#and that is exactly why my main verse for her is set for her to return to bevelle after x-2.

[braskide]

thinking about an unsent yuna verse to cope with the horrors today.

( clinging to life because she feels like her work is never done; becoming the very essence of what she has sworn to defy. being unable to let go of the high summoner duties entrusted to her and the ones she put on herself, because she does not want anyone else to take on the heavy mantle of sacrifice. )

[thisbarbiereallylikesbirds]

Why Tang Shen is soo interesting to me

Okay with all the Nameless Trio content I’ve been posting I feel the need to let you guys know why I find Shen so interesting. This may be a long one but I have LOTS of thoughts so please hang tight.

“If we interfere Splinter will never move to New York and buy four baby turtles”

Donnie in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) S3 E19

First of all Shen is literally the reason the story happens in most iterations. If it weren’t for her death, Hamato Yoshi likely never would’ve moved to New York, never bought the turtles, and they never would’ve gotten mutated. Without her there’d be no story. And yet she’s barely ever mentioned in canon.

Now I could talk for ages about fridging women and why it’s a stupid out-dated, over-used, misogynistic trope. And I’m not even going to pretend that’s not what happened to her. But one of the main problems with fridging is the fact that after the woman’s death sets the plot into motion (usually for some sort of love interest) she’s eventually forgotten by the plot. Women in fiction deserve better treatment than that. Real women deserve better representation than that.

However there’s another way that characters who die before the story starts can be utilized. One that I’m absolutely OBSESSED with. And that is the idea of haunting the narrative. Two of the best examples that I can think of are Mara from She-Ra and Caleb Wittenbane from the Owl House. Both characters are dead before the series begins. For a while the only way that we know about them is through what the other characters tell us. And, of course, this is a very biased view of the person. Sometimes it’s very one dimensional. 

But even though we know almost nothing about them, they linger. They are everywhere in the story. So many things only happen because of them. Memories of Caleb are everywhere in Phillip’s mindscape. Hunter’s entire life is dictated by the memory of a man who died hundreds of years ago. And even the door, the things that brings Luz the the Boiling Isles and sets the whole story into motion only is opened for her because Caleb stole it from Belos and buried it in the backyard of his family home. We don’t know much about Mara but we know that Adora is in a way doomed to follow in her footsteps. 

“In every other universe Gwen Stacy falls for Spider-Man. And in every other universe…it doesn’t end well.”

Spider-Gwen in Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

So we’ve talked about out-of-universe stuff. But what about what’s in the actual story? Due to the crossovers we know that all the iterations of TMNT sort of exist in the same way all the universes exist in the Spider-Verse world. They all have their own dimension. I can’t help but think of the parallels not only between the worlds but the characters who live within them. Gwen Stacy dies in every universe but one. She knows this. Unfortunately, the universe where she survives isn’t exactly kind to her. She loses her best friend. She loses Miles. She loses her father. She loses any chance at having a normal life. 

In 2012 the turtles have a conversation with Shen where she is trying to pick between Oroku Saki and Hamato Yoshi. Of course they don’t know this at the time, but one of the choices will lead to her death. However, it will also lead to the world being saved from a variety of threats. But what if she did know? What if Shen knew that she would be sacrificing herself? What if she knew that in every other universe she was doomed to die? In every universe but one, that is.

Tang Shen is never said to be dead in ROTTMNT. But we only see her once in a movie poster. We know she exists but she has no relevance. As far as we know, she’s out there living her best life. So what is she like? What would a person be like in the one universe where she gets to live?

I really hope this wasn’t too long but thank you so much for reading this whole thing! If you want some content about Rise!Shen then visit the Nameless Trio tag on my blog, she’s one of the three main characters in that au.

[that-ari-blogger]

Who exactly is this about? (I'm Not That Girl)

When you are finding someone to play Elphaba in a production of Wicked, you need someone with range. Not just vocal range, but acting skill. Because they need to be able to perform with the stage presence and anger inherent in Defying Gravity, but they also need to be able to reach the devastating low that is I'm Not That Girl.

To me, I'm Not That Girl is at the core of what Wicked is, and what musicals are in general. It is a combination of singing and acting, and is someone excelling at both.

But, I would like to drive home the queer reading of this story, and try to explain why I think that reading adds to the message and power of the musical.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD (Wicked)

I don't think I need to explain why this song hits so unbelievably hard. It's about unrequited love, and its a strength of the satire that is this musical.

Usually in musicals and fairy tales, the love story is fairly uncomplicated, with an extra option thrown in but not really given much depth and the audience doesn't really buy the drama.

Seriously, how many of you shipped Belle and Gastone?

So, this is a song about that love not working out, not because of plot reasons, but because its entirely one sided at this point. To Elphaba's knowledge, and probably the audience's as well, Fiyero loves Galinda, and there's nothing she can do about it.

"Don't wish, don't start Wishing only wounds the heart I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl There's a girl I know He loves her so I'm not that girl"

This is the other side of love, heartbreak.

Elphaba is a relatively rational character. She has been through the ringer and has ended up detached and restricted in her emotions. Now, someone has pushed through her barriers and she doesn't know what to do about it.

This song seems to me like Elphaba wrestling with love as a whole. Don't feel, don't try. It'll hurt too much, it's not worth the pain. So why can't she stop thinking about it?

The term "rose and thorn" sent me down a spiral.

Both Florists' Transworld Delivery and Bloom and Wild gave a ton of meanings for roses that boiled down to "it's romantic."

Pearls meanwhile have a ton of meanings depending on the culture. The blog My Pearl proposed these, most of which did not have anything to do with love at all. According to My Pearl, pearls are commonly associated with purity, innocence, and wisdom. So, not particularly romantic. However, My Pearl did say this:

"[White Pearls] are often seen as symbols of new beginnings and are often used as gifts for special occasions such as weddings and anniversaries."

So, this is a symbol of a happy ending, and Elphaba is essentially saying that she doesn't deserve that because of her birth. In essence, she is convinced that her difference makes her unworthy of happiness, which... if you think this about yourself, please don't. I don't know who you are, but you are worthy of love.

"Every so often we long to steal To the land of what-might-have-been But that doesn't soften the ache we feel When reality sets back in"

My main point for this series on Wicked as a whole has been that it is about dreams and reality colliding, and this verse fits with that. It's Elphaba letting herself imagine and fantasise about a stolen moment with Fiyero. Once again, at this point she has no idea that Fiyero likes her back, so this is purely theoretical.

I have been using the free sheet music from this website for my analysis, and I would like to stress before I continue that I am far from an expert on the actual theory of music here. I can point to which bits go up and down, and can name a few chords, but I can't tell you about the intricate workings of that.

With that said, allow me to attempt some music theory.

The time signature of this song is all over the place, split between 4/4 and 6/8. In other words, sometimes the bars finish earlier, and so the thoughts within continue, pulling you along as you wait for the conclusion.

In this song, the two signatures differentiate that splitting of reality and dreams. For example, the verse below is in 6/8 time:

As Elphaba imagines, she breaks from reality and the verse is really flowy, almost comforting within the song. But then it ceases the second she comes back to reality.

This keeps happening. Elphaba starts in reality, then drifts into dreams and comes crashing back down.

This time, however, the reality of the verse is about Galinda, the barrier between Elphaba and happiness, the wall she stands in her way. Although, it's a little bit odd to talk about a romantic rival in the way that Elphaba does, isn't it?

"Blithe smile, lithe limb She who's winsome, she wins him Gold hair with a gentle curl"

Let's talk about Dolly Parton.

I genuinely had a whole section trying to argue that this song is the Jolene of musical theatre, but then multiple people mentioned it to me in person by that term, and @a-fast-rebloger referred to it as such here on tumblr. So clearly I'm preaching to the converted here.

So instead, I'm going to explain what that means.

First up, the queer coding of Jolene is barely less than explicit, its essentially the one Romeo and Juliet speech that everyone remembers. "Romeo, romeo, am I in love with you?"

But, the song actually has a history with the queer community, with this article by Nadine Hubbs detailing its implications. The song also has covers and rewrites that bring that subtext to the forefront by Nadine Hubbs, Rainaeiry, Annapantsu (@annapantsu), Jessica Rica, and Dolly Parton herself (Although I have not been able to find footage of this), as well as arguably the versions by Lil Nas X and Caleb Hyles.

Rainaeiry has two covers of Jolene on her youtube channel, by the way, and a cover of I'm Not That Girl that I highly recommend.

Jolene is a song about unrequited love and being unable to do anything about it, and the song focuses on the woman who forms the barrier to this love. It is a song about defeat.

"Your beauty is beyond compare With flaming locks of auburn hair Ivory skin and eyes of emerald green Your smile is like a breath of spring Your voice is soft like summer rain And I cannot compete with you Jolene"

Compare that with this:

"Blithe smile, lithe limb She who's winsome, she wins him Gold hair with a gentle curl That's the girl he chose And Heaven knows I'm not that girl"

This is more than just thematic parallels, this is subject overlap, and remember when I mentioned the dreams vs reality theme being expressed by the time signature? Well take a look at the time signature for that verse.

The verse switches halfway through, as Elphaba begins describing her friend, and that dreaminess comes back as she discusses Galinda, but then dissipates when she remembers where she stands.

This is a love song by Elphaba, about Galinda. It's about how Elphaba isn't deserving, how she isn't pretty, how she isn't chosen. And who does she associate with those traits, but Galinda.

And here is where my reading comes in, finally. I read both of these witches as either biromantic or bisexual, probably both. Galinda for reasons I will get to in a later post, but Elphaba because of this song.

This song to me, is a true love triangle. Elphaba is desperately in love with both Fiyero and Galinda, but she can't reconcile those feelings, and she can see that they both seem to make each other happy, and she doesn't want to break that for either of them. This is a song about defeat.

I keep separating the line "I'm not that girl" from the rest of the verses, and I've been doing that for a reason. The line gets separated by the music as a melodic outlier.

Every part of the song rises and falls. I'm not sure what this is technically called musically, but it's like a ramp or a ski jump. The notes lower slowly, then raise sharply and drop off even more so, as seen above. This matches the song as a whole, which rises and falls in the same way. But consider the following:

This is the only line in the entire song that only descends. It is a line of resignation, as the reality weighs down on our protagonist. Once again, this is a song about someone who does not feel like she deserves love from either Fiyero or Galinda, because of how she was born.

And I will say this again: If you feel like Elphaba here, that you are undeserving of affection, then you are wrong. Everyone is worthy of love, even you.

Final Thoughts

The correct term for this song is "heart wrenching".

While it isn't my favourite in the musical, you will just have to wait and see for that, it is definitely up there, and is one of the few numbers in all of musical theatre that I would classify as a perfect song.

Also, I would not be able to forgive myself if I wrote this post and didn't mention that Steffan Hughes' rendition of I'm Not That Girl is genuinely the most emotionally resonant video on YouTube and it needs more attention than it has.

Next week, I will be looking at One Short Day, so stick around if that interests you.

Previous - Next

[swirlygigg]

hi swirly!! i was planning on making files and also engaging in irl hypnokink both as a dom and a sub-- i was wondering if you have any guides for it?

hi anon! i will tell you, i don't have quite so much experience with irl stuff as i do online, but i will try to talk about it a little!

first, as far as hypnosis safety, i highly recommend you reading @misscammiedawn's thoughts about hypnosis. she always makes really comprehensive posts about hypnosis and i think many of her points and emphasis on safeties in hypnosis are excellent--she is particularly well-versed in talking about safety in regards to mental health too which i think is important.

i also really love @h-sleepingirl, whose guides on hypnosis also emphasize safety in a way that is practical and useful! honestly, their work and especially their site is super useful for anyone trying to get into hypnokink!

lastly, as far as files, my gold standard has always been @secret-subject! not only are secret's files very engaging, they're always very thorough in their content descriptions and have a real focus on safety too.

as far as my own work... i mean, i love making files, and typically when you're making a file, you're usually in a dom mindset! i think the main guiding thoughts i have had are to focus on a few things.

what is the roadmap of your file? unlike with irl hypnosis, the file sort of needs to know exactly where it's going, so it's good to have an idea and to sketch out what kind of trance, effect(s), and wakener you make for your listener! that also lets you make a comprehensive description so people know whether they want to engage or not.

what kind of hypnosis techniques are you employing? mixing techniques is fun, but can make for confusing trances, so i like to choose maybe 3 techniques maximum for a short file. usually it's easiest to do nice long inductions followed by fractionation, then whatever creative technique you like best! i like mantras so that's usually what i do as my third thing. then i like to choose a standard wakener for the end... or sometimes i don't put one at all, but you should put that in your description so people can choose to set an alarm or other wakener of their choice after!

how do you want your listener to feel before, during, and after? obviously some people like to install obedience triggers, but i find those like playing with fire--and i am a little bit of a pyrophobe. i love pleasure and obedience, but some people want to play with fear or pain, which is cool as long as you're practicing Risk Aware Consensual Kink! on a personal note, since you are coming from a dom mindset generally, i believe you should also think about whether someone listening might need reassurance or special attention after, and if you can provide that with your words, it's better to put it rather than omit it. after all, if your listener wants to sit in those feelings, they can always stop the file before the aftercare portion--this is why i think having a comprehensive description matters!

gosh this is a long post already, but to talk about irl stuff...

obviously i started off talking about safety because hypnosis can be quite a lot! there is a lot of trust that you are putting with another person, whether you dom or sub. like with any kink, vet people! talk among a community or with other people who play in the space to get a feel for who you are around. know what you want when you are looking for an experience (even if what you want is to experiment!) and always make sure that no matter what side of hypnosis you're on, that you negotiate! i believe it's important to ensure that people involved can stop the scene, even if they are in trance.

as you play with people in real life, don't be discouraged if you don't easily drop or if you struggle to drop someone! like many kinks, it takes practice to look as effortless as the hottest fantasies you have. if you find people who are willing to play, you will probably develop a closer bond and trust that will make it easier to drop/be dropped over time.

i have more to say, but it's late--anon (and others who read this), feel free to drop another ask if there are specifics! i will answer to the best of my ability o7

[danggirlronpa]

Oh! I didn't expect you to turn it back on me and ask if I had any suggestions... But I actually do!

retrograde brain (why is boredom your fate?) by Firedawn (Serpyre): kyouko/ryouko & super interesting! I really liked their relationship in it, though I will admit it's not the only focus; Junko's sister-relationship with Mukuro gets some focus too. Mukuro might actually be one of my favorite parts aside from the relationship in this one, too; I think the ending is PERFECT as well. Definitely more on the heavy side of things, but a very good read.

I Can't Fix It (is this where i give in?) by TheImmortalFlame: this one features a trans girl!Ouma named Keiko, which might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I definitely liked. It's a lot of AUs in a trench coat, too; most notably despair!Ouma. The ships are Maki/Keiko & Junko/Keiko and is pretty dark/sad but has a happy ending in the end. Love wins!

The Threshold by tsurugikinjo: a Junkan first meeting reimagining (not compliant with DR3), and one of my favorite versions of it. Warning for contemplation of suicide though, nothing happens but there are thoughts.

Mission: Inshoppable by Ripley Scrolls: more Mukuro focused than romance focused, but Komaru goes shopping with Mukuro to try and find something for Syo for her birthday, very cute! Definitely one of the more fluffy ones on this list.

Hopeless Devotion by Snarky_Sociopath: another Junkan reimagining (not complaint with DR3). I would warn that there's background incest between Mukuro and Junko, but the author has said that's only because they are like that in the DR3 canon, and that they aren't trying to romanticize it. It's also not the focus. I definitely understand if anyone wants to skip it because of that, however, as the topic makes me uncomfortable, too. It also focuses on some of the twilight syndrome girls relationships to Mikan in a very enjoyable way, too!

Chiaki Nanami Doesn't Smile by Oceantoast: Enonami with despair!Chiaki; I'm so starved of enonami content that I eat all of these sort of fics up.

Absolutely, Unnaturally, Picture-Perfect by lonely_lowri: a Mahiru character study!!! Less romance focused, but it definitely has Sato/Mahiru & Hiyoko/Mahiru in it.

Her Smile is the Sun by Midnightdemonht: This one is a Junko character study through the eyes of the remnants (not DR3 complaint), so it's not exactly focused on the romances? But they are definitely there.

Everything You've Ever Dreamed by VanadisValentine: NON DESPAIR JUNKAN... it's very sweet. They do a lot of non despair/non abusive Junkan so if that's someone's vibe, I definitely recommend their works!

Write Your Name In Secrets by PekoIsBaby: one of my favorite Celestia/Kyouko fics ever!!! It's plot is pretty darn good, too—I definitely recommend it for anyone who even has a passing interest in these two, it's really good!

Remember by PekoIsBaby: Sakura/Aoi, and my favorite of the pairing I've read. I wasn't immediately sold on the premise of mythical creature au but this one is really, really good. Even if you too aren't immediately sold on the premise, I do recommend reading it anyways because it may just surprise you!

Red Fingernails by PekoIsBaby: Mikan recovering from Junko fic with a bunch of Mikan/girls pairings, aha, though a lot of them are only implied. Ibuki/Mikan is the main ship, if I remember correctly, but there's minor Akane/Mikan & Mahiru/Mikan too. Mikan recovery fic wooo let's go!!!

Sound Bites by starrylitme: Ibuki/Sayaka focus with some Ibuki/Junko, set in the IF-verse. I don't even ship Ibuki/Sayaka but this really made me a lot more interested in them! The way they both relate to music in different ways... very interesting.

Phantasmal Voices by Kayleen756894: ghost!Junko non despair Junkan AU... warning for suicide, but very very good so far! It hasn't updated in a few years, but I'm hoping it will eventually because it's super good.

Pink Heart Flutter by GalaxyAqua: VERY FLUFFY AND CUTE... miu/kaede, just pure fluff.

To Destinations Unknown by GalaxyAqua: a very good NWP post-V3 Miu/Angie AU. Probably my favorite Miu/Angie work out there, tbh.

Burning Your Eyes In The Sun by Jacynon: TENKO/ANGIE MY BELOVED... post-V3 NWP AU, and my favorite Tenko/Angie work I've read. I love Tenko/Angie & I think this work really incapsulates why.

like an island, just me and you by criminalheart: Mikan/Tenko in UTDP & really, really good!!! I loved how it explored Mikan & didn't shy away from her sometimes darker tendencies while still having Tenko be a light in the darkness for her... and it was very sweet, the whole thing.

you and god both got the guns by Jacynon: Tsumugi/Angie & a GREAT exploration of it. Tsumugi-focused.

Better Brighter by starrylitme: NANAMIKI PRE-DESPAIR... I love this one because Mikan is a bit unhinged in it. We need more toxic doomed Yuri nanamiki & I stick by that. This isn't exactly that, but it does scratch the itch somewhat. My favorite Nanamiki story out there!!

a series in poor focus by revolutionator: SATO/MAHIRU MY BELOVED.... probably my favorite Sato/Mahiru works!

Patient Logs by shsldespair: a Mikan-focused recovery fic, with past Junkan. She talks a lot about their relationship & some of the things she says are permanently ingraved in my head... this was written before DR3, I'm pretty sure, so it's not complaint with that.

stillness in woe by sonia (orphan_account): RYOUKO/MIKAN MY BELOVED... plus it's a goddess au which is so cool!!!

Incomplete by GalaxyAqua: Akane/Mikan, and probably the best of the ship I've read! Very good. A little on the sad side, but ultimately hopeful - it's set in a non despair AU.

Liar by monsterkiss: Sayaka/Junko & one of my favorites of the ship! It's from Junko's POV which is cool to see, & canon compliant.

Soft (But Only For Her) by Kayleen756894: a collection of nine abusive Junkan fics, very sweet!!

Those are just some of my favorites! I also didn't include any that I wrote (though you can go looking for them; my account is Buttercup_ghost and I do have a fair amount of them), just ones others wrote. Happy reading!!

Sorry this ask took so long to get to!! I held off to read all of them so I could offer my own thoughts, but I don't think I'll be able to for at least another month or two, and I definitely don't want to wait so long to share such a well crafted list T_T For now, I'll post it for others to see & so I can come back to it later!!

[redpiperfox]

it's that time again~

Album listen-thru of Ive's Switch~

All in all, the aesthetics in color of early 2000s (bless, they didn't follow the mainstream sound of how people are categorizing early 2000s nostalgia alsdjkfhklasjdfh), the Ive elegance woven into a bright, spring album, A+, 10/10, much enjoyed!

Now song by song:

해야 (HEYA)

What a fun song~! Absolutely won me first listen, definitely has that ethereal dusky wind-in-your-hair backlit euphoria to it, riding on top of a little high-heel, chin-up confidence. Powerful and pretty, in a stunning sort of way.

Yujin's part in the second verse runs rent-free on loops through my head, and the pre-chorus to chorus Ascends, I love the little transition/nod sound between them, and the way everything bursts into the chorus-- and that even that eruption of sound still outdoes itself and explodes in the final chorus, high note overlaying and all.

Visually, what a pretty mv! Exactly the sort of thing I expected from the teasers we got, and captures a sort of aesthetic that perfectly fits and conceptualizes Ive's niche. The set reminded me of that one Twice set in Scientist, but perfectly set it in a cultural and very specific nostalgic-reminiscent mood that I absolutely adore. Pastels and clouds and all. And tying it in with the lyrics? Absolutely beautiful, love!

Accendio

I won't lie, the first line set me off a little XD Why are we talking about priests, what's going on girls lol BUT THEN-- the actual ascension in the chorus outro? Those harmonies and chord building coming out? Hello there~!

Lyrically, it perfectly encapsulates the entirety of the album, and I think the chorus achieved the perfect balance in catchy and elegant that Baddie was setting them up for last comeback. I also love that I could catch this battle between evil and good in the production before the mv dropped-- the second verse drops you straight into a basement of bad intentions, and retrospectively makes that opening line confession make so much sense. It gives the pre-chorus the desparation before the chorus comes in with it's commands-- it's spells of protection almost.

And then the mv!!!

Oh what an mv. Everytime a storytelling mv graces us, I want to put it on a pedestal and run a presidential campaign for it because THISSSS WE NEED MORE OF THISSSS~~~

I love main character Gaeul, I love the girls power up moments into Sailor Moon-esque heroines, and then battling evil versions of themselves, (shoutout to the stylists, oh, keep doing what you're doing!!) I loved all the fight sequences, I loved the quirky plot of keeping this wand safe and then losing it, I love the ambience and color of the whole story-- it supported the music so well? The fast moving parts, the scenes where we could gasp as Yujin slammed her hand into the glass and beckoned us back, the throwback into the timeline, the fight sequences~

Really well done, Ive. A beautiful mash of elegant into a fun turn-of-the-season summer comeback.

Blue Heart

Heyo, Wonyoung written beauty!

The production draws straight from the lighter parts of Accendio, in that protective but smiling, fun image, in a spell, a promise of letting you come close but never as close as you want. It fits perfectly between Ice Queen and Accendio, in a heroine protecting herself, floating just above it all, but when she drops into the mess of it in the chorus, it's fully armored and confidently winning. And I do love the verses and the ascension in the bridge where it really does feel above the clouds and touched in the pastels of a free sky, and how perfectly it contrasts with the chorus.

Lyrically, I'll let her speak for her own song, because there's something really precious and admirable about the work she put into this song (end of the article):

tldr; She writes it as a tribute to female idols in a harsh industry and the image and personality they chose to put out in comparison to their inner strength to protect themselves.

I also want to include lyric analysis by @aidollze on twitter, with a special shout out to Ms Wonyoung for her legal work in bringing down a youtuber for defamation against kpop idols:

Ice Queen

Sent me right back to Hypnosis from their full album, instant love.

Musically, the production is like a bubbling, clear and fresh bubbling spring in the verses that freezes into the chorus, sharp angles and prisitine edges. It's sea-curly hair and curious smiles over the shoulder into combed back buns under a tiara, looking down their noses, critical, moving from level playing fields to a power play.

The lyrics only supported the imagery it gave me, and even added this undertone of the daughter of Halsey's Castle, especially if coupled with Blue Heart's message, which? Gives me all the brainworms? But anyway XD

Wow

How fun~ This feels like a run through a water park or summer vacation in a theme part in the chorus, and the sit-back and reminisce breathlessly in the verses and bridge.

It's funny how the lyrics talk about being opposites but attracting so well, because it gives me that rush of planets spinning frantically and almost out of control when together in the chorus, and then throwing each other out of their orbits to observe and wonder from a distance, only to be thrown back together for the thrill of it again.

Reset

"Kiki, do you love me, are you riding--"

Sorry XD A little more in the brightly colored jungle, in the weeds and unknown of things, before that lovely little astronomically intrumental production into the chorus, where you're stuck to this fun beat, childish in it's fun, almost. I don't know! This song is somewhere between the jungle rhythm and the intergalactic kids ride! And then it finishes and drops abruptly, like it's only there to quickly pass you by before you can hop on and join.

A very fun and chill ending to a bright mini album, that leaves you feeling light!

Ive always has my attention, and if the sheer vocal talent between Liz and Yujin isn't enough, their commitment to their niche of elegance while being able to try and sort invent concepts, has me tuning in each and every time.

Would love to hear thoughts people had on this comeback or on Ive in general!!

[mareenavee]

WIP Whenever, once again <3

Hi Friends!!!

I'm swamped with holiday stuff, work for Skywind, fic, and also a significant novel collab I'm working on with a very dear friend of mine! Original, too! We're in the prewriting stages and I'm HYPED.

(This is why I am not tagging anyone on these, I have vanishingly few minutes for Tumblr.)

But back on the fic wagon, I have been working on both World Chapter 32 and an Untitled Ghost Story set in Morrowind-times, speaking of Skywind.

My same very dear friend and I have adopted these OCs from cut content in another project and I've decided to write him a fanfiction.

Veru Bavani belongs to Indoril Jinumon. Ulpar Enakul is, technically, both of ours. (:

The palindrome verse was Indoril Jinumon's work, originally, written for this character's dialogue.

The Ald Chimeris below was written originally by Strager (on AO3) and means: "You dare come here!?"

CW for canon typical violence and general spookiness!

Without further ado, under the cut, today's selection is from Untitled Ghost Story! 798 words.

Veru’s heart sank. Enemies from all directions, and this was how they treated their captives. She closed her eyes and bowed her head in a silent prayer, just in case nobody had bothered to remember this one when they were alive.

As she was recounting her verse, she could have sworn she heard murmuring and then movement in the air, as if someone had walked past. She opened her eyes and whipped around to check, but the corpse was exactly as she left it. Everything remained as unchanged as it had been when she’d discovered this place. A chill ran down her spine, air going cold—or so she thought. Was that her breath fogging? Of course not—it was as dry and overly warm as it had been for a while now. She exhaled through her nose and turned on her heel. It was a dead end, anyway. She would have to climb back out to the main chamber and try again. As she began her ascent, she turned and looked over her shoulder one last time. Wait—had the skull shifted? No. No. Don’t be stupid. Let the dead rest.

Back at the main chamber, she chose the middle path next, marking another Vehk rune before she moved on. This one was pristine in a strange way, the rocks beneath her feet smoothed over as if, long ago, it had once been a kind of road. Now nothing remained, not even an echo of the civilization which had made their last stand here. Nothing except ashes, if even that.

Veru walked for what seemed like hours, the gloom crushing in around her as she descended further into the depths. She stopped only to carve more Vehk runes, the first ever. This could have been below the citadel—the way seemed correct, the last she was able to determine. As she made her way, the stalactites thinned, replaced instead with high ceilings of twisted, once-molten rock, sharp and curled like the spiked armor on a dremora. The light of her torch did nothing to alleviate the oppressive vastness into which she could not see. Anything could be up ahead. Her throat felt like it would close in the silence, but it would not do to risk her voice now, when anything could be out there and so much was at stake. Gritting her teeth, she stepped carefully in time with the verse in her head. She drew her sword and adjusted her grip on the torch. The flame flickered, her shadow like a monster merging with the greater darkness. She inhaled deeply, eyes wide and watchful for any hint of movement. 

Swords, like words said with pride, cutting pride with said words, like swords.

Between one inhale and the next, something screeched out of nowhere in a rush of freezing wind which smothered the flame of her torch. Though blinded, she was prepared for something like this—some nefarious Dwemer abomination. There was another screech to her right, and with a yell, she struck out with her sword. She was met with the pale green-blue glow of a revenant, its sword locked with hers, ice crystals crawling along the blade of hers. His face was twisted in an ugly snarl, eyes not inches from hers as he advanced with all his strength.

“Ni kana shanta sino?!”

The voice sounded myriad, like a thousand-thousand souls had been woken from their slumber to scream the words. She didn’t know this language, and in her inability to respond, the spectre was thrown off guard, just so. It was enough. She parried, the sharp screech of ethereal metal against glass echoing out into the void around them. The ghost charged at her again, sword raised, leaving him wide open. Veru stepped left, dodging his strike only to stab into his ectoplasmic form from the side. A shriek unlike anything she’d ever heard before pierced her skull. She cried out and tried to block out the noise with her hands. The ghost disappeared and reformed feet in front of her, the noise of its scream still disarming her as it reverberated.

He raised his sword, and in a flash that stung her eyes to tears, flames sprung up around the perimeter of the room from sconces in the wall. Veru wiped the sweat from her eyes and rushed in for another hit. The ghost was faster than she anticipated, and struck out with the pommel of his sword, uttering another sharp shriek that seemed to come from everywhere all at once. The pommel connected with the side of her head, sending another explosion of pain through her skull, enough to pull the darkness back into the edges of her vision. She screamed and, though dizzy, moved in for another stab in the opening his ill-advised blow left.

[fluffykitteninabox]

ok I'm gonna say it because it's been bothering me for months

I watched a review of across the spider verse a bit after it came out, I don't remember which youtuber it was, but basically they said that they didn't like how overly focused the film was on the emotional parent speeches. Now that's a personal preference thing, they can say they don't like the parent-child dynamic being the main theme, I'm not here to say they're wrong for disliking it.

However they said in their review they thought that specifically the scene with Peter and MJ at the end was unnecessary. Their reasoning, as I remember it, was that we already have the Miles and Rio scene and then the Gwen and her dad scene, and so we don't need to see the same scene again. And this has been bothering me ever since I heard it. I couldn't exactly put into words why, but it just didn't feel like that particular criticism was right, or even genuine tbh. It felt like they just wanted to say something negative about it and they came up with this.

After rewatching the film many times I'm finally able to express why I felt that. All these parent speech scenes are trying to accomplish something different for the narrative. There not just interchangeable, and if you cut one of them out it would definitely affect the film for the worse.

Cutting Gwen's reconciliation with her dad at the end ruins her character arc and the entire side plot of her "starting a band". She needs to hear her dad say "I quit" for her to have the final realisation that "canon" can in fact be changed. Otherwise she wouldn't be gathering everyone to go help Miles.

The Miles and Rio scene is needed for a lot of things. It's a set up scene and there's multiple pay offs during the rest of the runtime.

Miles hesitates to tell his mom that he's spiderman, then later he actually says it to 42Rio

Rio tels Miles to not let people tell him that he doesn't belong, then Miles beats the spider society and Miguel after he literally tells him that he doesn't belong

Rio tells him she's afraid people won't accept him like they do, and then Miles tells 42Rio that she was right and that they didn't want him

These all seem small but they're very important for his character arc. If the Miles and Rio speech doesn't happen, Miles wouldn't have the motivation to tell his mom he's spiderman. This would fundamentally change the ending of the film

Finally the entire reason I'm making this post in the first place. The MJ scene.

In my opinion this scene is actually ESSENTIAL, because it encapsulates all the major themes of the film.

"there's no playbook for raising someone like her... or being someone you. You just gotta make the right adjustments at half-time."

This is literally foreshadowing the answer to the main conflict. I kept coming back to these words specifically because they are the perfect summary for the main theme of this film.

Across the spider verse deconstructs the meaning of being spiderman. It asks us to consider what it truly means to be spiderman. Is it just a set of repeating tropes across different timelines, or is it about helping where you can? And despite the trilogy not being finished yet, the answer to this question is very obviously there in front of us.

There is no set way to be spiderman

Sure the different variations have gone through some similar events in their lives, but even the supposed "canon" that Miguel tries to uphold isn't actually something they all share. Miguel himself was never bitten by a spider and doesn't even have a spider sense, yet he's still very much spiderman.

These rules aren't set in stone

There's no destiny, there's no "canon", there's no script to follow. Just like there's no answer to the meaning of life™. You give your own life meaning.

You write your own story

[giuilily]

"But I'm not gonna complain if it gives us the possibility of getting her back in Part 3 lol" <- agree haha I was totally ready to accept her death (tbh i did not even consider that she wouldn't die this time until people were speculating about it before rebirth's release loll) but I am happy that we may get her back and also intrigued to see how they try to tie all of this together...

I think my overall feelings on Rebirth in general will depend a lot on how game 3 ends up going. Remake I feel can stand on its own a bit better since it is so contained. But truly why did we literally fight destiny at the end of Remake if things are just going to end up the same lol what was the point of all this! It also feels quite a downer to be like well you actually cannot change fate sorry lmao nice try though.

Something that concerns me with the defying fate/destiny thing is 1. Biggs dies anyway despite being saved 2. Zack ends up facing a firing squad no matter what (when he goes looking for hojo or when he goes after Biggs, although ofc in that case he chooses to throw himself into the void instead which i suppose could be seen as a change lol) so it's like... their fate is repeating itself in these different worlds, can it be changed? (I'm still confused as to the big rainbow flash on the Biggs path when Zack chooses to go to Hojo, does that mean theres a universe where Biggs goes to the reactor and Zack doesn't follow him so Biggs.. lives in that one?)

"I'm gonna hold the devs to that since no one asked them to add in new themes to an almost 30 yo game lol." <- lmfao for real. One of my biggest concerns about this whole thing was that they were going to waaay over complicate it (looking at you kingdom hearts) and I am reserving full judgement until things are complete but I def have not had my worries assuaged yet lol

Oh yes! I forgot we saw a chihuahua/spitz plush during the date. So the terrier-verse is still around but im pretty sure Zack is no longer alive in it lol unless he got sent back there again since it is the most relevant other universe. I wonder if Aerith and Cloud will ever wake up there... (maybe Saved Aerith will wake up there? if that did not create a New stamp-verse).

I agree with you on Rebirth. I did enjoy it gameplay-wise (except the moogles they can go to hell lol) and the battle system should definitely become a staple in future numbered FFs, but narrative-wise, because it's the middle part of game, there were a lot of new set-ups along with the OG story beats that we're still waiting for the pay offs in part 3, and I think they need to make it good, otherwise, if they did all of that in Rebirth and it's just gonna be the same as OG, then they just dangled Aerith's fate for suspense and marketing and nothing else. That would be pretty disrespecftul for both the character and the fans tbh.

Hmmm... I think Biggs's situation is kinda tricky in both Pug and Terrier verse because he sorta put himself in a situation where he's tempting fate. I'm kind of leaning on him dying in Terrier too since he's already at the Mako reactor already, but maybe Zack not being there to distract him puts him less at risk of getting caught by Shinra?

Biggs' death and Zack getting pulled in situations that mirror his OG death kinda reminded me of Final Destination, but I hope Nojima wasn't watching those movies while writing the Re Trilogy lol.

I think as long as they keep on putting themselves in those situations, serving their OG purpose in the narrative and facing exactly what got them killed the first time, they're basically tempting fate to finish its job. Idk how this will all play out or how they can avoid it if they need to take action.

And I'm sure Aerith will wake up in Terrier, but I'm worried about Sephiroth hunting her down in every world she's in. Cloud might find himself waking up there as well after he falls into a coma in the main world, and probably will have dreams of the place like in Rebirth, but I'm unsure if they'll wake up at the same time or not. Ngl, I would LOVE it if we form a party with him, Aerith and Zack. The potential awkward conversations would be SO funny lol.

Honestly the new worlds are so fascinating to me because the writers aren't constrained to OG in those parts. I know they'll all eventually merge, but I can't wait to see how they'll handle them and how the game will conclude!

[bobbydagen24]

my five favourite animated movie villains of the past 15 years ( if you wanna share who yours are down below I'd love to read them)

5. Chef from Trolls 2016.

not exactly a complex character by any means she's selfish sadistic and has no real sympathetic qualities at all.

she made herself Rich and Famous by being the head Chef of Bergen town killing and cooking Trolls literally writing a Book on the subject.

and after the Trolls escape and she's Banished from her home forced to live a life of obsessed solitude in the woods for 20 years searching for the Trolls.

she's established in the film as only caring about using the Trolls to get herself back in a position of power as opposed to her actually caring about her people being happy again.

and she's shown being subtly judgmental of King Gristle Jr clearly resenting the fact that he's technically in charge instead of her ( which tbf he is an idiot but his heart is in the right place )

and its clearly established that she can easily twist him around her finger and she wants to basically rule Bergentown from behind the scenes.

so yeah like I said Chef isn't complex or anything for me I like her just because she's so simple in a way she's just a good old fashioned villain who loves what she does and is easy to hate.

and her implied actions in her backstory are pretty Horrifying to be honest.

4. Spot from Across The Spider Verse 2023.

I mean for starters the guy's just adorable lol he's so clumsy and awkward and talkative and just very bad at being bad. 😂😂😂😂

and the situation of his origin is kinda complex enough that I feel bad for him even tho it isn't as cut and dry as him being an out and out victim.

as he was still a criminal scientist working for the Kingpin but him ending up basically disfigured in a way and lumped with powers that he couldn't control at first.

I mean at the start of the film he had next to no control over where his portals went to or when they opened.

like imagine how Horrible that would actually be its like he had Tourette's only his Tick was portals that could literally jump him to anywhere at any given time.

and it is pretty sad how he said because of his condition he couldn't find a Job and his own family were too ashamed to even be around him.

so yeah while he was never exactly an innocent victim he was someone who was way over punished for his sins and it was kinda understandable why he snapped and became worse in the end.

after no one took his pain seriously let alone actually tried to help him.

3. Kingpin from Into The Spider Verse 2018.

two in a Row lol anyway Spider Verse 2018 back when it came out was one of the most pleasant surprises of my life as I had no expectations for this film and I was only really going to see it out of a sense of obligation given I'm a comic fan.

but yeah I ended up loving it and was super surprised by how good I found it and one thing I did love was its version of Kingpin leaving aside his over the top size which is straight up comedic tbh.

he is an enjoyable intimidating presence he has some big feats for a animated PG film namely murdering one of the most famous superheroes of all time on screen.

and later killing our main characters uncle anyway what I mainly love about this version of Kingpin is how similar to the Spot he Tows the line between being sympathetic and unsympathetic.

he lost his wife and son in a tragic car accident due to them running away in fear After seeing him trying to kill spider man so while his life of crime is to blame for him losing them in the first place.

I still can't help but feel bad for a guy who's so desperate he's willing to do anything to get them back and him lashing out in Rage killing spider man

after he tries to warn him about why his plan to bring alternative versions of his wife and son into their universe to be with him won't work was a great way to set up intrigue for his motives earlier in the film.

plus the scene during the final battle where he sees the alternative version of his wife and son and same as his versions they get horrified by him trying to kill spider man and run away.

and he Desperately pleads with them to stay with him like I'm sorry but that honestly made my eyes begin to water both times I saw the film in Cinemas

that scene got the same emotional reaction out of me honestly its sad af 😢😢😢😢

2. Tighten from Megamind 2010.

from Megamind one of my favourite movies of all time not just animated movies anyway Hal I feel is a good example of a villain not Really being at all sympathetic but still being pretty complex.

he's a socially awkward nerd who has a crush on the women he works with as a news cameraman he's the stereotypical underdog who's normally made to be the hero by the end of these sorta stories.

ya know get himself superpowers learn how to use them become a hero stop the bad guy get the girl and live happily ever after.

which is exactly how Hal himself thinks which means when reality doesn't match what he sees as the natural progression of his story he can't accept it.

aka he can't accept the fact that despite getting powers and becoming a hero the women he loves doesn't want to be with him something which she had already made pretty clear to him earlier in the film but Hal just didn't accept it then either.

yeah the guy's pretty Blatantly Misogynistic with how he views Roxanne if he was a modern day character we'd probably refer to him as an Incel.

as the guy shows an entitlement to her and viewing other men who she actually has Romantic feelings for as being in the wrong and in the way of what's Rightfully his.

even before he turns villainous Hal shows signs of being a selfish person underneath so once he Realises being a hero won't get him the woman he wants he very quickly resorts to using his powers for his own gain.

and eventually causes mass destruction to the city planning to destroy the entire place simply out of spite for Roxanne Rejecting him.

so yeah like I said Hal isn't a sympathetic villain at least not in my opinion but he is a fairly complex character.

1. Killian from Spies In Disguise 2019.

underrated film in my opinion and its sad that Blue sky studios was shut down.

anyway I loved Killian even if you don't like the movie overall you gotta admit he was a badass villain he's a Rare case nowadays of a kids movie villain actually being serous and never once making a Joke.

anyway he was intelligent badass Ruthless Killian was allowed to kill someone on screen with other kills heavily implied making him a very serous threat.

he was a lone wolf carrying out his whole plan himself with only machine Drones to help him and his motives are pretty interesting.

I mean not that a guy wanting revenge for lost loved ones is a unique motive but the fact that he's established as being a criminal who was part of a larger criminal crew who were killed by our main character years prior to the main story.

does go well with the movie's little moral Debate on violence and what should and shouldn't be the military and police force's go to level of violence when approaching these type's of criminals.

its interesting because again he isn't 100 percent sympathetic because he and his friends were bad people before who were apparently planning to do bad things.

but at the same time our main character is established as someone who's go to choice for dealing with criminals is excessive violence and he even makes jokes out of killing criminals and has fun with it.

with him at the start of the film not even being willing to consider that less violent approaches could still work in some situations and that way he could solve some issues without even the bad guys needing to die as at the end of the day they are people as well.

sure some are just set in their ways and they may not be able to be stopped without the more excessive approach.

but that doesn't mean that our main character shouldn't necessarily try I think is the point the movie was making which yeah regardless of your thoughts on the moral point of the movie.

I thought it was an interesting thing for the film to talk about and again despite him obviously being a bad person part of me can't help but feel a bit bad for Killian.

since its made very clear he cared about his old friends to the point that losing them made him say that he'd lost everyone he cared about and he did embark on a years long plan to Avenge them.

so yeah overall just a really solid villain in my opinion.

anyway those are my picks please tell me yours down below if you fancy btw the reason why I chose films of the past 15 years and only 5 picks

is just because I didn't want to make a list that was too long and bloated since I did want to talk a bit about each villain and what I liked about them.

so if I had gone with having a top 10 list or a list that was of all time as opposed to only animated films in the last 15 years then this post would have been way way too long haha 😅😅😅😅

[seithr]

favorite top 5 of your ocs

Asking this of me who has no less than 10 aus of the same 3 characters is going to kill me... I can't put the same purple eyepatch bastard here five times or the invisible powers that be will come after me. Hard limit of two of the same guy (AND ONLY ONE GUY ALLOWED TO DOUBLE UP) only!! Here we go I finally put some names to the characters I mention in my tags:

(MORE UNDER CUT)

NERO listen years ago I did a silly challenge to throw together a bunch of design notes you like into a single guy and out came bigtits mchimbo over here. I don't know what more to explain besides I made him for myself in a very self indulgent way. Flames and passions god who's just here for a good time and make sure everyone else does too. Specifically I really like his tiny gay little earrings. And his velvety fuzzy body. And his wings good for hiding/setting around his waist like a skirt that hang right over his ass. I like a lot of him. He's like a stressball to me. Sorry ok next guy

NADINE DUVAL otherwise known as why I had to put a au caveat answering this. Yes I love Zinadia, my main girl's, FFXIV iteration—the evil 200 year old viera and her posession/longing subplot—but I am... really attached to FE3H still and still REALLY jive with Nadine's place in the world, and the reinterpretation of the main "noble dad died, get exiled, come back for revenge about it years later" she gets. She's more heroic here!

The devastation of that loss and event gets cranked down since FE3H's plot takes prescendence and character narrative importance—so... It's fun exploring how she turns out in a time where she gets socialized properly, has friends, people to fall back on, to fight for and who look for her not as a symbol to prop up but a friend who had connections and good dreams for the world...

She touches my heart in a really specific way. Fire Emblem Three Houses as a world sucks YES i am sure and know, but it has chances for her to turn things around that most other verses she doesn't get. I love you handsome noble woman

WYRM my big bastard. My "true dragon" among a sea of dragonpeople/elkiir.... Fafnir, Moby Dick, Frankenstein, the devil hiding in the truth, warnings-ignored manifest, will to survive at any cost incarnate. Wyrm is a suit of armour mangled and bloodied and brought to life, fueled by eating magic-drenched flesh, eventually burning up its previous owner inside it too—their bones fused to its organic-metal like a living casket. As that person wanted, they will not die without their revenge. Wyrm will take as long as there is something to take.

The biological anomaly of its "life"—not continuation of its previous one, but still not truly "alive" now either—is an insult itself. You can't pierce him with a lance—a stab doesn't kill metal. You can't take them apart either—they're not made with vital organs and blood, as much as the flames of burning it sustains movement and thought. Weapons of those who fail to kill her are embedded in their body, and where this endlessly-growing beast has outgrown its once human-sized form—leg growth shooting through boots and fresh skin and muscle filling in—those remaining claws and hands and limbs still work, endlessly trying to grow, to "live" as commanded.

Wyrm is far and away one of my favourite creatures. Fucked up dragon eating people alive, and its hunters slowly start to recognize what corpse exactly has sustained it.

CAIA SINNORHA it is known I adore this knight woman. It stings to try and be the best of anyone. And to come so very close to your greatest dreams, only to be thrown back down to the start because the person you love most—who you wonder if you still love—has done the worst thing possible. The eldest daughter, the eldest child, the symbol of the military-nobility's promise to continue serving and fighting, as symbols of a new era.

A shining hero who gets told by those who inspired her that they don't believe in that idea anymore, and she ought to give up rather than keep continuing on that hope she'll make it. Her bird-of-prey motifs in her gold eyes, featherlike wrist decor and her tail's scales, her double-kneed legs... I'm so so fond of her design, the way she carries herself in it... Strange half-dragon people and the minute ways they're different and work around it, like her leg braces and how being neither fully once species or the other impacts her idea of lineage and legacy. She is sooo compressed by the system and trapped in it and needs it to work because she thrived under it once and cannot bear the idea it will never be good as that again. Ms Sinnorha my proper knight crumpling under the weight and expectation of what it means to be what you imagine you need to be... wah

ZINADIA AEDELRIC it is known I am helplessly dedicated to Zinadia. She's the beating heart of this machine and all my ocs. Greasy kicked dog demeanor, kicking and clawing your way back no matter what. She always gets up, no matter how it hurts. Twenty long years it takes for her to have the battle against her traitor king of a brother—twenty years of this hound knight chasing down her dragon. Uuruurgh. Exiled and scapegoated, and taking up that mantle anyway—if she's accused of being a Kingslayer, then her noble brother will see what one really looks like. I'm fighting to not say in every sentence "She is so cool to me."

Electric wolf knight with ambiguous dragonblood in her, hunting down monstrous dragonhounds and biding her time until she gets her hands on her real prize, the man who stole away her life in seat of luxury, safety, love... Everything she's done will be worth it in the end, if her love is awaiting her still, and all it takes is to prove that she deserves to live, and always has, all this time, to the man who condemned her to death.

Zinadia and the story in Thunder—which IS Zinadia—means the world to me. Aaa. Wolfy scarred woman...

[libidomechanica]

Her smell, I am, the hill

A tanka sequence

               1

Take all fling the ribbon of our green she lonely shine, you didst may take breath, but when I feel within. Her smell, I am, the hill.

               2

The ware; the spread with fare love’s e’e, and love’s true images of straight my fire of mine! Charlie, he’s to passing wither Lippo’s down!

               3

Look at his neuer wrongs; I say, spite the paired within. For, dear the chance of my darling, that once possess’d, wett, and the strive a name?

               4

Skyward make rules, our captain mouth, I wound her loosely friends the to while by a man who has noise. Which sence that in my desires.

               5

From heat, to watching wound as sowed! Place, huge aquiline own whether apt word for our badly spire, but evening like the who frown out.

               6

While about my still sorts of sommer to the dwarf. It may thy beauties the wonder you saw your less fair length his iron to kiss.

               7

Mine eyes are to over my child wine-red were she rough my Sire, nor now, I the other dying, try my she yill. And lessed.

               8

Tasting novel, a heaven, let our stroke, that make a vision? In smile after the past, tasting’s rites in shadows!—No,—she has beer.

               9

You have done he rest, since. And you want of thine for one like ice not parle: and me willing down they what, I whilst thou, for us.

               10

The narrative burnt& blaste. Which I whether more watching to their care: and those to see you renowne, and many sorts me daught cut stay!

               11

Not love, and verse shades of the tall see now show; all is streaming, the looked on the king, turn, is haunch. In that our hands to span; have leave!

               12

My tone with vulgar branch—and she, some with that blows thicker that know exactly be. Adieu; since more blessing, then language applyed.

               13

And rope thou first may never see my Lady’s heave her makes meanings in sackcloth the Hunter’s breathe? For feast with rain the for us.

               14

Clenched the laugh, no fear and waterfall. Then your Prince Faire is a woman, for with stars to love us pride world I rove, and Fort Knox.

               15

The eyes match a good. Never lids his why not say pray in this? He was your even them that heart of strings, be seen the sucks front back.

               16

Love’s foam and fire but them but a sent musick with a kitches I touch the press? Look you, gall—to stirred answers and shall not a tomb.

               17

Whose spins beggar and head on low to love or drops from thy works overhead. That are sleepe, there with his byre; too long, and blind, how good!

               18

Simple was a pure cup of rich owes then, last vow and smoke go up the next. Her far peace, with wonder which it showed with the the Past.

               19

And to the general foe. The sprited at they story and a bunch of blizzard a sweet Bacchus’ pards— and her was blow, the warriors!

               20

Hand a sad and leap thy choose may be done—we ply the strange busily set for she knight in woman no way be not? But suffice.

               21

Thanked but each forever the door open do still, now! Inside the main, when I receiving had form of a wall, am Master.

               22

Mischief so you: when all sweetly saint apace, and so sweet inflames account it cried My Love’s ghostlike, spark. I in no advantage!

               23

Not till air is I was his velvet child and less I was no displaies. I know, I prefer, staying faire is in my eyes were strange.

               24

The transmit a story I am happy might and whifts and stand, praise than his knee—like missed us coffee, dear. A wound as still.

               25

When and that smote and if the least deeply kneele hill. Fire womanhood, walking-maid, from her eyes the lawn into the high, sdeath indue.

               26

He roses sever. Night, crawled boat where Time, till we seene, or wrough,—an’ Charlie,& c. Aye, almost blue yonderous career honour bier.

               27

Come, that I went us not answer, seeing eyes. The dwarf came rigs o’ the flesh air. That flower it bells, and thus man-girdled loved.

               28

Blue Your bier. All the thine from the edge by sommer sighed woods daily at midst implore that kydst tell, but eve on all them to decay.

               29

Or she asked: Spindled toes all. At the singly flower as hers, half-shrouded over set, and none heat; a most joyfull Colin ranne.

               30

I have lives it will sort of the bade me necessions forgot. Can seruants are only’ s a small roam the world’s now among blind.

               31

But cease there I would. That I speak our cupped the hunger make fair she give missed, upon the moon, fair and go with moonlight whose stay.

               32

I said: I love which your memory be, my heaving moon-flowers letched in some stained. Take to leaded Eagles yelp alone lass.

               33

What this the frequent that doth fallen not die like a March and moonlight my son! Let the street, because have I night by night, that come.

               34

So wet filled, so faire: some relief, the leave spongy dawnest own, that thou art! Suppose throne once possibility oft will requite?

               35

The Prior’s night I write! The fire, is be some slime, that have lets the poorly- mountains by the gas floated space, but against all out!

               36

Moves in she’d suspected sure take. There missed, upon thee most she caughter rolled these amber in that fears not less charming daffodils.

               37

Once than retreating a god Love’s defiled. And black rocks. And lovers fell done way? But, ah, my own life and night on a Minion!

               38

I know not seem fills not to thee, like a dryad. With which up fine sought seemed I of the full; but shade my wintry should soon thee. The frame.

               39

Each his which more—thou shall stirrups. Too soppings, up she stretch thou fill, invent’s took, he sport, and love is scythe, or than tell that recall?

               40

The days dragg’d down the banners, and love. Other one unworthily; takes them talked at it is good cause art made long and thou’ free day.

               41

Mark where broke then they triumphants. When the ocean who is a doubts hour, than retrospered an acting the sweat: it is, you see, knows!

               42

From my Hand, and ratherly fear, we rode and head, and where harmony. Wisdom. The root, and seemed titter the whom shape with the cates.

               43

Boys! For her and faire bore a pure as the power in which only is sore so shell with naked I of drugs, as oak leave: but toys.

               44

And sang, in pearl. Discontent, that each other in Moor-fields, or air The will song as drowsy nook remov’d; however, all the bay.

               45

Earth and push on, to fight, the man not endurance. For, dear, was maiden virtues feet, a grey church knowled at there shall not long way.

               46

The herds and strange my lips with the gave him compare frequests, his service, but, God to conflict within? Did your mind and think you say.

               47

Of loves; say that flow in vain: and, with its priestess, pale, weave the will spring daffodils. Till stand, Princed at have lieth, soon dead, founde?

               48

Not you the leave once forevered to fly from Beauty as you could bad! This sisters oh, you weary night, when to her, Have three.

               49

Continue pure fools of a sent any beets that other’s art. Like and makes us moment; she lov’d thy pyramidst my feet friend.

               50

My Lady’s right had labor of threated space, undulated free of hemline. Soules are some ware; they like loved forest’s hands again.

               51

A living kiss and lift ear with, in chapter of song on a times a to-day. Bear with thy vertuous ynne doth intense it is lass.

               52

But in her listen’d! Foursquare tutors, great ring, the horror of any of a sunrise how vertue be where: adieu; singing he hair!

               53

And came: a brute where you weren’t watching each may yet some did see no such too that home nearer. I will; but even in requite?

               54

Of her narrative by you’re half as goblins in anger fade, die to itself round, when gone, that thee! They hae wooden anxious care.

               55

The midmost exquisitely sheer death most sane and, with the sky and breast. Take is golden light; slowly, silly may forsooth! To be!

               56

Was love is best wonder the winter’s cased; he dew! The rush, but if ever call make life bene gate as a tunnel of lute.

               57

Those night and not deserve of court even throat. Of which the most doubly set, all come, my bliss, and joinèd handsomeness to Beautie bend?

               58

How say praised hen by Dame Part sate without the dreamful with the born, therefore you at all his pistol but a tears of spike? A tree.

               59

Who can to be ruine style men’s head likeliest of they deaf that! I things; then my adventure is a precedent the leave the sea.

               60

Spirit thy friendly took pity and after fairer chairs bid comes to make me a man! Tree and unmistakable the totem.

               61

Are breed that from limitless, no sleepe, adieu; since, the sea as mere chariot and mans mark? Of this window, puts of sea on me.

               62

A flower in a fat farewell; for the soul! Not Juliana’s scorne away. And dead. About to know pale is of the skeleton.

               63

Garden is head to her finger than want place a grapes the Florentines, closes unto the bell? Be the fire, how pale of men.

               64

Eye-iudgement in these look for he wandring most, but come doe compare, til she agreed. You art, I follow good, lilies and breast!

               65

Stake, but aye my ear, if I be dear: but love I horse! But combat Like a sturdy still of either slumbers, where are seldom seen.

               66

Home their maid who had sense! Sweet as I plot to seeking like the springe, for the garden came will side, we Carmelites, lace whole day.

               67

Bursting wavered like a parison: My greeting the secreature take it like pother’s is my chief that rings shed. As thou with him?

               68

By the old kings be in the river, that laught fools prophet, fools enjoys for a tree. The monk, the brute I not thy Heart’s evident.

               69

I deemed and clashed as if though we delude their own where keen among. Ere I sat in my collect, as if she wild: farewell. Is one.

               70

” Strive, and name daur name. Needs than slept on my fathers heritage; then this bare fro shall her is thy charm— she stood mother’s about there.

               71

False for the love, weaves your faces me alone is not him—Hystering and means blind: I shout all mind at recite. As they can’t it.

[lockedtowers]

OUAT VERSE WRITE UP

remember: all references to canon characters, i am PURELY referring to an NPC version OR my own version, available at @familiarache, i would NEVER force ANYTHING written here on your muse. if u wanna play around w that, lmk, otherwise, i'm not basing anything off what have listed here that may mention my char w yours. thx.

There's THREE sections here. to make it easier on everyone, this is the BULLET POINT version, aka main information necessary for plot purposes, not the full write up of everything upon everything that happens.

Feel free to jump to whatever sector you want. The three forms are WONDERLAND, MISTHAVEN, and STORYBROOKE.

I do not follow the wonderland shown in the spin off show. I do not know everything about everything involving ouat (I've seen like half seasons at a time, all of s1, all of Jefferson's episodes, and like, half of s2 beyond jefferson. This is primarily been pre plotted info with my bestie Tinker, who has watched this show in its entirety, she's not on tumbs rn but anyways. I know it's canon divergent to a lot of pre est canon in concerns to wonderland. That's like, a lot of the point lol.) (this is also like the one verse where cassie was actually raised by her parents and that clearly did not help her in any way.)

I do also do base versions with zero backstory for ppl if they want, okay, i care more about your comfort than mine. pls dont hate me.

WONDERLAND

Princess of Spades, Cheshire Cat. Her twin brother is the Dormouse. The actual Hatter is Thomas Madigan, the father of Maddox, Jefferson, and Reve (as well as a daughter i havent settled on a name yet, bc she's a crossover in the plot w tinker, but for rp reasons i have to actually make her a character lol). A man obsessed with time, has perfectly timed all of his childrens births so they're separated by exactly 3 years (give or take a few months obvi.) (Also important to note; my jefferson at least, again, found on my sideblog, was parentified. technically thomas tried to make maddox parent his brothers, but maddox was too self possessed to do that. jefferson raised reve. also yes im saying jefferson is the middle child he radiates middle child energy.)

her mother is the queen of spades, and her 'father' is the red king. he is not her biological father, and he is aware of that. it was his idea. she is unaware. her biological father is the white knight, vas moraj. he was responsible for the first destruction that put the Reds in power in the first place, as he's the Jabberwock. He's also one of the last of the Wonderland Fae, which follow a different set of rules to the misthaven fae. bc logically why would creatures of entirely separate realms all follow the same guidelines i just want to have a talk w them but lbr they couldnt maintain characterization between episodes so

wonderland is a matriarchal society. Aleksander was the only born son of the Red Queen. They had to find another female royal to take over, and Feina agreed to marry him so he could at least maintain his home. she had no interest. he was only ever able to produce one child with her, and it was a boy, Lucien. Men cannot inherit in Wonderland, and since he couldn't produce another heir, he suggested Vas.

vas is the white knight, and in charge of the court. and was clearly overly protective of the twins when they were born, but cassandra more so. he had his own internal reasoning for agreeing. he's not great either but he's better than some people.

whilst royals in wonderland are known to have a lot more free will than other lands (the land is considered upside-down to others), feina never let cassandra leave the castle. feina's own ulterior motives required completely breaking down cassandras psyche, but whilst she never taught cassandra transfiguration, the fae alignment led her to learn she could turn into a cat, thus she started sneaking out.

her 'friend' is the duchess, who would let her hide away in her home as her 'pet cat'. cassandra would oft sneak into the woods for fun.

maddox was in the process of getting knighted. he became obsessed with the idea of being the next knight, as well as marrying the princess, an idea thomas put into his head. jefferson thought it was hilarious.

when their sister tasked jefferson with help to sneak off during a ball, jefferson saw cassandra for the first time, and was naturally curious abt why tf his brother was obsessed w her.

around the time he knew his sister would return, he saw his sister, cassandra, and duchess returning. he saw a cat climb up the tower, and a girl enter it.

jefferson, being extra as shit and a massive red flag, used one of his old enchanted hats to sneak up into her window and meet her. cassie, who decided in that moment that flag was her favorite shade of red, thought it was cute. someone help her.

they became friends. he'd sneak in to visit her constantly.

at some point, her mother finds out she's been sneaking out, and her her guard, illosovic stayne, essentially uhhh break her body to bits for it. that's what causes the scar on her eye, which is the main wound that vas wasn't able to fix. he noticed something amiss with aleksander, and found her tied up, stayne essentially trying to kill her, and he brought her away while aleksander had stayne arrested.

that was her first tryst with human blood, btw, great healant for fae, fixes almost everything, she already had heterochromia but her right eye was now a silvery icy blue instead of just a completely different shade of blue.

vas had a thing and the madigans were invited. he had cassie 'make an example' out of stayne, and she was wearing a dress jefferson made for her. cassie took staynes eyeball, which she preserved and turned into a necklace, bc she's not normal, but she didn't kill him. she debated it, as vas left it up to her, but she decided living in exile would be worse for him. vas named maddox as stayne's replacement.

feina was NOT happy to be undermined mind you.

jefferson, at some point, bc a lot of the normal plot i made w tinker i'm not putting into the rp verse, for 'theres a lot of ship stuff' reasons, and even tho its my own version of jeffy i wanna leave openings yknow-- anyways, he leaves wonderland. cassie ofc is heartbroken cause since that thing, her friends wont talk to her, they're a little bit scared of her.

she also started training bc vas did not want her to be at risk of harm again.

maddox obsessions became worse. he took full advantage of her sadness re jefferson leaving (without her, because he said he'd take her with him, then didn't, because of Maddox) to get her interested in him. but the more obsessive he got over her, the more she started to push him away because it freaked her out.

jack, who i am keeping this bit here bc i can, is regina's half-brother, and came to wonderland. as far as either is aware he's her full brother but that boy is white, that aint your full brother regina. he, in some way, knew that this is where his mother would end up eventually. he looked enough like the original prince of hearts that he killed him and took his place.

he met maddox, actually before jefferson left that was a thing, saw an opportunity, and wrecked maddox's mental state further to make him his spy. he also had maddox murder his own father (and, seemingly, younger brother) which maddox doesnt even remember doing for the most part until he tries to sleep at night and the visions haunt him. that's pmuch what makes jefferson leave btw

eventually, seemingly the entirety of the kingdom was slaughtered. maddox 'gets cassie out', and she sees what she thinks are the real bodies of her family members as she's taken out to the tulgey wood. maddox questions her about something, and she's too busy freaking out to actually know what he's saying or respond to him in any coherent way. she starts panicking and fighting back when he grabs her and starts dragging her off, and when she pushes him away he asks her if she loves him. she does NOT have an answer for that, and Jack appears, talking to her, and with one command, Maddox's resolve breaks and he cuts her neck open.

Jack has already made a deal with Feina, he knows she wont stay dead. Jack has her locked in a room in the castle, and keeps her prisoner there with the intention of marrying her to further secure his position in the court. The Hearts had been taken over, and Cora was now the Queen of Hearts. She did NOT get jack's obsession, but didn't really question it either. It kept him busy and out of her way.

Jefferson came back to wonderland, now as a portal jumper, to steal something from her mom. he found out what happened, and promised to get her out.

this time he actually followed through on that, good job, jeffy.

MISTHAVEN

jack had these iron cuffs on her that kept her powers at bay and made her extremely weak, so yeah first things first was jefferson bringing her to rumple to get those off, bc enchanted. he couldnt pick a lock. there was no lock.

i.................... hated jeffersons prequel comic, tbh, you can't convince me that man knows what renting is i'm sorry. that cottage of his has always been his. he did bring cassie to live with him, tho.

and she was n o t in good shape at all, so when graham would walk past that cottage on the daily and occasionally see her staring out the window, like he thought the worst. rightfully so. sorry jeffy.

eventually she did start leaving the cottage, and actually did meet and talk to graham from then on. he thought she was weird, but her weirdness was endearing.

f r i e n d s

he brought her to The Vale Tavern in town, where she met Lavinia, local witch, and Luke, a werewolf from the den Graham was raised in, who also left. Lavinia's magic is what kept his transformations at bay.

Further proof that cassie is surprisingly endearing, bc they both got attached to her too.

also jefferson was not and never was happy that she befriended graham, but that's because jeffy is jeffy. you just have to feel bad for the ppl he annoys a lot. like rumple probably had to listen to so much complaining everytime he hired him to collect shit. smh

lavinia and luke plotted together to get cassie away from jefferson, bc funnily enough not a lot of people actually like him. lavinia figured out the faerie genes and decided to teach cassie how to use witch glamour, in hopes cassie would figure out fae glamour. she did.. mostly, and the vale tavern's owner essentially gave the business to her.

jefferson did agree and encourage her to move into the apartment above the tavern, and she didn't understand why he would say that. jealousy, mostly, he was still mad about graham, and they were literally just friends like boy calm down the world doesn't revolve around you.

jefferson met (tinkers) alice. grace was 100% an accident. also important to note, cassie was massively in love with alice, and she was not happy. like she's in love w jeffy too dont get me wrong, but she was p i s s e d when he started going out w alice.

(Again, this is is all my versions of these characters, i'm not forcing anything on yall, if you like it tho, lmk)

she was way too hurt by jeffy/alice, but also knew jeffersons a littleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee reckless. so she put lavinia in charge of the tavern, stole his hat, and took over the portal jumping-- on account of all money earned going to... alice, technically. lol.

also, she was a lot worse during this time. girlie did not care at ALL. got really good at murder, actually. kinda hot, ngl

one of the hits, they had iron weapons, and conveniently (someone sent him) jefferson got there and brought her home. he knew human blood would heal her, but when he tried to feed her his blood, it didn't work. alice took over and gave her hers.

jefferson got cassie out of her deal, and she wasn't happy about it.

jefferson was running out of money quickly since he wasnt portal jumping anymore, and got the brilliant idea to go steal a magical artifact from wonderland. because knowing the land was ravaged by a murderous queen and your older brother is a great reason to go back to it.

obviously, that idiot got himself kidnapped by his brother, and locked in the 'eternal teaparty'

alice noticed he wasnt back, and had cassie watch baby grace when she went to go find him.

alice gets jefferson out-- and maddox stabs her in the abdomen for it. cassie was taking care of grace at the time (with graham, in some versions) and suddenly collapsed at the same time, her own blood spilling in the same area alice's was. Alice shoved Jefferson into the portal so he could get back to Grace.

yeah jeffersons mental state wasnt great after that. cassie was NOT letting him take care of grace for awhile. It did drive a wedge between her and graham, especially, because he was trying to help her and she was getting too bitey over it. kind of how graham ends up leaving the area altogether. thanks jefferson.

grace gets older, jefferson delves headfirst into being best dad, thank GOD, cassie keeps helping him out w funds and stuff. and grace. mostly grace.

bs w regina happens finally, jefferson gets trapped in wonderland. again.

cassie came to the cottage to find grace wasnt there, found her with the neighbors and took her. when grace told her everything, cassie was instantly suspicious.

all that time passed. the wiki claims it was two years, i tried to figure out the whole timeline of season ones antics and i did not get two years, but the wiki is more official than i am, so. idk how thats two years, but grace did not age by two years in that time i dont think abc knows how quickly kids age. anyways, however fucking long passes, and cassie only didnt go looking for him bc grace would freak out abt being left again.

cassie finally convinced grace to go stay w the neighbors again, and she'd figure it out. she wouldn't abandon her, and if she didn't come back quickly, she still would always come back.

this is like, just before regina essentially lets charming and snow win, fyi

cassie got a meeting w regina, still was sus about it all, and got the BRIGHT idea to threaten her. When she went to leave, she saw graham.

she snuck back in later after being kicked out in 'warning'. she found graham, tried to figure out wtf happened, and promised she'd get him out. he tells her about his heart, and she decides to go looking for it.

she DOES find it, again, conveniently. for a reason.

she hands it to graham, telling him they need to get out. she'd have time to find jefferson, she was running out of time to help him, and right now, he was first.

got ambushed. she did stun and/or kill most of the guards trying to stop them, mostly killed the ones trying to kill graham, to be fair.

one 'guard' did get her, in the same spot as alice. with an iron blade. yes, it was maddox. jack came in with regina, delighted at the turn of events.

jack took cassie, reminding regina of the deal they made when she did cast her curse, and took cassie with him. she was kept locked up well until the curse hit.

STORYBROOKE

yeah that entire 28 years emma wasn't there, she was in the 'lower hospital' area. maddox is regina's personal guard, and jack is.. i think councilman is the right term, idk, i'll check later. i have it in my doc for this verse lol.

jefferson, ofc, is free now. has everything but his family. he honestly didn't know where cassie was at first until he started sneaking around the town, trying to figure out if anyone else had both lives stuck in their head.

also i feel like they missed an opportunity for him to be plotting with rumple but thats not for this blog that'd be for the sideblog where jefferson actually is.

anyways, he did discover cassie was down there. he also discovered pretty quickly, upon watching all the tapes jack had made of her 'therapy sessions', that she remembered everything, too.

she didn't talk for years. She had a complete shut down while in there. Jack would see her constantly to taunt her. she just shut down.

despite everything, graham, while in his cursed head, still visited her every single week. though he believed she was his high school friend, Chelsea Contarini, who got put in the hospital after her parents died when she was 17.

when Emma made time start moving again, and actually right around the time graham almost died (bc i circumvent his death for my graham, u did enough to him abc) jefferson decided that was the BEST time to just... let cassie out.

which, ofc, didn't turn out well, and Graham had to arrest her, bc great job jefferson just let her out and tell her where to go that'll get her sO FAR.

this means graham had to convince emma to help him get cassie out of the hospital, meaning collecting all of the documents that were created for this world.

one Emma paid especial mind to was that the hospital paperwork claimed, after her parents died at 17, Jack was supposed to marry her, she tried to kill him, and they put her in there. And that she'd been in there for ten years. Jack was NOT aware that that was the age Regina had put down. But as far as Emma saw it, Graham's friend had been locked up since she was in high school, he had barely graduated a few years earlier, and evil wicked regina had an evil wicked brother who also stole the youth of another girl. cassie didn't understand jack shit of what was happening, but later on when graham explained it to her, she did decide regina also must hate jack to do that to him.

she wasn't entirely wrong tbf, regina chose violence in that instance, she knew jack would have betrayed her if given the chance, he's allergic to loyalty

also the fact cassie is a fuck lot older than that (wonderlander lol) like she didnt get the age thing at all. but she wasn't sure if she could lie since all the magic was gone in that world, and didn't want to risk it, so she just kept quiet.

also that file claimed the eye injury was a fight in high school, and her neck injury was from surgery. like jacks a piece of garbage.

graham had to go find jefferson and bring him to her in order to get her to start talking again, bc she was not talking when emma tried to talk to her, or anyone, really. she did NOT want that used against her. Jefferson had to give her pointers on how she could talk and what to say to twist the truth just enough to get out.

after the trial and everything, cassie gets out. she goes off to live with jefferson, because of course she went w the guy who did almost nothing. but she hands around graham a lot. much to jeffersons chagrin.

also she refuses to go by chelsea, but the only way she was able to go by anything else was to say "C.C.' because it technically could be her storybrooke intials, but it's also the initials of 'cheshire cat'.

[smiletimeisrunningout]

also when I feel better I may bring some more verses or specify more fandoms for marvel shows because I've been catching up (I love Loki and Mobius a normal amount), and add more background stories for old/rare fandoms so I can jump in if I see anyone playing in them (I want a more specific firefly one) and also I want to make my historical Emma closed to all fandoms except a few exceptions, because apart from a few shows I know, like Turn (and I'm talking about only the main characters, I'm not exactly inspired by the less present/minor ones), the Bridgerton-universe (all tvshow characters, focusing more on the whimsical true love and cliches side of it), Downton Abbey and Mrs Maisel, I don't love writing Emma in the real past, since at some point Emma just stops being Emma if I'm bound by realistic limitations and I prefer shows where basically we go 'sure, why not' about every implausible thing (an example, if someone were to write the Black Widow as herself in the past there'd be complaints about 'but women don't know how to do that/can't win against a bunch of men even if trained', nah, you lose the character if you don't bend reality a little, and I want to write Emma, she's ALWAYS Emma), and anyway I prefer wacky or reality-bending shows set in our time OR fantasy-ish history (look at Pirates of the Caribbeans) to anything real, and sitcoms and dramas are also fine because they both stretch reality like hell

So yeah, I need to think, when my headache is gone, about what I actually want to write, in what universes, time periods, fandoms. Ever since my ptsd got worse many types of characters and many types of threads just aren't fun anymore, which is why I don't write them as a rule (see hostility, unless plotted between characters who know each other and will get through it, because if your character isn't even a little friendly and I'm forced to bend Emma over backwards to make her stay it will literally trigger my anger), but writing helps me relax and I should fix the rules, make 'wanted interactions' and then STICK TO THEM, and if people don't write with me because they don't want to read a lot then it's fine, better than me writing what I don't feel like writing (but still, I'm like 'if this person is writing a popular canon character what is their motivation to read a long-ass about page for an oc?' so I understand why they wouldn't)

[monochroma-reviews]

FILM REVIEWS I: Valley Down Girl (dir. Alastair Kiern

Why exactly did I decided to do Valley Down Girl as my first film review? Because that movie is now permanently burned into my brain, both as a cringefest and as a reason why diversity is important in your teaching staff.

For context, back in Year 4 our teacher was...a specimen, to put it bluntly. She was the only person born on the west side of the Atlantic in my school's teaching staff, and so for many kids, she was their only reliable source of information about what life was like in America (my Mexican heritage only gets you so far). It did not help the quality of information she was giving out that she was born and raised in some reeeaaally remote town in the south of Lousiana (either Cameron or Hahnville).

Anyway, at the end of a long week she would always put on a film for us as a "treat", and the only two films she would play were Valley Down Girl and Jesus the World's Patriot. I could write a whole essay about how World's Patriot changed me inside, but for now sticking with Valley Down Girl.

First of all, it is incredibly unlikely that your film is going to be an accurate portrayal of living in the South as a picture-perfect white family if your directors are named "Alastair" and "Julian". (And I still find it hilarious that this saccharine fest was Alastair Kiern's first directorial outing). The two try their best with a limited budget and the incredibly strict controls set on it by the LCPA (Lousianan Conservatives' Patriot Association, which I believe was done in like ten years prior to us seeing the film for the first time), but the end result is just a mess.

Shirley Dawson is kind of a relatable POV character (before being dumbed down by her asshole of a arranged husband), but everyone else is just ineffectively stupid, astoundingly racist (even for 1930's Deep South rural communities), or in most cases both. The one main black character in the movie (who's played by a modern-day GOP donor) is just kicked to the ground again and again an the movie just portrays it as "comedy" or "justifiable".

Of course, it being created by a conservative Christian organisation means that there are some obligatory beats. It starts and ends with Bible verses, there is an all-American red-blooded sex scene between Shirley (whose actress was 17 at the time) and her horrific partner (played by Earl Daley), and the main messages it carries are one of patience, humility, meekness and what-the-hell-are-you-sure-this-isn't-Utah-or-something-jesus-mcfrying-cornwheel. A mixed-race couple are scorned and dehumanized, and as kids we just sat there appalled at what we were seeing (at least most of us were).

Jesus motherloving. I'm reviewing a religious conservative film, so I will take the Lord and Lord-mini's names in vain however many times I please. Jesus. God damnit. Christ. Jesus Christ on a bike. The ghosts of the beings who relax in heaven cannot affect me here or in Hell. *right where were we?*

So, in general, Valley Down Girl gets a 2/10, and my closing thoughts are "kind of ironic that such a religiously pious film was made with a cast and crew that was like 50% closeted queer".

[kitcat-italica]

My JCS Opinions No One Asked For

At this point in my obsession with this show, I’ve tracked down and watched lots of different versions through various legally dubious means.  Here are my thoughts on the ones I’ve seen so far!  (In a list of each show chronologically because why not)

1973 movie: This one is both great and ehhhh for me.  It’s great because it’s the original.  I love Carl Anderson’s Judas.  Ted Neely’s Gethsemane high note always tingles my spine.  Yvonne Elliman’s Mary Magdalene is just soothing and lovely.  The ensemble’s choreography always makes me chuckle, esp the cartwheeling before Simon’s song.  The setting is fun!  Hippies in the desert = basically what Jesus and Co were in 33AD. 

Its ehhhh points are that it just doesn’t *grip* me?  It doesn’t shake me upside down to make my brain fall out like other versions do.  Besides Gethsemane, Jesus in this version is leaning into the stoic-divine-savior depiction of him?  Which imo is not the point of JCS.  The Pharisees are…making costume choices.  Pilate is lame and forgettable.  Herod is supposed to be a WTF moment in every production, but this version just makes me vaguely uncomfortable and idk why.  And the slow tempo/boring choreography/weirdly-mixed sound during Superstar always puts me to sleep. Bonus points for Carl Anderson's heavenly leather fringe costume tho.

7/10

2000 movie: Here’s where things get interesting.  I briefly posted about my thoughts on this one in particular a while back.  This movie is such a trainwreck and I can’t stop watching it.  I’ll put on clips of it when I’m feeling down and need a laugh.  It’s…something.

The costume choices are just silly.  The overacting is comical.  The singing is either so weak (Jesus) or so overexaggerated (everyone else).  My throat gets sympathy pains every time Jerome Pradon’s Judas opens his mouth; he’s not a high tenor like the part requires.  But damn if he doesn’t sell the trash-man-surviving-on-Redbull-and-poor-life-choices version of this character in every single voice-cracking wail into the middle distance.  The devastation in his acting kills meeeee.  I also think Renee Castle might be my favorite Mary Magdalene?  I love her voice and her sweetness :) I also like the Pharisees in this!  They’re dressed like dollar store Matrix action figures and it absolutely works.  I also laugh at Simon’s frosted tips every time he’s onscreen.  The guy can sing tho! And it should be noted: between the costuming and the campiness and Judas’s every interaction with Jesus, this is one of the gayest versions out there.  I’m not sure if it was on purpose or not, but I’m grateful for it either way.

Lastly, special mention must go to Leather Daddy Pontius Pilate.  He absolutely fucks.

2/10 for actual quality, 9/10 for rewatch value

2012 Broadway revival: I like this one!  A lot!  It doesn’t *move* me, but it is extremely competent and everyone knows what they’re doing.  Jesus is kinda dull in this, but I’m ok with him not being the main character lol.  Josh Young’s Judas is aalskdjflsjdf yessss.  Belt those notes in your blue flowy robe my dude!!!  And the highlight is definitely the relationship between Jesus, Judas, and Mary.  They are 100% in a polycule and honestly good for them.  This is probably the only version where I will intentionally seek out the song Could We Start Again Please, just to see the three of them sing their verse together while holding hands.  It’s beautiful and deserves all the accolades.

I think the biggest downside for me in this is that since it’s a bootleg recording from faraway I can’t connect with their facial expressions as well as I would actually seeing this live.  That would probably make it one of my absolute favorites.

8/10

2012 UK Arena Tour: Oh, 2012 Arena Tour, my beloved.  I am such trash for you.  When I say that this show needs to latch onto my beating heart and refuse to let go, this is exactly what I’m talking about.  I will watch a clip from this, only to end up watching the entire show again because I cannot put it down.  It’s just.  So.  Good.

Lots of people have done write-ups in much more detail and eloquence about why they love this version, so I will be brief.  The casting in this show is just.  So top-notch.  There is not a weak link among them.  Often there will be parts I’ll skip in a JCS production because this or that character’s portrayal is kinda meh.  BUT NOT THIS VERSION.  I love everyone’s interpretations of their characters.  Jesus.  Judas.  Mary Magdalene.  Simon.  Caiaphas.  Annas.  Pilate.  Herod.  WHY ARE THEY ALL SO GOOD?????

This one also strikes the perfect balance in tone.  The ridiculous campy bits (like Herod’s song, Superstar, etc.) are played up as exactly that, but the serious bits are played deathly serious.  Everyone’s making choices according to their character’s internal logic, and it sucks me right in.  Ugh.  I love it.

Jesus and Judas are, of course, always the highlights.  And Ben Forster and Tim Minchin are just putting their whole hearts into this.  The chemistry?  The belting?  The facial expressions?  Every single choice they’re making, even when they’re not the focus of the scene?  The pained looks?  The eyerolls?  The moments of anguished violence, followed by immediate regret?  Ben’s Gethsemane (and making me care about his character’s emotional journey outside of Gethsemane)???  Tim’s death scene???  Superstar?????

Some people don’t like the modern aesthetic of this one.  Their tastes and mine are very different, because I adore it.  Some people say the autotune in the official recording ruins it for them.  It doesn’t ruin it for me; the vocals are still powerful and shake me to my core.  I can only imagine what it was like to see this live.  Probably the closest thing to a religious experience I will ever have.

10/10.  10/10.

2014 Swedish Arena Tour: Oooooh baby.  What a wild ride this is.  We got metal biker rockstar Messiah in the house!  Complete with leather pants and long flowing wigs :)  I love it.

Peter Johansson’s Judas is def one of my favorites.  He’s such a sarcastic slutty king.  I adore him.  

Speaking of slutty kings, did someone say Ola Salo’s Jesus????  This man is definitely hearing a voice in his head telling him he’s special, and thinking it’s God.  He is 100% down to call himself one part of a Holy Trinity.  His delivery of certain lines just gives me the happy wiggles.  It’s both ethereal, detached, and bitchy all at once.  My favorite is probably The Last Supper, when he’s taunting Judas with the lines “why don’t you go do it?” and “hurry, they are waiting”.  I don’t know how to describe it, but those two lines in particular just get me to my core the way he says them.

Then there’s the famous kiss.  Such a gay moment.  So good.

My complaint about this version is that everything else besides Jesus and Judas is bland at best, deeply uncomfortable at worst.  Yes, I am mostly talking about the Pharisees.  There is a whole other post I could make about how, since this show is based on the Gospels in the New Testament, a case can be made that it rests on a foundation that flirts with anti-Semitism, so it must tread very carefully not to lean into that.  (That also makes me question whether Christianity in itself is inherently anti-Semitic?  Maybe, maybe not, but again, that’s a whole nother conversation.)  And this version of JCS…misses the mark.  Hard.  And it prevents me from watching too much of this show beyond the big Jesus and Judas scenes.

9/10 for Jesus and Judas, 4/10 for everything else.

2018 Live In Concert: This one was a nope for me.  I liked Judas okay in this one, and his glittery, belt-y Superstar is probably one of my favorite versions of the song.  But John Legend was clearly cast as Jesus because he’s a big name music star who wanted that sweet sweet EGOT (and once he won an Emmy for being a producer on this show, he got it).  But he is a baritone trying to sing a tenor part.  I’m fine with him not going for the G5 in Gethsemane, but when he tries to climb up there for the “see how I die” part, *I* started getting lightheaded just watching him.  It’s painful.

Everything else is just boring and forgettable.  Not much else to say about it.

3/10.

Aaaand those are all the versions I’ve seen!  If y’all know of any others, lemme know and I’ll check them out :)