#anyway. finding out about ice kings story for the first time was so surreal

[antennatoheaven]

every few years i just need to explain in great detail to someone why i love the ice king/simon as a character you know how it is

[mariss-lyn]

king of my heart: ch.1

so this is a new story i previewed a while back on my page and the first chapter is finally here! i am already annoyingly invested in this series (this is becoming a series even if no one wants to read it) and i’ve started a playlist for it as well!! i can drop apple music/spotify links if anyone is interested. 

ANYWAYS. this was not requested, just something i was messing around with while texting @marissafalls one day and i rolled with it. the first chapter ended up being 2k words soooooo. it revolves around ryan murray, but will have mention of other players on the team.

mentions: other cbj players, alcohol

warnings: cursing, drinking

feedback is always greatly appreciated and encouraging so feel free to to flood my inbox :-) 

“I hate every part of this.”  

This was not how I spent Saturday nights. I spent them at home, in my sweatpants, eating ice cream and talking to my mom on the phone. Sometimes I’d be at a game, in the suites with a couple of friends from college, eating free food and taking too many pictures. But I definitely was not the bar type, or at least not at eleven o’clock at night.  

“Will you stop complaining? This is your fault anyways,” my best friend reminded me. And she wasn’t wrong. I lost a bet and this was my punishment. To be forced out of my comfort zone and have a couple of drinks out on the town.  

“Okay well I didn’t actually think he would score a goal tonight. I thought the odds were in my favor.” Becca smiled at me. “Maybe they are.”  

I rolled my eyes and patiently waited for the Uber to stop outside of some campus bar. I’d heard of it, but never visited. It wasn’t my thing. Quiet coffee shops were my thing. Libraries were my thing. Not bars where you got packed in like sardines and it was so loud, you couldn’t even order a drink without screaming. My friends and I all loaded out, Becca taking the lead, while I fell behind Eliza and Lacey.  

After the bouncer checked our ID’s, we walked in and I immediately felt anxious. There were bright lights and drunk people everywhere. I quickly followed the girls to a table in the corner, trying to just catch my breath.  

“Earth to Harper?” I snapped my head up to see the girls looking straight at me. “What?”  

Becca smiled. “Drink order? I’m gonna go to the bar.”  

“Whatever, is fine,” I mumbled. “Just a beer.” Becca squeezed my hand before she disappeared for the bar and I immediately started to dart my eyes. Taking in my surroundings. Figuring out what I got myself into.  

And that’s when I noticed them.  

They grabbed the attention of most of the bar. Tall, big boys. Hockey players. Professional hockey players.  

“Holy shit!” I heard Eliza yell. “Is that the team?” I nodded. “Some of them.” I wasn’t sure anyone heard me. I didn’t really care. I was focused on the group of guys pushing their way to the bar, right next to where my best friend was. Just mere inches from our table.  

This really was a bad idea.  

“Fuck, they’re so hot.”  

“Do you think they’re single?”  

“Would they come here if they weren’t?”  

I ignored the girls and their questions for a bit, focusing on the group. It was weird to me, seeing guys I’ve watched from afar for so long, right in front of me. I knew they went out. Word travels when you’re friends with a bunch of gorgeous girls. Friends of friends have had some experiences. But you never really expect it to happen to you. And you definitely don’t expect any of them to notice you.  

But then they do.  

“Harper, that one’s looking at you.”  

I forced myself to look away. “Lacey, they’re not zoo animals. His name is Ryan.” I knew he couldn’t hear me, but I still felt nervous. Like somehow he’d only hear his name and know where it came from. My face was hot and my heart was racing. God, they really were beautiful.  

“Harper, go talk to them!” I swung my head to look at Eliza. “Are you crazy? Why would I go talk to them?”  

Eliza smiled. “Because Ryan is looking at you, not us.” 

“The air quotes are not necessary, E. That’s his actual name.”  

I looked back up at the group and noticed Becca coming back with our drinks. I grabbed the Corona she ordered for me and downed half of it in one sip. I could feel the girls watching me as I set the bottle down.  

“Are you okay?” I shook my head. “No. I need a water.”  

I stepped off the bar seat and stepped closer to the bar, squeezing in between a very pretty blonde girl and Boone Jenner. I patiently waited for the bartender to notice me, trying to just be cool. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, so I didn’t move much. I could feel three sets of eyes watching me intently from behind, but I couldn’t turn around. I kept myself facing forward, trying not to eavesdrop. Until I felt Boone step away and someone else fill his spot.  

“Is he ignoring you?”  

I turned to my right slowly, my eyes coming to land on a pair of stunning brown eyes. Could brown eyes be stunning? Brown eyes were always ignored. Every country song was about blue eyes, sometimes green. But never brown. I always felt offended myself, having brown eyes, and I wondered if anyone found them stunning.  

Not now, Harper. Jesus.  

“I’m sorry?” I asked. “Who?” 

Ryan smiled. Oh fuck did he smile. “The bartender. Did you need something?”  

I nodded. “Oh! Just a water. It’s no big deal. I can wait.” He turned his body toward me now, and I noticed his friends had disappeared, surrounding the table my friends were occupying. How convenient.  

Ryan extended his hand. “Ryan.” I smiled and took it in mine. “I’m Harper. Great game tonight.”  

He nodded. “Thank you. Were you there?” Now it was my turn to nod. “I was. It’s actually your fault I’m standing at the bar tonight.”  

Ryan started laughing. “Why’s that?”  

I bit my lip. “I made a bet with my friends. If you scored, we went to the bars tonight. But if you didn’t, we ordered pizza and went home to drink.”  

“Ah well I’m sorry I ruined pizza night. Let me make it up to you with a drink.” I smiled. “You don’t have to do that. You deserved the goal. It doesn’t happen often.”  

Ryan laughed again. “Ouch, that hurts a little bit.” I laughed with him. It felt nice, and also surreal. “Wait, can I ask why it was me who had to score tonight? There are plenty of other guys you could’ve chosen from.” 

I swallowed hard and shifted a little. “Uh, well, because you don’t score a ton of goals and you’re my favorite on the team so my friends were teasing me, I guess. That’s embarrassing. I’m sorry. You don’t need to be talking to some dumb fangirl.” 

He smiled and set his bottle on the bar. “I don’t think you’re dumb. It’s not like I have a huge group of fans in the city, or anywhere really, except maybe back home. Plus, and this is no disrespect to your friends, but my friends have lost interest and they’re going to leave that table in five minutes. I, on the other hand, have no plans of leaving here.” 

“What if we left together?” 

It left my lips before I even fully thought it through. Here I was, exposing myself as not only a fangirl, but someone who was clearly willing to leave my friends behind and go somewhere with a stranger. A hot stranger. A really fucking hot stranger. 

“Where would we go? If we left together?” 

I shrugged. “Personally I’m starving and can’t stop thinking about pizza. And I know there’s a place down the road open late. But you don’t have to leave with me. I don’t really know what I was saying.” 

“What makes you think I would rather be here than somewhere much quieter, eating pizza with you?” 

“Besides the fact that you know absolutely nothing about me?” 

Ryan smiled at me. “I know your name is Harper, and I know you hate bars like this. What’s the worst that could happen at a tiny little pizza place down the road from all of our friends?” 

I bit my lip to hide a smile. “Okay, that’s fair. I can always call Becca if you’re a huge weirdo.” He started laughing. “Can you even eat pizza? Is that part of your diet?” 

“I’ll just skate a little harder at practice on Monday. I’ll take a risk. I think it might be worth it.” 

I leaned off the bar. “I’ll grab my purse and let the girls know. Should I just tell your friends while I’m over there?” Ryan straightened up and grabbed his beer bottle again, smiling. “I’ll come with you.” I walked towards the table, Becca’s eyes burning holes in me. I wish there was time to explain to her what was happening, but I wasn’t even sure I knew what was happening. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was convinced this wasn’t even real. I’ll wake up in the morning and this will all just be a very detailed dream I had after a night on the town. 

“I’m gonna head out,” I announced but Becca was the only one listening. “I’ll see you in the morning?” She nodded. “Be safe.” I could always read Becca like a book. She thought this was a dumb idea. We were never really the girls who left the bar with a hot stranger. We showed up and left together, after a few drinks and a lot of dancing. And that was on the rare occasion we even went out. But nothing about tonight was going according to plan. 

I turned to face Ryan, who was still talking to Boone. “Please don’t act like complete idiots once I leave. I’m not coming back for you.” Boone slurred something I couldn’t even try to make out and I choked back a giggle. “I’m out. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” 

He turned to me and smiled. “Ready?” 

The Lyft ride to the pizza place was quiet, and our drive probably thought he was escorting an awkward first date around town. But it was a comfortable quiet. And usually I’d blame the drinks for how calm I was feeling with him, but I barely had half a beer, so everything was very clear to me.  Ryan was just calming. His voice and the way he carried himself. It was attractive and that was so rare to find, at least for me. And he was soft. The way he spoke about his family and his job. I felt like I could listen to him talk every minute of every day. 

“So do you come to a lot of games?” 

I smiled and shrugged. “Not as many as I’d like. I spend more time watching them from the comfort of my couch. We’ve got a friend, Eliza; she gets suite tickets a lot from work so we use those when we can.” 

Ryan smiled and took a slow sip of water. “Do you have tickets for Monday’s game?” I shook my head. “I’ll have some under your name. Lounge bands too.” 

I laughed. “Are you trying to buy my attention, Murray?” 

“Not at all. I just want to be able to see you again after tonight but my job tends to get in the way. So if you’re at a game, in the lounge, I have a better chance of seeing you when it’s over.” 

It was cute. He was cute. And I really liked the way I felt with him. He probably could’ve asked me to pick up trash with him and I’d do it. Maybe this is why I’ve never dated? “I’ll be there Monday. Who says no to free tickets?” 

The rest of the night felt so easy. It wasn’t until around 2am when I realized I should probably be heading home, brunch plans with my mother looming in the near future. I checked my watch and felt myself frown. “I should probably get going.” 

“Can I get your number?” I smiled at how rushed he asked, thankful I wasn’t the only one suffering from word vomit tonight. I took his phone from his hand and entered my number, adding a pizza emoji after my name, “Thank you for tonight, Harper. I had a lot of fun.” 

I nodded in agreement. “I did too. I kinda wanna do it again sometime.” 

We had moved to the sidewalk outside now, both waiting for our cars to show up. The air was cool, but still unseasonably warm for a late winter night in Ohio. I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself. I looked up and caught Ryan looking down at me, the cutest smile on his face. Before I could speak, a car pulled up to the curb, the car I was waiting on. I felt myself deflate, not ready to leave yet. But then I felt Ryan’s lips on my cheek and my whole body felt electric. I felt the kiss all the way in my toes and I definitely wasn’t cold anymore.  

“Good night, Harper.”  

[rexscelestus]

Play with Fire

Kingpin Last Sunday at 3:23 PM

> You arrive at the cafe long before the time you gave him. Enough time to secure the same table the two of you had last time, get comfy, place your order and set up a chess board. It's nice to have a moment to think about what to tell him while you play a session or two against yourself to warm up. You have no doubt that he will come, despite his lack of response. Despite seeming like a pushover, he's shown to be anything but a coward, and you don't expect him to let you down now. He better not.

PI Last Sunday at 9:46 PM

You aren't sure what is more frustrating, the fact he was so bastardly bold to just out and demand a meeting right after all that happened, or the fact you are actually on your way to attending like a ruddy fool.  Ugh. Damn him back to hell.   This time you are not arriving early, you had hoped even traffic would be slow to cause you to show up late and make him question if you were even showing...but no. Clear traffic and now you're just sitting in your parked car trying to stay warm because some blasted grey faces decided the middle of Derse's winter was the perfect shorts weather. You end up abandoning your wait in the car till just on time plan and end up coming in a couple minutes early anyways because even your car doesn't do that much against keeping the chill out.  Stepping in, there's a glance around to see him at the same table as last time and looking at smug and cozy.  The board surprises you. Was he...was this going to be some casual social?  Ugh, you definitely should have stood him up.

But you're in the cafe now, and would just look like a fool for turning around now.  So instead you make your way to the table as you remove your coat.  "Evening Misster Kingsley." is all the greeting you offer.

February 11, 2019

Kingpin Yesterday at 1:34 AM

You're frankly more disgruntled than smug, but that quickly changes when your eyes fall on him. He's trying to hide it, but you can very well see his black eye. The bruise on your own face may be not so easily visible either, but it's certainly there. But that was easily forgotten once he takes off his coat. You can't help but admire his outfit of choice. In fact, you hook your leg around the chair opposite of you to pull it closer and put your foot on it to explicitly keep him from sitting down and force him to keep standing around for a bit longer. "Good day, Ingleton. That look suits you. A bit cold for the season though." You look down at his legs, then back up at his face. Yep, now you're definitely feeling smug and cozy.

PI Yesterday at 2:09 AM

"Yes. It is."  you grimace as your self consciousness skyrockets.   A nervous shift of your feet until you catch yourself doing it and straighten up, making a soft scoff in regards to his feet deliberately blocking your ability to sit down.  .  "Grey magic is. Not exactly thoughtful when it comes to. Seasons."

Ughh god damnit you can feel your cheeks heating up.  This was the last person you wanted to look embarrassed in front of and yet you walked right into this like a short sighted fool.   You hate this, you hate him, and you wish you could go back to just worrying his wife would manifest behind you to take your head off.  It actually feels like a mercy right now. Another nervous shift, this time you fold you arms (and coat) in front of you defensively.  "So. Is there a reason you called me out, or are you just in the mood for fashion critiques today."

Kingpin Yesterday at 2:17 AM

Ah, you might be quite a hypocrite. You know from first-hand experience how unpleasant even the smallest greyface jokes can be, but you can't help but be amused at his discomfort. Eventually, you decide to release him. With a little shove of your foot, you send the chair back his way. "Sit." As if you suddenly lost interest in his looks, you sign the waiter to bring PI whatever he'd enjoy and start disassembling your solo game to set up the board for a fresh start. You indeed have a reason for ordering him here and it's not a matter you want to discuss in passing.

PI Yesterday at 2:38 AM

An obvious roll of the eyes, but you may as well comply. If only because you are curious...you had expected after the last encounter to hear from him....well truth be you weren't even sure if you'd hear from him at all.  But certainly not so soon after. Also it's cold outside, and there isn't any ground to gain from refusing.  You sit and order your usual caramel latte with white chocolate chips on top of whipped cream.  And a couple sugar cookies please.  As the waiter walks away with your order, the pleasantness of your expression fades as you lean back in your chair to finally take a good look at him.  Back to...well you guess technically he was back to his normal size the last time you met him. But back to the height he keeps in public...part of you wonders how much energy that must be to maintain such a strong glamour to actually reduce one's height in such a dramatic way.  Impressive really.

You're not quite sure if the darkened parts on his face is bruising or just your wishful thinking as you gently bite your lower lip to run your teeth ever so slightly across the still healing scab on your lip from where it was split prior.  Inwardly you begin to die as you realize you have nothing to say so the silence begins to creep as he arranges the pieces.

Kingpin Yesterday at 8:37 AM

You notice the tense silence and frankly you enjoy it, knowing how uncomfortable it must make him. You may just drag that out even longer and start the game  without a word, making your opening move and expecting him to follow suit. You don't expect a spectacular game, just something to keep the both of you busy as you chat. You lean back and look him in the face. "So, Ingleton. What is it you exactly expect out of this?"

PI Yesterday at 8:50 AM

The silence is deafening, with each little clack of the pieces feeling like a noose tightening as you try to figure out something feasible to break the ice.  Weather? Pleasantries? Ughh....those are are awful and would only betray your complete lack of social graces right now.

He makes his opening move without word, only adding to the tension. Is he going to play the entire game wordlessly? On one hand, masterful creativity in regards to torture there because damn.  That is something you never considered dreadful until just now. As he speaks, you feel a spark of gratefulness...that is quickly snuffed out as you find yourself suddenly longing for silence again.  "Expect out of this....game?" you reply back, knowing likely what he is referring to but looking to dodge the answer if only for enough time to gain your focus back.  "Well, I expect I'm going to do poorly. My focus seems to be a bit scattered.  So I hope you don't have high hopes."  Glancing at the board, you consider your options and tactics before moving a piece.

Kingpin Yesterday at 9:34 AM

"No. I mean, a curious answer, but not what I was looking for." You move your piece, hardly taking your eyes off him. "Back at the book club, you told me it wasn't personal. But I seem to have caught your interest since then. And frankly, you may have piqued mine. And yet... You got the got the guts to spit into a King's face, but now you're too much of a pussy to go all the way? ..What a let down."

PI Yesterday at 9:53 AM

"Go all the..." your eyes narrow as your cheeks grow hot.  "What? Were you expecting me to just crawl across this table right here in this cafe or something?  And don't start to speak of let downs, what with you pulling disinterest back there and just..." there is some agitated hand gestures made before you play your next piece as your coffee arrives. "As for the book club, it wasn't personal. Then. You were barely more than a myth, a figure of legend and lore.  Realizing who you were in the middle of talking about romantic stories was perhaps the most surreal experience imaginable, crippling in its harsh reality that you were well...something else. Somebody. Nuanced with depths.  Intriguing and vexing in all the most frustrating ways." You say with a huff as you reach for your coffee.

Kingpin Yesterday at 10:44 AM

"Hm. You crawling over this table? Would be quite the display, I'm not gonna say no." You scoff. "Me? Pulling disinterest? When it was you who made it so very clear that the game we had was most definitely not a date? When it is you who's trying his damnedest to not admit he couldn't resist me all up and close?" You make your move, though you hardly care about the result, then shift in your seat and lean back. As much as you hate letting on that any of that actually bothered you... how dare he say he feels rejected. Though, his little confession is music to your ears. More of that, please. "Listen, I'm not one to play games of will-they-won't-they. Nor will I be a dirty secret you're too ashamed of to admit. If you're genuinely interested.. your chances to prove it are running out."

PI Yesterday at 10:57 AM

He has you there, and your poker face is too poor to really hide that fact as you pause in your reach.  You did make a somewhat big fuss about the lack of date...which was possibly what also caused the whole awful frog fiasco to begin with.  You'd like to focus on the small flickering of pride over the idea that it was something he actually cared about, but you're a bit focused on the table that has been turned to you. You set the mug down, move a piece, and lean back.  "Very well then.  Here's a bit of something to chew on, if you are genuinely considering.  This? This here?" you gesture up and down yourself.  "A glamour. I'll give you two guesses what is underneath, but I expect you'd only need the one."  As much as everything sensible was reminding you it was a bad idea to reveal your cover to not only the enemy but him in particular...It was inevitable if things were to continue, he'd find out.  A fact that had been bothering you since the start.  In a way you expect that this is the end of it all, perhaps that’s why it had been bothering you.

Kingpin Yesterday at 11:56 AM

It is not something you expected to deal with right in this moment, but well, fine. You're chewing on it, while you pick off a piece of your own cake to literally chew on. The revelation hardly comes as a surprise. Probably a good half of the people running around with a human face are actually glamoured and you've long come to terms with the fact that a large portion of that might be Prospitians. You still prefer those trying to blend in and just living their life over those that make no secret of what an invasive species they are. Part of you is astounded how easy you find it to brush this off. But honestly, he already looks like a Prospitian with how spindly and weak is. "So what? Are you going to undress down to your shell here? If it's any consolation, I find you more infuriating for your total disregard of common sense than whatever color you hide under your skin. In fact, a Dersite treating me with such blatant disrespect despite knowing better would be far more unforgivable." You play your piece and direct your attention back at him. "While we're sharing secrets. I'm in glamour too. I know. Shocking."

PI Yesterday at 12:09 PM

"Tch." You roll your eyes as you finally take a drink from your cup. It's quite amazing, how time and time again he manages to say things in such a way that when you should feel some sort of relief it only results in pushing your buttons further.  Insufferable. Setting the mug down, you take a moment actually enjoying the silence as you contemplate your next move...not that you're really paying all that mind to tactics right now but may as well put up some pretense of skill here.  The piece is set and you look at him. "So. You're serious about this."  less a statement and more a question.

Kingpin Yesterday at 12:31 PM

"I am seriously considering it." You take a sip of your own drink and answer with your own move. "I know, I can hardly believe it myself." Your eyes meet his. A merciless stare. You got him where you want him now. Maybe not in the game, but definitely here at the table. It all depends on his answer now. He still has the chance to back out, but you doubt he will.

PI Yesterday at 12:43 PM

You match his stare for a few seconds before you lean back and pull out your phone, flipping it open.  You take a moment typing something in before closing it and pocketing it away.  With your now free hand you pick up your cup to take another sip as you calmly move your next piece without a word. [https://dilldaydreamer.tumblr.com/post/182732779617]

Well, mostly calm. There is a slight shake to your hand as it moves. "Had one asked me a year ago if I'd be here and now, I'd have laughed in their face."

Kingpin Yesterday at 1:20 PM

You're curious about what may be important enough to interrupt with his phone, but you're not going to bother asking. You look at the board and for the first time in this game, you pause to contemplate. Maybe about your next move, maybe about something else. "It's interesting, isn't it? The places we end up in."

PI Yesterday at 1:38 PM

He'll see what you did soon enough, you have no doubt on that.  It was for all intents, a move a few steps ahead that you seem to be fond of.

"It is." you agree as you look between the contents of your mug and the board.  "For so many intents and purposes this was not a place I should have ever been in.  And yet, hard to imagine a place other."  There's almost a laugh at the end of that sentence.  You can't imagine it's the same for him in any way.  It wouldn't surprise you if Derse was essentially in his veins. "Life's funny like that at times."

Kingpin Yesterday at 11:05 PM

You'd definitely say Derse is in your veins. And yet, this place and life are so far removed from anything you've known. Too much change for an old King like you. To also date a Prospitian is a fairly small step in comparison. Honestly, you had your fair share of flings on either side over centuries of war. "It sure is." Well, you said all you wanted to. Kind of still waiting for his answer, but if he needs time to think about it... disappointing, but you're willing to give it to him. All that seems to be left for now is to finish the game with delicious awkward silence. You finally move your piece. Not a grand game, as you take notice, but not nearly as abysmal as the previous ones against him despite all the distraction.

PI Yesterday at 11:31 PM

That awkward silence does creep in, as you find yourself unable to think of anything to add to the conversation.  If only because your head is inwardly spinning and screeching its protests over the possible repercussions of what you posted.  That horrible whirling machination of what-ifs and what will people say and oh god Sleuth is going to have a damn field day.  You can already hear Ace getting ready to sass you...and that's if you are fortunate.

So you try to distract yourself with the game, get your mind off that future problem, and with how jittery you feel perhaps its best to switch to tea.  Between moves, you watch the server and try to lift you hand to flag them when they make a round but...no luck.  Hnhnghn...curse your skills of unassuming nature working against you.

You play a piece, and study the board.  "Pardon me." is all you say as you rise to your feet to make your way to the counter...not really overly concerned with the possibility of him cheating so much once again feeling self conscious of how astoundingly cold it is everywhere because of STUPID SHORTS.  Ughhghgh...focus on getting tea.

Kingpin Today at 12:24 AM

Look at him struggle. This alone almost made the whole meeting worth it. You look after him for a bit, then pull your phone out to check if you missed any important messages. You're a busy man after all. After that, you notice that there's been a post on his blog. (Not that you subscribed to notifications to it or anything. That would be silly. No, you had time and checked it. In case.) What you read honestly leaves you a bit speechless. That is an answer. More than you expected, faster than you expected, yet he didn't give it to you face to face, that god damn pissant. You're.. honestly impressed and mildly amused, mixed in with what can be best expressed as the blinking guy gif. That accusation though, how dare he. You had your plans, and now it's going to look like you're only doing it because he challenged you. And you can't NOT do it or you're proving his point. God. You hate moments like this. Fuck him. But fine, you can play this game. You put your phone away and sip on the rest of your sweet milky coffee as wait for him to return.

PI Today at 12:40 AM

You order tea, and are momentarily distracted by the pastry display...a nice diversion from your own headspace really.  Though the temptation for cookies is strong, you probably don't need anymore sugar right now as you're still feeling the jitters.  With tea ordered, you return to the chair to give a glance at the board.  None of the pieces seem to have moved at least to your recollection.  So either he moved very subtly or indeed is not a cheater. And that's when you remember the awkward silence part of things.  Hngnh...leaning back you debate if you should remind him it's his turn or just sit awkwardly for your tea to arrive and hope he does it unprompted.  Ehhhhnn....fine. "Your move." you gesture to the board as you try to consider any possible tactics or moves to play...oof. You really didn't put any planning into this game.

Kingpin Today at 1:19 AM

You stare at the board long and hard, still contemplating your next move, the muscles in your jaw tensing notably. Not that the board offers a lot of complex strategies going forward. Eventually you just shrug. "Hm. I'm bored of it. You win this one." You set your cup aside and check that all your belongings are still present by pulling them out, then putting them back again. Phone, check. Keys, check. Wallet, check (taking out the payment for the day, while at it). His glasses - oh yeah, keeping those. Then you lift yourself up from your seat. "It was nice, despite all. Thank you for the game."

PI Today at 1:38 AM

Glancing between the board and him, you contemplate which possible moves he may make...only for your brows to instinctively go up as he declares bored defeat.  Granted you can't deny this is a rather mediocre game, but even so you feel a bit insulted since once again you've turned the move over to him and he just disengages now bored.  How frustratingly fickle. It's hard not to pay attention to him sifting his belongings, though your eyes narrow as you recognize your glasses.  That absolute ass.  Your fingers twitch as for a second you debate trying to snatch them out of his hands but decide better, turning your head to feign indifference.  "It was.  Same to you.  Perhaps another time, hopefully you won't get bored so quickly."

Kingpin Today at 2:14 AM

You straighten your sleeves some as you stare down at him, still contemplating, though you're already set on your next move. "Oh, surely. Might just be the game. Ah, let me try a thing." You reach down, but not for one of the figures, no. You grab him by the collar and with a mighty pull you drag him halfway across the table, no regard for any pieces or cups that clatter to the ground. It might be turning a few heads, but you made sure the tip will cover the trouble. He doesn't like public arenas? Too bad. Before he has any chance to react, you lean down and violently press your lips on his. And you're definitely making sure his healing lip is gonna be bleeding again when you're done. "Thought so. Quite a delicious display." You release him fairly quickly, more than satisfied with your work as your smug face betrays. "Check."

PI Today at 4:05 AM

His movement catches the corner of your eye, but it isn't until you feel the grasp on your collar that you realize he wasn't picking up the chess pieces.  Your attempts to sputter out in surprise are stopped short as you're pulled into a kiss.  The sound of errant chess pieces and at least one cup with saucer shattering ring in your ears as you feel your face turn hot.

You weren't expecting this, and in hindsight you should have which only makes this even more on you as you feel like every eye in the cafe is probably staring now. As he pulls away, you already know your lip is back to bleeding from the sting as your cheeks are probably scarlet red...and the look on his face.  You sputter, stammer, inwardly a part of you knows you're going to be fuming mad once it fully sinks in that he got you at a loss of words where all you can do is flounder. And then...he uses the same single word on you that you used prior and your eyes narrow. That arrogant son of a....you have half a mind to try to throw the chessboard directly in his face.  The other half is reminding you that you don't want to get kicked out of this cafe.  But the idea of him walking out and leaving you in front of all these people...no! Oh no he doesn't. "Y-you. Yooooou." is all you manage to spit out as you reach into your wallet to pull out some cash to throw onto the table, not caring if it's more than what was needed for your cost.  You don't care if this looks like a retreat, damn it, damnit all.  With a quick gesture you snatch your own coat up and start to make your departure with haste.  You're just mad, and you can't even think of words right now and that is only making you more upset because he's probably going to have a right chuckle and just. UGH.(edited)

Kingpin Today at 8:23 AM

Oh god are you smug. You didn't expect him to flee the scene this quick, but it's just what he deserves for that little stunt he pulled. You're oh so tempted to call a 'Checkmate.' after him, but you've already made a scene as is, so the thought is dropped quickly - at least for now. You collect what is left of the board and handle the payment for the orders and apologize for the mess you caused. Though frankly, random bouts of pitch should be expected in this city. Once that is done, you take your leave with all the calm and satisfaction in the world.

[satireknight]

TMNT S03E06 - The Old Switcheroo, Part 2

So while the Turtles are discussing how weird Splinter is acting, Shredder comes in, picks up a giant spear with a mace at the end, and orders them to attack. He’s a master of subtlety.

And after bludgeoning Raphael with Donatello’s body, he laughs evilly and orders them to do every exercise ten times. Well, that’s thirty hours of continuous exercise... good luck scraping them off the floor after that. 

As he leaves, he says, “I can destroy them whenever I wish.” Of course, that leads us to the biggest problem of the episode: Shredder is in an ideal position to kill the Turtles, but he’s botching it. First, he never really tries to kill them; he seems to just try to humiliate them over and over for the lulz. Secondly, he is apparently incapable of acting like Splinter would, which puts the Turtles on their guard and makes it more likely that they’ll try to fight back when he does make a move.

Also, he accidentally exposed himself again when he fought them, because Leonardo unsurprisingly knows Splinter’s fighting style inside and out. All of them figure out that it reminds them more of Shredder.... so yeah, Shredder has managed to practically expose himself simply because he can’t pass up an opportunity to be a dick.

Meanwhile, Splinter is trying to oh-so-casually discuss the whole mind-transfer thing with Krang, but isn’t really able to do it without rousing more suspicions.

Bebop blurts out that Shredder got zapped, and Krang decides that they should scan Shredder’s brain, just in case. Again, what is he complaining about? Does it feel weird not having someone be an utter dick 24/7?

So in a matter of minutes, Splinter’s sitting under a brain-scan-thingy, looking like he regrets everything.

And given that he refers to “Shredder” and “you” separately, I think Krang might have figured out what happened. Certainly possible considering that Splinter was asking, “By the way, do you happen to have anything that can switch people’s minds?”

And then... not kidding, Splinter manages to change his brain-wave patterns through sheer force of will.

I’m pretty sure that’s completely impossible, but you know what? If anyone did it, it would be Splinter.

So Krang is satisfied that Splinter is Shredder, and immediately tells him to go get the doohickey thingamabob to fix the Technodrome. Also, Bebop and Rocksteady must REALLY be grating on Splinter’s nerves, because he bitches more in one line about having them along than he has ever done about all the Turtles, ever.

Meanwhile, since Shredder has the Turtles at his mercy and can kill them anytime.... he’s having them clean.

“Do you Turtles get the feeling there’s something not right about Master Splinter?” Leonardo, we established a scene or two ago that not only is he being violent and acting evil, which all of you have noticed, but that he was fighting in a style totally different from his usual one.... and which also happened to be similar to your archnemesis. Yes, they have the feeling. Try to keep up!

Just then, April pops in and Shredder yells at her before storming off. Since I don’t think Splinter has raised his voice even implicitly at her even once, she’s rather hurt by this. It’s also enough to convince the Turtles that there’s something rotten in the state of Denmark.

Michelangelo apparently is the only one who remembered that the “bizarro ray that zapped him” might have something to do with his weird behavior. You’d think it would pique Donatello’s science-nerd interests.

Just then the module comes bursting up, conveniently right in front of where they’re standing. And despite having seen it a few times, they act like this is new information.

And though Rocksteady and Bebop are raring for a fight, Splinter-in-Shredder’s-body is desperate not to fight. I could chalk this up to not pretending very well, but I can see why he might panic and lose control in this situation - he’s facing his sons/pupils, who have no idea who he is, and who might get hurt if he doesn’t try to avoid a conflict. Even worse, they don’t realize who he is, or what has happened.

I do sort of wonder how he planned to let them know eventually, though.

So they approach Splinter very aggressively, but he stops them with a speech about he’s taught them to look under the surface, and how they should look with their hearts instead of their eyes. It’s not a particularly deep speech, but it’s nicely done, especially as we see the Turtles’ faces changing in confusion as they listen.

And if Shredder’s stint as Splinter has taught us anything, it’s that he wouldn’t be able to fake something like this. He’s too dedicated to douchery.

Shredder, meanwhile, is freaking out because the Turtles left instead of hanging around to be humiliated. Oh, and he vows to “destroy” them again, even though he has had plenty of chances.

Gotta admit, that picture is pretty surreal out of context.

Donatello unsurprisingly knows the right way to switch them back to their bodies, and Leonardo has a brilliant idea for getting Shredder back to the lab. You know, whenever this series needs someone to brainstorm a clever solution, they just have Leonardo pull an idea from his butt.

So they come back home and find Shredder still stewing, giving him the fake claim that they’ve found Shredder and can finally get him for good.

That’s too good an opportunity for Shredder, who wants to recapture Splinter so they can swap bodies again. Not sure how he plans to convince Krang that he is who he says he is, especially since Krang doesn’t even really know Splinter.

Wait, if Shredder left the lair with the Turtle... doesn’t that mean he could backtrack to their lair? ARGH!

Meanwhile, Splinter is off to find the mind-transfer machine, but is interrupted by the presence of two wastes of oxygen.

And before he can tell them to go get some ice cream sundaes or something, the Turtles appear and Leonardo loudly announces their arrival. Splinter actually facepalms at the rotten luck.

Shredder also completely drops the pretense of being Splinter at this point, yelling, “Your Turtles are doomed, my dear rodent, and so are you!” across the room. He might want to save the “rodent” thing for when he isn’t one.

Splinter then lets Shredder knock him off his feet, landing right near Bebop and enraging the dimwitted mutant.

I really do like this bit, with Splinter playing his enemies against each other, since Shredder hasn’t bothered to notify Bebop and Rocksteady about what happened.

So Bebop lunges over and knocks Shredder onto one of the mind-transfer pads, where he mumbles, “Bebop, you idiot” before passing out. It’s a bit scary when you realize how strong those two are, and how much damage they can do when motivated. Although Bebop being an idiot doesn’t really have anything to do with this, since Shredder didn’t even try to enlighten his goons until Bebop was already on the warpath.

There’s also a funny weird bit when Michelangelo yells, “Prepare for ninja revenge, infidel dogs!” and runs out to fight. I don’t know if that’s a reference to something, or if it’s just something weird they decided to have him yell.

So now Shredder and Splinter are both in the mind-switcher, but Donatello is having trouble getting the thing up’n’running. Michelangelo kicks Rocksteady (nice animation, real sense of weight and effort) over to near where his gun is, and Rocksteady fires at Donatello, hitting the panel for the second time. I feel sorry for whoever put so much time and effort into this machine.

So both Splinter and Shredder are zapped by the mighty blue beam, and fall flat on their faces afterwards. And after so much abuse, the machine is now about to explode as things do on this show.

Bebop and Rocksteady grab Shredder’s body and run out of the building, and the Turtles are left undecided about which one is now Splinter and which is Shredder. They decide to take the giant rat body, especially since that involves less fighting with Bebop and Rocksteady.

Now that the whole pathetic incident is behind him, Shredder tells the henchmutants about what happened. I wonder if he told Krang, just so Krang would know that his brain scans aren’t as foolproof as he thought. Maybe he’s just relieved that Shredder is back to being pure douche again.

Meanwhile, Splinter wakes up in the lair with April and the Turtles all waiting anxiously to find out if he’s okay... and, well, the right person. Here’s a hint: if he says something that doesn’t have the word “idiot” in it, and doesn’t throw something at your head, it’s the real Splinter.

But Leonardo apparently needs some proof, which Michelangelo immediately provides: a slice of pizza right in the face.

I guess that real revulsion can’t be faked that well, especially from Shredder. He may know that Splinter hates pizza now, but he probably couldn’t be quite that grossed out by it.

VERDICT:

So this is another good one. The brain-switcheroo story is something that a lot of shows have done in varying formulae, but this one is a solid effort that handles itself pretty well.

Really, my only real nitpick is that Shredder picks up his villain’s idiot ball pretty early on, and keeps hanging onto it. He literally could have killed the Turtles, at least some of them, if he had made an effort to act like Splinter and had actually tried to hurt them. Hell, he came at ‘em with a giant spear, and just gave them some bruises. 

I used to think that maybe they didn’t want to upset the kids by showing the Turtles’ sensei trying to hurt them, even if he was actually Shredder. But then I remembered that the first Rat King episode was this season, and that featured a mind-controlled Splinter trying to kill the Turtles.

Anyway, that’s my pet peeve, but the rest of the episode is done pretty well. I always like episodes that deal with Splinter’s relationship with one or more of the Turtles, and this one does have some subtle moments of that. In particular, I like how the Turtles’ faces cycle through different expressions when Splinter is talking them out of attacking, each one showing individual emotions. 

I also mentioned before that I do like the animation of the fight scenes in here. I especially liked the part where Rocksteady launches himself at Michelangelo, and Michelangelo uses his legs to propel Rocksteady backwards. There’s a real sense of weight and raw physical power in the way it’s animated, which is very nice. The fight scenes were also pretty complex, and Splinter playing the victim to enrage Bebop was a clever moment.

Peter Renaday and James Avery also did a pretty good job in this one, each playing the other’s part; Renaday made his voice rougher and more sinister, and Avery sounded more mellow and quiet. 

Grade: A-

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #409

Top Ten Things I Saw 2019

2019, eh? What to make of that? For me, “culturally” speaking – that is, in terms of things I watched, read, or otherwise consumed (that weren’t, y’know, food), it’s defined by huge, long-anticipated finales; a raft of incredibly impressive kids’ films; really exciting TV shows that I never got round to watching; an increasingly-interesting new Transformers comic that I have run way, way behind on and need to catch up with; and reading about cool stuff that’s happening in 2020 (but more on that next week!).

As we make our way gingerly into this newest of years, it feels odd to look back on, say, Avengers: Endgame, and try to remember a time when we didn’t all know who died and how. Massive things seemed to come and go, having to make way for the next massive thing. 2020, from this vantage point, doesn’t seem quite so epochal, but what do I know, I just work here. 2019 though; that was a big one. Even outside of the MCU ruling the roost, there’s Frozen, Star Wars, Toy Story, and even some stuff not owned by Disney.

Because I seem to operate on a slightly delayed timescale, there are still huge films and TV programmes that I’ve not managed to catch (work commitments also obliterated my free time for a couple of months, meaning I didn’t even make my own lax standards of cinema-going). Especially in the last third of the year, I’ve missed some really exciting films; Hollywood, Knives Out, Joker, Irishman (which, yeah, is on Netflix, so I’ll probably see that before the others). Hopefully they’ll do some screenings around awards time, or I can just get the Blu-rays. Anyway, that’s why that stuff’s not here, and also because I couldn’t think of a witty hat to hang on the artier fare.

Right, caveats out the way, this is what was occurring in 2019.

“I knew it!”: Probably the most difficult thing to do this year was provide some kind of closure to the various huge pop-culture juggernauts that more-or-less decided to end. Star Wars was a disappointment, I’ve not seen Game of Thrones, but good Lord did Avengers stick the ending. Endgame is a masterpiece, a beautiful thrill-ride of cinema (see what I did there?), and for me the crowning moment – the bit that nearly made me cry-laugh and is one of the greatest moments I’ve ever had in the cinema – was when Captain America lifts Thor’s enchanted hammer. Magic, indeed.

“Welcome to the Sys-Star System”: I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of many of the kids; films I saw this year, and also by the more progressive and inclusive message they expressed. This started before this year, to be honest, with the frankly surprising left-field political allegories of Zootropolis and Smallfoot. But 2019 started great with an amusing dissection of movie misogyny in The LEGO Movie 2 (better than the first one, don’t @ me); the underrated Dora and the Lost City of Gold was also a great adventure film to show little girls, especially if you’re trying to inject some diversity into their lives. Along with Detective Pikachu it was a good time for PG-rated live-action family movies. So: 2019, great for kids’ films (Klaus on Netflix!); great for films about diversity and empowerment, especially if you’re going to the cinema with two little girls. Speaking of…

“Can there be a day beyond this night?”: Talk about sticking the landing; following up the most successful animated film of all time (apart from the, ahem, “live-action” Lion King), and its culture-defining song, was a very tall order. I was amazed at how they managed it. whilst perhaps “giving Elsa a girlfriend” was a little bit too much to ask (cowards) they still doubled down on themes of empowerment and finding oneself, and Elsa’s two big songs still manage to feel (to this straight dude) like coming-out anthems. But it was the maturity and depth of the film that surprised and delighted; I never expected to see a film where a Disney Princess sang a song about being so overcome with grief that they want to die.

“Honk”: Untitled Goose Game is probably the game of the year, even if it’s not my favourite game, simply because of how robustly it seized the zeitgeist. There was a time when you couldn’t move for memes of mallards (yes, I know it’s not a mallard). For a small indie game to do this was fantastic. And its recent appearance on Xbox Game Pass cements a banner year for that Microsoft service too; a year in which it’s gone from “nice addition” to seemingly indispensable. Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, their very generous E3 offer, and the tantalising prospect of xCloud (still in beta, and really rather impressive) means Game Pass – geese and all – was the gaming highlight of 2019 for me.

“This will be a great start to my legend!”: Speaking of gaming highlights, we finally got a Switch this Christmas, and it’s already being played to death. I didn’t know how much we missed Mario Kart. The Nintendo Switch is clearly, far and away, the best console of this generation (or is it next generation? When was the Wii U?). Anyway, we also got Pokemon Sword for my eldest, and that’s really rather fab I think, in its amusingly foreign depiction of Britain. But with Pokemon Go seemingly going from strength to strength, and the excellent Detective Pikachu at the cinema, it was a great year for small collectible creatures. Now I just need to learn how to play the card game…

“No, you’re breathtaking”: The E3 moment that launched a million memes, Keanu Reeves’ appearance in Cyberpunk 2077 was a surprise as much as his good-natured response to the audience was a delight. But really 2019 was Keanu’s year; John Wick 3 cemented his status as the most ice-cool of action stars, he expertly and hilariously sent himself up in Always Be My Maybe, and was very funny as a burning bush in the Spongebob trailer. Next year he brings back his other other greatest character, Ted Theodore Logan, in Bill and Ted Face the Music. It’s Keanu’s world, we’re just living in it.

“What the hell happens now?”: Alright, I might have got the quote slightly wrong, but the closing moments of the first episode of Years and Years was probably my TV moment of the year. Horrifically tense and terrifying, utterly believable but also a freakishly scary look at a potential near future. The series continued in this fashion, marrying soapy drama with increasingly sci-fi flavoured concepts, until it culminated in a full-on dystopian future uprising. Already feels unnecessarily prescient.

“Let us see what the future holds”: Speaking of top TV, Star Trek: Discovery season two had highs and lows but generally was a better stab at a contemporary Trek show than season one. The infusion of familiar Trek characters and settings (chiefly Spock, Pike, and the Enterprise) was a blessing and a curse, and although the time-dancing plot sagged, it all came together for a phenomenal finale. An epic space battle the likes of which Star Trek had very rarely seen, culminating in a sacrifice play and the prospect of further adventures in a timeline we’ve never explored before in Trek. Mind you, Picard will be better, won’t it?

“David Braben done a poo”: Moving away from the blockbuster TV shows and epoch-defining superhero sagas, Digitiser Live was another high point. I didn’t get away as much in 2019 as other years – I skipped TF Nation and couldn’t make Thought Bubble – so any opportunity to chat to like-minded geeks is always welcome. The show itself was madcap, weird fun, and it’s so nice to know Mr. Biffo and be a small, tangential part of the whole shebang. More in 2020, please.

“#ChrisHewittsFilmOfTheDay2019”: Okay, so bear with me: Chris Hewitt, from off of Empire magazine and podcast (and The Film Programme, remember that?) recommended a film a day every day of the year. Except – top gag – it was always Avengers: Infinity War. The fact he kept this bit up the whole year, and found new and increasingly surreal ways to recommend Infinity War, was a comic delight. And y’know what? The Empire Podcast was a delight this year too. It’s not new but it’s great, and I hope in 2020 I get to go to one of the live shows at last.

Well, that was 2019. In many ways an absolute shitshow. 2020 looks like it’s starting off with the world literally burning, an addled madman attempting to start World War III, and frigging Brexit. On the flipside, I had a lovely Christmas, we all enjoyed playing on the Switch, the first episode of Doctor Who was fantastic, my kids are great, my wife is great, and at some point this year I get to see WandaVision. So let’s all keep our collective chins up and look forward to whatever we can possibly look forward to. Despite how tepidly the Skywalker Saga ended.

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/world/the-wandering-earth-and-chinas-sci-fi-heritage/

The Wandering Earth and China's sci-fi heritage

Image copyright Netflix

Image caption The Wandering Earth debuts on Netflix on 30 April

The Wandering Earth has been billed as a breakthrough for Chinese sci-fi.

The film tells the story of our planet, doomed by the expanding Sun, being moved across space to a safer place. The Chinese heroes have to save the mission – and humanity – when Earth gets caught in Jupiter’s gravitational pull.

Based on Hugo Award winner Liu Cixin’s short story of the same name, Wandering Earth has already grossed $600m (£464m) at the Chinese box office and was called China’s “giant leap into science fiction” by the Financial Times. It’s been bought by Netflix and will debut there on 30 April.

But while this may be the first time many in the West have heard of “kehuan” – Chinese science fiction – Chinese cinema has a long sci-fi history, which has given support to scientific endeavour, offered escapism from harsh times and inspired generations of film-goers.

So for Western audiences eager to plot the rise of the Chinese sci-fi movie, here are five films I think are worth renewed attention.

Dislocation

Huang Jianxin, 1986

For most in the Western world, their first encounter with Chinese cinema came from directors like Wu Tianming (The Old Well, The King of Masks) and Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers, Raise the Red Lantern).

Image copyright NANHAI FILMS

Image caption Dislocation explores themes of work and artificial intelligence in a surreal dreamscape

They were largely preoccupied with themes like the loss of youth, tradition versus change, and creating the rural aesthetic most people associated with Chinese film.

But China in the 1980s was a scene of rapid modernisation, urbanisation and Westernisation, and films started responding to the impact of this massive change.

In Dislocation, a scientist creates an android version of himself to attend the endless meetings that rob him of his time, in a black comedy of mechanisation and bureaucracy.

Huang’s take on the debate on artificial intelligence is superbly delivered against a surreal Kafka-esque dreamscape, with stark lighting and suspenseful music, making this film a delight to watch.

Hopefully the new interest in kehuan will see it gain an official release in the West.

Warrior Revived

Li Guomin, 1995

A grown-up style of kehuan emerged in the 1990s, reflecting the themes of identity versus technological advancement which were also occupying Western sci-fi at the time.

Image copyright Shanghai Film Studios

Image caption The low budget appearance of Warrior Revived never gets in the way of its creative energy

In Warrior Revived, police officer Song Da Wei dies a gruesome death on duty and ends up in a decade-long coma. He’s brought back to life by a “miracle cure” from a biologist who has found a way to repair defective DNA.

The genetically enhanced Song finds himself uncomfortable with the cyberised world around him, and excluded by his old comrades. Meanwhile, the heavily maimed villain he gave his life to destroy is plotting to steal the gene formula and wreak his revenge.

Like a lot of great cyberpunk movies before the age of CGI, this early mainland kehuan impresses with its high kitsch, low-budget, imaginative approach.

The villain’s lair is filled with neon tubes, hand-crafted lab controls and walls covered with plastic bowls in the best traditions of the Tardis.

What it lacks in sleekness it more than makes up with innovative costume designs and soundtrack, diligent camera work and the sheer energy from the cast.

Wonder Boy

Song Chong, 1988

The 1980s brought a slew of Hollywood sci-fi films made for children, but which appealed equally to adults – like Explorers, Flight of The Navigator, and D.A.R.Y.L. – and filmmakers in China were taking a similar route.

Image copyright Children’s Film Studio

Image caption Wonder Boy remains popular and is still occasionally played out on national TV

Produced by the Children’s Film Studios and hailed as the nation’s first children’s fantasy film, Wonder Boy tells the story of a child born with the ability to generate electricity.

Bei Bei is bullied by neighbours and kept in isolation by parents who want to protect him, but is still a caring and mischievous little boy, who uses his powers to help others and have fun in equal measure.

When Bei Bei is taken away to be experimented on – by a non-governmental, possibly foreign group – a handful of the close friends he has made come to his rescue.

Well-loved for its humour and accessibility, Wonder Boy is remembered in China as a great classic, and still enjoyed by children today when it is repeated on both national television and streaming services.

Reset

Hong-Seung Yoon, 2017

Produced by Jackie Chan and winner of the 2017 Grand Remi for Best Feature and Best Actress, Reset is a time travel thriller, which addresses a Chinese preoccupation with personal roles in a culture that so totally promotes the good of society.

Xia Tian (Yang Mi) is a senior researcher of wormhole technology and a single mother. When her young son is kidnapped, she is forced to hand over her research, but when the villain murders her child anyway she is forced to test her own discoveries into time travel in order to save his life, and maybe undo her own betrayal of the programme.

Image copyright Beijing Yaoying Movie Distribution Co Ltd

Image caption Reset explores the identity struggle facing many modern Chinese women

The film is an exploration of the plight of a New Chinese Woman, who walks the line between the roles of highly skilled professional and loving mother. The psychological exploration is fantastic. With several versions of Xia being generated by her repeated time travel, the face-off between our heroine and these alternate selves, including a darker, damaged one, creates an amazing tension which is missing from so many Western takes on this classic trope.

A female-led space kehuan story that also deals with single parenthood couldn’t be more relevant in a society that is simultaneously beginning a golden space age, and struggling with attitudes to women’s emancipation.

Super Mechs

Cui Junjie, 2018

Wuxia, or kung fu fantasy, is so intrinsic to Chinese pop culture it was almost inevitable that its tropes would be incorporated into Chinese sci-fi.

Image copyright Seven Entertainment Pictures

Produced exclusively for IQiyi, China’s version of Netflix, Super Mechs is set in 2066 in a world where humanity has begun to experience genetic mutations which leave some people with X-Men style super powers.

Global criminal organisations are threatening the order of society and private entities are stepping up to uphold it by developing highly advanced mechanised power suits.

Hero Xiao Qi is an ordinary office clerk enlisted by the Dragon Clan, who reveal to him his latent mutant ice powers, before arming him with a robotic power suit and sending him on a mission. Little does Xiao Qi know that he will be greeted by another mech-suited warrior with fire-based powers who will fight him to a standstill.

The “warriors with opposite powers” trope is a staple of the wuxia genre, but the film falls deeper down the rabbit hole when this deadly opponent is revealed to be Xiao Qi’s long-lost brother.

Add in ancient warring clans, fast-paced action between the sleek computer-generated mechanical fighters and a cheeky sense of humour from our protagonist, and the high budget Huayi Brothers production appeals to fans of superhero, kung fu and toku/tecuo films alike.

The works of stalwart wuxia authors like Jin Yong are steadily being translated into English, so we will certainly see more from this sub-genre reach our screens.

Acknowledging the rich and varied Chinese science fiction tradition does not at all detract from the pride in the success of Wandering Earth.

With China’s growing middle class and increased youth spending power, Chinese filmmakers are increasingly catering for a booming domestic demand for entertainment, and no longer worry as much about making their films palatable for export.

But with more East-West co-productions in the pipeline, like the animated Next Gen which originated from a Chinese web comic, it is certainly a sensible decision for companies like Netflix to bring films from platforms like IQiyi, to an English speaking audience, and that is going to include kehuan.

Western audiences may not immediately “get” some of these films, or may feel that some elements do not flow to their expectations.

But Wandering Earth and the titles above are the product of China’s culture and worldview. And to some extent, it’s what makes them different that will pique interest, fascinate and entertain.

Xueting Christine Ni is a writer and speaker on Chinese culture, based in the UK. She can be found on Twitter at @xuetingni