#aside from that i'm alive and well and perfectly capable of going to work at camp

[smile-files]

she then started wiping his face with a handkerchief, confused

[shewholovestoread]

GYEONGSEONG CREATURE PART 1 - THE CHARACTERS (PART 2 OF 2)

Part 1 is here

The Characters:

The cast is uniformly awesome. Park Seo-joon's character, Jang Tae-sang starts off as someone who is only concerned about saving his own hide but he infuses his character with so much heart that even in the initial episodes, you end up rooting for him. The show is, very much, his hero's journey, going from someone who only cared about his own survival to one who's willing to risk his own life to protect others.

Han So-hee's character, Yoon Chae-ok was an absolute badass. She was more than capable of handling the shit that came her way. I loved that she was so confident of her abilities, she was excellent at her job. So-hee imbues her character with such deep emotion that you can tell that it's always on the simmer, her desperation warring with the bone-deep dread that her mother is dead. And then the final straw is the soul crushing horror they're confronted with when they infiltrate the hospital and find out what's been going on.

I also liked how the relationship between Tae-sang and Chae-ok developed. They start off at loggerheads with Tae-sang mocking the loss of her mother and Chae-ok seeing him as a profiteer, an opportunist. In a desperate fight for their survival against both the monster and the Japanese forces, they're forced to put aside their differences and work together and this is where they truly shine.

Their conflicting approach, where one is willing to die instead of surrendering and the other is willing to surrender to fight another day is what saves them. Chae-ok's drive to fight and keep fighting even in the face or insurmountable odds is what keeps them going when lesser people would have turned back. Tae-sang's drive to survive, to live is what keeps them alive when faced with near certain death. They fight for each other, taking the lead when the other falters.

I love that for people who seem so fundamentally different, they work so well together, perfectly complementing each other. I also love that when Tae-sang tries to save Chae-ok by asking her to leave, she refuses, she makes it clear that she doesn't need a knight in shining armour but a partner who treats her as their equal.

The other cast members are equally good, especially Kim Hae-sook as Nawol-deak, Tae-sang's 2nd in command. She's his pillar, the only person he can trust to take over the reins in his absence and she more than rises to the occasion. Unlike the others, she's unflappable, capable of thinking on her feet, weighing alternatives and wheeling and dealing the way Tae-sang does. She, like Tae-sang doesn't trust anyone (except Tae-sang.) She knows, only too well, how little it takes to break people, having gone through it herself.

Did anyone else wonder if it was Nawol-deak who gave up information that led to Tae-sang's mother getting arrested? Nawol implies that faced with relentless pain, people are willing to do anything to make it stop. That entire conversation and the flashback that followed, made me think if it was Nawol who finally broke and gave up information about her comrades.

Then there was Choi Young-joon playing Lieutenant General Gato, the most hateful character on the show, followed very closely by Hyun Bong-sik's Ichiro. The absolute lack of humanity they exhibit is far more monstrous than any other monster they could create. I'm pretty sure Gato is a psychopath. His quest to make a monster has nothing to do with patriotism. His military rank is a means to an end, it gives him the power and authority he needs to conduct his experiments with little to no oversight. He doesn't see other people as human beings, they are all, both the soldiers and locals alike, test subjects. The locals are used as lab-rats and monster bait while the soldiers serve to test just how much damage the monster can withstand, it's killing power and finally whether it can think and solve problems. The only thing Gato sees as worthwhile is the monster itself.

I would not be surprised if, in part 2, there was increased tension between Gato and Ichiro. Ichiro sees the monster as a mindless killing machine while to Gato, it's a like piece of art, it's an extension of his own genius and he would not take kindly to another scientist taking over. We saw it in Part 1 when Ichiro tried to train the monster, taking a page out of Ivan Pavlov's experiment, Gato's displeasure at Ichiro inserting himself into his work. This is not a man who shares or tolerates interference of any kind. I see conflict brewing between them that will perhaps be the source of their own downfall.

The other person who was absolutely spellbinding was Kim Soo-hyun as Lady Yukiko Maeda. Her portrayal is just... so intimidating. She's the perfect blend of gentility and menace. She has an ice cold demeanor that unsettles you even as her beauty disarms you and draws you in. By the time the show ends, there is no doubt who has the actual power in the Ishikawa home. This is a woman who will slit your throat and calmly drink tea and watch as you slowly drown in your own blood. it's a chilling portrayal and I can't wait to see more of her in Part 2.

I am excited for Part 2 to see how they close season 1 since season 2 is already in production. We do know that Chae-ok, her father and the rest from The House of Golden Treasure will launch a rescue mission for Tae-sang. I don't think Chae-ok will be content to leave Tae-sang behind, not to mention her mother's monster form is still inside.

Add to that, Myeong-ja is now infected and she will wreak havoc once she transforms (assuming she survives,) she is outside and she's pregnant. With Chae-ok's mother, we can see just how much the Najin caused her to mutate. I have a feeling that Myeong-ja's baby will be a hybrid, even more dangerous than the monster inside the hospital. It's also safe to assume that almost all of the antagonists will survive.

If you're hoping for a clean resolution in the season finale, you're in for disappointment. I have a feeling that the season will end with a broadening of the threat and our heroes will have to contend with not just those despicable scientists, Gato and Ichiro, they will also have the Japanese army after them after Kwon Joon-taek ratted them out.

I'll be happy as long as the season doesn't end with a cliffhanger. Season 2 is scheduled to stream in 2024, so on the plus side, at the very least, it's not a long wait. For now, I shall patiently wait for Part 2 and hope for the best...

[etruatcaelum]

[ @jocundcompany // attack! ]

"You need to work on your dodging, Doctor," Tyrian insists. "And your punching, and your kicking, and your-"

"I dodge just fine and I can fire a gun," Watts interrupts, wearily. "Can't we enjoy the weather? I haven't seen snow since I left Atlas, and I'd rather not spend our walk talking about combat training. Why are you even on about this?"

"I am on about this," Tyrian hums, blissfully disregarding the first question in its entirety, "because, if you ever need to fight and I'm not around, I need to be able to trust that you're capable!"

"I am perfectly capable, thank y- what are you doing?" Watts's eyes narrow, when he sees Tyrian crouch down and start - gathering snow in his hands...? "Oh, no! No! Tyrian Callows, don't you dare throw that at me-"

Watts swears and dives to the side and narrowly avoids getting hit by the snowball. "There, see? I dodged! You did it! I'm saved. Now can we..." His voice trails away. "Tyrian? What's the matter?"

Tyrian has gone so pale he could have blended in with the snow had he not been wearing a coat (for once). "I'm- I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize." When the color doesn't come back to Tyrian's face, Watts adds, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Actually, if pressed, he would have said that he expected Tyrian to pout at best and whine at worst, in response to Watts's expertly crafted dodge. But Tyrian instead looked terrified. In fact, he almost looked like he did whenever he felt like he'd upset-

Oh. Fuck.

Slowly, Watts turns around to confirm his grave suspicions of who had rounded the corner of the forest right as Tyrian had decided to start testing Watts's reflexes.

"Tyrian," Watts hisses. "There wasn't a rock in that, was there?"

"Of course there wasn't! It was meant for you; why would I have put a rock in it?" Tyrian hisses back. And then, more concerned, "Do you think she's going to kill me?"

He would ask that, wouldn't he. A sigh. "No, Tyrian, I don't think Salem is going to kill you. You hit her with the snowball on accident," Watts soothes. Or, well, tries to soothe. Tyrian doesn't seem to believe him. "Why, I'm sure she'll just tell you to be more mindful of your surroundings."

"Or bury me alive!"

"Oh, yes. Or that. Do you have a will written up?"

"No!" Tyrian's voice cracks on the syllable.

Whoops. "That was a joke, don't cry- Salem," Watts calls, deciding to take this in his own hands, "we are so sorry about that. We didn't see you there."

No sooner has the snowball landed in her palm with a satisfying thnp than it begins to melt, sloughing its outermost layer through Salem's fingers while she observes.

Really, after all this time—

"It is of no consequence," she intones, and tosses the remnants aside: a wet splatter of slush upon the snow, soon to freeze once more. Salem lifts her hand in indifferent dismissal as she resumes her sedate stroll out of the willow trees, a quiet thread of humor snaking through her voice. "As you were."

"You're not even going to retaliate?" Ozma mutters in her ear.

"…Would you like me to?" she murmurs.

"I just think," they say innocently, "we could bury them. If you'd like."

She clicks her tongue, saying nothing. Ozma turns their wrist in a subtle motion, hidden within their cloak from their adversaries' sight; a whirling funnel of green light gathers snow into their gloved hand, and they hold it out to her with a devious little grin.

"Imp," Salem says.

"Perhaps."

Tyrian and Watts are behind them now; neither can see her pluck the offering gingerly from Ozma's hand, and Salem affords them no time to react to her sudden turn before she lets loose the new snowball.

It soars unerringly through the air to strike Tyrian between his shoulder blades, bursting into soft powder on impact. Lifting her voice to carry over the distance, she says gravely, "It would seem Dr. Watts isn't the only one in need of… practice."

[casmick-consequences]

I actually would LOVE for Izzy and Lucius to have a storyline together in season 2, just not a romantic one.

There's a lot to unpack there, but one of the things is that they're so different yet so similar. Lucius is what Izzy wishes he was. Confident, proud and most importantly; loved. He has his parade of people around him that love and adore him, and Izzy wants it so bad it pisses him off. He wants that love, but his problem is that he's so wrapped in his own messed up little world that he thinks Blackbeard is the only one that he wants that love from. No matter what way he can get it.

I want Lucius to survive and "haunt Ed", only for the one man with a braincell on the ship to go "...wait no that's dumb. He's hiding in the walls". So when he finds Lucius, and Lucius convinces him to let him live (bc he is perfectly capable of doing so) for Lucius to show his gratitude by talking to him and listening to Izzy and his story.

I'd imagine there to have been a tragic loss in his life (a lover, most likely) and for that death to have messed him up to a point of him building walls around him so he'll never feel that hurt again. Lucius will probably talk about his own past ("i'm fantastic at breakups!") and then about his relationship with Pete, showing Izzy that love can happen again, and will maybe even grow out to be better than before. They would bond, but I don't think there'd be any romance there. Just because they're both gay (yes Izzy is gay, we've all seen it) doesn't mean they should bang. I think they'd be great friends, setting their differences aside and just enjoying having someone around that knows the struggle.

I'd imagine, after Ed finds out Lucius is still alive and Izzy vouches for him, that next time they set port Lucius would help Izzy with speeddating (which is a hilarious concept which I NEED a fanfic of) and Izzy might find someone who has his sense of humor, is tough and looks like he could handle Izzy in a fight. Maybe someone with long hair/a beard (bc maybe Izzy has a type), who knows. And after that goes well, Izzy would thank Lucius by hesitantly letting Lucius hug him ("quickly before i change my mind, you twat!") and maybe he'd give one of Blackbeard's old rings to him as well, to give to Black Pete once they reunite, which they will and it'll be sappy and cute and etc.

Idk i think it'd be nice for Izzy to have someone outside of the pirate work. If anything, he needs a breather from it all. Yea he's a tough pirate, but for a 16-year-old things are getting too stressful for him. Give him a cute bartender or smth. I think he deserves it. ❤️

[onwardintolight]

I'm curious what you thought of Qi'ra's motivations at the end of Solo. I haven't seen the movie but I'm fascinated by how I've seen completely opposite interpretations of her character - from that she spent the entire film martyring and sacrificing her happiness for Han so that he could get away free without a bounty (by lying to Maul about Han's involvement with Vos' death) and their romance portrayed as epic star crossed lovers who loved each other but couldn't be together - or the other[1/2]

(2 of 2) - that she had moved on from Han in the 3 years they had been apart, was no longer in love with him and saw him as an opportunity to overthrow Vos and take over for him as a long term plan. What was your interpretation? I find it very interesting that different people saw the movie and have such vastly different interpretations!

Oooh, good question, thanks!

I personally think the answer is not quite either extreme, but weighted towards the latter nonetheless, both because of what Qi’ra says and does in the movie and evidence of her character from tie-ins such as Most Wanted.

I think Qi’ra still has feelings for Han, and after three years she still thinks of him very fondly (”thinking about going on adventures with you… always made me smile.”). But ultimately, she has moved on. 

All her life, she’s learned that in order to survive, in order to climb the ladder and be who she wants to be, she has to put herself first, regardless of whether that means she ends up leaving someone behind. A quote from the Official Guide: “It’s what we learned on the street, Han: somebody falls, you keep running. It’s how you stay alive.” 

This certainly doesn’t mean that she’s heartless, or that she doesn’t care, or that she is merely using Han — but it does mean that when push comes to shove, she will put herself and her ambition first. In Most Wanted, we see her genuine shock and confusion when people such as Han choose otherwise. For a time, his compassion and loyalty seem to influence her, but I think it’s clear from the movie that by the time those three years have passed, she’s back to her prior philosophy. After all, what good had it done her to be otherwise? Other than her brief friendship with Han, her entire life has been one of cutthroat competition for survival. And then he left, and by this point she’s assumed he’ll never come back, because, after all, that’s just the way the galaxy works. 

And she not only wants to survive, she wants to thrive. She craves comfort and luxury and the freedom that comes from money and status (this is made clear in Most Wanted). But by the time she meets Han again, she’s begun to realize that she may not ever be truly free, free from servitude, at least. “Everyone serves someone,” she tells Han. She says that really, she never escaped. 

And indeed, the evidence looms large that her position as Dryden Vos’ lieutenant involves much that she’d rather not do (including the disturbing inference of a power-imbalanced sexual relationship). I don’t think she’s actually enslaved to him, although I could see how one might look at it that way. I think, based on what I’ve read of her character (and how I think she’s presented in the movie), she has made the choice to serve him in this manner because of the benefits it grants her, which are many (comfort, power, status, a measure of freedom, among others — a big leap up from working for the White Worms). Granted, I think she probably felt like her choices were extremely limited, and like she says, it’s a life she’s locked into now; you don’t easily unentangle yourself from Crimson Dawn. And it’s sad and sickening to me what she’s had to endure, both with Dryden Vos and the White Worms. She’s been subject to abuse all her life.  But she’s also become an expert at playing the game (even really enjoys playing the game, according to Most Wanted; she has a particular knack for it and loves strategizing), and this is giving her plenty of opportunity to do so. She really is climbing the ladder now, getting closer to the power that brings her nearer to the life she craves.

All evidence from the written materials aside, I don’t think it makes much sense to assume that her move to take Dryden’s place in Crimson Dawn was a sacrificial thing she did for Han. I believe she could have left with Han, and let someone else take up the mantle. With the person in the syndicate who knows her best (and would pose the most danger to her) dead, she probably wouldn’t have to worry as much about Crimson Dawn tracking her down, especially if she manages to sneak away and spread the impression that none of them survived (something that, given her experience, she’s perfectly capable of doing). Granted, Maul might already know her well enough, so he could be a threat, but if he doesn’t even know if she’s alive, nor does whoever takes up Dryden’s signet ring, they may not have enough incentive to make tracking her down a priority. Besides, whoever takes up the signet ring is likely to do exactly what Qi’ra did and make up some story about others (particularly possible contenders for the position) dying tragically.

In summary, I think she could have escaped with Han and made it work, if that’s what she really, truly wanted to do. But in the end, she decides her ambition is more important to her than her relationship with Han, and, while she likes Han and wishes him all the best (and covers his tracks from Maul by claiming his death), she feels that this is the time for that part of her life to come to a close. This is the chance for her to become the person she’s always wanted to be.