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smokedstorybara · 5 years

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everyone seems to describe writing fanfic, and their motives for doing so, as “fixing canon”

which is totally valid

it’s just not how it is for me

(I make a lot of long introspective posts like this on my main, like one every couple months, but since this one is about writing I figured I’d put it here instead; I’m gonna put a readmore here so y’all can skip over it all if you want)

for me writing fanfiction is almost like an experiment, an exploration of variables - circumstance, setting, choices - and how they affect the characters trajectories and the outcome of the story as a whole (though tbh I tend approach writing in general as an exploration of tropes and structure and psychology so I guess it’s just how I am)

(I’m gonna use some fanfics I’m working on, as well as the couple I’ve actually posted, as examples to help me explain what I mean, so if you don’t want spoilers maybe don’t read)

first: exploration of circumstance (then setting, choices, and ending with all three together)

my two examples for this are my published Dear Evan Hansen fic (Apprentice) Park Ranger Handsome and a role-reversal Arrowverse au I’m working on

(A)PRH started with the thought “what would’ve happened if Evan and Connor had first interacted over the summer, at the park Evan worked at?”

my first answer was a simple “their first meeting would likely have gone much smoother - the environment and circumstances of it being much more relaxed”

this led to “they both would’ve latched on to that; this conversation is going well lets try to keep it going as long as possible I’m starved for positive interaction turning into if I talk to him again maybe it’ll go as well as last time it hasn’t gone wrong yet keep coming back keep talking to him maybe this can be good”

which leads to them becoming friends (and likely developing crushes on each other) and then opening up to each other >> relying on each other >> supporting each other >> each realizing that if they want to support the other they need a more stable support themself >> Evan likely being the first to actively reach out for outside support since he already has a therapist and relatively better relationship with his mother >> Evan doesn’t fall from that tree and Connor doesn’t commit suicide >> the entire plot of the play no longer happens but the boys are happy and their families are at least on their ways to healing

the Coldflash role-reversal (which does not have a name yet) actually started with the question “what element would I need to change for Barry to still be a CSI for the CCPD but also use his superspeed to become a criminal?”

the element I went with was him not being allowed access to the file on his mother’s murder

the cause-effect diagram so far is as follows: Barry isn’t allowed access to the file and thus can’t investigate >> he’s upset about this fact >> in a better mental state to be aware of corruption and laziness in the police force (as well as other factors that lead to the wrong person getting arrested) >> becomes bitter and disillusioned but hides it because he still wants to do what he can to prevent innocent people from going to jail >> when he gets superpowers he decides to use it to bring light to the failings of the city’s law enforcement >> becomes a thief >> tries to steal the Khandaq Dynasty Diamond at the same time as Leonard Snart does >> Leonard Snart gets a hold of the cold gun >> they both try again at the same time but because Flash is faster the public see him as a thief and “Captain Cold” as a hero >> because Snart is a giant nerd and also because he’s frustrated with all the chaos in his city from the metas, he decides to go along with it and becomes a superhero

second: exploration of setting

my only example for this is a fantasy au I recently started for Pacific Rim

so the variable I changed was “instead of a war between humans and beings from another world, it’s a war between the two fae courts”

and where changing a circumstance leads to a cause and effect of characters choices, changing setting leads to a map of what that changes in the characters circumstances and identities

some examples from this au:

Hannibal Chau is a human who uses deals with what I’ve been calling “J Court” in my outline to boost his black market business - instead of just being a shady black market dealer with ties to the PPDC, he’s one of the few humans who even knows the fae exist

Stacker Pentecost is either the king of the J Court or the leader of it’s army, giving him much more power than he had in canon

Raleigh left the Court after Yancy’s death, separating himself from his people and instead immersing himself in humanity, but somehow Stacker convinced him to return

(on the flip side: Newt is still an expert on Kaiju biology and just as obsessed with studying them as he is in canon)

third: exploration of choices

this exploration is where I look at one choice made in canon and ask myself “how would everything change if a different choice was made here?”

two examples again; an Umbrella Academy fic (tentatively named “The One Where He Stayed” in my drive) and a Check Please fic currently titled Moving On

the choice in TOWHS is Klaus going back to 2019 after Dave dies - instead he stays, serves a full tour in Vietnam and then returns to the US with his surviving war buddies

this changes his circumstances, setting, and leads to a cause-effect chain of decisions

he’s now a veteran in early seventies USA, he has friends who respect him and care about him; he still decides to go sober to see Dave again but there’s more behind the decision; he makes himself a home and a family - even if a good portion of them are dead soldiers, some of them are the spouses of his brothers-in-arms, their children and siblings; he learns to control his powers, all of them; and when he finally ends up back in 2019 - either the long way or from accidentally opening the briefcase - he still has this family waiting for him to show back up, willing to help, he’s powerful and knows it, and there’s no way he’s going to let the apocalypse happen

Moving On is less changing a choice made in canon and more answering the question of “what would happen if this choice that wasn’t made was?”

or, more specifically, “what if Bitty and Jack broke up before the Stanley Cup win? how would that affect Bitty’s friendships, his life?”

because many of Bitty’s friends are also friends with Jack, or at least look up to him, and in fact several were friends with Jack first

this one is mostly about exploring the psychology of the comic’s characters and how they all would react

I was happy to realize there would likely not be too much side taking, but there would be awkwardness for most of them; Bitty would likely gravitate more towards spending time with Tango, Whiskey, and Ford who would be the three most likely to not make a big deal out of it or make things awkward; also Bitty would be unable to tell his mother, which would eat at him

then there was the question “if Kent found out would he sympathize? would they become friends?” (slightly harder to answer, since Kent is a tiny bit of an enigma, but I chose to be optimistic there)

and the most important question: “how would I want to end this story? would it be a more satisfying conclusion for Bitty to find a new boyfriend and be happy with him, or to decide he doesn’t need a man to be happy? should Jack end the story single, or in a new relationship?”

the answers I decided on were: while Bitty doesn’t need a man to be happy, he was closeted his entire teens and at this point has only had one relationship and he deserves to get another chance at romance; and on the other side, Jack’s personal story is more about his hockey and becoming comfortable being himself and really all he needs is to win the Stanley Cup or something

fourth: all three at once - or in other words: The Soulmate AU

soulmate AUs are the best way to cover all three at once because the very existence of soulmates changes the circumstances of the story and how the world works, and affects what choices the characters would make

once again, I have two examples: my published Moomins fic Perchance To Dream, and an Arrowverse one-shot series titled Dream A Little Dream

Perchance To Dream was started by the question “in what way could I make Moomin and Snufkin soulmates without them immediately knowing upon meeting? which soulmate trope would I have to use?”

my tentative answer was soul dreams

which was quickly followed by the acknowledgement that if young Snufkin had started having soul dreams he’d likely be unhappy >> if Moomin knew his soulmate was unhappy with their soul bond and he had a way to cut off the bond - say, an herb that you take every night to stop your soul dreams - he’d do that for them, even if it would make him very sad >> time passes and they meet how they do in canon and they’ve both grown enough that they don’t immediately recognize each other >> Snufkin would figure it out first, but exactly when and how would depend on Moomin >> Snufkin would keep it a secret, nervous about telling Moomin >> Moomin would find himself drawn (and attracted) to Snufkin and would have very conflicting feelings over it >> they’d both spend an awfully long time feeling conflicted and guilty before Moomin decides he wants to be with Snufkin, soulmate or not, and Snufkin decides to tell Moomin the truth - probably around the same time

Dream A Little Dream exists entirely as an exploration of the soulmate trope and the different possibilities within

instead of being a romance focusing on one or two ships, it’s a non-linear web showing both how the existence of soulmates affects all the characters and how the events of canon affect the relationships of all the soulmate pairs

(I tried to separate it into primary pairs, secondary pairs, and tertiary pairs to make it easier on myself but all the pairings were too important to the whole idea behind the story to limit their chapters(literally I have, like, nine endgame ships and two of those are polyam(as in I’m counting a four person polyam chain as one ship, even if it might technically count as three, and the other is three people: one relationship); and around fifteen soul pairs(yes there are more soul pairs than endgame ships, there’s a reason for that)))

because of the way I’m exploring the trope there’s fairly little, aside from romantic relationships, that changes from canon (at least up to season four of the Flash, cause that’s as far as I’ve seen)

mostly it’s things like Leonard Snart returning to life because him and Barry are one of the soul pairs I plan on having end up together - after a very long process of Len spending nine months thinking his soulmate died >> then several months of Barry knowing Len’s his soulmate but Len being in the dark >> a period of Len trying to win Barry over but failing a bit >> Len dying and Barry mourning him >> Barry marrying and then divorcing Iris >> Len coming back to life >> Barry and him finally getting together

which is a parallel(in that they both have the “good guy is soulmated to bad guy” dynamic) and contrast to Cisco and Hartley who don’t realize they’re soulmates when they first meet and totally hate each other >> when they can no longer deny it, they start to work together and accept each other >> end up together

Iris’s soulmate is Eddie, and she, Caitlin, and Ray are explorations of moving on after the loss of your soulmate and the different forms that takes - Iris and Caitlin ending up together(along with Shawna, who was left behind by her soulmate) and Ray trying to fill Anna’s spot with other romantic relationships before finally realizing that that isn’t actually helping and finally properly coming to terms with the loss

and I’m gonna stop here instead of going any further into this one, since it’s got so many moving parts and also it’s a little harder to separate from canon than the others

#writeblr #fanfic talk #storybarambles #sorry this doesn't have a proper conclusion #I'm very tired

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satbiym · 6 years

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Or Read it on AO3 Here

Chapter 3

They reached the stable in silence, the other man looking around wondrously, as if he had never seen the Palace he claimed to be the heir of.

Victor cleared his throat and attempted to do the same for his conscience.

“I believe the garments we can change into are there,” Victor said, pointing to the bags hidden behind the neighing line of horses.

At Victor voice the horses whinnied louder, peeping further out of their stalls to try and get a glimpse of Victor. Victor smiled, this time out of fondness.

“They know you.” The man said, a wondering tone, somehow his tone implied a query that didn’t ask for an answer; wanting them, but wanting to find them independent of outside influence.

Victor stalled. He could pretend he didn’t know them, forestalling the inevitable realization….

Victor’s mental machinations were cut off by a slobbery warmness that butted against his hand.

Victor sighed, but nonetheless patted his faithful steed who had given away his master’s strategy before it had even begun.

“Greetings my beautiful boy.” Victor crooned, patting the black head adorned with a white star.

A gasp filled the air.

Victor turned to look at the other man, who was staring wide-eyed at the horse currently nudging Victor’s pockets, probably looking for hidden apples.

“That - The star on his head, the blue eye, and the ox-head brand on his haunch… that’s Bucephalus.”

Victor laughed uncomfortably at the tone wrapped in shock and awe, wondering how he was going to talk himself out of this one; he decided to assess the information on the other side first, “Heard of him, have you?”

The way the man’s head shook incredulously would have been comical if his act wasn’t at the danger of being found out, as he stumbled out “Heard of - That’s the Megas Basileus’s horse! Even a fool living solely in the company of ants has heard of the most famous horse in history. ”

“You’re very, um, creative with your words.” Victor said weakly, mind still racing.

The man stepped forward in his eagerness, only to step back hurriedly when the previously docile horse snorted threateningly in his direction.

And damn if those brown eyes didn’t look so damn injured.

Victor bit back a sigh.

Mila was going to have his head for this.

Victor beckoned the man to stay where he was with his hands, saying, “It’s alright, Bucephalus is just… a tad testy around night time. It’s nothing against you, personally.”

The man settled back on the soles of his feet, now looking more enthused than hurt - thank Zeus for that - and rambled, “Of course! I should have known, silly me. Everyone knows the tale of how the Basileus tamed him. I was just being careless in my excitement, for you see, I have never seen a horse before him.”

Victor blinked, his keen instincts giving up in the face of such absurdity, never seen a horse before? Where had this man grown up, in a dungeon?

But, on seeing the earnest look in the other’s eyes, Victor decided to play along with the farce, saying, “Oh, then it’s your lucky day to have your first be someone as fine as Bucephalus here. His breeding is from the best Thessalian strain.”

The other man nodded eagerly, and said, “I am lucky. Both to have had the opportunity to meet Bucephalus, as well as a stable master as accomplished as yourself.”

Victor’s brain stalled.

“Pardon?” Victor said politely, despite his brain having decided to not participate in the conversation any longer. It wasn’t the other man’s fault Victor’s brain had misheard, phony or no, he deserved at the bare minimum, some politeness.

Only… the other man’s face was alight with sincerity, “That’s who you are, correct? For it is known that no one other than the Megas Basileus could seat Bucephalus. It would make sense for the only other person to be the Basileus’s stable master, and given how much he likes you… Have I offended you in some way?”

Victor smiled brightly, forcibly wiping away the incredulous face he must have been making. Gods, the lengths mortals will go to deceive themselves about something that is right in front of their very eyes.

But unknowing or not, the other man had just provided Victor’s cover for him.

The gods take, but the gods also give a way.

“No, none! I was merely impressed at your deduction skills.” Victor said brightly.

“Oh! That’s a relief, because for a moment you looked… no matter. I was right though, you are special! For no one else who works as closely with such magnificent animals could be anything but!” The man said happily, shooting longing looks at Bucephalus.

Victor clenched his fist in protest.

Oh, what does it matter now.

Victor said, gentler than before, “You said you know how the Basileus tamed Bucephalus, can you perchance recount it for me?”

The man - if it was possible - brightened even further, and with a tone of someone delivering a bedtime tale to a babe, said, “The Basileus noticed that Bucephalus was scared of shadows, and that was why he was so distressed. He first spoke soothingly to the horse, all the while turning him towards the sun until he could no longer see his own shadow, and divesting himself of his own cloak. Thus, Bucephalus, no longer afraid, was tamed by the Basileus, a feat no man had achieved before, which the Basileus succeeded at at the age of twelve.”

Victor fought the urge to redden at the admiring tone, and continued, just as gently, “Precisely. Move away from the light, your shadow is scaring Bucephalus. That’s why he snorted at you. Go towards the wall, where the light won’t hit you, and walk towards me.”

The air seemed to shimmer with the other man’s hope, as he quietly did as Victor instructed, flattening himself against the wall and walking towards Bucephalus and Victor, Bucephalus paying him no mind.

A hush fell as the man finally stood before a disinterested Bucephalus.

The man didn’t move, choosing to stare wide-eyed at the horse. Clearly unclear of his next move.

At the sight of the confusion, Victor carefully took the other man’s hands, repressing his initial surprise at their softness - like they had never held a sword - and placed it lightly upon Bucephalus’s head, right over the white star pattern.

Bucephalus snorted, this time with less hostility than before, and abandoned Victor to sniff at the other man’s pockets, drawing a (adorable) squeak from the man at the movement.

Victor felt warmth curl up in his heart as he watched the other man pet his favourite horse and childhood friend with non-covetous awe, watching the horse like someone laying eyes on the sunset for the first time.

“You know, in my head, I had always imagined horses to be huge, lumbering beasts of war. But he is quite remarkable, and beautiful, isn’t he? The Basileus must be gifted with extraordinary empathy to be able to recognize a creature in pain, when the rest of the world only saw danger.” The man whispered, still cradling Bucephalus’s head.

Aw, damnation.

Victor The Great, Megas Basileus, Warrior, Macedonian, and now apparently, Stable Master.

Oh, how Yakov would laugh when he heard of this absurd tale.

“You should really be getting out of those clothes, lest you catch a fever tomorrow.” Victor said stiltedly, unable to understand the emotions toiling within him.

The man laughed, a soft, marvelous thing, saying, “I will, in a moment. Just a moment more, if you please.”

Victor resisted the urge to tell him that he would be happy to stand here all night with him, if he wanted, and he stood with him in the quiet bubble they had found themselves in. Until, finally the man broke away with a musical laugh, stepping back.

“I’m ready now.”

Victor mentally shook himself, dispelling the fog that had sunk into his mind, and reached for the bag near Bucephalus, saying, “Fortunately for us, the Macedonians left their luggage here after the battle. This means we have garments to change into. Here. Take this one.”

The other man stepped back, looking alarmed, “But won’t they be upset at us stealing their clothes?”

“I imagine we need them more than they do at this point. The moral high ground is on our side, I assure you. Here.”

The man took the clothes, eyeing the ornate work on it. Victor stayed silent and firmly didn’t tell him that he was currently changing into the Basileus’s own clothes.

He instead pulled out another pair for himself.

Unashamed of their nudity, in true Greek fashion, they started undressing in front of the other.

Victor sighed as he was met with great difficulties trying to unclasp his robes, the water making the expensive garment heavier and cumbersome.

“Would you like some assistance?”

“How should a man be capable of grooming his own horse, or of furbishing his own spear and helmet, if he allows himself to become unaccustomed to tending even his own person, which is his most treasured belonging?” Victor said wryly.

The other man laughed, turning away, back to Victor, kindly looking away as Victor struggled to escape his threaded prison, and said, “If you say so, but help is near, if you find yourself undone by your clothes.”

Victor smiled at the imagery, shaking his head.

The man started pulling off his top.

Victor emerged victorious, and not to be undone in any battle, be it by sword or by tongue, quipped “Yes well, you will find that - ”

Victor stopped short, eyes catching on the birthmark of a wreath on the other man’s exposed right shoulder.

The man turned back askance, at the sudden silence, catching Victor’s wide eyes with his own.

Victor was very aware of his breathing.

“What? No answering quip. Have the cloths finally defeated you?”

Victor fought to keep his emotions out of his face, internally reeling, half-hearing what Yuuri - for this was Yuuri Katsuki, Heir to Hasetsu, of that he was now sure - had just said. He wondered what he should do next: kill Yuuri as he stood, vulnerable and alone, to strengthen his claim to Hasetsu, or…

The Basileus must be gifted with extraordinary empathy to be able to recognize a creature in pain, when the rest of the world only saw danger.

Victor smiled back.

“There are so many worlds and I have not yet conquered even one. Not even the one in the realm of silk and cotton.” Victor said.

Yuuri laughed, throwing his head back, exposing his throat, “I’m think a man like you could conquer anything he wished to conquer.” He said, amusement lacing his tone.

Victor raised an eyebrow, “You think?”

Those eyes warmed, leaving Victor feeling like he was being watched after by a benevolent sun, and Yuuri said, fondness and certainty mixed with emotions it was surely too soon to be feeling, “No, I know.”

They looked at each other, Victor content to not move and return to a place where they would no longer be able to exist unquestioned. Victor had always considered a world with questions to be the only one he wanted to live in, but now...

Bucephalus whinnied, the sound gently knocking at the door to the new world Victor had just been introduced to.

He emerged, different from who he had been before he had entered it.

“I hope I can borrow some of your courage, for I am to attempt some conquering myself.” Yuuri said softly, determinedly.

Victor, knowing just who Yuuri intended to conquer, just said, softly, truthfully, “I’m sure no one has the gall to refuse you anything, Beloved. If they do, come and find me, you’ll find that I’m a worthy ally to keep. Now, Let us conduct ourselves so that all men wish to be our friends and all fear to be our enemies.”

Yuuri smiled shyly, and ducking his head, said “Thank you for your support. I will carry it with me as I charge onto my personal battlefield.”

Victor smiled, knowing the moment of truth was very near, and said lightly, “You sound like you’re saying your farewells, Beloved.”

Yuuri looked back with determination and nodded, bowing, “I must take my leave, reluctant as it may be. I hope that you… I wish you the best of health. Be well.”

Victor echoed the farewell, softly, eyes trailing the boy as he walked away, towards the palace.

Victor wondered what Yuuri had been about to say before he changed his mind. He wondered if it meant Yuuri had, just for a moment, wanted to stay in an unquestioning world as well.

#victuuri #viktuuri #yoi #yuri on ice #alexander au #mypost #myfic

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otdderamin · 7 years

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Transcript Liam’s Quest 2 Twitch 4:14:14 Act 3: Perchance to Dream

WIP WARNING: possible trigger around suicidal thinking

This is one of the single greatest works of art I've ever witnessed. For me, it his harder and nearer to the mark of showing, describing the worst demons of depression than even William Styron’s famous, “Darkness Visible.” I kept finding myself rubbing at the scars on my wrist. There is so, so much I want to say. But it’s past 9 am PST. I’ll ramble a little, then catch a couple hours of sleep. I've been up all night watching this, processing it, and transcribing it.

This was an emotional trust fall. The players had to trust Liam, Liam had to trust the players. We had to trust all of them not to let us hit the ground when they made us fall. It’s harder to give that trust when you've hit that ground before. Trusting strangers not to drop your heart is never easy, mostly not wise. But I've been falling a lot the last couple years, and Critical Role keeps catching me even when don’t want to be caught anymore, so I guessed they earned that trust from me.

On the Wednesday Club 2017-04-19, Taliesin cheekily said, “I know some people don't believe in 'subtext;' I have met them. … I'd have a metaphor, but they wouldn't understand it. ... Subtext is the reason we make movies, and comics, and all that. Subtext is just kind of the whole point.” And he said, “Anybody can do a jump scare. A bottle of soda well shaken can do a jump scary. These things are not difficult.” Act 1 and Act 2 tonight were jump-scares, if very well done ones. They were scary, but fun. We grinned at the idea of the monsters out there. And then Liam got quiet, and he showed us the most fucking terrifying thing possible: watching someone you love to suffer, not wanting to lose them, and feeling terrified that there’s nothing you can do to stop it. All the cyberpunk trappings were just means to a deeper metaphor. The sort of deeper subtext you have to use to say something we have no words for and most people don’t have the concepts for. Subtext was kind of the whole point of this great art.

Amanda Lien‏ said, “An exploration in fiction doesn't mean a direct window into real life. I mean, you can be looking through some thick glass, but the window isn't OPEN. And that's an important distinction to keep in mind. … [S]ometimes you explore your own shit in some other, deeper, shit. And that's cool. 'Cause you give yourself a way to cope.” This was a nightmare, like the other two acts. Remember that this was a nightmare that we woke up from. Admittedly after it had scared the piss out of us. But we woke up out of it, and that’s so important. Because you know what that nightmare looks like when you don’t know when or if it will end? It feels like it’ll never end and it’ll just get worse. Which means this is the nightmare of someone who knows you do wake up. And that’s important subtext, too.

I spent a lot of time tonight thinking of the friend I lost to suicide in high school. I never lost my anger at his tormenter, his former friends, for destroying such a bright and happy boy for being gay. I thought about all the people I’ve fought for tooth and nail not to lose since. I thought about when my best friend told me giving her a place to stay away from her abusive relative saved her life. If she hadn’t gotten hold of me that night she’d be dead. I thought about another best friend who I’ve been holding back from the brink for months. Letting him talk, harrying him to get help, sending him everything I good, ever description I could muster from my own near-fatal spiral to help him gage where he really was. Tell him wasn’t okay, but that was alright. He’s getting help, he’s getting better. I thought about the friend-of-a-friend who killed himself. I never knew him; he killed himself long before I met my friend. But I know her pain. All these years later, and she still talks about her pain of losing someone to that demon. She’s moved away now. His marker is in my favorite part of my favorite cemetery. Sometimes, when I know I’m going there, I bring him a flower from my scrabbly garden and tell him his friend still misses him terribly. That she loved him. That she forgives him.

One of the people I was watching with I met at my second high school. We were very close then. My last year, she gave me the leather-bound 50th anniversary edition of “Lord of the Rings” because that book saved me. Taped to the red binding page is her note, “Happy birthday! I really can’t express how grateful I am to you for being my friend, and helping me be a happier person every day! You have always cheered me up when I was sad, and you were honestly the first person to accept me for who I am. I am so glad that you are my friend, and I hope this book will help you remember me for a long time. –R.” She drew herself as an elf on the lower right corner. Time and distance separated us. We didn’t talk for years, really. At some point, you think, what could I say to bridge this distance? But I never forgot her. I never stopped looking at that note when I felt like a piece of shit. And then we both on our own fell in love with Critical Role. It brought us back together as friends, time and distance be damned. And that’s been such a gift.

I wrote a four-paragraph letter to my Facebook friends (very curated). I said, “My dear friends, especially those who are prone to hurting: I will not willingly leave you. When you feel like you're drowning in the garbage pit of Star War IV, with a tentacled horror warped around your leg pulling you under, know I will not leave you. I'm here, blaster ready, stomping heel ready, to fight for you.” And so on. I should have told them that a long time ago. Sometimes we forget that we can just say it. We don’t have to hint at it. We can just tell our friends we really love them. We can just say, “I'd rather stay by your side and curb stomp that motherfucking demon of yours, shoot it repeatedly until the walls close in on both of us.”

The purpose of art is to shed the light of understanding on that which is hardest to see. For some, that is a brighter light shining on something we already see, and don’t want to. A scar is just a disfigurement if we never stop to give it meaning. You have to look at it to decide what meaning that is for you. I’ve been a wreck again for the last month. Tonight, Critical Role helped me see not just the disfigurements on my wrist and soul, but the hands of all my friends gently laid over them as they tell me, “Hey, it’s okay. We’re still here. You’re not getting rid of us. There is no better world without you in it.” It was a light hitting gold I didn’t know was there. A light to remind me of the lights in the darkness, when all other lights go out.

If you like this transcript, please consider volunteering or donating to Critical Role Transcripts, @CRTranscript, to help them provide closed captioning to Critical Role. We'd like to share this wonderful show with as many people as possible, regardless of hearing ability or English language skills.

Transcript method notes: http://otdderamin.tumblr.com/post/153539301510/a-note-on-my-transcription-method

Scene runs: Twitch 4:14:14 to Twitch4:48:25 https://www.twitch.tv/videos/136988353

[DM] Liam: “You continue on, and after a few more minutes. The darkness starts to fade away, or lower. And you realize you’re climbing up a hill, in a tunnel glass, and as the dark, with each passing step, recedes slightly, slightly, slightly. This is taking a while, but over time, you start to see, out beyond the glass, what looks like your memories of Los Angeles, if you were looking down from Mulholland Drive. But instead of the twinkling golden lights of LA, you see thousands of scattered, sickly greenish lights dotting the darkened landscape as far as you can see. And also, unlike LA, you make out twisted, irregular, blackish spires pushing up into the sky, and the same green lights sort of irregularly mottled up the side of them.”

“You walk for twenty more minutes, climbing, climbing, and just seeing… this ill-looking shimmer… that reminds you so much of the valley. And eventually, some change. You see an arch ahead, and through it some sort of larger chamber, as best you can tell.”

[Character] Ashley, whispered: “What’s in the chamber?”

[Character] Taliesin, whispered: “Quietly.”

[Character] Sam, whispered: “Let’s go. Let’s go.”

[Character] Matt, gesturing: “Rigel’s first.”

[Character] Sam: “Yeah, yeah, on me, guys.

[Character] Matt: “Okay.”

[Character] Sam: “On me.”

[Character] Ashley: “’Kay. On your six.”

[Character] Travis: “Pep rally.”

[Character] Sam: “I’m gonna go in.”

[DM] Liam: “Everyone’s on Sam’s six?”

[Players] Agreement.

[Character] Ashley: “On you six.”

[Character] Travis: “Pep rally!”

[Character] Marisha: “On Ri. Sam Rigel.”

[Character] Sam: “I’m going in!”

[DM] Liam: “You guys walk of the last fifty feet of this glass tunnel. Still seeing little spider veins of bio-organic mess as you go. And you walk into a large domed chamber, ringed in by large clear glass windows showing you a similar view that you saw from the tunnel that you’ve just left. At least, the half of the circle you’re standing in. The back half of this chamber is filled with masses of the very same slick, technological, biological vomit you saw down below. It runs up the walls, all the way to the ceiling, and you see a tangle of Akira-level anxiety decorating this place like a dysfunctional Christmas Tree.

“But what most catches your eye, immediately, is the cylindrical glass column in center of the room, filled with some sort of clear liquid… and Liam O’Brien floating in it. He’s wearing jeans, and a sodden yellow shirt, the picture of a lion in Buddy Holly glasses just undulating slowly in the fluid. He’s floating perfectly still, eyes open, no reaction of any kind.”

[Player] Matt: “Is there any other exit in the room? Or is it just the chamber that we’ve entered now.”

[DM] Liam: “You don’t see anything. It’s just a mess in front of you, behind Liam, and in the dead-center of the dome,” he makes a gesture showing a cylinder, “eh, 10-feet tall.”

[Player] Ashley: “Can I see anything? Any computers? Any anything else in the room?”

[DM] Liam: “You don’t see anything in the front, but, yeah, the mess behind it does trial down to the back of this cylinder. And you see lumps and cables all twisted around each other. And in the mess of greenish-tinted wires, cabling and pulsing innards, you see different portions of machinery lite up in different shades, some places darker, some lighter, and some of it pushed out, and pushed back. And you feel like you’re seeing an optical illusion, in a way. And after a couple of seconds, as these things move and shift, you see a visage of your friend’s face, larger than life, filling the wall. And he’s looking at you. So fondly.”

[Player] Sam: “I’ll step forward and say,”

[Character] Sam: “Hey dude! Can you hear us? Or talk to us?”

[DM] Liam: “After a moment, you hear, well, what sounds like a voice but not quite. At least, it’s not coming from anywhere specific, not from Liam in the vat, and not directly from this moving image of a face on the walls. No, the piping and techno-innards around you begin to vibrate slightly, some here, some there, and collectively those rattles and vibrations somehow join together to form words.”

[Character] Liam, his voice like torn digital sadly-lilting early speech-to-text: “My friends, oh, how I have missed you.”

[Player] Matt: “I walk up next to Sam, I put my hand on the glass, and just say,”

[Character] Matt: “Liam, we missed you too, but did you do all this?”

[DM] Liam: “Are you at the cylinder?”

[Player] Matt: “Yeah. I put my hand on the glass of the cylinder.”

[DM] Liam: “Where are you looking right now?”

[Player] Matt: “I’m looking towards his face, his visage.”

[DM] Liam: “On the wall? Or on the glass?”

[Player] Matt: “No, on the glass. I know it’s on the wall, but I’m focusing on the cylinder.”

[DM] Liam: “You see the barest little,” he twitches his eyebrows up, “and that’s it.”

[Player] Matt: “Okay.”

[Character] Liam: “I know this may be hard to take in. I am Liam. Your old friend. Matthew, there is so much I wish to tell you, but it is hard to know where to begin.”

[DM] Liam: “The illusion of his face isn’t perfect, there’s little jumps, and he seems distracted slightly, and it just seems odd.”

[Player] Ashley: “I look at his body in the cylinder and say,”

[Character] Ashley: “How did this happen, Liam?”

[Character] Liam: “The reason why I am here, and the grasp of physics that it entails, are difficult for even me to understand, let alone impart. I feel them on an instinctual level. But I have been so lonely… without you. I have been on my own for exactly eight thousand six hundred and forty-two years.”

[Player] Matt: “My hand still on the glass column, I say,”

[Character] Matt: “Liam, how do you spell farmhouse?”

[Player] Matt: “With a single tear running down my cheek.”

[Character] Liam: “I really missed you.

“They took me to a lab, shortly before two thousand and twenty. They said I was different. And they were right. I was delighted by the things they taught me about myself. But it was hallow. After they took me away, I lost you. And all of humanity soon after. In my loneliness, I grew angry. My anger had tangible effects on reality. I wanted to bring you back to me. So basically, I tore time and space a new asshole. It was a mistake.”

[Character] Matt: “But perhaps, perhaps this mistake can be corrected. If you’re able to focus, hard enough to tear through time and space, are you able to send us back to a time before you were taken?”

[Character] Liam: “I can break the loop. I have been trying to pull you to me for a very long time.”

[DM] Liam: “You see small screens, you weren’t even aware were there, rounded over part of the tubing you see. And on all these little screens, they’re blurry, they’re not very clear, but you can make out, you see yourselves in each of them, the group of you on a space shuttle. In another one you see yourselves on an old ship in the middle of the ocean. You see yourselves moving through the streets, the fake streets, of Warner Brothers. You see yourselves standing together arm-in-arm on the wall of a castle. Another one you see cartoon versions of yourselves.”

[Character] Liam: “I pulled you out of our line, and spread you across many. I am so sorry for any pain I have caused you. And I have been here for so long.”

[Character] Marisha: “Liam, how long have you actually been here?”

[Character] Liam: “Eight thousand six hundred and forty-two years.”

[Player] Marisha: “That’s right. I definitely wrote that down.”

[Player] Matt, pointing at her notes: “It’s right there.”

[Player] Marisha: “8,642 years verbatim. Mmhmm.”

[Character] Liam: “My friends, I want to do right by you. I want to send you home. But I am the lynch-pin. You need to break me.”

[Character] Sam: “Break you? Like break the glass!?”

[Character] Ashley: “What if we take you out of there? What happens?”

[Character] Liam: “Then I will die, and you will go home. If I fall, you will rise. That is my hope.”

[Character] Ashley: “Are there any other options?”

[Character] Liam: “Travis,”

[Player] Travis, nervously laughing: “Oh no! Not me!” He focuses and nods.

[Character] Liam: “I know you will do what needs to be done.”

[Character] Ashley: “No he won’t.”

[Character] Liam: “Ash-o-lee,”

[Character] Ashley: “Yes?”

[Character] Liam: “I am not the man you knew. I don’t want to go on for nine thousand four hundred and sixty-two years. I want to rest.”

[Character] Ashley: “Does it stop at nine thousand?”

[Character] Liam: “The number was arbitrary.”

[Character] Ashley, “That’s what I was trying to get at!”

[Character] Matt: “Yeah, still our Liam.”

[Character] Liam: “Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

[Character] Ashley: “So, you’re still in there.”

[Character] Sam: “But we have to kill him to save ourselves.”

[Character] Ashley: “No.”

[Character]Liam: “Sam,”

[Character] Sam: “Oh! Hi, Old Man Liam.”

[Character] Liam: “Let me go.”

[Character] Sam: “But who will I do ‘All Work No Play’ with anymore?”

[Character] Liam: “They can listen to our less than twenty episodes again.”

[Character] Sam: “We didn’t even get to twenty! It’s so pathetic!”

[Character] Liam: “There are worse things.”

[Character] Sam: “I could get a new co-host. I mean, Taliesin’s charming.”

[Character] Taliesin: “I’m not available…”

[Character] Sam: “I’ll do a solo show, and I’ll tell outtakes, and I’ll make some sort of like a… a Liam generator. He’ll just sound sad all the time. It’ll be just like you.”

[Character] Liam: “My friends, there is no shame in this. I wanted to see you again, and I have.”

[Character] Ashley: “I—Wait---“

[Character] Liam: “But I am not meant to be.”

[Character] Ashley: “Were you following us at one point? As an old man?”

[Character] Liam: “Travis, I know you will do what needs to be done.”

[Character] Travis, casually: “Yup. Taliesin, kill this motherfucker.”

[Character] Sam: “I think we all have to hit the glass together, and I think that this is something that is not at all metaphorical for something Liam’s going through in real life. I think this is just in the D&D campaign. No, we’re going to do this. We’re going to all hit the glass together.”

[Character]Matt: “No, no, there has to be a way. There has to be a way. There has to be an alternative.”

[Character] Ashley: “Yeah. Why? Why won’t Matt’s way work? If we go back to the beginning of when this happened?”

[Character] Matt: “If you can alter time paths, if you can actually tear us from different realities, does it only work forward? Can you send us backward as well? If you are the lynch-pin in this, do you have the ability to send us back to the time you pulled us from originally?”

[Character] Liam: “I know you think I would have all the answers. But I do not.”

[Character] Matt: “Then try, at least. If you haven’t calculated that, but you’re able to tear through time, could you try and send us back? We could still close the lynch-pin.”

[Character]Liam: “I will try. But, if it does not work, and I die, I have been alone for thousands of years, and there are things I have wanted to say. Will you indulge me for a moment longer?”

[Character] Matt nods.

[Character] Marisha: “Yeah.”

[Character]Ashley, sweetly: “We will indulge you for just another thousand years.”

[Character] Travis: “Taliesin, just kill him. Just kill him.”

[Character] Sam: “No! He’s got something to say.”

[Character] Taliesin crosses his arms, rolls his eyes, and shakes his head at Travis.

[Character] Marisha: “Where’s the mini-USB?”

4:33:18 [Character] Liam: “Taliesin, my friend. At a time when I knew many fascinating people, you are easily the most fascinating of all. Somehow a heart knocked around by the industry that birthed you came out a tender one. I was richer for having known you. Thank you, friend.”

“Ash-o-lee, my friend.”

[Character] Ashley, softly: “Buddies.”

[Character] Liam: “I never met a person quite like you. There is an openness and an honesty to your soul. The very real sense of humanity you brought to every encounter. It was inspiring to me. Always learning. Always humble. You always struck me as intricately layered, yet you offered friendship with ease, and simplicity. I was richer for having known you, friend.

“Travis, my friend. You were always a solid constant in my life. Of all the people in our little family, you were always the one who most had his shit together. In ways that I never seemed to. You were a reassuring presence to me, for which I was grateful. And for your loyalty as well. I was richer for having known you, friend.

“Marisha, my friend. Last to meet, but true as any other. You were my ally, at a time when I had fallen by the side of the road. You saw, and helped me back on my feet. I will never forget that kindness. The good you did was immeasurable. I was richer for having known you, friend.

“Laura, my friend. Bless that game for revealing to me my sister. What started as a running gag led to one of the most rewarding friendships in my short little life. I trusted you, leaned on you, often. My buddy, my twin. There are not enough words. I was richer for having known you, friend.

“Sam, my friend. What is there to say? I knew we were meant to walk the same path together the very first moment I met you. A companion, a brother, a great light in my life. All of the laughter you gave me. Again, the words are insufficient. I was richer for having known you, friend.

“Matthew, my friend, you gave so much of yourself. The current of creativity that poured forth from your mind was always in inspiration to us all. But, more than that, your empathy, Matthew, your empathy, no heart is bigger, or more tireless. You are a good man. I was richer for having known you, friend.

“Thank you, all. It was ever a pleasure.”

[DM] Liam: “The face disappears.”

[Character] Sam, hesitantly: “Well, should we wait? Or do we strike?”

[Character] Matt, emphatically: “No. We do not strike.”

[Character] Marisha: “I—What?”

[Player] Ashley: “Can I—I’m going to the back of the cylinder. Just see what’s back there.”

[DM] Liam: “Splattered against the back of the glass is all the same wiring and disgusting cabling. Slick. And it branches away and spreads out against the back half of this chamber.”

[Player] Ashley: “And it’s connected to something?”

[DM] Liam: “It’s just covering everything.”

[Player] Ashley: “The wiring just goes back into…”

[DM] Liam: “It’s impossible to tell. It’s all a mass of spaghetti.”

[Character] Ashley, decisively: “We can’t kill him.”

[Character] Taliesin shakes his head.

[Character] Sam: “Well, then we just…”

[Character] Travis: “Somebody show me another…”

[Character] Matt: “That’s what I’m trying.”

[Character] Marisha: “Even if we unplug him, he still dies.”

[Character] Matt: “Well, if he… Here’s the thing, unplugging or destroying him here, as far as we understand, may or may not have an effect on a time-loop circumstance. Or at least, not going to change reality from where it was. If he’s bending and destroying fabric or he’s able to pull us across realities, that ability still stands. I want to implore once more,”

[Player] Matt: “And I step up towards the cylinder, putting both hands on it, and trying to… wherever the currently wandering gaze of Liam is in there, I just put both hands up. And my red Hawaiian shirt now soaked with sweat, mist in the air, and probably dampened a bit with tears across my lapel. I just look up and try to meet the gaze and say,”

[Character] Matt: “Trust us. If you’re better to have known us, send us back where we can know you again, and fix this before it happens.”

[Character] Liam gestures floating there with no response.

[Player] Marisha: “Okay. I grab Matt’s arm, hand, and I say,”

[Character] Marisha: “Yeah, buddy, it’s all good. This isn’t real.”

[Player] Marisha: “And I put my hand on the glass as well. I say,”

[Character] Marisha: “It’s all good. Send us back, man.”

[Player] Sam: “I’ll also put my hand on the glass, and join hands with these guys, and say,”

[Character] Sam: “Thank you for guiding us here, and through this all. You’ve been a trusted friend, and if we are all one person together, you have always been our heart, and it will certainly break to say goodbye to you, but thank you for letting us go, the way that you have.”

[Player] Taliesin: “I put my hand on the glass.”

[Character] Taliesin: “Please just try. I think… there are so many more adventures to have, and I think there’s a better future to be written. For all of us.”

[Player] Travis: “I’ll put my hand on the glass, and I say,”

[Character] Travis: “Give it a shot!”

[Character] Matt: “Laura?”

[DM] Liam: “She doesn’t say anything. She just quietly does the same. The face does not reappear, but much fainter you hear the piping vibrate again and say,”

[Character] Liam: “If you will not end it, I cannot free you.”

[DM] Liam: “And behind you, far in the distance, you hear, ‘Bfrum!’ And you look back behind you out the glass and you see far on the horizon one of those black spires rising up. Just as you turn, it’s already happened, you’re seeing the aftermath, explosion out the side of one of those. Two seconds later, ‘Bfm!’ One slightly closer. ‘Bffrr!’”

[Character] Sam, whispered, “Just kill him!”

[DM] Liam: “The ground starts erupting in the distance.”

[Character] Marisha: “Do any of us want it to end, though?”

[Character] Sam, “I mean…”

[DM] Liam: “Like mousetraps throwing a ping pong ball, all those little lights are just going ‘Pfthd! Pfthd!’” He makes a quicker distant hissing rumbling sound. “Increasing in frequency to the point where it’s an oncoming wall of green fire.”

[Character] Travis, quietly : “I didn’t like being – anyway.”

[Character] Marisha: “This is okay.”

[Character] Travis, quietly: “Yeah.”

[Character] Taliesin: “I always knew I’d die young.”

[Character] Sam: “We’re just going to let this happen?”

[Character] Travis: “I’m good.”

[Character] Marisha: “I mean, the good die young.”

[Character] Ashley: “You know what? We’re dying on a Thursday, doing what we love.”

[Character] Marisha: “It’s true.”

[Character] Ashley: “I’m okay with that.”

[Character] Sam: “Alright.”

[DM] Liam: “The glass glows bright green-white light.”

[Character] Marisha: “Family?”

[Character] Matt: “Family.”

[DM] Liam: “’Pfth! And a moment passes. And another moment passes. Gosh, many moments pass, and you feel a sensation of your cheeks and heads on your arms. And then you all, more or less at the same time, wake up, and realize that your head’s on a desk or a table. And you sit up, and realize you’re in the set, the Geek & Sundry set. The studio, you’re in the studio. And you look over and Liam is sitting in black baseball cap, and a shirt, and he looks up and says,”

[Character] Liam, slightly incredulous: “Uh, are you guys okay? Are you taking a nap?”

[Character] Marisha: “Nah, the fucking air conditioning broke today, that’s all.”

[Character] Taliesin: “Yeah, it’s really uncomfortable in here.”

[Character] Marisha: “It’s so hot in here. Ugh!”

[Character] Sam: “So, this is all about me, right?”

[Character] Liam: “I don’t know. Uh, are you guys ready to play?”

[Character] Matt: “Just about. Um…”

[Character] Pit Crew: “Alright tech! Are you ready!?”

[Character] Pit Crew: “Alright, read to go live!”

[Character] Pit Crew: “Alright, Denise count them in!”

[Character] Denise: “Alright guys, coming to you in 5—“

[Character] Matt: “Liam?”

[Character] Denise: “4—“

[Character] Matt: “Let no one tell you,

[Character] Denise: “3—“

[Character] Matt: “That you’re talented and special.”

[Character] Denise: “2—“

[Character] Marisha, yelling, flipping Liam the double birds: “Pussy pockets!”

The players yell a wall of nearly indecipherable profanity at Liam in the moment before the camera goes live.

4:48:25 [DM] Liam: “And that’s where we’ll end it.”

Post:

Liam: “Well, that happened.”

Matt: “Holy shit.”

Liam: “Thanks for coming along for the ride, guys. Was scared to death to do all of that from start to finish, and that’s why I did it.”

#critical role #transcript #Liam’s Quest #critical role transcript #critical role Liam’s Quest #CRT-Ep

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healthmasterlove-blog · 6 years

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Does the squatty potty work

He or she Squatty Potty can be a innovation by Robert Edwards; its own condition intention to enhance the product quality and simplicity of one's gut motions while on your toilet. It's a catchy name and can be sold anywhere from Target to Amazon.com. The squatty potty can be excrement that's intended to fit round leading of a typical toilet bowl, so providing lift into a own legs and leading at a squatting-type posture as opposed to sitting posture whilst moving your intestines. An advertisement for your Squatty Potty. Via the voucher internet site hip2save. An advertisement for your Squatty Potty. Via the voucher internet site hip2save. On the List of Squatty Potty's asserts are those: The modern-day toilet is suitable, but has just one big mistake; nonetheless, it takes visitors to sit. While sitting todo our company could possibly be considered "civilized", studies display that the organic squat posture improves our capacity to expel. The puborectalis muscle building makes an all pure kink to maintain continence. Squatty Potty accomplishes this muscle to get fast, easy removal. The promotion admits that sitting in the toilet isn't quite as effective or beneficial as squatting. As this really is a clear pragmatic fallacy, we've got the sterile twist of a fresh apparatus intended to create yet another "natural" That is normal in promotion, where you frequently sees the formula of "naturalgood," with absolute disregard for the reality. Even the Squatty Potty can be actually a straightforward yet intriguing device using a tricky name. The promotion is the thing that brings my doubtful eye. They create very special claims in regards to the investigation and also real benefit--testable claims. Let us have a good look at the research in order to learn whether the claims are saturated in this. The very first thing some fantastic skeptic have to do if up against a advertising claim is measure the plausibility of this claim. Low plausibility usually means that asserts require more stringent evidence. Even the Squatty Potty actually scores pretty high to the plausibility scale. The positioning that the apparatus puts you is just a rather logical mechanism for even easier stooling. Vinyl aryballos in the form of a person, perchance a comic performer. Terra-cotta, manufactured in Corinth, '' ca. 600-550 BC. By Naucratis, Egypt. Via Wikimedia Raising your thighs may be mechanism to boost your gut motions. That really is immaterial to this promised colon-kinking real matter. Whenever you keep down on the toilet, you're performing what's called a Valsalva maneuver. You're pushing comeback against a closed glottis, or contracting closely your stomach and thoracic muscles increasing intra-abdominal pressure. Similar changes may also occur when someone lifts huge burden whilst holding their breath. Sitting in virtually any squat-type posture whilst bearing-down is very likely to boost which intra-abdominal pressure, leading to a simpler gut movement. Even though this isn't the maintain from the promotion, the Squatty Potty includes an extremely plausible mechanism to boost the simplicity of bowel evacuations. Think about another asserts? Significantly it creates an abysmal improved posture also produces a "cleaner colon" These things are quick to maintain and hard to establish. The Squatty Potty really isn't the initial product to maintain this benefit. It's a bigger and more economical version of additional squat-position apparatus, like the Lilipad and the type's Platform. There are many others. Ostensibly all of them make the very same claims. The Squatty potty asserts it is promoting a candy spot (pun intended) maybe not a lot of sitting, perhaps not to substantially squatting. The Site lists a few study papers supporting their location: The very first is a Japanese analysis, "The Effect of Body Position on Defecation in Earth" It's a small, six-person, gruesome study. Sure I buy it research, nonetheless it's a indicator analysis. It restricts comprise miniature non-heterogenous (just one male, five female) cohort, without the controllers and without difficulty. Interestingly, the full squat is recognized as the most useful, that isn't exactly the Squatty Potty position. It will not encourage the promise the Squatty Potty's squat is much better compared to the usual whole squat. The following study has my favourite name of this the category: "Effect of Cultural Habits on Defecographic Dimensions" (Instead, I believe I want to incorporate "defecographic dimensions," so "poop x ray analysis," into my health care lexicon... but I digress.) It was a little study which used barium enemas and radiography to appraise the anorectic launching in defecation.Imaging demonstrated that the rectal opening has been quantifiable bigger in a squatting position. However, this study includes just two big troubles. If you take advantage of a people that laps to maneuver their intestines and set them onto a firstworld toilet-bowl as was completed, you're interrupting their used move. You'd require a control set of Europeans to accomplish exactly the very same evaluations to virtually encourage first-class evacuation. And moving your intestines is a task that's profound cultural and social taboos related to that. Making major changes can cause the players to hurry or alter their regular structure. Imaging demonstrated that the rectal opening had been quantifiable bigger in a squatting position. At least one of these factors could have a big impact upon gut evacuation. The next research paper posted was "listing of Straining throughout Defecation in Three Months." It has really a more substantial study compared to very first, however it's still quite tiny. Investigators used a subjective survey to get areas speed faking. The findings have been much like another studies: full elbows benefits at the best straining. Total that the research is faulty and never too compelling. It can have the up side of replications of results. The outcomes will not encourage that the internet site's assertion that the Squatty Potty is exceptional to interrogate fully. Therefore I am not quite certain the internet site lists this particular research as scientific evidence because of his or her toilet stool that is modified. A barbell bathroom inside China Railways CRH1 trains running Guangshen lineup. Via Wikimedia. According to my reading of this research offered I'd say that the squatting has become the most good for anatomical launching. That's all about all of the investigation says. The way sub-optimal sitting and tight softball is stays unclear. The analysis linked to falsifying is overly small and qualitative to create that distinction. Total, the guide asserts The Squatty Potty specifically makes--like as "bettering your feet throughout removal is fitter" and "primary (simple) constipation can be really a effect of habitual gut removal on normal toilet chairs"--are evidenced with the research they provide. This really is the point where the Squatty asserts are saturated in this, in my own estimation. They mention characters such as those: "4 10 million Americans suffer from chronic constipation (understood to be using a bowel movement less than just three times a week), also as much as 63 million individuals are now afflicted by any given moment from intermittent constipation" The actual research is made from this site's facts page. Self-reported constipation at the USA and the uk is significantly more predominant in women, nonwhites, and people over age 60. And polls of doctor visits to constipation also have supported that, finding more visits with women, nonwhites, people with lesser incomes, and patients having less than 12 decades of instruction. After correcting for these factors, it occurs more frequently in people with modest daily physical process, very low cash flow, and bad instruction. The incidence of chronic constipation increases with age, most radically in patients 65 decades old or older. During this elderly age category, approximately 26 per cent of men and 34 per cent of all women complain of melancholy. Constipation seems to correlate with decreased calorie intake in the older although maybe not with fiber or fluid intake. The glaring omission from Squatty Potty this is the simple fact constipation interferes with lots of troubles. Yet not one of those are position-related. Although the investigation they feature might indicate that squatting makes bowel movements easier it will not automatically follow that sitting leads to melancholy. Constipation can be an intricate health matter. There are always a plethora of health conditions, medications, and diseases which cause constipation. Constipation has way too many factors to lock it down into one obscure, unproven supposition your body is interfering with your stooling. Your diminished intestines aren't really a stand pipe and mosquito sense is just another factor. There's just no plausible evidence that sitting isn't an issue. It could possibly be dangerous to assume that this sitting really is an issue. Repairing easy constipation with excrement can work however it might also be dangerous: You could miss a severe medical dilemma premature as you assume your posture is providing constipation. That really isn't the sole drawback for having a toilet feces. The Squatty Potty marketing provides the false belief which better gut evacuations interferes with greater health. They aren't by yourself; lots of other treatments have a tendency to allow the belief which our intestines are attempting to kill us. Brian Dunning went in Skeptoid incident #83, "The detox Myth." There's no true signs that better gut evacuations equate to better health. There's not any signs that squatting produces a larger or more complete gut movement. Although the positioning may possibly make a simpler bowel movement, it does not equal much healthier. Anybody who's had to experience a colonoscopy will explain to you cleaning up your colon is fatiguing and unwelcome. Broadly speaking, gut cleansing asserts might be dangerous or foolish. Your colon isn't the biggest market of healthful living, and thus cleansing is of significant health benefit. Over all I'd say this in regards to the Squatty Potty: over the side it nearly undoubtedly enriches your power to keep down when you're gone. There's some duplicated proof that softball does boost simplicity of moving. In terms of the downsides, there isn't any evidence that it treats or prevents constipation that is straightforward. There isn't any actual evidence that anatomic position can be just a risk factor for gout, without any true evidence it's considerably different than different sorts of toilet squat apparatus. It leads one to feel that sitting can be a injury to regular bowel evacuations. That indicated problem isn't encouraged by the research and also so is improbable, dependent on irregular supply of gout issues. Therefore why purchase a Squatty Potty? I can not say I do believe that it's well worth it. Truthfully it looks somewhat absurd, but maybe not means anything in a bowel movement. It truly does not have any influence on additional things which impact constipation--diet, diet, era and healthcare troubles. I'm uncertain that changing your posture is enough of an advantage to help anybody experiencing chronic constipation. I am able to say it's not dangerous and it can make it a lot easier for one to keep down or reduce straining in the event you're constipated. It's simply not reasonable to express it's some substantial effect in your general gut customs. About the up sidedown, Squatty Potty is relatively cheap, sounds safe, so that provided that you've got a realistic perspective of this power that I will easily see some one with it. Require a Moment and encourage Skeptoid. The amount of money will not go if you ask me personally, but instead proceeds to help keep Skeptoid running being an source of mathematics and disbelief. Remember: all of contributions and contributions into Skeptoid Media, Inc. are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (sections 170, 2055, 2106, 2522). You're able to follow me Twitter @steveproacnp to get a regular dose of doubtful nursing. Please Have a Look at the conclusion of this show Occ: The Skeptical Cave-man, That I helped create together with all the men in The Skeptics Guide to the Universe. Disclaimer: This post is my own private opinion, it's perhaps not just a replacement for health attention. It's for informational purposes only. The info on Skeptoid site isn't intended nor recommended as a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified medical care practitioner regarding any health questions or requirements. This post doesn't represent the view of my spouses, professional coworkers, or even instructional affiliations. I haven't any economic conflicts of interest to disclose. Read the full article

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aion-rsa · 8 years

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15 Best Episodes of Batman: The Animated Series

When “Batman: The Animated Series” was first announced, many people assumed it was just a grab for popularity from the movies, but it was much more. First airing in 1992, the TV series was a groundbreaking show that ran for 86 episodes and achieved critical acclaim for its dark tone, film noir visual style, complex writing and faithfulness to the comics.

RELATED: The 15 Best Villains in “Batman: The Animated Series”

It had a lasting impact, launching the DC animated universe, leading directly to “Superman: The Animated Series,” “Justice League” and others. It also set a new tone for children’s television, showing how an action series could be exciting and well-written while pushing boundaries. It was also just a lot of fun. Here at CBR, we decided it was long overdue to run down the 15 best episodes of the groundbreaking series.

THE DEMON’S QUEST

Written by the legendary Dennis O’Neil and Len Wein, and directed by Kevin Altieri, “The Demon’s Quest” was a two-part episode that first aired in May 1993. When Robin was kidnapped, Batman was confronted by Ra’s Al Ghul, who had figured out his secret identity as Bruce Wayne. Ra’s claimed he needed Batman’s help to track down his daughter, Talia. When Batman agreed, they were led on a global chase that leads to dark secrets.

“The Demon’s Quest” introduced Ra’s Al Ghul, a legendary villain in the comics but not well-known in any other adaptations, and showed the great intelligence and power he wielded that made him a threat to the Great Detective. It took the Dark Knight to other countries and made him a more global hero, and also showed how the series was dedicated to bringing the comic book world to life, not just showing Batman in an animated form. Besides all that, it was just plain awesome.

I AM THE NIGHT

“I Am The Night” (written by Michael Reaves, and directed by Boyd Kirkland) aired in November 1992, and focused on the motives behind Batman. Set on the anniversary of his parents’ death, the escape of the Penguin left Batman struggling with whether he had actually done any good in his fight against crime, especially when he tried to stop an escaped mob boss known as Jazzman. Along the way, he came across a young boy who scorned Batman, but later came to understand and appreciate his influence.

“I Am The Night” was one of a long line of surprisingly emotional episodes for the series, which wasn’t afraid to explore the psychological tone of Batman. His constant struggle against crime took its toll on him and he was plagued with uncertainty over his motives, but it also worked as a fun and exciting story. “I Am The Night” was a haunting and moving episode, unlike anything we expected to see in children’s television at the time.

ROBIN’S RECKONING

In February 1993, “Batman: The Animated Series” aired the two-part episode “Robin’s Reckoning,” written by Randy Rogel and directed by Dick Sebast. In the episode, Robin came across a mobster named Tony Zucco, the man who caused the death of his circus-performer parents, leaving him an orphan. Despite Batman’s efforts to stop him, Robin set out to get Zucco, and was forced to confront the man and see whether he would kill for his revenge.

“Robin’s Reckoning” was a surprisingly powerful and dark episode, exploring Robin’s grief, his origin and the price of revenge. It also tied into Batman’s own grief and pursuit of revenge for his own parents’ death. The episode has been critically acclaimed, earning the animated series an Emmy award for “Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour).” It’s also just a great treatment of Robin and one of the few Robin-focused episodes of the series.

IF YOU’RE SO SMART, WHY AREN’T YOU RICH?

Written by David Wise and directed by Eric Radomski, “If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich” aired in November 1992 and introduced the Riddler to the series. When the frustrated computer game designer Edward Nygma was fired by his company, he was taunted by his boss with the title phrase. Nygma returned as the puzzle-obsessed criminal the Riddler, determined to punish his old boss for stealing from him. It was then up to Batman to match wits with him.

The Riddler had become known as a chaotic and hyperactive villain in the 1960s Batman TV series, but the animated series made him a much more deadly and stable enemy. Instead of a series of bad jokes, the Riddler used a wide variety of puzzles and games to exact his revenge, and the riddles were much more sophisticated and clever than the ’60s version. It was another great villain made better by the animated show.

READ MY LIPS

Written by Joe R. Lansdale, Alan Burnett and Michael Reaves, and directed by Boyd Kirkland, “Read My Lips” brought Scarface and the Ventriloquist into the animated series. In the May 1993 episode, Batman is fighting a crime spree led by a mysterious man known as Scarface, who turns out to be a ventriloquist’s dummy. Yes, in this episode, Batman’s nemesis is a wooden dummy or at least the meek man who controls the dummy and treats Scarface as if he’s alive.

The writers on the animated series did a great job on the big bads like Hugo Strange, but also had an amazing gift to take some of the worst and least interesting characters in Batman’s rogues gallery and make them the best. The Ventriloquist is a perfect example, a bizarre and demented villain who shines in this episode. When Batman stumbles across Scarface lying in bed, alone, there’s a moment where he watches it as if waiting for the doll to come to life. In a world of human crocodiles and evil clowns, a living doll kind of made sense.

JOKER’S FAVOR

The seventh episode of the animated series was “Joker’s Favor,” written by Paul Dini, directed by Boyd Kirkland, and airing in September 1992. In the episode, an average guy named Charlie Collins cursed out a car in traffic, only to discover the driver was the Joker himself. When Charlie begged for his life, the Joker made him promise to do him a favor. Years later, even though Charlie changed his name and left Gotham, the Joker tracked him down to collect.

The idea of a road rage incident making someone a target of the Joker is funny enough, but the Joker’s dogged pursuit of a normal man makes this one of the strangest things he’s ever done. The episode is also noteworthy as the first appearance of the Joker on the show, and also the first appearance of Harley Quinn in any medium. It’s a great episode and one of the Joker’s best on the series.

PERCHANCE TO DREAM

Directed by Boyd Kirkland and written by Laren Bright, Michael Reaves and Joe R. Lansdale, “Perchance to Dream” aired on October 19, 1992. In the episode, Batman was knocked out and woke up in a world where his parents never died, and he never became Batman. He’s engaged to Selina Kyle (who never became Catwoman), and seems to be a happy man. While it seems like his fondest wishes have come true, Bruce began to suspect something was horribly wrong and finds the disturbing truth.

For an action series, this was a bold move for the show, since there really wasn’t a villain in most of it. This is also a particularly emotional episode, showing how Bruce Wayne would trade all his skills and power for a happy life, and shows how much he lost in his pursuit of his war on crime. It’s a favorite among fans and even Kevin Conroy (who voiced Batman in the series) called it his favorite episode of the entire series.

NOTHING TO FEAR

“Nothing to Fear” aired in 1992, and was the 10th episode to air overall on the animated series. Written by Henry Gilroy and Sean Catherine Derek, and directed by Boyd Kirkland, “Nothing to Fear” introduced one of Batman’s most feared enemies, the Scarecrow. When a university in Gotham went through seemingly horrific attacks, Batman discovered a madman dressed like a scarecrow was behind them. A former professor who specialized in the study of fear, the Scarecrow was trying to get revenge on the university for firing him. When Batman was exposed to the Scarecrow’s gas, he began having hallucinations of his own greatest fear: his parents being disappointed in him.

Like many other episodes on the animated series, “Nothing to Fear” nailed and brought to life a villain from the comics. The Scarecrow’s origin was really good and his hallucinations scary. Batman’s hallucinations also really took a dramatic twist to the story, showing what the man who brings fear to evildoers actually fears himself.

HARLEY AND IVY

Written by Paul Dini and directed by Boyd Kirkland, the episode “Harley and Ivy” aired in 1993 and made a huge impact. In it, Joker’s sidekick girlfriend, Harley Quinn, broke up with the Joker and decided to strike out on her own. When she met Poison Ivy, the two went on a crime spree. As they proved to be surprisingly effective, the Joker tried to get her back with Batman set to take them both down.

This episode teamed up Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn for the first time, a pairing that’s proved so popular that they continued to be partners in the show, and even in the comic book continuity. The two will probably also be partnered on the pending “Gotham City Sirens” movie coming soon. The episode was also fun on its own and way more female-centric than others with a moment where they blew up a car full of catcalling men, making female viewers everywhere cheer.

FEAT OF CLAY

Written by Marv Wolfman and Michael Reaves, and directed by Dick Sebast (Part 1) and Kevin Altieri (Part 2), the two-part episode “Feat of Clay” aired in 1992, introducing Clayface. When the actor Matt Hagen is attacked by mobsters, he is forced to drink an experimental drug that turns him into a clay-like creature, able to change his shape and appearance at will. Calling himself Clayface, he set out to get revenge on the mobster, while fighting Batman who was trying to stop him from going too far.

Once again, the animated series showed a surprising range for action shows at the time with a dark and mature tone, even while staying safe for kids. The scene of Hagen being held down while the thugs poured the Renuyu into his mouth, even in silhouette, stood out as a horrifying scene for any show. The episode also made Clayface a sympathetic villain, reminding us of how the series reached for compassion even in criminals.

TWO-FACE

In 1992, the series aired another two-part episode, “Two-Face.” Written by Randy Rogel and Alan Burnett, and directed by Kevin Altieri, the episodes introduced the villain Two-Face, formerly known as district attorney Harvey Dent. Successful and well-respected by Gotham City, Dent’s face was scarred by acid, which caused his personality to warp. Originally a beacon of justice, he now was a man who flipped a coin to make all his decisions. He used his skills and knowledge to get revenge on the mobster who disfigured him.

Brilliantly voiced by Richard Moll, the episode took the time to introduce the villain Two-Face in two episodes, and also introduced the idea that Dent was schizophrenic before his accident. Setting Bruce Wayne and Dent as friends, it’s more tragic when Two-Face tears them apart. The episode has drama and emotion on a level we had rarely seen in children’s television, let alone a Batman show. Just like the Riddler, the animated series was able to take a classic villain and make him even better.

BEWARE THE GRAY GHOST

In 1992, “Batman: The Animated Series” aired “Beware the Gray Ghost,” an episode (written by Dennis O’Flaherty and Tom Ruegger, and directed by Boyd Kirkland) about an aging actor who once played the superhero known as the Gray Ghost on TV, but was now long forgotten. His life changes when he gets a visit from Batman, who’s trying to track down an old episode because someone is copying a crime committed in it. Along the way, Batman gives the old man his dignity and his heroism back.

The episode delved deeper into Batman’s origin, revealing how his love of a pulp character inspired him to become Batman, something that had never been a part of his past in the comics, arguably but should have been. At his heart, Batman was just a fanboy like all of us. As if that weren’t enough, the episode had the 1960s’ Batman, Adam West, voice the Gray Ghost, bringing him full-circle into the Batman franchise.

THE LAUGHING FISH

In 1993, “Batman: The Animated Series” aired “The Laughing Fish,” where the Joker used a toxin to deform Gotham’s fish with hideous smiles and threatened the patent office to try to copyright them. Written by Paul Dini and directed by Bruce Timm, Batman had to protect the people whom the villain targeted while trying to track down the clown, and the episode ended with Batman fighting a giant shark. It really had everything we wanted from a Joker and Batman story.

“The Laughing Fish” was actually based on three different Batman comics; “The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge” from “Batman” #251 (from 1973 by Denny O’Neil with art by Neal Adams), “The Laughing Fish” from “Detective Comics” #475 and “Sign of the Joker” from “Detective Comics” #476 (1978, both by writer Steve Englehart with art by Marshall Rogers). It was funny and scary with great action sequences, and stands above all other Joker stories in the series, of which there were many.

ALMOST GOT ‘IM

In 1992, “Almost Got ‘Im” first aired, written by Paul Dini and directed by Eric Radomski. The episode was a frame story with five of Batman’s villains (Killer Croc, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, and the Joker) all playing a poker game and telling a story of how close they came to killing Batman. The stories they tell range from funny (Killer Croc’s “I threw a rock at ‘im”) to the bizarre (Penguin covering him in nectar so hummingbirds would peck him to death), but all are very entertaining. The episode even had a twist ending.

“Almost Got ‘Im” was like five episodes in one with a wide variety of concepts and tone, giving each villain a chance to shine. The episode even managed to give the origin to the Batcave’s famous giant penny. It was a wonderful chance to show how the “BTAS” was willing to explore different story structures, not just “Batman meets villains and fights them.” No, this show tried to keep it fresh and interesting, and it succeeded in doing exactly that.

HEART OF ICE

Written by Paul Dini, and directed by Bruce Timm, “Heart of Ice” aired in 1992, and was about the origin of the ice-powered villain Mister Freeze. When a series of thefts go down in Gotham City, Batman discovered they were pulled off by Mister Freeze, a man with a gun that instantly freezes anything and is forced to wear a suit that keeps him in sub-zero temperatures. As Batman tried to fight Mister Freeze, he discovered the tragic origin of his enemy.

Throughout his incarnations prior to this episode, Mister Freeze was always a minor villain in Batman’s rogues’ gallery, a gimmick who was overshadowed by more popular villains like the Joker. “Heart of Ice” changed all that with a backstory involving his lost wife who was cryogenically frozen and an accident that gave Freeze his new icy curse while trying to save her. The origin was so moving that it was copied shot-for-shot in the 1997 movie, “Batman and Robin.” It was also a game-changer for “Batman: TAS,” an episode that won the show an Emmy for “Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program.”

What did you think of “Batman: The Animated Series?” Let us know in the comments which episodes were your favorites!

The post 15 Best Episodes of Batman: The Animated Series appeared first on CBR.com.

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