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#and tbh seeing her on screen has made me feel so much more confident in myself and my OWN autistic traits and mannerisms etc
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I don't know if it was explicitly stated but is Paul getting a love interest this season?
I enjoyed the one he had in season 1 and I know he had the plot line with his heart and his friendship with marjan in s3, but I feel like he doesn't get much screen time. i know Rob Lowe is the big name but it seems like the rest of the ensemble isn't getting much screen time.
I really want more Paul scenes. as a transguy myself this is literally the only time I've seen someone like me on screen, actually played by a real life transman. like for me it was the reason I started watching the show, I came out just after the show aired. and it was because I was watching the show with my mum at the time I felt like it was safe. seeing how she reacted to him on screen and how she seemed to be fine with it, it gave me the confidence to tell her.
but aside from that going back to the Paul romantic subplot in s1, I felt like it was quite accurate tbh. with the whole dating thing, the rule of three, and I liked his love interest. so it kinda crushed me when she rejected him. I know it's actually really realistic but for once I wanted to see myself on screen in a positive way, not a sob story. but in hindsight I liked how they showed Paul handling it, especially after the whole superstraight thing, it shows that as trans people we know that there's some kind of resistance when it comes to dating people who aren't a part of the lgbt community or more attuned to those things. and I like that they showed that he could be sad and he could feel like shit but he's not going to be awful to her. I know this sounds depressing but he is literally the only actual transman on screen I've ever seen that isn't an arsehole. the only other one being Trevor from shameless.
I loved that they gave him a story line completely separate to his gender identity too, it seems like alot of the time when showrunners have lgbtq+ characters they never develop them outside of their identity. and that really doesn't work, so seeing that really did make me love the show so much. especially with tarlos too, even Nancy just throwing it out there. I love how they've made the show so inclusive but relaxed.
but I do think it's time Paul has a real love interest and sure make it dramatic but can't we have a plot line that isn't directly related to the love interest not being into transpeople. I know we're not everyone's cup of tea but I don't need that drilled into me over and over while I'm trying to watch my cowboy weewoo show.
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manikas-whims · 3 years
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My Top Kanej Moments | Shadow & Bone
⚠ show only fans, beware the book spoilers ahead ⚠
obviously all were amazing but here's my personal favorites
1: The Knife Handover
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Even watching this scene made me feel like I was intruding on a very private moment 🙈
Kaz is always on guard. Throughout the series, anytime anyone laid a hand on him or inched a hand towards him, he visibly expressed his aversion.
But here in this scene, you can see him not moving away at all when Inej steps closer. He never breaks eye contact, which is something very personal to me. I have many ships who have these "eye-smex" moments. And I love it when two characters are just intensely staring at each other but you can feel the tension between them radiating off of the screen. TOO HOT!
Its also the way she bends down to pull out the second knife and never breaks eye contact as she hands it over to him with a confident smile (top right gif). And how he momentarily smirks to himself when she's gone (top right gif).
Its the way her finger lightly touches his gloved palm before she drops the knife into his hand (top left gif) . THIS MAYBE THEIR FIRST BRIEF MOMENT OF CONTACT. And Kaz didn't even flinch, just watched intently as she left. MOST KANEJ MOMENT 😩
2: The Campfire
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Remember Kaz grew up without a mother. As a child, he probably looked-up to his father and then tragically lost him. So he moves to Ketterdam with his brother in hopes of a new beginning. And in one night, everything gets snatched from them. But hey! They're together so its alright and then..he loses his brother as well. Even worse that he has to use him to swim back to the harbour and can't retrieve the body to cremate. He was made to choose between himself and his brother's body :/
After everything that he suffered, in a saintsforsaken city like Ketterdam, no one but Kaz kept himself alive (of course until he met Jesper and Inej, whom he could rely on). So the man has enough reasons to not believe in any higher almighty beings.
Therefore, during this scene when he says: "No saints ever watched over me. Not like you have." YES! IT HITS HARD 😭
3: To Watch & be unable to Act
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There were two moments and in both, the agonising expression that he had on his face is everything! It hurts him to watch her hurt and not be able to touch and hold her like Jesper did..to not be able to help..
This can be a good build up for when we get the scene where he carries her in his arms and despite his bad leg, runs to the Ferolind, pushing past Jesper to take her to Nina..(hoping we get that).
4: Kaz detects Inej
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The books heavily mention how Inej walks like a ghost (undetected) and how only Kaz knows where she is.
Examples:
“Kaz’s eyes found Inej unerringly in the crowd.”
“Oh, and Inej, don’t ever sneak up on me again.”
«The truth was she’d tried to sneak up on Kaz plenty of times since then. She’d never managed it. It was as if once Kaz had seen her, he’d understood how to keep seeing her.»
That this beautiful detail about them was shown in the show and the first scene about them, makes my heart flutter ♡
5: The Chapel Killing
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I really don't need to say much here. In the heat of the moment, Inej didn't reconsider that she was inside a Chapel and just threw the knife to save Kaz. Her first act of taking a life was NOT TO KILL BUT TO PROTECT. She was destined to hunt slavers and save lives (I'm sorry I'm reaching).
But what stands out more is the look on Kaz's face. He is so surprised, he really hadn't expected her to kill. And that too, for HIM. That is the expression of a man who is mentally vowing to gouge out an eyeball for his girl.
And right after, he steps closer to her. He can't hug her so that's what he offers as he tells her "you saved my life".
6: The Winter Fete Bickering
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This scene was pure gold.
You ever wonder what do Kanej do when they aren't arguing over serious matters? When they aren't staring intensely or having very deep secluded conversations? THIS! This is what they do. They bicker like an old married couple over trivial things and its just adorable to watch.
Anyways Kaz knowing Inej's size is something very personal to me. But Inej completely disregards his efforts and keeps bringing up that one time he messed up and I find that so entertaining. Serotonin Boost tbh 😆
BONUS
running away from conversations
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Gif Credits: myself and @kanejdaily
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gins-potter · 3 years
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Casting Thoughts
Yes, I did a long post when the rumours first dropped but hey now it’s confirmed plus we have characters descriptions, and I’m bored so let’s do this all over again people.  Under the cut because it got long
Sisi Stringer as Rose Hathaway
I said this in my other post but I’m pretty happy with Sisi as Rose.
Visually I think she’s a great fit, I love that they casted a WoC in the main role, and I think if she can bring Rose’s humour and sarcasm to the role, she’s going to do great.
The character description mentions Rose being “fiery and outspoken”, happy to jump into the action, and the strongest fighter in her class but struggling to toe the line, which is all very Rose-esque, especially in the first book.  It sounds to me like they have a good grasp on her character.
I’m a little disappointed we didn’t hear more about Rose as a character since she is the lead - it felt like the descriptions for Lissa and Dimitri both gave us a little more to go on - but it is only a very preliminary description so I’m happy to wait for more.
Daniela Nieves as Lissa Dragomir
Daniele is another one who I was happy with straight away.
She’s probably not what I imagined for Lissa visually but that’s not a bad thing either; I will be interested to see if they dye her hair a lighter colour (like a caramel-blonde) but personally that’s not something I need to see for her to be a great fit for Lissa.
I think she has a very sweet face which works well for a character like Lissa but I think she’s also going to be able to stand up in Lissa’s more fiercer moments which is nice to see as well.
The character descriptions mentions her as being “carefree and kind-hearted” who “coasts” through life until a death in the family thrusts her into a new role.  That sounds a lot like pre-series Lissa so I wonder if we’re going to see a bit of that in the show before Andre (and her parents??) die and see that change.  
It’s curious though that she’s described as the younger sister of the heir apparent - which would be Andre - so it sounds like they’ve changed it so Andre was supposed to be King.  Obviously a deviation from the books but I don’t hate it?  I don’t think it would change Lissa’s arc all that much because obviously she was always going to grow up to be an influential royal figure, this just slightly changes the dynamics of it.
The description also specifically mentions that she’s uninterested in “political machinations” and the “hypocrisy of the moroi royal society” which sounds very accurate to book!lissa as well.
All in all I’m very happy with what they’re doing with Lissa.
Keiron Moore as Dimitri Belikov
This is one who’s really grown on me since the rumoured cast list started circulating.  At first I was kind of eh about him but I can really see him as Dimitri now.
I will be curious to see if he grows out his hair or not though.
As far as I know Keiron is not Russian, there’s not a lot about him online, but there’s some instagram activity on his account linking him to UK based companies so that would be my guess as to where he’s from.  They’ve kept Dimitri’s incredibly Russian name so I guess we’re to assume Keiron might be doing an accent and they’re keeping Dimitri’s backstory relatively the same?  I’m not gonna be super mad if they change it just because I think it’s doable for him not to be Russian (I know, I know a whole book is set in Russia but lbr here they could make him from anywhere and just send Rose there in that book).
The biggest thing for me will be his chemistry with Sisi, Danila and Zoey had great chemistry (imo anyway) which saved the move a little for me, so it’ll be important that Sisi and Keiron do as well.  They’ve interacted a few times online which is cute so I’m hoping they were able to do some chemistry reads and that will translate on screen.
The character description mentions Dimitri as being “lethal, disciplined, discreet, and totally committed” as well as living by “a deep moral code” but with more going on “beneath his stoic, watchful surface” which sounds exactly like book!Dimitri to me.
They don’t really specify what his role at St Vlad’s is going to be but they do mention that he is a guardian so I’m assuming they’re keeping some sort of age gap between him and Rose.  They also don’t mention anything about their relationship in the description, be it student/teacher, platonic, romantic, whatever, but they do say he has “an expansive spirit that could threaten to expose the underlying tension between his sense of what’s right and his formal duty to the Moroi.” which seems like a nod to their relationship.
Andre Dae-Kim as Christian Ozera
This was one of my favourite casting choices from the original rumoured cast list and I still love it.
The idea of a non-white Christian makes a lot of sense to me and I think Andre could do a great job of Christian’s aloofness (in the first book) as well as his sarcasm and growing confidence across the other books.
His character description confuses me a bit though: “Intelligent and thoughtful, Christian is the pariah of the school and royal court, due to his parents’ unforgivable societal sins.” sounds accurate enough to the book (although idk if thoughtful is quite the word I’d use for Christian - maybe they mean it in the sense that he’s quiet and keeps to himself?).
Even “Well-read and hungry for knowledge” doesn’t sound that far off, idk if he was *that* particularly studious in the books, but it doesn’t necessarily not make sense either you know?
But “he searches for faith-based answers and discovers a kindred spirit who is also looking for the truth” ??? My cynical, irreverent asshole Christian is now a man of faith? I’m assuming Lissa is the “kindred spirit” (again weird word choice but maybe they mean she’s feeling lost because of the death of her family?) but I just cannot see Christian as being particularly religious.
I’m trying to keep an open mind about these changes because you never know they might play out totally different on screen, but I really hope they didn’t make these changes, particularly that Christian is studious and religious, just because they cast an Asian actor as him (because they feel a little like Asian stereotypes).
J August Richards as Victor Dashkov
This is one that didn’t appear on the original rumoured cast list (as far as I saw) and it’s so different to his description in the books that I kind of don’t have an opinion about it as a casting choice.
I’ve never seen him in anything before so purely on a visual level I think he could be a great fit for Victor, I just think it’ll really come down to how he plays it.
As for this character description: “Victor is a Moroi noble vampire with a heart of gold who’s highly regarded for his role as advisor and political strategist to Moroi dignitaries.” as well as mentioning that he has intelligence and influence, sounds pretty accurate to the book.  Obviously if Andre was the heir to the throne, Victor had to be shifted out of that role, but I think his book 1 arc could still work if they wanted it to.
The “heart of gold” bit obviously made me chuckle and I really hope they threw it in there as a kind of decoy to throw non-book-readers off the fact that he’s actually the villain in book 1/s1.
As for giving him a husband and two daughters, my thoughts are: why the fuck not? He didn’t have a love interest in the original books and I’m always down for more lgbtq+ rep.  My only concern is it maybe playing into the trope of evil/villain characters being queer-coded.  And as for having two daughters, well as long as one of them is Natalie I don’t mind.
Anita-Joy Uwajeh as Tatiana Vogel
Okay this is the most bizarre one imo, not because of the casting, but just the character description.
I mean “Tatiana is a Moroi vampire and political underdog who slowly takes the royal court by storm. Motivated by love and a sense of justice, Tatiana has a unique skill of making herself seem of no consequence until we realize much too late that she was always the one to watch.” sounds extremely Tasha Ozera to me, so like why not just make this character Tasha?  Nothing about this sounds like Tatiana, and Tatiana wasn’t even a Vogel anyway (well Vogel wasn’t even one of the 12 royal families), she was an Ivashkov.
In terms of Anita-Joy herself, well I mean we don’t really have a character to compare her to, is she supposed to be more like Tasha or Tatiana?  She looks fairly young, so my guess is actually on Tasha, but we’ll have to wait to see I guess.
Mia McKenna-Bruce as Mia Karp
This is another one that I was instantly a fan of.
I was so not a fan of Mia’s casting in the movie (I can’t even remember who played her tbh but I really didn’t like it) so this Mia is a lot closer to how I imagine her.
I think she’ll be able to carry Mia’s transformation from bratty social-climber to badass fighter really well.
The character description is interesting though.  “Witty, cutting, and just the right kind of ruthless when necessary, non-Royal Mia has a long-term plan to social climb her way into the ranks of royalty, with all the privilege and freedom that entails.” sound pretty bang on to Mia in the first book.
“A plan complicated by her instant chemistry with Meredith, a Guardian-in-training, as Mia struggles to reconcile her attraction to Meredith with her lowly status.” is an obvious deviation though, and one I kind of love???  Give me all the queer rep, and if we get to see Mia confront the issue of comp-het I’m so here for it.  
It’s kind of funny though because I’ve seen theories that Meredith is a replacement for Eddie and Mia/Eddie has always been my sort of rarepair ship.
The last name Karp is weird af though.  Is she supposed to be Sonya’s daughter?  And if that’s the case I wonder if we’re going to actually see Sonya turn Strigoi in the show’s first season or something and that triggers the change in Mia?  Interesting concept but I’m not sure how the timeline will work.
Rhian Blundell as Meredith
So this is another new one, and tbh I hadn’t given Meredith *that* much though in the past but she’s probably close to how I would have pictured her which is cool.
The elephant in the room with this casting is that Meredith’s role in the books was relatively minor - she was just kind of that character that got brought up whenever R.M needed a dhampir who wasn’t Rose/Dimitri/Mason/Eddie.  So clearly she’s going to have a bigger role in the tv show which I don’t mind but I do wonder if we’re going to lose a character - probably Eddie lbr - in order to have her.  They haven’t casted an Eddie yet as far as we know, but I have seen it pointed out that Eddie’s role in book 1 was pretty small so maybe they just aren’t announcing it.  But there’s also the possibility that maybe Meredith will sort of replace Eddie and be the third part of Rose and Mason’s friendship.
I’m very interested by this part of her character description though, “She has little patience for Rose’s volatility or Mia’s elitism, and regularly calls both of them out.”
Jonetta Kaiser as Sonya Karp
I don’t necessarily dislike Jonetta as Sonya but I am confused by this choice.  She looks fairly young, which tbf Sonya was young-ish I guess, but if Mia is supposed to be her daughter she doesn’t look old enough to have a teenaged daughter.  So maybe Sonya and Mia are sisters? Cousins? Just have each other’s last names for no reason? I really don’t know.  They also look nothing alike.
Other than that, I don’t really have an opinion about Jonetta as Sonya.  Obviously looks nothing like how Sonya was described but that’s not new nor a massive concern for me.  
I can’t really tell just from looking at her, and I haven’t seen her in anything, if she would play a good Sonya.  I think with a lot of the characters it’s going to come down to the personality they bring to the part and the writing.
I looooooove her character description though:  “Quiet, careful and decidedly odd, Sonya is not of royal bloodline and sits out on the fringe of Moroi society, preferring to spend her time in the library or her gardens. Not a person who likes a scene, nonetheless she has a quiet but profound power of her own. She is taken by surprise when a Dhampir Guardian named Mikhail shows interest in her, a relationship that will expose both the brightest and darkest parts of her heart.”  It’s everything I would probably want from a description of Sonya and I’m more and more convinced that we’re going to see Sonya’s descent into madness and transformation into a Strigoi play out in maybe the first season which I am so curious how they’re going to work into the timeline.
Andrew Liner as Mason Ashford
Our last one and another one who doesn’t look remotely like his description but again? Not a surprise and not a problem for me.  He looks like he could play Mason’s goofiness really well as well as be a solid contender for a love interest for Rose.
“Charming, loyal and popular, Mason is Rose’s main competition in the quest to become the No. 1 Guardian-in-training. Though their relationship is casual on her side, he is hopeful she will finally look at him and see him as something more.” His character description makes a lot of sense, maybe him being Rose’s main competition is a bit of a deviation? But I think that’s more an indication that he’s supposed to be a strong fighter which isn’t inaccurate to the books.  The rest sounds great.
Other Thoughts
Descriptions of the show specifically mention friendship and classism as major themes which I am very happy to hear about because those are the two parts of VA that I love the most.
Am a little more worried about it being described as “sexy” though, if they shove a whole bunch of meaningless sex scenes in it just because it’s a YA show I’m not gonna be happy.
Seen the show compared to “Game of Thrones” and “Bridgerton” which at first had me like oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck not good not good not good.  But thinking about it more and trying to understand where Plec’s coming from with that description I wonder if means similar to GoT as in the cut-throat nature of the Moroi/Dhampir society cause I can kind of see that.  And as for Bridgerton I wonder if she’s referring to the kind of social-climbing aspects of it, because again that makes sense and it seems like a theme she really wants to concentrate on.  I hope that’s what she means by those comparisons, or that she just wants to compare it to popular shows to get people to watch it.  The worst would be if she tries to throw in a lot of unnecessary sex scenes to make it like those shows, because I hate when they do that, especially when the characters are teenagers.
Interesting to hear that Plec has known about the series since before Twilight or TVD - not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Seems like it’s actually mostly (or all??) written by Marguerite MacIntyre which is interesting because I know people were worried about Julie Plec - I’ve never watched anything by either of them so I’m neutral at this point.
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its-chelisey-stuff · 2 years
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The Oath of Love eps 1-10 (thoughts and feels!)
You know, for a moment, before starting the ep, I thought it wasn’t real. And tbh a part of me is still is at disbelief. I can’t believe that it is here lol
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This is the first time I’ve seen Xiao Zhan in a straight romance lol and I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed. Is this guy planning on doing more romantic projects for the future? (The longest promise must be at least quite generous on that aspect hehe) Because I think he’s fantastic in the genre! I mean, to be fair I think he’s a very talented guy and could nail any genre and that his fame is well deserved. I swear he just hipnotizes you and keeps you glued to the screen in whatever scene he’s in and not just because of his pretty face, there’s something special in his performance. And my God, he didn’t have to go so hard for a modern romance drama with such a predictable story, but he went all in and I LOVE the commitment!
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I MEAN! Look at that! I know I sound super biased, yet this is only my second drama of his.
Now, I thought YangZi was gonna be harder to like because I haven’t really seen anything of hers and the one time I attempted it, it backfired. But she pleasantly surprised me. She added depth to her performance and made her character more layered than I was expecting and the girl she plays can be so wrongly easily acted as a childish and annoying one and I’m beyond glad that wasn’t the case. And all that is thanks to YangZi, she gives life and complexity to Lin ZhiXiao.
And the chemistry? *chef’s kiss* For a moment there, after their characters first encounter, I thought I was gonna be let down because I waited (like so many others) so looooong for this drama and I really thought the chemistry wasn’t the best and I don’t know, a bunch of doubts just came to mind during that first ep, but the second changed everything for me. I don’t know if it was just that the tone of the drama changed to a more serious one and the characters just felt better established, if I changed perspectives or if it was just Xiao Zhan’s acting and his breakdown thanks to trauma (probably that last one), but I was sold afterwards.
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All this being said, I can see why these two characters are drawn to each other, especially Xiao Zhan’s Gu Wei to YZ’ Lin Zhixiao. His life was devoid of emotion (I’m convinced he was almost depressed, it sure looked like it to me) until Lin Zhixiao appeared, bringing a bit of chaos and mess, but so much COLOR to his grey life. Once the misunderstandings cleared (yes, because theirs wasn’t exactly a meet-cute lol) and they got to know each other, little by little she brought his smiles back and inspired him to face his own traumas so he could get his confidence as a surgeon back. Right in time to operate her father may I add. She didn’t cure him, she just provided him with another POV that turned out to be what he needed to hear.
I also root for them because their family lives were suffocating them to a certain degree. Dr Gu fights against the expectations, both professional and personal, of his parents (and a very insistent girl “friend” that won’t leave him alone) while our female lead has a complicated “love-hate” relationship with his strict and rigid father. It’s just easy to identify with these characters if you have ever, even just for a little, been in their places. 
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Gosh! That stare!! *fans self* Stop it, Xiao Zhan!
And I find myself buying into their romance and feel happy they found each other. Mostly because the characters really had a connection first, a friendship. And I have said before how this is an issue in a lot of romance cdramas with their insta-love tropes, so taking its time to set up the romance is key to well, everything! And I’m so glad that The Oath of Love went down the right path. In general, I’m just pleasantly surprised.
I’m excited to keep watching and happily post about it!!
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whatiwillsay · 3 years
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submission: we need to talk about ttb (spade-riddles)
Hey Cam. Seeing that ask defending TTB’s doxxing has sort of pushed me to finally share some of my story on Tumblr, I guess. I haven’t had the opportunity to talk about this to anyone fully, so this will probably be long, but I hope you don’t mind me venting.
I’m one of the people that got emailed by TTB. I don’t feel comfortable posting this off anon, but I was in a Discord server with you and @bisluthq and some other people back in Dec/Jan. I don’t know if you remember me, but my name on there was one word and began with an L and ended with an S.
I want to share the full story, but I also don’t feel comfortable with sharing certain details publicly because I’m still very wary of getting outed further by her if she sees this, so I’m gonna be vague about some things
Request to her followers — If you see this, please don’t send this to her. Like I’m genuinely asking you not to because I don’t trust her not to cross any more lines. My dad is a major homophobe with serious anger issues who has literally been arrested for violence before, and she doesn’t really think carefully or maybe even care about how any actions she takes could lead to people being harmed, so I’m not eager to see how she might react.
Anyway, I first got an email back in December, and I was really freaked out by it at first. I spoke to one of my mutuals about it, and although we both agreed it was super weird and invasive and creepy, we ended up trying to see the funny side of it. So, I kinda just brushed it off and moved on. I was mainly just really confused about why I had been targeted because at the time, I thought it was only me who’d gotten an email like that. I didn’t understand why she’d specifically targeted me instead of other people who she clearly disliked a lot more.
About a week later, I saw someone on Tumblr mentioning a strange email, and I realised other people must have gotten them too. I spoke to Nat about what happened to me and ended up in the Discord
At the time, I felt like I’d gotten off really easy comparatively to others because I initially didn’t realise that she’d contacted anyone else. And so I tried to act chill about it because I didn’t want to make things about me, but honestly, I was extremely anxious. I felt on edge for over a week. I would keep checking her blog again and again because I was super worried that she would post our personal details publicly. I scrolled through my entire blog from start to finish and deleted a lot of posts that were either personal or that I just didn’t want anyone I knew in real life to read.
This part I have to be vague about because it would basically give away who I am, but it was only a while later when I thought I was in the clear that someone I knew in real life texted me and mentioned seeing a weird email about me. The email had been sent a while back, and they’d been shown it by the original recipient/s. Multiple people had been shown it, but luckily (kinda), only two of those people were actually people I saw on a regular basis
I’m mostly closeted, but I’m kind of technically out to a few of my immediate family members. But it’s very much a DADT situation because they’re not accepting, and they like to just pretend I’m straight. And so I basically have to act closeted even when I’m around them, and I can’t even ALLUDE to being gay.
But with my dad, it’s different. He’s very homophobic. I’m only gonna mention this next part so that people understand what kind of dangerous situation that TTB could have put me in. (And the other people that she doxxed too because she didn’t know how safe their individual situations were). It’s all really personal, and I wouldn’t ordinarily feel comfortable sharing any of this at all, even anonymously, but I think it needs to be said because her actions were extremely fucking irresponsible.
Right, so when I first “came out” to my dad, it was actually an accident, and he reacted… extremely badly. This was back in like… 2018 or 2019, I can’t remember the exact year
(TW // physical abuse, homophobia)
He was extremely angry, literally shaking. He yelled at me, he described in graphic detail how he was going to “break every bone in my body”, “strangle the life out of me”, “drown me”, etc. He kept telling me that I’m disgusting and going to Hell, you get the idea. He was having a lot of fun with making strangling motions and stabbing motions with his hands, and he kept slamming his hand onto the table. That went on for about 15 minutes, and then he stood up and threw a chair from the dining table at me. That was fun lol. And he punched me in the head pretty hard which kinda knocked me back. I felt dizzy, I had to sit down on the floor. At that point, my mum who had been crying and asking him to stop physically intervened, and he ended up storming out of the house instead. My mum’s a genuinely good person btw. She’s a little homophobic, but she cares about me a lot, and I’m very grateful for her. She hates him too, but she’s kinda stuck with him… It wasn’t her fault
He literally hates gay people. He complains about us on the regular. One time, he threw the remote at the TV and cracked the screen just because there was a gay male couple kissing onscreen. Another time, he threw a rock at a gay man on the street. There was also a time where he forced a few of my siblings (who didn’t want to do it) to throw peeled oranges out of the window at people celebrating pride while he drove past them and yelled insults at them. He found that really funny. Anyway, I’m sure you guys get the idea of what kind of person he is
He hasn’t laid a hand on anybody in several months though, so I do think he’s trying to be better at least. Like he’s still verbally abusive and controlling and awful, but I appreciate that he’s at least making an effort to calm down with the hitting and kicking and stuff
Anyway, with my dad, it’s less DADT and more that I think he’s got it in his head that he managed to scare me into “seeing the error of my ways” and that I’ve “stopped choosing to be gay” and that I’m now straight. So, if it had been HIM who had gotten that email, it would’ve been like… extremely bad. Like I’m getting anxious just thinking about it. And this is why I’m so angry at TTB. It was extremely, extremely irresponsible of her to not consider these kinds of possibilities before she sent out her stupid emails. She’s supposed to be an ally, but it didn’t even cross her mind that these emails would lead to people being outed and possibly even harmed?? It’s not okay at all. I’m just very grateful that she didn’t send one to him because I don’t even know what kind of situation I would be in right now.
Anyway, enough about my fucking awful dad… I feel uncomfortable that I even typed all of that out, but I wanted people to understand how dangerous her actions could have been. Like I mean, my dad’s got PTSD and extreme anger issues from his teenage years, so I do try not to judge him TOO harshly, but there’s no excuse for being a huge bigot or occasionally violent. The idea of him being the one who got that email is still so scary to me. Like my heart is racing just thinking about it
One of the people that DID read the email was the male friend I mentioned earlier though. He was shown it by someone else for a particular reason, and he was a very important person to me. Like he was a good guy, we were close, he helped me out with certain personal issues I have and is one of only two people that I know in real life that I felt comfortable confiding in about them. We’d always meet up once a week, sometimes twice, and we’d just talk about stuff and make an effort to help each other out with things. Like he was very important to me.
It turns out that he’d looked through my blog before I’d got around to scrubbing it, and he asked me if I was gay in person the next time we met up. I couldn’t lie because like… he’d have known I was lying right to his face. So, I told him I was, and you should have seen his face. It made me feel so awful about myself. He looked really stunned and shocked and kinda uncomfortable. Like it got so awkward, and I started rambling and making things worse. He was avoiding eye contact, and my voice was shaking.
I ended up making up an excuse to leave about 5 mins later and had an actual anxiety attack. Again, this is embarrassing and something I’d never usually talk about online, but I just want to get it all off my chest so that I can move past it all.
So, I was like on the verge of tears (I don’t cry easily), I couldn’t breathe properly, I was pacing around the building, and I just wanted to escape, so I headed straight for the doors. There was a queue of about 100 people lined up and waiting to leave, and I couldn’t think straight or breathe and just needed to be outside, so I tried to go out through the other exit which is for staff only. The security guard stopped me and basically publicly humiliated me in front of all of those people. He loudly shamed me and said I “didn’t have any decency” for attempted to jump the queue, lectured me in this really condescending tone, and then sent me right to the back of that huge line. Meanwhile, I was literally in the midst of a bad anxiety attack.
And then I eventually got outside and had to call my mum to come and pick me up instead of just making my own way home like I usually do. She’s amazing though tbh because she actually came to get me and didn’t even question why. I had to skip all of my plans for the rest of the day and instead just hid upstairs in my bedroom with the lights off until the next day. I refused to tell any of my family members what had happened even though they kept asking. I just felt so, so awful, and my anxiety was through the roof
To be honest, before that happened, my mindset was like: “I mean, if I get outed, it obviously wouldn’t be good, but I think I’d be able to deal with it fine”. But then, when it actually happened, and I saw the way my close friend reacted, I had like a whole emotional breakdown lol. It’s like, you think you’d be fairly chill in a situation, but when it actually happens, your reaction can be really unpredictable. I was so embarrassed by everything about that entire incident. I didn’t even want to show my face the next day.
It’s been almost two months since that happened, and in that entire time, my friend has contacted me once. We literally used to meet up once or twice a week (and during lockdown, we’d do video calls or phone calls instead), but since then, we’ve barely even spoken. Things are just so awkward now. I know this sounds stupid, but I feel like TTB’s taken one of my best friends away from me. I don’t think he’s a homophobe or anything, he has openly gay friends and is fairly accepting, but I think it’s just the way that he found out that has just made things so weird between us now. I feel like if I’d had the chance to come out to him myself in my own way, he wouldn’t have reacted like that. But I’m gonna text him next week and see if we can maybe try to fix our friendship, but I doubt it at this point
The other people who were shown the email, I mostly just avoid. I don’t really care about them knowing that much because I wasn’t close to them, but it’s just really embarrassing knowing that they probably scrolled through my Tumblr blog before I scrubbed it
And about Tumblr… This used to be the only place that I could fully be myself. It was like a “safe space” for me which feels ironic now. But I haven’t been active on my blog since December. I still lurk occasionally, but I just don’t feel comfortable here anymore. I did consider deleting my current blog and starting afresh with a new one, but I don’t think it’d make much of a difference… Like she’s kind of ruined Tumblr for me. I do still enjoy reading people’s blogs every now and then, but I don’t feel relaxed here anymore, I just feel on edge.
It’s mainly the fact that SHE’S still here. She still has a platform, she still has a bunch of followers. It’s been so hard seeing her face next to no consequences whatsoever for the horrible things that she’s done to so many different people. And it upsets me that she hasn’t even acknowledged that what she did was wrong. Plus, it makes me feel even worse that the Hard Kay blogs and some other people are still supporting her and pretending that this whole thing just didn’t happen. Like do they just not care? Or is it that she’s twisted things and made them believe that the situation was different to what it actually was?
And tbh, this whole situation has even set me back in my own sort of personal self-acceptance journey. I had such bad internalised homophobia when I was younger, and it took me so many years to get to a place where I had mostly accepted myself. But now I just feel ashamed again, and I’ve gone back to my old habit of trying to force myself to be attracted to men. Like I downloaded Tinder the other day and set my preference to men and was swiping through profiles. It’s kinda silly actually. I did snap out of it and delete the app the next day though. But I don’t know, I feel like this whole thing has just kinda fucked with me a bit. I am trying to work this stuff out and get back to normal though. I think I’ll be good again in maybe a month or so, hopefully.
And… yeah. I just really resent her, and this situation upsets me. Because the reason she did this was so petty and ridiculous, and I guess she didn’t even realise how much it would impact people? Like I do know that my situation wasn’t as bad as some of the other people’s situations, and I feel really bad for them, and I hope they’re all doing okay. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for them. But it still has impacted me a lot more than I actually thought it would. I thought I’d get over it within a couple of weeks. But it’s been like two months, and I’m still not completely over it
I know it might not sound like a huge thing, but being outed really does affect you, even if it’s only to a few people. Because to me, I feel like I’ve had my sense of like, security and comfort taken away, and it’s kinda distressing. Sorry if I sound dramatic with any of this, I just really needed to say all of this stuff to other people besides myself lol
Like her actions have literally led to me being outed to a few people. A close friendship that I had has basically been ruined. I don’t feel comfortable or secure on Tumblr anymore, even though it used to be an important outlet for me. I’ve had a resurgence of anxiety about my sexuality. Etc.
And again, my dad is extremely homophobic and literally made death threats to me and physically attacked me back when I accidentally came out to him in 2018 or 2019. And if he had gotten that email, I don’t even know what would have happened. I don’t think he would have like… SERIOUSLY physically harmed me, but there would definitely have been a repeat of the first incident. More throwing chairs at me and hitting and screaming and death threats. I don’t really want to think about it.
It just bothers me that she didn’t even consider that? Like did it not even cross her mind? And my dad is bad, but I’m sure there are people in the fandom who have even worse parents, and she could have got one of those people instead. It’s just so… I don’t know, it’s just so frustrating to me.
Anyway, I just hate her for what she did… Like maybe I shouldn’t, but I really do resent her so much, and I don’t think I could forgive her even if she apologised to us all (which I don’t think she even would because she doesn’t seem to have any decency whatsoever). The least she could do is at least express some kind of remorse, but she just genuinely doesn’t care, and that’s super messed up. All over some stupid Tumblr blog that is much less important than she thinks it is.
But anyway… I apologise for the whole rant, and if anybody read all the way down to here, I appreciate it. I do actually feel a bit better now that I’ve got this all typed out. And I’m sorry for the oversharing lol, I usually don’t do this, but I just felt like I really needed to tell people and get it off my chest so that I can try to get over it — L
submisssion⬆️⬆️⬆️
ok L i am trying to remain calm here because this isn’t about me.  but i am very emotional right now.  i am so so so infinitely sorry that you had to go through this harrowing and terrifying experience.  ttb (now blogging under spade-riddles) is absolutely disgusting, lower than dirt, that she would put your life, safety, and well-being at risk over a fucking kaylor blog.
please please please im me or get in touch somehow because i want to offer you support.  have you been financially impacted by this?  we can raise money.  do you need therapy?  we can help you find the support you need.  this community is unequivocally here for you.  whatever you need, if it’s in my power to help you get it, i will.  you have my solemn promise on that.
i am so deeply and desperately sorry that you have gone through this.  i was shaking while reading your story.
i am in touch with other people and we are in discussion about the best way to let tumblr know what happened.  this will be a safe space for you (and all of us) again if it’s the last thing i do.  this community is 100% here for you in any way we can help, sending you all the support and love we have.
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yunsoh · 3 years
Text
alrighty season 3 ep 2 thoughts. this post got ridiculously long so the rest is under a read more:
- literally i love every single time we see akito sleeping in this long and empty room. there’s something very encompassing about how empty it is + how the angle emphasizes it, especially when we can clearly see she’s sharing her bed 
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- shigure and tohru’s moments alone are always soo so sweet. their relationship so far is very much one where there’s a lot of affection between them (which ofc makes one of their biggest scenes together during the final act feel especially hurtful even though it’s a side of shigure we’re well aware of by that point -- it’s just something that tohru up until that point hadn’t witnessed, much less been directly confronted with. but i’m getting ahead of myself lmfao moving on)
- actually related to the above love tohru asking “wouldn’t i just be interrogating him?” and “the things kureno told me make me feel like i’m looking into a deep, dark well” just ahh i do love this background progression of shigure and tohru’s relationship and how it reaches a head when they have their talk about kyo later. 
- this is perhaps unintentional but: having this shot of machi noticing yuki + clearly having some new feelings about him overlaid with/directly followed by momiji and tohru, where we still know momiji has an unrequited crush on her. yes it makes me laugh a little but it’s also fitting because at this moment in time yuki does not have a crush on machi in return + sees her only as a friend.
- it’s been mentioned but it bears repeating. why are they not progressing momiji’s height whatsoever lmaooo. funny because yuki and kyo have had gradual changes but they’re really just trying to make this growth spurt reveal super jarring huh. also holy shit he looks TINY next to haru in this shot. next
- the one kid in class asking hana to fuck the priyuki girls up but she’s like “actually i really don’t care” LMAO........ love her
- ugh i really love this moment with yuki.......... i think it’s been a while since we’ve seen the general student population (not just the prince yuki girls) still treat him in a revering way, now also in part because he’s the student council president but definitely still because of his reputation as the prince. this was something that was so deeply ostracizing to him early on in the series, and does still remind him of his loneliness -- but that loneliness isn’t crippling to him anymore, because now he does have friends who like him and who he can have fun with. 
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i’m going to write a bigger post on this later probably because this is a really important progression point in how yuki understands himself to exist in his school’s ecosystem + how his self-esteem is still developing.
- additionally i just want to say that this scene isn’t yuki suddenly falling for machi, or really something to be read as mutually romantic between them -- machi i think absolutely has a crush on him at this point (because he is. the only person who is actually nice to her and considers her existence aside from kakeru but moving on) but yuki’s perception of her at this moment is heavily tied to how he thinks of himself as a friend + whether he’s a worthy enough person to befriend. the fact that machi shatters those doubts for him in such an overt way is important.
- anyways machi is rly cute here i loooove that she’s comfortable being more expressive around him even though it’s mostly out of embarrassment LMAO...... she’s learning how to display her feelings and trusts him with that..... cute.
- also of note yuki putting his hand on the top of her head which is like... he’s trying to convey that he feels they have (or are starting to have) a trusting friendship with each other but it’s like. a bit too much for machi to handle omfg. honestly this goes in hand with way back when ayame patted yuki’s head in praise which was clearly something yuki didn’t receive much of as a kid, and i’m assuming machi also rarely if ever received that same sort of praise. what i’m saying is they’re both trying lmaoo
- also as usual shimazaki’s deliveries are spot on yuki is soooo fucking cute in this scene. “what? seriously? they’re even worse than the ones i made” he’s so casual and funny with her it’s so good
- okay the timeskip to sunset makes me laugh it makes it seem like tohru and kyo have just been waiting in that room alone for hourssss
- ugh how sexy would it have been if the brief flashback to kureno + the music overlay had been cut out here. like tohru seeing the birds and then turning to ask kyo what he would think if someone’s curse had been broken would have gotten the message across just as well + i think would have been more emotionally impactful.
- tohru’s expression here though is so good just. ugh. will say this point in hers and kyo’s relationship is just so tasty because he really is her most trusted confidant but she’s also so aware of anything that could be construed as him rejecting her or pushing her away, which now that she’s getting especially wrapped up in the family’s secrets...... it’s a thin line she’s walking w wanting to protect him but not wanting to push him away bc he’s resigned to what will happen
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- this visual is so weeeeeird aoghjksd the screen being framed by her bangs. what. why
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- hmmmm in general idk if the flower scene hit very well. it felt kind of awkward? kyo and tohru both seemed really stiff which is weird because literally just a minute ago they were animated pretty well tbh
- this post is already so long and i only JUST started the akigure part of the ep....... i’m so sorry
- machi and kyo both handing off white flowers to yuki and tohru respectively and then we’re hit with shigure giving akito a red flower instead. obviously because akito is symbolized by red camellias + to refer back to her memory of shigure giving one to her, but also just basic color symbolism -- white being more indicative of purity and new beginnings, red being something both passionate, evocative, dangerous.
- oh we’re back to the kids. it is not in fact akigure time yet. 
- i loooove this tohru outfit so much she’s so cute in it. also ig it bears mentioning because i didn’t say anything about it last time, but the reboot hinting more directly to the audience that something bad happened to rin, rather than just her disappearing entirely, is def more overt than in the manga. that short scene of ren intercepting rin in the last ep was chronological yes, but in the manga we don’t see that happen until after we know that akito’s been keeping her in the cat’s room. so just by tohru mentioning that she hasn’t seen or heard from rin in a while, we’re clued in that something bad to her must have happened because of ren. which i don’t think is a bad decision honestly -- since ren is set up as the antagonist for this season, it might make viewers assume that ren did something bad to her, only for it to be revealed that it was akito and that akito is still becoming more and more unhinged. but that also ren is unhinged. disasters.
- “i’m sorry, i’m afraid i do have parents” this rly is just the mid-20s mood isn’t it
- mitsuru fucking hissing at shigure i cannot
- nakamura’s acting during this phone scene is so goooood oh my god. the LOATHING. honestly this alone just makes me crazy abt the insanity that is akito + kureno + shigure like jesus christ. 
- kureno’s pitiful little “nii-san” after shigure obliterates his entire life. there we go
- honestly it’s funny how shigure’s expression looks when akito yells at him for sleeping with ren because for a moment it looks like he has NO idea what she’s talking about but then. nope. he fucked her mom.
- do like the little detail of akito pointing as she tells shigure to get out, but when he leaves he just turns in the opposite direction. like truly he has never followed orders to the t once in his life.
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- this shot of ren is so fucking absurd oh my god. pls get ur male gaze directing out of here.
- “i... thought you forgot” man the way this is delivered feels really striking. i think because akito is never caught off guard in a way that surprises her in such a quiet way, or in a way that leaves her plainly vulnerable. like her vitriol towards him has to do with the fact that she feels he’s abandoning the bond they used to have (and ofc they bond they have through the curse), and that memory of him does act as a linchpin. 
- it’s primo bitchy shigure hours. primo akito meltdown hours.
- this shot is soooo foreboding wow. straight up darkness. tho i kind of wish this shot was used instead for the “i want to crush her to a pulp” line, or at the very least that the shot for that line was just framed differently
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- god they’re so fucking awful for each other. purely just a disaster duo. shigure taking control of the conversation + dismissing akito’s meltdown and emotional manipulation leaves akito feeling the only way she can have control over him is through seducing him since no other method works. the convo that has with her accusing him of sleeping with a lot of other women + her not knowing how to handle the fact that he slept with ren, and ofc the convo it has with her misogyny and how she views herself. they have this really vitriolic push and pull for control because akito doesn’t know what to do when she loses any control at all, and shigure’s grasping at what little control he can have considering how their power dynamics work with the bond -- walking away when she’s being manipulative, refusing to coddle her. like shigure’s wish for them to be on an equal playing field without the curse is a pipe dream because their relationship is just so, so damaged as is and is so heavily informed by what has already happened between them. takaya why did you have them end up together for realsies why did you--
- what is with the reboot team making akito break down the walls and doors all the time lmfao. bro the structural damage caused by this little 90lb disaster.
- i think i understand why they took it out (like maybe it would have been too overt with how they’ve set up the audience to expect something bad happened to rin after running into ren) but man they really just didn’t adapt one of the most haunting parts of the series huh. like this shot of rin being trapped inside the cat’s room right beside shigure thinking “i’ll be waiting for you” maaaan man!!
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- okay addendum: apparently she is in the room. in hindsight i did notice this but it did not register as a person because i thought it was just a glare on the window 😭
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the-queen-of-ships · 2 years
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🏰🐑🔨?
Not me thinking we were going to a castle to kill a sheep with a hammer. Ignore my forgetful bum.
1. Fav Love Rival (Leo, Suzie, Beckett)
Well, top 1 goes to my boy Leo! For one, I was absolutely stoked to see someone who appreciates Gwen’s beauty. His interactions with Jamie are also sweet, borderline romantic to platonic, I love those! He’s such a sweetie, once it was made clear to him that he didn’t have a chance with Gwen because she was still hung up over Fred, he backed down when Fred finally made the move with some conviction kinda like a wingman; a very harsh wingman. Also gave solid advice about how “find the quote”
Suzie’s second, I like her even tho she’s kinda a ‘pick me girl’ sometimes hehe. But despite it all she cares about Lorena. I absolutely adore Lance/Lorena but Lorzanna is adorable.
Beckett is last, sure he’s cute, funny at times. He definitely knocked Maria down a peg and made Blaine think about getting to know her properly. Also despite how he didn’t imagine Maria (really Gwen) to look like that, he still stayed true to his feelings. I don’t necessarily hate him but he’s last because...
1. We don’t get much screen time or one on one with the pastel siblings or their crush. Most of his screen times are for comedic purpose only.
2. He agrees with the King Jack’s rule about the pastel princesses that they shouldn’t go outside because they’re too pure to go outside. His words not mine. It’s kinda funny knowing how much of degenerate Maria is.
3. Kind of a hypocrite tbh. Judging Blaine for being shallow when Blaine has seen Maria and has spent time with her more than Beckett ever could and he judged him based on Blaine’s appearance alone. Like Blaine stills find her attractive despite the fact she showed her fangirl side and for some reason likes the scent of bird seeds and slightly damp forest creatures. And Beckett likes Maria for her voice that’s it and that is all he knows about her. 
4. I don’t like how he responded to his long time colleague's goodbye. Like man expressed that he was his best friend and he’ll miss him after he leaves and Beckette’s response was “Is that like one of your jokes or something with?” Like what do you think!? He probs didn’t mean it since the following line but take him seriously man!
So, in short, I'd rather not Maria get with him, maybe besties but lovers? No thanks. I like character development but I like the extreme drastic!
2. Opinion on Laverne
Ah yes! Absolute Queen. That style, that confidence, she likes Whitney! Of course I love her
3. Fav Quote
Hmm, I dont have a fav but I'll rank it to how much I cry. I don't typically watch out for quotes but I have a few in mind. Prez's self love monologues are an absolute tear jerker, the one where I believe the cpc were eavesdropping and Gwen was crying. 
"What am I supposed to do then!?" - Gwen
"Gwen, all you need to do... is love yourself. Exactly the way you are." - Calpernia
Ah it was such a beautiful moment! It also helped that someone voiced act it and Prez’s delivery was so sweet, loving, gentle.
Next would in Lilyth’s Diary Part 3
"They can say I’m ugly and they can tell me I’m a hideous freak. I don’t care as long as I am with Jack. But If I brought a child into this world who would ever have those same words said to their face... I’d hate myself forever." - Leelathae
Which absolutely broke me and Aurelia.
The more recent one would be Whitney's false realization in the party, I got absolute chills during that one. But it’s more monologue than quote so I’ll leave it there.
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setsuntamew · 3 years
Text
So, Persona 5 Royal, huh?
Full disclosure: I had gotten about halfway through November on Wednesday and finished it out Saturday night, which took uhhh about 65-70 hours? Some of that was sitting there waiting for the PS4 controller to recharge or listening to music in the Thieves Den while eating, but I still feel like I need to own up to how extremely bad I am at making good decisions with my life XD
MOVING ON, THOUGH, HOLY SHIT. P5 was a very good game, but Royal’s additions & changes made it incredible. I like the ending way more; I think it’s more emotionally fulfilling and meaningful, especially with everyone’s more defined future plans. Definitely felt like everyone had more growth in the end!! Which is something I’d always thought P5 was lacking.
Snip snip for spoilers and the fact that this post ended up being too damn long, oops! the last third is basically Akechi feels and analyzing his ending, so......yeah XD
Part of why I plowed through SO much of Royal in so little time is....Akechi XD Like okay, this is my stupid fandom blog, I can be excited about him all I want!!! I got to Sae’s Palace and just....I couldn’t put it down. @dragonofeternal​ and I ordered an embarrassing amount of takeout instead of cooking because we just had to see how everything with Maruki and the third semester was gonna go down. I’d already been dying along the way because Akechi’s confidant dates are so good, I just. Fuck!!!
Also, look, for the entirity of Shido’s boss fight and the depths of Mementos/Yaldabaoth/etc, we’d look at each other every few minutes and just be like AKECHI SHOULD BE HERE WITH US, HE DESERVES TO GET HIS VENGEANCE ON HIS SHITTY DAD AND FORCED DESTINY!!!!!
December 24th had to be the longest god damn day in Akira’s life because like. Final exam grades are posted in the morning! He goes to school and then dives into hell, crawls his way back out, briefly dies by fading from human cognition, fights an actual fucking god, and then....ends up dissociating in Shibuya until Sae shows up and is like “oh hey thanks for everything you did, please sign up for being arrested now.” And while he’s still reeling from that, Akechi walks up to take his place, like some kind of bullshit knight in shining armor schtick, and leaves no room for conversation.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO ON A DATE
I romanced Hifumi this time around, because I wanted Akria to bang a girl who is just so incredibly out of his league, but....it’s not necessarily that I forgot I was dating someone, more that it had been *so many hours of plot* that I was emotionally exhausted. Like, Hifumi texted me and I was just like. Right. RIGHT. It’s still Christmas Eve, somehow. I was at *school* this morning. The whole world merged with Mementos briefly in the middle of this, Akechi is somehow alive, and I guess I’m going on a date now????
I do appreciate how many “god I’m just dissociating my way through this” conversation options there were for the date, tbh. I feel bad though, I really like Hifumi, but I feel like Akira is not giving a date his full emotional attention at that specific time. It feels a bit like emotional whiplash, more so than I remember it being in P5? Maybe it’s because I played it 4 years ago and there wasn’t the added emotional weight of Akechi’s reappearance, but it was just like....a lot, in Royal.
AND THEN THE NEW YEAR HAPPENED. I’d been spoiled on large parts of the third semester, mostly because Royal’s been out for a year already and I’m too curious for my own good. I’d also somehow lied to myself, saying I didn’t have time to play another Persona game right now, and yet here I am, 171 hours of game play within exactly a month, kicking myself for not knowing how deep in Persona hell I would get XD
Which is to say, as soon as the new year started, it felt I was drowning in anxiety. I knew something was wrong, I knew they were in a false reality, but knowing that sure as fuck didn’t make it easier to go through. If anything, it was somehow worse, knowing that it was all gonna come crumbling down, but I didn’t yet know the exact details, only the broad strokes of it. Just. Every time someone talked about something that was wrong, my heart would clench.
God, I’m so fucking tired, I pulled an all-nighter on Friday so I could get through Royal before having to work on Sunday, and I am feeling it right now. Life tips: don’t do what I do XD
Every moment with Akechi felt like borrowed time, at least for me, because I knew what was coming. I spent so much time in Mementos with him; I ended up putting just him and Akira in my party and plowing through everything, including trouncing the Reaper over and over just for the hell of it. I got his ultimate weapons, I spent so many nights in the jazz club with him that he ran out of dialogue options, and I still took him back for more. I accidentally failed to EVER trigger Sumire’s Showtime because every fight was just Akira and Akechi against the world, because fuck it, I’m playing this for fun!! If I want to play with them in stupid costumes and no one else in the party, I’m gonna. Royal did such an incredible job giving Akechi more depth and development: it was all I could hope for, and it made it that much fucking worse to know what was in store for him.
Somehow, I thought it would be harder for me to make the decision to refuse Maruki’s deal, since fuck, fuck what I wouldn’t give for Akechi to be alive???? But I barely hesitated, only really stopping because I had to emotionally brace myself for it, because a reality where he can’t carve out his own fate would be a disrespect to everything their relationship is built on.
I have a whole shit ton of feelings about post-beating Maruki but they’re basically all Akechi related meta so somehow they ended up at the end of this post, I’m sorry XD
I understand that they had to keep the going to jail bit because 1) Akechi didn’t turn himself in, Akira did and 2) it leads to the final events of the game, but let me just say....the emotional roller coaster of fighting Maruki, almost failing multiple times, waking up in jail, the Phantom Thieves & friends getting Akira out of jail, celebrating that, and then getting thrown into Valentines Day was a LOT for my heart to take. Once again, didn’t forget I had a girlfriend, just got too invested in the plot to really be thinking about her. It’s less than two weeks after the fight with Maruki and somehow, everything is supposed to be okay????
The scene with everyone talking about their future plans is such good character growth, though. Everyone feels like they’ve truly grown and are making decisions that, even though they might be painful or hard at times, are ultimately very important to them. It’s a really good contrast to the “almost everyone goes to Shujin and they all stay in Tokyo forever without doing anything for themselves” Maruki’s perfect reality bad end.
Standing in the Underground Mall on White Day, being told I had to get flowers but finally being able to have control of Akira again was....so bittersweet. The fact that the location of the date is the aquarium is a low fucking blow, and I almost threw the controller across the room I was so upset. Like. THE AQUARIUM IS UNLOCKED BECAUSE AKECHI HAS TICKETS HOW FUCKING DARE SOJIRO SUGGEST IT LIKE MY HEART ISN’T STILL ACHING????? God, speaking of that: The fucking god damn Featherman video game tore my heart out because I ended up playing it WHILE WORKING ON SHIDO’S PALACE and I cried a ton about Gray Pigeon because of course they had to dig the emotional knife in even deeper!! Just fuck me up, it’s fine, I’m just dying!!!!!!!!!!!!
I ended up scrolling through his texts to find the group chats that still had Akechi in them, and fuck, it was a LOT. Like. Maybe it’s because I’m too invested in the two of them, but it was probably the worst emotional whiplash of the whole game. Like, how am I supposed to go play happy with anyone while staring at texts from a reality built of lies? It wasn’t real but the proof lives on in his phone and his heart, and I’m still fucked up over it.
HOWEVER. FUCKING. I SPENT LIKE HALF AN HOUR BEING EMOTIONALLY COMPROMISED ABOUT ALL THIS AND THEN DISCOVERED THE BASTARD STILL HAD ALL HIS EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING THE ULTIMATE MALE ARMOR!!! He returned his shit after Sae’s Palace even though he thought Akira was dead, but this time it didn’t get fucking returned to my inventory, so he must have fucking run off with all his shit!!!!!!! Why the hell did none of it get returned if he was never alive in the true reality? Like I know it'll be returned for a new game+ but I like to nitpick game mechanics for story reasons, because one of the things I love most about video games is the experience of them as another layer to the story. The texts from the third semester shouldn’t exist anymore, since they never really existed, but there they are. Akechi insisted that he has a gap in his memory after Shido’s Palace up until seeing Akira on Christmas Eve, but who can say that wasn’t related to Maruki tampering with reality or some other Persona-related reason?
I mean. I got the full and complete True Ending; I saw him in the train station. If that’s not Akechi, then who the fuck is it? Atlus made sure to put the work in to make him a part of not just the main story but also, especially, the third semester, and for what....to have his final time on screen be as the butt of the joke, squished underneath everyone in the Mona-copter? As much as it hurts, his end in Shido’s Palace matters; it fits his character and he gets to go out fighting- carving his own path, really. In Royal, barring the tiny glimpse of someone who’s probably him in the train station, the last we see of him is when he watches Joker let go of the rope to finish off Maruki. I know we got the heart to heart where Akira agrees to reject Maruki’s deal and Akechi insists that he’d rather be dead than live in a false reality, but.....no one even says goodbye to him. It’s tragic, it’s painfully lonely, but it doesn’t feel right for such a major character.
Also, as undignified as it is, for the first time ever, Akechi looks like he actually belongs in the Phantom Thieves in that final moment. He’s never been the butt of their jokes before; they always kept him at arms’ reach and he took himself too seriously to be included, but for that brief moment, it really felt like he was part of their group. He stopped lying about himself for their last month together, and so even if they don’t all like him, they can make that decision based on the truth, instead of layers of lies. His death is all the more tragic for this; a life cut short just when he’s finally finding a place he belongs. But his death was already painful; why make it so, so much worse?
Final thing: I’m gonna be spending a ton of time in the Thieves Den trying to find Akechi’s opinions on everything, but also....hey. HEY. What do those six stars that Jose (probably?) painted on the wall mean? Is it just a reference to Persona 6???? LIKE????? I HAVE QUESTIONS. SO, SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!!
Anyway, I’ve gotta go cry into my Starbucks and desperately try to focus on actually doing my job at work, but I loved Royal deeply and cannot wait to drown in it ;w;
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lizacstuff · 3 years
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😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🤯🤯😭😭😱😤😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🤬🤬🤬🤬😭 What did you think of the episode? I always look forward to reading your thoughts.
Yep. Your emojis pretty much sum it up, don't they? LOL. I think the episode is decent in terms of quality, it was well-paced, very dramatic, the acting from Hande and Kerem was astounding, but watching it was just like constantly toggling between pain and fury, and that is not that fun.  
Part of me wants to say it was a well written episode, because it definitely made me feel and I thought it flowed well, but part of me wants to say it was terribly written because the number of contrivances and character assassinations (spoiler alert, I don’t list Serkan in that number) that had to occur to set it up is way too much. So maybe I'll settle on that the episode was well written, but the nonsense they needed to make it work was hackneyed. 
This was the first time I cursed the 2+ hour format. On shows I'm used to, if an episode is hard to take, you just have to suck it up for 42 minutes, 2+ hours was a lot of sucking it up.  My apologies in advance if I curse a LOT. I think I'm going to approach this by giving my take on each character in turn.  I'll start with the characters on the shit list and it will go from shittiest to slightly less shity.  Characters not on the shit list are down below. (spoiler alert: Serkan and Eda are safely on the NOT shit list) 
(Keep reading below the cut)
CHARACTERS ON SHIT LIST
Selin - WTF? I've thought she was a huge, pathetic turd since episode 18, and I thought she left in a disgraceful way, siccing psycho Balca on him, and it was frustrating that she never had to answer for any of her psycho moves, but this is a new level of crazy, bitter, fucked up that I could not have imagined for her. The writers really said: how can we make her the worst person ever?  Plot wise, at least they made it make sense why he would call her. The last time period he remembers, she was his girlfriend. I get it, and I think I get why they did it. As I've said before, if amnesia Serkan wakes up and finds this amazingly beautiful woman standing over him, and finds out she's his fiancé, even if he doesn't remember her it's not the worst thing in the world. They decided, I suppose, to make their journey back together that much harder and earned. They wanted him in the least receptive frame of mind when he met the amazingly beautiful woman. Enter Selin to manipulate and poison his mind. And lose any last shred of dignity she might have retained from the first time around. 
Is there anyone who didn't want to slap the shit out of her every single second she appeared on screen? I have no idea where she got the confidence this episode. The only saving grace is the bitch is going down hard.  Piril and Ferit both tried to warn her, as did Eda, but it's not going to be pretty for her. And the only thing I hope is that she actually pays some sort of price other than the utter emotional devastation and humiliation she's going to get. Frankly, I think she should be charged with kidnapping since she was hiding someone with diminished capacity that was the subject of a missing persons case. (Aydan can go down with her for not reporting it) Outside of soap operas, that is criminal. However, I doubt any of that will happen, she'll just slink off once she's found out and Serkan turns on her. 
Aydan - WTF? I don't think any of us predicted she'd be a villain this episode, and this is the first of the character assassinations that was required to make the plot work. First, her son was in a plane crash, and is recovering from severe injuries, she gets a call from Selin and she doesn't grab Eda and catch the first plane to where he is? He has amnesia and she thinks he's able to make rational, proper decisions? So she just respects his wishes not to be disturbed and leaves him with his obsessed ex-girlfriend? Who is this woman? Not Aydan. For the first 16 episodes she didn't give a damn about what Serkan wanted, she imposed her will on him and even though he resisted, she never lost him. She thinks she's going to lose him by flying to his bedside and bringing the love of his life? This makes no sense. Second, she allows devastated Eda to continue being in the AGONY of not knowing what happened to Serkan??? FUCK OFF, AYDAN. But again character assassination required to see it work. 
The one thing that's sort of in character, I think, is her hedging her bets with Selin and Eda. I've always said her acceptance of Eda was born out of self-interest. True, she saw how devastated Serkan was when they broke up and she wanted him to be happy, but mostly because she found out he was moving away from her and she thought she was losing him. She's a shrewd woman and she saw that the path to keeping him was Eda, so she got on the Eda train. I do think she genuinely cares for Eda, but if the Selin engagement lasts more than a couple days I could see her not fighting it like she should. Because where was she this episode in trying to get through to him? I get that everything happened over two short days, but she could have tried harder to talk sense into him and to probe for what Selin was feeding him. And she could have questioned Selin a whole helluva lot more. 
Piril - WTF? What is with Serkan's best friends just accepting Selin back into the fold under these circumstances? How is Piril not furious that Selin knew her good friend and business partner was alive and didn't tell her??? Selin let Piril and Engin continue to mourn him and think he was dead when he was alive, and Piril is calling her her good friend? WHAT THE FUCK? I'm not sure if this is character assassination because Piril is a bit of an odd ball, but this is assassination on just basic human reactions. Who wouldn't be furious? Who wouldn't be repulsed and incensed that she tried to move in on a brain-damaged man who had been about to marry someone else? 
Piril doesn't even need to be his best friend or to have participated in all his wedding festivities to know that's fucked up. How was Piril not screaming "BITCH YOU BE CRAZY" at her?  Like it takes Olympic level handwaving to accept Piril's conversation with Selin. Especially since she knows Selin wanted to ruin his happiness at all costs! Yes, she at least brought up the subject and very weakly said "You know we all know they are very much in love" and warned her that things might end badly, but it should have been a helluva lot stronger than that, and she should have been furious.  
Ayfer - She actually didn't do much this episode, which is the problem, because she also did very little to support Eda. TBH, I can't stand her to begin with so she makes it to this spot on the list, above people who should have been better. 
Engin - He gets a few points for telling Serkan the story and trying to bring it up again, however, he just always stopped shy from actually defending Eda or really probing for what Selin told Serkan. Again, there's a short timeline, and maybe he's planning to do it and not overwhelm Serkan, which isn't a bad thing. I just don't feel like he relayed how happy Serkan became after he met Eda. Though, to be fair, I sort of get why we didn't get really heartfelt testimonials for Eda, we want Serkan to start to fall for her again without being told to. I think they're going for a situation where Selin is the only voice in his ear, poisoning him against Eda, but even under those odds, he'll fall for her again. 
But his interactions with Serkan are not why he's on the shit list. He makes this list for just seemingly accepting Selin back and not voicing any concerns over her UTTERLY, PSYCHO, BIZARRE, eFFED UP behavior. Everything I said about Piril applies here. How is he okay that she kept the news of Serkan's survival from his best friend and business partner? Engin was the person Serkan confided in, he knows how he felt about both of those women. How is he not calling Selin out to her face?? So I don't need his friends to be in his ear telling him how much he loves Eda, but I do need them in his ear poking holes in the nonsense Selin is telling him and setting him straight on the state of their relationship when the plane went down. And I need them to be calling Selin out to her face. 
Erdem - He remains on the shitlist for gargantuan dumbassery not committed this episode.  Ferit - Ferit is low down on the shit list, but he still makes it for once again not coming down HARD on Selin. As her ex-fiancé he's in a unique position to call her out, and while he did issue her a warning, trying to soften it in terms of him not wanting her to get hurt was weak and ineffective and it feels like maybe he is still harboring feelings for her. UGH. Man, stop it! What is attractive about this bitter, manipulative psycho? Get in there and battle her on her own terms. Threaten her with the truth, push her, make her feel pushed into the corner so she gets reckless. Threaten to tell Serkan in front of her about the conversation you overheard that made you decide to leave her at the wedding table. Do something, and make it not for her own good. 
NOT SHIT LIST  Leyla - Little she could have done, in light of her relationship with one year ago Serkan, but it would be nice if at some point she gets some sort of dig in at him, "You were a better person after you met Eda."   Seyfi - It seemed like he was in the dark about Serkan being alive, Aydan must have kept it from even him, so he can be on this list. (Again Aydan would never keep it from Seyfi, so more OOC from her)
Deniz - So far he seems like a genuine, not psycho guy. He might be harboring feelings for Eda, but he didn't do anything creepy and was genuinely there for her more than almost anyone else. Did anyone catch the vibe between him and Ceren when she was leaving his shop? Ceren wasn't even mad at Ferit at that point, but there was a definite... charged moment. However this show does that from time to time, remember when Fifi seemed to have a weird tension-y moment with what's his name, Babaanne's bodyguard in one of his first episodes? That never surfaced again. 
Ceren - She was trying her best to be there for Eda. 
Melo - She was trying her best to be there for Eda. 
Sirius - Good boy! You know who your mama is. 
Serkan - Look, Serkan was a grade A asshole (you were right, Kerem) this episode. However, I have so much sympathy for him. He is a VICTIM. The man was in a plane that went down, had injuries including a traumatic brain injury, and lost the last year of his life. He appeared to be having some sort of PTSD with the nightmares. (Also thank you jebus he's sleeping on the cabin couch and that witch was going to her own home at night in Istanbul).  It's natural he called the person who he thought was his girlfriend. He was not to know that she's an evil psycho who was going to brainwash him. She is manipulating him, and I'll say it again, he is her victim. Also, I know lots of people think he was out of character and more harsh than he was in the pilot. He definitely was harsher than the pilot, but I don't think he was out of character.  In this episode, think of him as episode 3 Robot Bolat, but throw in having amnesia, experiencing trauma, being brainwashed by someone he trusts, and suffering from PTSD. 
It's a lot. He was so overwhelmed. I say episode 3 Serkan, because that's when Serkan realized he was starting to fall in love with Eda and it caused him to freak the fuck out and he was so cruel to her. He was a grade A asshole then too and we had that again, but heightened, in this episode. Sounds like he had these inklings of feelings before he even came back (he told Engin) that he didn't know what they were, but clearly they confused and frightened him, just like in episode 3. This is a man who doesn't believe in love. So to find out that he not only fell in love, but he fell so hard he became someone he doesn't recognize, I think made him recoil even faster and further, especially after Selin had brainwashed him into thinking he was manipulated into it by a bad person. So every time that Eda came near him and it affected him, whether it was physically like his heart, or that ineffable pull he felt, it made him retreat to a robotic defensive position. He didn't understand the feelings, they confused him and Selin made him fear them. Plus you add in how emotional Eda was, including the slap, and it was more than he could handle. 
It was enjoyable to watch the moments where Eda affected him, (kudos Kerem because you could see it on his face). However, those moments just pushed him into a corner, so he retreated to the place he thought was safe, which is Selin. He said it to Engin, in his retrograde amnesia mind, everything had changed but her (little does he know). It's interesting that the few flashes of Eda he had were from very early episodes. So he's not flashing to when he was fully in love with Eda, and was sure of his own heart and mind. He's flashing back to when he first started falling in love and was also scared, confused and felt out of control. And remember he's a control freak. So I'm sure that a taste of those wild, exciting, out-of-control, confusing first feelings are also fueling his current crazed state of mind. 
And that's how the events unfolded, with that state of mind. When Eda kissed him, he felt it, and it scared the crap out of him. And he said it right there in the moment, he wasn't going to let her "confuse" him, and he was going to put an end to it.  And that's what he did, try to put an end to those very confusing feelings for a person he's been told is trying to manipulate him and take advantage of him. So to make the out-of-control feelings stop, the robot malfunctioned and did the one thing he thought would get Eda to stop pushing him and shut all of it down. He proposed to the person who currently represents safety and for whom there are no confusing, wild, uncontrolled feelings. He doesn't love Selin, so there are no scary emotions attached. But did you see him when he made that speech? He was confused, and stuttering, and stumbling and looked dazed af. That's someone in acute crisis. And that shot of his face when he's hugging Selin? He looks like someone just shat on his head. Could he be more miserable?  Poor baby. 
Eda - THE REAL POOR BABY!  And the other victim in all this. Hande knocked it out of the park! She was so good. How many times did she break me this episode? A bunch. I loved that Eda was unwavering in her belief that Serkan was alive, even though everyone else had given up (except Aydan the lying sack of shit). I'm glad we know that Eda was so upset she wasn't leaving her room or eating, but I'm also glad we didn't see that. It's enough to know she started out devastated without the viewer having to wallow in it in an already upsetting episode, it was a smart move to immediately time jump 2 months. However, she wouldn't be Eda if she wasn't able to pick herself up and do what needed to be done. Which in this case was take care of Sirius, take over the firm, and keep track of the manhunt for Serkan. That's a lot on her plate, and of course she thrived. 
It was nice the whole company was behind her when she brought home the award, too bad they couldn't have backed her up like that when it came to Selin!  (pick a side, Piril!) They all need to stop acting like it's normal what Selin did! It's not normal!!!! Stop normalizing it and her! It felt like Eda was being gaslit at times, like none of the people Serkan remembered cared that Selin had obviously been preying on someone sick and injured and with diminished mental capacity. Why were they all like that!?!?!  I know, because if they’d reacted like a normal person would, Selin couldn’t have continued the charade. 
I was wondering how their first meeting would go down and Eda fainting seems entirely appropriate. And of course, he caught her without even knowing it's his job, “If you fall, I’ll catch you.”  *sob*  Eda pulling out the old classics to get him to remember was the best. Even through the pain and fury, I thoroughly enjoyed many of those moments. I, along with everyone, was thrilled to see the handcuffs back. Good move, Eda! And they fell right back into bickering and bantering. Though I think they should have taken his car, because all their memories are driving together in that car.
Bless her heart, she was doing everything to jog his memory, and I applaud that. But on one hand I think maybe she made a critical error in being so emotional (not that she could help it) because he was really freaked out by her, and I know she had been put through the wringer and Serkan not remembering her was the blow to end all blows, but she sort of lost it during that first meeting. And he was so overwhelmed that of course he shut all the way down. The truth is it's not his fault he had amnesia, he's a victim. She's totally entitled to those feelings, and the anger at him and the situation and the universe, but in trying to get through to him the heightened emotion might have been a critical error, because he just wasn't receptive to listening to her after that. On the other hand, that's how their relationship has been from the start. She's emotional and spontaneous and fiery and he navigates it. So one might hope it would spark something that he would remember. 
Same thing goes for the confrontation at his house.  He was such a dick, and she broke my heart, but she was so overwrought that I don't think Serkan of a year ago, who has now been traumatized and manipulated, could handle it and it caused him to become the worst version of himself. Again I don't fault Eda, most of us would have collapsed due to the sheer weight of what she'd been through, but her approach, coming in hot, did fuel the situation and I can see how Serkan got to that emotional place. 
At least they gave me one thing I asked for! The password. Serkan, maybe stop saying it's something you would never do, when you demonstrably did it. You bought her a star and then the coordinates were your password.  At some point your brain needs to put two and two together here. But actually I want him to check and see that he really did name a star after her. Her stealthily leaving so she didn't have to give it to him, and thus not be able to change the password, was great.
As for the last scene, girlfriend was looking FIIIIINE when she walked in that restaurant and boyfriend was having to command himself to stop looking at her. The kiss was a big swing, but she had to try and I'm sure we all wanted to hug her when he malfunctioned and did a crazy thing out of sheer panic. 
We, along with Eda, were put through the wringer this episode, but we survived and it can't get worse... okay nevermind, I'm not going to say that. Instead I'll just say, it WILL GET BETTER. There will be a reward for this pain. It's coming. We will see his awakening feelings in the next episode, I know it! Just hang on! 
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camelely · 3 years
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Good Trouble Finale...
Okay I liked that episode. It had all the elements to make a good finale, it fit the tone of the show, and it got us ready for the next season. It wasn't the best but I did really appreciate it. Anyone else think they did multiple cliffhangers so they could gage how the audience would want to see these plots end before actually writing an end lol?
First things first the Callie plot
Judge Wilson!!!! I'm so glad they brought him back to call out Callie in the dream sequence in the courtroom. It was so good. His speech. Roger Bart's delivery. The emotional impact and Maia's performance. It was a great scene and the perfect scene for both characters.
On to her actual plot. Why didn't they tell us the verdict? This whole season has been building on this case. If one thing needed to be resolved by the finale it should have been this. Also they brought up Jerrod but once again provided us with no updates!
It's interesting how all of Jamie's character development has been off screen. Like is it too much to ask for some of it to happen in front of us? It doesn't even need to be in front of Callie? Like we can just see him doing something or learning something outside the courtroom.
If all this is building to Jamie and Callie starting a firm together I would be here for it. But only if Callie takes in the message of actually listening to other people sometimes. It is important to fight but if you dont hear what others are saying how can you fight?
Callie needs to learn not every case is some big fight to change the system case. The justice system works best when both sides have decent legal representation and yes we live in a world where that rarely happens. And juries are rarely actually impartial. But Callie is a lawyer. She's not a politician and she's not a judge. She thinks she is morally superior to everyone around her and I'm so tired of it. I really hope the dream sequence finally pushes her into some character growth.
As for her and Gael I've always disliked them as a couple. In every season before this she has treated him like a second choice and never given him the support he deserved. Everytime she went to him it was because of a fight she had with Jamie or Mariana. It kinda felt like he was finally just returning the favor this season lol. Also like I said before I actually kinda like Isabella and I'm excited to see where Gael goes when he isn't attached to a bad love triangle plot.
TBH at this point I'd rather see Jamie and Gael be happy then actually try to work things out with Callie lol. They both seem to be in better places without her and she needs sometime without a guy.
The Mariana plot
Okay I hate it here. I know the message is friendships come first but like wtf the girls were really horrible to Mariana. It's really shitty that lady... jackie? stole the app idea and idk what I wanted from this plot but the fight club girls deciding to be friends with Mariana again just wasnt it. They treated her like shit all season. Also there were more of them at the start of the season lol. Also Jackie and Evan working together like wtf. Evan was a decent guy nothing in his character makes me think he would be the type of person to be vindictive after a break-up... this feels all sorts of weird and unnecessary. Even if they end it with him choosing to help Mariana I can't see this plot actually doing anything exciting tbh. Mariana is my favorite character and this plot is already exhausting, I have a feeling it's only going to get worse from here. Overall this was the worst plot of the season and I'm not happy to continue it into next season. I just want Mariana to be happy lol.
The Dennis plot
I love it. The truck connecting back to his past trauma and healing process is 10/10. The way he is finding a passion is 10/10. Overall 10/10 lol.
The Davia plot
Also mostly good. Again they chose a cliffhanger when in reality they didn't need to? I think if you dedicate an entire season of a show to a question and have the character (or a jury lol) come to decision in the finale and then choose to not tell the audience it cheapens the whole experience and drags a plot passed its expiration date. If you want a plot to end in a cliffhanger thats fine but this isn't a cliffhanger... this is just cutting out audio that should naturally be there... for the sake of creating fake tension. Doing it once is bad enough but twice in the same episode felt personal lol.
The Malika plot
Ah Malika and the only cliffhanger that actually works. Isaac. I love Isaac. Like he's amazing and I love him so much. I really liked how their plot was focused on Malika exploring how a Poly relationship could be/is right for her. The whole plot is really well done. If she decides she wants to be monogamous with Isaac I'd be okay with that as long as it is a well written thing focusing on her choices and not his. I also wouldnt mind if Isaac and her get closure and he moves on. I think him deciding to be poly could work but I also think he made it clear that isn't really what he is looking for. Maybe an open relationship or something like that could work for them? Idk exactly but I'm very excited to see where this all goes and I'm confident the writers will do right by these characters.
More exciting is her work/activism plot. It's clearly going to cause problems with her and Dyonte but honestly Dyonte and his personality is my least favorite part of the Malika plot lol. He reminds me of Speech from the band Arrested Development. That probably isn't a fair comparison and probably makes no sense but it's the vibe I get. I like Angelica and I hope her ex/friend is a good person. I have high hopes for this plot and I really hope GT doesn't let me down. Lol watch this be the worst plot next season and Mariana be the best just because I predicted the opposite.
The Alice plot
This was the one with the most consistent writing IMO. It wasn't perfect. They had some weird character choices/build with Alice's comedy group And honestly they could have cut the program down to like four finalists. All of them started to blend together anyway. I think bringing a few into the spotlight a little more would have helped balance the character choices and if one of them was to betray Alice it would have been more emotional if we actually knew them. I liked the choice to quit but it was a lot of money and a great opportunity too. It was a truly wild way to end the plot lol. As for her and Sumi... Okay so Sumi was my least favorite Alice LI, but over this last season she really grew on me and I'd be okay if they eventually found their way back to each other. For now I'm glad they are making the more responsible choice and staying friends.
Overall this finale was very much in keeping with the themes and choices the show tends to make. But it was 90 minutes long and didn't answer any of the big season long questions. It was a really well made episode though and I liked watching it.
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char-lotteral · 3 years
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I agree with Kishimoto never trying to use the girls. The hate they get is not fair. I used to defend Sakura back in the days because I hoped kishi would do her justice. When shippuden started I WAS SO HAPPY because I thought this was the start of something great for Sakura and the girls but NOOOOO. Every time, Sasuke showed kishi turned her brainless. If you compare Naruto's actions and Sakura's actions to sasuke, you'd see they're completely different. What's up with that weird fake love confession scene 😭? It makes her look like she was manipulating Naru. JEEZ.
Also he literally had badass Tenten and Temari with cool useful abilities and he didn't use them ?! TF ?! Thank god for modern authors who treat their characters with respect :)
okay2 you know how i am with these longass rants so click readmore and brace yourselves
The way I see it, Sakura's character development in shippuden was always one step forward, two steps back. She gets this really badass scene (like her fight with Sasori and those cool ass medical skills) but is then regressed back into a pining girl in love every time Sauce is on screen or Kishi just throws her in the background YET AGAIN.
I love Sakura's abilities actually. Her brute strength, intelligence, vast knowledge and skill as a medic nin. But what I dislike about her character is how kishi handled her feelings for Sasuke. Naruto and Sakura's obsession with Sasuke was so???? huh??? it was so damn toxic and i never once understood why both Nardo and Sak were so obsessed with him. They were a team for one year???? I mean its great that they care about him alot but Sauce's feelings were kinda valid. His freakin clan died. Id go batshit crazy against my own village too. BUT BESIDES THAT. Both Nart and Sakura's Sasuke obsession was so annoying. 80% of shippuden was literally Keeping up with the Uchihas or Naruto yelling SASUKEH. BUT what irks me so much is the fandom's double standards with both Naruto and Sakura. "Oh Sakura shouldve gotten over her Sasuke obsession" but then turn around and call Naruto's obsession cute and gush about how he's so in love with him!!
Hot take but the only reason why sasunaru is "the most developed ship with the most chemistry" is because theyre both male characters.
I guarantee you if Naruto was a girl and SHE would be the one to have this unhealthy obsession who was chasing around Sasuke, the fandom would shit on Naruto just as much. And if Sasuke were a girl, Sauce would be sidelined like the rest of the female cast and Naruto would have another male character to have a "brotherly bond" with, because thats the only bond Kishimoto is actually good at developing. Yey for male characters having all the screentime and cool assets <333
And about that confession scene, I get her intentions. I really do. I understand that she did that in order to bring him home and that she cares about him but honey, w-why?? Why lie to him about your feelings?? Supposed he DID believe her, then what? then what kishi???? huh??? Some of her fans point the blame on Sai or whatever but I personally dont see why that scene was at all necessary. Maybe to establish Naruto's feelings for her wasnt all that serious? or his maturity? idk man. That scene was such a clusterfuck.
In the end her development in The Last and in Boruto was immaculate. She had one of the best glow ups in the old gen and ironically enough, her character wasn't butchered in Boruto. She got badass scenes she was cheated from in shippuden. I also love how she's finally getting the spotlight she deserves. Unlike the other konoha 12 :,)))
Okay onto the next female character that Kishi completely wasted. My baby. My light. 🙈 AAAHHH HINATAA.
I DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN OKAY2 DEEP BREATHS.
Let me just establish this real quick. Hinata's goal was to get stronger because of Naruto, her goal was never to be with Naruto. She wanted to become someone who is worthy enough to stand beside him, someone whom he can consider as an equal, as a partner. She NEVER once said "marrying Naruto-kun is my all time goal UwU" (if youre one of those weirdos who interpret her character that way, youre immediately invalid, go take a hike)
I personally dont have anything against their crushes but to the point of making their personalities revolve around these guys every time theyre onscreen is so fucking frustrating. And with the way he writes their dialogues is so.damn.cringey. Like that one scene in the war arc with Tsunade and Madara
"I mAy bE a WomAn but I aM nOt WeAAKKKK"
BAAHAHAAHHA WHAT?? Everyone else gets coolass monologues and one liners but thats the best you can come up with Kishi?????? Hilarious.
If im being honest. Hinata's character is actually kinda well written. Not well executed. Dear God no. But with the way he set her story, her personality, her chracterization. She's honestly one of the best written female characters on the show. IMO. By Kishi's standards of writing women ofc. She's hands down one of the most complex characters. Her shy personality wasnt out of the blue, it wasnt a cutesy waifu trait. Her abusive upbringing made her that way. Her trauma turned her that way. So yeah, sue her if she looked up to Naruto as an inspiration when everyone else in her family treated her like dust. Shit on her for having Naruto's love light in her dark when her own damn father wouldnt even look her in the eye and her entire clan shunned her because she was "weak." She doesnt owe her family shit so idgaf what they do with the Hyuga clan. Neji and Hanabi aren't included btw
Im not gonna deny that her role in the show was only as the love interest but tbh for a love interest, Im glad her character wasnt so one dimensional. It just pains me SO MUCHHH how fucking wasted she is. Every time she's with Naruto, they always make her into a damsel in distress. They always feel the need to turn Naruto into the heroic prince. How cute.
LIKE THAT ONE SCENE IN THE LAST WHERE SHE'S THROWN IN THE CAGE?? WHY??? LET NARUTO AND HINA FIGHT THAT FREAKING ALIEN GOD TOGETHER. QUIT WITH THE TOXIC MASCULINITY. WE GET IT. NARUTO'S STRONG. GOOD FOR HIM. NOW LETS SEE HINATA THROW HANDS AND PUT NARUTO IN THE CAGE GODAMMIT
Hnggggg dont get me started with her role in Boruto. She's as relevant as a damn houseplant in the manga. They made her into an invisible trophy wife and "the mc's mother" and we all KNOW what happens to the shounen mc's mother once mc is in need of character development :) Quit putting her in the background. Give us that scene where she won against Hanabi DESPITE being retired for years. Give us that scene where she trains Boruto. GIVE US ANY FIGHT SCENE OF HER WHERE HER POTENTIAL ISNT WASTED WTF?¿
Now if you say that Hinata didnt have development. YOURE INVALID. She came from an abusive household, the shyest girl in her class, her insecurities got in the way of her own confidence, had difficulty of standing up for herself now became a loving mother of two, has the guts to kick her husband out of the house(with whom she couldnt even keep eye contact with when she was a kid) became the strongest hyuga, most supportive wife and mother, and has given her kids the comforting childhood she never had as a kid.
She has one of the most beautiful stories in the show and if you think her personality is only Naruto-kun and big boobs, then im sorry that you cant appreciate such a heartwarming story.
And I agree, killing her would honestly make me feel more at ease than continue to see her suffer because of godawful misogynistic writers. But at least let her die in an epic fight. Please. PLEASEE. She got nerfed so bad, i feel a physical pain every time i think about it
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Okay what else. I think Ino got pretty good development. Another wasted potential in shippuden but she's doing good for herself in Boruto. I dont know what Temari is up to. They basically made her into another classic angry mom who beats up her husband for comedy trope. Haha very funny and original! Im not sure with her career, im not that invested in the anime.
Tenten??
oh G O D Tenten. The dirtiest of all. Her jokes about her screentime is so mean and i hate that its true ahsjhs. She was the only female character in OG who's goal wanted to be as strong as Tsunade but what did Kishi do to her?? Sidelined. Forgotten. Irrelevant. Like every damn female on the show :D
Konan shouldnt have died. I blame plot armor. I know in my heart that Konan wouldve kicked Obito's ass if it weren't for Kishi's boomer mindset.
Tsunade had so much hype when she was introduced but died down in the war arc. Madara wiped the floor with the kages. Holy shit. Not only that, but yipee! Naruto is there to save the day AGAIN!!!!
AND UGHHHH If the female characters were given proper treatment then maybe MAYBE all the endgame couples wouldve made fucking sense????¿¿¿
I think that ends my rant. Im not sure how the female characters in Boruto are handled. Except maybe Sarada (she's pretty well executed in the manga imo). But arguably they are sooo much better handled in Boruto than how the old gen girls were. And thats because Kishi isnt anywhere near the new gen female cast. I cant formulate a solid opinion with the other new gen female cast since im not entirely invested in the anime. Not ashamed to admit that I only watch it for the sunshine moments and for Hinata :DD
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astranva · 2 years
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Unpopular opinion: I don’t think that Zendaya and Tom Holland have good screen chemistry in Spider-Man. It’s weird bc they have such incredible energy in interviews together but on screen, it falls flat for me. I always think about that one Friends episode where one of them is dating a broadway actor and they say that actors are only passionate on stage if they haven’t already hooked up in real life. Like maybe T&Z don’t want to mix what they feel on screen and off screen but idk they just don’t have that ✨oomph✨ on screen. Some good chemistry includes Olivia Pope and Fitz (their chemistry was out of this world) or even Margot Robbies Harley and her Joker
This may also be bc I feel like they failed MJ as a character. The whole introduction of Michelle Jones in Homecoming was basically that she wasn’t like other girls, she was confident in her own way but in NWH, she didn’t have ANY opinions on how Peter was making decisions for her and Ned. I feel like they made her a one dimensional character that is ONLY peters gf, which yeah okay that’s how it’s always kind of been in comics but Tobys MJ and Andrews Gwen were both individuals who were ALSO Spider-Man’s gf, idk if this makes sense lol but I think this is super unpopular bc Zendaya is loved by everyone. I think she’s great in Euphoria with the actress that plays Jules but her MJ and Toms Peter are a no from me
ooff you ate!
i actually get it. i don’t know why but i didn’t get zendaya’s character as MJ in NWH, like zendaya has that sort of essence that i couldn’t really find in NWH. i think it’s also because i always expect people to give zendaya more because she seriously has so, so much to offer and i feel like to me, it’s why the chemistry between her and tom is one-dimensional (at least in NWH).
like in interviews, you get to see how she is; she’s funny, smart, and expressive as hell, her MJ kinda lacked that to me which i’m fine with because actors and actresses don’t portray their real personalities, but idk. they kinda feel like friends to me 💀
but not tobey’s MJ, she was my absolute least favorite tbh.
pls i discussed this with you as if you asked, but your opinion is so interesting because i know people will go mad if you ever say that anywhere lol
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woopboopboop · 4 years
Text
caffeine crash
A/N: fashionmajor!harry has been living rent free in my mind and i thought i need to get it written so here it is! tell me what are your thoughts on this or if you have any other fashionmajor!harry ideas or any ideas tbh. my ask is always opened. happy reading! :)
TW: one or two foul language
[coffee binging, demon dummy and disturbed sleep with fashionmajor!harry]
The ringing sound grows closer each second before she opens her eyes to realise that she has fallen asleep on the couch, again. y/n sits up groggy and disoriented, blinking for a few times to adjust her vision against the bright light illuminating the longue. She doesn’t pick up the call right away but rather shifts her gaze from her phone to the clock on the wall.
11:47 o’clock at night.
It is still early but for someone who haven’t been sleeping well for over a week, all that she can think of is that she is finally going to have more than four hours of sleep. More than four hours of heavenly sleep.
When her eyes return to her phone, the ringing stops. She waits for a few more seconds for another ring while picking up her book from the floor and shuts her laptop. The sleepiness catches up fast when the flat is silent and comfortably cold. Both make her look forward to her precious slumber. Since there is no sign of upcoming call, she stacks her book on her laptop, ready to carry them to her room.
Then her phone rings.
Voice cracking and breaking with sleep, she answers the call without looking at the screen which left her wondering who the hell decided to ruin her potential four hours of sleep. “Hello?”
“Hey. It’s Harry.”
“Hmm?” The voice on the other line is low causing her to take a moment in recognising who it is. From the top of her head, there’s only one Harry that she knows.
“y/n, you’ve gotta help me,” he says in a hushed tone, “I think this studio is haunted.” Well if it isn’t her beloved flatmate and his untimely joke.
“Styles,” she says, stifling a yawn, “I know I barged in your room in the middle of the night last week. I’m sorry, alright? Doesn’t mean that you can pull a prank on me like this –”
“I’m not joking, y/n. I swear the fucking mannequins in this studio moved!”
Leaning back on the couch, she closes her eyes and sighs. “The mannequins? Really?”
There is rustling and she can hear his whispered curses. “y/n, please. I need your help.” There’s a slight quiver at the end of his words and her eyes open. “Can you… can you come get me?”
Any other day, she would ignore the call but she doesn’t find it in her to do so at that moment. She is a bit surprised to be honest. It’s rare to hear her flatmate who is usually confident (overly confident most of the times) and a tease that scared.
What if something is in fact happening to him? Certainly, it is not ghost but there are other possibilities. She sighs once again; guess she’s not going to have her good night’s sleep any time soon.
“Fine… just – where are you?”
///
The hours spent looking at the bright laptop screen where he is currently working on his sketches is straining his eyes and the angle in which he has been hunched at in the chair is starting to grind the muscles on his back. He finally let go of the mouse, rolling his head back and taking off his earphones as he closes his eyes.
The studio at night especially during a non-assignment week feels a little… off. At any other time, the place is filled with ticking of sewing machines, typing of keyboards, clicking of mouse and of course questions of who have extra pins or needles echoing around the room.
It’s lively.
Now, it’s empty except for him and there are only two sounds that he can hear; whirring of the air conditioners and also the faint music from his earphones.
Creak. His eyes snap open, head turning to the left side of the studio where the sound comes from. Okay, make that the third sound he can hear.
Maybe it’s not a good decision to do so because as soon as he turns to face that side of the studio, he is looking straight at all of the mannequins placed there. And it is silent. And creepy. One of the mannequins stand out more than others. Its dead eyes are looking directly at him.
“God, who think that giving them eyes is a good idea?” He grumbles to himself, shaking away any weird feelings and quickly turning to his laptop.
For the next minutes, his earphones are discarded on the side of his laptop while he focuses on his work. Halfway through adding shading and shadows on the sketches, out of the corner of his eyes, there is a slight movement. He tries to act unbothered despite his heart picking up pace at the thought of anything other than him in the room is moving.
Creak. He freezes then, heart thumping while he glances surreptitiously over the eerily looking mannequins crowd. He is not sure which is worst; the one with the dead eyes looking straight at him and is still doing so or one of them, that he is pretty sure has been facing the large studio window minutes ago, has its head tilted towards him.
The latter. For sure.
“Fuck’s sake…” he whispers, trying to control his breathing from getting too rapid. Looking over his fourth cup of coffee, he is nodding towards the array of disposable brown coffee cups on the table. “Of course, it’s the coffee. Too much coffee probably. God, I’m so tired and this took hou –”
He shuts up immediately when there’s another creaking sound. This time, when he turns his head ever so slowly, there is no movement but the mannequin that has its head tilted before has its arm stretched out half way.
God forbids if he is looking away from that thing again, he is surely going to be attacked. Eyes still on the mannequin, he grabs his phone blindly and call whoever is on his recent calls list without even planning on a proper course of action. All done from the corner of his eyes.
The sound of ringing fills his ear as he watches around him, taking in if there’s any shift happening. “Come on… pick up… pick up!” He hisses over the line. It feels like forever before it clicks and he hears a female voice, groggy with sleep. He takes off his phone from his ear for a moment to see who exactly is he calling.
y/n.
She is rightfully irritated over the phone given the fact that he is interrupting her sleep but his safety is more important. There’s no way he is going to be dead before finishing his study and totally not because of those damn mannequins.
However, he is also very much aware that he is not in any way equipped to deal with spirits, ghosts or demons. Not alone, at least. So, any chance that he has to get help is important even if the last resort is to beg for it. Since saying the studio is haunted and one of the mannequins is moving are not enough sign for help, he relents the last of his pride and go for the last resort.
“y/n, please. I need your help.”
There’s a three very long seconds after his short plead. And in that seconds, he keeps his eyes on the mannequin, waiting for it to make another move. Then, at last, he hears her sighs heavily and asks him where he is.
As soon as y/n hangs up, he realises that he is left alone with the creepy crowds on the left side of the studio. Fear creeping up his spine and he just hopes that if anything could happen right that moment, it is for y/n to be there a little bit faster.
///
It's not until she is out the door the question of how she is going to get to Harry strikes her. Hers and Harry's campuses are not that far from their flat with hers being closer compared to his. The only problem is that he is approximately 10 minutes away from the flat and she sure is not going to walk 10 minutes to his campus at night.
Re-entering the flat, she checks if she is lucky enough to find his car keys hanging by the wall hook near the front door. And she is, which brings her to this moment of driving his car to pick him up.
At times she wonders why he opts for walking when he could just drive. It defeats the purpose of having a vehicle she thought but then again, it’s Harry. Most of the times, she doesn’t know what is going on in his mind.
As she reaches the gate, she prays with every fibre in her body that she will get through the guard without any bombarding questions. Surprisingly, entering the campus is made easier with a piece of vehicle registration sticker with a campus logo. She gets in with a once-over and friendly hand raise.
"Well... that's easier that I thought it would be," she mutters to herself while navigating her way to the fashion department building by following the signs and remembering what Harry had told her.
Thankfully, the studio is on the ground floor and the large windows gives her access to see whatever is happening inside. From afar, she can make out a side profile of a figure. Afraid that she is going to honk at a possible stranger, she reaches out for her phone and dial his number.
The person seems to be startled before bringing their phone up to their ear and she hears his voice. It is in fact Harry.
“I’m here,” she says. She sees him straightening up, presuming that he is going to stand up and leave. Yet, he is still fixed to his previous position.
“Oh! Okay, alright. Um… can you come in?”
She rests her head against the steering, exhaling slowly. She swears if it isn’t for the fright in his voice, she would turn the car around and drive home. “I don’t know the wa–”
“Use the main door. The studio is on your right, first door.”
///
He doesn’t know he has been holding his breath until he exhales slowly when he heard the door to the studio opens. To know that he is not alone is relieving. So relieving that he wills to peel his eyes for few seconds from the mannequin to look over to y/n who is standing at the door with exhausted frown on her face.
He looks tired, she decides, but unscathed which is good. Her eyes trails following his to the other side of the studio and sees a herd of mannequins. She has to admit, they do look creepy. And with those eyes? She understands why Harry would be petrified because holy mother of god those dead eyes are looking straight into your soul.
Harry senses that she is not going to be standing there and waiting for him for the rest of the night. After all, he is the one who asked her to come and get him from the studio. Eyeing the demon dummy (a very fitting name if you ask him), his hands are doing the work of closing his laptop without shutting it down and practically just shoving all of his stuffs in his bag.
“It’s 12 on a Thursday night. And here you are, making friends with whatever spirits there is in this place,” she says to him bitterly, leaving Harry who is frantically locking the door behind her.
Harry is not really in a clear mind to give a retort. The rest of the coffee cups had been thrown into the bin in the hall as he follows her out of the building to the car park.
“Tell me, Styles. Am I not right if I say you’re hallucinating?” She asks as they drive away from the campus. She would love for him to drive the car home in return of disturbing her sleep. That is if she doesn’t notice his restless hands.
“I am not hallucinating! I see it with my own eyes!” He says defensively, turning his head to have a proper look at her while making his point.
“They are just plastic. Why don’t you just get out from there? It’s not like they are going to chase you.”
“Mannequins. I can’t just look away!” He shifts his gaze out the window, occasionally glancing to the side mirror, hoping those creepy herd don’t suddenly have functioning legs. “What if they grip me by the neck when I turn my back from them?”
She shakes her head. “You had too much coffee.”
At the mention of coffee, he remembers all of the sketches that he needs to finish. If he can’t finish all which he intended to do before all his plan went down the drain, at least, he can finish half of it. And he almost did. “Well, I need to finish my sketches,” he grumbles.
The tires spin beneath them. y/n shifts gears and the car rolls to a stop in front of their flat building. “No. You need sleep.”
The rest of their way up to their shared flat is filled with silence. Even when they are already in it. Both don’t feel like talking; y/n can’t wait to finally sleep while Harry starts to feel whatever happening just now is a little bit ridiculous.
“Hey, y/n,” he calls out. She has her hand on her bedroom door handle then, ready to push it down. “This stays between us, right?” He gestures the space between them, internally cringing a bit on the how he is embarrassed about the whole thing.
It is annoying to have him call her at ridiculous hour of the night but the reason behind the call is amusing nonetheless. “Your secret’s safe with me,” she shrugs.
Well, he half expected that. He thought that he is never going to hear the end of it for at least two days. Seems like she let it slide like she always does with most things.
“Besides, you’re worrying about the wrong thing. You should be worried about the mannequins standing outside your bedroom window tonight. Watching you sleep.” She says as she wiggles her eyebrows with a smirk on her face.
Okay, maybe he speaks too soon.
He gives her side-eye, seeing her entering her room. From the look of it, she surely is enjoying taking the piss out of him. “Hahaha. Very funny.”
As he enters his bedroom and flicks the light switch on, he hears her laughing and bidding him a ‘Good night.’ One thing that he knows is that it is not going to be a good night. He also knows that his bedroom light is going to stay on until the sun rises.
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polar-stars · 3 years
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☕️ + megumi and hojo?
(Give me a ☕️ + a character/ship and I’ll ramble off whatever thoughts and opinion I have about it)
Oho, interesting! Thanks for the ask!
Megumi Tadokoro
Megumi is a character I love and adore. She has given me no choice in that matter, lol. I cannot possibly dislike a character who portrays such a huge amount of real, genuine kindness. Adding to that, she's incredibly easy to relate to (I know that I am not the only one who does).
In my opinion Megumi has had some of the very best moments in all of Shokugeki, especially in it's earlier parts. The Shokugeki against Shinomiya in Trainings Camp is still my favorite battle in the whole manga after all. Her performance in the Autumn Election Premlins was also really satisfying and sweet to see. (Monkfish Preperation Scene Supremacy)
Tsukuda really did great on making Megumi a character that I really want to see succeed.....But that is where the problem comes in.
The problem is that Tsukuda struggles with the Show, Don't Tell-Rule from Central Arc onwards.
Pre-Central, Megumi's character development was solid in my opinion. It was believable and not too fast-paced. But once focus was shifted to Azami-Drama, Megumi and other characters had to take a little step back from the action. And Megumi's character arc started to stagnate.
Through Training Arc. Autumn Elections and Stagiares, Megumi had visibly gained some more confidence in herself and her stage fright problem from the beginning of the series was ceasing. However there was something missing: pay-off. Her character arc lacks proper pay-off.
You see, throughout all of Central Arc Megumi has not won any single fight on-screen. She was given one victory against Shigemichi Kumai but not even second of that fight was actually shown to the reader. But when it's time for a more detailed fight against Momo, she looses.
In her fight against Momo, the judges do find the time to point out tho that Megumi might hasn't been able to beat Momo however there is quote unquote ✨potential✨.
Thing is that the "potential"-thing has been getting old at that point. It felt very reminiscent to Megumi's fight against Ryo back in the Autumn Elections. Ryo was able to win, however it was made clear through multiple dialogue-lines that Megumi did give him a good fight, defying the expectations the audience had from her. So basically that fight was like: Yes, she lost now. But she is on the right path. There is a lot of potential.
The issue is that time has progressed ever since the AE and it was about time for us, the readers, to see that potential unfold.
But we never got that.
We get a lot, a lot of talking about Megumi's potential throughout Central Arc but never an actual showcase of it. And it does not get much better with BLUE Arc either (I mean, what do you expect from that trainwreck of an arc anyway?)
First off, despite all of her potential and her participation in the Regiment de Cuisine & the retaking of Totsuki as a whole Megumi somehow ends up with the lowest seat in the Neo-Elite 10??? And I'm just: Why??? Why is she the only explicitly ranked below Eizan & Nene (who got a massive downgrade) with everyone else far ahead? (Tho the Neo-Elite 10 Ranking as a whole is one confusing mess and I should probably stop trying to bring sense into it if I do not want to go insane, lol.)
The infamous Hot Spring Fight against a Noir is where we finally see Megumi shine a little on-screen (at least in the manga). And well....I enjoyed seeing that but...
It is still not the proper pay-off she deserves, I'm sorry. Because ultimately that Noir-Guy is some random One-Off we never saw again. And that's a problem.
This character had no time establishing himself to us. We barely know him.
To put it into perspective: Satoshi Isshiki beating Julio Shiratsu in the RdC did not feel like a very impressive thing. Because we have only come to know Julio in that one fight and had absolutely no judgement on how powerful he may be (not to mention, that he was mostly placed in a very ridiculous light). It would have been a lot more impressive to the reader had Satoshi won his later fight against Eishi Tsukasa, because Eishi is a character who we have spent a lot more time with and who has repeatedly been portrayed as absurdly skillful and an actual threat.
See what I mean? As much as I loved seeing Megumi being an absolute badass in that Hot Spring Saga...It was not the satisfying pay-off I want for her.
The few victories she gets are always against random One-Offs while her fights against the more important characters are always a loss for her. Case in point: BLUE. She gets anOTHER off-screened match against some Noir in Chinese clothes, whose name I won't bother looking up if he even has one, where all characters talk about how talented she is but once it's time for her to go up against big bad bitch Asahi she looses. And that sucks.
Not to forget the fact that Megumi always gets strung along to every big event but we never get much justification for her participation (other than the obvious Meta-Reason that she's a main character).
Think about it, her and Takumi got extremely lucky in Train Arc by having Rindou giving them a free pass just for the lulz, while everyone else got expelled. Then a good number of messy chapters later, Megumi and Takumi get invited into BLUE without even a shred of reasoning behind it. Why them? How random is it to invite the 1st, 7th and 10th seat but no one else? Meanwhile when BLUE Arc was first mentioned in the manga they told Jouichiro that it's actually extremely rare for a student in that age to get into this tournament. And Jouichiro was a 3rd year back then, what are those three 2nd Years doing there??
The anime at least addressed that by having Totsuki's students fight for the participation (I appreciated that, if only the episode that covers it wasn't so lazily done)
I'd have much less of an issue with that if they actually gave Megumi something to work with in that arc. But really in RDC and even more so in BLUE, she's mostly just there I feel. She barely really impacts the story meaningfully in both of these arcs, I feel.
And it's one big shame.
As I said, I love Megumi and Tsukuda set her up as someone who I wanted to see succeed and defy expectations. Her journey up till Central Arc was a lot of fun and very compelling but then it just...came to a halt. And her arc never got any real, proper closure I feel. She was instead pushed more and more into the background and she just did not deserve that, man.
Never forget that she is one of the mains after all and she should have been treated as one.
damn I did not think this would get this long ahhdhdf
Miyoko Hojo
When realising that Miyoko's speciality is Chinese cooking, I was super excited for her! I really love Chinese food and I've been waiting for it to be covered in Shokugeki up till that point.
I like Miyoko quite a lot, she's definitely one of my faves from the...well, I don't think "secondary" cuts it...the tertiary cast. Unfortunately we've got to see so painfully little of her.
I like that Megumi, in the most Megumi-ways, made her learn a lesson like "Feminism =/= You can not possibly get along with a man. Ever.", but it was also interesting to see acknowledgement of the inequality of men and women within the culinary business through Miyoko.
Miyoko's friendship with Megumi is something I adore and I would have very much liked more of it please. I enjoy the thought of Miyoko, this tough, unapproachable woman, having her face soften whenever this pure, little angel approaches her. Also 100% sure Miyoko would drop-kick whoever gives Megumi a funny look.
I also would have liked to see Miyoko interact more with Kuga, because I imagine it could have been a lot of fun. From the one, tiny interaction they've had I feel that Terunori actually respects Miyoko quite a bit. Which I think is interesting, because Terunori otherwise seems to enjoy bitching at people.
Honestly? If you ask me??? Miyoko should have been in the Regiment de Cuisine.
I'll never get over how she's shown in the audience, alongside Nao, smiling when the rebels are about to snatch victory. Like ahdhFJG, excuse me Ma'am what business do you have just watching??? You can not tell me that from what we've seen about Miyoko that she would not be up to kick Azami's ass out of Totsuki. I generally think it's stupid for the Rebels to go up against the Elites in a number even to them.
Azami. Explicitly told you guys. That you can bring more than that.
You were up against the Elite 10 Council.
YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED ANYONE YOU CAN GET!
YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED MIYOKO
(and Nao as well tbh)
(The Regiment de Cusine could have been a lot better to buy for me if the Rebels had shown up with more participants tbh but that's a different subject)
Anyways, as I said I wish we could have seen a lot more of Miyoko. But it just wasn't meant ot be :( I mean, when characters like Alice and Akira get pushed to the side, what chances does the tertiary cast have?
I'm at least glad that she is sort-off shown being the new president of the Chinese RS in Les Dessert 1? I like that for her.
But yes, ultimately...another criminally underused character. I look forward to write her being a cool mom in my fanfic tho.
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smileyliaa · 4 years
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ryujin ༄ as your girlfriend
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how it happened ༄
ryujin E X U D E S confidence
absolutely EXUDES it
let’s paint the scene
you’re sitting sadly on a ferris wheel
your date stood up up
the couple who you were supposed to be having a double date with have made you their third wheel
after the ride is over you quickly scurry away from the couple and make it to a funnel cake stand near the ride, you hide amongst the longish line
you’ve escaped the over affectionate couple but now you’re in line for a funnel cake you desperately want, then bam right as you take out your money a man runs by, bumping into you
your money is on the floor, your next in line, people are already annoyed at how long your taking, that is people aside from the girl standing right behind you
she helps you pick up your money and orders with you
she insists that she’ll pay as long as you repay her with eating with her cause she doesn’t want to look lonely while eating
so there you are sat at a table you the both of you had quickly wiped down, eating funnel cake
“i’m ryujin, what’s your name?”
from there bloomed a beautiful, almost innocent friendship
that is, if you guys weren’t always flirting and making out with eachother
you both stood somewhere in the middle of being just friends and dating
ryujin was protective of you, her arm always around your waist or resting on your leg
you never really dated anymore, going on dates wasn’t much in your interest as you had ryujin
ryujin was sick of it
she was sick of i t, absolutely DONE
she loved you, she was ready to admit what everybody already knew
she loved you, so she decided she was going to ask you on a date, and end the night with asking you to be her girlfriend
she wanted to be yours, she wanted you
so the plan began!
she was never one to be sappy or sentimental, but in this case, you were the only person worth being sappy over so she took you to the place she met you
the fair
it had been almost a year that she had met you
the asking you on a date part was harder than she expected
there was this small fear in the back of her head telling her she was going to fuck everything up by doing this, but she pushed passed it with the help of itzy hyping her up in the practice room for a bit
she walked to the lobby boldly and smiled, placing her arm around your waist and put a kiss on your lips
while your hands landed on her waist shocked by the sudden show of affection
“i have a question for you.”
“what is that question?”
“will you go to the fair with me on a date?”
you leaned forward and excitedly kissed her nose, placing the most glorious blush in her cheeks making you smile
“oh fuck yeah i will.” (if you don’t curse you’d said “yes!! i’d love to!”)
you had both decided to go on the saturday of that week
so on saturday there you nervously got ready, sifting through clothes, looking at make up, toying with your hair
only to come back with what you started with originally
ryujin paced around her room right before she had to go meet you
all the girls gathered around taking this as their opportunity to make fun of her nervousness
after about a good half an hour of getting clowned by itzy she left and embarked on her journey to pick up the girl she had a date with at the fair
the car ride to the fair was a bit lengthy she will admit, but another you both had to admit was how fun it was together
singing along to got7 songs
talking about anything and everything that came to mind
when you arrived the first official date jitters did too
you both walked around endlessly
getting on rides
eating unhealthy food (c’mON if you don’t eat something unhealthy at a fair what’s the point??)
played the rigged booth games that no one ever wins
except she won you something cause it’s fucking shin ryujin we’re talking about
so now you carried a cute little elephant plushie around that you had yet to name
you got on the large ferries wheel
your dainty little elephant son sat on your lap
both of your stared out at the sunset smiling
you leaned your head onto her and felt your smile grow wide as you just barely saw the flush show up on her cheeks
“stop looking at me like thaaatt”
she looked down at you shyly internally shocked at how your simple gaze managed to send her for a loop
shocked at how you’re the only person to ever do this to her
you leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips satisfied at the sight of a shy ryujin before you
“you’re cute babe”
she pressed a kiss to your forehead
“you’re cuter”
right after this you found yourselves back at the funnel cake booth where it had all started
you sat at the same table, wiping it down just like you had the first day you met
this time your elephant son sat on ryujin’s lap
you shared one large funnel cake and talked
debated on names for your unnamed elephant son
you smiled at ryujin before you took her hand in yours, “ryujin do you actually want to be more than friends?”
ryujin felt a sudden knot in her stomach at the question
you knew her too well, she had told you about the problems she had in her previous “relationships”
she wasn’t ready for them
“it’s different this time.”
“how so?”
“i want to be your girlfriend, i want to date you. i asked you out on this date because i really just want you...”
“you’re the only person to ever make me feel this way.”
you felt a feeling growing in your stomach, butterflies, they fluttered viciously around your stomach
unsure of what to say, and unsure of what to do you pulled her face in and placed a kiss on her lips quickly, “i’d love to be your girlfriend ryujin.”
“so we’re dating??”
“yes.”
affection ༄
a h h h h
generally i don’t think she’s one for pda
her hand? not on your waist or thigh? something is WRONG
that’s what she always does
she makes sure you’re sat next to eachother so she can either have her arm around you
or resting on your thigh
it’s just her “i’m here” kinda reassurance
i feel like when you’re alone or on dates if she ever wants to kiss you but doesn’t wanna like totally display all her love out in the open she’d kiss your hand
i have a feeling she’d like kissing her girlfriend’s hand
like she picks it up from across the table holding it gently, presses kisses to your knuckles, and puts it both your hands down on the table still holding them
;-; damn i want that
when alone i feel like she’ll have no problem showing affection tbh
she’d be ALL OVER YOU
if you don’t make ryujin a whipped simp i’m sorry to say it i don’t think you’re the one-
when cuddling it’s my opinion that she likes being the little spoon
resting her head on your chest
arms around you
legs entangled
you playing with her hair
it’s paradise
little moments ༄
your elephant son!
she surprised everybody surrounding the little booth she was playing at when she one the small elephant plushie!
he now resides with you, he always rests on your bed, couch, or table there to provide you with company!
you’re still working on the name
(y’all send me your name ideas and we can vote on them like cmonnnnnnn)
your almost weekly dates to a small park are amongst your favorite memories
it’s always the same routine
walk around the park, holding hands
recount how your week has been going
tell eachother stories
debate on your elephant son’s name
sit at a park bench watching the kids play
let your minds wander a bit wondering if you’ll ever have a family together
and hope you do
one of her favorite memories was when you got kicked out of a small 3 dollar theater
you both bought over priced food to eat while eating the shitty movie you decided to watch
the movie was so shitty and very few other people were on the same room
you whispered (was a really loud whisper) comments about the movie
picking out little details that might’ve gone unnoticed
and tried your hardest not to cackle and disrupt the whole movie
well, you failed
she pointed out a small detail in the back ground
the fact that a staff member working on the movie was in the reflection of a mirror on the screen doing a little jig and then fell down
as they cut back to the scene she was referring to you happened to see it and couldn’t hold back the laughter that came
didn’t help that that same detail was a part of what was supposed to be an emotional scene
she couldn’t help but laugh along with you
on your way back home from the early ending of the movie she thought back to that moment
it was one of those memories she’d never be able to forget
maybe it’s was the way she felt knowing she made you laugh like that
or the way you clung onto her laughing clearly trying to stop and getting flustered at your inibility to laugh
but she’d never forget the moment she realized she loved you more than she thought she could love a person
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pixie88 · 4 years
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Rory Bear
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A/N: Those who play Lovelink know Rory O’Brien. He recently when grey on me, I miss him so decided to do a FF especially for him! He is one hot dad, who looks like Chris Evans. This might be a one shot piece or I might continue I’m not sure yet.  Let me know if you would like to be tagged or untagged!
Find my other Rory O’Brien FF HERE on my masterlist under Lovelink - One shots.
Comments always welcome!
Word count: 2317
WARNINGS: ⚠️ NSFW & Fluffy fluff
Disclaimer: Characters are property of Lovelink.
Pairings: Rory x MC - Laila
Enjoy!
It's been two days since I've heard from Rory while he was washing his car. I don't want to bother him, I know he's busy with work and Amy. So, I get dressed and take Winnie for a walk. It's a sunny winter's day, we spend an hour in the park playing fetch before I grab a hot chocolate from the food van in the park.
We are nearly home when I hear my phone, I pull it out of my bag and the screen lights up.
*Lovelink - Rory has sent you a message*
[Hi Laila, How are you? I was thinking about our last conversation and I have my answer, but I want to tell you in person.]
I reply once I get inside.
[Hey Rory, I'm fab thanks you? How is Amy? Oh ok, I'm glad you've have come to a conclusion.]
[I'm not great tbh. Amy is fine, she has an art show at school tomorrow night.]
[Oh no, what's wrong? Aww, bless her! Has she made an art piece?]
[I've missed you! I was thinking would you be up for coming? My mom and dad will be there too. So, I understand if it's too much too soon. Yeah, she's done a drawing of you.]
[I can't say I haven't missed you. Oh, are you sure you want me to be there if your parents are? Is this your way of getting me to the art show? Because it's working.]
[Yes, I want you there and so does Amy after you helped her at her dance recital she wanted to do something to say thank you. If it means you'll come then yes haha.]
[Fine, I'll come, but only because I'm curious about this drawing. Plus, I want to see you and Amy! What time does it start?]
[Thank you so much Amy will be so pleased about you coming! It starts at 6 pm but I can come and pick you up at about 5.30 pm?]
[Just Amy? Ok, 5.30 is great. Can't wait to see you both]
[I'm super excited to see you too! Great, I'll see you then.]
(He wants me to meet his parents? Does that mean he's ready to move on? I guess I'll find out tomorrow)
~*~*~*~
The next day I drop Winnie round to my neighbours house. I'm just finishing up. I decided on a blue blouse undone slightly and black jeans with knee-high boots.
Ding Dong!
He's here! I open the door, Rory smiles "Laila, you look beautiful!"
"Thank you! You look handsome yourself. Ready to go?" I ask.
"Aww, thanks. Yeah, Amy is in the car"
"Great, let's go!" We walk over to the car and Amy smiles brightly at me as we approached the car.
Rory opens the door for me "Such a gentleman"
He smiles "Only the best for you" 
He seems different from the past two dates lighter and more confident. He closes the door.
"Hey, Amy how are you?"
"I'm ok thanks. Are you?"
Rory gets into the car.
"I'm great thanks Amy" Rory starts the engine. It's not long before we arrive at the school.
When we get inside, Rory waves at an elderly couple I'm guessing are his parents. They make their way over to us "Rory, Amy and who might this be" the elderly lady says.
"Mom, Dad this is Laila. She's my date, Laila and Laila this is my mother Philippa and my father, Albert"
"Hi, nice to meet you both!"
"Rory you didn't tell us you were dating again! I'm so happy for you" Philippa says.
"She's beautiful too," Albert says.
"She is," Rory gives me a look that sends butterfly's through my body.
I smile.
"Laila, come on I want to show you my drawing!"
Amy grabs my hand and leads me to her drawing "Amy, this is beautiful!"
"I added Dad on to it. The love heart is you two falling in love"
"Oh wow! What's the rainbow for?"
She smiles "Nothing, I just wanted to add a rainbow"
"Oh ok! Well, it's better than any rainbow I have ever drawn!" We laugh as Rory and his parents appear behind us.
"Do you like it, Daddy?"
"Amy it's amazing, but I thought you said it was a drawing of Laila?"
"It is! There is Laila and there is you and that is you falling in love!" Rory blushes.
We look round at all the other art pieces Rory comes up behind me as I'm looking at a paper mache volcano. I feel his breath on the back of my neck "Are you ok?"
I turn "Hey, Yeah I'm fine you?"
"Laila, I'm sorry about Amy's picture"
"It's cute," I smile at him.
"Well, we have 5 minutes to ourselves can we talk?" he asks.
"Sure"
"On our last date you said you didn't think I was ready to move on," he says.
"I did and I also said you needed to think about what you wanted"
"Yes, you did," he says.
"So, Rory have you figured it out?"
"I did...Laila, I've had a long hard think about it and I'm ready! My walls are coming down for you!" He gives me a cheeky grin.
"Are you sure? I don't want to push you into something you aren't ready for!"
"Laila, I'm one hundred percent positive" His arms wrap around me, and he pulls me in tight.
I giggle "Rory!" I wrap my arms around him "You're like a bear! Rory bear!"
He laughs "Is that my new pet name?"
"It will be!" I laugh.
We de-tangle ourselves from each other Amy runs over excited "Laila, Daddy come on they're announcing the winners" she drags us over to where her teacher is on stage.
"Evening, parents and students I am proud to announce the winners from Falcon class. Third place goes to Isla Johnson. Well done Isla!"
We clap little Isla as she steps on stage to accept her award.
"Second place goes to Amy O'Brien, Well done Amy!"
Amy's face lights up as she turns to us "Yes! I got second place!!"
"Well done Amy!" Rory beams at her.
"Go claim your award! Amy!" Albert tells her.
She runs on stage and accepts her award. She comes back off stage, and we don't even hear who wins first place.
"This calls for a celebration! Why don't Grandad and I take you out for dinner sweetpea?" Philippa asks.
"Yes, please!" she turns to Rory.
"Daddy, can I go? Please?" Amy asks.
"Aren't Laila and I invited?"
She laughs "Daddy, you and Laila should have some time together!"
"Yeah, we'll watch Amy for a few hours. You two go and enjoy yourselves" Albert offers.
Rory looks at me with a look I have never seen from him before "Are you sure?" he asks.
"Of course! We love any chance to spoil our grandchild" Philippa says.
"Ok, but make sure you behave for Nanna and Grandad. OK?"
Amy smiles "Deal! Bye, Daddy!"
"Bye, sweetheart!"
Amy takes her grandparents' hands and leads them toward the exit.
Rory turns to me "Do you want to come back to mine? I could cook us dinner?"
"Ok, sounds perfect!"
We make our way to his car, and he opens the door for me "Thank you!"
He winks, closes the door, and gets into the driver's seat "Amy likes you"
I smile at him "She's a lovely kid! You did a brilliant job!"
He blushes "Thank you, Laila. You know when her Mom died, I thought how am I going to do this by myself and get it right?"
I take his hand "Well, you smashed it!"
He lifts my hand to his lips and places a small kiss against my knuckles.
10 minutes later we pull up to his house, he comes round to my side of the car and opens the door "You know I will expect you to open every door I go to walk through now" I laugh.
"It would be my pleasure!" He winks. He takes my hand and entwines his fingers through mine as he leads me to the house.
He unlocks the door and I step inside with Rory close behind as soon as the door shuts, he presses me against the wall his lips claim mine.
His kiss is full of passion, want, and desire. I'm pressed against the hard wall and his muscular body. I wrap my arms around him, his hands come under my thighs, and he lifts me up.
He starts grinding against my core "Rory" I feel he's stiff against me.
He moves us away from the wall, his lips never leaving mine. He guides us upstairs, kicks open a door and we fall onto his bed. He pulls away a little "Laila, I want you! I'm ready"
I giggle, "I kinda figured that"
His eyes are alight with desire "If you don't want this..."
I cut him off, he gets the hint. He moves from my lips and down to my neck and back up to my ear, his lips brush against it "You're so beautiful!" his hands start to unbutton my blouse his lips feather kisses against my chest.
I push off his suit jacket, pull his sweater vest up over his head and I grab his tie and pull him down towards my lips. He groans as his hand dips into my jeans, he brushes against me and I can't help arch off the bed. I yank his tie off and begin to unbutton his shirt.
I become breathless at the sight of his toned body. I flip us, crash my lips to his and work my way down his breathing shudders as I pepper kiss over his chest down to his abs "Laila!" I unbuckle his belt and he shifts helping me get him out of them.
I trail kisses up his inner thigh I pull him free of his boxers. He's hard I take him in my hand and circle around the tip he bucks up "Ah, ah, ah! Rory bear!"
He hisses in frustration "Christ...Laila!"
I work my mouth against him. His hand tangles into my hair moving me to his rhythm.
"Laila, you have to stop," he pulls me up onto the bed next to him, he moves to hover over me. He pulls off my boots and jeans in one swift manner.
His tongue invades my mouth, his taste still lingering there. His lips kiss along my purse line, my collarbone to my breast he unclips my bra and tosses it to the floor.
His lips cover my nipple "Crap Rory!" He moves to my tummy nipping as he goes definitely hard enough to leave bite marks. His hands pull at the waistband of my underwear until they are gone. He pulls a silver packet out of the bedside cabinet draw.
"Laila, it's been a while so I might be a little rusty" he lifts my legs his mouth finds my centre.
He moves my folds apart with his tongue I cry out unable to hold back a moan "Rory bear, you definitely have......not forgot how to do that!" I clutch his hair and move my hips wanting more.
He works against my clit "Nice to know I haven't lost my touch!" He doubles his efforts I'm barely holding on!
I pull him up to my lips he pulls away enough our lips aren't touching, but his forehead is against mine "Laila, are you sure this is what you want? Me? Everything that comes with me?"
"Yes! I want all of you!" This is all he needs to hear.
He rips the foil packet open with his teeth and rolls the condom on. He brushes his stiffened member against me and pushes past my entrance filling me. His lips forcefully captures mine, he groans. Each thrust he draws out slowly then thrust back fast and hard, I can't get enough of him!
My nails dig into his back, he hisses "God Laila!" His lips move to my pulse line every nerve ending feels electrified with each thrust, touch, kiss I can barely hold back a moan. I flip us both to his surprise "Whoa!" He screams.
"I need a bit of control too!" I start to move my hips riding him.
"By all....means I'm.....willing to....let....you take ohh god....the reins!" He struggles to get his words out.
His hands grasp my hips, and he bucks to match my rhythm "Ooooh Rory bear!"
He smirks "You know I love....this neeew pet name!" He groans.
He sits up placing his hand on the back of my neck, pulling me to his lips. He catches my lip between his teeth as he pulls me tight against his bare chest, "I can't..."
His lips brush against my ear "Let go, Laila! I'm barely holding on myself!" This is all it takes to send me falling over the edge. Rory shudders as he finds his own climax.
We are both panting barely catching our breath. He smiles up at me "Laila, that was...wow just wow!"
I smile "It was amazing!"
He pulls me into a soft kiss we are interrupted by the sound of his phone.
I collapse onto the bed next to him while he reaches for it. He reads the message "Everything OK?" I ask.
He turns to me with a cheeky smile "Just my Mom, she's going to have Amy for the night!"
"Oh?"
He lay next to me "You know what that means?" He smirks.
I try to hide a smile (I know exactly what it means by the smile on his face) "What does it mean?"
"Round 2" he pulls me onto him.
"HEY! You promised to cook me dinner!"
He smirks "We'll order in...After!"
He starts laying kisses along my pulse line, and we get lost in each other embrace again.
I’m tagging you because I know your a Lovelink fan lovely @khoicesbyk​
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