#and one of his criticisms was that the characters just interrogated a civilian instead of like. threatening with torture

[meanderfall]

thinking of causing psychic damage to everyone who follows me by reblogging call of duty posts

[tumblingxelian]

The "real" Batman

I see people complain about the emphasis some people put on Batmans more negative character traits a lot.

"That's not the real Batman, that's flanderiztion, fanon, a few bad but popular adaptions, the 90's only" and the like are common refrains and it really gets to me. Cos see, while I am aware no incarnation of Batman is totally one note, I emphasize the more negative sides of Batman for reasons that aren't "Edgy, badass, GRRR, Toxic masculinity woooh" bullshit and I hate being dismissed as such.

So, here's why I do it:

First is because of general frustration at the dismissal of any incarnation of Batman, regardless of popularity, or ongoing presence in the main-line comics and timelines, being invalid. IE, the "HE's not the real Batman so he doesn't count" when he canonically is, & as done stuff like that.

60s/80s Batman smiles after sending a purse snatcher away in an Ambulance, kidnaps & others relies on torture style interrogations. Just like 90s/2000's Batman threatens people with assault in prison & looms over a Mugger he slammed so hard into a wall it left a giant blood splatter.

It is fair to ague that brutality is not all of what he is, that's valid. But that side of him is not something I feel one can just handwaved away as "not canon" & people doing so frustrate me in large part because it feels intellectually dishonest. Its refusing to engage with a metric ton of the canonical lore of a character they are discussing.

Secondly is the fact that a lot of the lore, history, character development, derailment, treatment, tone, framing and more for characters OTHER than Batman relies on him having a history of problematic behavior.

Cassandra basically living in a Bat-Cave with no civilian life or identity because Bruce is giving her what HE wants for himself even though its bad for both of them is just an example of a huge part of their dynamic. One that can be deeply damaging, self destructive and messy, but also makes perfect sense given the characters involved.

How Jason's entire shift in character and framing was done largely to insulate Bruce from criticism over his death, IE, Jason being characterized post death as violent, arrogant, not particularly bright and then coming back as a villain also ties into 20 something years of smearing his name to protect Bruce's.

Stephanie's entire character history begins falling apart if Batman doesn't treat her like the trash he did in canonical mainline comics, and leaves her with only a couple of borderline cameos at best. Hell, even 'new' stuff where he's "nicer" still has him do things like fake therapy appointments to trick her.

Hell, even Dick in a lot of incarnations as well as mainline comics at different times has a lot of issues that came from being raised/trained by Bruce. No, it isn't universal, but it is far too common & recurring of an element to just say "doesn't count!" & declare the discussion over.

& the thing is, when people say they want the "Real" batman or the "Good" Batman, they not only erase these characters histories. They don't replace it with anything worthwhile for anyone but Bruce himself.

If ignoring all that meant replacing it with stuff like Jason never died & or never became Red Hood & is a totally different character. Or Cassandra and Bruce having arcs about their obsessions with vigilantism at the expense of their personal lives, or Stephanie actually getting to be ROBIN. Then it would be something at least somewhat interesting to engage with. But they don't, instead Jason still became a supervillain & is the Red Hood, Stephanie still got fired if she was Robin at all.

They are either forgotten (Cass & Steph) or end up being warped (Jason) so their characters history, everything is different and all to better serve making Bruce look good. I really find it vexing that even in "Batman is not a jerk" stuff, he still warps the narrative to everyone else's detriments.

[spidermanifested]

as someone who likes to think hes thought a decent amount about the story of fullmetal alchemist. aka every single day for the past however many years. the thing about the bafflingly prevalent contingent of people who insist that fmas politics are actually very nuanced and leftist is. that i honestly cant figure out what parts of it they even mean?

is it the part where fascism is defeated by war criminal "heroes" who insist that the best way to enact large scale change is to never directly challenge systems, but to infiltrate them and work your way up to the top until you can become the dictator yourself and then tell everyone that actually voting is cool. unless the whole world is about to end, in which case youre allowed to do One coup but then you have to lie to the whole country about what happened and go back to doing incrementalism

is it the part where fascism isnt interrogated realistically as a cultivated product of social unrest, stratification and bigotry, but instead was instituted by a Cosmically Evil Badguy, and all the imperialism and genocide was just kind of a byproduct of that, and if we beat that one guy then everything will eventually be fine

the part where the difference between a Good King and a Bad King is that a good king CARES about his subjects and a bad king DOESNT care >:( but even within the "we need to turn amestris into a democracy!!!" lukewarmly liberal moral framework theres zero discussion of the fact that maybe monarchies are also pretty bad. and the good ending is when the Good King promises to protect the oppressed ethnic minorities in his country but god forbid those minorities actually have any political power themselves

is it the part where the most oppressed ethnic minority in *amestris* is represented by "Religious Terrorist (But Sad)", "Terrorist's Dead Brother", "System-Loving Cop", "Old Lady Who Shows Up Once To Say Not All White People", and "Literally Gandhi. Look At Him Hes Saying A Gandhi Quote"

is it the part where killing people is the worst thing you can do, but if you do mass murder to civilians on behalf of a government but feel really bad the whole time you can still be a good guy, but if you do any amount of killing for any other reason or while feeling an emotion other than sadness youre a borderline-irredeemable monster, unless youre barry the chopper in which case it was funny so its okay (< the only part here thats true)

is it the part where the main character gains the respect of a member of the aforementioned ethnic minority by being racist to him. the part where a black girl has to get scolded by a white girl to realize that stealing is wrong. the part where the only major character to refuse to take part in a genocide is constantly called a coward for doing so by his epic girlboss hypernationalist sister and this is never really challenged. the part where the Sad Religious Terrorist gets guilt tripped so hard about killing 2 people while he was having the worlds most understandable panic attack that he decides hes fine working together with the guys who killed his family, because the System Loving Cop is so heroic, for wanting to do incrementalism, which again, is inherently moral

like the more i think about it the less i get it. this is the most milquetoast "bad things are bad and good things are good" status quo loving political narrative for 15 year olds on earth. where is the super relevant social commentary. because it feels like its just incredibly surface level "the bad guy is like hitler so the author is antifascist and based!!!" 2014 harry potter fandom type nonsense and its REALLY weird that it always comes from people insisting that theyre just that much better at media analysis than all the haters?? and that any criticism must be missing the point. what point. what is the point

[infjsnightmare]

Finding God: Chapter 5

A/N: This is a little late getting out but I was busy over the weekend. This chapter has heavy religious undertones, so I apologize if that makes anyone uncomfortable, but I think Fyodor's character carries a lot of religious connotation, especially his teaming up with Hawthorne and the way he controls the people under him, ie brainwashing. So there will be some religious hot takes and if that kind of thing is bad for you, please feel free to skip this chapter. Thank you for reading and supporting!

It's been four days now. Four days of running errands, some of which seemed particularly pointless. Four days of kneeling by her bedside to pray, just like she was tonight. Her calloused hands clenched around a rosary, eyes blankly scanning the sheets in front of her. Prayers seemed more like a ritual than anything else to her. Who am I praying to again? Her god was already off somewhere else, claiming salvation. She concentrated on each bead, absentmindedly trying to remember what meaning they were supposed to hold. Instead, she replayed old memories of Fyodor teaching her about Catholicism. About faith and corruption. False idols. She wasn't even sure how much of that particular religion he believed in as he would often criticize blind faith and many of the traditions that had come about over time. She could picture the mirth in his eyes as a low chuckle was pulled from his pale throat. "A soldier who was raised to know nothing of religion is closer to God than everyone leaving that building." She remembered watching the tired eyes as the church-goers left the building and headed home. Vacant. Docile. Obedient. Wasn't I just like that? As a soldier, the government must have become her religion, until she found her true savior, she supposed, sighing lightly. That man had always reassured her there was a place for her in paradise even though her only care was for all the world to burn. Her glassy eyes refocused on the beads in front of her, each prayer a simple one. Either to thank god for putting Fyodor in her life or a plea to bring him home safely. That was all. The repetition gave her peace until she was interrupted by a knock on the door-frame.

"A pious woman, I see." The reverend Hawthorne sat in a chair by her night table. Immediately, her posture stiffened as she eyed the man, his bible on his lap. The slightest laugh of indignation escaped her, "Is that what you see?". "I do." She bit back the grimace on her face. "That's because to religion, to governments, to companies, desperation looks like obedience." Her eyes held spite as she spoke. It was the truth, wasn't it? She was desperate for Fyodor. The same way the religious were desperate for meaning, or civilians were desperate for safety or that soldiers were desperate for orders. The silver-haired man eyed her thoughtfully as he adjusted his glasses. "I suppose that is true in some cases. But in desperation, some may find salvation. Even I am desperate." He cast his glance downward, trying to cover his strangled voice. That woman. Margaret Mitchell. He was desperate for her. Perhaps she and this man weren't as different from another as she thought. Whether he was aware of it or not, that woman was his god. As devout as he was, he would never admit to it. But, she knew his actions would prove it. He'd already made a deal with the devil to save her. A devil with magenta eyes, black silk hair that swept his shoulders, and a smile sharp enough to cut to the heart. "You're welcome to pray with me, if you'd like, father." Turning back towards the bed in front of her, she left the invitation open. The rustle of his robe was the only sound as he wordlessly knelt next to her. "But, I think we both know who it is you should be praying to." Her lips split into an arrogant smirk as the man's eyebrow twitched visibly. He opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it after a moment, in favor of sharing a prolonged silence. After a few minutes of prayer, both heads bowed, Nathaniel opened his bible to James 3:6 which he had higlighted, leaving the book open on the bed as he exited the room. Curiosity struck as she read the verse, "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell". So, this was his way of chiding her then? The thought honestly made her want to bubble with laughter. Fyodor had taught her this verse before. About the power of the tongue rather than its evil. His words had the power to set not only his own life on fire, but the whole world's as well. Of this, she was certain. With a renewed faith, she flipped the bible to a separate page, grabbing a pen from her nightstand and underlining a verse before leaving it open on the bed to return to her work in the main computer room. Hebrews 12:29 "For our God is a consuming fire."

And that, he was. Each night, that red-haired boy had come to see the man. Curiosity burning as he spoke to the pale captive, but never hearing much back other than a low hum. "Karma," the boy had said, "that's my name." Fyodor found the irony amusing. A boy named Karma who seemed to have been forsaken by the very notion. What could this boy have possibly done to acquire enough bad karma to be placed under a bafoon like Ace? That's why karma could never exist adequately. There is far more evil in the world than good. And if evil begets more evil, then the world should have already turned to hell in a handbasket. Karma requires balance, something this world is severely lacking. Abilities have already broken any balance that could have saved this world. And this boy here was simply a victim of that unbalance. But, Ace's ability that imprisons him, will be nothing compared to what would save him. Fyodor smiled lazily to himself, lost in thought. The boy's eyes widened at the expression. It's likely the first change he's seen in the man the past four days. He usually sits there, listless yet composed. A mystery to the boy. But, he'll either be enslaved like himself, or killed when Ace gets enough intel. Ace had just went out to go plead with the head boss to let him take lead on the interrogation. Then it was only a matter of time before this frail-looking man in front of him would be forced to submit. And they'd all be trapped here together.

There was an emotion in the boys eyes that Fyodor recognized well. It was pity. To be on the receiving end of such an emotion was new to him, no matter how unfounded it may be. Usually, he regarded others with pity. Whether they had been cursed with ability or whether they were victims of a world afflicted by ability users. Some people felt empathy, some people felt sympathy, but all he was ever left with was pity. It was comfortable and familiar to him, even being on the receiving end. It was such an easy emotion to digest and understand. And to use, if need be. "I'm thirsty." His accent was thick as he allowed himself to speak for the first time since being brought here. His eyes met the boy in front of him, as his saw him jump slightly from the sudden sound of his voice. Once the surprise settled, the boy broke out with a large grin, excited at the chance to help someone. "I'll go get some water, you'll wait right there, right?" The boy chuckled at his own joke before running off down the corridor. The small joy he could take in being Ace's prisoner. Fyodor smiled to himself as his eyes narrowed in anticipation. Ace is a fool. And in his end, those below him might seek salvation, outside of the evils of this world.

Taglist: @jadegreenimmortality

[thecanadianowl]

Justice league Snydercut review

Wow talk about a long movie. Remember Mass Effect's 3 shit endings that were later improved (sorta) with DLCs. Well that is kinda how this movie is.

Before we start this, I just wanna say that I was very impartial throughout the whole snydercut movement. I wasn't part of it but I do see the good that they did in regards to some of their charities and with how the fandom itself has been painted in a negative light. So its good that they got what they have been demanding for quite some time. Snyder as director for me, I really am not the biggest fan of. His movies have some great cinematic moments that look amazing but the context around it is what muddles it for me.

Is it better than Whedon's JL? YES. To start I'll look at some of the things that I do like.

I do like how it was split into parts.  Gives it that miniseries/Comic book feel

Thank god they removed that stupid cringy flash landing on top of Diana's chest scene.

Darkseid looks good. I know some people have issues with it but I liked it. I mean looking at it first glance has me convinced its Darkseid. His voice isn't too bad either. Reminds me a bit of Injustice 2.

As much as I have issues with Darkseid being introduced so early I do like that he had a brief confrontation/glaredown with the League, foreshadowing a possible in person encounter and that the League needs to expand if they are going to fight against Darkseid.  

Steppenwolf's design has greatly improved and looks better than before.

Loved the scenes between Alfred and Diana.  Wish there was more of that.

I loved how the movie added Cyborg, Aquaman and Flash attempting to stop Superman from getting to Batman. I also liked how in this version,  Batman pleading to Clark's humanity telling him that world needs him and he needs to snap out of it.  Also bonus for taking out that scene of Batman on the ground groaning about how old he is getting.

Okay seeing Clark get the black suit and having the voiceovers of both his father's merge together works in terms of Clark's arc into becoming the person he was meant to be. Also like the use of Zimmerman's Ideal of Hope score wished they let it play out a little longer.  Probably my favourite moment in the film is where Superman just takes Steppenwolf's Axe like its nothing and freezes it.

Now to go into some of the more critical stuff that bugged me when watching.

For a movie that is 4 hours long, pacing issues were bound to happen. I think the first example of this can be found in the opening with the Superman scream wave (which started to get a bit hilarious when his screams could be heard every now and then) hitting all three mother boxes. they are shown individually reacting to it and it takes time, where it could have just showed them together or an compilation of each of the motherboxes waking up. I know it Snyder's thing but tone down on the slow mo. Like some instances its fine (like with bullet time or Flash's scenes) but other instances I'm just like alright I get it.

The scene involving Cyborg transferring money into that single mother's bank account. Is he gonna do this for all the people suffering just like her? or just for that one person? I mean if you can hack into the world monetary system, you can solve a lot of financial issues affecting  the majoirty and not just one person. Did I miss the scene but why did Cyborg go from helping one poor person, suggesting the potential good he can do to change the world for the better  to "Fuck the world". Seems a bit inconsistent in character. Especially since he knows who Diana is (from what he says)  and that Parademons are after the motherbox. Maybe her offering help, you should take it? idk Vic. Also the whole Auto defense system malfunction, would it not be better if this was established beforehand where we see Vic struggling to maintain his body's autonomy leading up to the Superman confrontation? Prior to that it seemed he had it under control and his biggest conflict throughout the movie seemed more to be with him coming to terms with his new body. With that being said, Cyborg's character here is much more interesting and better than it was originally. I can see why Ray Fisher is so pissed (well that and the abuse he faced).  I am glad this was improved and gave the character a lot more to do.

The movie still has the same issue as before in regards to the whole motherbox plot and how convenient it was that all three are located on earth. You would think that with the involvement of Darkseid/Steppenwolf that separating them to distinct locations across space would make it more difficult to collect them. I mean we know that the Green Lanterns exist (we saw one get chomped), you'd think that they or the guardians would take one and secure it on Oa. The pushback to this would be "well there was only one green lantern and he died, so how could they retrieve the box?" which begs my question, why send only one? I mean it has been established that Darkseid is a known conqueror of worlds, you'd think the Guardians would be smart enough to send more than one Lantern to aid Earth in their fight.  Did they not think it would be a good idea to have the corps be more involved/keep an eye on earth since it is the only planet that was able to repel Darkseid's forces?

Why is it that the best idea of security when it comes to humans is to bury it? Would it not be better in optics to look over it and know its location instead of dropping it somewhere on the off chance that someone might find it due to being  curious or the land changing/altering  making the box more easy to attain? A situation as dire/serious as this, you would think that the Amazons/Atlanteans would have been better prepped with armor/weapons for such an event. I mean you have the arrow of Artemis that shoots quite a distance to give Diana a message but not some kind of weapon that hurts/cripples Steppenwolf? Or better yet, how about the moment that the boxes started acting up after Superman's death, that Atlantis/Themiscarya would put aside any differences they had with one another and to the outside world to come together to secure the boxes?  How could Darkseid forget the name of the only planet that was able to force him to retreat? nor does he know that it harbors the anti life?

Did this movie break Aquaman's continuity? because from the dialogue between Mera and Arthur, its implied that Atlanna abandoned/left Arthur at Tom's doorsteps whereas in the movie,  we see Atlanna spend a couple of years with Tom and raising baby Arthur before she was forced to come back. You'd think Zack being a producer for the Aquaman  movie would have edited that line or made it more clear. Well that or James Wan F'ed up when making the movie.

"I've never seen a being as strong as Steppenwolf" Did Diana just forget Ares aka the god of war who killed the Greek Pantheon/Old gods and orchestrated the first World War? Hell from the looks of the flashback it seemed Ares (I'm assuming its Ares, if its Hades, my bad) was getting some good hits in on Darkseid, who is superior to Steppenwolf.  While we are on the topic of Diana, it's a bit odd that Snyder who  was a producer on WW84 where one of the biggest focuses on the movie that Patty Jenkins talked about was how Diana doesn't solve her problems with violence (even though her primary weapons in this movie are a sword and shield but okay. Then again New 52 hasn't done a good job in disproving that), yet in this movie we see her using her gauntlet smash to fucking kill the one remaining terorrist. Like sure you can argue that they were terrorists and deserve to die, but given how easy and quick it was for her to take out the previous guys, why do something that runs the risks of destroying the very building that you are in (with hostages). I mean from the look of the blast and how much debris fell from the building outside, and it was a miracle no one (but the terrorist) got hurt/killed.

Why did Steppenwolf  kidnap  them in the first place? Just use that mind extracting device you used on the Atlantean soldier to see if they know. Seems like a waste of time to collect them in one location only to interrogate them later.

Okay, I'm sorry but even in this cut I still don't like Miller's Barry Allen. He isn't as bad as he was in the theatrical cut but man does it stick out. When he is helping to escort the kidnapped civilians out, why doesn't he just grab them and transfer them to a safe distance? He even makes a comment about how slow they are going. Can I also just say how weird it is for Barry to take time saving Iris to caress her hair and look at her more creepily in slow mo? Like yeah its in slow mo but still I think your priority should be to get everyone to safety as quick as possible and check if anyone else could get hurt.  I will admit that Barry's speech as he is running so fast to reverse time at the end was really good. Tho the more I think about all the slow mo Flash scenes are good.

They still kept the "Let's use the mother box to bring back Superman plot". Why? This is a piece of tech that you don't fully understand how it works and you are going on the whims of someone you just met. Especially if they come back as a different person/mindset all together.  If Superman 's death was the reason that allowed for the Mother box to call to Steppenwolf/Darkseid, what the hell were they doing prior to Superman's arrival on earth? I mean we've seen how easy it was for Steppenwolf to attain the two boxes even if they were guarded, so why the wait ?. I get that Batman is going through an arc and trying to change from the person he was but how does go from "1% chance of absolute certainty" to "let's go on a whim and have faith" when it comes to resurrecting Superman? 

Its gonna be awkward as to how Clark will explain his sudden return from the grave around the same time Superman came back.

I was wondering when the Knightmare scene will play out. Jared leto's Joker isn't over with me, it seems way too try-hard to be edgy. Other than that yeah, not much I can say about it. Tho do we seriously need another iteration where Superman (or someone with Superman like powers) is evil?

I also love how nonchalant Bruce is about J'onn appearing in front him. However the revelation that J'onn was that army general all the time breaks so much of continuity (and just why now did you decide to show up and help and not idk the time Zod invaded and nearly  terraformed earth, HELL WHY TF DIDN'T SHOW UP TO HELP THE LEAGUE IF YOU KNEW ABOUT DARKSEID, I'M SORRY TO RAG ON BUT REALLY THIS CAMEO JUST OPENS UP SO MANY QUESTIONS, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AN "PALPATINE WAS BEHIND THIS ALL ALONG" KIND OF THING ).

In terms of getting a sequel, I am not sure if WB is going to go through with it given that their current vision seems to be a different route than the one Snyder intended so who knows. Despite my criticisms I do believe this is Snyder's best DCEU film to date and probably one of his better films. You could tell that he put in a lot to make this. The movie itself does have issues mostly due to the plot surrounding the motherbox as well as pacing. I would say it's worth the watch at least once, though I think its best to watch it in doses rather than one sitting. Ultimately this is the version that we should have gotten and I can see why so many people who were supportive of Zack wanted or vouched for him to finish it. Regardless, I think the very least I am happy for Snyder. If you like Snyder's previous stuff, you will like this one, if you don't, your perception of the film won't change significantly other than some cool bits here and there.  

[real-jaune-isms]

RWBY Volume 7 Chapter 9 Rundown

I felt very satisfied for the first 90% of this episode but then I got kinda annoyed in the literal final 40 seconds before the credits. But that’s just my own growing agitation for Cinder, so it’s fine. We’ll get to that later.

There isn’t exactly a very happy vibe at the start of the chapter though, as it opens on the cold streets of Mantle as the cold is now likely setting in something fierce and people have realized the heat is gone. As Maria and Pietro welcome folks into the shelter of his pharmacy, some of those inside wonder if this same problem is affecting Atlas as well, and if this dangerous change was done intentionally by the city on high. The two kind elders stare up at Atlas with growing concern.

In the dinning room once more, the council continues to bring up criticisms that have been leveled at Ironwood, specifically that he has two council seats. He tries to counter there are checks and balances to make sure he doesn’t misuse his authority, but they interject that he has been ignoring those regulations and making major decisions all on his own. The General tries to defend himself and say he had no intention of running amiss of the rules, but Councilman Sleet reminds him that intention and action are not always the same and his actions have been wrong. Speaking of making wrong decisions without meaning to, a faunus servant comes in to whisper concerning news in Jacques ear, presumably that the SDC Heating Grid has been off for a while and people are freezing. And it was done on his authorization. Guess Watts just loves to frame people. As Jacques urges the staff member to check the system again and grows visibly concerned, Sleet notices he’s not paying attention and pulls him back into the conversation. He tries to act like he knows what’s going on and agrees with what Sleet was saying, then claims he has no further concerns or questions. But Robyn is by no means done yet, badgering Ironwood about all his secrecy and fears that he refuses to share with the council. He says he fears Atlas becoming a tragic site like Vale or attacked like Haven, but she knows there’s more to it and wants to use her lie detector Semblance to force the truth out of him and test if he’s hiding something. The pressure is palpable, and we know he wants to be more open after the talk he had with Oscar...

But then the door behind Jacques slams open to reveal Weiss with a Phoenix Wright worthy OBJECTION to this one sided accusation. She knows the real culprit for the killing of anti-Ironwood speakers, and the fraudulent election, and she claims Jacques not only knows him in name but knows him personally. With such an accusatory prelude she sets Willow’s Scroll on the table and projects the video big enough that Camilla and Sleet can recognize Arthur Watts, who was thought to be dead since the “Paladin Incident” years ago. Papa Schnee feigns confusion and ignorance, but Daddy Ironwood stands in steely determination and tells Weiss to play the video. It shows the tail-end of Jacques conversation with the bad Doctor, how he hates Ironwood for the embargo and wishes he could fire everyone to save money, and we get to see just what Watts had in mind for Jacques to have his cake and eat it too. Watts is pissy and petulant that Ironwood disgraced him despite his genius contributions and wants to return the humiliation he received ten-fold. All Jacques has to do is give Watts his login for the Atlas Network and promise he’ll make ol’ Jimmy’s life a nightmare, and Watts will manipulate the polls to guarantee he gets that Council seat. Robyn seems very pissed off to learn the voting was rigged and she would have actually won like she had hoped. Jacques, or at least the version in the video, is delighted at the offer and commends Watts for his cutthroat “business” strategy. Ironwood has had enough of this, and Weiss stops the video so they can all glare at Jacques. He tries to get up to run and claims the video is fake. Sleet tells him to SIT. BACK. DOWN. but instead he bolts for the door only to find Weiss’ Knight standing guard and ready to take him down. By the power vested in her by the Kingdom of Atlas, Weiss arrests her father for treason... but maybe she doesn’t actually have the power to do that? It’s unclear but I definitely hope she can. Her entire relationship with her father has been based on him having power and control over her, her wanting to earn his approval and remain on his good side or suffer the consequences of his rage. The crux of her character arc has been recognizing her old way of living was unacceptable and finding ways to get free of that control and influence to become her own strong person. Now, through her hard work, she has more power than him and he has to do what she says or suffer the consequences of his actions against justice. But on the other hand you have to wonder what legal authority Huntsmen have to make arrests and the like. They’re not military or police officers, but they do handle more dangerous threats than the common man. If their job involves apprehending human criminals then they probably would be sanctioned to make arrests. To draw reference to another of my favorite shows, perhaps they are akin to deputized vigilantes like Green Arrow and his team on Arrow? They have specialized skills with which to handle threats the regular military and police aren’t trained enough for.

But breaking off from that topic and back down to one such criminal, Watts is standing on the street catching a snowflake in the palm of his glove before he sees people looting a store that I SWEAR is called Dust in the Wind. Desperate civilians have already started burning things to create a big enough fire so they can keep warm, and a few stolen Fire Dust crystals get thrown in to make it really flare up. Atlas soldiers are watching on and requesting advice on what to do. Glad they’re not stopping them forcefully since no one really knows the procedure for all the heat not working and this being the only way to live in warmth at the moment. Watts relishes in the chaotic moment and is joined by Tyrian.

We go back to the dining room where the adults stand around a sitting Jacques to continue interrogating him while the teens stand off to one side. As Ironwood berates the still defensive Schnee for stooping for such disgraceful lengths to get what he couldn’t fairly earn, Clover gets a blip in his earpiece and walks away to take the message, likely about the freezing crisis. Jacques warns Ironwood he’ll hurt his knees if he keeps jumping to such wild conclusions, but no avail. Better switch condiments, cuz that weak sauce ain’t working on the General. Now that he knows Watts is around and willing to cause trouble, all the loose ends are tying together quite smoothly. Since he made the Mantle security network he would know exactly how to manipulate it and work with Tyrian to do such violent acts and frame good people for it. Penny still seems pretty upset over her tarnished reputation because of that. And to top all of the scandalous deeds of Arthur Watts off, all of that was just to help Jacques cheat through the election. I should like to note that as Ironwood is giving Jacques the works he is backed by a smirking portrait of an armored Nicholas Schnee, as if even now the founder of this great company of his is amused by just how badly his son in law has fucked up royal. Jacques didn’t even consider the consequences of his alliance, he only saw the way it benefited him. There is blood on his hands for this, and he needs to be held accountable in a court of law for both his treason against the safety of his kingdom and the lives it lost. He is of course very much against this idea, all he intended was to win the election after all! But like Councilman Sleet said earlier, what you intend and what you are responsible for doing are not always the same thing. An excuse like that is not enough, and Robyn is physically enraged that he would try to trivialize the deaths of good people, to the point that she throws a chair across the room. Councilwoman Camilla asks the important question, what will Watts be able to do with the power Jacques gave him? They can only speculate into the grim infinitudes, until all their scrolls start buzzing with the concrete facts of just what he’s done. The heat is off, and Jacques can’t even log in to fix it anymore since Watts took his account and locked him out. The bastard tries to save his own hide and distance himself from the situation by saying he didn’t know Watts was planning this, but Winter tells him to SHUT. UP. and fix the heating grid, but he reveals what I did just now about no longer having access. Sleet voices the depressing obvious as Ironwood stares at his scroll and Robyn looks out the window, both in solemn concern: if the heat doesn’t come back on people WILL die. Ruby tries to get the General’s mind off of desperate what-ifs to focus on the facts of how things are right now. Since they know whose credentials Watts is using they can follow his network activity, but he would now have the ability to find out about the Amity project and get into its network. Fortunately, he hasn’t looked hard enough yet so neither he or Salem know about it. Weiss asks if they can lock the good doctor out, but he’s already set to work blocking their access instead. They can’t exactly trace him if he’s on the move so they need to lure him out so they can get to his access point. Robyn interjects, since she has been listening to all this cryptic talk and planning with no one paying any mind to her still being in earshot, that people as vastly different as Tyrian and Watts banding together seems rather farfetched without some larger factor. Their unanimous decision to go after Ironwood in particular seems even stranger with only one of them having much motive, and she still doesn’t get why Ironwood is keeping the Amity Tower a secret. James is quite shocked that she even knows about that, and I’m sure Blake and Yang will have a rather sheepish confession to make. 

But we don’t see that, because instead we bear witness to Atlesian Knight robots being sent in to dispel the rioters gathered around the massive fire. But as Pietro and Maria watch on in silent shock, the people of Mantle lash out hard at these cold metal symbols of a cold ruling society and smash two of the robots. But these heated emotions are the tipping point and the streets start lighting up red to warn the civilians. Grimm are coming, and they are coming in mass. Mammoth-like Megoliaths and swiftly vicious Sabyrs are charging at the massive gap in the border wall, and the assembled Atlas soldiers and robots are not enough to hold the line, while Manta aircraft on bombing runs do nothing to slow the pack or thin the numbers. The Sabyrs are the first to get in and demolish the robots at ground level, and unidentified avian Grimm fly over the heads of the soldiers on top of the wall.

The scene shifts again from that chaos to the dining room again for a calmer moment of building faith, as Robyn admits she now sees just how much Ironwood is trying to protect with all the work he’s doing and the secrets that means keeping. She recognizes he has genuine fear for what will happen if the truth comes out. But the moment is stalled there as Clover and Oscar burst in to inform everyone about the Grimm swarming into Mantle, and how the airfleet can’t do much of anything or else it might result in civilian casualties. Ironwood goes back into beard-stroking panic mode, this is precisely what he hoped wouldn’t happen. Clover urges him to send in ground support to handle the Grimm within the city, but Robyn insists nowhere in the city will be safe if it gets completely overrun. Evacuating people up to Atlas with the airfleet should be their priority. But Daddy Ironwood has to raise his voice, he can’t move the fleet for any evacuation measures or else Atlas would be vulnerable instead. He worked so hard to keep everyone safe, and it’s all falling to pieces in the worst way. But Oscar is there to offer his advice again, though Ironwood rudely rebuffs him that he doesn’t want that. He wants Ozpin’s advice, but Oscar tells him that’s not the fix all answer he wishes it were. Oz would have told him to keep secrets, but Ironwood already knew that wasn’t the right way to go and made his own new and better plan. That plan has failed, the General argues, but that just means the day he was preparing for is upon them already. It’s time to tell the truth and have faith that the world will accept it, starting with Robyn and the council. Ruby assures him, he will not be alone in this. That puts the wind back in his sails, and he starts making a plan. Oscar is probably best off going back to the Academy for safety, and Ironwood needs to have a talk with his critics. In the meantime, the huntresses and huntsmen need to head down into the fray to do what they do best. And that means everyone is coming, even Penny. They still trust and believe in her, and the people will too. Winter has a look of approval as Ruby starts calling the shots, she definitely sees growth from how unimpressive the young rose seemed at Beacon. Clover couldn’t have said it better himself, and they all go running out the door... past a servant who had been in the dining room a couple times last episode bringing in drinks. She watches the trained warriors all leave, and smirks. Creepy.

As everyone else heads out the door, Ruby and Oscar stop for a moment to try and talk, and of course they talk over each other and act like a couple of dorks. They both think that since Ironwood is revealing everything he knows, they ought to do the same. But a lot of the fans are just thinking how they seem like such a cute adorkable couple. Y’all know who I ship so I can’t say too much about this, but I do certainly think it’s fun how they get along so well and seem to be on the same wavelength. Anyway, Ruby wants to be the one to tell Ironwood but duty calls so it has to be Oscar. Marrow is not amused by their awkwardness, or by the fact that Ruby uses finger-guns. Still, the Ace Ops, Qrow, and the young huntsmen head down in an airship where Clover lays down a reminder that their priority is saving people not racking up a Grimm kill count. Ren seems very distressed, so Nora holds his hand and it seems to help a little. They both feel a bit safer being able to feel that they still have each other, and Blake and Yang share a look that seems to imply the same sentiment even if they’re not going to hold hands too. As the ship soars swiftly downward into the danger, we see a streak of danger soaring above them too.

Back to the political scene, Sleet and Camilla are quietly discussing the world changing whiplash they just had  from Ironwood telling them about Salem existing, and how they almost can’t believe it’s true but know he wouldn’t make something that serious up. Robyn, meanwhile, is just staring at the ground as if thinking to herself “I know I asked what he was hiding, but I immediately regret asking”. She looks over to the closed door, and we cut to the other side to see the General in his own mind shattering crisis. Oscar told him everything they know about Ozma and Salem’s past, how as far as they know she’s immortal and they can’t do a damn thing to change that. He’s understandably upset that Ozpin kept this from all of them, you can almost hear anguish and sadness in his voice, but Oscar affirms that it was for the sake of keeping hopes alive so they would stay motivated. Oscar also apologizes on behalf of RWBY and co. for likewise keeping it a secret, but they just didn’t know who could be trusted to know. Of all people Ironwood would understand that. But now was the time to bare it all, before anything terribly important was lost for good. It might be too late for that though, Ironwood’s hope seems pretty broken now. The poor boy tries to make sure the General is okay, to see what he’s going to do now that he knows all this, and for a second it seems like even he doesn’t know. But his head finds a firm place back on his shoulders and his gaze returns to the task at hand. Grand scheme matters will have to wait, they need to save Mantle. Oscar seems proud, says Ozpin would be too. Atlas is providing the hope it was always meant to, since such a marvel of ingenuity and power is supposed to be held to standards matched only by its altitude. I’m paraphrasing, but the way Oscar says it seems all too familiar to Ironwood, as if he was there to see Atlas get its start. It would seem there’s more of Ozpin in Oscar than even he realizes, or maybe there hasn’t been much Oscar himself in there for a little while?... But we don’t have time for that, because their transports have arrived and they need to go. The two agree that neither of them could handle any more surprises, but it’s the huntsmen and huntresses who are in for the surprise. 

A new Grimm called a Teryx that as you would expect resembles a pterodactyl has latched onto the ship and no matter what fancy flying Harriet does to shake it loose it’s not budging. All that comes of it is Jaune starting to get airsick for the first time since Volume 1 and the Grimm moving around to the starboard side and digging its talons into the wall, right between Blake and Yang’s heads. Any further to either side and one of them might have died. The news only gets worse as another Teryx dive bombs them and damages the starboard engine. They all agree now would be a good time to bail and just get to the ground, and Clover opens the side door... on the side where the Grimm is. As his copious luck would have it, the damaged engine breaks loose and takes the Teryx down in a ball of flame so they’re safe to jump. As the kids start jumping, Elm playfully tells Harriet not to stay on board too much longer and she responds with sarcastic thanks. Not friends my ass, they all get along so well! Harriet decides to be a little extra with her exit and punches the windshield to go out onto the roof, inviting Ruby to try and keep up. Ruby gives a smile with more purity than distilled mountain spring water and follows her. Clover and Qrow are the last to jump, and Clover tries to show off a little for his boyfriend.

We go back to Schnee Manor for the last time as Jacques is being taken away by soldiers and Willow watches from the front door. Whitley is sitting sadly on the stairs alone, and Willow looks over to him with a slight smile. Clearly, she feels like the worst is behind them and hopefully they can try to be a real family now, but he runs away up the stairs. I don’t blame the poor kid, he feels like he has no one now. His mom has always preferred to drown her despair in liquor over being a present parental figure, and his sisters see him as an annoyance whom they never give the time of day. His father was the only one who showed him any attention or guidance, and that was so he could mold the boy in his image. He played along and did as he was told because no one else was there for him to give him much choice. Whitley probably wants to get along and be cared about by his sisters, but they thought the worst of him because he chose to listen to the father they wanted nothing to do with. Its a tragedy of circumstances, and it gives new context to lots of old scenes. The poor kid probably was kinda hurt that Weiss didn’t even say hello or show joy in seeing him again when she arrived for the party last episode. I definitely hope these two can recover and find a happier life. But as Jacques is brought to the armored truck, complaining all the way, we instead focus on a member of the staff leaving rather nonchalantly: the same young woman we saw smirking at everyone leaving earlier. She even starts skipping and if you couldn’t tell the twist already the familiar creepy music should make it obvious; Neo is already in Atlas, and if she’s here then Cinder can’t be far behind. Neo goes to a locked room in an unknown building with wall to wall windows showing the city outside, and sure enough there’s the fiery cockroach herself waiting for her companion’s return. Neo was in disguise to do recon since Cinder would stick out too much in a crowd, and it seems she found what they’re looking for. That sounds quite ominous and troublesome, and I’m a little annoyed that at the first sign of the new interesting villains getting exposed and being in our heroes crosshairs we return to the old villains who’re still trying the same old shtick. Still, at this point they almost feel like the Pilaf gang from original Dragon Ball, once the worst thing our heroes had to deal with but are now practically comedy relief villains who still think they’re the top threat. I’m not that mad, I just don’t much like Cinder and her nefarious schemes anymore. Still, doesn’t detract from the great satisfying episode.

[fullmetalirin]

Fullmetal Alchemist OG: Episode 10

The flashback is over, but the filler is not.

Fullmetal Alchemist Episode 10: "The Phantom Thief"

After exposing Cornello in Lior as a fraud, the Elrics are on their way back to report to Mustang about the incident. They stop at the town of Aquroya where Ed gets treated for a stomach bug. That's where he and Al meets a kind and patient nurse who reminds Al of their mother. After being discharged from the hospital, Ed gets caught up in the manhunt for a talented cat burglar named Psiren, who uses her skills as an alchemist to repeatedly fool the local police. It turns out the cat burglar is the nurse and she convinces them she's stealing to raise money to prevent the hospital from being torn down. It soon becomes apparent she's not giving the money to the hospital after it gets demolished (and she repeats the same excuse with two other buildings). Al gives her the benefit of the doubt because he saw how kind she was and they find out she does help the city in an indirect way; she draws in tourists. Ed finally manages to catch her and Al isn't necessarily happy about it. In the end, the crafty Psiren escapes police custody.

Ed is grumpy about reporting back to Mustang, and turns over a joker card as he says his name. Ha! The anime is good at subtle visual gags like that.

We get a flashback to Liore and the fake stone. Justified, as it actually has been a lot of episodes since then.

Al insists they did a lot of good even if the stone was a bust, but Ed doesn't care.

Al urges Ed not to stop at the town, but once again Ed ignores him. Ed flippantly jokes that they might find something about the Stone so it won't be a wasted trip.

Ed's sleeve slips, and a bunch of aces fall out. So that's how he won all the card games! Hilarity.

And we cut to this episode's villain using cards as weapons! Ah, clever!

Psiren appears to trigger an alchemic glyph remotely, which doesn't seem kosher.

Ed cleans the mud off himself with alchemy. It appears to just disappear. It's possible he did the "stop at breaking it down" trick, but he seems surprised to learn that later, so that's doubtful.

Ed is stuffing his face during the interrogation. Al leaves his bowl untouched. When he's done, he takes Al's bowls too. I'm loving this gag.

When Ed gets sick, Al makes a crack about if it's from eating too much. OMG. I think the writers love the gag as much as I do.

And when the inspector calls Ed back they give him an entire table of noodles oh my god XD

Ed sees Psiren as "yet another" way to use alchemy for evil, which is a good way to show he's been affected by everything he's seen so far. There's subtle continuity, even in these filler episodes.

Psiren makes a drop of water fall from the ceiling (or possibly phases it through), which then explodes into a smoke bomb. I presume it might be a condensed gas, similar to what Lyra did last episode.

Psiren turns her deck of cards into a sword. It later falls apart and we see the cards flap in the wind, so she must have been doing something to strengthen them. Given that she carries them on her, she probably stored some material to let her do this.

Ed tries to pin her and grabs her boob by accident. Nooot really necessary. It's not as bad as it could be, I suppose; both of them play it pretty maturely, and Psiren isn't phased at all. Still, it’s pretty tacky that this is the only reason Psiren is able to escape.

Psiren shoots cards at Ed with alchemy. Another technique that's just energy manipulation. I don't think I like that, even if it's much more within bounds than Lyra's technique – given the focus on materials, alchemy should be more chemistry than physics.

In the hospital, Ed sees Psiren use the sigil on her chest to manipulate a flower without touching it. DOES ALCHEMY NEED PHYSICAL CONTACT OR NOT??? I'm also not clear why she needs to reveal the sigil at all; she was obviously doing alchemy with it covered up before.

There's no "LOL am I interrupting something" line when Al barges in on them even though Psiren has her shirt undone. Thank you, show.

More water manipulation: Psiren slips a tendril of water under the door and uses it to unlock the door from inside. While there’s nothing technically disproving this can be done with alchemy -- Ed animated the statue in Liore, after all -- it still feels thematically off, more physics than chemistry.

Psiren acts like there's nothing she can do when they drop a metal cage on her. Uh, transmute it? Instead Ed has to do it. I guess we're left to assume she doesn't know any other alchemy than the extremely skilled and fine-control techniques she uses regularly?

Ed whines that every crook he meets wants to tell them they're not so different, but that was really only Tucker.

How did Ed get out of the river? We don't see him gaining any ground when he flails, and the automail ought to weigh him down.

We finish with Al criticizing Ed for turning Psiren in, calling him a hypocrite because he's bent the rules before too.

Psiren needs to trick the officers into unzipping her before she can use alchemy to escape. So yes, it has to be visible. And yes, she totally knows how to break out of confinement so the cage shouldn’t have slowed her down.

Conclusion

So, not great overall. The episode was really choppy and waffling, like it didn't know what it wanted to do. Psiren's whole femme fatale thing was also a little uncomfortable, but the characters, at least, handle it well: Ed never buys into it at all, and after the first time Psiren sounds like she's only doing it sarcastically. Unfortunately, I do still think she's sexualized to an unnecessary degree.

But I think that it's worth drawing a comparison to the Youswell episode here. The contrasting styles of the anime and manga are very blatant when you see these back-to-back. Where last episode was neat, this one was messy. The heroes aren't certain if they did the right thing, and neither are we. The villain cycles through multiple narratives – you think she's bad, then you think she's good, then she's bad again, then maybe she's good, and ultimately we're never sure. To really hammer it in, even her civilian identity wears costumes. This is a story about manipulation, mysteries, uncertainty, choices. Lies and truth.

It wasn't well-executed. It was a bit too messy. But you can see what they were going for, and what narrative they're cultivating.

Even the alchemy mechanics, though wonky, aren't wonky in the same way Lyra's were. Psiren's alchemy is clever, cunning, and varied, not a flashy show of power. Its only issue is how it conflicts with the established mechanics; I'd have no problem with it if this was a standalone story.

...Well, no problem except the stipulation she needs to strip to use her powers. She was clearly using alchemy with it covered like two scenes before that was established. It’s both creepy sexualization and a gaping plot hole.

[britishdeepstate]

Galata Tower and the Importance of Galata District

Galata Tower and the Importance of Galata District

Throughout the British occupation, the British deep state was fixated on one notion: Turks have stayed in Europe for centuries, and caused troubles in Europe. Istanbul is not Turkish, it is Greek. Turks must be removed from there. As a matter of fact, the modern-day plans that the British deep state carries out for Turkey are not very different; the policies shaped 100 years ago are still pursued through various methods. Today, with the imposition of the deep states, the US and EU are the implementers of this plan. There are also efforts to make Russia a part of it.

Around 100 years ago, with the occupation of March 16, 1920, the plan reached its peak and the British entered Istanbul with 27,419 soldiers.(Gary Jonathan Bass, Stay the Hand of Vengeance: The Politics of War Crimes Tribunals, Princeton University Press, s. 121)

Istanbul coming under Allied occupation delighted the deep circles in London. This delight would soon usher in a policy of violence to maintain the occupation of the city.

The Allied Powers decided that old Istanbul would be controlled by the French, while Beyoğlu and the Straits would be controlled by the British. Italy would maintain control over Kadıkoy and Üsküdar. However, the British soon claimed rights over those areas because they didn’t find the Italians reliable enough. In any case, the British High Commissioner was in charge of the control and supervision of the city.

French forces in Istanbul had only one prison, in Kumkapı, whereas the British built a total of 5 prisons; underneath the Galata tower, in Arabian Han, Sansarian Han, Hotel Kroecker and Şahin Pasha Hotel. This area was the center where thousands of people were blacklisted, tortured and where the nationalist movement was spied on. Galata Tower had become the symbol of the British deep state, as it proved highly useful for observational purposes. It was also used both as an intelligence headquarters and a torture center.

During the occupation years, all spots in the Galata district were used like individual British posts. For instance, British forces used the street of the Galata Tower for their constant spying efforts targeting nationalists, while the Galata Tower proved very useful as a watchtower. With a British flag on it, the tower at the time had a shed on its layered roof. British had added this part for intelligence purposes as the British soldiers constantly watched the city. The top of the tower had a wide view that overlooked the Golden Horn and a large part of Istanbul and therefore helped the British spot any suspicious movements.

The building next to the Galata Tower, named the Galata House and built in 1904, was also used as a British post. This building witnessed horrific scenes of torture inflicted by the professional interrogators of the British deep state on the supporters of the Turkish War of Independence. The intelligence brought in by the cowards working for the British occupation forces were assessed here and people in key positions were interrogated and tortured here for information. Many patriots were martyred in the building and buried underneath the tower. Years later, many pits were found deep inside the Galata Tower in addition to human skulls and bones discovered in the canals of the tower. The space in the middle of the tower was used as a dungeon. During the occupation years, thousands of people were blacklisted and subsequently tortured there.

Galata Tower was very central to the operations of the British deep state. It was known both as the center of Mawlawiyah, and the hub of British intelligence and British violence and torture. The region was also used as a British court. In other words, Galata district was used as a base, a torture center, a prison, a court, not to mention as the meeting point of the British spies. Just like Pharaoh did with his watchtower, the British deep state watched the Turkish people from the Galata Tower. The first Mawlawi House of Istanbul in Galata was also used by the British for intelligence purposes.

The second important base that the British used to oppress the Istanbulians during the occupation was Hotel Kroecker (which is currently used as a teachers’ local). The rooms in the basement were used as torture chambers and hundreds of nationalists defying the occupation were tortured in there. John Bennett, a British intelligence officer, used Hotel Kroecker as a headquarters, because the hotel enjoyed a very central location in Beyoğlu. With a whip in his hands, Bennett would interrogate people in torture chambers in the dead of the night. Bennett, also a Sufi and Mawlawi, never relinquished his ties with the Ottoman Empire and Islamic world, even after the occupation. As it happens, he opened the first Mawlawi/Sufi house in Britain and became a shaykh himself. Using this new character, he worked to inflict harm on the Turkish people and Muslims using Mawlawiyah as a disguise. As a result, many people failed to see the deception in his rhetoric and instead of Islam, mistakenly adopted Rumi’s philosophy, which is actually against Islam. The British deep state’s plans to spoil the Islamic world from within, after that point, would continue largely in a Rumi-oriented manner.

Let us note here that the major intelligence sources of the British during the occupation had been the Mawlawi houses. Traitors in the Ottoman Empire, who were fans of Rumi and the British culture, used to frequent the said Mawlawi Houses and gave the message that they could be used as loyal collaborators of the British.

The occupation forces that wanted to keep Istanbul under control didn’t refrain from exerting pressure on civilians as well. In addition to the occupation fleet anchored in the Bosphorus, a British submarine was stationed in front of the Galata Tower. The weapons of the fleet were turned towards the city, ready to fire. The occupation troops would march around the city with their tanks and squadrons, as a tour de force. Tanks were placed around strategic points in Taksim Square. Ottoman officers had to salute the soldiers of the Allied forces regardless of their rank yet not expect to be saluted back. The Sultan was forced to enact a decree that endorsed the occupation, in a bid to prevent the rise of any nationalist consciousness in the people, and similar fatwas (authoritative legal opinions on issues pertaining to the Islamic law) were issued by the Shaykh al-Islam (the Grand Mufti) and some other religious scholars. Boxes of alcoholic drinks brought from Britain were filling the taverns of Istanbul, which was another attempt to debilitate people and impair their morality.(SOURCE)

British spies were everywhere in Istanbul. One spy, with the alias RV5, opened a tailor shop in 1921 and managed to be the tailor of the Unionists (usually called ‘Young Turks’ in the West) and those people close to Mustafa Kemal. He was even able to visit the Turkish Foreign Ministry. He would hand over all the intelligence he gathered to the British. Another spy, with the alias JQ6, was running a coffee shop in Istanbul, which was usually frequented by people close to Mustafa Kemal. His supporters would hold all their meetings in this shop and all the secret information they discussed would be immediately forwarded to the British. In the meantime, Istanbulians had to continue their daily lives under the siege of the British deep state.(SOURCE)

Important Note about Mawlawiyah

Rumi is a 13th-century mystic. He wrote Masnavi and although this book contains commendable statements regarding faith and Islam, it also contains serious contradictions with Islam and the Qur’an. Masnavi and the Mawlawiyah culture shaped around it, due to parts of Masnavi that are in contradiction with the Islamic faith, in time turned into a lifestyle promoted by certain circles seeking to inflict damage on Islam in a very sinister manner. In fact, this culture has been widely praised and promoted by atheists, anti-Islamic circles, homosexuals and Darwinists. Most particularly, certain people that wish to spread acts that are banned in the Qur’an, like homosexuality, or unbelieving systems, such as Darwinism, amongst Muslims, have always used Mawlawiyah and Rumi’s philosophy to achieve their goals. Unsurprisingly, the British deep state has repeatedly used this dangerous culture as leverage against Muslims.

It should be borne in mind that the criticism here is not directed at Rumi, the author of Masnavi, considering how Masnavi could have been significantly altered since the 13th century. It is quite possible that the remarks in question were added to Masnavi only later, in an attempt to hurt the Islamic societies. Therefore, our criticism here is directed not at Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi, but the odd Rumi philosophy developed based on the contents of Masnavi.

Following chapters will be dealing with Rumi’s philosophy to a greater extent.

Galata Tower and the Importance of Galata District BritishDeepState.net

[csolarstorm]

So I just saw Spider-man: Homecoming, and being that it's in a unique situation that other Marvel movies are not, I have some things to say about it.

The critics were right.  It is a good Marvel movie, but not a breakthrough.  It's kind of "safe".  In the ranking of Marvel movies I'd say it's better than both Thor movies, Iron Man 2 and 3, Captain America, Age of Ultron, and Ant-Man, but not quite as good as Dr. Strange, and not in the league of Iron Man, Civil War, The Avengers, Winter Soldier, or Guardians of the Galaxy.  (In order of good to best.)

It's exactly in the middle.  I thought Ant-Man was above average compared to the original MCU superhero movies, with the exception of Iron Man, so if Spider-Man is above that, it's still pretty great. 

Here are some gripes though:

What other Marvel movie had mostly civilian co-stars living normal life, besides maybe one friend or love interest?  Thor had the group of scientists as comedic relief, but the first standout Thor movie, Ragnarok, doesn't have them, and people can't wait to get rid of them.  Marvel movies are all about fantastical characters, so Peter Parker's classmate ensemble is…funny, but kind of one-note.  Besides Ned, who's basically a main character, anything with Zendaya, Flash, and Liz, all of their scenes have the same issue as the scenes with Thor's original comedy scientist gang.  They're too many normal people that are not involved enough in the story to support the movie.  They're fun characters, just in a more TV movie Disney channel kind of way.  This is why the movie kind of dragged on through the middle.

Of course I just called her Zendaya, because nobody refers to as Michelle.  I didn't even think to use the character's name.  The name Michelle might not even be said in the movie it's so unimportant, and "MJ" is just an Easter egg.

It was a pleasant surprise to see Pepper Potts back, but am I to understand that Stark wanted to propose to her?  Where did this come from?  There was no setup.  They patched things up after Civil War; I can believe that.  I can even believe Pepper Potts is completely aware that he wants to propose to her.  That's entirely in character.  But the whole scenario is completely out of place in this movie and so sudden after knowing they weren't together in Civil War.  I suppose it makes sense, but it comes off as tacked on and randomly sappy.

There is a super-cut somewhere out there of all the extra scenes exclusively filmed to advertise products.  Product placement is one thing, but it's almost like these are extra pieces of the movie, though they might not be canon since Peter doesn't know how to drive at the end of the movie.  There's Peter getting his driver's license with a Volvo that Stark bought for him, and Peter going to the store and running into Wiz Khalifa while trying to buy a specific brand of crackers for a guest at a Lakers party that Stark is throwing.  Must be Sony's contribution. 

Off-subject, but “Jumanji” looks terrible.  They clearly took a random unrelated script and decided to market it as a retro sequel to Jumanji.

And now the praise:

The suit works perfectly for Spider-man.  It's not armor and it doesn't shoot things, so it's not Iron Man.  Neither does Karen tread into Jarvis territory.  Tom Holland can't carry a heads up display scene while he's wisecracking to a butler with dry wit.  Plus his comics counterpart has had drones in the past, and maybe even built in GPS.  I don’t know.  The point is, it fits.

The Vulture had a LOT of shades of the original cinematic Green Goblin.  I enjoyed that.  His wings behaved like the glider pretty often, and he had a personal connection to Peter that was menacing and uncomfortably parental.  It was a great homage while at the same time making Toombs an original villain of his own with understandable motivations.  He deserves the praise he's getting for his performance.

When Stark rescued Peter with an unmanned armor, I predicted that Peter would mistake his appearance later for another empty armor.  I called it, and the emotion in the scene played out perfectly.  What a great way to use something from Stark's existing mythos to illustrate an emotional moment like this.

The "Eight Years Later" issue is way overblown.  All of Phase 1 doesn't even need more than a year to take place before the original Avengers, and in fact for Pepper to take four years to get to know Coulson is pretty weird in the first place.  Most of Phase 1 is in the past or on another planet.  (Or by another actor XD)  The Avengers could easily take place in 2009, and even if it didn't, Iron Man could take place one year earlier, or Spider-Man could take place one year later.  Anything can be adjusted by a year or two to make this work.  In the current status quo, Civil War and Spider-Man could take place in 2018 and 2019, and that would fix the inconsistency with Daredevil.  There are no real canon time requirements anymore.

I loved how Peter just failed at interrogating Donald Glover's character, and Glover was perfectly patient with him and even gave him advice.  Notice that Peter actually does improve his communication technique when he puts on the gruff voice by himself to commandeer Flash's car. 

I think they'll have to revisit Spider-man's actual foundational origin for Spider-man 2.  This was pretty much Marvel's origin story for all of the new components of the new, individual Spider-Man of the MCU, but none of these characteristics that they're focusing on introducing really touch on the deeper parts of Peter's story.  Where was he when he got bitten?  What happened to Uncle Ben?  Instead of just focusing on his suit and his new place in the MCU, they're eventually going to have to explore his actual background and how that affects his life.