#and he was created to further clara's story

[justahumblememefarmer]

Ultimate Doctor Who Poll Round 1 - Matchup 19

Episode Summaries under the cut

105: Last Christmas - Season 8 Christmas Special: The Doctor and Clara are asked for help by Santa Clause, and head to a base at the North Pole. At the base they meet several scientists who are dealing with dram crabs that sense thoughts and attach themselves to people's faces, putting them into a dream state while it eats their brain. Clara is attacked by one and is trapped in a dream with her deceased boyfriend, Danny. The Doctor attaches one to himself to join her dream and get her to reject it as fake, waking them both up and destroying the crab. Symptoms of being victims of the dream crab still affect everybody, and the Doctor determines that they are all in a shared dream state, he and Clara were just in a lower layer.

They all wake up again, and the Clara figures out that they are still dreaming. They fight off dream versions of themselves, and wish for Santa to save them. He rescues them in his sleigh and they begin to remember their real lives, slowly disappearing as they wake up in the real world. The Doctor goes to visit Clara, discovering that 62 years have passed for her since he last saw her. Santa appears and reveals that this is one further dream, and they wake up. The Doctor invites Clara to travel with him again, and they take off in the TARDIS.

137: The Shakespeare Code - Season 3, Episode 2: The Doctor takes Martha back in time to see one of Shakespeare's plays. He announces a sequel to his play Love Labour's Lost to be Love Labour's Won which is known as one of Shakespeare's lost plays. The Doctor and Martha go to visit Shakespeare and he is very taken with Martha. They also find that Shakespeare is immune to the Doctor's psychic paper. The owner of the Globe Theater shows up, angry that Shakespeare announced the sequel would be performed the next night, and cancels the performance. One of the maids, an alien witch in disguise overhears this, and with her mothers, create a voodoo doll of him and drown it, killing him.

The Doctor and Martha investigate the strange death, and retreat back to their room at the inn. Shakespeare stays up to write, and the witch Lilith enchants him to write a strange paragraph into his play. The inn keep walks in on them and the witch shows her true form, scaring her to death. The Doctor and Martha come running after hearing the scream. Lillith is seen flying away on a broomstick by Martha. Figuring that Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre are part of the witches plans, they track down the architect, who has been locked up in a madhouse.

The Doctor helps the catatonic architect regain his lose memories, and he reveals that the witches influenced his construction of the Globe and drove him mad once their use for him was done. One of the witches, Mother Doomfinger, appears and kills the architect. The Doctor works out what species they are, and names Doomfinger as a Carrionite, injuring her. He explains that Carrionites are a lost race of aliens that use an ancient science based on the power of words. They also work out that they plan to use Shakespeare's words and the construction of the globe to restore their species.

They confront Lillith who makes Martha faint by naming her, and makes a voodoo doll of the Doctor, knocking out one of his hearts, then leaves. Martha restarts his second heart, nd they make it to the theatre as the play ends, with the Carrionites portal being opened and beginning to swarm. They tell Shakespeare to improvise a verse to get rid of them, and he closes the portal, retrapping all the Carrionites and destroying the pages of his play.

[atamascolily]

Doppelgangers, Homunculi and Other Narrative Possibilities in Walpurgis no Kaiten

The key visual for Walpurgis no Kaiten shows Homura confronting what appears to be a duplicate of herself (or someone wearing her face). Combined with PMMM's predilection for Germanic literature references, this instantly makes me think of the concept of the doppelganger (literally "double-walker"), a term which was coined by the German Romanic author Jean Paul in his 1796 novel Siebenkäs ("Seven Cheeses").

Siebenkas (full title, Flower, Fruit, and Thorn Pieces; or, the Married Life, Death, and Wedding of the Public Defender F. St. Siebenkäs in Reichsmarktflecken, Kuhschnappel). The Wikipedia entry summarizes its plot thusly:

As the title suggests, the story concerns the life of Firmian Stanislaus Siebenkäs and is told in a comedic style. Unhappily married, Siebenkäs goes to consult his friend, Leibgeber (Bodygiver), who, in reality, is his alter ego, or Doppelgänger. Leibgeber convinces Siebenkäs to fake his own death, in order to begin a new life. Siebenkäs takes the advice of his alter ego, and soon meets the beautiful Natalie. The two fall in love; hence, the "wedding after death" noted in the title.

Since then, the doppelganger has migrated further afield, appearing in stories like Edgar Allan Poe's "William Wilson" (1839) and Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Double (1846). In addition to being a figure of inexplicable mystery and horror, the doppelganger frequently infiltrates its target's life, taking on their name and place in society by displacing the original. The doppelganger is also similar to many doubles from folklore and legend, including the Celtic fetch, which is usually seen as a omen of death. None of this bodes well for Homura, obviously.

The doppelganger is also closely related to the Gothic Double, where one character's personality is divided across two bodies (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde being the ur-example). In these accounts, the character's shadow--all of the traits that they repress or deny about themselves--manifest physically in the form of a double (often distorted or otherwise visually distinctive) that serves as antagonist and narrative foil in one.

Finally, the doppelganger also serves as the inspiration for the Doppels in Magia Record, which are temporary manifestations of a magical girl's witch form inside the controlled environment of Kamihama City. However, the game takes place in an alternate continuity, so it's not clear what, if anything, will carry over to the movie.

A design similar to Homura's in-game doppel from the 2015 concept movie trailer, featuring the Clara Dolls armed with pins.

While it's not quite the same as a double, there's one other example from German literature that this image reminds me of: the Homunculus from Goethe's Faust, Part II (1832). Homunculi (Latin for "little human") are perhaps best known from shows like Fullmetal Alchemist, but they have been popular in literature for centuries as alchemical creations and artificial life.

In Faust Part II, Faust's assistant Wagner creates the Homunculus--despite greeting Mephistopheles as "cousin", the Homunculus has a unique relationship with Faust, capable of seeing into his dreams. The Homunculus guides Faust and Mephistopheles to the "Classical Walpurgisnacht" featuring the Thessalian witches and other characters from Greek mythology (unlike the more Germanic Walpurgisnacht celebration from the original Part I). In contrast to Faust, who is both matter and spirit and spent most of Part I yearning to be spirit alone, the Homunculus is pure spirit, but yearns to be human. However, he dies in the process as the fire of his being mingles with water and the glass flask containing him shatters on the throne representing Love.

Given all of the Faust references in previous installments--not to mention the association of the Homunculus with fire (remember, "Homura" is a homonym for "flame" and her emblem is a salamander, which was associated with fire in European heraldry) and the shattering of the glass flask mirroring the shattering of a soul gem--it's entirely possible there might be more in Walpurgis no Kaiten. We shall see!

Not every odd or unusual design choice in this show heralds back to Faust, but it's generally a good starting point.

(As an aside, a common term used to describe Wagner is famulus, which has the same Latin origins as the word "familiar". In one of those twists that makes translation so fun, it's also a 100% accurate rendering of the word Sayaka uses in Rebellion to describe her relationship to the Law of Cycles--かばん持ち, kabanmochi, or "private secretary".)

While it's still too early to tell which if any of these archetypes/references will be present in Walpugis no Kaiten, the key visual suggests that the primary conflict of the movie will be Homura confronting herself--though how and why this doubling/splitting/mirroring comes about has yet to be explained. It also suggests that the movie will be as complex, deep, and chock-full of allusions to German literature as its predecessors and I am so here for it.

[fancifulplaguerat]

Clara/the Changeling and Daniil have possibly my favorite dynamic in all of Patho. Just the setup of Daniil being a doctor bound to stop the plague and the Changeling being he plague herself is unmatched to me. Especially because the Changeling often refers to herself as Death, so Daniil/Clara interactions are like Daniil having to deal with death itself, in a way. I think the game does play with this a little, such as Clara imploring that Daniil catch her ‘sister’ because “She’s scared of you! She knows you’ve already almost killed her...” It is delightful to me. I think my absolute favorite is when Grace tells Daniil that Clara’s going “To fool the doctor. Said the doctor’s not so smart... That she fooled everyone and she’s going to fool him too. Turn his needles into hooks so he won’t prick her hands.” I love the imagery of the Changeling manipulating his instruments into her own. Like needles and hooks are what Daniil and Clara use to literally and figuratively get under people’s skin and decipher what’s going on with said person in their quests.

I also adore when Clara characterises Daniil’s ‘role’ in the game—in the Bachelor Route she says, “As you can see, you’ve fit into it perfectly. Bravo! Encore! And your persona was... ‘the smartest and the fairest’. Others would have been less convincing.” And in the Changeling Route: “You’re that learned fool from vulgar comedies. Try repeating all of that in Latin; you might bring down the house.” And speaking of personas. I find it delightful when Daniil confuses Clara’s for his own: 

Tragedian: [The play] only has bold Masks, just Masks, and miserable Masks...

> What is the play about?

> I've only seen two Masks so far: the miserable one... and the bold one, I presume? It has a remarkably bold beak. *

Tragedian: [...] No, Bachelor; you've seen the Miserable Mask and the Just Mask—that is to say, the punishing one. The Bold Mask is you.

I do find Clara and Daniil incredibly similar, whether intentionally or not, and that’s partly when I find their dynamic so compelling. In typical Patho-doubles fashion, they feel like two sides of the same coin, with similar motivations but different conceptions of said motives. For one, they are both highly motivated by justice. Even if Clara is more led by her heart, in being the plague she is framed as divine judgement, and justice remains a strong thread throughout her character. Then Daniil is, of course, Dr I Will Find Answers and Justice Will Be Restored, and I find this overlap especially tasty because both the plague and doctor see themselves as bearers of justice. Their stories are also driven by their respective attempts to break the Law/achieve the miraculous, and Clara even has a slight utopian flavor in how she talks about the future she intends to create with the Commander. 

I feel Clara’s similarity to Daniil really draws out how he can be his own detriment when it comes to miracles. As I’ve thought more about Daniil, it does seem that he stifles his own imagination and dreams with logic. His obsession with truth further seems to constrain him; I think his pursuit of truth is partly an extension of his need for rationality. He disregards the irrational and contradictory, because contradiction is incompatible with truth. As he tells Clara, “I don’t believe you, Changeling... You cannot be trusted because you always contradict yourself.” I feel that Daniil tries to organize reality neatly into what’s true and what isn’t to form a logical and ‘correct’ understanding of a situation, but it’s to his detriment because people and life are inconsistent, some things don’t make sense, so to disregard all that as lies robs him of a more complete understanding of the world. Like Clara tells him, “you have reconstructed a picture of the whole Universe and found the root of what happened, but your picture is austere and barebones... You have merely come to understand the mechanics of the events. You are generally a mechanic of medic.” From a meta standpoint, I think that playing as Daniil definitely offers the most bare-bones understanding of Patho, or at least the most ‘rational’ explanation of events that doesn’t communicate the richness of the world that you get with Artemy and Clara. This makes sense, of course—it allows the player a thorough introduction to make the next two routes more comprehensible. As Clara, the player can also say “There are no bachelors and no towns here, blind man! There’s just you and I. And you are my past. Meaning that, technically, there’s just me and I.” Which God I love it from a meta standpoint because presumably the player has done a route as Daniil, so he is the player’s past

A last thing I wanted to touch on is their diverging conceptions of fate. Daniil professes that he doesn’t believe in it and that it’s just a tool for excuses, such as telling Georgiy, “Categories like ‘time’, ‘nature’, and ‘fate’ deprive man of responsibility for what goes on around him. I was taught to avoid this worldview.” As I’ve said before, I feel that Daniil has a very internal locus of control, and sees everything as driven by actions, consequences, or coincidence. Clara largely does believe in fate, describing herself as bound by a set path and spending much of her route manipulating fate—not just her own, but deciding others’ as well. And in my opinion only Artemy manages to claim autonomy from it because he’s just. “No thanks I’m me actually fuck off.” I don’t think Daniil or the Changeling manage to escape it, but by stealing Clara’s fate, the Changeling still achieves a victory over the Law that Daniil (arguably, depending) does not. 

Also, I couldn’t justify putting them anywhere but I have to include these dialogues because I love them so much 

Bachelor: What, you and Maria talk to each other? Unbelievable. Maria denounced you as a Changeling and said that if you came to her again, she'd have you thrown into the Gorkhon to see if you'd sink or swim. Does this mean you've swum?

> No! *

> Quit fooling around! Let me into the Cathedral.

Bachelor: So you sank? That makes you a non-witch; but then you must be a revenant, and I don't know which is worse. Shame that the bullets in my revolver are leaden and not silver. But perhaps they'll do too...

Bachelor: Blimey! Look who's here, the demon huntress... I hope you've got your stake of aspen wood with you... And silver, lots of it.

> You're still a slave to your worldview...

> That last part sounded oddly covetous. *

Bachelor: Could be... I'm not the one without sin here. That would be you.

Just how Daniil is vehemently “the supernatural DOES NOT exist” 😡 and then says all this to her. Clara telling him to stop fooling around. Everything about the second one. kisses him kisses him kisses him 

[candywife333]

Unexpected: A Tale of Grief (Part 2)

Disclaimer: This story has yandere behavior, toxicity in loads, body shaming, ,voyeurism, cursing/profanity, and questionable behavior. Also, the characters do not actually represent the personalities and behavior of BTS in real life. There might be non-con further on in the story. I will make sure to post a warning before if there is any non-con at all. 

This is the link for part 1 of the story. 

https://www.tumblr.com/mred435/691758530362032128/unexpected-a-tale-of-grief?source=share

After I dragged and deposited Clara on her bed, I quickly ran to my room in fear. Since interfering between Clara and Jungkook, I felt this chill of fear and foreboding. I feel like I had committed a terrible faux pas. Clearly, he was trying to drug her and as a good friend and human being I had prevented her from being in such a vulnerable state around him. I had heard stories around campus about the seven boys. They were all bad news in their own ways. However, Jungkook seemed to be one of the worst. He was known to get easily offended, and could be aggressive, cruel, and downright destructive to anyone’s reputation. 

What made me even more afraid, was the rumor that if he got fixated on one thing or person in particular, he had to have it. I had laughed it off initially, thinking how similarly this behavior sounded to a toddler in their terrible twos. Yet with time it seemed very apparent that if you got in his way, he wouldn’t stop even short of killing and torturing. One such incident was when a professor had offended him by deducting marks from a homework assignment in finance. Apparently according to Jungkook, he had not made a mistake on that particular question; it was just the professor’s neglect to grade the assignment properly. 

Hence, the professor got punished in a very cruel way. A video of the professor harassing a female student leaked out a week after Jungkook had been given his marks. The professor was immediately fired and to top it off, his car had been trashed with a death threat written on the window shield. After the professor was fired, it came to be known that the leaked video was fake. But, the professor was never heard of again on campus. 

It was like he had been wiped off the face of the earth. He had disappeared according to the police, not to be found. This was not the last of his and this friends’ horrendous acts on campus that he was never held accountable for. Few days after they had arrived, he invited the most beautiful girls on campus to a party (some of them even had modeling contracts). They had created a ranking of beautiful girls, and to my surprise that even included my friend Miri. 

The top 10 most beautiful girls were invited and according to Miri, they engaged in very questionable acts; some bordering on sadistic and depraved . Apparently orgies were the norm. That shocked me. The level of privilege to get away with literally anything was fascinating and scary. 

The next day I woke up convincing myself I imagined his glare. I put my hair up into a messy bun after conditioning and blow drying it. Throwing on a baby pink chiffon high low dress and white wedge sandals, I grabbed my leather backpack and ran to the first class of the day. Art, my one and only love kickstarted my day. After class I had my pink Adidas tracksuit ready in my bag so I could make a trip to the gym. Usually around 10:00 am most people didn't come to gym as classes would be going on. Perfect time for me to get in some running. 

As I made my way to class, I had the misfortune of bumping into Jungkook and his friends, Taehyung and Jimin. They were all wearing sunglasses and variations of polos and crew neck t-shirts with slacks and fancy leather shoes. But what really scared me, was the condescending smirk on Jungkook’s face.��

He circled around me leisurely like a shark around a bleeding fish. “So, why did you take Clara from me last night bitch? Don’t you have any common sense? I guess nobody told you that messing with me is a death sentence. A fat bitch like you should have known better. You're friend is cute, and I want her. If you get in the way, you’ll be sorry. ” 

His friends cackled behind him as they stared at me. As quickly as they laughed, they all stopped immediately in a frightening synchrony. Jungkook came towards me abruptly before I could move out of the way and pushed me to the ground. I landed on gravel hurting my hands as I fell on them. I knew this would end up in really bad bruising and cuts. 

He sneered at me as though I was mud that had dirtied his pristine shoe. “Get a life bitch. Stop interfering with me. If I ever see you around again messing with me getting a lay, I will end you.” Before he could threaten me further, I scrambled up and stumbled away towards the class building

I wish that had been the last time I saw him. It would have been better for me if he continued to hate me. But unfortunately that wouldn’t be the case.

Jungkook’s POV

The fat bitch had got in my way and blocked me from a good lay. I had been working my way to fuck Clara for a week solid. Too much time wasted. That bitch was an investment that the fat fuck had ruined. I was going to mess up her life. If she thought her poor life was pitiful, I would make it fucking tragic.

My plan was to take a secret video of the bitch when she was showering or changing clothes and post it onto our college instagram page. Instant humiliation for life and she would learn not to interfere in what I did. 

Bitch probably looked horrible under clothes. She already looked too chubby in them. 

He remembered how you dressed this morning in that baby pink sheath dress that came till your ankles. It seemed to be such a loose fit, he couldn’t make out what the bitch actually looked like under that dress. But from what he could remember, you resembled a bedazzled pink trash bag.

I walked down the hall to her room. I had intimidated the girls’ dorm supervisor into giving me the set of master keys they used only for maintenance. She knew who I was and who my father was. So, she didn’t say a fucking word. The fat girl’s room was number 316. I walked into the room after easily unlocking it. Lucky enough for me the bitch was actually showering. 

If she hadn't been showering or changing clothes, I would have forced her to do it in front of me so I could take the video. Not like she could say no.

She had all the luck in the world. This would be relatively painless as she would be unaware. 

Her bathroom door was open a crack as she showered. All the dorms had translucent glass showers which worked perfectly in my favor. As I took out my phone to take a video of her, I was ready to be disgusted. I exclusively fucked skinny, slim thick, and fit girls. Not the likes of this big bird. 

She had opened the shower door and was showering. Possibly to let out the steam that had accumulated due to the hot water. As I was getting ready to grimace and sneer at her ugly body in repulsion, I looked into my camera and to my dismay felt something else all together.

The girl had long black hair that trailed down in a wet spray across her back. She looked so ethereal as water droplets trailed down her back and waist ( which was surprisingly small for her body), that held a small amount of pudge around her bellybutton and lower stomach. 

Her skin was the shade of a fading sunset. She glowed as his eyes beheld her perfectly round, dimpled butt cheeks that lead to equally thick thighs. Her hips were so wide, encased by white stretch marks that wound around her hips like vines. 

As she turned completely to the front to collect a loofa, her lush soft breasts jiggled ever so slightly, with water droplets clinging onto to her chocolate colored nipples. As my eyes traveled down of their own volition, so much so that I forgot about the video for a few seconds. Her little belly button was cradled with fluff and it all led down in a V line to her pussy. 

I didn't know one could be obsessed with a pussy just be viewing it partially.  She had pubic hair covering her for the most part. Black curls obstructed my view of her lips. Yet when she moved slightly, I saw the peek of dark lips exposing themselves through the curls. Her curls traveled to her inner thighs were they stopped. 

The steam from the shower made her dark hair plaster against her back and one of her nipples. Her chest was flushed a vivid pink from the assault of warm water. Her pouty lips that I had not noticed till now were mumbling the words to some song I had yet to discover. She had big eyes framed with extravagant lashes and dark black eyes that gleamed with comfort and ease. 

I couldn't believe how attracted I was to her. She was a goddess. How could I not have noticed her. I could see the bruising and scratches on her knees bleeding into purples and reds from where I had shoved her onto the ground. 

[weirdthoughtsandideas]

I DID IT I FINISHED ENTRELAZADOS S2

Ho. Ly. Fuck.

(Non Spoiler thoughts)

It was very cool with the 70s theme all around

Marco, Félix and Allegra make a quite iconic trio

We got no Greta and Bárbara content >:c Oh well at least they were there in the live show

I had a feeling about Clara… and I turned out to be right about her…

I am a bit nervous because they said that they are not making a S3 but they can’t end it like this so I really hope it’s gonna change or that it was false news

This was a bit slower than last season. I think it can be because Marco just is more chill with his time travel and keeps a lower profile, while Allegra was… well, yk, all around when she was in the 90s.

I’m glad we got some more of Marco’s dad and his life and backstory

Looooooved all the time travel lore! Gosh I wanna make AUs based on this…

Caterina was not in this as much which is a bit sad, but also, this was yk, ”Marco’s” season, so I get it.

I really thought all three of them would time travel together. The trailer tricked me.

Félix needs to stop being friendzoned fr

I wish it was 10 eps instead of 7, but we also got quite a lot

Alright, now for some spoilers!

Ok, first of all… I KNEW CLARA WAS A TIME TRAVELLER. I noticed it right away. The way she acted and the way wind was blowing. I knew it. And I felt it on me that she was related to Allegra.

The question is… is her dad Marco or Félix? Or someone else?

With that, IS PEDRO CATERINA’S DAD?!

Seriously what is it with Sharp women and just for GENERATIONS being single moms

ALSO PEDRO SETTING THE THEATRE ON FIRE OF COURSE THEY WOULD TAKE A NEW CHARACTER YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE

I literally thought we would get more 90s stuff but nope

Félix and Marco’s relationship… honestly Félix is such a sassy boss I love him

And he does EVERYTHING he is literally the true hero of this story

I was worried Diego was cheating on Greta so I am glad they just briefly mentioned he divorced her lol

Also him and Caterina just making out like horny teens help

Imagine Félix’s family when they come home again. Like he and his bro share a room, imagine when he comes home and finds all of these random time travel documents

WHERE DID MARCO AND ALLEGRA GO

I am surprised that time travel cat wasn’t used more. Imagined if you time travelled with it. Then again, maybe since you don’t wear it, it can’t set off like normal.

Ok, as mentioned, idk if there is a S3 but after this I really hope so. So here are some predictions/things I want to happen in S3

Marco and Allegra end up in a rather unexpected time period - either in the far past or further in the future. The past seems more likely as they’d otherwise have to make up how a future would look like, which can make this whole show rather dated if they predict it wrong.

That, or they are stuck in some void and need rescue

Due to how Clara acted with asking so much about Allegra’s love life, I am wondering if she perhaps have come to see who might be her father

And I imagine S3 she will spend a lot of time with Félix, so she might consider him as her potential father. But she also wonders if it might be Marco.

It’s also possible that something happens with Allegra as an adult - Clara asks her something like ”how important is your career for you”, which makes me wonder if… maybe Allegra becomes like Cocó was when Caterina was young, that she always travels and does shows and is never home

The time travel necklace seemed to have a yellow light, which is something we have not seen before… green is learning, purple is getting a mission, but yellow…? Could it possibly be something like… changing the past?

But it could also just be yellow because it was a light creating the triangle and she actually had another color. Who knows.

It can also be that Clara is a mastermind time traveller who has just travelled anywhere and everywhere and set out clues for everyone else.

Next season is Félix’s turn to time travel?

Idk more right now! All I know is that I wanna make a video review of this. My plan is to make a sequel to my d+la shows video, where I talk about the rest of the d+la shows I haven’t mentioned yet, and then in the end I’ll have my Entrelaza2 review.

[harbingerofsoup]

Lied

By now, the elephant in the room has probably grown about three stories, but don’t worry, there was no way I was going to forget Lied when he plays such a crucial role in this arc. A lot of the scenes he’s in covers all the different sections I created like character development, trauma, and undemonlike behavior at the same time, so I decided that instead of trying to break it all apart, I’d just give him his own section where he can fully shine. Every arc and self-contained story in m!ik will focus on Iruma and, usually, one or more additional character(s). Prior to the Harvest Festival, the characters bearing the weight of the story were Iruma (obviously), his adopted family (Sullivan and Opera-san), and his two closest friends (Asmodeus and Clara). Shorter stories would branch out, and many of the Misfits had their chance to shine in specific scenes of larger arcs, but in the Harvest Festival, Lied, someone outside Iruma’s family and the trio, becomes one of the most important characters, second only to Iruma. This is first brought to attention by how the Misfits are positioned in ensemble shots. Like the one above, Lied is placed front and center, drawing the readers’ attention.

When looking back on the purpose of the legendary leaf, a lot the focus is on what it means for Iruma’s future. It’s worth considering since it provides greater insight into the mystery behind Delkira, and therefore the overall plot, but we shouldn’t overlook that half of the challenge was completed by Lied. I’d say that based on this arc; Lied may be the least demonic of the actual demons. That’s not to say he isn’t at all demonic, but his defining characteristic is antithetical to demons. Lied harbors the greatest concentration of any character in the series, and it develops further in the same arc where Iruma masters a weapon unfit for demons because of how much concentration it requires. It’s not just a random trait either; that level of focus is essential to using his bloodline magic, so in order to be a better demon, Lied has to develop undemonlike qualities. Paradoxical sure, but true, nonetheless. So, his concentration is abnormal, but paired with his love of the thrill, Lied’s an absolute monster. Honestly, I have trouble categorizing Lied’s gambling and demonic or undemonic, and at this point I’m thinking it’s a mix of both. Risking his life for fun is undoubtably demonic but pushing forward when the going gets tough is decidedly not.

And that goes into what Lied enjoys. I find it hilarious that the other three afflicted Misfits were forced to confront their life-long traumas and Lied just got turned down by his crush, but that’s part of what makes Lied a likeable character. At the end of the day, he’s just a teenager with normal teenage problems. The rest of the Misfits are too, but a lot of them have these larger-than-life problems and backstories, so Lied balances out the dynamic by reminding everyone that they’re all just teenagers going to school and living life. We also have to revisit his concentration one last time, but now from a different angle. I’ve previously described how it’s impressive that the Misfits were able to overcome failure and frustration since that sort of dedication doesn’t typically come naturally to demons, but it does to Lied. Rather than balking at stress (something demons try to avoid to prevent entering a wicked phase) Lied enjoys being under pressure, making him quite the formidable opponent.

<prev | next>

[offscreendeath]

I watched Valerian last night. I appreciated how very ambitious it seemed, but ultimately the performances fell very short. My take is that a lot of filmmakers have tried to do what Fifth Element did as far as crafting an expansive and detailed world filled with unique designs for its characters and sets, which it absolutely did, but failed to create compelling characters who we follow throughout it. Jupiter Ascending which premiered two years after it did this much better, although I have similar critiques.

Dane DeHaan and Clara Delevingne and were not the worst actors I’ve ever seen, but they seemed too stiff and stoic to come off as endearing or relatable, even while they were joking. I didn’t feel much chemistry between them, and neither of them seemed to have meaningful character arcs to speak of.

I wish the writers took the mystery element of the plot even further. An action/adventure whodunit” type of story set in space would’ve been really cool. I found it difficult to accept Valerian as this super deadly space soldier and it wasn’t just because he doesn’t look physically intimidating. I got the impression that it was his ability to come up with a plan on short notice that was his real strength, but that wasn’t highlighted enough to be very memorable. Laureline straight up did not sell the badass and intelligent role very well.

Worse than them though, was Herbie Hancock, who didn’t have much time on screen, but his performance definitely revealed a lack of training and commitment to the role — no shade, I love his music, but he was not impressive. I was initially excited to see his name in the opening credits (and the opening scene was one of the best imo,) but after watching felt like it was mostly a ploy to draw attention.

I felt similarly about Rihanna’s performance. When she wasn’t giving awkward one-liner jokes, there just didn’t seem to be very much passion in her delivery of the lines. It doesn’t help that she was a cgi blue flubber squid alien for a good half of her appearance or dying in of the most egregious “we can’t afford to pay you/use all this cgi/create plot holes so we’re gonna have to kill you off” scenes I’ve ever witnessed.

That said, there were lots of things I found fun about this — the creative and fun moments with action set pieces, (like the chase following the market heist) practical effects, cool characters design (the three pigeon snitches, the albino twink beach aliens) and costumes (a circuit board design on a military uniform,) an unconventional story about war crimes being covered up…all things that could’ve been enhanced by just a bit more effort in terms of acting and storytelling.

There are moments where I was a bit confused about the tone of the movie. Was this a comedy? Is it for children? Am I supposed to be sad about this character’s death scene when what led up to it was a visual pun about stinky trash? I have my own issues with Marvel films, but at their very best they can manage to balance humor and tense/depressing moments pretty well. I got the impression that there was this rush to establish certain things narratively, and as a consequence, certain other parts (the best parts,) weren’t given much breathing room.

After watching Jupiter Ascending I felt pretty hungry for more exciting space epics with immersive, elaborate worlds. After also watching Avatar 2: The Way of Water just a few days earlier, unfortunately I’m still searching. JA wasn’t perfect, but had less obvious flaws than either, helped greatly by some legitimately decent performances. Avatar made me feel sorta motion sick after a while, even though it also had a few interesting plot elements and thrilling sequences.

I was expecting more, and I’m not sure why. I remembered watching the trailer years ago when it first released, and recalled feeling like “oh yes this is what the streets been waiting on!” and quickly forgetting about it not very long afterwards. The 2010-2019 period of Hollywood was very strange. I liked the direction this was heading and since it didn’t do well I’m wondering if it’s failure signaled a departure from movies like this and into the direction we’re headed now. It being the most expensive independent film kinda blows my mind—but only because it makes the end result all the more disappointing.

I don’t regret my watch, however. I think there were plenty of good decisions that were made, but unfortunately casting wasn’t one of them.

4.6/10

[stone-97]

All of your au.....

1) The first is a crossover series AU called No More Fear. It revolves around Michael, being revived by Clara and Charlie, and his family. They’ve been torn apart by William’s return, and his cult.

Michael was murdered, then made a deal with a being more terrifying than OCM to end William and his little cult. His biggest goal is to find where his family was taken to. He is nearly free, yet phantoms of his past come out of hiding to kill him as he completes task after task.

Vanessa and Gregory have been separated, imprisoned, and soul split but has escaped. Vanessa is stuck between fighting in the Land of the Living and the grey planes of the In-Between. OCM chases her as a means to nail the vengeful Cassidy into her coffin while the cult seeks her to lure Michael to William. Vanny is in the wind, Ness wants her gone before she damages her family further.

Gregory has been experimented on and escaped, yet he fights with the implications of being a killer afterwards. He has nearly died at HenWraith's hand shortly afterward, he managed to chase him off with Helpy's assistance. However, there were powerful people benefitting from William's cult and aren't happy that the camp was destroyed.

All their journeys will cross when they confront the demons of their family, and more will be revealed about William as the stage is being set.

2) My second crossover Au is a revenge by kin called Broken Family, Shattered Mind. This one will be started once I finish making the characters for this story. It follows Michael's children, Vanessa and Gregory. Vanessa's mind and soul have been shattered by William in an attempt to twist her into his follower. Her fragments wander the Plex, trying to save unfortunate children from the corrupted animatronics. Gregory has suffered a failed infection from William, causing him to create an entity of Agony and data named Lupus. Michael has broken out of his self-imposed punishment after learning his father has taken his daughter's freedom.

3) My third crossover AU is a consequences-of-your-action called A Phantom and A Reaper Visit. Two Warframes, whom lord over the dead come calling, wrecking the MCs while they possess the band and the Puppet, before resurrecting them as breathing humans, to survive five nights with the band. Michael and Henry, give William the middle finger, moving on with their own lives and seek to rebuild Fazbear Pizzeria and Afton Robotics into respectable companies. Putting the broken fragments of their lives back on track, not even recognizing the revived MCs in adult form. Everything has been revamped and the band has been heavily upgraded to be more humanoid and less threatening to the customers and staff.

4) Is an inspiration from Star-going-Supernova's one-shot story about Vanessa being William's puppet, it's called A Sister's Regret, Her Redemption. This centers around a what-if Vanessa and Gregory were siblings and she had a plan after getting stuck with William, and Vanny, from the VR Beta-test. She's trying to end William's resurrection after playing Vanny into completing PQ Trilogy. Freddy is assisting Evan, while Helpy finds Foxy and Bonnie in new bodies.

I have a few more WIP AUs on the drawing board to be either cast aside or revamped into legit plots. The few characters from No More Fear Trilogy and the rest of my works are posted on AO3 under XibergStone if your interest/curiosity is piqued.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on them, if that’s alright with you?

[dukeofriven]

So my desire to just completely give up on the mediocrity that seem to be Sandman comes ten minutes into episode three, where rather than messy, fucked-up, rage-rage-against-the-hell-of-Thatcherism John Constantine we get 2022 Jenna Coleman doing a warmed-over Series 7 Clara Oswald in perfect makeup, a stylish outfit, and a pro-establishment story that feels utterly tone-deaf. Now, that’s a tad unfair, because I like Jenna Coleman. I liked Clara in later seasons of Doctor Who. I have no intrinsic problem that we have Johanna Constantine instead of John Constantine: whether it was a rights issue or not, there’s nothing wrong with Johanna in and of herself. Further, it’s important to note that Johanna is not simply a gender-swapped Constantine, that she is her own independent character in her own right. But it’s everything that feels off about this new Sandman that this put-together and stylish character swans-in and saves a princess surrounded by Church of England opulence. This new Sandman is so clean it positively squeaks. It is sanitized, smooth, utterly without edge. There’s no fear that a dirty needle might be hidden somewhere in the text, no sense of a hungry creator throwing everything at the story in a mad scramble to create something different and full of life while his bosses’ attention is elsewhere. This Sandman adaptation is the product of a man who has been successful for so long that the grime and grunge is long forgotten. This is an adaptation by a man who married a rock star, has several nice houses, and a pretty comfortable life. It’s entertaining. it’s well acted. It’s competently shot. And fuck me sideways is it twee. I didn’t think a foul-mouthed Jenna Coleman making a man explode in a shower of gore as she banishes a tall and handsome demon could feel sanitary and twee but it does. Sandman the comic is covered in shit. It’s dirty, it’s grimy, it’s the 1980s: Britain is dying, a decade-long Conservative government has sucked all the life out of it, and working-class magic schmuck John Constantine has a cigarette before getting out of bed in his squalid apartment and eating a diner cheeseburger for breakfast, having a chat with London as he does so. Sandman the television adaptation is safe. It’s popcorn comfort food for the torpid goth-punk crowd who buy Hellboy Funko-Pops and own one or two ‘creepy dolls’ in lieu of having a personality. It’s clean, it’s sanitary, it’s the 2020s: Britain is dying, a decade-long Conservative government has sucked all the life out of it, and Johanna Constantine in an expensive coat saves a princess and can’t tell whether to send the bill to the Church of England of Buckingham Palace. It’s a perfectly functional television program that, thus far, has nothing to say.

[lilad03-blog]

Did John Wayne Play Fordham University’s Football Coach?

Did John Wayne Play Fordham University’s Football Coach?

      Photos from IMDb.com

Trouble Along The Way (1953) was released through Warner Brothers on April 4th of 1953. This black & white comedy starred Film Legend John Wayne and was directed by the great Michael Curtiz, who is himself best remembered for Casablanca, The Adventures of Robin Hood & White Christmas. 

Was this film about Fordham Football?

A Catholic College in The Bronx

     Submitted for your approval is the fictitious St Anthony’s Catholic College. It is located in, of all places, The Bronx; Fordham University is located in the Fordham Road community. Which is the busiest commercial section of Bronx County. Also, it is the one Roman Catholic institution in the Borough that played big time football during this era. (Sorry Manhattan College- just in case they are wondering.)

The Society of Jesus (S.J.)

     Specifically, it is a Roman Catholic Institute of Higher Learning that is not run by the Archdiocese. But in turn it is managed by “The Order”; Perhaps they mean The Jesuits? No one attempts to explain this any further … So why not.

A Thinly Veiled Version of Cardinal Spellman?

     The story includes a fictitious Cardinal O'Shea, who also happens to be a St Anthony’s alumni. In the film, he uses his influence to schedule games with institutions such as the University of Notre Dame. Francis Cardinal Spellman, then the Archbishop of New York, held a B.A., from Fordham University, from 1911. After being elevated to this position back in 1939, he also became the face of the American Catholic Church throughout this period until his death in 1967.

"Winning isn't everything -- it's the only thing." 

     These words are attributed to Coach Steve Williams, the fictional athletics instructor played by Wayne. In the actual context of the movie, they actually appear in print, on a sign, in his office. However, this sounds a lot like something Vince Lombardi (FCRH Class of 1937) might have said, now doesn’t it?

Dates Sync-Up With Closing Out of the Football Program

     Perhaps most importantly, this movie, which was released in 1953, involves a scandal that appears to shut down the football program. It should be noted that Fordham University dropped Big Time Football after the 1954 season. 

The Plot Line

     Recently divorced, Steve Williams has trouble finding a job due to his inability to get along with his prior superiors. If he doesn't find work soon, he'll risk losing custody of his 11 year old daughter Carole (Sherry Jackson). He needs a job to keep the wolf-at-bay as well as a social worker assigned to see if his daughter should not be taken away from him. 

1942 Oscar winner Charles Coburn (right) Photo IMDb.com

     Meanwhile, Father Burke, the school’s rector, played by veteran character actor Charles Coburn, hires Williams/Wayne to improve the school’s failing financial situation. St. Anthony's is heavily in debt. They may have to close their doors. Father Burke reasons that the school could get back on its feet if it had a successful football team. He hoped this would secure the financial support of the school’s alumni too. 

     Coach Wiliams/Wayne’s character violates the preseason training regulations believing the added “practice” time will give him the advantage over Holy Cross, Notre Dame and "Santa Carla" (perhaps a fictitious version of Santa Clara). This was because conference rules prevent these schools from practicing during summer sessions. The New York Archbishop, who is also an alumni, uses his influence to schedule games with the institutions mentioned above. 

Note: The only game that is actually played is against the fictional Santa Carla, where St Anthony’s tactics are discovered. This includes paying players and bringing in athletes much older than the accepted age. Perhaps the film’s producers wanted to avoid complaints from the real California University by creating a thinly veiled phony?  

     Film critic Hal Erickson of All Movie wrote: “Against his better judgment, Father Burke hires the troublesome Steve Williams, who'll stop at nothing to assemble a winning team. Somehow, Williams has to turn into a regular human being and that's where social worker Alice Singleton (Donna Reed) comes in. Described as ‘More sentimental than most Wayne vehicles, Trouble Along the Way is well worth the ride.’”

On The Other Hand: Was this not Fordham Football?

Why Did Fordham Actually Drop Football in 1954?

     The team’s record that final year was 1 win; 7 loses; 1 tie. Average attendance, when home games were played primarily at the Polo Grounds, in Upper Manhattan, were 11,950. This was down from the prior year’s average of 16,000 plus. (Football did not return to campus until students brought the sport back as a “club” team in 1964.) 

     It seems it was not a scandal, but the inability to fund big-time football in the era of television and coast-to-coast jet travel that brought the sport down. According to Fordham Librarian J.P. McCabe, in his monograph 125 Year of Fordham Football: On December 15 (1954) the President of Fordham, Rev. Laurence McGinely, S.J., announced that Fordham could no longer afford to support a football program. 

Would Notre Dame ever play the Fordham Rams?

     Would legendary Notre Dame ever play the Rams in football? An examination of Fordham football seasons from 1928 to 1954, an era which saw them playing back-to-back major bowl games, shows many battles against other leading catholic colleges and universities. Boston College, Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s and Villanova pop-up as regular opponents. In reality, Notre Dame never played against Fordham. 

     In fact, whenever some of the catholic schools talk about rebuilding their Division 1-A program, conversations often turn to possibly booking a game with Notre Dame. Now, the only other Power-5 catholic program-Boston College-has met them 26 times but that rivalry didn’t start until 1975. This was during these latter years when both programs found themselves together in two different major sports conferences-The ACC and before that the now splintered Big East Conference. 

“Much like an old-time Irish Ward boss, Notre Dame knows they already have the Catholic Vote. They want to be a national darling; So don’t count on those big pay days.”

A Bronx Setting? The ‘Shoot’ Never Left Southern California.

     Many of the exterior football scenes were filmed at Pomona College in Claremont, California. In fact, under IMDB.com Goofs section, there appears to be a State of California Flag on a poll in the background in one scene. 

Fordham Has Produced Many Church Leaders

     According to the List of Fordham University alumni, there have been almost twenty Archbishops, Auxiliary Bishops, Bishops and Cardinals. This includes our own Class of 1980 Gordon Bennett, SJ, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Mandeville Diocese: https://www.pinterest.fr/bergin0639/famous-fordham-graduates-from-class-of-1980/ 

It is not really a stretch to imagine a loyal alum in a position of church authority willing to use his influence to acquire top name opposition-now is it? Could the Cardinal Spellman reference simply be a coincidence?

Vince Lombardi Quote Dispute

     When this movie comes up, questions arise about the use of a quote that could be attributed to Vince Lombardi (Class of ‘37) and a member of the Seven Blocks of Granite."Winning isn't everything -- it's the only thing." These words were from Coach Williams, the fictional football instructor played by Wayne. This sounds like Coach Lombardi … or does it?

     The closest offering I can find under ESPN Classic Vince Lombardi quotes seems to be: “Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all-time thing." Nice, but not exactly the same intense language. Besides, with a release date of April 4th, 1953, and actual filming taking place in the fourth quarter of 1952, this would suggest an A-List Hollywood Picture would be trolling for quotations from the then offensive line coach at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. 

Lombardi would not start on his way to immortality, becoming the head coach for the Green Bay Packers, of the NFL, until their 1959 season.  

Hearing From The Fordham Faculty

“As far as I can tell, film-history-wise, there is no direct connection to a football coach or a football scandal at Fordham.” said Karen Williams, Ph.D in Communication & Media Studies, in an email response. “Nowhere in the film's promotional material is it suggested that the story is based on real events. The writer of the film's original synopsis (based on a listing of his papers at Boston University) was Robert Hardy Andrews, and based on that it suggests that it is an original story, not based on a newspaper article or other pre-existing source.”

The Rose Hill campus Senior Lecturer added: “Andrews's background also suggests that he does not have any meaningful connections to Fordham.”

What Do You Think?

The Fordham similarities are pretty clear whether or not they were intentional, subconscious or coincidental. My first exposure to this movie was as a child, long before I entertained any notions of attending Fordham; I walked into the livingroom and my dad, who was raised in The Bronx, had just started watching it. He said simply, “This is about Fordham.” So I’m in the positive camp I guess.  

                      - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   

ADDENDUM 

Romance or Assault? Is it still a John Wayne Movie?

Screenshot. Donna Reed who won an Academy Award in 1954 for her work in From Here To Eternity.

Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NVeSPdMm2s

Fordham University has a Graduate School of Social Work. 

I forwarded this video clip, contacted several department faculty and asked the following 3 questions: 

Were Coach Williams' actions wildly inappropriate? (I know it's the 1950s and he is John Wayne ... but ...?)

What about Ms. Reed's reply?

What would you advise a social worker to do next?

“I'm a fan of re-examining history because we always seem to learn more about ourselves and the world when we do.” Dr. Shirley Gatenio Gabel, the Quaranta Chair for Justice for Children at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service writes: “I'm not sure how you see a social worker being called in here, especially in the 1950s. It appears the character that Donna Reed is playing was being sexually harassed; however, Title VII-the law that prohibits sexual harassment at work-was part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” 

She added: “I don't know what government agency the Donna Reed character may have called in the 1950s and how a social worker may have gotten involved.”

Note: Having re-watched this movie recently-for the 3rd time-I thought the producers didn’t know what to do with any potential romantic development either. Despite publicity stills suggesting they become one-big-happy-family (see below) these questions go largely unanswered by the film’s ending. 

IMDb.com: People: John Wayne, Donna Reed, Sherry Jackson

External Links: https://www.pinterest.fr/bergin0639/is-trouble-along-the-way-actually-fordham/

Did John Wayne Play Fordham's Football Coach?

[sorakpuan]

𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁.

A brief summary: Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell. The book belongs to the fantasy, young adult (YA), romance, and cozy fiction genres. It was published on March 14th 2023, by HarperCollins Publisher.

I started reading it from Jan 27th to 28th 2024, in an E-book format, with 352 pages.

Overall Review: beware of spoilers!

ㅤㅤLet's start by discussing what I found intriguing about Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell. First off, the cover design is absolutely stunning and breathtaking. I had high hopes that a cover this enchanting would be accompanied by an equally enchanting story, but my expectations were slightly off (well, just a little). Now, let's dive into the main female character, Clara Lucas, and her mesmerizing magic. Every time she expresses her emotions or encounters something, her magic conjures up beautiful flowers around her or even within her, reflecting her innermost feelings. Moving on to the family dynamics, particularly the bond between Clara and her father. The immense love Clara has for her dad really struck a chord with me (I may have shed a tear or two in that part) (daddy issues hit me hard ㅋㅋㅋ).

ㅤㅤHowever, apart from that, I didn't find much complexity to fill the void. Admittedly, the overall story was somewhat predictable (unconsciously), and the conflicts presented by the author lacked a certain level of intricacy. I believe there were quite a few plot holes that could have been filled with more detailed storytelling or expanded storylines. Additionally, I was hoping for some unexpected plot twists considering the conflicts at play, but unfortunately, they didn't materialize.

ㅤㅤAnother aspect I felt disappointed about was the lack of further development in Clara's relationship with her mother or Xavier's father. Now, let's shift our focus to Xavier, the male lead character. To be honest, his character felt somewhat hollow, I mean, he didn't quite measure up to the depth and complexity of the female lead. Unlike Clara, who was well-rounded and fully developed, well, she's not your typical “wow” character. What sets her apart is that the author delves into her darker side as well, which creates a nice contrast with her fearless and self-assured nature. It adds depth to her character and makes her even more compelling. However, Xavier's character fell short in terms of depth. Nevertheless, Clara carried half of the story on her shoulders. All in all, I would say this book was just okay for me.

Xoxo, #SweetLibrary. <3

[justahumblememefarmer]

Ultimate Doctor Who Poll Round 1 - Matchup 5

Episode Summaries under the cut

106: Twice Upon a Time - Season 10 Christmas Special: The Doctor, refusing to regenerate, is taken by the TARDIS to meet his first incarnation, who is also conflicted about regenerating. They encounter a Captain from World War I being hunted by a group called Testimony. Testimony offers to return the Doctor's deceased companion, Bill, to him in exchange for the captain. The Doctor takes her and escapes with Bill, the Captain, and his younger self. To learn more about Testimony, the Doctor travels to a huge galactic database, run by a Dalek the Doctor had encountered before. In the database, he learns that Testimony extracts people from their timelines at the moment of their death and archive their memories. The Bill that's with them is an avatar created from her memories. Realizing that there is no evil to fight, the Doctor returns everybody to their timelines, returning the Captain to the Christmas Armistice, allowing him to live. The First Doctor returns to his TARDIS to regenerate. The Twelfth Doctor's memories of Clara are restored and he is bid farewell by avatars of her, Nardole, and Bill before reentering his TARDIS to regenerate into the Thirteenth Doctor.

151: Kill The Moon - Season 8, Episode 7: The Doctor takes Clara and one of her students on a trip to the moon. They arrive in a space shuttle in the future on their way to the moon. The moon has been increasing in mass, causing several issues on Earth, so the crew of the ship are on a mission to destroy the moon. They are attacked by several spider-like creatures, which they determine are gigantic antibodies of the creature living inside the moon, which is actually an egg. The creature is gaining mass as it prepares to hatch from the egg. Clara communicates with the people of Earth, offering them the chance to vote for either killing the creature in the moon before it hatches and stopping any further mass changes, or allowing it to live and hatch and living with whatever consequences that brings. Earth votes to kill it, but Clara overrides them and allows it to live. The Doctor takes everybody back to Earth and they watch the creature hatch, flying away after laying another moon-egg to take it's place.

[alisnikola]

The pages come alive as we're transported back, witnessing firsthand the struggles, aspirations, and fervor that marked this pivotal era in Philippine history.

The 2022 Philippine series "Maria Clara and Ibarra," produced by GMA Network, centers around Maria Clara "Klay" Infantes, a 21-year-old nursing student played by Barbie Forteza. Klay juggles her demanding job as a barista while striving to graduate amidst familial challenges – living with an abusive stepfather and a mother reluctant to leave him.

Despite her struggles, Klay feels disconnected from classical Filipino literature and fails to grasp its relevance to her nursing studies. Her professor, José R. Torres, insists on an essay about José Rizal's "Noli Me Tangere" for graduation. He gives her a special copy, promising an immersive experience. Unaware of its true significance, Klay falls asleep while reading the book. Upon waking up, she discovers herself mysteriously transported into the world of "Noli Me Tangere," marking the beginning of her journey through the past.

I started watching Maria Clara at Ibarra during summer vacation because I have longed for historical fiction ever since I started reading Binibing Mia’s works (her Wattpad user is UndeniablyGorgeous if you want to read her book which I recommend!). I still haven’t finished watching the teleserye because I was busy at school and I haven’t paid for my subscription to Netflix. LOL. But, I honestly could tell that it’s a really good TV series, even though we Filipinos are already familiar with the plot,  there’s just something about the series that keeps you watching and not missing every detail of each episode.

The series' stunning cinematography stands out, creating a timeless essence that echoes the atmosphere of "Noli Me Tangere." Ibarra's narrative mirrors that of someone who ventures abroad only to find upon their return that much of what they held dear has disappeared, facing imminent dangers threatening what little remains. While it resonates with contemporary viewers, it's saddening that the origins of these themes trace back to an 1887 book and may go unnoticed by some.

I'll confess, despite experiencing numerous versions, remixes, and retellings of this story—perhaps a dozen or more—there's something uniquely captivating about this particular adaptation. It might be the transition to a cinematic format, considering my previous exposure was limited to reading historical fiction. Alternatively, it could be the exceptional cinematography of the series. Personally, I find immense joy in witnessing numerous extravagant house parties adorned with a plethora of fancy attire.

While I'm currently on a pause and haven't concluded watching "Maria Clara at Ibarra" yet, I wholeheartedly endorse it, particularly for teenagers. It serves as an excellent gateway for them to comprehend the intricate plot of "Noli Me Tangere." Moreover, beyond its historical context, it presents a compelling narrative that resonates with everyone, providing ample material for reflection. So far, I think Maria Clara at Ibarra has tried to tell us an important message about history. It is important to be always reminded that we cannot change the past, but we can learn from it. In doing so, we must not forget about all the horrors and tragedies that befell our country. No matter how dark and tragic the past is, there are a lot of lessons we can learn from it, which we must use to define the future that we want to see in our country.

Before I end this blog I wanted to say that, I'm determined to carve out dedicated time, eagerly looking forward to immersing myself further into the series, and exploring its themes and messages with enthusiasm and excitement! 

See you guys in my next blog!

[denimbex1986]

'The world of Doctor Who has changed forever with the debut of “The Giggle,” the last of the three Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials. The Doctor faces off against the Toymaker for the first time in 60 years, and nothing will ever be the same again because of it. Here’s my recap and thoughts of “The Giggle.”...

The story begins in 1925, where a man enters a toyshop owned by the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris) to purchase a unique doll, known as Stooky Bill. The man takes the doll to John Logie Baird (John Mackay), the man credited for inventing television, and using this doll as the first image to ever be transmitted (at the time, the lights needed were far too hot for any human to stand under). Something is clearly about to happen, given the playful and creepy nature of Harris’ Toymaker.

Cut to modern day London, where chaos reigns supreme across all of planet Earth. The Doctor intervenes as a man runs in front of a car, and the man reveals that everyone on planet Earth suddenly thinks they’re right, leading to fights all over the planet. In the background, we can see Neil Patrick Harris dancing as the Toymaker, likely before the Doctor has any idea who he is. In fact, he even grabs the Doctor for a quick waltz, which the Doctor quickly brushes off.

The Doctor and Donna (Catherine Tate) are then intercepted by UNIT, where they’re swiftly brought to UNIT’s swanky new headquarters to assist with the catastrophe. There, we once again run into scientific advisor Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley), UNIT head Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) and the surprise return of old companion Melanie Bush (Bonnie Langford), who appeared alongside the Sixth and Seventh Doctors in the 1980s, and made a brief cameo appearance in Jodie Whitaker’s final story, “The Power of the Doctor.”

Donna is the one to figure out that the signals being sent out, driving the human race crazy, is a musical tune. Upon further inspection, it’s revealed to actually be a laugh, or a giggle, if you will – created by the aforementioned Stooky Bill. The Doctor and Donna then travel back to 1925, to the location of John Logie Baird’s first television transmission in SoHo. Here, they come face to face with the Toymaker, putting on a delightfully over-the-top German accent. The Doctor tells Donna to return to the TARDIS, as he realizes just who he is dealing with. The screen quickly shows flashes of the original Toymaker (played by Michael Gough) and the First Doctor, William Hartnell, during their one and only meeting in 1966’s “The Celestial Toymaker,” in a lovely throwback.

The duo end up separated as they enter the Toymaker’s domain, each coming across some creepy setpieces, before being brought back together for a puppet show from the Toymaker. In a fun scene, the Toymaker regails the Doctor and Donna with stories, and puppets of some of the Doctor’s companions that followed Donna, including Amy, Clara and Bill, showcasing how they all “died” and what fate could await Donna. The Doctor then challenges the Toymaker to a game of cards, something the villain can’t refuse. The Doctor loses, but quickly points out that he won their original challenge all those years ago, leading to a best two-out-of-three situation. However, the Toymaker disappears, with intentions to head back to 2023 – and so, the Doctor and Donna hop back in the TARDIS to UNIT.

Of course, the Toymaker arrives – and he does so in fabulous fashion, in a frenzied musical scene set to the Spice Girls’ “Spice Up Your Life,” where he controls all he dances, turns a few soldiers into balloons and bullets into flowers. From there, once again donning a new costume, the Toymaker heads outside where he gains control of the Galvanic Beam, a strong laser that UNIT used to destroy a satellite aiding in passing the “Giggle” onto all the humans.

After some threatening, and the Doctor trying to get the Toymaker to come with him and travel, instead of using humans as his pawns, the Toymaker decides to attack, eventually using the laser on the Doctor. It’s regeneration time, but something feels different. Just when we expect the Doctor to regenerate, he instead asks Donna and Mel to pull his arms, and suddenly out pops Ncuti Gatwa’s new Doctor, alongside David Tennant. We have two Doctors, in the show’s first ever “bigeneration.”

The Doctors challenge the Toymaker to one final game, a game of ball, and after some really fun scenes, they win! The Toymaker is defeated, folded in upon himself and stored into his tiny domain. But he warns that his minions will be coming, and we see a manicured hand pick up a gold tooth (which the Toymaker said was actually The Master, if you can believe it).

The Fourteenth Doctor is upset that he wasn’t able to save all those innocent lives, and he is beautifully comforted by the new Doctor in a really touching scene. Back on the TARDIS, the new Doctor and Donna talk to the old Doctor about just what needs to happen with two of them going on. Perhaps it's time for this Doctor to settle down, and perhaps that’s why his old face came back. The new Doctor rattles off countless battles they have fought over the years, in a fun bit of fan service.

But then, the new Doctor has a brilliant idea, with some of the energy from the Toymaker’s realm still lingering, he’s able to create a second TARDIS. So now we have two Doctors, one settled down and living a wonderful life with the Noble family, along with “Mad Auntie Mel,” while still taking the occasional trek in time and space, while the Fifteenth Doctor continues along the same route the Doctor has always traveled, setting sail for Christmas Day! Could we perhaps see more from David Tennant as the Doctor because of this development? I think it’s very possible!

There was so much going on in “The Giggle” that I am sure I missed some of the elements. Firstly, Neil Patrick Harris portrayed what is likely to be an iconic villain in the history of Doctor Who, perhaps more so than the original incarnation of the Toymaker. His funny accents and madcapped nature created a maniacal villain distinctly different from any we’ve seen in the show before. And we need to talk about the new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, who bursts onto the scene in half of the Doctor's clothes, immediately showcasing his wit, and just a little of his Doctor’s character.

The idea of a bigeneration is a fascinating one, one that will surely see much debate among Whovians. I personally think it’s an excellent idea, brought on by the interference of the Toymaker. Allowing everyone to have a happy ending is a refreshing change of pace for a show that so often deals with loss, and I think it opens things up to some interesting storytelling possibilities in the future...'

[gametech-horizon]

Synapse: Action-Shooter VR2 Launches July 4th!

I had the pleasure of discussing Synapse's exciting dual-wielding action, which seamlessly combines impressive firepower with expressive one-to-one telekinesis. Today, I'm absolutely thrilled to share with you the captivating details of the game's story and introduce our remarkable cast of talented voice actors. But before I delve into that, I'm proud to unveil our latest gameplay trailer, which offers a tantalizing glimpse into the thrilling and high-stakes mission that awaits you in Synapse. Embrace the hero within Synapse unfolds on the eve of a catastrophic global attack orchestrated by the infamous and treacherous Colonel Peter Conrad. Once a respected leader in black ops, the Colonel has now turned rogue, transforming into a notorious enemy of the state whose twisted ideology has reached perilous new heights as he resurfaces on the world stage, posing a significant threat of Armageddon. And that's where you step in. As a highly skilled operative, you possess unique abilities that enable you to extract the crucial information necessary to thwart the impending attack. By activating a scanner connected to the Colonel, you will be transported into the neuro-synaptic relay—an ethereal gateway nestled within the depths of the Colonel's mind. Without any other choice, you must venture further into the Colonel's distorted mindscape, relentlessly battling against his escalating and lethal defenses, all in pursuit of the vital intelligence required to prevent the launch of his devastating biological weapon. Nevertheless, you won't be alone on this perilous mission. Your trusted Handler, Clara Sorensen, a Director within the enigmatic Bureau V, will serve as your sole connection to the outside world. With her unwavering guidance, she will navigate you through each layer of Colonel Conrad's warped subconscious, ensuring your progress and safety throughout. Let's meet the remarkable ensemble Right from the start, we had a clear vision of the two actors who would bring the Colonel and the Handler to life, and we couldn't be more ecstatic that they have graciously agreed to lend their voices to these compelling characters. Without further ado, let us introduce you to these familiar faces who will grace Synapse with their immense talent. David Hayter as Colonel Peter Conrad The legendary David Hayter, widely recognized as the iconic Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series, will be the voice behind Colonel Peter Conrad. Having previously collaborated with David on one of our games, we can attest not only to his exceptional voice acting skills but also to his remarkable ability to contribute collaboratively. We firmly believe that Colonel Conrad has the potential to join the pantheon of extraordinary characters that David has brought to life. Fortunately for us, David enthusiastically agreed, and he's equally eager to breathe life into the Colonel: "As an actor, there's something truly exhilarating about immersing oneself in the role of a formidable antagonist, especially one with a captivating backstory. These are the roles that ignite our passion. When nDreams approached me about playing the role of Colonel Conrad, I instantly recognized a deeply complex character and an opportunity to create a truly distinctive gaming experience. And the prospect of going head-to-head with Jennifer Hale, an exceptional voice actor, is every voice actor's dream. I can hardly wait to engage you in the battlefield of the Colonel's mind on July 4." – David Hayter Jennifer Hale as Handler Clara Sorensen As David alluded to, the extraordinary Jennifer Hale will lend her voice to Handler Clara Sorensen, your trusted guide throughout your journey within the Colonel's mind. Jennifer has masterfully portrayed numerous iconic characters, including Naomi Hunter in Metal Gear Solid alongside David, Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect series, and Rivet in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Jennifer eagerly anticipates collaborating with players to van quish the Colonel: "Several factors drew me to Synapse. First and foremost, the game looks absolutely incredible—kudos to the talented team at nDreams for their outstanding work. The writing is superb, the visuals are breathtaking, and working with the team has been an absolute pleasure. Secondly, the opportunity to help defeat David is an offer I can never turn down. 😎 I'll be waiting for you when you report for duty on July 4, Agent." – Jennifer Hale Rest assured, we have more exciting news to share as we approach the highly anticipated launch of Synapse. In the meantime, mark your calendars for July 4, and get ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – PC Release on July 26! https://blog.playstation.com/2023/05/24/immersive-ps-vr2-action-shooter-synapse-launches-on-july-/ Read the full article

[daxromana]

it's like. how much of what clara does in dark water/death in heaven is actually about danny and how much of it is about clara's need to feel like she's in control and that the universe owes her something.

and generally, to what extent does danny exist as a character in his own right and to what extent does he only represent the sort of life that clara could have (but can never have because of the person she is)?