#also season one of community is always a lot of fun to rewatch because you get to see all the bad ideas they had or all the pairing combos

[pussyhoundspock]

abed and troy competing to see who can take more pencils in their mouth. and of course troy wins <3

[rhysdarbinizedarby]

‘Our Flag Means Death’ Star Rhys Darby on Stede’s Transformations & Hopes for Season 3

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Our Flag Means Death Season 2 Episode 8 “Mermen.”]

Our Flag Means Death saw Gentleman pirate Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) transform from a fish-out-of-water swashbuckler into the romantic hero he was always destined to be in the latest season of Max‘s original comedy.

After realizing the error of his ways at the end of Season 1, Stede sought redemption in the eyes of the infamous Blackbeard, a.k.a. Ed (Taika Waititi), after recognizing he was in love with the pirate. While the path wasn’t a direct one, they eventually found their way back to one another with the help of a fantastical mermaid sequence, some much-needed apologies, and ultimately a better string of communication.

Reflecting on his journey, star Rhys Darby is opening up about Stede’s various transformations in Season 2, including the excitement surrounding that mermaid tail, as well as about where he thinks the pirate lovebirds might end up next should the series return for Season 3.

Congrats on Season 2! Now that we can finally talk about it, what has it been like getting to see fan reactions, especially during the SAG-AFTRA strike?

Rhys Darby: Yeah, it was like a pressure cooker that needed to burst, for us and for the fans. When it finally came out, the burst happened and there was so much love for us, [but we] couldn’t talk about it. We were still stuck in this bottle and the cork wouldn’t come off, and that was difficult, but it was really lovely to see all the love and the surprise from everyone. Obviously, as you know, the fan artwork, it’s what we would say in New Zealand is pretty full on. So yeah, it was super cool.

And not that anyone gives out numbers, but I think I heard on the ethos that people [are] watching it, and it’s rating really high and at a time when we need this kind of beautiful love fest of comedy with a whole bunch of silliness to take us away from the disasters that are happening in the world. It’s been lovely. I just wish it was longer. I know people watch and rewatch and they’re so fanatical, but it’s just a comedy show, so to have any effect means so much to us.

In Season 2, Stede’s gone through a few transformations, one of which is that he’s a real pirate now, at least comparatively to Season 1. What helped you get into that new version of him? Was it the writing, costumes, or a combination of the two?

Yeah, the costumes are the first thing that comes to mind because once he starts wearing different gear, he looks at himself and goes, “Oh my God, I’m a different man.” And he really is turning from a man who is wearing these beautiful gowns with high heels and things inappropriate for a pirate ship to becoming an Errol Flynn-type hero straight away. That’s what they wanted to do with the character. So he’s lost a lot of that beautiful pageantry and is becoming a more practical guy who has to survive. He returns to this nightmare of a world because he wants to fight for love, and for want of a better term, “man up,” whatever the modern-day version of that is, “person up?” To become the guy that he dreamt of being in the first season.

He didn’t dream that he was going to fall in love with someone. He dreamt he was going to be this amazing pirate and that just was not going to happen. But then when he found this love, I think he went away from that [dream] going, “I don’t deserve this.” And then when he realized upon returning home that he does deserve it, he had to fight for it. And so the only way to fight for it was to drop the battle armor of the gowns and actually become the pirate he imagined being. So it was great to become that and to fight for that love and to thank god that [Blackbeard] didn’t die. He would’ve actually lost it, I think, because it would’ve been like, “Well, what am I fighting for now?”

I think it was just so fun to see that character change, but also within that change, see a bit of the old self come through, especially when he found that cursed red suit. And all of a sudden it was like, “Oh my God, the old me again, look how good I look!” So it was lovely that they had those elements… I was missing a little bit of the old Stede myself. So it was great to find that again. And then again near the end with the British invasion scenario where I got to do the big coat and everything, which of course looked awesome. You can see that moment where I put it on and did that slow turnaround. It was way more filmic shots of me wearing that kind of stuff. And I think that gave Stede's strength as well. So much of Stede's embodiment comes from the things he’s wearing.

Speaking of costumes, the big one of the season had to be Stede’s mermaid look. How did you wrap your head around getting ready for such a fantastical, and ultimately, beautiful scene?

That was the highlight of the whole season for me. As a kid, I used to swim around like a little merkid. I would put my legs together and I’d swim under the water. I’ve always been into mermaids and things because I’m into cryptozoology. So when I got to be a mermaid or a merman, I really took to it. It was pretty easy, to be honest with you. I didn’t have any training to swim like that. So the only training I did was some breath work beforehand to help me hold my breath longer. But that was kind of almost superfluous. Once I got that [tail] on, I just became a mermaid. It’s hard for me to describe how I suddenly become these things, but I think I just got under the water. I could swim really easily with it.

And I had weights on. So one of the things was we had to make sure I was the right weight so that I wouldn’t just float. That thing was sort of buoyant. So once we sorted that out, I could actually swim really well, and then just sort of hover underneath the water for a long time while [Taika]’s looking at me, I’m looking at him. To see it on the day, on the screen when I knew they’d got [the shot], there were just so many cheers, and I think they even played the music to see how the scene would work out. It’s one of those life moments where you go, “Oh my God, I’m becoming a cryptid again. I’m never going to forget this.”

This season really does focus even more on Stede and Blackbeard’s romance. How did you and Taika prepare for that? Especially since Stede’s more transparent about his feelings this time around.

It was good, and it was time. And because I was the new strong Stede, it felt really natural for me. I think it just worked really well with the writing because of the aggression that I was going through. When I was fighting that really bad guy [Ned Low (Bronson Pinchot) and] threw a violin at him because he ruined Calypso’s birthday, that was a good moment because it is not just about Ed, it’s about the crew, Stede’s family, and they were going through this amazing moment there, and all of a sudden this guy turns up and next thing we’re getting tortured. And I’m like, “How dare you?”

I think that progression of strength helped [Stede] break into the moment of, “I’m just going to take my lover as well now, and do something with him.” He probably had no idea what he was doing because it’s Stede, but it worked out and it was the right time in the show. Taika and I are really good mates, so it’s really easy to do emotional scenes together. As soon as we put our gear on, we’re just looking at that character, and we admire each other.

You and Taika have been known to improv on the show. Was there any improv moment from Season 2 you were particularly proud to see onscreen?

Yeah. Well, one, I noticed that some people are talking about that they thought was scripted, which wasn’t — most of the [scenes where] I’m with Taika are improvised in those emotional close moments — is on the deck of the boat where we’d do the thumb thing. That was all improvised on the day. So that was fun that we got that kind of stuff in. And there were some more little bits and pieces, but that’s one that comes to mind. That worked really well.

By the end of Season 2, Stede and Blackbeard have settled in to open their own inn. Do you think the peace and quiet will last in a possible third season, or will they get bored and want to rejoin the excitement?

Well, obviously as it stands now, it’s very lovely and it’s a nice positive ending, which is lovely for Season 2. But in reality, if you think about the characters, even in the fictional world, they’re both outlaws, they’re pirates, and the British back then… they never gave up. They did track down all the pirates and either hang them or get rid of them. There was only a couple that got away, and it certainly wasn’t those two. So I think what they’re thinking is, yes, this is bliss, but both those characters must be thinking, this is not going to last because you’ve got to sleep with one eye open.

Even though they’re in the middle of nowhere, they’re still in an area where everyone knows what they are, so they’re going to be tracked down. So I think if it was me, [they’d] end up back in action one way or another, especially if their inn is popular, which it probably would be. Word would get around. I mean, in those days, had you heard the Blackbeard and Stede had opened up an inn, [you’d have] to check that one out. It’ll be like Planet Hollywood.

There would be a wait-list, for sure.

Yeah, absolutely. Basically, they’re too famous now that Stede’s killed Ned and everything. He’s a famous pirate. So death is going to come to their door at some point. They’ll have to deal with it.

Do you think this version of Stede and Blackbeard’s story could avoid the fate of the real-life pirates?

Yeah, no, I think you’re dreaming if you think they’re going to live happily ever after.

Our Flag Means Death, Seasons 1-2, Streaming now, Max

Source: TV Insider

[toscrollperchancetomeme]

Is there a life after IwtV Season 2?

So, Interview with the Vampire Season 2 is over, you have already rewatched it a dozen times and don’t know what to do with yourself?

Here’s a list of suggestions!

Read the books

I might be biased because I have been a fan since the early 2000s, but they are genuinely worth a read. A lot of people struggle especially with the first book, which I understand – but you can absolutely skip it and start right away with The Vampire Lestat! Especially The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned are a great read and they are what is coming up next in the show. A lot of the plot of QotD happens at the same time as The Vampire Lestat, so I expect that material from both books will come up in the next season.

If you have a brain that enjoys audio books, they are actually available for free on youtube (though the narrator pronounces Louis’ name wrong). The version on the commercial audio book platforms read by Simon Vance is better though, if that’s an option for you. :)

The books after that are very much a mixed bag, but they all have some great and some downright crazy stuff in them, because Anne Rice’s writing was pretty unhinged at times. It’s a ride, but imho one worth taking.

Watch reaction videos on YouTube

I think I have by now watched all reactions that are available. For me it really brings a lot of joy to relive the experience of a first-time watch by proxy. Some are frustrating because people talk over important dialogue, some hold genuine galaxy brain moments by people who know nothing of the material. I will not recommend anyone, because vibes vary for everyone, but I’m sure there’s a reactor out there that YOU will vibe with.

Watch other shows/movies with the actors

Did you know that “Talk Radio”, written by and starring Eric Bogosian is available in full on youtube? I haven’t watched it yet, but I hear it’s really good.

For Sam Reid, I can’t recommend “Lambs of God” highly enough, and I hear great things about The Newsreader, which I sadly can’t get my hands on at the moment. “Belle” is also a beautiful movie, but his part is rather small as far as I remember.

Then of course there’s Hotel Portofino for Assad (but I’m not yet that desperate).

I actually haven’t watched anything with Jacob Anderson except Game of Thrones, which I will NOT rewatch, so I’m happy for suggestions there!

Watch the movies that have been namedropped by Rolin Jones

Hedwig and the Angry Inch – a phenomenal movie and stage show in its own right. It’s fun, it’s beautiful, it’s queer as fuck, the music is excellent and it’s an absolute must-watch.

Rocky Horror Picture Show – honestly, if you have never seen this movie, what are you waiting for?

The Dirt – Rolin Jones has mentioned the book, but there was actually a pretty decent movie made about Mötley Crüe a few years ago, that I really enjoyed.

Also, I have seen Amadeus mentioned several times, I’m not sure if that came up in an interview but it’s an excellent movie and the parallels to the relationship between Lestat and Armand are definitely there.

Honorary mention: Fight Club, not because anyone has mentioned it but… the parallels warrant an essay that I might one day have to write. (Themes: Queerness of male on male violence, imaginary boyfriends, idealization of toxic masculinity)

Read the books from Rolin Jones' reading list

I have now spent 10 minutes googling for that interview where he lists the books he’s reading for Season 3, but can’t find it. Someone please drop it in the comments?

Learn French

Want to feel closer to your favorite actors? Why not go through the same hell as them and get bullied by the Duolingo owl while at it? ❤

Discord servers

I’m not active there right now, but I have found several fandom servers that seem like great communities.

Read Fanfic

Honestly the reason this is down here is because it’s so obvious. :)

Get creative

Write fanfic, draw fan art, roleplay, edit videos, make unhinged memes!

And always: Support the content creators!

Everytime I scroll the tag I see new creators entering the fandom and let me tell you, after almost 20 years of drought, I am overjoyed. Same goes for fic writers, youtube reactors and reviewers! Leave them a like, a comment or whatever is available on the platform they are using.

Edit:

Watch the musical!

I completely forgot! There’s a Lestat musical by Elton John. Yes, you read that right. This lovely YouTube account has full bootlegs for you to enjoy some camp broadway fun!

[alitherandom]

Bad Batch is almost over so I'm going to ramble. If anyone can relate, please reply or reblog. Share what this show has meant to you, share your thoughts, share theories, tag people. Let's give it a send off.

Star Wars has been a massive part of my life for years.

I loved everything about the Clone Wars, the world building, the character development for the jedi, but most of all the clones. As someone who finds it hard to read faces, it was fun getting to know each of the clones as individuals with their own personalities and I actually never had any issues telling them apart. It hits hard, I think that's what makes their stories even more tragic.

Echo and Fives are my favourite Star Wars characters so I was really happy when Echo came back in Clone Wars season 7. That was why I decided to watch the Bad Batch- it then became my favourite series.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do when this show ends. I think the hardest part is not knowing what the galaxy has in store for the batch and where it could go from here. Whatever happens I’ll always be grateful for the experiences I've had as part of this community over the last few years.

I think that's what's great about being part of a fandom. Seeing all the different ideas and projects that get put out there every day as well as knowing everyone else is in just as much suspense as I am. I haven't interacted on here that much until the last few months, but I check the tags a lot and all the fanart has been immaculate. The writers and artists are crazy talented and work so hard, I admire the level of dedication and aspire to be like that. 😂

I'm also really grateful for the three seasons we got with Clone Force 99.

Seeing Echo go from a shiny in the Clone Wars to becoming who he is now. (I could talk about that for ages, but I'll save that for another post.)

Seeing Crosshair regain his trust in the batch and get to change.

Seeing Hunter step up for his brothers and Omega.

Seeing more sides to Wrecker's strength.

Seeing Omega go from that kid who'd never seen dirt before to learning from her brothers and proving how brave she is.

And lastly, seeing Tech make the choice he did back in season 2. It wasn't easy to watch, because he deserved more time and there was definitely a massive hole in season 3 without him.

I'm not ready to say goodbye to any of them.

My favourite episodes in season 1 were the last few, when Kamino fell. It was the end of an era as well as a new beginning.

My favourite episode in season 2 was episode 8. I was really proud of Echo, plus he got a hug from Omega which I have admittedly rewatched far too many times.

My favourite episodes in season 3 were episodes 13 and 14. The stakes have been so high and it's been great seeing Echo's ARC skills in action again. (Plus the dialogue with Rampart was top tier. Hate that guy, but it was hilarious.)

I'm well aware of all the theories for the finale. I'm choosing to ignore most of them, but I’d like to present my own.

I hope Echo gets to finish what Fives started and the clones can finally be free, including Tech if he's CX2. I hope the batch gets to burn Tantiss to the ground and fly off into the sunset with Omega and the kids from the vault, and then I hope they continue a lifetime of bullying Rampart. I also hope Emerie gets to whack Hemlock with a steel chair, and then the Zillo beast can eat him.

…After all, Star Wars is based on hope, right?

If anyone actually ended up reading this to the end you're a real one- have a great final Bad Batch eve, and may the force be with you.

[what-gs-watching]

"It said quarter to five, but it was quarter to ass…"

I’m sorry but it’s time for a quick appreciation post for Community’s season 5. I realize I shouldn’t be watching Community yet again since I was just into it like eight months ago and obviously wrote a love letter to it  but we’re here already so deal with it. 

This is an incredibly deep cut situation, but I don’t care. Season 5 has some of my all-time favorite episodes, even if it’s likely a lot of people gave up on the show before it ever came out because Dan Harmon had left for season 4 and there was always so much upheaval around it even being renewed and blah blah AND Donald Glover left that season.

Which, I admit, was devastating. But even so, there are a bunch of gems in the 13-episode run. 

Starting with "Basic Intergluteal Numismatics", wherein the study group tries to FINALLY solve the case of the Asscrack Bandit, a shadowy figure who’s running around campus dropping quarters down unsuspecting asscracks. Literally, that’s the entire premise. The episode is based on movies like Zodiac, it’s dark and brooding and it’s fucking hilarious because everyone takes it so seriously and it’s a perfect Community homage. They had BEN FOLDS do two different songs to include in it and they’re catchy as hell, honestly they fucking slap, and I’m still not sure who I think is the asscrack bandit, and I hope to never find out. 

Another pure favorite is “Geothermal Escapism”, which is Donald Glover’s final episode, and a perfect way to send him off. Abed declares a school-wide game of “the floor is lava” and it’s such a good replacement for the paintball game episodes. As usual, everyone in the school is completely committed to the bit except for Britta for once, who’s trying to force the group to properly deal with Troy leaving, she’s the surprising voice of reason throughout and the loophole they come up with to help Abed deal with losing his best friend is so Community. I cry everytime I watch this one - literally, their relationship is so pure and beautiful and sweet and the episode is simultaneously fun and bittersweet. 

Also, we can’t forget about "Analysis of Cork-Based Networking". The only reason I love this episode is like, a fairly small part of the entire story, but it makes me hysterically laugh every time. The group has formed a ‘Save Greendale’ committee and Annie is off navigating the labyrinth of bureaucracy which leaves Jeff, Shirley, Chang and Duncan to pick a theme for the midterm dance. After Chang has a meltdown, they agree to his pitch of “Bear down for midterms” which no one understands, but they commit to it. Eventually, they find out why Chang was so insistent on the theme, and it’s not great. I honest to god still yell “BEAR DOWN FOR MIDTERMS” when I’m dealing with something I don’t want to do. Like right now, with the case study I’m doing for an interview process. My husband always knows what I mean, and I love it.

Finally gang, "App Development and Condiments". Fucking Meowmeowbeanz. This is the episode where the entire school gets caught up in a social media app that lets them rate each other, and the entire social ecosystem falls apart. The important part here is that this episode was made BEFORE that Black Mirror episode you’re thinking about. Community is streets ahead, and always has been. The commentary is scathing, and fucking hilarious. 

I have no real point to any of this, I’ve just been thinking about it for the past two days and I had to get it out. I can never sing enough praises for Community. I’ve decided on this (10th? 15th? who knows) rewatch that it is literally my favorite show in the world. Like, it’s my desert island show and my comfort show and my comedy show and my sad show. It’s my every show.

Community, oh how I love you.

[torrentialstardust]

UMINEKO X DRAWTECTIVES: OGALVY AND MARIA, YORK AND BATTLER

I have much to say, so sorry in advance for the length!

I was rewatching some of Drawtectives before attending one of the NezumiVA Umineko streams and I thought it would be fun to cross the two over! They're both mystery "games" but with vastly different tones and settings.

The first drawings I sketched aren't even the ones finished here but I'm sure I'll get to them soon enough. The one I started lining first was Ogalvy and Maria, or specifically Piss Boy and Sakutaro! They're cuddlie~ I even had my own Piss Boy plush next to me while drawing fo reference! I think Maria just deserves good things and she'd be such good friends with Ogalvy, I had them doing drawings together. The outfit swap was also fun, though a little tricky with how cartoony Ogalvy is. Maria's clothes were a bit tricky to put on him, but I like the way it turned out! Also proud of the facial expressions, hope I got the right kind of "enthusiastic to the point where you don't even smile, you're just totally focused and excited".

York and Battler got compared to each other a while back so I thought they'd be good to draw together, and I love the idea of Battler being a goofy bi disaster. Not only that but given how him being tall is mentioned repeatedly, I wanted to bring in the energy I feel whenever I see someone taller than me. I basically just hardcore projected onto Battler is what I'm saying.

The outfit swap part was a lil tricky but still fun, since York has two key design traits: he keeps on his armband with his outfits and he can't wear sleeves. "The technology just doesn't exist". I took off the sleeves of Battler's outfit, but I still decided to swap the armband around, mainly because the part of York's arm it would go on was geometrically confusing and I didn't want to draw attention to that. The hair was also fun to swap. Battler looks like that one rando from Overwatch and I'm not sorry, but I'm not proud either. It does still look nice to me.

OK! That's the process explained! And now: a call to action.

Hey, peeps on the YouTube stream and on the Umineko tag: you should watch Drawtectives! It's a fun and silly mystery series! There is murder in it but it's still lighthearted for the most part, it's got charming characters, and season 3 is on the horizon! You could catch up pretty easily in time for it to start and have a gay ol time!

Hey, peeps on the Drawtectives tag waiting for season 3: you should read Umineko! It's an incredibly engaging and emotional mystery series! It's got a massive cast with lots of character depth and many puzzles to solve! It's on Steam (but please don't use the new sprites they made they're so much worse than the OG sprites, switch to them), a few other places too, and I'm pretty sure there's even a Kindle Port, but I've been enjoying the readthrough by the delightful NezumiVA!

We've got a really nice community of people who've read it before and people like us who don't know what's going on there. It is a bit longer than Drawtectives I'm afraid but it may not take too long to get caught up on the playlist. Nezumi's also pretty good at warning for the more sensitive content in the Novel which is always a big help. Only thing I'd watch out for is some gorey stuff toward the end of episode 2, which isn't even visually depicted.

OK! I think that's everything I needed to say! Comms open as per usual and have a lovely day!

[sisterofficerlucychen]

so while rewatching a show for the first time again isn’t possible, rewatching the rookie through a different lens is because let me tell you how interesting it is to rewatch scenes as chenford is canon.  

2x19: the q word for example

this conversation with tim and lucy - “what are you so happy about?” “what? nothing? can’t i smile?” “you’ve just been doing it a lot lately.” — this is so ironic because who else has been smiling a lot lately? tim. i don’t think we’ve ever seen this man smile so bright or so much and it’s so funny that he was the one to ask lucy this in season 2 when we’re now in season 5 and he’s so giddy and in love.

tim’s rule about no personal life talk in the shop. the little interaction of “my personal life is none of your business” “finally. there’s hope for you yet.” — it’s a little fun, comedic moment between the two but it also highlights how she’s literally the only one to have successfully broken that rule, time and time again because of how much personal life talk they’e had through the years. i think it’s safe to argue that out of everyone they know, lucy knows tim the best and tim knows lucy the best. ALSO THE FACT THAT HE’S NOW PART OF HER PERSONAL LIFE???? 

tim talking to chris’ training officer and as he does that, how his gaze travels to lucy like he’s always worried about her and it’s so sweet to see the evolution of how he worries and how he treats her. i think back in this episode, it was more tied to the aftermath of what caleb and rosalind put lucy through but he’s always been protective over her. 5x08 had such a great moment of this when the man with the collar was standing in the middle of the street and not only did he rush her toward him when they thought it was going to go off, he literally shielded her. it’ll be so interesting to see how this continues to be at play now that he’s in a different division because tim isn’t about to let go of that protectiveness

the parallel of the “gun hand” between 2x19 and 5x12.

when they’re driving and lucy asks if they can “talk about what happened earlier” — i just love how even in their earlier years, they’ve always communicated so well?? with the exception of 5x02 lmao. but just lucy addressing the conflict and tim not shutting her down and engaging in that conversation with her. 

*snickers* lucy shooting down the label of emmett being her boyfriend because we all know how much she’s always steered away from labels but called herself tim’s girlfriend after a few weeks. heck, technically she called herself the mother of his children on their second date. 

“you may be thirty days from crossing the finish line but the only thing that happens when you cross it is that i won’t be there to keep you from washing out ... or worse, so you better believe this next month is going to be tough” — omg, there’s so much to unpack here that i could probably make this its own post but let’s talk about it at a high level. as her training officer, tim was always hard on her. the moment he realized that she was worth his time to train, he never made it easy for her because he knew she could take it. he said it too, back in 3x11: “you are a kind and insightful person. you see the good in people. so much so that i had to show you the world can be a scary place.” he trained her not only ensure that she could hold her own but that she’d be confident in her ability to to do which she 100% can. like obviously a lot of it is her, to which he’s also acknowledged, but he supported her in getting there. would lucy be where she is had she had any other training officer? probably but the thing tim did that i don’t think anyone else would have, was challenge her strengths for her to be able to grow in that area too. lucy can handle herself, she’s proved it time and time again whether it’s been while uc or like with the dv situation where she took on the boyfriend and talked down kyra. anyway, what could be really intersting here moving forward is how their dynamic on the job shifts now that they’re not in the same department because more likely than not, they’ll still work together but what’s going to happen when lucy makes a life or death decision on the clock that worries tim but can’t do anything about it because she doesn’t answer to him anymore?? soz, i love some good old angst and i hope this is a place where we get it because i love protective tim, badass lucy, and their deep conversations.

the “i thought we weren’t going to discuss my personal life [...] we’re friends” is so funny because of how they spent their last shift on patrol together talking about their personal life and trying to solve that conflict but also, no lucy bb, you’re not just friends, you’re boyfriend and girlfriend :-))))) you just didn’t know it then lmao. 

[kmze]

Thoughts on 4x13-4x23 TBH I had a lot of fun watching this half! I liked Elena’s no humanity arc and I enjoyed Silas fucking around with everyone and getting inside their heads. I also liked the detours to NYC and the storybook town Katherine compelled. There is some good foreshadowing this half and it was definitely much better than the first half of S4 (at least to me) The worst part was Bonnie’s storyline because of how tragically it ended and that she wasn’t in control of herself for much of it (this season was rough for her, might be her roughest). Also everyone appears to be dumber for plot reasons (or maybe it was just Damon being put in charge too often). Thoughts below!

4x13

The way Rebekah body slammed Elena CTFU!!

Klaus is such an asshole. As much as I have enjoyed some of the Klaus and Caroline scenes this season (my feelings about them have evolved, they are a necessary evil lol) stuff like this will always turn me off about them.

This Forwood scene is both touching and heartbreaking. Caroline reassuring Tyler he did the right thing because he freed the hybrids, and calling him a leader. They’re so great.

Again it's so cruel how the show is handling Beremy in regards to Bonnie. They came back together pretty quickly, which isn't a bad thing because it shows Jeremy has been pining this whole time (which your own fault my guy). However, they are just setting Bonnie up because he's gonna die! All those shirtless muscle grazes for nothing.

Rebekah dropping truth bombs though about how everyone should shut up about taking the moral high ground.

I like that Caroline always finds a way to stay alive! She knew she could use Klaus’ feelings for her against him to cure her, and she doesn’t have to give him anything in return. Adapt or die.

4x14

I am so tired of hearing about the cure already!

These beach/forest island scenes are making me zone out, I have no idea what's going on with this plot and very ready for it to end.

Nah Klaus was being way too nice and forgiving, Tyler and Caroline needed to be quicker figuring that out.

For someone who hates Elena she sure does talk about her ALL THE TIME JFC Rebekah, get a life.

But EL OH EL at Elena trying to get Stefan back to worshipping her by talking about his feelings on being human and when she asks why he didn't tell her he says "because it wasn't about you" BURN!

I like how you can subtly tell its Katherine when she goes to bite the hunter. Elena never would have done that.

Poor Forwood :(

Klaus is so fucking delusional “you know I would never hurt you” you just did less than 24 hours ago!

4x15

Stefan and Caroline have great silent communication.

Sometimes I read Reddit against my better judgement and for some reason they all believe Stefan and Bonnie should have happened. But I’m sorry after 3.5 seasons into this rewatch Stefan doesn’t give a flying fuck about Bonnie! Whatever “friendship” people think was “ignored” does not exist! He basically told Damon to leave her on that island with a 2000 year old psychic immortal because Damon needed to use the sire bond (!!!) on Elena. Bonnie doesn’t really fuck with him either, ever since Grams died she keeps her distance more than I noticed before. I think Bonnie recognizes how much Stefan is a lying liar who lies.

I think that’s why Bonnie ultimately got closer to Damon than she ever did to Stefan. Not that she trusts Damon or even really likes him until S6, but he at least shows her who he is all the time.

Damon and Caroline do not have good silent communication lol.

The crazypants Bonnie scenes are amusing in a scary way during all this heavy stuff.

This was one of the most emotional episodes of this show ever and I mean that in a good way. Nina deserved more accolades for her performance because it’s really heartbreaking, and she does a fantastic job of switching from extremely emotional to “emotionless” humanity off.

The scene where the trio walks out of the house while it’s burning you see Damon and Elena keep walking together but Stefan stays back a bit to look at the house and gets separated from the two of them. I felt like that was foreshadowing that Stefan is going to move on and essentially leave the triangle.

4x16

Wait did Elena just imply Caroline has seen her naked!

Damon’s list of things Klaus sucks at CTFU!

I feel like Stefan always has a vervain needle in his pocket LMFAO! Phone, keys, wallet, vervain needle. It will also endlessly amaze me how often vamps get roofied by vervain needles in broad daylight and just no one cares.

The way NH!Elena stops when she sees Stefan and Caroline dancing and stomps over GREATEST MOMENTS IN TVD HISTORY! I firmly believe this is the first time we see Stefan have his more than friendship feelings for Caroline (the ones that scared him and he pushed away) and actually act on them.

OMG am I ready for Rebekah to go away already!

Klaus and Hayley have ZERO chemistry wow. They definitely get better on TO but this was painful to watch.

Personally I would have told Stefan “not my problem” re: NH!Elena but Caroline is nicer than me. She’s also still kinda falls for his tricks at this point (wait until S6 my friends).

4x17

Love the 1977 flashback mostly for the use of Psycho Killer.

KLEFAROLINE! I can’t believe this is the only episode ever that they all shared scenes at the same time.

Isn’t Shane dead?!? I can’t follow this storyline at all man.

You can always tell how bad the show is treating Bonnie by how bad her wig/hair is and right now it's getting bad again. It looked great with the curtain bangs but the full bangs are a no-go. How this show managed to make Kat Graham look NOT gorgeous on purpose is it's most heinous crime.

I think we can all agree when Klaus said “don’t underestimate the allure of darkness Stefan, even the purest of hearts are drawn to it” it was him propositioning Stefan and Caroline to have a threesome.

I’m really enjoying the NYC scenes and the flashbacks. It’s giving a different feel to the show and I like it, almost the opposite of how it made me feel in the beginning of the season. Maybe we’re transitioning with Elena again but this time it's about having no humanity and hedonism so it's like grimmy, dark and sexy. Also change of scenery once in a while is a good thing.

Klaus pushing Stefan against the tree was way more sexual than the script intended me thinks. Then Caroline rushes over, and that’s why we only got one episode of this throuple, le sigh.

Damn NH!Damon was cold blooded in the flashback with Lexi, I forgot about that.

4x18

Katherine compelling a whole town reminds me of WandaVision now.

Stefan pointing out how incompetent Damon is lol always funny (and true).

NH!Elena intimidating Katherine is GOLD! Nina is having so much fun with this arc and I love that for her.

Damon and Stefan being like “ew” at Katherine and Elijah like they both haven’t slept with her AND her doppelgänger.

Honestly the vial the cure was in did not look like a 2000 year old vial so like again, morons. Damon for some reason thought Katherine was as stupid as him and hide it in the most obvious spot.

NH!Elena is right how fucking stupid is Elijah that he trusted Katherine or believes anything she says EVER. He's just as gullible as his sister.

I’m with Elijah honestly Klaus no one cares about you being tormented, you’re the worst and this is karma. I'm also with him in regards to Rebekah and her insisting on taking the cure, you wouldn't last one day without superpowers, you're just bored and need attention.

4x19

Caroline still got the better dress lol. I do love when she uses men's affections to get herself things.

Silas appearing as everyone was a good villain for this half. Gave everyone an opportunity to play something different, plus there’s always something scary about a shapeshifter especially one that can read your mind.

Bonnie going cray-cray again but even worse her hair and this dull dress WTF?! Like they gave her prom queen but at what cost! I hope Kat burned this wig once she was free from it.

I personally feel like the Steroline prom dance affects Stefan more than Caroline. She maybe feels a little tingle after they share a look but Stefan’s reaction is way more played up. He’s the one who lowers his head like they might kiss and then the breath he takes after. My heart. Love how this becomes such an important moment in their love story, especially for him. He mentions it in his speech about loving her changed his life, and oh yeah his friggin' wedding vows!

See another vervain needle! This guy!

I'm sorry but LMFAO at Klaus talking about humanity saying mockingly "why does this always happen to innocent people" because he's kinda right! Being human in this world would be super lame with all the supernatural power and knowledge they have.

Elijah knows there's a super-powerful immortal psychic who can impersonate people wondering around and he doesn't ask for even a little bit of clarifying information when "Rebekah" says she passed his test. Also he just believes she passed his test? HOW IS HE THIS GULLIBLE?!

4x20

The first scene cracks me up in retrospect like “we three are contractually obligated to be in all episodes so here’s some random dialogue to fill that” LMFAO

MARCEL <333 you beautiful sexy ass hell man, I shall always crackship you with Bonnie Boncel4lyfe

Elijah is just as bad as Stefan when it comes to his brother, like OMG just let that man GO! Some people just don’t want to be saved man.

The Klamille scene when they looking at the painting and discussing it is really nice (plus great song). I know technically he looked at art with Caro first but like Cami actually appreciates art and Caro couldn’t really care less beyond distracting him lol.

4x21

IDK if I can believe Caroline was valedictorian… I mean I don’t think she’s dumb or not determined enough to get it but there is no way she attended enough classes to get it. Sorry show I don’t believe you.

You know Caroline is moving up in the TVD food chain when Matt turns a dig about her from Rebekah into a compliment!

Matt being the trigger for Elena made sense, he got the biggest emotional reaction out of her when she first saw him in the woods. I don’t think Damon got any real emotional reaction out of her tbh, and Stefan got some with her jealousy over Caroline and when he compared her to Katherine. This just proves Matlena should have been endgame like I’ve always said!

4x22

Stefan definitely had Caroline babysitting Elena.

Sorry but I love how everyone doesn’t even entertain the idea Elena could kill Katherine. They are like she’s 500 years old and 500x smarter than you, you will die.

Lexi’s comments are great foreshadowing for Steroline. They are ambiguous enough that they don’t say Stefan has feelings for Caroline but they don’t deny it. Lexi definitely seems to think so though and she's known him for over 100 years so...

I know Katherine and Elena have tons of reasons to want each other dead but it felt like they played it up on purpose this episode and the next one to make them fight and give Katherine the cure. It’s not OOC or anything just feels more manufactured than it needed to be.

I can’t believe they killed Bonnie! I know it’s temporary but JFC she can’t catch a break, this was an awful season half for her. Fuck Julie and Dries.

4x23

I can’t believe they had Stefan graduate LMFAO zero people believe he attended more than 2 classes this whole year.

I like how the Klaroline scene in 4x23 and the Steroline scene in 6x22 work in tandem. I used to view it as a conflict but now I appreciate how they work so well for Caroline. Two hot powerful guys promising her their heart and she gets to choose which one whenever she wants since they both gave an open timeline. It girl behavior!

I don’t think I ever zone out more than when Damon and Elena make one of their yelling love declarations of toxicity. I will never understand their appeal.

Poor Stefan. I do feel a little bad but they did hint all season he was going to be the one to move on and he knew it too. Through a rewatch it’s easy to see the hints and foreshadowing. His scene with Damon where he says he’s “not not happy for you” is great too because that’s what matters to him more in the end.

Human Katherine! Such a great storyline excited for it!

HELLO MY SHADOW SELF

Lines that made me laugh:

Rebekah: You’re like Sherlock Holmes with brain damage (she's annoying but she is funny!)

Elena: You got Lexi’d! (CRYING I swear everyone is funnier without humanity)

Caroline: I don’t know if this is your new weird way of flirting, but it sucks. (her delivery was the best part)

[batsplat]

okay what’s up with the good wife out of all the media you reblog this is the most random one ?

it's not RANDOM omg that is a top three rewatch show to me... I love my silly little lawyers.... perfect mix of fun week to week cases, excellent side characters, interpersonal mess between the main cast, plus all the ways they'd imaginatively tackle Current Events. the good fight had a similar appeal - minus the focus on week to week cases and plus far more explicit politics. didn't always work, but it's one of those shows where I just kind of appreciated how willing they were to take a swing at it and get a bit weird about it. even in the good wife, they had so many Good Bits... the nsa agents who were super invested in the main cast's relationships, the liberal judge with all his Causes, the wife killer, LOUIS CANNING!! obviously, the 'in your opinion' lady, the google guy... also this is from the good fight but the federal investigator lady who always had the birds fly against her office window was a+ plus, it's such a dumb bit but it got me every time as a great appreciator of dumb bits. such a corny pair of shows that are very much like,, About Liberalism and a reckoning with that entire era of american life from an unabashedly liberal perspective, with all the inherent pitfalls and shortcomings of that pov... but does consistently manage to do interesting stuff with that starting point. a lawyer show that's also a bit of an autopsy of a mostly dead vision of america, kinda all you need sometimes

and I love alicia and will, my tragic heterosexuals!! the forbidden love of it all!! I love how cruel and selfish alicia was a lot of the time and how she's mostly in control of that relationship even though will SHOULD be the one in the position of power, how she's constantly using him and then pushing him away while will is so obviously besotted, how she simply keeps finding excuses to stop herself from being happy... does she even love him at all or does she just like him in theory, does she just want to be desired... how they always have 'bad timing' and just cannot figure their shit out... "it's romantic because it didn't happen".... "my plan is I love you" the unapologetic melodrama of it all!! the deleted voice message is?? crazy?? (eli goated character btw, the cheese lobby episode is still one of my favourite episodes of anything ever.) that lift scene is peak romance... when she leaves the firm and he feels so betrayed... his tantrum!! "I took you in when nobody wanted you"!! "you were POISON"!! "you're awful and you don't even know how awful you are"!! he's so pathetic and angry for half a season that he's resorting to just arguing with her in his head!!! always with their failed communications via phone and lift doors and loaded gazes across office spaces and delicate finger touches... the romance of it all, how they really could have worked but it's also so glaringly obvious why they kept falling apart... in the end all these repressed losers create their own misery... elite

[daisyishedwig]

Glee tag game

I was tagged by @annepi-blog, thank you!

1. Favourite season 1 episode: Okay, so the obvious answer is Laryngitis because it's one of the absolutely best Kurt episodes in the whole show. But I also fucking hate everything about Rachel's storyline but Rose's Turn alone does kind of give it the leg up to still be the best episode anyway.

2. Favourite season 2 episode: Oh I've got so many contenders for this one. I love Furt and the relationships we get to see between Burt and Kurt and Kurt and Finn. But then Never Been Kissed is just a classic with it being Blaine's first episode and Chris' acting in it is just so so incredible. Blame It On The Alcohol would be a higher contender because I love drunk Blaine and I actually really enjoy Finn in that episode, which isn't something that happens a lot for me until season 4, but the writer's biphobia that they push onto Kurt really ruins it. But I think the actual winner would have to be Prom Queen. I love Kurt in that episode and I love it being the first time we start to see that Blaine's not perfect, that he's a little broken, a little fragile. It's underutilized, but it really sets up so much of what makes Blaine my favorite character to write.

3. Favourite season 3 episode: Okay, we all know it's Michael. Like of course The First Time, On My Way, and Dance With Somebody are all great episodes that I really love. But Michael is the episode I rewatch the most. And part of my love for it is, a) the cut Want You Back scene, and b) believing Seblaine to be genuine, very close friends which makes the slushee incident so much more heart-wrenching. But it's still such a good episode, especially for me with my deep love of angst and Sebastian Smythe, it's really just the best episode in general. Plus it has the added bonus of having the one and only Samcedes duet so, yeah, it's the best.

4. Favourite season 4 episode: Diva and Feud are both a lot of fun, even if a lot of what happens in them is really ridiculous. Guilty Pleasures is such a good Blam episode. And I love I Do for the flirty and thirsty sides of Klaine we get to see. But I do feel like, once again, the angst lover in me has to go with The Breakup. The Scientist and Don't Speak are two of my favorite songs on the whole show. Everyone's acting in that episode is just so so good. Darren and Chris just knock it out of the park in every single scene, and I will never cease to be awed by them.

5. Favourite season 5 episode: I would probably say Tested, because I always love an episode where Blaine gets to cry. And I love Elliot and everything that he does for Klaine in getting them to communicate. And I love getting to truly see Blaine acknowledge his self-worth issues instead of them just constantly being buried and locked away. A lot of the episode is weird and difficult to watch but the conversation that Klaine have at the end will always be one of my favorite Klaine scenes. Other contenders were Bash, because I love Kurt in that episode and once again we get angsty Blaine. And then New York New York because its when we first get to see Klaine actively working to fix the problems in their relationship instead of clinging to the past so tightly that they crush it entirely.

6. Favourite season 6 episode: God, this one is hard because I'm honestly not sure there's any episode that I truly love. Like The Hurt Lockers are iconic, and I love Chris' acting in 2009. But so much of that season is just weird and almost pointless that I'm not sure I have an episode I like enough to consider my favorite.

7. Episode that makes me cry: I haven't rewatched The Quarterback since it aired because of how much it makes me cry. Tested and The Breakup also both hurt a lot.

8. Episode that makes me laugh: The Hurt Lockers for sure

9. Favourite tribute episode: Michael obviously. It's probably my favorite episode of the whole show in general and the songs are so well done.

10. Favourite Christmas episode: Ooof, I love them all for different reasons, but there's just something about Blaine going to New York with Burt to comfort Kurt that will always get to me so it's gotta be Glee, Actually.

11. Episode with the best songs: Ooooh, probably the mashup episodes? I'm not sure I can pick one but it would be a tie between Never Been Kissed and Mash Off.

12. Favourite sectionals episode: Oh, I'm torn between Special Education and Hold On To Sixteen. I love Quinn and Sam getting a duet, and I love Valerie, and I love Mercedes and Tina getting to sing Dog Days Are Over (maybe I just love the lack of Rachel solos, lol). But I do love the set list in Hold On To Sixteen, I love Quinn singing Control, I love Kurt and Tina and Mike all getting solo parts in ABC. And of course The Troubletones are just so good.

13. Favourite regionals episode: I've gotta say On My Way even if it's largely just for Glad You Came and Cough Syrup. The actual competition doesn't matter much to me, but the Karofsky storyline was handled really well and I love Sebastian's apology to Blaine and the New Directions, and it's just good in general.

14. Favourite nationals episode: I really love the set list for Nationals in season 3, but I hate Rachel and so much of that episode is all about Rachel and her choking at her NYADA audition and somehow convincing Carmen Tibideux to come see her anyway. But on the other hand while I don't love the City of Angels set list for nationals as much, I do love the fact that they were all Finn's (and Cory's) favorite songs. And I love Burt and Carole being there. And I love Throat Explosion (or at least John Baptiste) actually being very kind and respectful of Finn's passing. I like that they didn't just lean hard into the show choir rivalry there and let them actually be humans who recognize the pain of the McKinley team. Also Throat Explosion's set was really good too.

15. Episode most people like but I don’t: I might get killed by my Klaine friends. But Love, Love, Love? At the time it aired I was super excited about the proposal, but now as an adult, I really wish it hadn't happened, especially not like that. Like I get that it's romantic in that big grand gesture that Kurt deserves and Blaine would always want to give him. But. They hadn't talked about it! While Kurt guessed it was coming on the drive, it still didn't leave him with anyway to actually pull Blaine aside and talk about it. And with multiple other show choirs there, including Sebastian, can you really expect Kurt to be able to say anything but yes? Like I would have loved for them to have a quiet, personal proposal. To have Blaine ask and have them talk about it and whether or not they're ready for that. And then they could do the big thing. But instead we got Kurt not being given a chance to think about if this is something he actually wants, and it leads to a lot of problems in the future for them.

16. Episode most people dislike but I like: Probably Old Dog, New Tricks. Like it's a weird episode, admittedly. But we get some of my favorite things in it. We get Blaine being a sweet and supportive partner, we get Klaine being a team, we get Kurt calling Rachel out on how selfish she is, we get puppies, and we get Peter Pan. It's great. I have fun with that episode.

and now that I have finally finished that, I'm going to tag @esilher, @calsvoid, @lusthurts, @backslashdelta, and @cryscendo

[doeblossom]

well, now that my mlp question has been answered, what was the episode of mlpfim that stuck with you the most? for me it was most of the season openings/finales and then the want it need it have to have it episode or whatever that one was

bestie you know it's definitely not just one. i get why those stuck with you though! those were definitely bonkers episodes

Obviously, the first two episodes. they're the pilot!

look before you sleep, because for some reason i hyperfixated on the sleep song they made for rarity. it was hilarious and i think about it every time i rewatch the episode

sonic rainboom. i think about the guitar riff when rainbow was close to performing the boom quite a lot. i'll rewatch the episode just to hear it again! it's so awesome and good

season 2 openings, because discord is fun. why didn't he just forcefully discord them all. forever. silly discord

luna eclipsed. i wish we saw more of the bat ponies! also luna's redesign was pretty cool, no matter how much i loved the beta design. just assuming that luna's return left her completely powerless, hence the non-flowy hair and small stature. also holiday interpretations are fun!

sweet and elite, just for the iconic rarity song

hurricane fluttershy, because shes relatable! i was always a little self conscious about my own physical abilities but this episode (and joking around about it) made me feel a lot better

canterlot wedding. cadence my beloved. changelings are so very interesting. i also remember waking up on the couch in my mom's office since they put it on the tv, and my mom joked about mlp being the thing that got me to wake up

crystal empire kinda came out of nowhere but i LOOOOVE the magic implications. i wish they did more with sombra because he seems so interesting as a villain. also i remember being very proud of remembering that the square root of 546 is 23.36664289109

too many pinkie pies; i remember watching this episode the day it aired (it was a reupload on youtube) and my sister and i watched it on our old dinosaur computer, loaded up with good ol' windows 7 and internet explorer

magical mystery cure. i also remember watching this one specifically, sitting in my old bunk bed watching it on my pink disney princess tiara tv and crying at twilight becoming an alicorn because i was so very proud of her (and thought the show was ending)

the season 4 opening, very obviously a huge upgrade in animation. i remember watching leaks of luna's transformation into nightmare moon from a convention and being so excited to see it! im just a big fan of history in shows like this. it gives the world such depth

bats. bats. bats. freaked me the heck out

pinkie's pride because i knew weird al before he showed up on mlp (and always flexed it to my friends in elementary school lol) ALSO i really liked pinkie's lament in it

from whom the sweetie belle toils. ah, siblings. my sister and i never had THESE kinds of issues but i always relate to their sisterly dynamic the most

testing testing 123. probably one of my favorite episodes to rewatch. dash is just neurodivergent!!! it also helped me when i was transitioning from elementary school to junior high (i went to that 6 year college prep school) and the learning curve of "not being as gifted anymore." i still struggle with studying and have not found any great learning methods! well, aside from pretending to be interested, for some reason.

twilight's kingdom. first luna song, AND a laser battle, AND super powerful twilight??? it was pretty awesome. i still want the library back tho pl0x thanks

the cutie map. communism, ok thx byeee. also one of the first villains to be a where's waldo! its fun to look back and spot her and know it WASNT a lazy animators choice

do princesses dream of magic sheep becaues it discusses self harm???? to a target audience of young girls entering a period in their lives where self harm is pretty prominent? man.

rarity investigate is a very fun episode. man i like rarity a lot

scare master validating my fears and acknowledging fluttershy's anxiety around the holiday!! it did a decent job at communicating that what may seem trivial to some is a very real issue for others. i love love love how fluttershy is treated in this episode; her boundaries are validated and accommodated for. (i dont like that sometimes they portrayed her as a party pooper. however! this is a very real feeling some people have! and i think it would be worse not to include a little bit of tension surrounding it)

a hearth's warming tale stuck with me well and good since im a huge christmas buff. also, more luna songs. luna songs were always huge in the fandom

all bottled up! starlight glimmer, my beloved. bottling up feelings is a pretty real thing for me, and instead of disregarding my emotions, it taught me that its healthy to vent in a consensual environment and tell people they're bugging you if they are.

parental glideance. actually, any episode introducing parents. omg, theyre (mostly) not orphans!

a royal problem. daybreaker is cool and awesome, and the lroe behind what she COULDVE been is amazing, but i miss the days of nightmare star

THE PERFECT PEAR. WAHHHHHH

once upon a zepplin was so real for me. confounded people pleasing leading to you having an awful time and missing out on everything.

sounds of silence, because kirins are so cool and they were a very cool thought but i would like to see them speak more than in one episode please thanks

the beginning of the end p2 with twilight's super awesome speech while fighting sombra. man shes so cool. the hair flip animation was cool. twilight is so cool.

she talks to angel, because ive always very badly wanted to know what the heck is going on in that little bunny's mind. and it was hilarious

AND NOW, A LOVELY COMPILATION OF EVERY EPISODE THAT HAS MADE ME CRY AT LEAST ONCE (the anecdotes of a massive crybaby) ~

Hurricane Fluttershy, S2

A Canterlot Wedding Part 2, S2

The Crystal Empire Part 2, S3

Sleepless in Ponyville, S3

Magical Mystery Cure, S3

Princess Twilight Sparkle Part 2, S4

Pinkie's Pride, S4

Filli Vanilli, S4

From Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils, S4

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3, S4

Twilight's Kingdom Part 1, S4

Twilight's Kingdom Part 2, S4

Amending Fences, S5

Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?, S5

The Cutie Re-Mark Part 2, S5

Celestial Advice, S7

The Perfect Pear, S7

Once Upon a Zepplin, S7

The Beginning of the End Part 2, S9

Sparkle's Seven, S9

The Last Laugh, S9

The Last Crusade, S9

The Big Mac Question, S9

The Ending of the End Part 1, S9

The Ending of the End Part 2, S9

The Last Problem, S9

if i gave a tally of how many times certain episodes made me cry we would be here all day

[gayofthefae]

You know, season 3 is actually growing on me a lot. Specifically for the younger group, I feel like season 1 was about bonding over trauma, season 2 was about finding comfort in each other coping with that trauma and continuing to experience it, and then season 4 was about being torn between personal and supernatural struggles - making it harder to solve either. But that’s season 4 crossing 1/2 with 3.

Because season 3, though it also has a lot of supernatural stuff as always, is majorly just about them having fun and getting to be kids. And maybe a big part of that is how unburdened Will is personally to it because now that he isn’t a constant personal target they can relax and not focus on him as much anymore (in a worry sense, unfortunately this leads to him being somewhat neglected). But the thing about season 3 is it really just feels like them getting to be kids. Like a post I made about Mike and El romantically - I feel like they are wonderful together as two people who were forced to be too mature for their age. But they aren’t great together as kids. And they still deserve to be kids. And I feel like that’s really what season 3 is about. Mike is struggling with his breakup with El. Lucas and Max are on again off again and just generally goofing around. Dustin is still doing crazy stuff with his group but they’re solving those puzzles voluntarily. It’s how they’re choosing to spend their time. And they’re having fun with it. Will is struggling with feeling excluded but not with being targeted by monsters anymore. That’s not the focus, at least. They still feel an obligation to fight the evils that be but I feel like they’re finally starting to find some balance between doing that and still getting to have lives and be immature in their own right.

I just...I don’t know, I really like it on another rewatch. It’s like that’s the goal for them: to find balance. They started out as just kids: literal kids. Then they were forced through this traumatic experience and pushed into the deep end and forced to scramble for coping and hold onto each other in the aftermath. But then it ended, seemingly permanently, and they could just sort of relax. And though they still had shit to cope with, they were also growing up and one of the ways they coped was by just being normal and going to the mall and having girlfriends or whatever. They tried to just enjoy themselves. And the monsters came back but they tried to focus on their relationships that they had grown more outside of the trauma then as well. And they tried to be kids going through a hard situation again instead of superheroes - especially because they felt the need to stop this but not the desperation and urgency and pre-emptive grief of saving someone like they did before. And even just that summer relief from the bullying to just be more unapologetically themselves for a little while.

And maybe they were a little too immature. Petty fights about El’s powers and things. So now they’re swinging a little back the other way in season 4: splitting their attention between personal and supernatural. The personal has become more mature but they still have a personal life outside of their evil-fighting obligations and they’re slowly learning to communicate and balance the two. Unfortunately, this seems to be their version of a work-life balance: fighting monsters, but still. It’s important that they’re finding that balance and I really like it. And I think it’s very realistic for the pendulum to swing further immature for a season before trying to balance itself out again. I don’t think it’s out of character. I think it’s human change.

[giffingthingsss]

Conventional wisdom says Enterprise’s first two seasons are bad and the show doesn’t get good until season four. I will admit there are quite a few eps I would skip in a rewatch, stuff that kinda bores me. But I also think there’s a lot of good stuff in there. 

I thought that if you cut the fat and combined the best from seasons one and two, you would have one pretty banger season. And because I love saddling myself with unnecessary projects, I went through and made my ‘season one’:

Broken Bow Strange New World Unexpected The Andorian Incident Sleeping Dogs Shuttlepod One Cold Front Dear Doctor Breaking the Ice Acquisition The Crossing Shadows of P'Jem The Catwalk Fusion Shockwave A Night in Sickbay Silent Enemy Carbon Creek Minefield Dead Stop The Seventh Cease Fire Singularity Stigma Canamar Regeneration First Flight

27 eps if you combine the two parters. I could cut two more if I had to. 

A few notes:

Cold Front would not have made my list, but Shockwave doesn’t make much sense without it. 

“A Night in Sickbay?” you might ask. Yes. I believe this is Enterprise’s only real attempt at your traditional whacky Trek episode. I acknowledge the effort.

Silent Enemy comes earlier in the series and there might be a few continuity glitches because of that, but I like it in this spot. Works well close to Minefield, I think. 

First Flight isn’t my favorite, but I thought it made a nice end to this ‘season.’ Kind of a full circle thing before we kick off next season with a new arc. 

It’s not that these are the only good eps. But I attempted to maintain a sense of momentum in plot by keeping the number of filler eps down. 

Reasoning

Two major plot arcs that have eps: Temporal Cold War and Founding of the Federation. 

And then there are episodes that introduce canon things. Like the Ferengi, Romulans, Borg, pre-prime directive talk. 

I attempted to scatter arc and canon eps among good standalones. 

‘Rejected’ eps

Fight or Flight - Fine ep about Hoshi, fun arguments between Archer and T'pol. Just not essential. I think Strange New World works fine as a second ep. 

Terra Nova - Not a bad concept, gaining an insight into earlier human colonization, into the ethics of culture. But what's interesting in concept isn't always terribly fascinating to watch. Maybe if they had leaned more into an 'we are a new earth and want to be completely independent of old earth' angle rather than radiation? 4th of July on Terra Nova. 

Civilization, Rogue Planet, Oasis, Desert Crossing, Marauders, Two Days and Two Nights, The Communicator - All just kinda bored me. 

Fortunate Son and Horizon - Excluding these means no Travis eps, but I just can’t get into the cargo ship thing. 

Detained - There is a metaphor here if you're interested. I don't care enough about the suliban.

Vox Sola - This ep has grown on me a bit. Mainly for the T’Pol/Hoshi stuff. 

Fallen Hero - Can’t believe a T’Pol ep doesn’t make my list. I have no real explanation for why it doesn’t capture my fancy. Completely subjective. 

Future Tense - Another temporal war installment. Also has Tholians. 

Precious Cargo - Some fun stuff in it. 

Judgment - Archer being on Klingon trial is somehow boring. But I did appreciate them pointing out that not all Klingons are chest beating warriors

The Breach - Phlox’s part is quite moving. 

Cogenitor - Too uncomfortable for me. I’m pussying out of this one. 

Bounty - Shy Phlox running from a horny T’Pol is the only saving grace. 

Vanishing Point - Fine ep. It was a tossup between this and a couple others. All the Hoshi eps apparently ended up in my discard pile too, unintentionally. 

Of course, all of this is terribly subjective. 

[m1ckeyb3rry]

LMAO the double whammy sassy asshole dynamic is so funny but I get what you mean about its practicality LOL I’m ngl between the Isagi post and this I wonder if rewatching bllk this time is gonna lead to isagism LOL Ok but genuinely my other thought was maybe more Barou appreciation!! Or maybe if you come across a tiktok edit to some fire music of a scene in s1 it could be someone completely random/new!

STOP THE KIYORA KNITTING HC IS SO REAL??? I don’t even know how to describe it but heavy on this vibe like, especially with the “not hiding just not brought up” part you kinda cooked with that…also bro the chokehold Rio had on me….talk about gateway bird media

SSHSHS OK IM GLAD LMAOOO the hiatus scare concept honestly just shows your dedication like no one’s doing it like you…we all trust you’ll cook LMAOO

The work you do for Karasu nation is immeasurably truly…ok but I can’t wait for whatever you write next!! The request lineup honestly slaps excited for another Mira banger o7

BRO THE EDIT??? You made that a little too fast but omfg I see it….it’s literally them….

Pause the good ≠ popular thing is so real like….just because something was captivating enough to become popular doesn’t necessarily equate to it actually being thought out well either…I mean there’s several cases where the art style can just be really good or the characters are good looking and it’s enough to get people to read….

I truly think that the inability to understand the concept constructive criticism is like biggest issue plaguing communities like you are required to absolutely love every part of something like hello….

The jjk hype build up/bait is honestly so real though…you can kinda feel it in how gege handles things that he can be reliant on shock factor of capsized to try and spice things up…

Honestly same the rat tails are a no no for me….i also think in terms of more assholey characters i much prefer ones like Karasu over Kaiser LOL

Noel noa being a paid actor would be so real HAHA I can imagine that they’d maybe even just go to sign marriage documents and wouldn’t really even have a full ceremony! I don’t really know enough about weddings to say much beyond that but yeah LMAO

Ok but wait circling back, how’s the dub LMAOO any character updates….

- Karasu anon

EEK DON’T MANIFEST ISAGISM FOR ME!! i just got to second selection but i will keep my thoughts to myself until i’ve finished all of season one…also it’s so funny to see characters from the manga in the background DHDJSKS even though they never put KARASU there 😒 maybe it’s because his hair is just so obviously not side character worthy that it would stick out too much?? like less of an easter egg and more of a “look at these guys”

LMAOO kiyora is mine now 😈 and oh i loved the rio movies too!! as a bird stan it truly is the perfect movie but also in general it’s such a fun and vibrant film PLUS it’s surprisingly heavy given the intended audience

i prefer to slow cook full course dinners instead making of super quick microwave meal fics 🙏🏻 JFJDSJ that was silly but ykwim

it’s truly always a surprise what i’m going to post next i feel 😭 but agreed there’s a lot of cool stuff in my inbox that i’m excited about writing!! plus karasu nation will be fed trust i have more than a couple of requests for him as you know so i will be back 🤩

THE EDIT HAD ME CACKLING BECAUSE IT FITS TOOOO WELL 😨 kaneshiro if you’re listening give us yuki x gagamaru PLEASE they both need friends so bad

no exactly i mean me personally if an art style is good i’ll watch something that’s otherwise mediocre…you see it a LOT with manhwa too where people will gas up the most mid villainess isekai abusive male lead shit ever because of the art style 😭 and yeah the day that people realize what constructive criticism actually is will be the day we reach peace in online fandom spaces

YESS when i think asshole character i imagine like sassy jerk who’s secretly a sweetheart (karasu or barou) NOT someone who is genuinely questionable at times 😟 i think it’s a matter of lightheartedness like with characters such as karasu you know that half of the time they’re just saying bs because they’re trying to tease you but kaiser lowkey means it fr 😭 idk he’s not my fav but that doesn’t stop me from writing him if people request it HAHA

okay i actually rlly like the dub surprisingly!!! i LOVE anri’s voice (probably more than the sub) she just sounds sm more mature and actually in control of things?? her and ego’s interactions also feels more equal somehow even though the lines they’re saying are the same…smth abt the tone though makes it feel less like ego’s degrading anri and more like he’s just kind of a shithead 😭 and oddly enough i rlly enjoy niko’s voice?? it’s very satisfying to listen to somehow 🤩 everyone else’s are pretty fine so far except nagi’s 😰 lowkey i don’t really like nagi’s dub he just doesn’t sound the way i imagined nagi would 😓 his japanese VA is just too iconic ig…also i haven’t gotten there yet but i think i saw a clip of karasu’s dub from the last ep of season one and i remember not rlly liking that either 💔 he was kinda too rough sounding i think i pictured him to have less of a harsh voice and something smoother 😩 but it was also only one line so maybe i’ll like it more in the future?? not that i plan on watching s2 in dub at least at first 🤔 i will say the dub does an excellent job of feeling realistic in terms of the dialogue lines and slang…like yes this is exactly what these losers should sound like LMAOAOA it’s honestly pretty funny at times

[amtrak12]

Lucifer Rewatch Liveblog: 1.05

I took my dog for a walk AND I ran OUTSIDE (which is much harder than on a treadmill) so I’m super tired and don’t know how coherent I’ll be. But I need a hyperfixation fix so let’s liveblog S1 ep 5 of Lucifer!

I have no fucking idea what episode this will be. Not the one where Maze meets Trixie because I know which ep that is. But could it be the ep where Dan meets Maze? :O

Let’s find out.

Oh I missed my blorbos over the past week. And I have a five day weekend thanks to holiday (today) and vacation (Monday and Tuesday) so lots of time for full Lucifer eps!

>>>   ... Okay I have a vague memory of a designer shoe episode.

>>>   "No sharp objects until we find out why." -- ROTFL Maze going full parent bodyguard mode there :P

>>>   Really it's so boring that "reflection of your desires" always means sex. And always Hollywood thin women sleeping/wanting to sleep with Lucifer. You are a show about the devil. BE GAYER! (And not just gayer sex. I mean gayer everything! Give me more diverse desires!!)

>>>  *snort* Dan always knows Lucifer's around before Chloe does.

>>>   Dan: You need to stop hanging out with Lucifer. Chloe: Already did. Dan: *points at Lucifer behind her* Nope.

>>>   Makes me giggle everytime lol

>>>   Still so foreign to me for them to have a lieutenant/boss. In later seasons, you'd think Chloe and Dan (and Ella) just ran the department by themselves

>>>   "I'll never get elected without support from the minority communities." -- Fairly certain that's never been obstacle before in becoming chief of police but okay.

>>>   "My job's gonna totally get me killed." -- No, siding with Lucifer during an angel war to be the next God will, though. Sorry.

>>>   Okay but I do adore that Chloe does in fact always drive. For the rest of the series. You know who didn't do that? Warehouse 13. And SUSPICIOUSLY Myka stopped driving when the show went from canon to those OOC and terrible videos written by fan wannabes. (And yes, I’m including S4 in there.)

>>>   LMFAO!!! THAT'S WHY SHE SLAPPED HIM??? I've seen it in fanvids and had no memory of its canon occurrence.

>>>   "So you want to feel new things?" *slap* - fucking hilarious. I'm dying.

>>>   Okay I'm pretty sure the pig dies. :( RIP Pig Diddy.

>>>   The only memory I have of a cop bar isin fanfic. But it was S1/early S2 era fanfic, so this is probably where the author pulled that from.

>>>   Anthony Paolucci? No, no, no. That's Jack from Prue's old auction firm. #Charmed

>>>   Is this the first time they said Malcolm Graham's name in the show? Does this mean we’re out of the character introduction stage and into the season plot stage? Always a good transition for a show.

>>>   (Like both stages are super important. I’m not knocking the character introductions. It’s also just really fun to watch the show leave the intros and start walking on its own two feet.)

>>>   "On behalf of myself and only myself, I think you're a sack of ass." *punch* -- He’s actually speaking for me too here. *shouts* Punch him harder, Lucifer!

>>>   Oh Maze sends Amenadiel over to Linda? Well, then she really only has herself to blame for them sleeping together in S3, doesn't she? lol :P

>>>   "I know Krav Maga!" -- LOL Okay Linda. I'm sure a bad guy would be real scared by you shouting that.

>>>   "I have a key." ... "Yeah, let me start over." -- Yeah maybe you should there, Amenadiel LOL God I love his early days of pretending to be human. He's so bad at it!

>>>   “Jealous of a mortal woman?" -- Maze, honey, you're jealous of a lot of people, so yeah probably.

>>>   Ugh, I was so close about this being the episode where Dan meets Maze. They bumped shoulders but alas, no more.

>>>   "Chloe is the mother of my child" -- I mean, she's also just Chloe who deserves not to get hurt/killed on her own merit but whatever. I'll blame the writers for that one.

>>>   "Quite condescending if you ask me." -- Yeah, me too, Lucifer.

>>>   "Act like a child, get treated like a child." / "Isn't it illegal to leave your child locked in a car?" -- ROTFL that was fantastic, both Chloe locking him in the car and Lucifer’s immediate follow up retort. Absolutely no hesitation from him. Love it.

>>>   Is that a granny square door curtain? What weight yarn did they use? Surely it had to be weight 3 or lighter, right? Weight 4 would be too heavy to hang in a doorway. It would stretch too much.

>>>   Yellow Viper -- Hold on the ending of this episode is coming back to me now.  Isn't he helping kids get out of the gang now? Or was there a double twist with him? It was something like that.

>>>   Yep. RIP Pig Diddy. :/

>>>   "They really don't make bad guys like they used to." -- He means that literally, Chloe. He’s had every bad guy (and every person who simply felt guilty for something) in Hell with him since the beginning of time.

>>>   "A fluid exchange." -- LMFAO Amenadiel, you really have no idea what words are coming out of your mouth, do you? ROTFL

>>>   "If there's one thing the Devil knows it's that people need to take responsibility for their own bad behavior." -- Yet another blatant statement of what the end game is.

>>>   "Yes, people do need to take responsibility for their own bad behavior." -- And that's the journey we take to get to the end game, and Lucifer not grasping Chloe’s implications there is why that’s the series journey.

>>>   OMG there was a parallel 'Chloe shoves Lucifer down and lies on top of him' scene to the S1 finale’s 'Chloe shoves Maze down and lies on top of her' scene?? I had no memory of that, but of course that was a parallel. Everything in this show is a parallel.

>>>   "Your bartender's a ninja? Of course, she is." / "Yeah." (casual and smiling)

>>>   "Ass saved. You're welcome -- his ass. Not yours." -- Just give it a few more months to a year, Maze. You'll be blowing up cars on Chloe's behalf.

>>>   GOD, they really do have some juicy Chloe/Lucifer conversations in S1, don't they? 'Addicted to creating chaos and seeing where the chips lay' -- which Lucifer obviously didn't like but he could laugh it off and then Chloe came for the jugular: "It's like you have a god complex." OOPH! That one hit Lucifer hard. That was both meaty and juicy. Delicious.

>>>   "I saw your Marine tattoo." and thus knew exactly what it meant. AND YET, neither you nor Lucifer noticed the scar being badly hidden by Pierce's Marine tattoo and so didn’t realize he was CAIN????

>>>   (admittedly, Chloe had no possible way of knowing that in S3, but I'm still blaming her and everyone else for Cain.)

>>>   I abhor Cain

>>>   THREE! Chloe has played Lucifer THREE separate times now and he still hasn't learned ROTFL. Like ‘oh yeah, I’m totally interested in having sex with you -- SIKE! and it gets him everytime!!! #dumdum

>>>   Also, good for her for leaving him there! lol

>>>   Maze is now stalking Chloe. Debates killing her. Imagines about 13 different ways she could do it without making a sound (and another dozen that are messier and rougher that would let Maze vent some of her anger) -- and then leaves without harming a hair on Chloe's head. God, I love Maze.

>>>   Also cool that that's the first time we get to see her demon face. I like her demon face a lot.

Good shit! Good shit! Good shit! S1 is way better than my first impression of it was. Like, it's still ranked fifth when ordering the six seasons by favorite. But it's fifth favorite now instead of second least liked!

Be prepared for more liveblogs over the next few days since I'm on a long weekend! Catch you next time!

[fific7]

Evil Twins - Part 1

Billy Russo & Aleksander Morozova x Reader

Summary: When two worlds which have already collided then collide with yours - that’s an explosive situation.

A/N: This does not follow canon, it’s mainly a mix of fluff and angst with quite a lot of lemon zest 🍋 My Fantasy Punisher/Shadow and Bone crossover AU.

Warnings: 18+ NSFW due to sexual content including oral and unprotected* sex between consenting adults. Some drinking & swearing.

*Irl, please don’t go wild in the country without protection.

(My photo edit)

New York City

Billy Russo awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed and grabbing for his Glock. What the hell? Thunder was rumbling loudly overhead and he sighed, putting the gun back under his pillow and laying his head back down. It was probably the bright flash of the lightning followed by the beginning of the thunderclap that had awakened him.

He was just closing his eyes again when he spotted something, only vaguely visible in the dim light from outside, in the corner of his room. It was…. swirling?

Grabbing his gun again, he sat up and pointed the Glock at the corner. It was getting bigger. “You’ve got two seconds to show yourself before I blow your fucking head off,” he announced, calmly.

He squinted a bit to get a better look but it didn’t make much difference. What the fuck was it?! Smoke? He decided he had no choice and leant over, switching on the wall-mounted bedside light.

The… smoke cloud?… was still increasing, becoming bigger and blacker with every second. Then he saw the vaguest silhouette of a tall figure within it, moving towards him. He leapt out of bed, on the far side of it so it was between him and whatever the fuck this was.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Aleksander Morozova - or General Kirigan, the Darkling, the Black Heretic, the Starless Saint, whichever of his many names he decided to call himself at any given point in time - could see a tall figure brandishing some kind of strange gun at him as he began to emerge from the swirling shadows.

Following certain unfortunate incidents - including a huge and furious argument with his darling mother - he’d decided it would be politic to get out of Ravka for a while, much as he didn’t really want to. But this wasn’t where he should’ve ended up. What was this place?

He emerged completely from the shadows and immediately felt something bounce off his kefta. He heard a ‘ding’ and looked down at the wooden floor at his feet. A bullet.

Looking quickly back up, he saw that the man opposite him was glaring at him, eyes wide and unbelieving, gun still pointing at him. He also realised that looking at this man was like looking in a mirror.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Billy was dumbfounded. He’d just shot the fucker! And the bullet had bounced off him. Fuck. He threw the gun down onto the bed and slid his hand under his other pillow, pulling out his Ka-Bar. No way he’d get past that.

He took a moment to have a good look at the dude opposite him.

Dressed in riding boots and some kinda long black tunic thing, with a black fur-collared full-length cape over it. What a freak! Was he a goth or something? But then he realised something even freakier…. this guy looked exactly like him.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

The two of them were still contemplating each other, when finally Billy spoke. “Who are you? And what are you?”

Aleksander laughed. “Usually it’s me asking those questions.” Billy huffed, “You’re in my fuckin’ apartment, so just answer them!” He saw the guy draw himself up, and he said, “I am Aleksander Morozova, also known as General Kirigan, commander of the Second Army of the Grisha.”

“Means fuck all to me,” grunted Billy. “One name not enough for you? And why do you look like me? Are you some kinda shapeshifter or somethin’?”

“I have many names because I am centuries old. And I don’t know what a… shapeshifter?…is,” said the other, “…but I am the Shadow Summoner. And who are you? Where is this?” he waved a hand round at the apartment.

Billy scoffed, “Centuries old?!! Oh fuck off. You’re the same age as me by the looks of ya! I’m Billy Russo, ex-US Marine Lieutenant and now CEO of Anvil. That’s a security company, mainly staffed by ex-military vets. And this….” he also waved his hand around, “…is my penthouse apartment in New York City.”

Aleksander shook his head, “I have never heard of that place.”

Billy eye-rolled, “How can you not have heard of New York?!” he asked, incredulously. “And what the fuck is a Shadow Summoner?”

“It’s becoming obvious we are from two different worlds. I seem to have been diverted from my intended course, I don’t know why,” shrugged Aleksander. “Well maybe it’s time you took off to wherever it is you were headed for in the first place,” said Billy.

“It seems that I have been brought here for some specific reason,” replied Aleksander, “and it also seems I cannot leave for the moment, I have already tried.” He waved both hands around, firstly extending and then curling up his fingers, watching them closely as he did but it was clear that nothing at all was happening. “You see? Nothing. It is worrying to me. My shadows are no longer obeying my commands at present.”

Billy sighed and perched on the edge of his bed, “Great! Just fuckin’ great! This is just…! So when can you leave?” The other man spread out his arms, “I have no idea.”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Devon, UK

Way across the Atlantic, you were already hard at work in your little bookstore in Appledore, Devon. You had a snug apartment above the store and had filled it with lots of your favourite things. It was a cute little coastal town and you loved living there. The community was small and friendly especially in the winter months, only increasing in summer with all the tourists who came to stay. As long as you made a decent living during the holiday season - which you normally did - then winter was a much calmer, chilled time of year.

You added a final book to the new display in the centre of your store and stepped back to take in how it was looking. Yeah, not bad if you did say so yourself. It was comprised of a fantasy trilogy for young adults about some ancient guy who could summon up shadows, and was a bit of a villain from what you could tell from the story synopsis on the book covers.

Not your cup of tea, to be honest. Generally speaking, all types of action stories were more your thing - something with a bit of ‘va-va-voom’. In fact, you were looking forward to tonight when you’d decided you were going to sit down with a nice tub of ice cream and rewatch one of your favourite series. The one with a relentless avenging ex-Marine whose family had been killed and his psycho ex-Marines buddy. Who happened to be rather hot to your mind.

You sighed a little, heading back behind the counter. That was the only thing about Appledore. It was a lovely place, but there was a distinct lack of hot guys.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

New York City

Billy and Aleksander were sitting on separate sofas in Billy’s living area, eyeing each other warily. Aleksander had been trying to explain to Billy all about his world, the Grisha, the Fold, volcras, Ravka, the Sun Summoner, sand skiffs - as much as he could.

It had blown Billy’s mind, to be honest. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. In turn, he’d explained all about his military career and the shitshow which had eventually developed once he’d come back to New York. Aleksander looked as equally confused as Billy.

Billy sighed, “I mean, what the hell are you gonna do? You don’t belong here. I need to go to work in a couple of hours. I’m not leaving you here so I’d need to take you to Anvil with me, and you sure as hell can’t go out looking like that.”

Aleksander looked down at his kefta which he’d unbuttoned. His cape was draped over the back of the sofa. “What is wrong with the way I look?” he huffed. “S’pose I could always say you were going to a Comic Con,” muttered Billy. “A what?” “A Comic Con. it’s where fans of fantasy comics go to have fun. They dress up as their favourite characters sometimes. I could always say it was cosplay.”

Aleksander shook his head, “I still don’t understand what you’re talking about. Are you saying I’d look out of place in my uniform? All the Grisha wear these,” he pointed at his kefta. “Not what we wear here,” said Billy, “…and I still don’t get why you look so much like me.”

“I have no idea!” said Aleksander, through gritted teeth, “I told you that already!” “Alright, alright! Calm down.” “I AM CALM!!!” roared the other man.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

New York City

Slightly later that morning, Billy was showered, suited and booted and ready for work. He’d persuaded his uninvited visitor to put on a borrowed leather jacket of Billy’s over his kefta as Aleksander refused to take it off. He’d also made him put on a pair of black trainers, which he’d done very reluctantly. These two items had instantly transformed the freaky-looking guy into someone at least a little more acceptable to your average New Yorker.

Aleksander was wriggling around in the jacket, “It’s not very comfortable.” Billy heaved yet another large sigh - he felt like this was all he’d been doing this morning - “Look, just wear it! You’ll get used to it.” He noticed the other guy sniffing at the collar of the jacket, then his eyes lifted to Billy’s, “You wear perfume?!” “Men’s cologne,” snapped Billy, “or aftershave, as it’s also known because - guess what! - you use it after you’ve shaved!”

His fingers stroking his chin, Aleksander nodded, “Okay, that I understand. We do not use this perfume in Ravka.” “Cologne!” yelled Billy. “Fine, cologne then. Why don’t you like it when I call it perfume? That’s what it is, after all.” “Women wear perfume. Men wear cologne. Okay? Now c’mon, I’m gonna be late.”

Billy strode over to his front door and tried to open it. The handle wouldn’t budge. He shook it, rattled it, pulled the door handle back and forward, exerting more and more strength but nothing worked. He stood back from the door. “It won’t open,” he said, rather unnecessarily. He looked at Aleksander, “Is this you? Or something to do with you?” “No!” he protested, “I have nothing to do with this.”

A somewhat raspy female voice spoke from behind them, “No, but I do.”

The two men swung round, both gaping as they saw that there were what could only be described as rippling waves distorting the whole interior of Billy’s flat. The light had also diminished quite drastically and then they both saw a woman’s head and shoulders start to become defined and then fully visible in amongst the ripples. She seemed to float there at head height but she obviously wasn’t physically present.

“Mother!” exclaimed Aleksander.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Devon, UK

You snuggled down amongst the soft cushions on your sofa, tub of ice cream and spoon in hand and scrolled to the series you were looking for. It was quite gory in places but you loved it - except for the bit right at the end where the hot dude got killed. That made you sad although you couldn’t deny he definitely had psychopathic tendencies.

As you were looking for the one you wanted to watch, another series caught your eye in the ‘Suggested for You’ section. Hey, it must be based on that trilogy of books you had in the store right now. Maybe you’d give it a try after you’d finished your current one.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

New York City

“Mother?” echoed Billy, “….what’s going on here?!”

The woman’s head swivelled towards him then back to Aleksander. “My two boys, together again. How sweet.”

“What!?” said the two men in tandem. She gave a bitter laugh, “How I managed to produce two such problematic children, I’ll never know.” “What are you talking about, Baghra?” ground out Aleksander. Billy was just standing there, dumbfounded and looking between the two of them when suddenly her glare focussed in on him.

“Maxim.” Billy returned her stare, “I’m Billy!” he corrected her. She shook her head, “You will forever be Maxim to me. And as I’m your mother, do not argue with me. Now…. no doubt Aleksander has been making a great fuss about how he’s many centuries old, has he?” “He did mention it,” said Billy, begrudgingly. She nodded, “I thought he might have. Listen to me, both of you. You are twins, so obviously you were born within minutes of each other. To me.” The two men exchanged glances, before looking back at her. “It became obvious to me that Aleksander - from a relatively early age - was going to cause himself and everyone around him nothing but trouble and strife, so I took a radical step.” “What did you do, Baghra?” questioned Aleksander.

“If you’d have patience, I’m trying to tell you!” she snapped, before continuing, “I got one of the few Heartrenders in existence at that time to take Maxim out of Ravka to a secret location. There, he placed him in long-term suspended animation. When you…” she pointed an accusatory finger at Aleksander, “….started all that nonsense with the Sun Summoner and hunting for the stag, I travelled with another Heartrender to where Maxim was, and brought him out of his enforced hibernation. I had to protect him as there was no guarantee you’d survive, Aleksander.” She stared at his scowling face and carried on speaking.

“He had no memories remaining of his past life and so I took him into the forest, there is a portal there which only I know of. There used to be more knew about it but I am the only one left now. Other universes can be reached through it. And I decided to send Maxim to another one. This one. It was only three months ago in Ravkan time, but in this universe more than thirty years have passed.”

“Wait… what?!” Billy was pissed. “You… you just threw me into some portal and walked away? Not knowing where I would end up?” “I had to save one of my sons!” she spat out, “…the other one had lost his mind and was on a collision course with disaster!” Billy put his head in his hands, before looking up again and raging at her, “I was abandoned for a second time by the woman I thought was my mother in this universe! She was a drug user, a total mess! I was placed in an orphanage… it was terrible!” He saw a remorseful look pass over her face for a split second, “I am sorry, Maxim! But I had no choice. Then I had to step in again when he…” pointing again at Aleksander, “….was nearly killed by volcras. I managed to get him to the portal before he fully regained consciousness. He thinks it was his idea to leave Ravka after we had an argument, but I managed to plant that idea in his mind before I pushed him into the portal.”

Billy and Aleksander both snorted in unison, then glanced at each other again. Billy looked back at her, “You’re sorry? That doesn’t quite cover it. I went to war! And now I’m in a very bad situation due to things which went down in Afghanistan during that war.” Aleksander chipped in, “And how dare you make a decision like sending me to another universe without consulting me first?”

The sigh Baghra gave echoed round the apartment. “You are a pair of ungrateful whelps! And now it sounds like I have to get you of trouble too!” She pointed at Billy this time. “I firstly had to find some very old documents about it, but I managed to find out how to enter the limbo section of the portal, which this is, because I wished to speak to both of you before I sent you on your next journey.” She lifted her hands and swirled them around in a kind of ritualistic fashion, “Be on your way to the next universe!” she chanted, and suddenly the rippling got even more pronounced.

Billy and Aleksander began feeling overwhelmingly dizzy, feeling as if they were falling but in fact realised they seemed to be rushing through time and space.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Devon, UK

It was Saturday tomorrow so because you could sleep in a bit as you opened later, you finished the first series (but not the second one - it always upset you) of the one you’d originally been watching, and had then moved on to the one based on the trilogy.

You peered more closely at your TV screen - yeah! you were right, the hot bad guy looked so similar to the hot bad dude in the other series they could be twins! Was it the same actor? You’d need to check on the credits but it must be, surely.

No reflection on the series you were watching, but having finished your ice cream you dozed off during episode 6.

You woke up - you had no idea how much later - and as you sat up slightly, realised that you were feeling very strange. Standing up from the sofa, you were so dizzy that you collapsed back down onto it. You tried not to panic, but you’d no clue as to why you felt so unwell all of a sudden.

Then you noticed that your apartment appeared to be rippling. Rippling??!! What the…. The rippling waves began to die down a little and you were suddenly aware of two looming figures standing over you. Their outlines and features slowly became more defined, more solid, and eventually you realised you were looking up at both the hot bad dudes from the TV.

Of course you were.

Okay, your reeling mind said to you, maybe the celestial Powers That Be had been listening when you were complaining about the lack of hot guys in your town.

They were both looking down at you, clear interest in their eyes. Maybe because you were wearing silky shorts with matching tank T. Your sleepwear didn’t leave too much to the imagination.

So you stared at them, and they stared right back at you, although again you were acutely aware of two sets of very dark eyes roaming all over your body.

You wondered if someone had spiked your ice cream.

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