#and you can see her laying the groundwork for concepts that would later be used in the VC

[apoptoses]

it's day three of anne's eunuch book making me absolutely feral 🥺

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Costume meta 6x09

Here we go - last one of 6a!! I’m feeling sad about not having metas to write every week, but I’m also looking forward to being able to get more of my costume plot work done (as well as being able to get back to decorating my flat but thats another story 😂)

Boy oh boy was this an interesting episode on the costume front! The costumes, along with sets, music and editing did some seriously heavy lifting in this episode - the costumes were laying some serious groundwork for 6b - Im vibrating with excitement over it all!

Athena

Going to start with Athena this week - we open with her in a set of silk pyjamas - in a dark dusty rose colour for me this was a very intentional choice - the entire scene is very muted its almost grey scale or sepia toned - like the colour has been washed out of the world - except for Athena - she is the solitary brightly coloured thing - she is Bobbys bright spot and the dark dusty pink is representative of their love. for me this costume is a bout setting up 6b and how Bobby is going to need to rely on Athena in whatever he is going to face going forward.

Then we have her all in black - this costume is obviously very much in Athenas wheelhouse, but its also a very interesting and deliberate choice for a couple of reasons - the first is that it makes Wendell’s watch stand out more - something which was important for the audience to pick up on in preparation for the 118 finding his body later in the episode. The second thing is that Athena is the only person we see Wendell touch and with her dressed in black the implication is that she represents death and the grim reaper. 

I’m obviously not saying that Athena is the grim reaper/ angel of death, just that the show is choosing to make use of her presence as a way of channeling the concept in this particular scene.

Athena is wearing different necklaces in 6x09 - I really am enjoying the idea that as she has become free of various baggage that she has been carrying with her, her necklaces have changed and gained variety. If I get the chance during hiatus I’ll make a post about her various necklaces and when we see them and when we se changes! 

But this new one is another Pyrrha necklace from the talisman range. They’ve paired the pendant with a black paperclip necklace - the necklace that looks most like the chain you find on shackles - again something playing into the imagery of the shackles holding one to life and to the earthly plain. 

The pendant itself is a honeybee with a wreath of roses - this symbolises the significance of life and the importance of continued growth. This is the second time we’re seeing bees used as a symbol in as many episodes and I’m loving the use of it here - even if its in a somewhat depressing way. Bees are renowned for working together and we can take from the use of the bee symbol that Bobby and Athena will need to work together, but we can also take the meaning Pyrrha have attached to this charm -the concept of continued growth as important as well - form me its saying that Wendell as bobby’s sponsor, has taken him as far as he can go - that now it is down to Bobby to continue his journey and growth without him. And the importance of Athena wearing the bee - well she values Bobbys life, but she also is the direction Bobbys growth and future lie in - they need to work together and take that journey together and continue to grow together.

Honestly - if I could steal this outfit - I would!! A white open knit jumper with a dolman sleeve, over black vest and bright olive yellow/green high waisted trousers with a buckle detail at the ankle. its a very typical Athena outfit - its very much a variation on a theme - and in this episode - that means Athena is in a stable place which can only be a good thing as we head into 6b!

we also have the return of the pelican necklace - the symbol of selflessness and sacrifice for the care of others - again a perfect symbol for this moment and I’m a little in love with the fact they’ve connected Athena and Bobbys respective journeys to solve a mystery - Tanya Kingston for Athena and Bobbys sponsors death (most likely to be a murder). We saw how Bobby was there to support Athena and the necklace returning (as it did with Mays arc from the last episode as well) symbolises her being there to support him in return in 6b  

Bobby

Bobby in pyjamas seems fairly innocuous to start off with - until you realise that they’ve paralleled him and buck and bookended the episode with said parallel! to be fair we only know this because of the bts picture, but it is still relevant to note - both in grey tops, dark trousers and black socks! 

Considering we haven’t actually seen that much Bobby and Buck paralleling this season when we used to get a bit more of it, this is a really interesting choice - especially with the return of the voice overs both at the start and end of the episode. those voice overs and the paralleled costumes really so set out the stall for 6b - the Bobby arc and the Buck arc are going to be the ones we lead 6b with and the implication is clear - its going to be about family - the family you build - and what it means to be family - for Bobby that is as much about his AA family as it is his fire fam or his family with Athena - and all 3 are intertwined when you look at the bigger picture. 

The grey is a definite choice -  its reliable and stable and is connected with wisdom - to me thats telling me that both Bobby and Buck will end the season on more stable and solid ground than we find them at the beginning.

The second I saw this shirt - I screamed - and then when I got the context later in the episode - I was bouncing on my seat with glee!

Bobby wearing a teal green shirt;

which just so happens to be the same colour as; 

Eddies teal green tee from 5x14 - tying these two scenes/stories together - Eddie being the one with Bobby when he realises its Wendell is so significant and that is what had me bouncing with glee when I saw it play out. 

We have Eddie trying to get his head around loosing his comrades - the people he was in the trenches with and Bobby supporting him and giving him advice. and then We have Bobby in last nights episode - essentially doing the same thing - Wendell fills the same spot as Eddies comrades - the people you’re in AA with - they are you comrades in the trenches of addiction - the loss of one - especially a sponsor - it is a similar concept. Its the connection to family - the ones you build with the people you’re connected to in whatever circumstance you find yourself in - that is the conversation Bobby has with Eddie in 5x14 and the ghost of it is there, lurking in the background of 6x09. Bobby will never know what drove Wendell back into his addiction, but he can get some closure by finding out what happened - that is how Bobby ‘finds his way to heal’ just like he told Eddie to do in 5x14!

The blue shirt Booby wears when Wendell is visiting - its brighter than any of the blues we’ve seen him in this season

The maroon shirt is such a great choice for this scene - I know I’ve talked endlessly about maroon being the colour we see the men in a  lot when its connected to being a father, and I guess in some ways this is still applicable here, the conversation when we first see him in this shirt is about family - Wendell’s family, Bobbys family, the firefam - however maroon is about as close to red as we’re going to get Bobby in and its its own form of red flag for him - the red flag being that the pieces fit together to lead him to the conclusion that Wendell was murdered - and then we see Bobby start investigating while in the same shirt

Chimney and Maddie

I’m going to talk about Madney as a unit this week - because their costumes actually combine to tell their story and its all about green!!! we have Chim talking about the murder house and family etc whilst wearing green (also supporting Hen while in green and displaying the continued growth and strength of their friendship) before we see Maddie in the same shade of green when they are viewing the house. Them being in the same shade of green is all about them ultimately being on the same page - it’s about them both growing together - and at the same pace. That Maddie’s green are getting darker (in the same way it appears Bucks are) is also highlighting her growth and the floral design on this shirt for me is pushing the analogy of planting and tending your garden so that it may grow - Maddie is beginning to see her family blossom!

Chimneys only other outfit is this grey zip front sweater - its a pretty typical Chimney sweater style - the grey is stability and reliability, its also a calming colour - Chimney talking about a house having good bones etc is him talking about it being stable - much like he is at this moment in time - he’s on a stable foundation etc from which to build his family solidly and better than it was previously.

Hen

This dip dye cardigan is gorgeous! the teal green top portion ties into the Bobby and Eddie colour, only for Hen I think its more of about foreshadowing rather than the scene itself - the foreshadowing of the loss of the existing family dynamic (as Hen says in her conversation with Chim later on ‘I’m not sure I’m ready to share’). THe choice of dip dye also does this - dip dyeing is the process of only putting one end into the dye and allowing it to rise up the fabric and in the process take over the underlying colour. This process plays into the concept of gradual change - that the life the Wilsons know is changing - that something new and different is slowly creeping up on them - in the same way the dye changes the colour of the fabric.

Yet again we have yellow being used as the colour of communication - this yellow in the marbling on the jacket is borderline tangerine, but it is yellow. The choice of marbling for the jacket is also interesting - its all the colours sitting suspended on a surface ( usually water - marbling is possible because the paint/dye acts like oil and thus doesn’t mix with the water) and being mixed, but not actually mixing together - much like the cardigan above, it hints at the possibility that the family dynamic that we’ll see in the future won’t blend - it will mix but stay separate - it will be like oil and water - that it will sit side by side - touching but not merging - maintaining as separate entities. It also reflects Hens inner turmoil as well as her attempt at subterfuge - the marbling is distracting and draws the eye!

🚨Check theory klaxon🚨 The way I got excited when I saw the sneak peak for this scene and Hen was wearing check - and not just check, but a patchwork of red check! The use of red is obviously to play into the red flag theme of the episode, but the use of a patchwork of check is interesting - patchwork is taking scraps of fabric (or whatever you make your patchwork from) which would be considered unusable for most things and making something that is greater than the sum of its parts - creating beauty from waste/scraps. It really plays into hte idea that Hen and Karen have taken things and combined them to create the life they have now - taking a chance on a blind date, taking the leap into something more, taking in Denny, fighting past infidelity, fostering all the kids they have, giving up dreams that would’ve taken them away from what they’ve built. So this check shirt is very much signalling that this life they’ve built is going to be challenged (hence the check), but heres the thing about patchwork - its easier to repair and alter without it looking odd - you can make it bigger or smaller, change out the pieces that aren’t working - without compromising the integrity of the bigger thing.

I also want to take this moment to point out that Hen is not dressed like her couch (more on that when we get to Eddie)😂

Karen

I adore this jumpsuit and the main take away from it for me is that yellow is the dominant colour - the colour of communication - and it is Karen that does most of the communication with Denny about his biological mother in this scene.

Karens peasant blouse is an interesting choice to me. Its completely in keeping with her character (we’ve seen her in similar items before). The thing about peasant blouses is that they are deceptive - the term peasant blosue has connotations of ‘the poor’ - the ones doing the hard work etc. but the truth is they’re incredibly complex and detailed garments - the embroidery is time consuming and intricate, its also beautiful and elaborate. Both aspects fit Karen as well as fitting the storyline - Karen is a beautiful soul who is intricate etc. She is also someone who works hard to both provide, but also to care for and grow her family. to me the use of this style of top is showing us the difference between someone who is there (doing the hard work of raising a child) and someone who chose to step away when presented with the opportunity (both Nathaniel Greene - who said he’d be guided by Hen and Karen, but who has evidently not kept in touch with them and Eva who was only interested in Denny when it suited her or when he could be used to try and get what she wanted). I think we’ll find its again, a piece of foreshadowing and something Denny will come to realise and appreciate more in 6b.

Denny

starting off with Denny in camouflage when he’s asking questions about his birth mother - epic move by the wardrobe department - its all about hiding your true intentions. Denny is a Wiley one because this whole thing was never about Eva - she was just the thing Denny was hiding his true purpose behind (because we know he already knows some things about her) and the camouflage was our signal that thats what he was doing. His assertion that he didn’t need another mother because he already has Hen and Karen is absolutely true - and he only asserts it when he’s got his hands on the information that he wants - the information about his biological father! 

Got to confess that I was a bit puzzled by this choice of tee - until I realised that there were also clouds on it - so the theme is that Denny currently has this sunshine and palm trees life - but the clouds are rolling in - a perfect choice when we know that the first couple of episodes after hiatus are going to feature both a lot of rain and a rainless lightening storm of some sort - this tee shows us the storm clouds are gathering in California (renowned for its sunshine and palm trees!)

Eddie

Eddie is very much hiding in plain sight this week and that is fascinating to me - for such seemingly nondescript costumes there is a huge amount going on. 

We first see him back in a Henley (everybody cheered) - its black and does a great job of blending him in to the couch in the low light levels. We don’t tend to see Eddie in black all that often (apart from the black vests - which, well we all know about those and what they mean 😂) we would typically see him in either green or cream/beige for this type of scene so the decision to have him in black and camouflage him with the sofa is very telling - it really adds to Eddies attitude throughout this phone conversation - Eddie is not going to get into the sperm donor thing because he isn’t happy about it. Black is both a colour of mourning and a power colour - and in some ways we get both aspects in play here - its a bit of a power move by Eddie to get himself out of the conversation at the same time making it clear how he feels about the whole situation - mourning isn’t really the right word, but the implication that Eddie is frustrated by Bucks choice - that he is perhaps mourning the fact that Buck is still misunderstanding the assignment is what makes Eddie being in black at this moment an interesting choice

Watch watch 👀👀👀 It’s so interesting to have Eddie wearing his work watch at home, it’s not something we’ve seen him do since he started wearing two different watches in 4x06 Jinx (we see the blue face brown leather strap one for the first time when he meets up with Ana for their date) The fact that the blue faced one is so closely tied with Christopher and Buck (see the post I wrote about it here if you haven’t already) and he’s not wearing it in either of his scenes when he’s at home even though we’ve seen him wearing it this season is very telling. it adds an additional layer to what I wrote above about Eddie not being happy about the sperm donor situation because it separates the Buckley-Diaz family and so Eddie himself is separating himself from that concept and its manifesting as him not wearing that watch - the watch that is part Chris and part Buck. It highlights that time is still an important element in Eddies story - and that the Buck and Chris aspect of time is also important - its saying that Eddie isn’t working on that aspect of his life right now (almost like he’s been ale to hit that snooze button he talked about) he’s avoiding it, but I’m pretty confident that watch will reappear in 6b!

The navy blue shirt blends him into the sofa - I’ve spoken about this episode and the idea of camouflage several times above. That we see Eddie blending into his couch just before the camera cuts to a sleeping Buck - loud!!! The thing Buck doesn’t have at the moment - a couch - the thing he’s waiting to replace until the right couch comes along - when we’ve already seen how the show has made use of couches in connection with Buck - we’re pretty much being trolled at this point!

Buck

Buck in pale blue again - I said in my 6x02 meta how I was expecting us to keep seeing Buck in light blue - getting lighter or darker depending on where he is in his journey - that started with the pale blue wedding suit in 5x18 - well I do love it when the show proves me right! Buck is in a lighter blue here - suggesting that he’s gone backwards in his journey (especially when you consider that this long sleeve tee is the same brand as the darker one he wore in 6x07 the first time he tried to donate his sperm - the universe has been screaming at you Buck!!) and we know that is going to continue to be the case in 6b!

Sleepy Buck I’ve already talked a bit about in the Bobby section - the grey is mostly about paralleling them. But there are other things going on here as well. To start with the vertical stripes are on full display - continuing to play into my theory about Buck wearing vertical stripes. The grey also does a similar thing to Eddie being in navy blue - it blends him into his bedding - camouflage - this episode has been full of it - hiding in plain sight, keeping secrets and ‘hiding your true feelings from others’ (looking at both of you Buck and Eddie!!). Camouflaging ones self is an act of protection - self preservation, but it is also an act of sabotage and it can be a red flag - which we see it is throughout this episode. then there is the foreshadowing the grey represents - the stability and maturity - things I think we’re likely to see Buck achieve by the end of the season as he figures himself out more.

The other thing to point out from this scene is the cushion Buch is sleeping on - its the use of triangles again - we saw it used when the Taylor-Buck-Lucy triangle happened in 5b, and here we have them again - when we have Buck caught up in another triangle of his own making - this one is Buck Conor and Kameron and the Baby Buck has just helped to create. 

And yes Buck is still wearing his watch at all times - in both scenes (we know he is in the second one thanks to the bts we got vvv)

I don’t normally talk about uniforms, but I thought it was actually an important point to dive into this week - especially concerning Buck because they chose to do a couple of very deliberate things with is uniform and it really really tells us a huge amount about where Buck is at. 

We’ve had conversations within the fandom about Buck distancing himself from the rest of the 118, well his costumes are helping to make the visual even more obvious, it wasn’t as blatant earlier in the season, but they went very hard with it in 6x09,  because not only is he physically creating distance from the rest of the team (which we’re seeing with him being off sleeping and away from the others etc) he’s also doing it with his uniform too, and the whole being cold theme Buck had going on in 6x09 - that is some epic foreshadowing my friends! 

The rest of the fire fam are wearing their bomber jackets - except Buck - who is clearly cold by the way he is rubbing his arms etc. this is all about Buck essentially freeing out the firefam and not the other way around and its just the latest and biggest manifestation we’re seeing of this - something which we’ve had building in the background since the shooting. We’ve gone over it in great detail - how Buck was distant - and how Taylor was responsible for that in S5 - however what we’ve seen in 6a is that, while Taylor definitely played a part in it, she wasn’t the cause and her departure hasn’t solved the wider issue. Buck not dealing with Eddie being shot - as well as Maddie leaving (no judgement on Maddie I’ll come for you if you try) - both things that have pushed buck into a trauma response - which for Buck is creating distance - when you reflect on it - its something he has done his whole life - its just manifesting in a slightly different way at this point in time. Maddie might have described herself as a fugitive, but Buck is also one - previously he ran to the next adventure to prevent himself getting hurt - now he’s creating distance from his family as a way of trying to prevent himself getting hurt. Thats why the writers put in that monologue from Buck about being someone who went on adventures etc in 6x04 - literally connecting all of his trauma responses together. 

The sleep driver incident also showed us Buck dressed very differently from the rest of the team - Eddie is also dressed differently as he isn’t wearing the short sleeve shirt Chimney, Hen and Bobby are - again separating him from the others - it puts him closer to Buck which is intentional so that when  we see their reactions to a naked lady we pair them off even more than just the script implies!

Even when we do see him dressed the same (as Eddie) his body language is closed off and the distance Buck has been creating remains! Again having him and Eddie dressed the same while the others are dressed in full uniform serves to both highlight Buck and Eddie as their own unit, but it also plays a role in foreshadowing - I want to also point out another prop getting in on the heavy lifting - Eddie is in a red chair - a red flag if you will - also foreshadowing. To me that is saying that Buck being closed off and separates will continue, but its Eddie who is in danger early in 6b (which we’ve now got a pretty good idea about thanks to the trailer) and this foreshadowing is what we’ll see come to fruition in 6b (Chimney is also in a red chair, so we’re likely to see something around him and some sort of issue with his new house (as thats what he was talking about while sat in the chair)).

we also see Buck dressed differently even when in the wildfire uniform - his sleeves are rolled up - when everyone else has them fully down - protecting their arms (this is obviously a deliberate costume choice irl a firefighter wouldn’t be allowed to have their sleeves rolled up while actively fighting a fire as the yellow jacket is fireproof and there to protect!) In some ways this subtly plays into the concept of risk taker Buck, but its mainly done to continue highlighting that Buck is not fully part of the team at this point in time - that he’s different to the rest.

we see it continue when they get back to the firehouse - Buck has grown the distance by stripping down to the grey long sleeve tee (petition to see more of the grey tees - they look so good!!) while the rest are still in full wildfire turnouts. There is a part of me that feels like this is foreshadowing Buck being physically separated from the team in 6b, but at this point its just conjecture on my part (it would however fit into the idea of 6b injured/ coma Buck so its not really that out there!) 

And just like that 6a’s costume metas are complete!! 

If you’ve made it to the end then I thank you - have a cookie on me 🍪🍪🍪

I hope you’ve enjoyed my deep dive ramblings on costume for 6x09 - drop me a reblog or a comment to let me see your thoughts - I love reading them!!

As always tagged people below

@mistmarauder @theladyyavilee @loveyourownsmiilee @leothil @girldadbuddie @kitkatpancakestack  @buckscurls @lemotmo @trashendence @elishareads  @clipboardsandstethoscopes @comfortbuddie @fiona-fififi  @name-code-black-widow @callanee @calyssmarviss @pbandjeremiah @batgrldes @piningpettyeddie @bi-moonlight @spotsandsocks  @livingwherethesidewalkends  @idontshitpostbuttheolympicpark @diazboysbuckley @sweettsubaki @shortsighted-owl @sherlocking-out-loud @dickley-buddie  @favouritealias @hearteyesdiaz @gossamerglob @ktinastrikesback @adamrparrrish @princesschez75 @bucksbuddie @oneawkwardcookie  @leatherat @moniquekatie @wanderingwomanwondering  @trickster-archangel @outrunningthedark @asharadaine @ajunerose  @talespinner230 @pop-kam @swiftiebuckleys @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx​ @butchjerry

[cakesunflower]

a court of golden shadows: elain archeron and azriel endgame

so this is like an 11 page paper i wrote on why i think Elain Archeron and Azriel from Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses are endgame. i made a joke on twitter that i’d write a proper MLA format styled paper on them because i love them so much and a bunch of my moots convinced me to do it so here i am.

this is for the Elriel lovers like myself. if you read it, which you don’t have to, please refrain from commenting anything negative. everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and this whole essay is just my opinion on it. so if you read, i hope you enjoy!!

keep in mind, it’s LONG.

         A Court of Golden Shadows: Elain Archeron and Azriel Endgame

Sarah J. Maas’s fantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses displays epic, world-shattering love stories among the thrilling action and fantastical elements present throughout the novels, as seen in the romance between Feyre Archeron and Rhysand and, most recently, Nesta Archeron and Cassian. Two sisters have already accepted and embraced the (so-called) rare mating bond with their respective counterparts, yet the question remains on what is to happen with the middle sister, Elain Archeron, who apparently has a mating bond of her own with Lucien Vanserra, but has not, for two books and a novella, made any indication of accepting it. However, Elain, in her quiet, gentle way, has shown to be more attentive towards the Night Court’s resident Shadowsinger and Spymaster, Azriel. Who, in turn, has notably started to move on from a five-century long love harbored for another female and gravitating towards the last remaining Archeron sister.

It can be said that the concept of the three Archeron sisters all ending up with the three Illyrian males is a cliché, but if done right, they can capture the reader in their grasp—one that no one would want to get out of. Taking a look at the novels, particularly starting from the second book, A Court of Mist and Fury, since this is where Azriel’s character is introduced, it is difficult to ignore the fact that Maas has been laying the groundwork for Elain and Azriel—or Elriel, as I will refer to them throughout this paper—to be a couple from the moment they met, whether these hints are subtle or obvious. In chapter 24 of ACOMAF where Feyre, the Illyrian faes, and her sisters have dinner together, we see tentative interactions between Elain and Azriel, despite the two of them having just met and Elain, as a mortal who grew up with stories of the terrors of faeries, seems to look towards the spymaster more. The first glimpse of their interaction, no matter how small, is shown on pages 253-254 when “a faint smile bloomed upon Azriel’s mouth as he noticed Elain’s fingers white-knuckled on that fork”. Though this moment can be overlooked, it is only the first of many oncoming moments of Azriel noticing Elain and her actions, a subtle hint of the spymaster’s attention towards Elain. The focus of attention is returned when Elain then turns to Azriel a few pages later, wanting to know more about their ability to fly, even so far as going to say “That’s very beautiful” when Azriel describes Illyrians as being “born hearing the song of the wind” (256-257). Additionally, there are two moments in this particular chapter where Elain, in some semblance, looks towards Azriel as a way of relaxing herself. The first is noted when Azriel’s attention is said to be on Elain, and he offers her a “polite, bland smile”, and Feyre notices how Elain’s “shoulders loosened a bit” in response to it (256). Rather than looking towards Feyre for indicators during an unexpected dinner with faeries, Elain seems to be more drawn to looking at Azriel, which is shown once again in the following passage: “Rhys chuckled, Cassian’s wrath slipping enough that he grinned, and Elain, noticing Azriel’s ease as proof that things weren’t indeed about to go badly, offered one of her own as well” (258). Elain tends to check everyone’s reactions to the circumstances to determine the levels of tension in the atmosphere, but she truly seems to be put at ease when she notices Azriel’s own relaxed state, once again indicating the attention she pays to him from the moment they met.

The first three books in Maas’s series are told through Feyre’s perspective, so it can be said that our perception of and desire for Elain and Azriel getting together is skewed because of the point of view we are given. I, however, consider this to be a moot point because Feyre’s character is the type to notice everything around her. She comes to grow close to both Azriel and Cassian, and with Elain being her sister, the reader can depend on Feyre as being as much of a reliable narrator to tell us exactly what she sees and how she sees it. With this in mind, some of the examples given will be from Feyre’s own musings, but it is important to note that she, more than once, groups Elain and Azriel together. This is shown when, in chapter 49, Feyre is distracting Rhysand as she tries to take care of his wounds and muses about her sisters visiting Velaris. There, Feyre mentions to Rhysand, “I think Elain—Elain would like it, too. Though she’d probably cling to Azriel, just to have some peace and quiet”, before proceeding to think to herself—and the reader, “I smiled at the thought—at how handsome they would be together” (487). Of course, this observation is followed by the acknowledgement of Azriel quietly loving Mor, as he has for centuries, yet what we don’t know, during this, that this wouldn’t remain an issue for long.

Moving on to focus on the third installment of the series, A Court of Wings and Ruin, there is a solemnity surrounding Elain, who, at the end of the second novel, was forcefully turned into fae against her will. After the transformation, Elain has become a shell of who she used to be, trapped in a state of deep mourning of the humanity she lost, of the love of her fiancé she inevitably lost, too. She doesn’t eat nor does she speak to anyone, an empty yet no less beautiful version of herself as her Cauldron given powers, unbeknownst to everyone else, manifest. But even in her state, in her indifference towards her mate Lucien and yearning for her human fiancé Graysen, Elain managed to acknowledge Azriel. He is gentle with her, much like everyone else, as he carries her into the townhouse, smiles, inquires if she’d like for him to show her the garden. And although he stands tall, intimidating in his fighting leathers and large wings, Elain does not recoil from him in fear or shyness. Instead, she takes the arm he offers her and, although it is unsure if she is looking at his Siphon or his scarred hands, she still utters “Beautiful” in response to him (254). Even when life has unexpectedly turned bleak for Elain, even when the world loses its color in the aftermath of the trauma she suffered, in that moment, there was a glimpse of who she used to be as she found beauty in nothing but Azriel.

This same chapter is followed by an insightful conversation between Feyre and Rhysand, triggered by Feyre watching her sister and Azriel. Feyre notes how at odds Azriel looks sitting in the garden next to Elain in his armor, yet she still questions, “Why not make them mates?” (257). This spurs a significant conversation between the High Lord and High Lady, where readers are given some more history on mating bonds and introduced to the prevailing concept of rejected bonds. Rhys provides examples of ill-chosen bonds, such as his parents, who were mates yet their relationship was not ideal in the least. Here, we are told that sometimes fate, the Mother, whatever chooses two mates can be wrong in its pairings, and it is rare for the bond to bring together “true, paired souls” (258) like Feyre and Rhysand. It has been established that the female can reject the bond, and while the male may feel the tug of it, it’s their burden to push through it. Maas spends an entire page or so talking about the concept of ill-chosen or rejected bonds, so it would be naive to look over these details if they weren’t placed in the storyline for a reason. Elain and Lucien may be mates, and Azriel (at least currently within the book) may be in love with Mor, but the idea of free will is not something to be so easily dismissed. Elain already had the choice of her humanity, her mortality, ripped away from her—it’s doubtful she would let this pattern continue.

In chapter 24 of A Court of Wings and Ruin, when Elain is having her first conversation with Lucien, she states, “No one ever looked—not really” (252), and although here she is referencing Graysen, this statement comes around a few chapters later. In chapter 27, Elain walks in on a conversation amongst the Inner Circle, and Azriel was the first to step forward as he noticed something amiss. His observations and questions when he says to her, “[But] you heard something else” and “What did you see” indicate that he, unlike Feyre and Nesta, believes that Elain’s riddled musings have a deeper meaning and need to be heard. The scene ends with Feyre looking to Azriel, noticing that his “hazel eyes churned as he studied my sister, her too-thin body. And without a word, he winnowed away” (287). Azriel didn’t brush off what Elain said, because while her sisters thought Elain had gone mad, Azriel listened to her—he looked. He looked past her “too-thin body” and read between the lines of what she said, and knew there was more than what meets the eye. He looked, which was exactly what Elain had wanted.

This is repeated in chapter 32, when Elain brings up another queen and no one is quite sure what she’s talking about, except for Azriel, who steps forward and gently prods Elain to elaborate. Even Lucien watches Elain warily, questioning if they need to help her, yet Azriel is firm in his assessment that Elain doesn’t need help, that they need to be the ones who need to listen, before ultimately determining that she does, in fact, have powers and is established to be a seer. So while Lucien “stared and stared at [Elain], as if he’d never seen her before”, it was Azriel who actually looked at her and saw what no one else was seeing, whose acknowledgment of her gift and the attention he brought to it from everyone else “freed her from whatever murky realm she’d been in” (336).

The idea of Azriel truly looking at Elain transitions into him looking for her, too. But first, another example of the former is seen in chapter 63, when Feyre, Nesta, and Amren hear the call of the cauldron in the middle of the night. They wonder about it, question why they three heard it because they were Made, not noticing that another who was Made was missing from their group. That is, until, Azriel asks, “What about Elain?” (560), and he is moving alongside the sisters to inspect Elain’s tent, only to find her missing. Azriel notices Elain—whether she is present or not. And so the concept of Azriel looking for Elain is introduced when they are discussing Elain’s rescue from Hybern in the following scene:

“From the shadows near the entrance to the tent, Azriel said, as if in answer to some unspoken debate, “I’m getting her back.”

Nesta slid her gaze to the shadowsinger. Azriel’s hazel eyes glowed golden in the shadows.

Nesta said, “Then you will die.”

Azriel only repeated, rage glazing that stare, “I’m getting her back.”” (563).

There was no hesitation on Azriel’s part in being the one to get Elain back, but there was obvious rage, as noted, in his gaze at the very idea of Elain having been kidnapped. A silent, lethal aura surrounds the shadowsinger that can be so clearly picked out within that scene, showcasing Azriel’s unwavering determination in returning Elain, even if it meant slipping into the heart of enemy camps—especially if it meant that. And throughout the dangers and urgency of this particular mission, when they do reach Elain, Azriel takes a moment to be tender towards her as he “gently removed the gag from her mouth” (573) and asks if she’s hurt. Elain, in turn, is shown to be “devouring the sight of him, as if not quite believing it” before she says “You came for me” (573). Elain looks at Azriel in wonder and disbelief, and this reaction hints towards how she feels drawn towards him. In their very first meeting during the dinner in the Archeron house, Elain looks to Azriel for reassurance, for judgement of the situation, and in the event of her rescue, she finds that same kind of comfort on a far more intense level. Because here, he truly is her rescuer, appearing in front of her to save her from the dangerous hands of their enemies and bring her to safety. And Azriel, in this sense, is devoted to her, holding up his fierce promising of getting her back. Even when he was injured, Azriel held onto Elain, refusing to let her go even while getting shot at and chased, and when they landed in their own camps, the first thing he claimed was for someone to get the chains off of her, rather than even mentioning his own injuries. This just reminds us of ACOMAF when Elain was being dragged to the cauldron and Azriel wasn’t even conscious to witness it—there is no doubt that if he was awake—and uninjured—he would’ve done all he could to save her. Maas robbed us of that type of scene.

Furthermore, evolving from the concept of Azriel rescuing Elain, we get another significant scene between the two of them that displays the kind of trust these two characters smoothly and effortlessly developed. On top of Elain accepting Azriel’s offers of taking her to the garden, a silent indicator that his company was one she enjoyed, Azriel shows a great act of trust to Elain as well when, in chapter 69, he offered her the use of his beloved knife, Truth-Teller. This blade is Azriel’s most prized possession, and to offer it to Elain to bring her the same kind of comfort and safety that we have seen she finds in Azriel himself portrays the trust he has in her—and his desire to protect her. This is emphasized when Rhys tells Feyre, “Never. . . I have never once seen Azriel let another person touch that knife” (610). Even Cassian was stunned that Azriel would let someone else use Truth-Teller, which is significant to note given that he has not let even Cassian nor Rhys—his brothers he has known for centuries—even touch it. And Elain, who had refused to take the knife Cassian had offered her, ends up accepting Truth-Teller—because it’s Azriel’s, and because through the short time she’s known him, he is someone she has poured her trust into and understands he wouldn’t lead her astray. And he didn’t, for it was Elain who “stepped out of a shadow” (653) and used that very same blade to kill the King of Hybern. A temporary gift, given from Azriel, that she used to put an end to one of the greatest threats to both the human and faerie realms.

In the post-war novella A Court of Frost and Starlight, Maas furthers the Elriel endgame agenda by continuing both subtle and blatant hints in their favor—and not just through actual interactions between the two. The concept of Azriel avoiding Lucien because of his mating bond with Elain is important to remember, for it will come back around later. But in this novella, we see it when Rhysand asks Azriel if he keeps an eye on Lucien, given that he is the spymaster. Azriel, in turn, informs him that he does not track his movements, because “He is Elain’s mate” and “It would be an invasion of her privacy to track him”, which Rhysand, since this is shown from his perspective, notes is because Azriel does not want to be aware of if and when Lucien seeks out Elain, and what they do together—if they do anything at all, given Elain’s tendencies to utterly ignore Lucien (70). Rhysand questions Azriel’s motives on this, but doesn’t get a response, but there is an understanding of Azriel’s intentions behind it. Not only does he want to remain ignorant of the forced bond between Elain and Lucien, but a big motivator for him is also Elain’s privacy, which he doesn’t want to intrude on—ironic, given that he is a spy, and it’s his job to know of others’ movements and thoughts.

Another example of Azriel very subtly showing his blossoming feelings towards Elain is when he unforgivingly states that if Lucien were to kill Elain’s ex-fiancé, then “good riddance” (71). He was well aware of how Graysen treated Elain after finding out she was fae, is the one who sits with her in the gardens because he is a comforting presence for her in the face of mourning, so he understands her. This idea is repeated in Azriel’s bonus chapter in A Court of Silver Flames, when Rhysand catches Azriel almost about to kiss Elain—that is definitely to be unpacked later—and warns him that Lucien has the right to invoke a Blood Duel to defend the mating bond, and Azriel does not hesitate, is confident, when he retorts that he would easily defeat Lucien, would have no problem in pulling Elain out of a bond she doesn’t even want.

The novella also includes some more obvious, sweet moments between Elain and Azriel, ones that show Elain’s own growing interest and feelings towards Azriel. Like in chapter 12, when Feyre notes that when Azriel enters the room, she feels Elain freeze at the sight of him, and then Elain proceeds to be almost in a trance when Azriel, after she greets him, moves towards her and takes the heavy dish of potatoes from her hands and says he’ll take care of it for her (105). This scene then continues when Elain hurries off to make herself more presentable, and rather than letting others dive into the food, Azriel stops Cassian from putting food on his plate and all but commands him to “wait until everyone is seated before eating” (106). Rhysand informs Feyre that this sudden reaction from Azriel stemmed from the treatment his mother received as a near servant, but it can also be tied to how Azriel keeps aware of Elain and the recurring theme of looking after her in any way. He notices her, just as she notices him, a subtle way of this being present in Elain’s solstice gift to Azriel. She doesn’t get a gift for Lucien, her mate, but does get one for Azriel, one that makes him laugh in a way that, Feyre notes, she’s never heard before. A genuine sort of joy breaking the cold, indifferent mask of the shadowsinger as he accepts and cherishes the gift Elain gave him—the extent of which we see in his bonus chapter, where it is revealed that he looks at the small vial every night before going to sleep, a not-so-subtle showing that Elain is the last thought on his mind before he descends into slumber.

This notion of the two of them looking after one another in their own ways is again repeated in A Court of Silver Flames in the following passage on page 221:

Azriel smirked. “You and Nesta are wanted down there.”

“Because of the shit with Elain?”

Azriel stilled. “What happened to Elain?”

Cassian waved a hand. “A fight with Nesta. Don’t bring it up,” he warned when Azriel’s eyes darkened.

Throughout the friendship they have formed, Azriel becomes a kind of protector of Elain’s, deriving from her being a part of their Inner Circle as well as the notion of Azriel’s own personal feelings for her. He is so obviously shown as going on the defense at the news of Elain getting into any kind of fight, of Elain potentially being hurt. It’s repeated on page 233 when Elain and Nesta are arguing, and after Nesta utters a nasty comment that lands on Elain like a blow, there is an acknowledgement of the “shadows gathered in the corners of the room, like snakes preparing to strike”. The shadows, of course, are Azriel’s, ready to jump between the sisters and defend Elain from Nesta’s verbal attack, to once again be her protector.

Of course, we can’t forget that Elain has a mate in Lucien, and how it seems to offer the enticing forbidden love trope between her and Azriel. We see a hint of it in A Court of Wings and Ruin, when in chapter 24, Lucien can scent where Elain had gone off to and who she’d gone with, in this case having it be Azriel, and he’d nearly snarled until Rhysand assured him that Azriel wasn’t the “ravishing type” (254)—although I think we can all agree that he most likely is, but wouldn’t even dream of it in terms of the state Elain was in at the time. Maybe it is the mating bond or maybe it’s both Elain and Azriel’s quiet personalities—or perhaps a combination of the two—but the shyness that has them looking at each other and then looking away continues. On page 467 of A Court of Silver Flames, Cassian notes how Elain nods shyly towards Azriel, who in turn offers her a small smile that she quickly looked away from, prompting Cassian to be puzzled as he wondered, “Lucien was certainly not here to snarl at any male who looked at her for too long”. Elain doesn’t look away from Azriel because of the bond, but perhaps because she is well aware of her feelings for him and, for the moment, is too shy for them to be known, especially by Azriel.

The mating bond between Elain and Lucien does serve as a barrier between her and Azriel, though. This is particularly present during the Winter Solstice, when a layer of Azriel’s character specifically has been peeled back to show his feelings for Elain. Like on page 597, when Elain is laughing at Nesta, the older Archeron sister notes that “Azriel stood in the doorway, monitoring them. As if he’d heard Elain’s sharp laugh and wondered what had caused it”. And if that wasn’t enough, Nesta watches as Azriel’s “gaze shifted to Elain, and though it was utterly neutral, something charged went through it. Between them. Elain’s breath caught slightly, and she gave him a shallow nod of greeting”. This is perhaps the most prominent moment of both of their feelings being reciprocated by the other, because Nesta notices the way they look at one another, as if they both see past the person they put in front of everyone else and truly see the other. And even Nesta understands that there is something deeper between the two, even if they themselves haven’t figured it out yet, when she approaches Azriel where he stands by the doorway and, when asked why he doesn’t sit, responds with a “pretty lie” of his shadows not liking the fire. But Nesta looks to where Elain is the one sitting by the fire, and why Azriel chooses to stand as far as he can, because it is “his secret to tell. Never hers” (600). Just like that, Nesta is aware of Azriel’s feelings for her sister and, perhaps, her subtle way of comforting him was her showing her approval.

We get a deeper insight of this scene in Azriel’s bonus chapter—an entire chapter that allows readers to see exactly how he feels about Elain, and that she returns those feelings, too. It is confirmed that Azriel stands by the doorway, away from Elain, because Lucien is in the same room, and the sight and scent of their mating bond is one that Azriel cannot stand. Because the female he feels deeply for, according to fate, “belongs” to another male and he needs to put distance between himself and the two of them when they’re in the same room. Yet, the mating bond doesn’t prevent Azriel from thinking of Elain, from fantasizing about her every night. He goes from being shown as relieved when Rhys tells him he doesn’t have to buy the sisters presents for the Winter Solstice in A Court of Frost and Starlight, to actively buying her a beautiful flower necklace that she would no doubt love. Their secret exchanging of gifts leads to an epic, steamy, full-of-yearning almost first kiss that shows so clearly that Azriel’s feelings for Elain aren’t unrequited, that she, just like him, is desperate to give into what’s been brewing between them for so long. Yet it’s all cut short when Rhys interrupts Azriel, reminding him of a mating bond that Azriel’s painfully aware of—and confidently willing to pull Elain away from if Lucien decides to invoke the Blood Duel. Azriel’s questioning of the cauldron, wondering why it picked three sisters and had two of them end up with his brothers while the last remaining one was mated to another, is not him declaring that he has a right to Elain. This is him questioning the powers and forces that no one truly understands, this is him questioning from a place of heartbreak, wondering why, yet again, he was the one left behind. It happened when his father imprisoned him, forcing Azriel to delay in his training as an Illyrian, it happened when the female he spent centuries loving never once returned the same kind of love, and now it’s happening again. Azriel does not believe he deserves Elain—it goes against his character, because he is self-deprecating, does not think he truly deserves anything good and worthy. He is simply questioning why his choice doesn’t ever seem to matter, and why Elain is yet again left having her decisions being taken away from her.

Because the matter of choice is a prevalent, significant theme for the two of them. For Elain, she was never allowed to truly make a choice in her life. Her mother’s death, her family falling into poverty, turning into High Fae, losing Graysen, the mating bond, her father’s death—these were all huge, significant life changing moments that she had no say in and was forced to endure, completely upending who she was and how she lived. But there is one choice Elain can make, and that is to reject the mating bond with Lucien. There are so many examples throughout the books where Elain turns away from Lucien; she doesn’t express any interest in him—it’s like he doesn’t even exist to her. There is utter indifference on her end, despite any effort made by Lucien, and that in itself is Elain choosing to all but formally reject the bond, however that may come about. There is a moment in A Court of Wings and Ruin in chapter 54 when Elain, while pleading with Graysen, claims, “I belong to no one. My heart belongs to you” (498). Of course, Azriel has nothing to do with what Elain was saying at the time, but her declaration of this speaks to her character and how dearly she holds onto the idea of being with someone of her own choosing, with someone she loves. This can further be developed into the idea that although fate, the cauldron, the Mother may have chosen Lucien for Elain—a pairing that can, ultimately, be ill-chosen—Elain would not give it the time of day unless it’s what her heart wants. And from what we have seen so far, her heart wants Azriel. She chooses Azriel over Lucien, and that holds significant weight to her and, I imagine eventually, to Azriel as well.

Azriel, who has not been other people’s choice. Azriel, who was imprisoned by his own father, who was rejected by the Illyrians. Azriel, who has spent five centuries loving Mor, who will never love him the way he did her. And it’s saying something, isn’t it, that he has finally stopped yearning for her, and that it was Elain who he is enraptured by? Even Cassian noted that the way Azriel used to look at Mor have become few and far in between, telling the audience that the spymaster has finally begun to move on, or already has, from Mor. And Elain wanting to kiss Azriel confirms to him, in particular, that he is her choice as well. And she is his, as further confirmed when Azriel tells Rhys he has no problem engaging in the Blood Duel with Lucien if it means freeing Elain from a bond she doesn’t want, and allowing them both to dive into the choices they clearly want to make.

Truthfully, there are many examples throughout the books where I can talk about Elain rejecting Lucien. She cringed away from the very first time he touches her in ACOMAF—though, granted, it happens right after she comes out of the cauldron. She is unsettled when Lucien tugs on their bond, saying that it felt as though he pulled on a thread connecting to a rib, which sounds painful and nothing like the comforting bond readers have seen between Feyre and Rhys. Elain doesn’t buy Lucien any presents for solstice, and the first present he got her, gardening gloves to prevent her hands from tearing, are ones she doesn’t use. Because she would much rather feel her hands get torn up while she’s working in her garden, uncaring if they scar, which in turn is a reminder of Azriel’s scarred hands and how she found them beautiful. And for those who wonder about Azriel giving the necklace he got for Elain to Gwyn, it is important to note that he tells Clotho to give it to any priestess who would want it, and merely mentions Gwyn by name because he trained her, because he was the one who rescued her after an attack, and she is the one he knows most familiarly by name because of it. At the end of it, Azriel only wanted the necklace gone because he didn’t want to see it, didn’t want to remember that the female he wants, wants him back just as much, but he was all but forbidden to pursue her. Once again, a choice that was taken away from him, and giving the necklace away is far easier than keeping it and remembering how he couldn’t be with Elain. At least for now.

Throughout the novels, there are many symbols that hint towards Elain and Azriel being together, but that is a paper for another day. This one’s goal was to simply point out the many physical and emotional indicators of the way the two of them are drawn to one another, despite the obstacles that are thrown their way—the biggest one being the mating bond no one asked for. There is comfort in the relationship they have, an ease you wouldn’t expect someone with Elain’s light to find in Azriel’s darkness. He offers her comfort in shy smiles and soft looks, and Elain does the same for him, which we see in the act of his shadows disappearing around her. These very shadows provided him comfort when he needed them, were his friends in his prison, and them leaving him when Elain is around is a sign of the contentment Azriel feels, because he doesn’t have to protect himself in her presence. Azriel loved Mor, and it has been noted that he lights up when she is around, and Elain is the only other person he reacts similarly to—because Elain is who he wants now that he has moved on from Mor. It’s important, isn’t it, that Elain is who pulls Azriel away from the centuries-long love he’d been lost in? That she is who he looks for, thinks about, wonders after?

Elain has found comfort in Azriel’s darkness, and he has found peace in her light, and so how could they not defy what’s been expected of them and rewrite fate to fit the choices they make themselves?

[itsclydebitches]

In my experience with the FNDM, I do think it's important to express that there are different types of evil, that villains have motivations and goals to work towards. You'd not believe the amount of people I've met who consider suggesting that many villains wouldn't commit self-destructive evil acts that endanger their goals without something to gain from it is the same as saying said villain is a good person who wouldn't commit evil acts.

I think what people tend to miss in cases like that are the motivations themselves (which is why RWBY in particular can get frustrating, given that character motivations are often unclear, if not outright contradictory). As you say, a character can refrain from doing the Bad Thing and still be the bad person in that situation, provided their motivations for refraining from that action stem from some other, nefarious purpose. Easy example is Cinder not pushing Neo off the walkway. A lot of fans (myself included) think she should have resisted the urge to go for the kill not because we think Cinder should be the Good Person in this situation, but precisely because a bit of restraint would turn her into a better villain. Having already (somehow) convinced Neo that she's still on her side, Cinder should milk that trust for all its worth, maintaining this lacky until she really and truly has no more use for her — which is not in the middle of a fight when you're severely outnumbered and the opposing side also has a Maiden. Here, Cinder doing the good thing of helping Neo up isn't proof that she's a good person. Quite the opposite, provided the audience knows — or later learns — that this was done with the intent to continue using her and, likely, dispose of her at a more opportune moment.

On the flipside though, I've seen many people celebrate this concept... when it's not actually happening. Meaning, we're back to Ironwood. There's been a claim going around (no idea where it started) that Ironwood sent Yang her arm to manipulate her. AKA, that gift isn't actually a good deed because his motivations are corrupt. Problem is, we never see those motivations on screen. There's never any indication that Yang's arm came with strings attached and we never see Ironwood trying to capitalize on that kindness, either by subtly reminding her of that gift during a time when she's disagreeing with him, in the hopes of guilting her into backing down, or outright telling her that she now owes him. It just doesn't happen and without that motivation — why does Ironwood, a very busy general freaking out about this war, want to lay the groundwork to manipulate a traumatized teenager off in Patch that he's met only once and who means nothing to him?? — the action remains a good action. I'm certainly not disputing that such an interaction is possible with the right setup— for those of you who have watched Squid Game, think of Sang-woo trying to use his past help as a means of canceling out his recent harm. That's emotional manipulation — I'm only disputing that RT ever wrote such a dynamic.

Actually, thinking about this a bit more, this might be (partly) why I'm disappointed with Emerald's rushed redemption. Not the fact that she was redeemed, but merely how it was written. Because up through the group accepting her, all she had done was refrain from evil deeds. She's not working with Salem anymore. She's not helping Cinder anymore. She's not attacking Penny anymore, etc. She becomes neutral, if you will, with her one action prior to fighting Ironwood, crucially, being an act of self-service: Oscar needs to escape from the whale, but so does she. We don't know if Emerald's choice to risk getting caught was born out of any compassion for another person, or born simply of self-preservation... but history would suggest the latter. So by the time she's sitting in the courtyard and everyone is laughing with her, we have a character who has been villainous for eight volumes, only stopped a few hours ago in-world, and since then has only a) done things that happen to be self-serving and b) not done anything explicitly evil. Which for me generates that thought, "Just because she's refraining from doing something bad doesn't mean she doesn't have something to gain from holding back. It doesn't mean she's trustworthy yet, a good person yet, etc." Better for the group to remain wary of Emerald and allow her to do a number of things — like helping with Ironwood — in order to prove her changed nature; not let it rest on essentially proving a negative. As it stands, it feels like the group went, "Well, you haven't tried to kill us since you got here, so that must mean you're an ally now!" as if that were the only possibility here: lack of evil deeds for a short period of time = good person. Which perhaps wouldn't be so frustrating if they hadn't felt so intensely betrayed by Ozpin, betrayed by Ironwood, were attacked by Lionheart, tricked by this very woman into thinking they were friends before, with one member of the group (Blake) watching their partner and childhood friend unexpectedly turn against them... It's not like any of them should be suspicious of others who present themselves as trustworthy by now...

[your-brilliant-lady-m]

Part 3 - Basic Concepts of Miraculous Ladybug: Transformations, Potions and Power-Up's

Welcome to my analysis of basic concepts in Miraculous. Let's talk about transformations, potions and power-up's. This one is going to be interesting.

Apparently, only child superheroes have a time limit and can use their power only once. And adults can use their powers many times and maintain their transformation.

I don't take Thomas Astruc's Twitter statements seriously, but he said that adults don't have to detransform because they can feed the kwami with their energy. What happens when energy runs out? Does it mean that holder of the miraculous dies and transformation drops? Or does transformation drops when the kwami grows tired enough? However, according to "Silencer", transformation can't be released until the holder says detransformation words or uses their power (applies to children only). Is that why Master Fu doesn't transform these days? Because he is old and doesn't have enough energy for Wayzz.

At the same time, Bunnix/Bunnyx held her transformation for several thousand years in "Timetagger" and she was still alive. Moreover, not only she was still alive, she hasn't aged a day. Alix still looked around 25 even after spending so much time in stone. Her sanity was also still intact. Does that mean that as long as people are transformed they are immortal and can't die of natural causes, can't get sick or be killed? Does the Miraculous pause all inner processes? Do people stop ageing when they are transformed? Does that mean that prolonged transformations essentially slowed down puberty for Marinette and Adrien because every Akuma attack (their transformation during this attack to be precise) acts as a pause for their growth process? Does that mean that transformed heroes don't need food, sleep or oxygen? And Alix doesn't experience any negative side-effects after prolonged transformation. A lot of questions must be answered here.

But apparently, the "adults can use their power many times without detransforming" rule does not apply to Gabriel. In "Heroes' Day" he turns Nathalie into Catalyst who gives Hawkmoth the power to "release as many akumas as he desires". Does that mean that he can't normally do it? On the other hand, in "Queen Banana" he creates another Akuma right after the fight with akumatized Chloe ended.

Do you remember this? In "Origins" we find out that akumatized butterflies can multiply. That's why Ladybug needs to purify them. So, does that mean that Scarlet Moth and Catalyst weren't necessary?

Hawkmoth's plan in "Heroes' Day" was actually very smart. However, it can fall apart when you remember that butterflies can multiply. How does that work? Why do they multiply? Could Gabriel akumatize Nathalie into Catalyst (akumatized object is something not very valuable, like a piece of paper), then break the akumatized object and release the Akuma into the world? Would that turn people only into copies of Catalyst? I wouldn't call this thing a plothole, exactly. I'm just curious because it's an unclear moment. Perhaps you could explain it as the element of a soft magic system with unclear rules. Because the magic system in Miraculous is a mix between the hard and soft system.

Adults without time-limited power have a serious advantage over children. Why does Master Fu give Ladybug and Black Cat to teenagers then? In the beginning, Fu doesn't know that Butterfly holder is an adult. Isn't it safer to give 2 most powerful Miraculouses to adults just in case? If Butterfly Holder is a child then 2 adults with more powerful Miraculous would win much faster. If Butterfly Holder is an adult as well, then the fight is more even.

We know the out-of-universe reason for doing this. There would be no story then. Miraculous holders have to be kids since it's a kids show. But in-universe it doesn't make sense. In "Furious Fu" Su Han even says that children are not allowed to handle the Miraculous at all according to the rules of the Order. Fu knows that children have a time limit. It looks like he deliberately sets them up for failure. Why?

Is that because children are easier to manipulate as they are most likely to trust Fu's judgement no questions asked? This reasoning doesn't look good for Fu, who is supposed to be a wise and kind mentor. Is that because children won't abuse their powers? Find a trustworthy adult then. Give us some kind of in-universe explanation!

If you can't explain it then do something with the time-limit rule. It's an important plot device, which contributes to tension and raises the stakes during fights. So, removing it is unwise. Consider giving adults a time limit as well then.

Or you can create different rules. Maybe Black Cat and Ladybug can't be wielded by adults, unlike other lower-tier Miraculous? Maybe Miraculous and Kwami can choose the wielder in some capacity, and this magical bond can't be changed? Do Kwamis feel a pull towards several people and Guardian then chooses the final holder? If there's no pull whatsoever, then Kwami won't be able to grant powers to this person? How much weight does the decision of a Guardian have?

I actually like this last idea the most. It makes sense and avoids plotholes at the same time preserving the time-limit rule. I spent less than 20 minutes figuring this out.

This way Fu gave Ladybug and Black Cat to children because he didn't have a choice. Plagg and Tikki gave him suggestions but these people didn't pass his tests. Marinette and Adrien are the last ones and they do pass. It adds some tension and showcases desperation on Master Fu's part. Magical pull doesn't always mean that potential holders are good people. That's why Miraculous sometimes end up in the wrong hands.

Insert a conversation between Marinette and Tikki or Plagg and Adrien about this choosing process, have them wonder about the bond Nooroo and Hawkmoth share.

Then add more information about bonding. The magical connection can be formed just like people form relationships if human and Kwami spend some time together. It nicely adds up with the reason why Master Fu gave Ladybug and Black Cat to teenagers. He could have given both jewels to adults without a bond and waited for the connection to form but alas, there was no time. He needed active holders right now, and waiting for some adult to come around wasn't an option. But here's the catch. Only decent, kind people with good intentions can earn and create a magical bond. And this has the potential for a truly delicious scenario (more on that later).

It's a very tricky situation. But these rules must be stated and figured out in the very beginning. Because it can create plotholes down the line.

Unification

Combining several different Miraculous is an interesting concept and fusion of powers has been used for a long time as a storytelling element. It's important for the plot in several episodes of seasons 3 and 4.

However, there's "Kwamibuster", where the worldbuilding is broken one more time. It is awfully inconsistent within itself just like "Chat Blanc", "Timetagger" and "Furious Fu". (How do writers keep doing this? I have no idea. But then again even "Avengers: Endgame" contradicts itself numerous times. It's truly miraculous how they managed to do this with their budget, I'm impressed).

For a moment let's ignore all absolutely awful priorities that Marinette has in this episode as well as the rule "you can't know the identity of your partner or else you will have to give up your miraculous". This rule is literally never mentioned again before or after this episode. It's just there and it doesn't make sense. I know it's hard to ignore, but one must try. Instead, let's focus on this dialogue below.

Master Fu clearly states that you can't merge the Miraculous. It could make you lose your mind. The only more or less acceptable unification is that of Ladybug and Black Cat.

What happens next? Marinette puts on every Miraculous without any problem just "to free Kwamis" and transforms into Multimouse. The only sign of her discomfort is a moment of dizziness that's gone in a few seconds. Moreover, it never happens again, it's never mentioned. Then she does the exact thing that Fu told her not to do and starts merging Miraculous left and right. She continues to do so in season 4 every other day. What? Of course, how could I forget Shadowmoth? Gabriel merges 2 Miraculous every time in season 4. He doesn't lose his mind.

You can't tell us that merging can make you lose your mind and then in the next scene show us the complete opposite. That's bad writing. If you need the concept of unification to work then cancel the "lose your mind" rule and instead say that the merging process tires you out. There's no lasting harm, just that you will be very tired. If you want to raise the stakes, then say that wielding more than one Miraculous requires a strong will and practice. It's possible, but you can't perform unification just like that.

In this case, you lay the groundwork for the plotline of Marinette and Adrien for season 4 and 5. This plotline is about mastering unification. Show us how our heroes practice with different combinations of Miraculouses outside of Akuma battles. Show how they are improving. Maybe, Ladybug and Chat Noir nearly lose in the season 3 finale because the unification still drains them. However, in season 4 they put more effort into their training and by the time season 5 rolls around they are good at this. They became a stronger team and partners because of that. Their training sessions are also a good set-up for the development of the love square. Nothing like this will happen, but a girl can dream.

Look, I get it. You want Marinette to be special. Unfortunately, you have made her too special. She starts to break the laws of your magic system. We don't see the process. One moment she has 0 knowledge about something and then she is already an accomplished master of the thing in question and often it happens in the same episode. Marinette somehow just knows about the properties of every Miraculous on-screen, but her training happened off-screen. We as the audience are left confused and wondering. Wait, how does she know this? Was there a missing episode? Was this mentioned in some comic? The audience keenly feels the lack of plot-relevant content and explanations.

Potions and Power-Ups

They are a marketing ploy to sell more toys and merch with character transformations. That's it. Are they useful for the story? Yes, they are sometimes. Do power-up's make sense as a worldbuilding element? I'm sorry to tell you this, but no.

Miraculous Grimoire contains lots of potion recipes for Kwamis. I liked that Kwamis can't read the grimoire to avoid giving information to malevolent holders, which implies that they can't lie to their holder about their powers. I talked about this in my previous posts.

Let's start with Ice Transformation. Apparently, in-universe its only useful characteristic and the thing that sets it apart from normal transformation is skates. Maybe, this transformation also has additional protection from the cold. Maybe. Miraculous makes heroes nearly invulnerable and enhances their physical abilities. I find it hard to believe that protection from elements is not included in the package. And that's it. If we remember that Miraculous holders have subconscious control over transformation's appearance, we can also assume that a person can have conscious control as well. The laws of the magic system in Miraculous allow Marinette to ask Tikki to create skates for this particular transformation. Potions aren't necessary for this. This way you can still sell new toy, but in-universe this works better.

Our next stop is Aqua Transformation. It gives heroes the ability to breathe underwater and fins. That's all. In "Syren" it appears that this transformation also makes them more agile and fast in the water. However, Ladybug's yo-yo worked just fine before Aqua form when she tried to drag Kim to the surface. Her movements underwater weren't restricted either with normal transformation. So their fighting ability is not affected by the potion.

Kwami can live without oxygen. I mentioned earlier that Bunnix with normal transformation in "Timetagger" spent several thousand years in stone without oxygen and probably in some kind of stasis. Do transformed heroes need oxygen? No. Then their inability to breathe underwater doesn't make sense. Therefore, a potion isn't necessary for this.

Next, let's talk about fins. They could appear through the conscious desire of the holder just like skates.

Honestly, "Timetagger" and "Chat Blanc" completely destroyed worldbuilding in Miraculous. These episodes just shouldn't exist. They aren't even consistent within themselves, nevermind the rest of the show, which is why I still don't understand why fandom has such a weird hard-on for them and for Bunnix. Oh, wait. On second thought, I get it. They were just fanservice after all.

Cosmo Bug an Astro Chat. Space power-up give heroes the ability to fly and exist without oxygen. Ancient grimoire had the recipe of space potion, apparently. And humans got into space in the second half of the 20-th century. Ok. That totally makes sense.

If ancient people invented a space potion, that could also mean that back in Ancient Egypt Ladybug and Black Cat holders could use advanced technology. But Su Han in "Furious Fu" is surprised to discover that Ladybug can just call Chat Noir. He assumed she would send a bird with a message. That means that unconscious control over transformation extends to the weapons of heroes. For Marinette and Adrien communication means smartphone with navigation, messages, trackers and Bluetooth earbuds. That's why magic gives them smart weapons. Su Han's words prove that the invention of the space potion is not possible. Unless space potion was also subjected to unconscious control over transformation. People couldn't imagine the possibility of space travel in Ancient Egypt, but they could imagine flight. So, perhaps, for heroes back then space potion simply meant wings.

We've established that heroes don't need oxygen. So, a potion isn't necessary for this. The ability to fly also could be achieved through conscious transformation.

That's all for this part of analysis. Let me know what you think. Stay tuned for the next meta. See you!

[lunariasilver]

The Virtuoso / 3. Meteor City Part III

Masterlist

Previous / Next

I couldn't seem to distance myself from the Phantom Troupe. Every time I considered it I found myself somehow spending time with one of the members. It was strange. I had never wanted to spend so much time with somebody before, except maybe Killua; but even that was different.

At the time I was just concerned with showing him and everyone else that I was his superior in every way.

It wasn't long before they gathered new members. Only a few, and they helped lay the groundwork for the Troupe.

Shalnark and Phinks.

Phinks was ok. Pretty fun to mess with, actually. As far as Phantom Troupe members went, I'd say he was the most excitable. I mean, aside from Uvo. But he was a different kind of excitable. I spent a truly unnecessary amount of time bullying the man. Something about the way he reacted was hysterical to me.

He had tried to fight me, however. Luckily I was really good at evading. Plus Chrollo always had my back....even though he told me to stop harassing the man. I didn't though. What was he gonna do? Stop me? Please.

I hated Shalnark. I had no idea why. I just did. He was the worst. He was entirely too cheerful. He, however, was determined to be my best friend. Whenever I was doing anything he just turned up and started pestering me.

"Ivela!"

And there he was now.

I elected to ignore him, instead continuing to play my violin in a secluded alley.

"Look, I brought you a crown!" He exclaimed, carrying with him a ridiculous silver circlet with a red gemstone centered in the front.

My violin screeched. "What?"

"Look how pretty it is!"

"I hate you."

"Aww, but you're my best friend!"

Naturally, I took the crown. I had hopes that he would give me a different gift sometime in the future, but I always need more gifts. Gives me more things to summon.

Chrollo and I had already talked about every book he had, and now we had started sharing our own stories with each other. Only told orally, because there was no way we were wasting paper on that. Plus I blatantly refused to write on the dirty paper that could be found here. It was gross.

It was kind of fun to bounce ideas off of each other. These sessions usually ended in the two of us chuckling at the absurdity of what we had just come up with.

"Did you make yourself into a character?" Chrollo asked me one time.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "No, she's-"

"She's an assassin born girl banished from the family trying to prove herself worthy so she can go home." He deadpanned.

I paused. "Alright so I might have made myself."

He laughed at me, the bastard. I joined him a few seconds later. It was, admittedly, kind of funny.

My time spent alone was filled with, surprisingly, composing. It was something I had never really had much time for after Killua was born, but I had enjoyed the hobby tremendously when I was still the heir. I wasn't sure why I had started writing music again. It felt kind of nice. They were all little songs, though. I didn't think I had it in me to write a full length one. Or, rather I didn't really have the inspiration.

I tended to meditate a lot while I was alone too. Basic nen training, I guess. It was incredibly important that I get stronger. I wouldn't let myself fall behind the others- the members of the troupe. My nen prowess grew by the day.

I was worried I was becoming an alcoholic with the amount of time I spent drinking with Uvo and Nobu. It was a good thing they never had enough alcohol to keep me buzzed for more than an hour. I didn't think Uvo ever had enough, either. He was always talking about how much he wanted to get me to an actual bar so he could "drink me under the table."

Personally I thought that I would beat him in a drinking contest.

I had started sparring with all the members of the troupe when they were up to it. There was no better training than actual combat. Well, not really actual combat. None of them wanted to kill me. I hoped.

"Ivela!" Machi called to me as I was walking. Her tone seemed...clipped. I didn't like that.

I paused my gait and half turned to see her approaching me.

"Machi." I stated.

"Did you take my dagger?"

I paused, furrowing my eyebrows. "Why would I do that?"

"You said you liked it." She replied, her eyebrows twitching.

I nodded. "It is a nice dagger."

"So you admit it?"

"No. I have a dagger."

The conversation continued in this fashion for a few moments before Machi stormed off, still convinced I had taken the dagger. I had no idea why she assumed that I would steal from her, but I had been unable to convince her otherwise. I spent the next week on my guard, fully expecting some kind of violent retaliation. It's what Illumi would have done, and they were about the same age. It was strange, despite Meteor City being a place in which I should've always been on my guard in, I realized that I had been oddly relaxed here. It was jarring to go back to a state of hypervigilance.

The next time that Machi approached me, it was again outright. I was honestly expecting some kind of ambush, but couldn't find any signs of one.

"Do you need something." I asked her after a moment of examination. She seemed to be struggling with something.

Honestly her demeanor was terrible. It was obvious she was about to do something she didn't nessecarily want to do, like stab me.

"I..." She paused again. I sighed. I wished she would just get this over with.

"I found my dagger." She finally said. What? "It turns out I just misplaced it."

I narrowed my eyes at her. She was absolutely planning something.

"I uh, came to apologize."

My eyebrows raised practically to my hairline. "Apologize?"

"Yeah, I'm uh. I'm sorry I accused you."

I continued to stare at her for a minute. "Are you not going to stab me? Or....I don't know...try to set me on fire?"

"Not unless you stab me first!" Machi quipped before laughing.

.....Why.....was she laughing I was being completely serious.

"My hair has gotten longer." I noted. Chrollo and I had just finished discussing another ridiculous story when I brought up my hair in a lull in the conversation.

"That tends to happen." He replied.

I stared at him, eyes narrowed.

"Hair grows, Ivela."

"I hate you."

"Be that as it may," Chrollo said, smiling subtly. I hated it when he teased me. "Is there something wrong with that?" I assumed he was referring to my hair's length.

"Yes." I grumbled, crossing my arms.

"Do you want me to cut it?" He offered.

I stared at him blankly. "Have you ever cut hair before?"

"How hard could it be?"

He found that it was harder than he anticipated, as evidenced by the reflection staring at me from the water. The haircut was kind of choppy. It was actually a bit of a mess. It stopped at my shoulder, just as my hair had when I had first come here, but it wasn't perfectly sculpted.

"I'm sorry." Chrollo said from behind me.

"I love it..." I whispered, staring wide eyed at myself. It was so different than the ridiculously perfect bob I had been forced to have all my life. Mother was...insistent that I dress however she wanted me to.

"What?"

"This is the best haircut I've ever gotten. You have to cut my hair from now on!" I stood up from where I had been crouched by the waterside and rounded on him.

"H-hold on-"

"Too late, you're my hairdresser now." I was pretty good at reading him. He was secretly pleased that I liked what he had done.

"I-" He started, before sighing. I grinned for a split second, knowing I had won. "Okay." He relented.

It wasn't long before a year had passed since my arrival. It was honestly the best year of my life so far. But all good things must come to an end.

"We've done all we can here." Chrollo explained. "We have to branch out more."

"You'll come with us." Feitan said.

Paku shook her head. "Obviously he means we want you to come with us."

I glared at the ground while clutching the ends of my shirt. "I...can't."

"Why not?!" Uvo exclaimed, leaning forward. I could tell all of them were shocked by my admission.

"You know better than us that it's better out there!" Phinks yelled. It was nice to know that even he wanted me to come along.

"You can't really like it here." Machi stated.

I did kind of like it here, actually. But... "You don't understand. I can't leave." I reiterated. I still couldn't bring myself to look at them.

"Ivela, you're being stubborn." Chrollo sighed. It was as if he couldn't fathom the concept of me not wanting to go with them. He was right to be confused. I did want to go with them.

"I am not!" I shouted, looking up. "I....if I leave they'll..." I stopped, sighing heavily. I really didn't want to tell them.

"My family...they're...I'm..."

"They're assassins. You told me already. But what does that have to do with-" Nobu started.

I cut him off. "They're the Zoldycks." My admission was met with stunned silence. Even in Meteor City the Zoldycks were well known. We got all of our butlers from Meteor City. I looked anywhere but at their faces.

"The day before I came here, I tried to do something...unforgiveable." I didn't want to elaborate on what I had done. Especially not to people who were leaving. People I would never see again.

"They left me here, and told me if I ever left that they would kill me. I know they weren't just saying that. If I leave, I'll die."

The air was heavy. A pin dropping could break the silence.

Paku was the first to recover. "We'll just have to visit you then."

The rest of them were quick to agree.

I smiled humorlessly at them. "Then, I'll see you when you do." I didn't believe them.

I would never see them again. Of that I was certain.

A/N

Either one or two more Meteor City chapters before we get into the real story.

Next

[theramenbandit]

To Whom It May Concern

It catches her quite by surprise. On a Wednesday, of all days. Well actually, surprise is an understatement. It really was more like she got hit by a ton of bricks. 

Kara has a favorite park bench. It's the one under the sprawling oak tree, right across from the chess tables. She loves it because it's shady, it's far enough away from the noisier side of the park, and it lets her observe people without drawing attention to herself. One day, at lunch, she hears a peculiar heartbeat. It isn't particularly loud, but it stands out to her for some reason, and as she begins to listen intently, it drowns everything else out. Its rhythm is strong, steady, beautiful, even. As Kara listens, she feels something bloom in her own chest. Something like warmth, like freedom, like coming home. And when she snaps out of it, the heartbeat is gone. It's a strange experience, to say the least, but not at all unpleasant. She writes about it in her journal later that day. 

The professor was talking about the concept of space-time and the beings caught in it. Kara was enthralled by the idea of such an unbreakable bond, an immeasurable force. It wasn’t just romantic. It was something more. It went beyond the heart, it probably went even beyond the soul. It made her think if she will ever find something like that for herself. 

She hears it again, that same heartbeat from weeks ago. This time she tries looking for the owner, but a Supergirl emergency keeps her from doing just that. She starts going to the park more often, in hopes of finding that heart, and perhaps, oh perhaps more importantly, whom it belongs to. 

Was it even possible to pine for someone you hadn't even met yet? 

She’d read stories, epic tales, poems, and legends from her world and many others, and she realized its transcendence. How beautiful it was for two beings to be connected by some invisible, inseparable tie. How wonderful it might be if, after centuries and universes of separation, they found each other again.  

The next time Kara hears it, she's doing rounds near the city limits. She tries to home in on the sound and soon she's following a car driving away from National City. She's about to swoop in on the vehicle and finally know who this person is who owns this heartbeat that keeps finding her and at the same time keeps eluding her, but just then her phone rings. It's Winn. Crap. Game Night. And she was hosting. Double Crap. And now that she was so close to finding out. Figures. She follows the sound until it fades away, committing it to memory, etching it into her heart, then heaves a frustrated sigh and flies back home. 

She's distracted and they lose, badly. Alex knows that something is up (because of course she does) and asks if she's alright. Kara says she's just tired, thankful when her sister doesn't push. She wraps the party up before ten. She lays in bed and has half a mind to figure out where that car was headed, but it's late and she has to meet with Clark early the next day about some Luthor business or whatever. She falls into a fitful sleep, punctuated by weird half-dreams of willows and glaciers and stars. 

She's too cranky to notice it when she and Clark walk up to the building. Too cranky to notice it when the dark-haired woman walks into the room, too grumpy to notice it when Clark starts speaking with her. Then the woman reaches out to shake her hand in introduction and Kara is too annoyed to-- There it is. That familiar cadence. And it's coming from the person standing right in front of her. 

“Hello, I'm Lena Luthor.”    

“It's… It's you.”

“Yes,” Lena answers with a mildly amused sort of expression. “It's… Me.” 

Kara barely hears it over the sound of her own heart thundering in her ears. She almost misses the proffered hand as she extends her own to shake it, her gaze transfixed. 

Lena Luthor has the greenest eyes she had ever seen. 

The interview passes by in a blur. Kara won't remember half of it. What she will remember is Lena's heartbeat, along with that low-pitched voice and melodic lilt, soothing her, distracting her. Ensnaring her. 

Clark sounds far away when he finally asks "so, Miss Luthor, with L-Corp now under your supervision, what can we look forward to?"

Lena smiles at the both of them, "what do you know about Quantum Entanglement?" 

Clark answers her with something about Einstein or that dude with the car named after him. It completely slips past because Lena is positively beaming and Kara is absolutely mesmerized. 

"Well, when you see what we're doing with them," Lena was looking directly at her now, her eyes holding her captive, "it'll blow you away." 

Kara doesn't flinch, even as her breath is stolen. She holds Lena's gaze and with absolutely no resistance, lets herself be taken. "I can't wait." 

-

Sunlight filters in through the gap in the curtains, the rays illuminating a bunch of dust motes. Kara watches as they float around lazily, drifting apart, then colliding, then drifting away again, but always coming back towards each other. It reminds her of one particular Wednesday. 

“You're up, course you're up,” comes a bleary voice from under her chin. 

“And a bright good morning to you as well,” Kara says in mock offense. A sleepy chuckle bubbles up out of Lena, and Kara can't help but plant a kiss to her temple.

“What were you thinking about?” 

“Remember when you asked me about Quantum Entanglement?” 

“Yeah, you gave me your best goldfish impression.” 

“I knew what it was.” 

“Yeah? But why didn't you say anything?” 

“You know how you once told me that you used to know all the words to Email My Heart?” 

“Oh god, don't remind me,” Lena says as she shuts her eyes in embarrassment and buries her face in Kara's shirt. 

“And that they practically vanished completely from your memory because you hadn't heard it in so long? That's kinda what happened back then. The first time I'd heard of Quantum Entanglement (we didn’t call it that) was in auridhrinn-- that's like 4th grade Earth school. Logically, it shouldn't be possible, but then the teacher showed us pictures of it: two particles, across universes, basically being two parts of one whole. I thought it was beautiful.”

“And then?” 

“And then, I guess I forgot about it. Until I heard your heartbeat in the park and then you mentioned working with the technology during our interview that day. Then I remembered. I remembered everything.”

“OK, back up. The park?” Lena says with as much incredulity as her un-caffeinated state would permit her. 

“Yeah.” 

“Huh.”

“I feel like there's a story there.” 

“Get me some coffee, maybe we'll talk.” 

Kara chuckles and kisses her hair, "deal," as Lena snuggles back into her side. Neither of them says anything for a spell, and Kara feels herself drifting back to sleep when Lena suddenly rears her head and makes a cartoonish face. “Is it science? Is it magic?” she enunciates playfully. Kara laughs as a wave of affection takes over her heart and permeates her chest. The light is hitting Lena's eyes just so; sparkling isn’t nearly a good enough word for what they’re doing, and she momentarily gets lost in them. Green and blue and flecked with gold. Like willows. Like glaciers. Like stars. 

Kara tenderly cups her cheek and brushes her thumb against her warm skin. “It's you and me, Lena. You're my particle.”

Lena looks down at her fondly and then adorably scrunches her nose. “You're so sappy in the morning.” 

Kara smiles against her lips. “Only with you.”

-

Lena would go to the park, too, Kara later learns. She hadn't moved into the city just yet. She was taking in the surroundings, discreetly laying the groundwork for her company, for when she eventually would relocate, rebrand, start over. She'd 'kind of just sit there' and 'disappear' into the city for a bit, and would think over what it was about this place that made her so sure this was where she was supposed to be. Kara then stumbled (Hey, I sauntered, Babe, jabbing at her with the drippy piece of pancake stuck to her fork) into her life and she started to wonder if moving here just 'made business sense' or if it was something more. Turns out it was a bit of both. 

[rachelbethhines]

Tangled Salt Marathon - Vigor the Visionary

This is one of the better episodes of season two, but it still manages to have some major flaws. Flaws, that not everyone can get past, and for good reason. So let's dig in. 

Summary:  Rapunzel and Eugene are on a romantic date together until they come across a fortune-teller, Madame Canardist who presents them her pet monkey, Vigor the Visionary who can make psychic predictions. While Eugene refuses to believe fortune-tellers to be real, he and Rapunzel soon find themselves helping Madame Canardist when Vigor is stolen. Eugene discovers the thieves to be Angry and Red, who revealed they "borrowed" Vigor as Angry believes he can help her find her long lost family. Eugene and Rapunzel agree to help, despite Eugene's concerns and doubts. Vigor begins to lead the group and soon Angry is apparently reunited with her family who also welcome Red. However, Eugene and Rapunzel learn the couple are not Angry's real family and are actually two thieves in hiding.

Why Hello There, Offensive Stereotype 

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way first. 

Madame Canardist and Vigor were a dropped concept from the original film. You can even see art work of them in the end credits of the movie. The series’ crew thought it would be clever to put them into the show and make them plot important. 

The problem? 

Madame Canardist is a caricature of the Roma people, based off of centuries long stereotypes that are harmful to said people even to this day. 

Now if you live in the US you may not be aware of the discrimination that the Roma face. They live mostly in Europe and Central/South America. That’s not to say that don’t live in the US too, just that they aren’t a significant minority here. As such, many people, including the crew, are just simply ignorant of the situation. I, myself didn’t even know that the word ‘gypsy’ was considered a slur until very recently and only because I’ve managed to talk to people from around the world through the internet. 

I am not Romani, and can’t and won’t speak for those that are, but many people were upset with this character’s inclusion in the show and subsequent portrayal. As they have every right to be. The crew probably didn’t mean to be hurtful, but nevertheless perpetuating negative stereotypes can have real world consequences and effects. 

I’ll talk more about that impact and the crew’s response when we see the character again later in the season. However, this mistake alone is enough to turn people right off of the episode and I can’t blame them for it. 

This is Only One of Three Episodes That Ties Back Into Season One 

The reason why I say this is one of the better episodes of the season is because it manages to pick back up a plot thread from season one while also laying down groundwork for future plot points. In short, it’s one of the few episodes in season two that isn’t filler. 

However, that’s also the problem. Season two feels so disconnected from everything; both from the previous season and from the following season. You really can skip most of the episodes in it and not miss anything. That’s bad writing. 

We needed more call backs to season one. More follow ups on Corona and the other established characters in order to make all of that world building in the first season not feel like a waste. We also needed more returns of the season two characters and locations in order for all the worldbuilding here not to feel like a waste either. 

So Did Raps and Eugene Not Think to Vet These Strangers at All Before Leaving Two Children With Them? 

So yeah these two people are fakes and the real thieves, but even if on the off chance that they were Angry’s real parents, why would you just leave these two girls with them? Birth parents doesn’t mean ‘good parents’. You don’t know why Angry was orphaned to begin with. Shouldn’t you be asking like questions and sticking around for a day or so to make sure everything will be alright before you leave? 

Maybe?... no? 

Well ok then... Sure is lucky that Angry and Red know self defense because you two are morons. 

Also really convenient that one of the thieves so happened to be the same race as Angry, when we haven’t seen that many asian people in the show besides her and Adria. You literally just took one look at another north asian woman and automatically assumed she was related to the other north asian kid. Okay. 

Also this is what, the fourth time we’ve shown a WOC character as untrustworthy and sneaky? 

Once again, I’m not accusing the crew of being intentionally racist, but they certainly didn’t think things all the way through and it shows. 

Why Are We Letting Two Children Go Off Into the Woods Alone With No Home to Return Too? 

I gave it a sort of pass in Big Brothers of Corona, because its implied that they ran away and would have done so no matter what Eugene and Lance did, and were long gone before either could stop them, but here there’s no excuse. 

They take off and Eugene and Raps just don't even bother to look for them. They just shrug their shoulders and leave and act like this is 100% okay. 

Yes, lets ignore the two orphans that are clearly still nearby and were looking for a home just now to go back to our date. 

Neglect is a central theme of the show. All of our main characters suffered from childhood neglect in some way shape or form, along with three major villains (two which are the mains), and it's always portrayed as having negatively affected them. Even here, Angry suffers from feeling abandoned by her birth parents. 

Yet here we have two of those main characters, both of whom have been through what Angry and Red have been through, now perpetuating that abuse and neglecting two children. And to make matters worse, this isn’t the first time Rapunzel has been shown neglecting a child. It was kind of the main conflict of season one. 

Why on earth would either of these two characters think this is okay, and more importantly why would the writers think so. Because this only undermines all of their previously brought up points and their later reasonings of certain characters. 

Eugene and Rapunzel are responsible for Angry and Red in this instance. Even if they couldn’t have brought them along, than they needed to make sure that arrangements were made elsewhere to keep them safe. Send Hookfoot , Shorty, or Lance back to Corona with them, put them in an orphanage in a town nearby, or yes, even bring them along on the trip, because clearly they’re allowed to do dangerous shit anyways according to season 3. Even have them actually run away during the middle of the night and have the mains not able to find them again and need to move on cause of a ticking clock. Just something to show that our protagonists aren’t a couple of dicks. 

Conclusion 

Like I said, it’s at least not filler, and there’s some good scenes here and there, but there’s a major failing in the central themes and presentation of ideas that the episode was going for that let it down. 

[girlsgonemildblog]

Influencer 101, but None of the Information is Correct - Emily in Paris, Episode 5 Recap (Spoilers!!)

Poster from IMDB

I think this show may be good. The jury is still deliberating, though, so I will let you know. The episode begins with Emily and Mindy at a café, and I would be remiss if I did not mention how cute both of their boots are.

Emily accidentally orders condoms with her breakfast, and the waiter is quite rude about it even though he knew what she meant. (Can you believe I am defending Emily? Who thought we would see this day?) The two girls then begin discussing the love-triangle Emily has found herself in with Camille and Gabriel when Camille joins them. Talk about awkward.

At the office, Emily knocks on Sylvie’s door as she enters, and Sylvie explains to her that she needs to wait for a response before entering. I am 120% on Sylvie’s side here; I’m currently staying with my parents, and the room I am using as an office has a closet full of files for my dad’s business, and he always does this. He even once asked me why I don’t say “come in” after he knocks, and I had to explain that it is because he doesn’t give me enough time.

Anyway, the two of them, with Julien and Luc, discuss campaign ideas for the mattress company with whom they are working. (Antoine is not in this episode, thank God.) Luc suggests making an innuendo to the sex position, the Eiffel Tower. Where exactly he thinks you can post ads with an extremely explicit sex position is beyond me.

Because Emily’s Instagram account now has 20.1k followers (followers do not grow that fast, but ok), she gets invited to an influencer lunch for a cosmetic company called Durée. The CMO of the company, Olivia (Xanthe Elbrick), apparently has beef with Sylvie, but there is no explanation of what it is. Olivia invites Emily to speak with her and tells Emily that Durée does not work with a marketing agency but instead relies on partnerships with influencers. I probably don’t need to say this, but that’s not how influencer marketing works; you still need an agency to help with that strategy, fostering the relationships, writing the copy for the posts, and planning the events like the one Emily attends.

When Emily arrives back at her apartment, she runs into Camille and Gabriel (I am convinced that every other apartment in that building is vacant), leaving for a date, and Camille insists she comes with them. How does Emily not just say she has a migraine? Even if you’re not attracted to and haven’t kissed the boyfriend, who wants to be a third wheel? They seem to have fun on the date, though, and I’m starting to suspect that there’s going to be a threesome at some point in this season. They end up at a gallery projecting Van Gogh’s works on massive walls, and Emily comments that “Starry Night” is one of her favorite works of art. Camille tells Emily that Van Gogh painted it while in a mental institution, to which Emily replies she didn’t know about Van Gogh’s nervous breakdowns. Not knowing the history of one of her favorite pieces just fits too well into Emily’s characterization. She is just so dumb.

Photo from IMDB

They sit down against one of the walls, Emily sandwiched in the middle, again laying the groundwork for a threesome in a later episode. Camille sees someone she knows, leaving Emily and Gabriel alone, which allows them to talk about their kiss. When Emily notes that Gabriel kissed her back, he asks, “this is the normal reaction, no?” and let me just say, Fuck No! Pull away from her, push her off of you, do something, dude!

While we’re on the love triangle subject, I want to note that I love that I like Camille. I said in my previous recap that I am sick of the girls-fighting-for-a-boy trope, and one staple of this trope is that the “other woman” is a bitch. It would have been easy for the writers to make Camille the cliché snooty, anemic French girl-type, but they chose not to do that. Camille is sweet and the type of person who goes through her new friend’s Instagram and likes every single post. If there has to be a love triangle (which, for interesting plot purposes, there kind of does), I am glad it is one like this.

The following day, Emily gets a lunch meeting with Olivia from Duvrée and is again wearing gorgeous boots.

Have I been sleeping on Emily’s shoe collection? Olivia makes Emily an offer to be her brand ambassador, and Emily explains why this is a conflict of interest. Olivia leaves (despite not having eaten yet) by giving Emily an ominous warning about Sylvie, which is entirely unnecessary because we have met Sylvie and know she can be a bit of a bitch (I say this as a compliment).  

When Emily’s team meets with the woman from the bed company, she pitches an idea of placing their bed in iconic spots around Paris, such as the Louvre. She has no way of getting the Louvre to agree to an ad campaign in the middle of priceless art, as Sylvie later points out, and as is proven later in the episode, but the client loves the concept regardless.

Sylvie and Emily then get into an argument over the emilyinparis Instagram account. Sylvie is correct that Emily should not be posting ads on her account for free, but wrong that the account should be deleted. What they should be doing is using the account as a tool and charging people for Emily’s posts.

Mindy and Emily meet for dinner, and Mindy insists that Emily should sue because her boss can’t make her delete her account. Your boss definitely can make you delete a social media account if you are not representing the company well; the difference is that in this instance, it is not a good idea. The two of them then get drunk and go all over the city as a last hurrah for the account, and literally, who cares that much about an Instagram account? 

At the end of the night, Emily, of course, runs into Gabriel at her building. As they are walking up the stairs, a slow indie beat plays that very much suggests that they’re about to have sex. Gabriel stops Emily to tell her that he also “felt something” during their kiss, to which Emily replies, “Good night, Gabriel,” and goes to bed. Good for Emily! Though I was excited about their kiss, and do want them to get together, the circumstances are not the best for Emily, and I’m glad she had the self-respect to stop what was happening.

The next day at work, Sylvie tells Emily that the bed company saw her posts from the night before, wants to put the bed in one of the locations she visited that night and wants her to be the first post for the campaign. What a great idea to use her Instagram as a marketing tool, I wish I had thought of that. Camille ends up being in this photo, which Emily captions, “#getinbedwithus”. Gabriel likes the picture with a look on his face that suggests that he, at the very least, is interested in the threesome.

[letterstothemidnightsociety]

Previously On Supernatural Season 3, we had a really rock solid trio of episodes to kick us off right, so what does SPN do next? It’s gonna lay the groundwork for some spicy character development that may or may not pay off by the end of the season. Let's find out!

To be honest, I felt the next three episodes just sort of plateau? There’s enough nuggets in these three eps - “Sin City”, “Bedtime Stories”, and “Red Sky at Morning” - that it does feel like they’re setting up for something big but it’s taking too much time. If the season had been longer, I don’t know that I’d be complaining, because there’s SO much potential introduced with these character developments, but I know it’s gonna get cut off at the knees in the very near future. 2021 Me has been trained on what to expect from a short season, so half of my brain wants to give the show slack for Unexpected Circumstances, but the other half of my brain is shouting YOUR NOT DRIVING THE BUS FAST ENOUGH, YOU’LL NEVER MAKE IT TO THE END OF THE LINE IN TIME!!!

And that’s maybe unfair because there really are some great nuggets in here. We’ve got “Sin City”, which is Dean’s episode. I mean, they’re ALL Dean’s episode, but this one more so than the other two in this post. Dean gets trapped with a demon who turns out to be...kinda...nice? In kind of a Stockholm Syndromey way I guess? She let’s Dean in on the fate that awaits him when his year long contract is up and it is NOT great. This isn’t the first time we see that there’s more to the demons than SPN has shown us in the past (hello, Ruby), but it is the first time Dean chills out enough to actually have a conversation with one. Dean doesn’t really get it, like he’s still not interested in getting out of his deal, but the fear gets planted, it just needs some time to grow. Oh, also, the Colt Ex Machina is back in action, so that's important.

This dumb bitch thinks he can fool us with that devil-may-care side glance but he caaaan't

But then we get “Bedtime Stories”, the Sam episode, where Sam learns...to let go? That’s the point of this episode right? It’s about letting go of someone before that person becomes too toxic and dangerous? At least, that’s the lesson that Dean wants Sam to take away from this case. But Sam will NOT learn this lesson, so instead he tries to cancel Dean’s deal by killing the crossroads demon who wrote it. Spoiler Alert: it doesn't work.

And then we get “Red Sky At Morning”, which opens and closes with some heavy emotional baggage, but then is stuffed full of fun. Like, this episode ricochets wildly in terms of Feelings, but then that’s probably what we should expect from SPN. I mean, what show have I been watching for 3 seasons now?

Fun Facts guys: I’m a tired Millenial, and swapping DVD discs was too much work so I switched over to watching this season on Netflix and GUESS WHAT???? THESE EPISODES COME WITH A SUICIDE WARNING!?!?!

They're not wrong.

And like, if that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about this season I don’t know WHAT will. Cuz Dean is absolutely suicidal and I am surprised (??) I guess (???) by how much the show acknowledges that. Or I guess, surprised by how much Netflix acknowledges that. It’s something that I did not...pick up on the first go around on season 3, possibly because I was 19 and I was an idiot and found this sort of emotional vulnerability to be endearing. Listen, I know there’s a lot to be said about the producers of the show making...umm…poor decisions in regards to character developments? But if the target demographic of this show was anything like me - and I suspect they were - then the viewers were also...probably...responding inappropriately to some of those character developments. And here’s the thing - I’m looking at this from 12 years in the future, with 12 years worth of real life drama that makes the heavy handed melodrama of television feel...well, heavy handed. Maybe irresponsible? Certainly a little uncomfortable. Big Me is having A Time confronting Little Me’s taste in TV Characters. It’s one thing to have a kink, Little Me, it’s another thing to romanticize suicidal depression.

And hey, I can’t deny that the character development for Dean makes sense. I actually appreciate that the show is thinking through the world and the relationship dynamics that they’ve built and the toll that these misadventures are having on their main characters. These episodes all get bookended by Impala Fights where Sam keeps pushing Dean to give a shit about his own life and Dean responds with an inability to care. That’s just where he is right now, and I get that. We’re early in the season still. But how will the rest of the season handle this? I honestly can’t remember but I also don’t want this to be a throw-away issue that they use to remind us that Dean’s supposed to die at the end of the season. I’m prob gonna come back to this throughout the season because I ~just~want~this~show~to be~repsonsiblllllleeeeeeeeeeee.

Lol, I know, that’s a lot to ask from the CW.

ON TO MORE FUN THINGS!!

Sam is gettin’ reeeeeallll bitchy in these episodes and #1, I love it, Bitchy Sam 5Ever, but also #2, was this supposed to be the sign that Sam was going darkside? Like, he’s snarky, he’s angry, he’s not pulling any punches and that could just be him reacting to his brother’s situation but it could also be….you know...him...becoming slightly...evil? For instance in “Sin City”, he kills the two demons who kidnapped Dean without even thinking. On the one hand, this is the Winchester MO, they kill demons, that’s their job, but on the other hand, Dean is actively telling Sam to stop. Same deal in “Bed Time Stories” - Sam kills the crossroads demon in cold blood (or maybe viscera). Again, we could blame this on instinct - the Winchesters were brought up to do exactly this - but 1) Dean keeps telling Sam not to and 2) that’s not Sam. This show spent 2 seasons telling us that Sam is the Good Brother, the White Hat, the Touchy-Feely One. This is not the Touchy Feely Sam who reasons with ghosts and falls in love with werewolves. Like, everyone else sees it too, right? Also, he is usually very nice to everyone but he is a REAL BITCH to Gertrude in “Red Sky at Morning.” Like, come on, Sam, she just wants to have a nice time. She is OLD. You really think she’s got what it takes to climb that tree?

Honestly, how tall are this lady's heels?

I know that there was a plan for Sam to start Turning in this season before the show’s episode order got slashed due to the Writer’s Strike. And man, I really would have liked to have seen this play out. Like, first season Sam is the Innocent, right? He’s our stand in for the viewer in those first few episodes and then he’s revealed to be kind of the only thing that went right in the lives of both John and Dean, so Baby Must Be Protected at All Costs. The fact that John ultimately lets Sam go off to college and doesn’t contact him for the next four years says to me that on some level, John felt the need to preserve that innocence, that kind of untouched quality Sam has. Dean is very similar - whenever Sam gets too into the job, Dean calls him out on it. So in the second season when we find out that Sam might be evil, it’s a real punch in the gut, for Dean most of all. But then the show admittedly got bored with that storyline and it didn’t really go anywhere. So whereas Dean has personality in SPADES that fluctuates and changes and develops/maybe just gets more intense as the show goes on, Sam remains that kind of blank slate that the viewer can put their face on. Except now we’re in season three, and if you’ve bought into this show, then you’ve bought into it, so the audience doesn’t need a Blank Slate Sam anymore. And if you start with Sam the Innocent and then introduce the idea of Dark!Sam and then just leave that concept hanging, then isn’t this sort of like Checkov’s Evil Sam? If you introduce Evil Sam in the first act you really ought to deliver on Evil Sam by act three, right? Wouldn’t that have been A+ and Wild? Wouldn’t that have made Sam’s arc and emotional struggles over the previous seasons have more weight?

Will this be resolved in later seasons? Maybe. I’m gonna be honest, this is the last season I watched all the way through and seasons 4 through...like, 8 were real touch and go for me. I know that Sam ultimately is revealed to be a vessel for??? The devil??? And Dean is ultimately revealed to be a vessel for??? Michael??? And then the two of them???? Fight to the death???? Point is, season 5 got weird guys and I’m not there yet.

Back to more fun things! You know what guys?? I think I ship Dean and Bela. I’m...almost ashamed to admit it? Like, I remember Little Me watching this season and just dumping on Bela, I HATED her, but this time? I am 1,000% On Board This Ship. Like, there is an alternate universe somewhere where these two got a spinoff show that ran for 6 seasons and I watched EVERY episode. And then, like, 5 years after it ended, they rebooted it with Dean and Bela’s grown up daughter as the lead and the whole OG cast makes cameos over the three seasons it stays on the air and it’s amazing. I’d own both shows on DVD.

What I like about Bela this time around (and again, I am WILDLY surprised about this development), is that she can dish it just as hard as the Winchesters can. Like, every line Dean throws at her she holds up a mirror to say, “Oh yes, I know the Kettle is black, but what color are you, Pot?” and I’m just continually thrilled. She is also just as damaged as Dean is but somehow channeling it into a healthier way? Like, she’s true Chaotic Neutral, which is not necessarily healthy, it’s just healthier than Dean. Or maybe it’s just that she’s better at managing it. In either case, they are HOT MESSES and I love it. I just love it. I know I complained about shoehorned romances but Ackles and Lauren Cohan just totally crush it in every scene and when Dean walks down the stairs all She’s All That in “Red Sky at Morning”, I yelled at the screen OMG just BONE already!!!!! And then like, 5 seconds later, Bela literally says “We should really have angry sex,” and it was probably the most vindicating moment I’ve had on this ride so far.

I just think they're neat!

WHY did we cancel her? WHY?? I don’t want to believe it was the Wincest again, so I’m gonna pretend that it wasn’t, but it was definitely fans. According to Kripke, Bela gets the axe at the end of this season because of the fan hatred of her. Now, I’ve already admitted that I personally held a grudge, but good Lord, what was wrong with us, as a Fandom? To be fair to me (and all of us), would we have felt differently if we had not been introduced to Jo a mere season earlier?? I'm gonna say yes. Although I had misgivings about Jo the first episode we meet her, by the end of season 2 I was certainly on her side. Working through season 3, I am remembering that, when we were introduced to Bela, I was immediately FURIOUS because WTF, WHERE’S JO? SPN just introduced to her. They just settled on a love interest for Dean and the writer’s just got me on board with that. Now they’ve completely done away with both that character AND that dynamic and you want me to get on board this NEW thing? And be excited about it??? So I'm gonna blame the love-interest-whiplash, combined with the fact that Little Me related my own personal self more to Jo than to Bela, that made me hate Bela in the first place. When you look at how quickly the show abandoned one character to introduce another character, it makes sense why fans got mad, but I’m also mad that we continued to hate Bela when she turned out to be such an A+ Frenemy. It makes me want to shout at the writers through the time void COMMIT TO A FEMALE CHARACTER YOU JAGWEEDS.

What’s wild watching this show now is just how Male it was, especially considering its audience was already skewed heavily female by this point in the series. If you made this show today, I don’t know that you could do that. Today, there’s a real push for balanced, diverse casts in programming, especially in sci-fi/fantasy and young adult. I think if SPN had started in 2021, they would have introduced the Harvell’s or Bela up in season 1, and that introduction would have been much more intentional. The benefit of having a shorter episode count as the standard is that there’s less of the “throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks” approach. Looking at it from 2021, reading snippets of interviews from Kripke, that’s definitely what they’re doing with the side characters in these seasons and you can feel that in Jo and Bela. A shorter season means that the storytelling has to be tighter, it can’t wander, so every decision has to be a load-bearing decision. On the other hand, one of the down sides of having a shorter episode count is the exact same thing - less room to throw stuff, less room to experiment. Heck, Bobby was technically a character they threw at the wall and he didn’t just stick, he became a tentpole character of the series. The only side character that actually made it into the series finale even!

So how much room should we be giving our television programs? I think it depends on the show, honestly. I think you have to decide up front if you want space to experiment, or if you have one, tight, compact story line that’s gonna drive viewers from episode 1 right through the finale without giving them the chance to catch their breath. You have to make the decision, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop making one style of show in favor of the other. Just because we’re in the Age of Streaming doesn’t mean there isn’t room enough for both.

[earth-ambassador-jim]

Lost Souls: Story 7

Nowhere to go but Forward

~~~~

Lost Souls Summary: Merlin awakens early from his sleep. He decides that he doesn’t want to leaving anything to chance and kidnaps the young James Lake Jr. to began training his Trollhunter as early as possible.

Barbara is determined to hunt down the man who kidnapped her son. In her efforts to get her son back she finds a strange old radio that speaks to her in a woman’s voice. The radio leads her to an underground society of shapeshifters.

Mother and son meet again years later as strangers on opposing sides.

AO3 -Fanfiction

~~~~

Barbara listens half-heartedly as the meeting drones on. Spy movies really put too much glamor on the concept of secret societies. An organization is still an organization whether it is made up of middle aged salary men or centuries old shapeshifters. And unfortunately that means that they have to deal with things like supplies and delegation of manpower and paperwork. The major difference in is that if she allows herself to stop paying attention the backstabbing will be much more literal.

“What is your opinion, Dr. Lake?”

Barbara raises her eyes from the point in space she’d been watching to meet the gaze of her ex-boyfriend. Walt –Or she supposes she ought to call him Walter now: Strickler or Stricklander don’t feel right and she can’t say Waltolomew and keep a straight face.- Walter is giving her a rather smug eyebrow raise like he thinks she won’t be able to answer. He has been rather testy ever since she took over his position.

“I think that we need to focus more on laying our communications groundwork,” Barbara says after making a show of thinking about it. “We all know that Gunmar will not want to be kept waiting when he comes to the surface and we can’t have nuclear bombs being shot at us, so the normal modes of communication will have to be the first thing we hit. We’ve started relying a little too much on human means for our own infrastructure in the past centuries.”

She says “we” as if she herself is centuries old and not human. It’s almost laughable how sometimes she still feels like a sheep supping with wolves despite how much she’s changed.

Some of the assembled changelings nod at her point, some just watch silently. The secretary takes notes.

The rest of the meeting proceeds in much the same way. There’s always a feeling of walking a knife edge at meetings. Barbara may be the mouthpiece of Morgana, who is a god to the changelings, but if she can’t prove her strength and cunning on her own, she won’t last long.

When the meeting finally wraps up the changelings depart out of the room from the lowest ranking to the highest. Walter and Barbara hold eye contact for a long moment. She sees just the faintest glow of yellow in his eyes and allows a glint of volatile blue to flicker in her own in response.

He tenses and looks away, chin tilting up ever so slightly despite the clear resentment that is evident in the curl of his lips.

She watches silently as he leaves. The door closes and she lets out a breath and her shoulders slump. She isn’t quite done yet -she still has to report back to Morgana- but she just wants a moment to breathe.

Her head aches from keeping up with the constant scheming and swirling agendas that are present at any Janus Order meeting. That and…

And she still misses her relationship with Walt. They’d already been strained after she found out the truth about changelings but once she had taken over his position they’d truly split. She knew as well as he did that if their positions had been flipped he’d have done the same, but it didn’t make it less cruel for him.

And it didn’t make his bitter resentment and verbal stabs any less painful for her.

She misses having someone to talk to and just be herself around. A memory of the odd meeting in the rain flickers through her mind.

“Everyone needs friends…”

That is what she had told the Trollhunter then.

Perhaps she should take her own advice.

~~~~

Barbara sits in her car in the driveway for a whole hour before she works up the courage to walk up to the front door. This house was once as familiar as her own but now it’s been years since she last visited. Knocking takes her another ten minutes.

There’s a series of soft thumps and the door opens. The elderly lady stares at her before adjusting her glasses as if she can’t quite believe what she’s seeing. The light of the late evening sun glints off the thick round lenses.

“Barbara?” She says finally.

“Hi Nancy,” Barbara responds.

Her lips twitch into an uncomfortable smile as she tries to remember how to deal with normal social niceties. Nancy beams back in response.

“I can’t believe it’s you! What brings you back to Arcadia after all this time?”

Barbara doesn’t tell her that she technically still lives here. No one, or at least no one from her old life, knows. It’s easier that way.

“I’m just going to be in the neighborhood for a while and thought that I’d visit… You aren’t busy are you?”

Nancy steps out of the doorway gesturing with a hand to invite her inside.

“Of course not! Come in. Come in! I just finished a fresh batch of cookies.”

“Thank you.”

Barbara enters and finds that her old neighbors place hasn’t changed much in the time she’s been gone.

The two of them settle down in the comfy couches in the living room. The elderly lady pours a cup of tea for each of them and sets a plate of cookies out on the table.

“So how is Toby?” Barbara asks. “He’s in high school now right?”

Jim would have been in high school. He’d be fifteen now…

Like the Trollhunter.

A flash of blue eyes set in a slighter darker blue face flash through her mind. Her heart aches.

“He’s doing well,” Nancy says, interrupting her thoughts. “But he’s always been a bit quiet since…”

She doesn’t have to clarify. Jim’s kidnapping hit him hard too. There’s a moment of silence before she straightens up and goes on.

“He has Darci and they stick together. It sounds like now that they’re in high school she’s been able to introduce him to some more of her friends. She’s really such a dear.”

“Darci?” Barbara asks. She swirls her tea around in the mug and breaths in the smell. Like everything else it’s familiar. She sets it back down without drinking.

“Darci Scott. The Scotts were the family that moved in next door after you left. Her father is one of the police.”

Ah, Detective Scott then. The Janus Order monitors the police force within Arcadia carefully. They have agents in key areas to make sure that no one ever looks too closely where they shouldn’t.

“I see…” Barbara says and isn’t quite sure what else to say.

Nancy sets down her mug and fixes her in a gaze that is slightly too sharp for a woman with cataracts like hers.

“Enough about me, you didn’t just come to catch up, did you? What did you want to talk about?”

If Barbara hadn’t spent so much time learning to cover up her emotions she would have tensed.

“Why would you say that?” She asks instead.

She doesn’t like it when people are able to read her. She’s usually very careful to only show the emotions she wants them to see. She wonders what she let slip.

Nancy smiles disarmingly.

“I happened to be looking outside when you pulled up, people who are okay don’t spend an hour sitting in their car in someone else’s driveway.”

Barbara does actually blush a little at that. Her hand drifts up to toy with the yellow pendent around her neck.

A weight comes to rest on her leg and Barbara’s hand clenches around the crystal. She looks up to see that it’s Nancy’s hand. The woman is staring at her with concern.

“Sorry,” Barbara says, before mentally wincing at the apology.

“Take your time dear,” Nancy says. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”

Barbara opens her mouth to say something –A denial, maybe?- and then closes it.

She’s become a little too used to hiding her emotions and vulnerabilities from everyone. In truth, she wants to talk about the strange young troll who, despite being her enemy, she finds herself suddenly worried about, but even the little bit of openness she’s shown has already put her on edge.

She’s so wrapped up in a web of secrecy and magic that she can hardly even remember what it was like to be a free woman living a normal mundane life.

Barbara sighs.

“Can we just talk for now?” The words come out almost pleading.

“Of course,” Nancy says.

There’s pity in her gaze that makes Barbara’s jaw clench but she accepts it and tries to let go of her need to be seen as invincible.

“How is high school been for Toby so far?” She offers the question like an olive branch.

“Oh it’s going quite well,” Nancy says, leaning back into her chair. “One of Darci’s friends, Claire, got Toby to try out for the play the school is putting on…”

Barbara finds herself relaxing minutely as Nancy rambles on telling her about things that seem to be happening a world away.

Eventually the light outside begins to take on an orange tint and Barbara forces herself to her feet with a sigh.

“It’s been nice, Nancy, but I really must be going,” She says.

“Oh! Well it’s been a pleasure having you over, dear.”

“Thank-you.” Barbara slings her bag over her shoulder and hesitates. “Would you mind if I visited again?”

“Of Course!” Nancy smiles. “You’re always welcome here.”

Barbara smiles back at her. She’s forced to take a careful breath to fight back the prickling she feels in her eyes.

Thank-you,” She says again, before slipping out into the darkening world.

[sporadic-writer]

Welcome to the Neighborhood pt. 3

Harrison x American!reader (nothing hella specific other than mentioning the states, so try pretending if you aren’t American. If not.. sorry?)

Warnings: same as before, swearing, mentions of weed and alcohol (because I enjoy both safely and responsibly), and um I think that’s it.

Note: I made this a Harrison fic because I feel we need more of those in the world. Also, this fic doesn’t have like, an idk.. overarching story/theme yet? other than reader and Harrison stuff. Lastly, this fic is a result of bits of writing courage during a writer’s block mess. I have a better concept for the next chapter. So sorry this could count as a filler or fun simple read.

Part 1 here Part 2 here

°•●•°●°•●•°●°•●•°●°•●•°

"What about just a casual cookout?" This was the 3rd idea he has asked out loud.

Sam and Harry watched Harrison all but pace as he spit balled ideas to have their new neighbor over. The whole morning he was thinking through stuff to do that wasn't too much for quarentine. It was starting to end, but he didn't want to push anything.

The other men in his presence groaned. "Jesus just ask her to come hang out! No agenda, just invite her here to hang out and then you can get to know her!" Sam suggested in a shout back to his friend. "Stop fucking moping about here like a nervous puppy." That last statement was a quieter grumble.

Tuwaine nodded in agreement. "You're starting to get annoying Haz. We all like her, so having her here is fine. Then you buddy up to her in the process." This seemed to help the blonde settle.

"Harry! You talked to her a little more earlier today. Any info I can use to break the ice one on one?" Harrison looked to his friend hopefully.

The man in question rolled his eyes. "We barely talked. Her room and bathroom windows are right next to my room. We talked because she apologized thinking her music was loud and coming into mine. Then we made small talk a little before she went to the store."

An idea sparked in Harrison's head about conversation ideas next time he saw you. Music was always a great ice breaker. He remembered you wore a Green Day shirt one time, so that's something. Also, he has heard you singing to yourself on your deck; some Irish band his mother listened to sometimes. He mentally scanned his music selection in his room. Just then he heard a car door shut outside. He asked if it was you and Tom nodded yes after peaking out the window. He calmly dashed outside with Tuwaine and Sam following seeing what the commotion was. Plus, Sam left stuff in his car.

Walking towards your front door you heard your neighbor's open and noticed Harrison looking right at you. You looked over with wide at men rushing towards you, but smiled and greeted them once seeing their familliar faces.

"Hey guys!" You attempted a small wave with your things in your hands.

Sam and Tuwaine nodded and waved in repsonse. Harrison looked a little flustered. "Hey y/n. Um I had a question for you."

Your smile didn't help his nervousness. "Shoot." You replied while walking to your door, then working on unlocking it.

Upon no response, you looked at him to see him open and close him mouth once, and just had a slight 'umm' noise come out. It was sweet. There was a simplistic charm about people getting slightly nervous over being around othee people they were into. You were no fool, you had seem him peak glances at you through his yard and window upstairs. Now you watched him try to gain courage to simply ask you a question. You thought about doing it yourself, but you are a tad old school and see if the guy will get to it. Once impatient, you'll ask him. But now you watched him as his hair moved lightly in the breeze of the cool London air. Not to mention he looked handsome as ever in his sweater. Wonder if it is as soft as it looks...?

"Y/N! What are you doing tomorrow love?" Twuaine bit the bullet for Harrison since he couldn't get a full question out. You snapped out of your trance. Luckily the distance helped hide your embarrassment.

She checked the date on her phone lockscreen. "Umm I work tomorrow 7 to like 4. So after that a shower, maybe a nap, then nothing. Why?"

Rather than the one who asked reply, Harrison finally jumped in and spoke. "Want to come over tomorrow? We were going have dinner and watch the match and relax one more night for sure before things start up again for us." Tom just got final shooting schedules and he knew things would soon pick up for him most likely in following. As much as he loved being home, doing nothing, he did miss working. However, of course it happens after desiring more time with you.

"I would love to! What time?" The little bounce thing you did to balance your groceries and to open your door was precious to him.

"Um come by any time after you're home from work."

Sam piped in saying, "Match starts at 5 or 6 I think, around then is perfect."

"Awesome! Thanks for the invite guys. Also hey, do you guys know good pet stores around here? Sorry if that's random but I am running out of supplies and can't mooch off work.. new job and all."

"'Fraid not y/n. Sorry we don't know where Tom gets his dog stuff."

Harrison nodded in agreement. "Yeah and my dog is at home and my mum gets everything usually."

She shrugged. "No worries. Internet search it is. Well I gotta put these away. I'll see you guys tomorrow." They said their fairwells to her and did as she did, went inside. She didn't notice this time how her admirer watched her to see she got in alright.

After watching you get in your house, Sam shut the car door he opened earlier with his hat in hand, and Harrison sighed. He turned to his friends.

“I could have asked her over myself.” His tone suggested he knew he couldn’t. But that didn’t stop him from sulking back into his home. “I’m the one into her, I could have asked her over.”

“Mhmm sure Haz, an hour later after leaving your mouth open to catch flies. She’s coming over. Get over it and enjoy that your painful attempt was cut short.”

On that note he thanked his lucky stars and went into his home, not before hearing music come out of your open windows. He shazamed it and made a mental note to use it as a potential ice breaker tomorrow. Man he felt like a 15 year old.

*time skip*

It was around 4:30ish when Harrison saw your car pull into your driveway and you get out. Even with your hair up after a day of physical labor, uniform London Zoo shirt covered in dirt and a couple bleach stains, and basic khaki shorts; he still thought you looked pretty as ever. He was a little shocked you didn't look totally exhausted remembering you started work at 7am. That just impressed him more. Now he only had to wait an hour or so for you to be over and hanging out with him. Ground work would be set. He made sure his shirt, pants, and hair were in good sorts before relaxing on the couch with Sam. About an later, he heard the door open and a familiar voice greet everyone. However, not the voice he was expecting.

"Sis? What are you doing here?" He sat up as she rolled her eyes.

"Hello to you div."

He rolled his eyes right back. "Not what I meant. Just wasn't expecting you to drop in." He loves Charlotte, but didn't need her when a girl he's trying to get with is supposed to come by very soon.

"Harry has a camera for my friend to borrow for a class of hers. Why? You guys got plans or something? Look at me give a shit as I interrupt this rager." She moved about the house looking for the Holland she spoke of. He was about to blow her off and get her out but Tuwaine appeared out of nowhere to be a stellar friend.

"He does have plans actually. Tryin' to get with our fit American neighbor. Got all worked up and could barely ask her over tonight. He didn't actually, but not the point." His sister, who still hasn't left, smirks at him. “He’s into her and this is him ‘laying the groundwork’ or something.”

"Really?? Aw look he's blushing!" She poked his cheek. “Relax though, I’m just gonna find Harry or his cam, whichever comes first, and be out. Alright?”

Thanking his lucky stars he was about to tell her to just get on with it, but the doorbell rang. Harrison and his sister made eye contact, he pleaded with his to stay, hers glimmered with mischief, and they were off! Both siblings dashed for the door while Sam and Tuwaine enjoyed the show. The luck didn’t last, because Charlotte reached the door first. She kicked away the eager man and smiled as the she greeted who she assumed was the American girl her brother fancies.

Harrison saw you were turned around as you began to speak, looking at a car that honked for some reason, and as you entered your head was still looking down a tad. “Sorry I’m late, late-ish anyway. Rolled one after work, enjoyed it after the shower, then passed out for an unexpected nap - ah your new!” She locked eyes with his sister and if he could frame a mental image he would. Y/N looks like she wanted the ground to swallow her, and needed saving. She was clearly still a little buzzed, and a joint was sticking out of her beanie. “Well not new, but new to me I mean. Um ignore that first impression.. Hi! Y/F/N Y/L/N, their neighbor.” As she spoke, the hand holding a bottle of vodka tucked the joint discreetly further into the hat. Smooth, sorta..

“Charlotte, Harrison’s sister. Pleasure to meet you. That lot you speak of told me a touch about you. From the states ey? Very fun, caught Hazzy’s eye so watch out. I love him but he’s a bit dodgy on getting things done sooner than later.” She winked at her brother while the newest addition to the house just stood there taking it all in. “Now if you excuse me I shall find Harry’s camera.”

Harrison watched you follow his sister, who he will get back at later, out of the room. You still looked a tad surprised, but smiled through it anyway. Then you made eye contact with him and smiled brighter before saying, “I brought drinks!”

°•●•°●°•●•°●°•●•°●°•●•°

Taglist (crossed out means it didn't take yours): @jillanaholland @averyfosterthoughts @sarah-m-limelight-2007 @astridcommings

As always, like and reblog if you want. Hit me up if you want to be tagged or not, or if I forgot to tag you. Thanks for reading and enjoying! Lmk of there are any errors or stuff like that.

[zuzuslastbraincell]

Katara!

KATARA KATARA KATARA

why I like them

oh god where do i even start. katara just contains so many multitudes - she's sweet and feminine and caring and attentive but she's never reduced to just that, she's never just 'the girl', she's also allowed to get mad, to be petty, to laugh at her brother, to be headstrong and stubborn, to express vulnerability, to cry and to laugh, to make ridiculous facial expressions and *be* very expressive. she's dealing with a lot of trauma not simply from the loss of her mother but that loss represents also how her tribe have been decimated by the fire nation, how she's the last waterbender, how all this pressure exists on her shoulders (but also pride, but also determination, to bring it back) and that is expressed subtly throughout the series with the same depth and love that male characters are afforded with regard to their respective traumatic experiences. and despite all this she never tries to stop making the world good? She's always pushing for change, she's always wanting to make things better, she's relentless and doesn't give up when it comes to her vision for a better world... she has such a big heart. and that coexists with a deep anger in her, and deep hurt. Not to make an ocean metaphor so early on but she's as deadly and deep as the ocean but she chooses to be kind and warm and that's so powerful.

why i don't

honnestly while katara's instincts to mother people are a sad symptom of how she was forced to grow up to soon and automaically asigns herself a role of emotional responsibility she has mixed feelings about, i know that if katara tried to mother me, i would be annoyed. but that sounds more like a me problem.

favourite episode

oh it's either the episode where she beats the fucking shit out of pakku or it's the southern raiders. the first one because it's so gratifying to see how she's grown and developed as a bender and really come into her own. the second because... god i love how *messy* the southern raiders is, and it really taps into what i love about katara - she's flawed, she runs off on an ill-thought out revenge mission with zuko, she's got a great capability for darkness as she quite seriously considers murdering a man she has every right to loathe and to kill - but she chooses against it, in the end. it would not be right for her, if not him. she chooses what's right for her in the end.

favourite season

I'm gonna be a wee bit controversial and say book 1 had the best conception of katara's arc from student to master and really saw her grow and flourish, from someone yelling at her brother' oafish prejudice to a real master, that really solidified her as an idealist and presented that as the strength that is, that showed her struggling with petty jealousy of aang's progress and had her stumble in ways that made her character comeplling and interesting - like what an introduction to her character! book 2 had some fantastic moments but i can't think of anything particularly remarkable about hee character arc - largely because it tied into aang's romantic arc i think at this point. book 3 had some absolutely fantastic moments (scam queens katara and toph!! painted lady!! southern raiders!! the final agni kai) that really shone but also book 3 lays a lot of groundwork for fanon i hate (e.g. katara as the mom friend - wish that headcanon would die tbh)

favourite line

fuck there's a lot of good ones but my underrated fave is when sokka says he's kissed a girl before but she's never met her and katara says 'Who? Gran-gran? I've met gran-gran' and it's bruuutaaall

but my favourite serious line is 'I will never ever give up on people who need me'. powerful.

favourite outfit

water tribe anything!! and i actually think her book one/book two braids are her best hair. underrated katara hair. personally she looks just adorable in her parka in the flashback to when she was like. eight.

OTP

katara/personal fulfilment

katara/happiness

katara/fulfilling her goals and dreams

katara/loving minor background character who is never named

there's some ships i like in AU situations - yuetara is actually one i lov, especially with waterbender yue, i just love the whole sea/moon thing as well as katara and yue rebelling in loud/quiet ways, being girlfriends who refuse to have their lives defined by the expectations of older men, who have a great sense of duty towards their nations and won’t let gendered expectations stop them.

and most of you know i like the messy drama of katara/azula in a lighter AU situation where they're like, school or academic rivals, and the legacy of imperialism isn’t quite so personal (and azula makes better choices, obviously), but it’s not as much as i “ship” them as i just find the potential dynamic interesting, they’re both driven by a sense of duty for their home, it’s just that means *very* different things depending if you’re SWT or FN.

none of them are OTPs though - they’re more just fun thought experiments

brotp

katara & sokka - absolutely love their sibling dynamic its amazing. both have been impacted negatively by the shit in their lives and are not always dealing with it in functional ways but theyre there for each other, through thick and thin, always have each other's backs, they roast each other and bicker and sometimes make stupid decisions and sometimes lash out but at the end of the day their love pulls through, they’re able to work past those conflicts.

katara & aang - honestly while i feel kataang was just so poorly executed in the show (listen guys I just can’t after ember island players, i know that was a bad episode, but i can’t) & i cant imagine katara wanting to leave the south pole after the war for long spells (it would have to be long distance love, lots of profound and heartfelt letters and occasional visits, if anything, but i dont know if that’s what katara wants or needs? so maybe it wouldn’t pan out?), but regardless, i really do think these two had a life-changing friendship where each really represented hope for each other, that's at the core of it, they both truly believe in each other, and inspired each other. katara & aang good.

a headcanon

chief katara anyone?? chief katara?!?! 

oh oh OH i also think that katara, while primarily a combat bender during the war, actually takes to healing a lot more after the show and gets proper healing training at some point with the help of a trained medical expert and maybe yugoda. tbh i feel like the show was a bit dismissive of healing as an ability - i feel like having that is *extremely* useful in any combat situation, you always have a medic on hand - but i understand why katara, who wanted to be recognised as powerful regardless of her gender, and wanted to hold herself in a fight alongside sokka & aang, pushed for combat waterbending training because that is what 'powerful' looks like to her in the moment. obviously katara is capable of incredible healing feats (see: saving aang) but i think given we see her as a healer in lok (not a decision i necessarily disagree with) would mean a shift in focus. i think katara actually comes to realise she likes healing a great deal, but really she excels in all aspects of waterbending and is the south’s most respected master who helped rejuvenate southern style waterbending  

unpopular opinion

the main reason people think katara is straight is because we see her have very few meaningful interactions with other girls outside of toph. ATLA as a show is a bit romance obsessed, and very heteronormative in that regard, and so interactions with minor characters almost always line up with a potential crush for sokka or katara, and later, zuko (suki, haru, jet, yue, song, jin....). we rarely see katara build friendships with other girls and it’s such a damn shame.

(anyway bi katara for life)

a wish

the version of the puppetmaster we saw was actually fire nation propaganda, i feel like katara would have felt deep compassion for a prisoner of war and after maybe some clashes, would have agreed to help smuggle her out of the fire nation and secure passage home for hama, and tried to assure her that she still has a place there. the treatment of hama in that episode was awful (but also hama was written to be almost cartoonishly evil, very much an evil witch in her cottage in the spooky woods? like the whole horror movie / spooky story opening was such a big tell) and tbh i reject the thesis that we saw ‘katara’s dark potential’ in that episode completely, or that bloodbending as a power is inherently dark, or katara’s use of it to stop hama ‘corrupted’ her. I feel like katara might feel this way as a teenager perhaps but with time (she can be a little black and white at times), and especially with more training as a healer, i think she might realise that’s not the case, she’ll realise that she was right to try and oppose hama, her elder (she was lashing out rather than really trying to oppose the fire nation), and it wasn’t a betrayal of her or her beliefs, but also her use of bloodbending wasn’t wrong or evil inherently at all? and maybe she’d find ways to use it for healing purposes? anyway my wish is that, i like the idea that they meet again, speak about their differences, reconcile a little / come to an understanding, and katara learns more from hama again

an oh-god-please-don't-ever-happen

anything where katara’s character is reduced to a comforter or a healing device for a man and his trauma. particularly zuko. (they don’t have that dynamic in canon thankfully, zuko would never, zuko respects her too much)

5 words to describe them:

idealistic, hard-working, powerful, headstrong, kind

my nickname for them:

chief. or comrade. :^)

[key-kkagii]

God God God!!

Hello Hello!

I've been wondering about this for a while now, and I've solved it.

The occasional use of the word Walls in SNK fanfiction is a bit strange, and I wonder if this is GOD, based on the usage? I thought.

Soron Rocket and The Cartoon Princess told me that Walls was still a paraphrase of GOD.

　　

So, since I have an idea, today I'm going to do a talk on Japanese gods!

　

God and Faith

What do you foreigners think the religions the Japanese believe in?

Unless the act of "starting a new faith or being baptized" or their parents have other faiths, the Japanese born in Japan are almost automatically Buddhists and Shintoists.

It's an indigenous religion.

Buddhism.

Shinto.

It would be too long to talk about why it's two, so I won't.

 But, for example, if you ask a Japanese student, "What is your faith?” The Japanese would surely answer, " I am no religion.” You might think. "What?” 

But it's not.

The Japanese people aren't really irreligious, they just have too many gods to believe in and don't have much of a sense that they believe in anything.

Japan is a polytheistic country. (Or rather, Both Buddhism and Shinto are polytheism.)

'How many polytheistic gods are so many that we don't know what they believe in, maybe 20?'

No, no, that number is Yao Yorozu. The meaning of Yao Yorozu is eight million. But Yao Yorozu is an example of a "super many", so it doesn't mean that there are eight million gods. Don't worry!

In fact, there are more. And God will soon increase.

 Perhaps one of the sights you will visit when you come to Japan is a Shinto shrine or a temple.

There are more shrines in Japan than there are convenience stores.Gods are everywhere.

The god of toilets is a highly virtuous god.

　

Freedom

We don't remember every one of these 8 million+ gods either. We don't remember, so many of us have little sense of faith.

So I can say with confidence that I'm a Pastafarian of the  Flying Spaghetti Monsterism religion. Yes, FSM is one of the gods of Yao Yorozu!　The Shinto religion swallows up any god. Ramen.

Joke religion?　It doesn't matter!

　　

 Also, when it comes to religion, there's a lot of commandments and believers have to follow them. So I think that's part of the reason why I say, "I don't have those precepts to follow." Strictly speaking, Buddhism has its own precepts, but I don't care!  We're barely even aware that we believe in Buddhism!

That's why many Japanese people think they are not religious. They think, "I don't worship anything in particular. For Japanese people, religion is often associated with monotheism.

 But we are not very aware of our faith, but when we get a chance, we go to shrines and temples to pray to God and Buddha. We usually worship anything that is called a God or Buddha.

Funeral ceremonies are done in the Buddhist style with a monk from the temple, and weddings are done in the presence of a priest at a shrine.

Some people have weddings in chapels, even though they are not Christians. Because the Christian wedding style is beautiful. A pure white wedding dress is beautiful.

I would love to dress Historia in it.

By the way, isn't the windy green frock coat lovely? Hopefully someone will wear it someday? Next to Historia...

Oh!　What a topic of conversation that has gotten away from me. It was about God.

　　

Three religions in one week.

I guess this is how the Japanese view of religion often manifests itself. The following is common in Japan.

We celebrate Christmas on December 25, go to visit a temple (Buddhism) a week later on the 31st, and then the next day, January 1, we go to a shrine (Shinto) for our first visit (Hatsumoude).

Well, some people say it's either the temple or the shrine, but that's just a matter of scheduling. There are few people who are particular about one or the other. It doesn't matter which one you go to.

Everything is all mixed up.

 In times of distress, he prays." God help me!" When he meets with good fortune, " Thank you God!" At this point, it is unclear who that god is. I'm not sure, but it's some kind of god anyway.

 In other words, the Japanese have an unspecified number of religious beliefs.

　　

An unspecified number... Bitc... huh?

Oops!🤫

　

Shinto

A long long time ago, the main source is Shintoism. Animism. The groundwork for this Shinto to swallow up any god. Because of animism, there is a god in everything.

In the age of mythology, you know, if a high god washed his face, a new god was born from his eyes and nose. Well, the direct descendant of one of those gods born at that time was our Emperor. That's what it says in the history books.

Later on, Buddhism came in there, and after about 1500 years or so, a lot of things happened, and it became what it is today. If you want to know more about it, look it up. It's fun.

In this manner, there are more and more gods in Japan.

(Have you ever heard of a game called " Touken Ranbu"? All the characters in that one are gods. God in the katana.)

And Japan welcomes gods from foreign countries, saying "Welcome to Japan. "

The Tatari God should go home! Well, there are some gods who came to Japan as Tatari gods, and became whole after being worshipped in Japan. (Tatari gods are the type of gods that sprinkle curses around.)

You can try to be kind to a gods!

There are many gods that are no longer worshipped in the country where they were born, but are still enshrined in Japan in a slightly different form. I haven't counted them.

From a Shinto perspective, Yahweh is one of the gods of Yao Yorozu. That's why Japanese people bow to Yahweh and Christ when they go to church, even if they are not Christians. From a macro perspective, Yahweh is also an object of faith.

That's why people often quote parts of the Bible when they're not Christians and talk about it. A popular one is "God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear". (But there is also a God in Japan who gives us insurmountable trials. Too bad!😂)

My favorite has been "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." since I was a teen...

I love and live.

I hope Rivahisu is married.

　

　

Wall religion

SNK's wall religion, which I thought was also Shinto-like.

The Wall religion in the work worships the wall. And it worships the wall's names, Maria, Rose and Sheena, as goddesses.

I think the sequence of events is that Karl Fritz built the wall and named it after the three sisters of Ymir, and then the Wallists worshipped the wall and started deifying the woman named after the wall and calling her a goddess. Under the lead of King Reiss.

For a hundred years after the Wall closed, the people whose memories had been manipulated had no concept of the Subjects of Yumir. I don't think they had any idea that Maria and the others were the daughters of the progenitor Yumir. (Except for King Reiss.)

So I don't think he worshipped Maria, Rose and Sheena directly as goddesses. King Reiss uses the idea of animism to his advantage.

　

 I felt like that.

It would be interesting to think deeply about Wallism.

I'm sure there are definitely extremists and others who only worship one of the three walls.

The Japanese gods are like the ones I introduced.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

I'd like to hear more about the SNK religion from the perspective of other countries' religions.

　

See you then. Good-bye to this day!

　

　

*These explanations of God are based on my knowledge and maybe some people think differently.*

[forestfanders]

Birds of a feather - pt 3 Emoticons

A long list of injuries on the page, and a longer list of potential responses to their trauma. Working out how to treat the pair of tiny humanoid avians was going to be a challenge, but it is one Logan and Patton are determined to meet. Pt 2: Roman tests the boundaries of this new place. whump, hurt/comfort and dehumanisation <3 wingfic tw: animal abuse, mention of burns and neglect AO3 link

chapter 1/ chapter 2/ 

The bird man had given Patton the most adorable little wave, and the therapist had felt his heart break a little more.

The pair had been a mess. Their tiny bodies were swamped with bandages, but most harrowing was the wariness in their postures. Princey’s eyes had been clouded with fear, but held a longing to interact, to answer Patton’s questions. Patton just knew there was an outgoing free spirit under there, just waiting to be given permission to shine beneath the fear he had been subjected to. And Anxiety had lived up to his name. The poor kiddo had been practically catatonic in a dissociative fugue, but Patton knew that with a good environment and plenty of reassurance, he too could find peace.

When he looked at them, Patton knew he wanted to protect them.

And he had a plan.

Step one was to get them feeling a bit more secure. Remy had mentioned the pair weren’t eating, weren’t speaking, weren’t doing much of anything in their frightening new surroundings filled with uncertainty. And so Patton had talked gently to the other sick animals in the room, reassuring them, and carefully laying the groundwork for a conversation with the avians. And it seemed to have worked: while not exactly comfortable, they were able to pay attention to what he was saying.  

Step two was to get them actually eating and looking after themselves. After what had seemed a gargantuan feat of bravery, Princey had managed to eat some chicken. Logan had stealthily wandered past a couple of hours later and had sighted Anxiety tackling a large piece of spinach, so there was hope that he too was now eating.

The next steps were to find a temporary home for them, work out some habitat enrichment to keep them entertained, and finally, to introduce enough human interaction to help them on their way to long-term psychological recovery and a forever home.

Patton had been picking at ‘creating a welcoming home for your avian’ and ‘cute toys for bird bois’ articles since he had got home. He put another round of notes in the haphazard googledoc he was compiling. He wanted to do the very best he could for them, but it was starting to get overwhelming.

-88888-

It was only 7:58, but Logan couldn’t wait the extra 2 minutes to text Patton tonight. His brain would not switch off from the events of the day, could not be swayed from the conundrum that was the animal rescue’s latest arrivals. He may be breaking his standard evening routine texting early, but tonight it was necessary.

Logie Bearry Jam: Good evening Patton, how was your dinner?

He sent the text, and picked up the blanket he was crocheting, trying to lose himself in the movement of the hook and the weaving of the wool until Patton replied back.

Pattoncakes: tofu and carrot stir fry with rice 🥕🍚😍🥰😇🍽️✨👻😽

Logan smiled internally at Patton's enthusiastic use of emojis. While in others the behaviour may have been grating, with Patton, it was just another outlet of the man’s effervescence.

Logie Bearry Jam: that sounds delicious. I had pasta with tomato sauce. I liked it.

These texts were a ritual, the same kind of message Logan sent every night. Peace washed into his veins.

Patton shot off a gif of the spaghetti scene from Lady and the tramp.

Pattoncakes: Spagooto🍝👨🍳sounds good! What are you up to tonight?

Logie Bearry Jam:: I am crocheting a blanket. How about you?

Pattoncakes: 🐥🐥💞🤕I have been reading a lil bit about our newest arrivals <3.

And there was the perfect opportunity to sway the conversation in the direction of his current worries. It was understandable that Patton would also be worrying about the same subject, and yet he suspected Patton knew he was worrying about the avians as well. Logan knew many people saw him as unfeeling. But Patton understood. He was good like that.

Logie Bearry Jam: I too have been thinking of the avains. Have you read anything interesting?

Patton sent a link to a google doc filled with links and notes.

Logan threw himself in.

For such delicate pets as humanoid avians, the information on how to look after them was muddied and mixed up, torn between the reality of what they were and what owners wished them to be. Dolls, children, highly-trainable, simple animals, held to the behavioural standards of adults, there was a mishmash of conflicting ideas.

Patton’s notes were in the early draft stage, filled with questions and ideas. He was not as focused on medical concerns Logan, instead choosing to consider a wide range of issues. He outlined every issue well, and had the therapeutic knowledge to challenge false behavioural information.

The document was beautiful.

Logan and Patton’s work rarely intertwined, and so it was rare that Logan got to see this side of the therapy worker. The side that was intelligent in his kindness, the thought process behind his ability to make people feel safe. Logan marveled anew at the incredible man his co-worker was, how capable, how eloquent...

What a joy to be a friend to a man like that.

Logan abandoned his crochet hook in preference of giving his laptop his full attention. They sent back and forth all manners of articles from owners tips to scientific studies. Taking in data, and weaving it into a usable care plan, evaluating all with a vets knowledge and a therapist’s experience.

They danced between information together, shifting through articles. It was so much more fun with Patton (metaphorically) by his side.

Logie Bearry Jam: Perhaps their enclosure can be moved to the vet’s office so that they can get used to humans coming and going, and so we can keep a close eye on them.

Pattoncakes: the vets office is pretty busy! Maybe once they settle a bit more. But right now i think that would be a bit scary

Pattoncakes: maybe the small animal room?

Logie Bearry Jam: It is the correct conditions in there for them.

Pattoncakes: aww and they can watch the bunnies playing!

Pattoncakes: I always find them fun to watch when i am sad

Logie Bearry Jam: Watching the rabbits would also be restful enrichment.

A gif of a happy rabbit running wildly around a room appeared on his screen, before swiftly being superseded by a barrage of twitching noses, floppy ears and bouncing bunnies.

Pattoncakes:  i also like taking my laptop in sometimes for paperwork, so i can pop in for a lil lovin socialisation too

He smiled at the mental image of Patton camped out on the floor of the rabbit room, trying to focus on work while Ted Bunndey ate his notebooks. Logan sincerely doubted much work would be completed. But Patton did indeed make for the very finest socialisation.

Pattoncakes: aaaw there are so many cute toys on the market for Avian humanoids!

Pattoncakes: so expensive though

Pattoncakes: look at this!

He sent a photograph of some over-the-top prince outfit aimed at owners with more money than sense.

Pattoncakes: Princey would look so cute in this!

Pattoncakes: I don’t suppose it is the kind of thing the avians would actually enjoy though *a sticker with a confused looking pink bear*

Logie Bearry Jam: It is doubtful, though some do enjoy it the way many children enjoy imitating their parents. I believe it to be unsanitary at this stage in their recovery, but if they do express a wish to wear garments it is not unhealthy to do so.

Pattoncakes: you could crochet them matching jumpers!  ;P

Logan and Patton wove a plan together. A shining roadmap, flexible but comprehensive. Something that accounted for their physical recovery and mental capabilities. Rules on how to treat them to build trust, further the concept that they were safe. Ways to let them confirm that they would not be touched without permission, that play did not warrant punishment, that there would always be food.

Their web of plans completed, Logan picked up his crochet hook and resumed working on his blanket, the weight gone from his chest. Their conversation pooled into its regular comfortable flow, chatting back and forth about their respective days at work and discussion of mundane things. It was with regret Logan initiated his goodnight messages and deployed his customary goodnight sticker of a sleepy light blue bear with glasses that reminded him a bit of Patton. Patton sent his customary bombardment of illogical stickers and gif which tonight included a pair of canaries hopping around a bowl of water, a dragon with hearts for eyes, and a psychedelic goat.

-88888-

In the recovery room of the Animal shelter’s vet clinic, Virgil sat holding a peanut.

The room was almost dark now, the only light the soft glow of a nightlight in the corner that had been left on for them..

He had eaten 6 peanuts, several spinach leaves, and 4 ½ cubes of glorious chicken.

Roman was asleep behind him, his own hunger sated. Opposite them, a pair of rabbits munched hay. The mewling cat had been returned to her owners. It was quiet in the vets now.

Cautiously, he touched his stomach over the bandages. It gurgled happily beneath his fingers.

Virgil smiled.

===

Aaaand the emojis have not worked for the second half of the fic. Oh well, imagine Patton as the emoji fiend he is.

masterlist    next chapter

But Virgil eats a peanut! Yay XD This chapter is a lil shippy for you <3 Patton's texting is inspired by my girlfriend who is just the cutest emoji-wielding dork to walk the world. And while the fic will not focus much on romance, the carers deserve some soft times.

[theyearoftheking]

Book Fifty-Three: Song of Susannah

See the TURTLE of enormous girth!

On his shell he holds the earth,

His thought is slow but always kind;

He holds us all within his mind.

On his back the truth is carried,

And there are love and duty married.

He loves the earth and loves the sea,

And even loves a child like me. 

In every epic series, there’s what I refer to as the “bridge” novel. Song of Susannah is the bridge novel in the Dark Tower series. Except for the coda at the end, nothing major happens; it just sets up the epic final novel. 

For the first time ever, the ka-tet is scattered: Roland and Eddie are tracking down Calvin Tower, the owner of the land where the beautiful rose currently resides; Susannah and Mia are in 1999 New York City, headed to the Dixie Pig to deliver their baby; and Callahan, Jake and Oy are headed after Susannah. 

We find out more about Mia, and how the baby she and Susannah are carrying was fathered by Roland (seriously confusing case of sperm snatching and then demon turkey basting into Susannah). Mia believes that the Crimson King is going to let her hold onto her baby, at least for a little while... and Susannah correctly calls her out as the fool she is. So, Susannah tries to drag her heels, but with the help of a magical carved turtle, they end up as guests of honor at The Dixie Pig. 

Gulp. 

Roland and Eddie end up thrown into a gunfight, courtesy of Mia. Calvin Tower hasn’t done the best job of hiding out from the mafia who is strong-arming him into selling his bookstore. Eddie wants to choke the life out Tower for being a stubborn pain in the ass. Roland just smirks and tells him if he was successful in not killing Eddie when he was coming off of heroin, Eddie can control his rage too. After telling Tower and his pal to keep a low profile (for real this time!) they end up visiting the one and only Stephen King. 

Steve freaks out seeing Roland. At this point, he had written a draft of the first Dark Tower book, but had lost it. He was also drinking pretty heavily, soooo, yeah. But the conversation between Steve, Eddie and Roland is surreal. I can’t help but wonder how much fun Steve had writing that scene. 

Jake, Oy, and Callahan pop in towards the end of the book, they grab Black Thirteen from the hotel Susannah and Mia had stashed it at, and show up at The Dixie King, ready to go to battle to rescue Susannah. 

Hands down, the best part of the novel is the coda at the end. It’s journal entries from Steve, covering what books he was writing, and how they all seemed to tie back to The Dark Tower. I’m sure a good portion was autobiographical, since he talks about publishing, readers reactions, his substance abuse issues and eventual sobriety, and even letters he had received. But the end is one hundred percent fiction. Dun-dun-dun!!!! 

In addition to all the books mentioned in the coda, here are a few more nods to the Steve universe:

-the concept of “pain rising” and Eddie biting down on a belt while Roland takes care of a gunshot wound: same thing Ted Brautigan does with Carol when she dislocates her shoulder in Hearts in Atlantis. 

-The Little Sisters are mentioned! 

All and all, this might be the weakest of the later book in the series, but it helps lay the groundwork for an epic finale. 

Total Wisconsin Mentions: 36

Total Dark Tower References: 51

Book Grade: B+

Rebecca’s Definitive Ranking of Stephen King Books

The Talisman: A+

Wizard and Glass: A+

Needful Things: A+

On Writing: A+

The Green Mile: A+

Hearts in Atlantis: A+

Rose Madder: A+

Misery: A+

Different Seasons: A+

It: A+

Four Past Midnight: A+

The Shining: A-

The Stand: A-

Bag of Bones: A-

Black House: A-

The Wastelands: A-

The Drawing of the Three: A-

Dolores Claiborne: A-

Nightmares in the Sky: B+

The Dark Half: B+

Skeleton Crew: B+

The Dead Zone: B+

Nightmares & Dreamscapes: B+

Wolves of the Calla: B+

‘Salem’s Lot: B+

Song of Susannah: B+

Carrie: B+

Creepshow: B+

From a Buick 8: B

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon: B

Storm of the Century: B-

Everything’s Eventual: B-

Cycle of the Werewolf: B-

Danse Macabre: B-

The Running Man: C+

Thinner: C+

Dark Visions: C+

The Eyes of the Dragon: C+

The Long Walk: C+

The Gunslinger: C+

Pet Sematary: C+

Firestarter: C+

Rage: C

Desperation: C-

Insomnia: C-

Cujo: C-

Nightshift: C-

Gerald’s Game: D

Roadwork: D

Christine: D

Dreamcatcher: D

The Regulators: D

The Tommyknockers: D-

On a personal note, I’m writing this book on Steve’s birthday. I just wanted to use this opportunity to explain why he’s so important to me. I didn’t always have the best childhood, and books were a constant escape for me. When I was feeling stressed and overwhelmed with shit twelve year-olds shouldn’t have to deal with, I’d hide in a book. I’d tune out the world, and escape in a fantasy realm. And I loved Steve’s books, because for a little while, my own world didn’t seem so bad in comparison. Hours would pass where I’d forget about my parents fighting, or the fact I didn’t have money for the class fieldtrip, or my complete lack of normal social skills. The world was okay between the pages of a book. Thank you to Steve for still giving me a place to hide in a year that has presented some new and unique challenges. 

Steve, you are like my sixteen year old cat, Jackers... familiar, wildly entertaining, and my greatest wish is for the both of you to be eternal; because I don’t want to know a world without either one of you in it. Thank you. 

Until next time, Long Days & Pleasant Nights, Rebecca