AG. Earthbender, though not very good at it. She discovered her earthbending only a few months before losing her parents, and had no one to teach her since then. She is naturally kindhearted and hardworking, always trying to help out where she can and seem useful. Quiet and anxious, she prefers to stick to the background and draw as little attention to herself as possible (which is in fact a defence mechanism against Haya’s treatment of her but, y’know, let’s not get into that rn)

Sixteen years ago, Midori was a bright and happy little girl, wanting nothing more than for everyone around her to be happy as well. Always full of energy, she could talk and ramble for hours about anything that crossed her mind. Just as mischievous as her sister, she knew she was the baby of the family and could get away with anything, though to her credit, she didn’t abuse that much. Her parents called her their little Seedling, the youngest of them all so full of potential and eager to grow and make her parents proud. P’Li often called her a cuddlebug for her affectionate nature (am I stealing that from Kat’s fic bc it made me scream into my pillow for five minutes straight? Maybe. You can’t prove anything).

In present age, she’s a lot more similar to her childhood self than Suiren is. She doesn’t talk that much anymore, if at all, and her happiness is often clouded by the harsh world around her, but some of that cheerfulness still shines through, especially when she’s alone with Suiren or with Tenzin’s kids. The energy once used for rambling and chasing butterflies and racing with her sister is now almost always redirected into chores and housework, though if Suiren offered, she’d gladly race her again (and probably win tbh, her legs are longer and Renny prefers faster methods than running)

She doesn’t remember her parents well, and their faces have blurred beyond recognition in her mind. It’s why her appearance doesn’t affect her as much as Renny’s own does her. She’s not a carbon copy of either of her parents like Suiren is, she’s more of an even mix. She knows what Suiren had told her, that she has their mother’s eyes and their father’s nose, but can’t piece anything together in her head. She keeps her hair, as dark and silky as Suiren’s, though thicker, at shoulder length, a bit uneven in places as she cuts it herself. As a child, Ghazan would tie her hair into twin pigtails every morning and she never let anyone else do it. She hasn’t styled her hair in any way since she took those pigtails out before going to bed the night their parents left

A disaster bisexual, proven by the fact that out of all people in the world, she falls for Opal Beifong. You know, the step sister of the woman Midori’s sister has to kill (or die trying), and the daughter of the woman who killed Midori’s beloved auntie P’Li. Yeah, tough case. Anyway, turns out, there is a limited supply of Ghazan’s charm in his genetic code and it all got passed down to Renny, because ‘Dori herself turns into an awkward mess whenever the opportunity to flirt arises. It’s fine though, Opal still finds her adorable. Also she probably had a small crush on Bolin when they first met, but that was because he was one of the only people her age to be nice to her and she got over it quickly

Remember how I said she was quiet and anxious? Yeah, understatement of the century. Her anxiety follows her around throughout her day and is the driving force behind all of her decisions. Many things, from raised voices to passive aggressiveness to bad moods to unfinished housework, can trigger it. When it does, she clams up and curls in on herself, but tries her best to deescalate or rectify the situation. She’s also very sensitive to any kind of conflict, even when she’s not part of it. Midori also worries a lot for Suiren while she’s away on missions, as she knows she’ll completely fall apart if something were to happen to Renny. She has nightmares about it often, almost every night that Suiren is not there. Little does she know, Suiren has similar worries over losing her.

Another big thing is her major inferiority complex. She looks at her big sister and sees someone who has always been talented, powerful and capable. Someone who can do so many things without even breaking a sweat. Someone who has girls fawning all over her. And then ‘Dori looks at herself and sees none of those things. She doesn’t hate Suiren for it, not at all, but tiny inklings of disdain sometimes take form. She tries hard to ignore it, but often can do nothing but listen to those thoughts swirl around in her head.

In summary: An anxious mess of a girl who is in desperate need of a proper support system and someone (*cough* Opal *cough*) who could assure her that she is enough and that it doesn’t matter if she isn’t like her sister, she’s perfect just the way she is

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If you want me to elaborate on any of this (and this goes for everyone, not just anon) my askbox is always open and my desire to infodump about my precious traumatised babies never wavers

[marksarmel]

What I've Been Consuming 04/31/23

Bitten by the Covid bug was I! It felled me, but I struggled mightily to consume and now I return, fatigued, but still bug-eyed and bug-eared. Read on my fellow insatiable media gluttons.

TV:

The Bad Batch - Episode 12 - “The Outpost”. While I’ve been loving Season 2 of the Bad Batch I wanted to review this episode singularly because it was full of so many good things. This episode focuses on Crosshair and the dark dark side of the Empire. And there is nary a Sith Lord in sight. And yes, I meant to use two darks in a row. This episode continues Crosshair’s arc in which he comes to understand the cruelty of the Empire and how their war machine shows no mercy, even to its own soldiers

Our favorite brooding clone, Crosshair, is being sent to help secure an outpost on Barton-4 that has been the victim of numerous raids. Before we get to the meat of the episode Crosshair witnesses a group of clones being forced into retirement. Another bit of evidence pointing to the Empire’s disdain of the clones. Crosshair observes this with little emotion, but we know it’s breaking down his already shaky belief in the Empire. Also, Lieutenant Nolan openly despises clones. Also, also, this guy is a total pain in the ass.

At the outpost Crosshair meets a broken down skeleton crew of clones who have been tasked with guarding unknown cargo at the outpost. Their leader, Mayday, is an aged veteran clone, with little respect for Nolan’s upturned nose. Mayday and Crosshair set out for a tour of the depot as Mayday explains that their equipment and infrastructure is long past its expiration date. And that his requests for updated equipment have been ignored. It’s not long before the outpost is attacked and after a brief skirmish that ends with a few dead clones (and Crosshair picking off a raider), Lieutenant, the Prick, Nolan sends Crosshair and Mayday out to recover the stolen cargo.

Things soon go sideways and our new duo find themselves sinking deeper and deeper into a hopeless situation. After another brief battle they discover the cargo that the clones have been guarding (and dying for) is newer updated equipment for new non-clone soldiers. The very same equipment that Mayday has been requesting be sent to them. Crosshair gets to add another entry into his pros and cons list for the Empire.

Before they can secure the cargo an avalanche nearly kills both men, but Crosshair manages to drag Mayday back to base. Lieutenant, the Ice Queen, Nolan, is none too happy to see the two broken soldiers arrive sans cargo and even refuses medical aid for the nearly dead Mayday, calling them both expendable. As Nolan rambles on pitilessly, Mayday dies. Nolan orders the nearly dead Crosshair back to work. Unfortunately for Nolan, (but goody for us!) he’s unaware that he’s talking to a clone that now gives absolutely zero fucks. Crosshair gives Nolan an early retirement courtesy of a blaster shot straight to the chest. He is quickly arrested by the new clones. There’s a sort of twisted parallel here to when Crosshair, upon orders, killed the defenseless Governess, and rebel to the Empire, Ames in “the Solitary Clone” episode. Here in this episode, Crosshair finds himself killing someone on the Empire’s side. Makes you think perhaps a better name for Crosshair would have been Crossfire, because he’s definitely trapped on both sides.

Crosshair awakens to find himself not in jail but in a somewhat cushier environment where he is greeted by Dr. Emerie Karr, the clone scientist that we met a few episodes back, who was part of the team holding the Kaminoan Lama Su captive. What she has in mind for Crosshair isn’t quite revealed, but whatever it is Crosshair is a clone forever changed.

This episode also had really spectacular animation. The snowy world of Barton-4 made me snuggle deeper into my blanket and Crosshair’s face ran the gamut of emotions throughout the story. Damn what a fine piece of work.

The Mandalorian - This season has been good to Mando so far. In a show packed with so many enjoyable characters, like Bo-Katan and Grogu and Greef Karga and the always welcome Amy Sedalia as Peli Motto and the Mandolorian convert it would be crazy to introduce a new storyline, but that’s just what happens in episode 3’s the “The Convert”. After a blistering opening where our trio of Bo Katan, Grogu and Mando barely escape Mandalore we are dropped into a brand new storyline that is honestly quite jarring. While it’s not technically a brand new storyline and I’m sure it will connect to the larger Mandalore story I was a bit bummed to have this episode spend so much time with a character that I had little interest in. Episode 5 “the Pirate” gets us right back to old times and gives us some great cameos as well. I’m still super high on this show so I can forgive a little excursion from our main storylines.

Chris Rock comedy special - Chris has always been a pretty steadfast comedian in my opinion so I was eager to see how he rebounded after “The Slap”. I wouldn't call this great, barely good. It lacks the sharp observations on racism, relationships and life that Rock normally hits. The setups seem to be there, but the punchines just don’t land that hard.

In the end he does go after Will and Jada and this is where things start to pick up. He’s open and honest and actually quite angry. He was bullied by a much larger, much more powerful man, in front of millions of people, why wouldn’t he be? Did he go too hard on Jada? Maybe, but Chris’ talent is words and that’s what he has to use to make his way in the world. It’s unfortunate that Will Smith, a man who is quite the wordsmith himself, chose to attack Chris physically, but love makes us all do strange things. Nobody wins here. Everybody loses.

The Last of Us - You can save the world, if only you give up your first born. While not quite Joel’s first born Ellie is enough of a stand in that Joel is completely unable to fathom giving her up. The final episode of this show continues wrecking our hearts and forcing us to watch these two become more and more emotionally anchored to each other. All this only to see them be hurt in ways much deeper than any physical wound. Joel goes full on John Wick Terminator Boss Level mode to save Ellie one last time, but it may not be what she would have wanted. This final decision is one that has already been debated since the first game came out, but the show's creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay fill it with such emotional weight that it would be foolish to think that either side is fully right or fully wrong. Ultimately the trip this show took us on is one of super heavy emotional weight and I’m actually glad that I’ve got some time to recover before Season 2.

Superman and Lois - This show is good! During a battle wherein I finally was bitten by the Covid bug I had nothing to do but be miserable and watch tv. Superman and Lois popped up in my searches and my hazy mediciney fogged mind decided to pass the time with some mindless tv. Only this was anything but. First off this series looks fantastic. The pilot episode does a great job of quickly summarizing Superman’s early days and then quickly adds in something different. This series gives Superman kids, a set of twins, one of which may have powers and the other which is dealing with a very modern issue, social anxiety disorder. All of this sets up a new framework for Superman that feels both nostalgic and new. As I said earlier this show looks great and the opening episode gives us some truly iconic shots. Though it does lean a bit too heavily into the modern style of some shows by looking way too dark and desaturated, it doesn't take away from all the good things about this show.

MOVIES:

Shazam 2- Look, this movie was about what I expected it to be; light loose, fun and breezy. There are issues big and small with this movie and I’m sure some fans of the first one went in with high hopes that were soon dashed, but that is the state with DC right now. Here’s to hoping Mr. Gunn can work his magic going forward.

Overall my biggest issue is that the movie was either miscast or poorly written and most likely both.

MUSIC

Niia - I - Another artist I recently stumbled across on Spotify that turned out to be quite the gem. The soft and simple album opener is the perfect aural pallet cleanser for the rest of the album of groovy sultry jams.

Kimbra - “Save Me” -  Do you remember a little ditty “Somebody That I Used To Know” from a long time ago? Well Kimbra is the other singer on that song. I really didn’t keep with either artist after that huge hit, but I found this while rooting around. While the whole album is pretty listenable this moody hypnotic track grabbed me by my earstems and wouldn’t let go.

[bedtimestoriesforbrokengirls]

This… is BGNN

Things you might want to know, for Feb 19, 2023:

The first big Shadow and Bone season 2 trailer ushers in the darkness — About damned time. I was surprised at how good this show turned out to be, and I’ve been wanting more of it while that third season of The Witcher remains just over the horizon.

Raquel Welch: A life in pictures

Former US President Jimmy Carter to receive hospice care — The first presidential election I could understand was Jimmy’s… I have no idea why, but I felt very strongly that he should beat Ford. Of course, I also felt that Howard the Duck should win as a write-in, so my pre-teen politics weren’t finely honed.

Age of Empires 4 is getting a dash of Age of Mythology-style magic in tomorrow's big update — We played a lot of AoE and AoM around here twenty years ago. There was a lot of Warcraft 2 & 3 along the way, but it was Age of Empires that drew me back.

Meet the actual therapist using Dragon Age to teach relationship skills — I really enjoyed Origins and how it played. I still haven’t made it past the opening of Inquisition… by that point, it was feeling way too much like an action game.

The best games for PlayStation VR 2 — They’re mostly retreads of SteamVR and Oculus titles at launch, but I’m confident Sony will do better over time.

Olivia Colman makes the perfect Miss Havisham in the new Great Expectations trailer — I’ll enjoy anything Olivia does. She even made Broadchurch watchable.

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey is a movie-length gross-out gag — There’s an actual movie about a bear doing cocaine. That exists. So I feel like anyone wanting to defile the Winnie the Pooh brand needs to set their sights higher than Blood and Honey… or lower, depending on perspective.

Who Destroyed Live? Alt-Rock Band Torn Apart By Drama, Crime, Lawsuits — …I had no idea Live was an ongoing concern as late as 2019. Wow.

Roald Dahl's Children's Books Republished to Remove Offensive Language — I can’t say I approve of this sort of thing, but I’m relaxed about it. The unedited versions still exist, so I choose to view this as a translation into “modern English”.

[lily-ohfally]

About Lily Oh'fally

Hi and welcome! This blog is meant to be a self-indulgent brain rot blog so feel free to ask anything about my OC's ₍ᐢ⑅•ᴗ•⑅ᐢ₎♡

Warnings: 🔞 Not a safe space for minors as occasionally NSFW topics WILL be brought up!

Now, let me introduce you to my WoL:

Meet: Lily Oh'fally. Lily is a kind-hearted and gentle Viera at 25. He has 4 younger siblings who is his surrogate family, since he was the oldest he has been the one to provide for them since he was 15. His body is muscular and well build, yet his face is round cute. He has a fluffy tail and his ears tend to droop forwards rather than backwards. (reference updates "regularly")

More information underneath.

Before Lily and the others came to Ul'dah, they lived in a small village at the outer layer of Golmore Jungle, and despite their best efforts, that part of the forest was eventually overrun by the Garlean Empire by them burning down their part of the forest, in favor of crop and farmland. Leaving only 11 unpresented Viera children behind. They ended up splitting into two groups, one of 5 and one of 6, when they left Lily's group headed towards the Ocean in search of a new life. There, they met a particularly kind set of traders who were willing to take them across the ocean and brought them to Thanalan. On their way, Lily presented at the late age of 15 and made it his goal to keep the younger ones safe from harm. 10 years has passed since then.

Within his family, he is known for being a little clumsy and scatterbrained, yet also reliable and dependable. His younger siblings knows that even though he is very good at what he does, he is still young and like them, needs proper support. Lily is uneducated and can barely read and write, only being taught by his younger sister Layla so he could continue to work alongside the Ul'dahn merchants. However he's very good at numbers and calculating when it comes to spending money.

His family is made up of Lily, Layla, Kanna, Rose and Violet. Lily: Male, 25, 186cm, Rava. Layla: Female, 20, 190cm, Rava. Kanna: Female, 17, 173cm, Rava. Rose: Female, 15, 169cm, Rava. Violet: Male, 14, 167cm, Rava.

Additional information:

I ship Lily with Haurchefant!! Tag is HaurcheLily and I am very delusional about them ♥️

Lily's forest name was Raeja. He changed it to Lily because of Lily of the Valley's and his fondness of them.

His hair style changes during StB patch quests. During the Shinryu fight his hair gets damaged and he cuts it. Before his hair reached to around his waist. Then sometime during Endwalker patch quests he cuts it again.

He prefers wearing light clothes that doesn't get in the way or get dirty when working. He used to work odd jobs for various Ul'dah merchants and then later performed at a stage with dance, totally not just because I like putting him in pretty whore outfits.

His main colors are Royal Purple and Metallic Red. Lily's favorite colors are purples with gold.

I draw him with much more muscle than his in-game model shows. He needs to have wide shoulders and a small waist!! Round butt and thicc thighs!!!!

I am still working on his "canon" outfits and has one so far. I will update with them when it's done!