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succubusphan · 2 years

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A Rose of Winter - Chapter 2

Summary: All Daniel wanted to do was escape the stifling life as a Stark of Winterfell and travel the world. Between the looming threat North of The Wall and the den of lions in the capital, he unexpectedly finds love in the midst of a war set to tear Westeros apart. Caught between loyalty to his family and duty, he is torn in a thousand directions that all point to one man: Philip Flowers.

Rating: E (There are only a few smut scenes but it's an M for battles, war, and other adult topics)

Tags/warnings: I removed most triggers (no R or SA, no minors involved in sex, no gore). It does include: Deaths either written without details or in a poetic way if it's an important character (Dan and Phil, Ghost and Balerion will live but everyone else is fair game). Strangers to lovers, Slow Burn, missing each other. The prophecies and stories foreshadowed are fulfilled, a satisfying ending to the entire story without plot holes. Extreme canon divergence. Dan and Phil are not replacing characters, they were written in. GAME OF THRONES AU

Author's Note: This is my OSPBB 2022, Couldn't have done it without my betas @effingmeteors and @filisaceaf.

Word Count: Each chapter will be around 15k and have at least one Dan or Phil pov. The total wc is about 210k.

Read on Ao3

DAN

On the way to Castle Black, Dan noticed that Jon had started to realise The Watch was not as full of honour and bravery as he’d anticipated. The first time they had captured criminals to join the ranks, his eyes had widened and Tyrion Lannister had made it a point to mention how bad most of the people joining The Watch were. Jon had known, as had everyone, that criminals could choose to go to The Wall instead of being tried or executed, but it seemed that he had never really considered what that meant. Having to join arms with a fair amount of uneducated savages with no honour to count for had crushed Jon’s soul. It pained Dan to see his brother in such anguish, even if he did not mention it out loud.

Once they arrived, they looked around the castle. It had a Common Hall where the brothers of The Night's Watch ate and drank by the fire, a rookery where their ravens lived, a library, the towers, an armoury, and the barracks. It was an interesting place; the food was kept in the vaults so that the cold could keep everything frozen, there were underground tunnels leading to the other side of The Wall, and then there was The Wall itself. It was three times as tall as any castle he had ever seen and so white it almost looked like a thick layer of icy glass keeping Westeros safe from whatever was beyond it.

Before long, they were introduced to Jeor Mormont, the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. He was grateful both for the addition of recruits to the quickly depleting ranks and for an opportunity to ask Tyrion Lannister to get the resources they needed to man The Wall. Dan did enjoy the stories they told but didn’t quite feel welcome in the group, so he often took to standing outside the Common Hall and staring at the courtyard lost in thought. And so their first weeks at Castle Black went by; Jon focusing on his training before taking his vows and Dan… trying not to freeze to death.

Daydreaming or dreaming of any kind had never been an issue for Dan, but there was something to be said about the cold at The Wall. Dan was not one to complain about the weather, but being at Castle Black was quite different from the beginning of winter at Winterfell, his mind could barely focus on anything other than the cold. He wrapped himself in his heaviest cloak and watched his brother fight against the other recruits. Ser Alliser Thorne, in charge of training them, seemed set on getting the young men to hate and potentially hurt each other.

Dan watched in awe as his brother fought them one by one, easily overcoming them with a few swings of his sword or a good punch. They had no chance against Jon. Thorne yelled about their incompetence, urging the others to beat Jon. The man looked set on putting Jon in his place. Dan had to wonder what aggravated the man more: the fact that Jon came from a good family, such as himself, or the fact that he was a bastard. It was probably both - he looked like the kind of person who would never give you a pass on anything.

The Common Hall’s door opened behind Dan and he tried not to flinch, keeping his eyes on the men training below. Tyrion Lannister’s voice startled him. “What a charming man.”

Dan was about to respond when another voice joined.

“I don’t need him to be charming, I need him to turn a bunch of criminals and peasants into good fighters. If they don’t learn fast, they will not live another month. The wall is no place for incompetent men,” the Lord Commander said, his face twisted with a sneer.

One of the rangers approached them and delivered a letter to the Lord Commander. “A raven arrived for the Stark children,” he said, before retiring.

Dan turned on the spot and eagerly waited for the news. “Is everything alright?” He didn’t complain about his message being read as he was a guest, but it did bother him.

“I am not sure,” Mormont said before handing him the message.

Dan looked at it, his eyebrows rising as he saw the first line: “To my dear sons.”

His mother had always despised Jon and he had no doubt that that hadn’t changed in their absence, but the penmanship was clearly hers. This was a message only for them - for both of them.

“My heart yearns for you, my children. The dark cold has finally reached Winterfell as the red moon sets with Summer. I am not sad because of it, I know the cub shall run and bite again one day, the Rivers will flow and turn the rocks into dust, but my love will remain with both of you. May the white skies and dark nights keep you from harm.”

“Well, what does it say?” Lord Tyrion asked.

“Mother misses us and wishes that we stay safe. She merely wrote it in the same way she used to tell us stories growing up,” Dan said, offering him the parchment in hopes that he did not understand it.

He read it a few times and hummed. “How curious,” he smiled, returning it to Dan.

Dan shrugged and looked over his shoulder. Training had ended. He walked down the stairs as calmly as he could and made his way down to the armoury, hoping to catch his brother there.

To his surprise, when he opened the door, he saw three of the men previously training cornering Jon. Two of them holding him down and the other pressing a knife to his throat.

“What is the meaning of this?” Dan yelled, cursing himself for not carrying his sword. He took a step forward but the man with the knife tsked at him, pressing the tip of the blade to Jon’s skin, a drop of blood already visible.

“If you move another muscle, you can say goodbye to your bastard brother.”

The door creaked behind Dan as Tyrion walked in. “Well… what do we have here?”

“What are you looking at, Halfman?”

“You have interesting faces. Yes, very distinctive faces - all of you,” Tyrion said.

“Why do you care about our faces?”

“I just think they would look wonderful on a spike in King’s Landing. Perhaps I’ll tell my sister, the Queen, about it.”

Dan saw the conspirators’ hands relax around Jon as they looked into each other’s eyes.

Jon pushed them away, his face full of frustration and rage as stood back and touched his neck. “Everyone knew what this place was and nobody told me about it, no one but you. Not Father or Benjen. They let me come here to rot on The Wall with a bunch of criminals.”

Dan wanted to comfort him but he knew Jon would probably push him away to not appear weak in front of the others. He watched as one of them walked out while the others turned around and started putting their training equipment away.

Tyrion gave him an unimpressed smile. “Grenn’s father left him too, outside of Thorne House when he was three. Pyp was caught stealing a wheel of cheese; he said his sister hadn’t eaten in three days. He was given a choice: a hand or The Wall . I’ve been asking the Lord Commander about them. Fascinating stories.”

“They hate me because I’m better!” Jon said, either ignoring or uncaring that Grenn and Pyp were still in the room with them.

Dan leaned back against the door and watched them. Both were right. The other men were clearly jealous of Jon’s skill, but their lives had been incredibly different. Nobody knows what they would have done in those circumstances.

“They were not trained since childhood by the master of arms or lived comfortably in a castle. I doubt any of them had ever held a real sword before they came here,” Tyrion said, and turned to leave. “Oh, Catelyn Stark sent you a message.” He looked at Dan in the eyes before making his way to the courtyard.

“A message? For me?” Jon asked.

“For both of us,” Dan corrected him and looked at Grenn and Pyp pointedly. “We should speak somewhere private.”

Jon nodded and led Dan out. He stopped and looked around briefly before making his way to the crane the crows used to go up The Wall. He opened the cage and climbed inside gesturing for Dan to come in and closed the door. A young steward stood to the side, handling the pulley system for it to move. He looked bored but perked up when he saw them, taking a good look at their faces.

As they moved up, closer and closer to the top, the winds got stronger, seeping deep into Dan’s bones, nearly freezing his insides. He felt as if he would never be warm again. “Won’t there be someone up there?” He said, his teeth chattering.

“Only a few people, they won’t hear us in the wind. Not if we stay close enough.”

Dan nodded. Soon, they were at the top and nodding to the guard trying to keep warm with a fire beside the crane. Dan had never considered how everything would look up there. He was surprised to see a system of ice corridors as tall as a common house with pieces cut out on the side facing the Haunted Forest. One could step onto the ledge and see snow as far as the eye could reach, like an eternal land of winter with a clear beginning but no end.

Jon tapped him on the shoulder and led the way not to the nearest fire, but to the one farther away, a good distance away from the man.

“What did she say?”

“That is the problem. I need you to help me decipher the message. I have some clues to it but not all of it.”

Jon extended his hand and Dan gave him the letter. He unrolled the parchment and read it a few times, his frown deepening. “The first part is the most confusing.”

“That bit reminds me of a story she used to tell us when we were kids. Did I ever tell you about the man who captured the sun?”

“You mentioned the story but never the details.”

Dan tried his best to remember her words exactly before telling Jon the story. “There once was a man who everyone loved. He was kind and handsome, a good father and husband but while in his quest to give his family everything, he let greed consume him. He travelled from kingdom to kingdom, conquering it all, capturing people as slaves, taking over castles, killing Ladies and Lords and commoners alike - even attacking children in their beds. When he finally made his way home, his family did not recognize him, he was old and grey and his eyes were almost clear as glass. His wife had died many years before, most of his children too, and when he met his last son, he too did not see him for the little boy he left behind and snapped his neck. Fueled by grief and hate, he decided he would finish what he’d started and captured the sun, letting darkness and cold descend upon his land and the blue moon rise. He wrapped his arms around the sun so that nobody could steal it in his sleep and burst into flames.”

“Darkness and cold…” Jon said.

“But the blue moon is now red.”

“Why?” Jon asked. “Was there a mention of summer in the story?”

“No, no mention of the seasons.”

Jon took another look at the letter. “I know the cub shall run and bite again one day… that is Bran.”

“Yes,” Dan said, trying to make the message fit into the story. “Has someone attacked Winterfell?”

“Why do you think that? Why wouldn’t she ask for help instead of sending a coded message?”

“I guess… Bran -”

“What?” Jon asked.

“Someone attacked Bran,” said Dan with more conviction. “The dark cold reached Winterfell and attacked a child in its bed. And the blue moon turned red.”

Jon’s face twisted in horror. “She says he is alive… Summer. Here,” he said, running his finger over the ink. “Summer is written with a capital S, that’s a name; she protected him.”

“Why is she keeping this a secret?”

“The rivers will flow,” Jon repeated. “She’s leaving.”

“No, I don’t think that’s what it means,” Dan said. “She can’t leave Bran, especially if he was attacked.”

“She’s a Tully. The bastards of the Riverlands are called Rivers.”

“Robb must be staying then,” Dan said.

“Turning the rocks into dust. Dragonstone?” Jon asked. “No, it’s dust, not Sand. Casterly Rock.”

Dan frowned; it made no sense. “Will she fight the Lannisters alone?” He shook his head. “I need to return to Winterfell. I wish I could stay for your vows.”

“This is more important. Take Balerion and Ghost.”

“Ghost belongs with you. You will need to watch your back here, for more reasons than one.”

“You will need to watch your back with our Lannister guest.”

“Ghost stays.” Dan looked around, making sure there was nobody listening. “I guess Robb and I will have to think of something.”

“Yes. He will not try anything for now, not without an army.”

“Do you think it was him?”

“It was probably the Queen - or the Kingslayer.”

They heard someone cough close by followed by steps. Dan braced himself for throwing the Queen’s brother beyond The Wall if it was him, but a head full of long dark hair popped around the corner. It was Uncle Benjen.

He smiled and walked over to them, pulling each into a hug before standing beside Jon looking out into the wilderness. “I wanted to be here when you saw it for the first time. I am leaving in the morning.”

“You’re leaving?”

“I'm the first ranger, my job is out there,” said Uncle Benjen. “There’d been disturbing reports.”

“What kind of reports?” Dan asked.

“The kind you don’t want to believe.”

Jon nodded. “I’m ready, I won’t let you down.”

Uncle Benjen gave him a meaningful look. “You’re not going. You’re no ranger, Jon.”

“But I’m better than-” Jon tried,

“Better than no one. Here a man is what he earns when he earns it. We’ll speak when I return.” Benjen patted him on the back and nodded to Dan on his way out.

Dan blinked repeatedly when Tyrion Lannister drunkenly walked past them and pissed off the edge of The Wall.

Many strange things had happened to Dan before, but he could say that tagging along with someone from the family that had tried to assassinate his little brother was one of the weirdest ones. He hadn’t even planned it, but as soon as Jon heard Tyrion asking Dan if he wanted to see King’s Landing next, he said it was a good idea. After all, he had the option to stay in Winterfell as the Lannister had expressed his wish to stay there once again, although Dan was not quite sure if said visit would have good results. In any case, if his family decided to end him, it would be better for Dan to be there and repel any attacks that may come their way.

DAENERYS

Danny rolled in bed and huffed. She had not been able to get comfortable anywhere as of late and she felt constantly hungry, but the dried horse meat was not something she could continue to eat day in and day out without feeling incredibly sick.

She checked that all the candles around her dragon eggs were still lit and looked at her servant and friend, Irri. “Would you get me anything else to eat?”

“I don’t think there’s anything else, Khaleesi.”

“I just - I feel tired of eating horse meat all the time. It makes me feel sick.”

Irri looked at her briefly and pressed her hand against Danny’s chest, cupping her breast. “Oh!” Daenerys laughed in shock. “What are you doing?”

“You changed, Khaleesi!”

“What do you mean?”

“When was last time you bleed, Khaleesi?”

“I - I don’t know. I think… not since the last time you helped me.”

“You have a baby, Khaleesi!” Irri said and walked out of the tent, asking the guard outside to get something else for her to eat.

Daenerys smiled. A child. She brought her hand down to her stomach and gently ran her fingers on her skin. She could almost weep with excitement. Viserys was her only family and he had never given her the kind of care or love she actually desired or needed. She’d always been nothing more than a game piece for him to use and dispose of in his games. Now she had a husband that cared for her and had given her a child. This was the beginning of a new stage in her life, her chance at happiness. She would make sure to give this child all the love and family moments she had missed growing up. They would be the happiest child in the world.

Irri walked in with a smile. “You will eat goat today.”

“We will eat goat today,” she smiled back. “Thank you.”

Jorah’s voice carried from the outside. “I must ride to Qohor.”

“We ride for Vaes Dothrak.” Rakharo’s gentle voice answered him.

“I will catch up to you. The horde’s easy to find,” Jorah said and Danny heard him gallop away. She would miss his company but she was certain that he would be back. For the time being, she would focus on her child and continue learning the Dothraki language.

NED

Ned unrolled the message and let out a sigh of relief. Bran had woken up and even though he would never walk again, it seemed he would make a full recovery.

“Good news?” Petyr Baelish said as he walked past him. “You should share them with your wife.”

“My wife is in Winterfell,” Ned answered.

“Is she?”

Ned decided to follow the man. His smile let Ned know that Baelish knew something he didn’t. They walked out of the keep and down the city streets until they were standing outside of one of the whore houses Baelish ran.

“I thought she would be safe here,” he smiled.

Ned pushed the little scoundrel against the wall for implying his Cat would be in such a place. “You think you are a funny man, don’t you? A very funny man,” he said, pressing his arm against Petyr’s throat as he looked into his eyes.

“Ned!” said Cat from a window right above them before promptly closing it.

He let go of ‘Littlefinger’ and ran up the stairs, hugging her tightly. How he had missed her! “What are you doing here?”

“Someone tried to murder Bran. With this…” Cat said, presenting a blunt object wrapped piece of cloth to him. “Summer saved him.”

Ned nodded, breathing a little easier, knowing that his son was saved. He opened it to reveal an ornate dagger, made of Valyrian Steel and a carved gold handle as well. “This is a noble man’s weapon. Who does it belong to?”

“It used to be mine, but I lost it to Tyrion Lannister in a bid,” Baelish said.

“We should let Robert know,” Ned said.

“Implying that the Queen’s brother tried to kill your son would be considered treason.”

“But we have proof,” Cat replied.

“No, it’s your word against his and the only man who can say otherwise has no throat thanks to the boy’s wolf.”

“Then I will find proof and take it to Robert,” Ned said.

“You can count on my services,” Littlefinger said.

Catelyn smiled, turning to Ned and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Petyr is a good friend. He’s like a little brother to me, he would never betray my trust.”

“Don’t let anyone know. I have a reputation to maintain.”

Ned resisted the urge to throw Bealish out the window and focused on keeping Cat safe instead. “I will deal with this. You must leave. It is not safe for you here, especially now.”

Catelyn nodded and kissed him one last time before pulling her hood over her hair to conceal her identity for the road and walking out. The last thing Ned said to her was to control her temper and stay out of trouble. She was a smart woman, and Ned felt blessed every day since they got married, he couldn’t wait to be back at Winterfell, at her side and enjoying life with his children.

He decided to check on Arya and her progress with the ‘Dancing Master’ he’d hired for her; Syrio Forel, a skilled swordsman from Braavos. Ned knew the man had the right personality to catch his daughter’s full attention and the skill to teach her a way of fighting that would suit her size perfectly. It was the perfect solution to keep her from running around unprotected in King’s Landing as well as give her the tools to keep herself safe.

Ned stood by the door and watched them train with wooden swords.

“This is the water dance. It is swift,” he said gliding his sword gracefully through the air. “And sudden!” He changed the direction of his sword and surprised Arya by pointing it directly at her. If it had been a real weapon, she’d be dead. “All men are made of water. If you pierce them the water leaks out and they die.” He made a stabbing motion on her belly.

Arya smiled at Syrio.

“Now you will strike me,” the man said and turned his back on her.

Lifting her wooden sword, Arya ran towards him, trying to poke his back as she yelled, no skill in her movements. Syrio stepped aside and continued walking in the opposite direction in a fluid motion that looked effortless, as if he hadn’t even been inconvenienced by her attack. Then, he stood in a fencing position and let her copy his movements before waiting for her next attack.

As Arya ran towards him, flinging her sword, Syrio stepped aside, causing her to fall to the ground and instructed her to get back up. They took their positions again and he let Arya swing her sword at him, catching her every time, poking her with his wooden sword, saying the word “dead” every time to demonstrate how easy it would be to kill her if she was not careful enough.

The smile slid from Ned’s face as he watched her struggle.

Unable to stop thinking about his friend’s death, Ned decided to try and uncover the truth behind his passing. If the letter from Lysa Arryn was right, the murder attempt against Bran was not the only crime the Lannisters were behind. But this time, the clear person behind the plot was the Queen.

After the small council meeting called in emergency because of the increased violence caused by the influx of visitors from all over Westero’s for ‘The Hand’s Tournament', Ned asked Grand Maester Pycelle about Jon Arryn’s last moments.

The Grand Maester only mentioned that Jon’s illness struck him very hard and very fast, causing him to die of natural causes. The night prior to his death, Jon had borrowed a book from him and the next he was gone.

It was a big tome called “The History and Lineages of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms” containing a record of births of every noble family and their children with descriptions. Ned asked to borrow said book, but before leaving with it, he asked the Grand Maester if he thought it could have been poison, a woman’s weapon.

The old man’s eyes widened.”I do not think so,” he said. “But poison is the weapon of women, cravens and eunuchs.” He was clearly trying to implicate Lord Varys in the matter.

Ned nodded and thanked him for his help before going in search of his daughters. He caught Arya, barefoot, standing on one leg on atop small staircase right outside his room.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“I’m practising my water dancing!” She said with an excited smile.

“That would be a nasty fall. Be careful.”

Arya set the other foot on the ground. “Syrio said I need to be faster so I have to chase cats. He says you have to be quick to catch them.”

Ned nodded. “He’s right about that.”

Lord Baelish walked with him through the gardens where they could speak privately. Ned didn’t like him at all, but Littlefinger was a well-connected man and his only ally in his quest for the truth.

“Before his untimely death, Jon Arryn was seen visiting Tobho Mott's smithy with his esquire quite a few times.”

“Why?” Ned asked.

“I believe the person who can answer that best is not me.”

“This esquire - where can I find him?”

Baelish raised his eyebrows. “Ser Hugh was knighted shortly after Arryn’s death.”

“For what?”

“Indeed.”

“I will go speak to him.”

“That would not be wise - not at all. See that little boy?” Baelish asked. “That is one of Varys’ little birds.”

Ned looked at the boy. He was dressed in plain clothes, not a day older than 4 years old.

“See that gardener?”

He turned to the opposite side and locked eyes with a very old gardener who was staring at him intently.

“That one is the Queen’s. Many people are interested in your comings and goings, Lord Stark.” Baelish smiled. “See that septa reading a book?”

“Yes. Is she Varys’ or the Queen’s?”

“That one is mine. Everyone has ears around the city. You must be careful. Do you have a man in your guard that you can trust?”

Ned thought about it briefly. Was there someone’s hands he would put his life in? “Yes.”

“Send him to speak to Ser Hugh.”

“Thank you, Lord Baelish, I apologise for distrusting you at first.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. Distrusting me was the smartest thing you have done since you got off your horse.”

As Ned and Jory made their way to the smithy atop their white horses, they saw many people watching them closely.

“The esquire said that he wants to speak to the hand himself,” Jory said.

Ned groaned. “Did you tell him I sent you?”

“I did.”

“Very well. I will go speak to him.” Ned got off his horse and turned to the door.

“We should leave. You never know who has eyes here,” Jory said.

“Then let them look,” Ned said, before walking inside.

The blacksmith was an old man, not much older than Jon Arryn himself.

“Oh, Lord Stark! Welcome to my shop! How can I help you?”

“I got news that the previous hand came to visit in the weeks before his death.” When the man nodded, Ned continued. “Why did he come here?”

“He said he came to see the boy.”

“I want to see the boy as well,” he said. The young blacksmith apprentice working in the background set his tools down and looked at him expectantly.

“Gendry, come here.” The blacksmith said. “Show The Hand the helmet you made, lad.”

The boy grabbed a metal helmet shaped like a bull’s head and passed it on to him. He stood before Ned and raised his eyebrows. “It is not for sale.”

“This is incredible craftsmanship.”

“It’s not for sale.”

“This is The Hand of the King!” The blacksmith said, raising his voice.

“It’s not for sale. I made it for myself,” Gendry said.

“My apologies for the offence, My Lord”

“There is no offence.” Ned nodded and returned the piece. “What did you speak about with Jon Arryn?”

“At first he asked if I was well paid, if I was happy here. Then he asked about my mother - who she was, what she looked like.”

“What did you tell him?” Pressed Ned.

“She died when I was little. She had yellow hair and sang to me.” The boy seemed to be uncomfortable when it came to that topic.

Could it be possible? “Look at me, Gendry.”

As Ned was met with the boy’s blue eyes and raven black hair, it was too easy to imagine him, a little taller, a hammer as big as his head in his hand, leading the rebellion against the Mad King. “Thank you, Gendry. If you ever want to wield a sword instead of forge one, come to me.”

He walked out and rode back to the Red Keep. He reached his chambers as fast as he could, writing a short message for Robert and sent Jory in search of the King, who at that time of day was probably rolling around in bed with some woman, or drinking enough wine to drown someone in.

Jory returned shortly after being turned away by the Kingslayer. Ned groaned. They would have to find another way.

---

The day of the bloody tournament finally arrived and Ned wanted no part in it. He hesitantly allowed his girls to go along with Jory and Lord Baelish, to let them experience a few of the benefits of living in the capital. He had briefly considered not allowing them but Sansa was still hurt about him killing Lady and Robert would take great offence if none of the Starks were present.

He decided to make better use of his time by going through the tome Jon had been reading. He had yet to find a clue about what he was looking for in it. When he reached the record of his own family, he smiled. All of his children were there, but so were the deaths of his brother and father, Lyanna’s kidnapping and subsequent death too. Someone was still missing. He knew he shouldn’t but it wouldn’t be the first time he was breaking the rules for the boy.

Ned grabbed a quill and dipped it in the inkwell, adding ‘Jon Snow’ as his son. The writing was small and had to be squeezed in on the page but he didn’t want Jon to go beyond The Wall without any official record of him left behind. He was as much of a Stark as any of them.

There was a knock on the door, but before he could answer, Cersei Lannister walked in with one of her venomous smiles.

“Your Grace,” he said.

“I would like to put our differences about what happened at The Kingsroad aside, Lord Stark. I recognize that forcing you to kill the beast was extreme, but sometimes we go to extremes for our children. How is Sansa?”

“She is enjoying King’s Landing,” he lied. Sansa had hardly enjoyed anything since Lady died.

“She seems to be the only Stark doing so.”

“Is there anything you need, Your Grace?” He asked, tired of the charade already.

“Why are you not at your tournament?”

“I want no part in it. The fact that it has my name doesn’t make it mine.” Ned watched as her entire demeanour changed. The smile slipped from her face.

“What are you doing here, Lord Stark?” She asked in an accusative tone.

Ned knew what she meant. “The king called on me to serve him and The Realm and that’s what I will do.”

Cersei raised one eyebrow at him. “You can’t help him; he will do as he wishes no matter what you say. You are just here to pick up the pieces.”

“I will do it anyway.”

“You will just take your orders and follow them, won’t you?” She asked. “I guess it makes sense. Your brother was trained to lead and you were trained to follow orders.”

It seemed that they were done speaking in riddles and exchanging fake pleasantries. “I was also trained to kill my enemies, Your Grace.”

Cersei smiled widely and nodded. “As was I.” She turned on the spot and left without another word.

Ned closed the book in front of him and decided to go to the tournament after all. He would need to stay as close to Arya and Sansa as possible.

He made his way to the jousting event, quickly finding his front row seat along his family. He took a careful look around, checking who was sitting close. Ptyr Baelish was sitting next to Sansa, and Septa Mordane on the other side of Arya, but she moved to the side to let Ned sit with his daughters. Jory stood close by.

A few rows behind was Renly, sitting with a young man Ned had never seen. He looked quite peculiar with his black hair and bright blue eyes. He was dressed in Tyrell attire, a gold rose pin on his leather armour, many rings on his fingers and a gold pendant hanging from his neck. Ned was almost taken aback by the sight of this man. He didn’t have brown hair as the rest of the Tyrells, nor was he well known in King’s landing for being part of the family, but he was apparently regarded as such.

Robert sat beside Cersei, surrounded by his children yet he looked completely miserable as he drank wine from his horn.

“I’ve been sitting here for days! Start the damn joust before I piss myself!” He yelled. Cersei looked at him in disgust and left without a word.

Sansa looked at Joffrey and smiled at him but he turned his face with a frown.

“Why do they call you Littlefinger?” Arya asked Lord Baelish.

“Arya! Don’t be rude!” Septa Mordane admonished her.

“It’s alright. I come from a small spit of land called The Fingers and I was quite a small child, so, you see, it’s only a clever nickname.”

“Who’s that?” Sansa asked as she looked at an exceedingly tall rider atop a black horse.

“That is Ser Gregor Clegane. They call him The Mountain. The Hound’s older brother. And his opponent, Ser Hugh of the Veil; he was Jon Arryn’s esquire.”

Both riders bowed to Robert and took their place. Ser Hugh went first, but The Mountain nudged his horse soon after. Only seconds later, Ser Gregor’s lance broke on Ser Hugh’s shield, breaking it into pieces and throwing him off the horse. Just as he hit the ground, Sansa let out a scream. Ned stood from his seat as he watched Ser Hugh die - a piece of his opponent’s lance sticking out from his chest. The man had taken the answers Ned was looking for to the grave.

The crowd was horrified, but they still watched intently as the body was dragged away, just as they always did.

“Have you ever heard of the story of The Hound?” Baeslish whispered to Sansa.

“She doesn’t need to know,” Ned said, sitting back down.

“I want to know. Please tell me, Lord Baelish.”

“The Hound was just a pup, six years old, maybe. Gregor, already a big boy with a reputation and a talent for violence, found The Hound playing by the fire with a wooden toy soldier - it was Gregor’s toy. Without saying a word he grabbed his little brother by the hair and pressed his face into the open fire, holding him there as he screamed. The Hound has hated his brother ever since. Not many people know the story.”

“I won’t tell anyone, I promise,” Sansa said.

“Don’t. If The Hound Heard you, you’d be in danger.”

A short break was announced and Ned looked around, trying to find Robert. As he made his way to the King’s tent, he saw the guards that had dragged Ser Hugh’s body standing close by. They stepped aside as soon as they saw him. He was surprised to find Ser Barristan, one of the golden cloaks, looking at the dead man; two sisters of The Seven were already working on him.

According to Ser Barristan, Ser Hugh had no family in King’s Landing and his bad luck had sealed his fate. All jousters drew straws that determined the matches and he had been the one to come up against The Mountain.

The brief conversation Ned held with Ser Barristan reminded him that even men of honour had stood beside the Targaryens and simply sworn loyalty to Robert after the Mad King’s death. In King’s Landing, alliances lasted as long as the power of those involved.

Ned rushed to Robert’s tent when Ser Barristan mentioned the King was planning on joining the tournament.

“Your mum was a dumb whore with a fat ass!” Robert yelled at his esquire, a scrawny-looking Lannister boy. “Look at this idiot! He can’t even put on a man’s armour properly!” he yelled looking at Ned.

“You are too fat for your armour,” Ned observed.

“Too fat, you say? Is that how you speak to your King?” Robert asked and Ned nodded. The esquire’s eyes widened, fearing another outburst. “Don’t stand there, boy. You heard The Hand, the King’s too fat for his armour! Go get the breastplate stretcher! Now!”

The boy ran out of the tent. “Breastplate stretcher?” Ned laughed.

“Maybe he will return when someone invents one,” Robert laughed, already reaching for a glass of wine.

“I heard you intend to joust today.”

“Yes, I haven’t gotten a good fight in a long time. I feel restless.”

“Where is the honour of fighting against men who can't hit back? There’s not a man in the seven kingdoms who would dare hurt you.”

“Do you think those cowards would let me win?”

“Of course they will; you are the King.”

Robert huffed but nodded.

Ned returned to his place and sat beside Sansa.

“Where is Arya?”

Sansa shrugged. “She said she had dancing lessons.”

He nodded and tried to place his hand on hers but she crossed her arms. Her face softened as he saw a knight approaching. “The Knight of the Flowers!” She exclaimed excitedly, waving just her fingertips at the knight.

Ser Loras Tyrell guided his white horse towards them, his impeccable silver armour was adorned with engraved roses and his long brown hair gave him a gentle look, nothing like Joffrey. He smiled at her, giving her a red rose and a nod.

“Thank you, Ser Loras,” she said, blushing.

Ned didn’t have the heart to tell her that Ser Loras was merely paying his respects but his eyes and his heart were only focused on Renly Baratheon. In fact, the lovers exchanged a heated look, before the knight took his place beside The Mountain, bowing gracefully before Robert.

For a moment, Ned’s mind wandered back to Dan, how he was doing at The Wall, wondering if he had left already. He turned and looked at the Tyrell man sitting by Renly; he looked close to his son’s age, Ned didn’t know why, but he thought they would get along well.

Sansa clutched to his arm. “Don’t let Ser Gregor hurt him!” She pleaded.

Ser Loras received his helmet and lance, preparing for the match. There wasn’t much Ned could do to stop them so he held her hand tightly, hoping the young man would survive.

Lord Baelish, now sitting behind Ned, looked at Renly. “One hundred Dragon Gold on The Mountain.”

Renly smiled. “I’ll take that bet.”

“Now, what would I buy with one hundred gold dragons? A dozen barrels of Dornish wine, or a girl from the pleasure house at Lys?

“You could even buy a friend.”

“He’s going to die,” Sansa mumbled at his side.

Ned shook his head. “Ser Loras rides well.”

The trumpets gave the signal. Ser Gregor’s restless horse took a moment to follow his master’s orders but Ser Loras was in full control of his white mare. The Tyrell knight pushed his lance against The Mountain’s shield, throwing him to the ground, horse and all, causing them to break the fence.

Renly cheered and laughed. “Such a shame, Littlefinger. It would have been nice for you to have a friend.”

“And tell me, Lord Renly, when will you be having your friend?” Lord Baelish smirked, gesturing to Loras Tyrell.

“I will have him whenever I please,” Renly said with an amused smile. The man beside him laughed and elbowed him.

Littlefinger leaned close to Sansa and whispered: “Ser Loras was very clever, he knew his mare was in heat.”

Sansa huffed. “Ser Loras would never do that; there’s no honour in tricks.”

“No honour and quite a bit of gold!” Baelish whispered back with a laugh, his hand briefly touching Sansa’s shoulder.

The Mountain stood from the ground and called his esquire.

“Sword!” he yelled, throwing his helmet to the ground. As soon as the grip touched his hand, he closed his fingers around it and swung the blade on his horse with a yell, the animal falling to the ground with a thud. With no hesitation, he swung his sword again, this time against Ser Loras, who was bowing before Robert.

Loras Tyrell hit the ground, shield already up and he tried to survive the onslaught of The Mountain’s sword trying to kill him. Renly and his companion gasped, clutching at each other’s arms as they watched. Two hits, Loras’ shield could withstand but just as the wood was starting to crack, The Hound jumped from Joffrey's side, sword already in hand.

“Let him be!” The Hound yelled as he repelled his brother’s attacks again and again, not quite overpowering him, but at least matching his force enough to survive the encounter.

Joffrey watched with a pleased smile while his father clutched at his chair nervously, still letting the fight continue briefly. Once Ser Gregor charged against The Hound, Robert finally stood.

“Stop this madness in the name of your King!” He yelled.

The moment his voice pierced through the crowd’s murmurs, The Hound kneeled, saving himself from his brother’s last attack just by a hair. The Mountain looked at Robert, his eyes full of hate, as he threw his sword to the ground and left, a group of knights in pursuit.

“Let him go!” Robert yelled.

Loras stood and walked over to The Hound. “I owe you my life, Ser.”

“I am no Ser,” Sandor Clegane said.

Still, Loras grabbed The Hound’s hand and raised it, proclaiming him the winner. The crowd cheered for him, giving him a standing ovation for his heroic actions.

It was a bit of a humorous sight since Ser Loras was quite shorter than either of the Clegane brothers, but The Hound nodded to the Royal Family nonetheless. Despite his services for the crown, the man was feared for the scars marring his face and received no respect from anyone; not the people he served, nor the town folk. Ser Loras had just given him a piece of something that had always been denied to him. Pride.

DAN

With the first light of day, Dan got on his horse, Balerion already at his side and along Tyrion Lannister, and Yoren started the long trip back to Winterfell. With every sunset and every sunrise, Dan wished he was back home with his family, instead of with one of the members of House Lannister.

The long journey was uneventful but it still kept Dan on edge. Not only was he riding with someone who was not well regarded anywhere, but a member of the family who had conspired to kill Bran.

The mere thought of what would happen when they arrived at Winterfell made the hairs on the back of his neck stand. Still, Dan was eager to hug his little brother. If the message they received had been decoded correctly, Bran had woken up, even if he would never walk again. Dan would make sure to help him have a fulfilling life.

----

Weeks later, Dan braced himself as they crossed the gate and made their way past the walls of Winterfell. The weather was still cold but it was not as hard to withstand as at The Wall. Once they were back at the Great Keep, Robb wrapped Dan in a tight hug and asked him why he was with the Lannister.

“I received Mother’s message and decided to ride with him,” he whispered. “How is Bran?” Dan asked loud enough for everyone to hear.

“He’s still resting. Theon, take Hodor and bring Bran back to greet Dan.” Robb patted his shoulder and returned to the table and sat beside Maester Luwin, Greywind laying close to his feet.

Theon Greyjoy nodded and went in search of Hodor.

Tyrion nodded at Robb as a form of greeting.

Robb looked at him cooly and turned to Yoren. “Any man from the Night’s Watch is welcome at Winterfell,” he said, looking back at Tyrion without extending him the same courtesy.

Before long, Hodor, one of the servants, came carrying Bran without any effort. Dan smiled at him; Hodor was a simple-minded man but he was always gentle and willing to help. There had always been talk about him having giant’s blood, making him taller than every Stark or every other Winterfell resident.

Dan came close to them and pulled Bran into a hug ever so gently. “I’ve missed you, little brother,” he said, trying not to choke up.

“You didn’t have to go,” Bran complained.

It broke Dan’s heart. He was right, there was no excuse to leave him, but Dan thought Bran would be cared for by their mother. He couldn’t have possibly imagined what would happen. “I’m sorry,” is all he dared to say in front of Tyrion as he stepped away.

“What do you remember of your accident?” Tyrion asked.

“He remembers nothing of that day,” Maester Luwin said.

“Curious. Kneel, please,” asked Tyrion.

Bran frowned. “Why?”

“So that we can speak more comfortably. I brought you a gift and I want you to see it.”

“Kneel, Hodor.”

Once they were at the same height, Tyrion opened a big roll of parchment and Dan leaned over them to look. It was some sort of design.

“What is it?” asked Bran.

“It is a saddle for -”

Bran’s face fell. “They said I’ll never ride again.”

“You need to adapt the horse to the rider, teach it to respond to voice commands and such but it can be done. This saddle will allow you to ride upright and unaided; it will bring you a bit of freedom back.”

Bran looked at the design and back at Tyrion with wide eyes. “Is that true?”

“Yes, give this to your saddler, he will provide the rest. On horseback, you’ll be as tall as any of them.”

“Is this a trick? Why help him?” Asked Robb, his face settling into a frown.

Tyrion looked at him and then Bran. “Because I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples, bastards, and broken things.”

“I am not a cripple!” Bran whined.

“Then I am not a dwarf! My father will rejoice to hear that!”

“You’ve done my brother a kindness, the hospitality of Winterfell is yours,” Robb said, but his tone indicated how displeased he was to have that man between his castle walls.

“Spare me your false courtesies, Lord Stark. There is a brothel outside your walls, I will stay there and we will both sleep better because of it.”

Dan escorted Tyrion out. “How long will you be staying, My Lord?”

“Two days I believe. I need to rest, but I am not welcome here. Better to ride as soon as possible,” the Lannister imp said. “You are still welcome to join me on my way to King’s Landing. If I don’t see you soon, I will assume you chose to stay with your family.”

Dan nodded and turned towards the Great Keep. He looked over his shoulder and saw Theon talking to the dwarf but he couldn’t quite hear what they were saying. Whatever it was, it left Greyjoy with a sour look on his face, picking up a gold coin from the mud.

Laying back on his own bed, beside his fireplace and cuddling up to Balerion, Dan let out a sigh of relief; it was good to be home, however long it would last.

Balerion’s ears perked up as he looked to the door.

“Who’s there?” Dan asked, a hand already reaching for the knife still strapped to his thigh.

“It’s me,” Robb said.

Dan smiled. “Well, come in then.” Finally, they would get to speak privately.

Robb walked in, Greywind at his side. Balerion marched up to greet them, demanding pets from Robb and nuzzling up to his brother.

“How was your time at The Wall?”

“Interesting. I learned many things.”

“Such as?”

“People will do anything in a time of need. And the cold at Castle Black is much worse than here.”

Robb laughed. “Did you get Mum’s message?”

“Yes. Who was it?”

“Someone sent by the Lannisters. She had the suspicion when she left for King’s Landing, but a friend at the capital confirmed that the Valyrian Steel dagger the attacker had used belonged to Tyrion Lannister.

“What reason could he have to try to kill Bran?”

“Maybe Bran saw something, or heard something. We don’t know and Bran doesn’t remember any of it.”

“Would you believe me if I told you that I saw Bran fall?”

“But there was no one around.”

“Sometimes…I have dreams. I - I see myself in four paws, with black fur, running in the woods or walking about Winterfell. When Bran fell I saw him climbing the burnt tower, he got all the way up and I sat by Summer, watching him. When he got to the window, something happened and he fell, away from the tower, not close as if he had slipped.”

“So - that is odd. But, if that was the case, and you were there, why didn’t you say anything?”

“I woke up and ran out of bed. As soon as I got to the tower, he was already being looked over. I think -” Dan sighed, there was no reasonable way to put it. “The Starks, we were always able to reach into the bodies of animals if we were close enough with them, if there was some sort of bond. There was a book in the library that mentioned it as far back as Bran The Builder. The people with that kind of power were called Wargs.”

“Do you believe to be one? A Warg?”

“I think we may all be. It’s just a matter of trying.”

“If I told Maester Luwin you said that, he’d have you restrained.”

Dan laughed. “Don’t tell him then.” He sighed deeply. “What should I do? Do I stay here with you, or do I follow Tyrion Lannister to the capital?”

“When is he leaving?”

“In two days.”

“Then let us spend two days together and go with him. Spend time with Bran, he’s been very sad and resents Mum going away while he was not even awake to give her a kiss.”

“Aye. Let’s enjoy some family time.” Dan got up and put his boots back on, his back already complaining at him for being on his feet again. “I will go speak to Bran.”

“Convince him to come down for supper, will you? It will be good for his mind and for his back.”

“Alright. We’ll see you there.”

Dan laid beside Bran on his bed, Balerion cuddling up to Summer on the other side.

He passed a rolled-up piece of parchment to him. “I made you this,” Dan said.

He ran his small fingers on the ink tracing the lines and the letters at the bottom. “Castle Black - The Wall,” he said.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes. Is it really this big?”

“It is. Bran The Builder was a very clever man.”

“Do you think the Wildlings will cross The Wall one day?” Bran looked at the drawing again and pursed his lips.

“I don’t think so. The Wall is rumoured to have magic in it.”

Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Bran rolled the parchment and set it on the chair by his bed. A big pile of books already covered most of the seat.

A crow flew and sat on the window, cawing at them repeatedly, stepping from side to side on the windowsill. Bran was startled, holding onto Dan’s arm tightly.

“Don’t listen to it,” said Old Nan. “Crows are all liars.” She watched the bird curiously for a moment before shrugging and continuing with her knitting. “I know a story about a crow!”

Bran huffed. “I hate your stories!”

Dan pursed his lips. Bran had never been so rude, especially not to Old Nan; she had cared for him since birth, just as she’d cared for all the Stark children, but she had a special place in her heart for Bran. Of course, he couldn’t fault his brother; he had lost access to everything he liked doing, like climbing and riding - he would never be a knight either. All of it at ten years old. Dan would have gone mad. He ran his hand on Bran’s hair softly.

Old Nan huffed and looked at Bran through narrowed eyes. “I know a story about a boy who hated stories. I could tell you about Ser Duncan the Tall! Those were always your favourites!”

“Those weren't my favourites. My favourites were the scary ones!”

“Oh, my sweet summer child! What do you know about fear? Fear is for the winter, when the snows fall a hundred feet deep; fear is for the long night when the sun hides for years and children are born and live and die all in darkness - that is the time for fear, my little Lord. When the White Walkers, led by their Night’s King, moved through the woods thousands of years ago, there came a night that lasted a generation. Kings froze to death in their castles, same as the shepherds in their huts and women smothered their babies rather than see them starve and wept, and felt the tears freeze on their cheeks. So is this the sort of story that you like?”

Bran nodded, pulling the covers up to his chin.

Smiling, she continued. “In that darkness, the White Walkers came for the first time. They swept through cities and kingdoms riding their dead horses, hunting with their packs of pale spiders big as hounds!”

Dan sat up and gave her a look. “Well, as lovely as the stories are, Bran and I should head down for dinner.” He got out of bed and strode to the door, pulling it open. “Hodor, would you please carry Bran to the Great Hall?”

“Hodor!” he nodded with a smile.

Bran looked at them but finally stretched his arms letting the man pick him up. Summer and Balerion standing immediately. And so they all marched down to eat.

For much of the trip, nothing out of the ordinary happened. They were not attacked, Tyrion Lannister remained his joly, sarcastic self - no indication that he’d been involved in the assassination attempt against Bran. If his own family hadn’t relayed this information to Dan, he’d have never suspected a thing. Maybe he was too gullible; maybe he was still too inexperienced to travel around Westeros on his own, but once he’d left home, things had gotten out of control, and here he was, sharing every waking moment with a man capable of killing a child.

Three weeks after leaving they finally arrived at the crossroads and decided to stop at the inn for a hot meal and a good night’s rest. The moment they walked inside, Dan spotted Ser Rodrik along with a woman who he recognized as his mother even though she was facing away from him.

Panic rose within him, not knowing what to do. It was a dangerous situation, they were far away from home, surrounded by a multitude of people from every corner of Westeros and if the Lannisters got any idea of their suspicions, every Stark head would end up in a spike at King’s Landing.

Dan tried to distract Tyrion, guiding him away from his mother. “We should sit close to the door, just for security.”

“Nonsense, by the door is the least secure location at any establishment!” Tyrion said with a smile before turning to the inn keeper. “I would like a room.”

“We have no available bed, My Lord. You will have to find another place.”

“I am the Queen’s brother! I am sure you can accommodate me.”

“All the beds are occupied, what do you expect me to do? Put someone on the street!?”

“You can have mine,” said a man sitting close by. He was not a knight, but he was dressed like a warrior, armour and all, a hand on the grip of his sword.

“Would you like a song?” A man sitting at his mother’s table asked loudly. Dan briefly considered walking to them and telling the man to leave but that would attract Tyrion’s attention.

“Oh, Lord Lannister! May I sign to you about your father’s victory in King’s Landing?” The man yelled, standing from his seat.

Tyrion walked over with a smile. “Nothing would ruin my supper more.” He gave the man a gold coin. “I will thank you for not singing at all.”

The man was clearly distraught but took the coin anyway.

“Lady Stark! What an unexpected pleasure! I wondered why you weren’t there to receive me on my visit to Winterfell.”

Dan’s stomach dropped. He knew his mother’s temper well.

She stood and uncovered her long red hair. “I was still Catelyn Tully the last time I stayed here,” she said, addressing every person at the Inn. “I see the sigils of house Harrenhal, house Bracken and Frey. This man came into my house as a guest and then conspired to murder my son - a boy of ten.”

“I did no such thing!” Tyrion Lannister yelled.

Dan’s mother continued as if she had not heard him. “You are true friends and loyal bannermen to the Tullys of Riverrun, in the name of King Robert and the good Lords you serve, I call upon you to seize him and help me return him to Winterfell to await The King’s Justice.

Every man with a sword at the Inn drew it against Tyrion Lannister, Dan included, helping to tie his hands and those of his guards behind their backs for the journey back to Winterfell.

---

“You have to realise how reckless that was,” Dan said, trying not to snap at his mother. “We are too close to King’s Landing, this will not go as you want it.”

“A wise observation from young Lord Stark. Perhaps it would be better to let me go on my way - no hard feelings.” Tyrion interjected.

“Shut up!” Dan and his mother yelled before turning to each other.

Shrugging, their prisoner walked to the other side of the room and looked out the window, taking a seat and letting his legs dangle from the chair.

Dan’s mother looked at Tyrion and only continued speaking once he was away. “This was the only opportunity I had. He tried to kill your brother! What am I supposed to do?”

“Anything but kidnap the Queen’s brother without proof or the King’s approval. If Father had gotten an order from him, it would be different, but this will ruin us, Mother.”

“We are ruined already, Daniel. Words travel fast. The Lannisters already know I’ve visited Ned and come to their own conclusions as to why.”

“I still think you should have waited. This will put Winterfell in danger.”

“Bran has already suffered the consequences of dealing with the Lannisters. What danger are you talking about?”

“Yes, but you have other children. Did you forget that Arya and Sansa are on their grounds? What about Robb? What about me?”

“Your father will protect the girls, Robb is a grown man, he can take care of himself and you have chosen your own destiny.”

That shattered Dan’s heart. “I see…” He turned away. He was a man now, he was not going to cry.

He felt her hand on his back, her voice softer, barely above a whisper. “Dan, a mother’s job is -”

“Bran is awake. If you care so much about him, why are you not taking care of him, watching him grow? He misses you.”

“I am protecting him. He will understand. I will return to him when I’ve solved this.” She cleared her throat. “You are right to be scared for your sisters. It is best that you go along to King’s Landing and keep an eye out for them. Don’t let anyone see you.”

“The ride back to Winterfell will be long.”

She stepped onto the tips of her toes and whispered in his ear. “I’m bringing him to The Vale. Your aunt Lysa will bring him to justice, the Lannisters also killed her husband.”

Dan hummed and looked at Tyrion out of the corner of his eye. The Knights of The Vale would keep his family safe for the time being. He just needed to look out for Arya and Sansa. “Promise me that I will see you again.”

“You will. I promise.” She pulled him into an awkward hug. She was much smaller than him and felt frail as if she was about to be whisked away by the wind. “Be careful.”

“I will be. You too.”

JON

Castle Black, Westeros.

Jon grabbed one of the training swords and a shield and made his way to training with a heavy heart. After his initial run in with Grenn and Pyp, the three of them had sat down to talk and realised they had much more in common than they had initially thought. They were honourable men caught in difficult circumstances and trying to make the best of the life they got and so was Jon. They may not have shared Jon’s privileges - even as a bastard - but they shared the same core beliefs and morals. Sadly, the same could not be said for Rast.

Rast had been the one to egg his comrades against Jon, trying to threaten his life for the mere fact that he’d had actual training and beat them fairly easily. He was a bad man; a true criminal, and a cruel one at that. Jon knew he would spend the rest of his days avoiding Rast ever since he heard what he’d done to end up at Castle Black. He shivered just thinking about it.

Ser Alliser Thorne saw him and smirked. A new recruit stood next to him; a big man - in every sense of the word, yet he looked scared as a mouse, shaking both from the cold and the armed men in front of him if the wide eyes was any indication.

“Tell them your name!” Thorne barked.

“S-Samwell Tarly, of Horn Hill,” the boy said. He was probably the same age as Jon. “Well, I was of Horn Hill. I’ve come to take The Black.”

“Come to take the black pudding?” Rast said, letting out a deep laugh.

“Well, you can’t be worse than you look,” Thorne said. “Rast, see what he can do!”

Rast smirked at Samwell and swung his sword at him four times before he hit the mud, groaning in pain already.

“I yield! I yield!” Samwell screamed. “Please, no more!”

“On your feet!” Thorne yelled. “Hit him until he finds his feet,” he said, not missing a beat.

Samwell struggled to get up but before he could make any progress, Rast hit him again and again, laughing as Samwell cried in pain, begging for the attack to stop.

“It seems they’ve run short of poachers and thieves down south, now they are sending us bloody pigs!” Thorne said with a maniacal laugh.

Jon couldn’t bear to watch the poor boy be attacked for no reason. This was not training, this was torture. How was he supposed to learn anything at all if all the training he got was getting hit and kicked around? He took a step forward with the intention of stopping the abuse but Pyp held onto his sleeve. He didn’t say a word, but he knew why his friend was stopping him. Thorne had a thing for cruelty and he also had an incredible amount of hate against Jon.

Encouraged by Alliser Thorne, Rast kept swinging his sword at Samwell, no matter how much he was groaning and screaming in pain. Even though the training swords were blunt, they were also very heavy and were bound to cause a lot of damage. Samwell would be black and blue and green by the end of the day.

“Stop! Stop it!” Jon said and walked over to the man on the ground, extending his hand towards him. “He yielded!”

Rast tried to hit him as well, but Jon swung his sword at him once and kicked him in the chest, making him fall to the ground gasping for air.

“Aww, looks like the bastard’s in love!” Thorne said.

Jon grabbed the shaking man and shoved him in the general direction of Grenn and Pyp before turning around and standing between his friends and the others.

“Alright, since you want to protect your love, Lord Snow, let’s make it an exercise!” Thorne gave him a cruel smile. “You three,” he said, pointing to Rast Grenn and Pyp, “You can hit the piggy as much as you want, you just have to get past the bastard!”

Jon looked at Grenn and cocked his head in amusement. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“No,” he said, before swinging his sword at him and getting struck hard by Jon’s blunt blade.

Grenn fell to the ground with a grunt.

Pyp tried next, doing even a worse job at handling his sword and trying to punch Jon instead.

Jon kicked his ankle and swung his sword around, hitting him in the back.

Rast didn’t waste a second, charging at him the moment Pyp was out. He was the more dangerous one out of the three, not because he was skilled, but because he used his anger in combat, often trying to use dirty tricks to get ahead. Rast tried to hit him, their swords clashing time and time again as Jon blocked his attacks.

Finally, Jon misstepped and slipped in the mud, giving Rast the fraction of a second he needed to get him. All wind was knocked out of Jon but he turned on the spot and struck him twice, finally knocking him to the floor.

Jon raised his eyebrows at Thorne, who was already red from the cold and the sheer anger he felt for him. “Go clean the armour! That’s all you’re good for.”

Jon huffed and strode to the armoury for his punishment. The sooner he started, the sooner it would be over.

---

Later that night, Jon stood atop The Wall for his shift, sticking as close to the fire as he could while trying not to set his clothes alight.

“Thank you,” a voice said behind him, startling him. It was Samwell.

Jon tried not to blame him for his lack of dexterity, but part of him did. Samwell was highborn, he must have been trained his entire life. “It won’t get easier, you know that, right?”

“I know, but I still wanted to say thank you,” he said, wrapping his cloak tighter around himself but not coming closer to the fire.

“You need to stay as close to the fire as possible or you’ll freeze.”

“I’m alright.”

“You are clearly not.”

Sam stepped closer and ventured a look down the side of The Wall before holding onto Jon. “I’m scared of heights and can’t see very well,” he admitted.

“How can you be scared of everything?”

“I am a coward, my father always said so.”

“Then why are you here? Can’t fight, can’t see, and you’re afraid. The Watch is no place for a coward!”

“On my eighteenth name day, my father called me and said I should renounce all rights to his land and properties and take The Black. He said that if I didn’t, he would take me hunting and I would fall from my horse and never return - or so he would tell my mother - and nothing would give him more joy.”

Jon’s eyes widened. He never knew there was a different way to be a bastard.

“Will I have to fight again tomorrow?” Sam asked.

“Yes, and you won’t get any better.”

“I know.”

“At least you can’t get any worse.”

Sam burst out laughing and Jon joined in, elbowing him. The boy stepped closer to the fire and breathed a little easier.

Jon walked into the Great Keep and signalled Grenn and Pyp to follow him to a different table than their usual arrangement; he didn’t want Rast interfering if possible. He grabbed a plate of hot soup and a piece of bread, dunked it and brought it to his lips, letting the warmth of the meal soothe his tight jaw muscles.

He cleared his throat and leaned closer to his friends. “We will not attack Sam no matter what. Not tomorrow, not ever again.”

The others raised his eyebrows at him.

“What will we do then?” Asked Grenn.

Rast stood from his seat. “You really are in love, Snow!” he laughed. “I will attack him. I will get a piece of meat from that piggy as soon as I can put my hands on him.”

The older crows laughed and cheered at Rast’s joke, but Jon did not. He threw a disgusted look Rast’s way and finished his supper. He’d need to talk to his friends in private.

Once the entire castle had fallen silent and most of the brothers were sleeping, Jon opened Ghost’s cage and slipped into the Barracks, where Grenn and Pyp were already waiting for them.

Rast woke to the pressure of Ghost’s full body weight on his chest as the wolf growled at him.

“Nobody touches Sam,” Jon said as he and the other boys loomed over Rast’s face.

The man nodded, keeping his eyes on Ghost’s mouth with a terrified expression.

“Alright ladies, let’s see what you can do,” Thorne sneered. “You first,” he said, pointing at Grenn.

Grenn approached Sam, sword in hand and stepped a bit too close and whispered. “Attack me.”

“What?” Sam whispered.

“Attack me!”

Sam poked him in the arm with his sword and Grenn fell to the ground whining. “I yield! I yield!”

“Oh, you idiot!” Thorne said, Grenn’s horrible act not fooling him for a second and turned onto Rast. “You show them how it’s done!”

Jon looked at him, a hand on the grip of his sword. He could see that Rast wanted to strike Sam, he wanted to see him hurt and suffering, but the memory of last night’s visit was still on his mind.

“Attack him!” Yelled Thorne.

Rast hesitated, taking a step forward, but he looked into Jon’s eyes and froze.

“These men will be with you when you go beyond The Wall! You protect him now, but when you go out for a real fight you will want a man guarding your back, not a snivelling boy!” Alliser Thorne spat on the ground as he walked past Sam and left.

At first, Jon thought they had rid themselves of Thorne for the rest of the day, hoping that he’d be so mad that he’d stay away from them, but he waited until they were alone to berate them further.

“Can you believe they make us take a chastity vow when I know for a fact that most crows go to the brothel in Mole’s town?” Sam asked as he brushed the tables of the Common Hall with a bit of sawdust.

Jon laughed. “Missing it already, are we?”

“No, I’ve never - I just think it’s unfair.”

“Why are you so upset about it?” Jon asked with an amused smile.

“Why not? Is it because I’m fat?” Sam whined. “I like girls just as much as you do, they may not like me as much. I know you must have had a hundred of them. I bet all the girls like you.”

“No. As a matter of fact, I’m the same as you.”

“Why? There must have been someone.”

“There was one time I came really close to it. I was in a room with a naked girl but I couldn’t.”

“You didn’t know where to put it then?” Sam teased.

“I did know where to put it,” Jon said, rolling his eyes.

“Was she old and ugly?”

“No. She was young and beautiful, with long red hair. A whore named Ros.”

“Why didn’t you make love to the beautiful Ros then?”

“I just couldn’t stop thinking ‘What if I get her pregnant?’ If she had a child, it would be another bastard named Snow. I never knew my mother, my father wouldn’t even tell me her name, or even if she was alive. That is no life for a child.” Jon grabbed his brush and turned away from Sam, lost in thought, working on his side of the table.

“So you didn’t know where to put it,” Sam whispered.

Jon laughed and threw his brush at him.

The door of the Common Hall opened and Thorne walked in, his face twisted in disgust at them.

“Well, how are you, boys?”

“It’s a bit nippy,” Sam replied.

“Nippy, yeah? By the fire, indoors still,” Ser Alliser said. “None of you boys even remember the last winter. How long has it been? Ten years?”

“I remember,” Jon said.

“Was it uncomfortable at Winterfell? Were there days when you just couldn't get warm, never mind how many fires your servants built?”

Jon shook his head. “I built my own fires.”

“That's admirable! I spent six months out there beyond The Wall during the last winter. It was supposed to be a two-week mission; we heard a rumour Mance Rayder was planning to attack Eastwatch so we went out to look for some of his men, capture them, and gather some knowledge. The wildlings who fight for Mance Rayder are hard men, harder than you'll ever be. They know their country better than we do. They knew there was a storm coming in, so they hid in their caves and waited for it to pass; we got caught in the open,” he said, his eyes far away as if he could see it all happening again. “The wind was so strong it yanked 100-foot trees straight from the ground roots, and all . If you took your gloves off to find your prick to have a piss you lost a finger to the frost and all in darkness. You don't know cold,” he said looking at Jon. “Neither of you do. The horses die first, there’s never enough to feed them, to keep them warm. Eating the horses was easy, but later, when we started to fall, that wasn't easy. We should have brought a couple of boys like you. Soft, fat boys like you. We'd have lasted a fortnight on you and still had bones leftover for soup.”

Thorne shook his head and continued. “Soon we'll have new recruits and your lot will be passed along to the Lord Commander for assignment, they will call you men of the Night's Watch but you'd be fools to believe it. Come winter, you boys will die - like flies.”

DAENERYS

Vaes Dothrak, Essos.

With the scorching hot sun shining bright above their heads, the khalasar arrived at Vaes Dothrak, city of the horse lords. Viserys huffed, looking at the statue of two stallions standing on their hind legs that marked the entrance to the city.

“This is nothing but a pile of mud and shit and twigs! Where is my army? These savages better keep their end of the deal or I will have their heads.”

“This is the place of my people, you shouldn’t call them savages!” Danny said.

“These are my people. Khal Drogo is marching the wrong way with my army,” he said and rode ahead of them.

Daenerys looked at Jorah. “If my brother had an army of Dothraki, could he conquer the seven kingdoms?”

“The Dothraki have never crossed the Narrow Sea, they fear any water that their horses can’t drink.”

“But if he did?”

“King Robert is foolish enough to face them in battle, but the council advising him are not.”

“And you know these men?”

“I fought beside them once,” Jorah said. “Now Ned Stark wants my head; he drove me from my land.”

Daenerys looked at him curiously. “You sold slaves. Why?”

Jorah looked away into the distance. “I had no money and an expensive wife.”

She tried to make eye contact with him but he deflected. “That’s not a valid reason to take someone’s freedom.”

With a deep sigh, Jorah looked into her eyes and asked: “What would a valid reason be then, Khaleesi?”

“There is no valid reason, I suppose. You shouldn’t have done that.”

He nodded. “I know.”

In an attempt to breach the gap between Viserys and her that grew bigger and bigger by the day, Daenerys sent Doreah to invite him over for dinner. Danny was no fool, she knew Viserys had bought her Doreah not only as a servant and someone to help her settle into the Khalassar, but he made use of her in other ways too. Thankfully Doreah seemed pleased enough with his company, it was an unspoken agreement that served them all well.

Danny looked around and smiled; she had lit candles and sent for food now that they had access to crops and milk and Dothraki delicacies. She’d also asked Drogo for the best gold pieces he’d gotten in his conquests to give them to her brother - as a gift. Even if Viserys was a hateful man, he was still her brother, the last of her family.

She turned to the small fire she had burning, checking on the dragon eggs, but it seemed that there had been no changes yet.

Viserys pulled the tent open and threw Doreah to the floor in front of her, her face already bruising, her nose bleeding.

“I’m sorry Khaleesi! I was just doing what you asked!” Doreah cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Danny grabbed at one of her tops and kneeled in front of her friend, gently pressing the fabric to her nose. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Irri, Jhiqui, please take her and leave us.”

“Why did you do that?” Daenerys asked, trying to calm the anger already rising inside her.

“You dare order me around!” Viserys yelled.

“I asked you over for supper!” She said, pointing at the table full of foods and leathers and gold.

“What’s this?” He asked grabbing at the leather clothes with a disgusted expression.

“It’s a gift! I had it made for you!”

“Dothraki rags!” He yelled, throwing a big golden belt at her face. “You would turn me into one of them? Braid my hair?”

She could already feel the cut on her cheek bleeding. Disgusted by his behaviour, Danny finally musters the courage to stand up to him. “You have no right to a braid; you have won no battles!”

Viserys slapped her so hard that she fell to the ground. He wasted no time climbing on top of her, straddling her hips. “You have woken the Dragon!” He laughed hysterically as his hands closed around Daenerys’ throat.

For a moment she regretted what she’d said, putting her child at risk, but instead of letting him have his way, she reached for the golden belt and swung it at his face, giving him a deep cut on his cheek and lip.

Her brother fell back, frozen in shock.

“I am a Khaleesi of the Dothraki, I am the wife of the great Khal Drogo and I carry his son inside me. The next time you raise a hand at me will be the last time you have hands!” She screamed, shaking with anger.

“You will regret this for the rest of your life!” he screamed back and ran from her tent.

Daenerys looked at her shaking hands and tried to take deep breaths, sitting on her bed as she waited for it to pass.

Irri ran into the tent and looked at her, checking her face. “Khaleesi, you are hurt.”

“I am alright, Irri. Thank you. Would you please ask Jorah Mormont to join me for supper?”

The girl nodded and left.

Closing her eyes, Daenerys kept taking deep breaths until her hands were steady once again. Her child moved inside her, making her smile. She couldn’t wait to meet her little one, to see Drogo’s face when he saw him.

Jorah walked in and gave her a wet rag to clean her wound. “Are you alright?”

“I am. I just - I can’t believe I hit him. I hit The Dragon.”

“Your brother Rhaegar was the last Dragon. Viserys is less than a shadow of a snake.”

“He’s still the True King.” She insisted. “Illyrio said that the common people in Westeros are sewing dragon banners and singing songs, praying for his return.”

“The people of Westeros pray for food and a short winter. They don’t pray for kings, especially kings they haven’t even met. Do you really want to see your brother sitting on the throne, being responsible for the seven kingdoms? I believe he would make your father seem like a peaceful ruler.”

Daenerys smiled in spite of the hard topic. “Yes, I suppose. What do you pray for, Jorah?”

“Home.” “He will never take us home, will he? He will never take back the Seven Kingdoms. He couldn’t lead an army even if my husband gave him one. He’s not a leader; he’s a child.”

#phanfiction #phanfic #ospbb 2022 #succubusphan fics #game of thrones #got fic

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ainocard-suellam · 4 years

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How do you feel about Silver killing Malleus because destiny? I personally don't the game will go down that dark of a route but if we're going to follow the story it's a possibly.

I feel like, under the circumstances that Silver is twisted from the sword that kills Maleficent, it is a possibility.

I have seen theories that proposed that the reason Lilia and Malleus are attending NRC is so that Malleus isn't isolated and becomes a monster due to that isolation, accepting the "fact" that he's feared by everyone and everything, thus making it seem useless for him to do good things. If he goes down that path, perhaps Silver will put Malleus down before he can inflict major damage on other locations.

What may actually happen in the story, however, is that it's talked about by Lilia and Silver, who has known about his fate for a while. Perhaps this happens in front of Yuu and Co when they investigate whatever might be happening within Diasomnia, and in the end it's prevented. It does seem rather dark, but all things considered, it seems like a natural progression of raised stakes (Riddle doesn't feel that bad after seeing what Leona, Azul, and Jamil get up to in their chapters, and Vil has been heavily implied throughout Chapter 5 to be planning some sort of sabotage for Neige, on a much greater scale than Leona).

On the other hand, it could go in a different direction if Silver is, say, Aurora.

I could be looking too far into it, but Malleus has shown hints of jealousy toward Silver (as well as Sebek), much like how an older sibling might react to a doted on younger sibling. While not said, I feel like there's implications that Lilia might have been a bit harder on Malleus, since he's the heir to the throne of the Valley of Thorns (and implied to be an only child, or at the least, the eldest child). While Silver may have gotten some harsh life lessons early on in his life, it seems like Lilia did more fun things with him than Malleus. This also weirdly feeds into the amount of times Malleus says "I'm not a child" or variations of it; he could view Lilia's dadly habits as salt being poured into wounds due to having to grow up fast.

So perhaps because of a lot of bubbled emotions, he may try to do something outlandish to Silver in particular before he overblots, and throughout the chapter he's been taking out some of his frustrations out on other unsuspecting students.

A common thing that seems to happen in the chapters, be it the main cast or backgrounders, someone in the dorm suffers at the hand of the overblot victim, and I have a sinking suspicion that Silver (or possibly even Lilia) might take the bulk of Malleus' awfulness in Chapter 7, regardless of what his purpose may be

#twisted wonderland #twst #malleus draconia #twst malleus #twst silver #twst lilia #ask #anon

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not-poignant · 4 years

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..I was talking about Game of Thrones actually, and the MCU to a lesser degree, but yeah, I suppose what you said can apply to other shows too

Oh yeah for sure. Just Supernatural is fresh in everyone’s minds and GOT ended midway through last year (which honestly feels like it happened 14 years ago). But yeah I figured you could have been referring to almost anything really, which is why I used different examples for some shows. Many of my examples 100% apply to Game of Thrones.

But also, with shows that get a bad finale, it’s almost always 99% of the time predictable. GOT was bad long before its season finale. It stopped wrapping up its storylines, it always had issues re: the writing, and there was kind of spectacular denouement over its last season in particular in quality. I think in those cases, people are willing to forgive shows an awful lot if they’re attached to certain characters etc. But I don’t think many people were surprised the series had a terrible wrap up. (Maybe that made people angrier, idk).

But Benioff and Weiss are also pretty famous in interviews for honestly being arrogant shits who just don’t care about their audience and genuinely believe viewers are wrong if you don’t love what they do. They’re a great example of the creators just not caring about the audience that disagrees with them.

Also Game of Thrones is an excellent example of a show that meets more than one of the criteria I listed in the post: They fucking sailed that ship on bad press. They had the MOST viewers during their WORST and worst rated and least critically acclaimed season. Like, people wanted to watch that clusterfuck for various reasons, so like in terms of viewers which = more money from advertisers = more money for all, they were making so much bank off a bad show.

Yeah, I doubt they felt at all beholden to anyone after that. They literally had their own proof that they could make hot baked shit and more people than ever before would flock to them. Sometimes a show just sails on bad press and hate. Just like winter was once coming, spinoffs are coming, and are still in the works. They not only made money off that finale, they’re going to make more money off it in the future. The more people yell at them, the more folks will turn on their screens to see what’s so terrible about it.

And a lot of those people will keep watching.

I don’t really pay attention to MCU television for a lot of reasons (you said shows in your original post, not movies, so I assume you just mean the TV properties, but I’m going to talk to about the movies for a bit) - but I know they’ve had fraught issues with staff turnaround. And almost half of their shows are victims of Netflix’s policy.

The MCU movies managed to stay fresh by just constantly rotating their creative teams and in many cases their main cast (though I don’t think it was a coincidence that the last Avengers with like, the legacy cast, limped to the finish line, Endgame still made more money than the other Avengers films (WAY more - like a billion dollars more); bad press means nothing and no one in the industry would consider those films a financial failure.)

The MCU Netflix series (I think all of them) obviously fell prey to Netflix’s ‘two seasons rule.’ They’re actually really classic examples of it. That’s why most of their series finales are extremely open-ended and don’t resolve anything. Agent of SHIELD simply ran too long, but I can’t speak for the others. Idk what fandom thought of those finales. I’m not sort of aware of as much durm und strang over those finales over say - Game of Thrones or Supernatural.

But yeah, pick a show, pick any show with a terrible series finale, and at least one (if not more than one) of my examples will generally apply. Which sucks but just... yeah.

I can’t think of any long-running show whose quality didn’t significantly drop long before a bad series finale. Game of Thrones meets those criteria too. Like, it was coming, people knew it was coming. These finales never come out of nowhere. The show was letting its viewers down before then; it’s just a lot harder to forgive something terrible when you’re left with a bad taste in your mouth and no promise of a future episode that gives you hope it might get better.

#asks and answers #pia on media studies #pia on media #i was definitely NOT just talking about supernatural in my response lmao #it's just the most obvious current example #i was actually thinking of game of thrones #when i was referring to how bad press can sail a show #and also how sometimes the creators are just bitter and arrogant and resent their fanbase #Benioff and Weiss are *excellent* examples #of creators who just do not care about anyone #who does not love what they do #they are not open to constructive criticism basically lmao #and they have no reason to be #when you look at viewership vs. quality #Anonymous

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tomakeitbeautifultolive · 5 years

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Listen, I might be playing the devils advocate, but I don't think Dany's fate in the GoT finale was due to D&D being sexist.I think it was just because D&D can't write for crap.

It’s not about intent.

Allow me to begin by saying that I completely understand the knee-jerk reaction that people have to the term ‘sexism’. It’s very polarizing, and when men read the term, they immediately go on the offensive. That’s not what I want at all. I don’t use the term to alienate or exclude men, I use it because it’s the dictionary definition of what I’m trying to convey:

sex·ism (noun): "prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.“

That said, allow me to play devil’s advocate here and say that I do not believe the writers intended to have an underlying sexist message. They are more oblivious than they are malicious. It is born of sheer ignorance (lack of knowledge or information) and the privilege to ignore it because, as males, it doesn’t affect them.

Let’s put aside the dozens of articles that came out after the finale calling out the sexism. You guys know me, I like to pull receipts, cite my sources, and throw in some visuals to help aid my point.

For most of the 70+ hours of Game of Thrones, Daenerys actually does not fall victim to these sexist tropes. Honestly, that is what subverted my expectations for seven seasons. That Dany always teetered on the edge of these tired, overused tropes about women, yet she remained steadfast in her ruthless yet good nature, her moral compass was always aligned even if it didn’t match the viewers, and she was a gods-damned hero, straight through to episode four of season eight.

But the demoralizing reality is that Daenerys was hit with trope after trope in the last three episodes. In the final hours of the show, the writers pulled a bait-and-switch, giving us a ‘shocking’ heel-tern whose only foreshadowing was a very bad retcon job full of double standards. And so many fans, such as yourself, justify it. Not because the show foreshadowed it, but because these tropes are so, so ingrained in our brains from decades of media feeding us these narratives that we now expect them.

In the end, Daenerys succumbs to numerous sexist tropes:

'God Save Us From the Queen’ trope

“The Good Kingdom: A lovely, wealthy country ruled by a benevolent king, a wise prince, and a fair princess loved by the populace. But what’s that? There’s a queen? Oh, brother, we’re in trouble.”

Disposable Woman trope

“This character has a familial or romantic relationship with a protagonist, which allows creators to derive heart-wrenching sorrow from her death.”

Evil Infertile Woman trope

“Women are often divided into "breeders” and “the barren,” with the latter coming off as cool and distant at best, and malicious and desperate at worst.“

The Double-Standard Trope

"A double standard occurs when members of two or more groups are treated differently regarding the same thing. Gender is one of the most common causes of double standards.”

Hysterical Woman trope

“This trope characterizes women as less rational, disciplined, and emotionally stable than men, and thus more prone to mood swings, irrational overreactions, and mental illness.”

Woman Scorned trope

“What’s the only type of woman more dangerous than a Mama Bear? A woman who’s been dumped or otherwise done wrong by her significant other. Especially if she’s been hiding some sanity problems.”

Women Are Delicate trope

“Even if women have toughness, competence, strength or stability, it’s less than what their male peers are capable of.”

The Woman Wearing the Queenly Mask trope

“They don’t want a young woman, or they don’t want any woman, or they just don’t want this particular woman on the throne.”

Tropes in and of themselves are not bad, but very outdated tropes that are associated with the emotional or mental ‘fragility’ of women are. Why? Because they reinforce deep-seated and subconscious stereotypes of women that audiences hold.

“It’s just a show/book! Who cares!”

People have been turning to art (including literature) for years for meaning, for philosophical guidance. Most people in my own country turn to one book to both find and justify their morality (the bible).

“Literature offers not just a window into the culture of diverse regions, but also the society, the politics; it’s the only place where we can keep track of ideas.”―Reza Aslan

It’s not just a show. The art and media we consume helps shape who we are, for better or worse. When men refuse to consider the consequence of their sexist narratives simply because it doesn’t affect their own lives, it inadvertently causes harm for others who don’t share their privilege.

And it’s not just Daenerys. She’s just the figurehead.

There was a great article from BBC about how much women actually speak on Game of Thrones:

I can already hear the counter-argument brewing…

“So what? There are more male characters!”

Yeah. There are. And that’s a problem, too.

Of the top-grossing 1,200 films from 2007 to 2018, 28% of films were led or co-led by women. Meanwhile, around 49.6 percent of the world’s population is female.

By featuring so few women and by giving women who are featured 20% of the airtime to speak their minds, the writers are unintentionally devaluing the speech and opinions of women. This inspires the audience to devalue women in a subconscious way.

Whether or not it intended to, Game of Thrones and its shocking 'heel-turn’ has very troubling sexist and political implications (amongst other things).

Go ahead, tell me I’m wrong. Tell me I’m blowing this way out of proportion.

Tell me it’s just a show or a book and every single fan knows how to separate fiction from reality (they don’t, go look at Maisie William’s Instagram comments following her season eight sex scene for proof of that). Meanwhile, here in actual reality, we see things like this:

@thescarletgarden1990 informs me that over in Italy, political figures are using Game of Thrones advertising in their campaigns, too:

Translation: “Invaded by masses of Others? Not Today. Immediate naval block, let’s defend our borders.”

What makes it worse is that, at least Donald Trump, identifies with House Stark. Or, those who rule the northerners. The people who showed their blatant racism toward the only two black named characters. And the writers never bothered to critique the problematic behavior, instead, rewarding their people with independence and driving those pesky evil foreigners ’back where they belong’.

I’ve barely had time to scroll my dash and I’ve already seen a troubling amount of harassment towards Dany fans via anon asks (including myself, though I just block the IP and delete but I wish I’d saved them for proof).

Why? Because the ending justifies their personal narrative, this bad writing confirms their worldview. Meanwhile, on the other side of the spectrum, the same thing is happening in reverse in response to the takedown of a figure like Daenerys Targaryen:

“Khaleesi’s heel turn is particularly troubling for fans who might have felt a true sense of connection to her character following her epic story arc, which has seen Dany escape some awful circumstances to literally walk through fire, free the slaves, bring Dragons to the north and help rally the troops to defeat the Night King. She has basically been Abraham Lincoln, Hercules and Winston Churchill combined into one person riding a dragon.” (x)

The point here is that the show is doing its audience of 19,300,000 viewers a great disservice by succumbing to very outdated tropes and double standards, and sending troubling messages as a result. For instance, a woman can do countless heroic or selfless things, but you should never trust her! She needs to be tempered. Women cannot wield power responsibly. There are endless messages you can take away from this ending and the dialogue that led us to the show’s conclusion (my personal favorite being ‘Cocks are important’).

And the fans who want to say 'you’re overreacting’ to everyone who speaks up against it are only aiding in this ongoing legacy of 85% male writers who get to tell our stories, poorly, and reap all the rewards.

Sure, all of this could be solely the result of ‘just bad writing’…

Nevertheless, it is what it is.

#answered #anti got #anti d&d #daenerys targaryen #daenerys defense squad #game of thrones #got #season 8 #sexism #i have a boatload of asks i will get to later eep!

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Marvel’s Loki Episode 5 Ending Explained: Who is the Real Villain of the MCU Series?

https://ift.tt/36oBhxO

This article contains spoilers for Loki episode 5.

Agent Mobius did say that time ran differently in the TVA but who could have imagined that the penultimate episode of Loki would arrive so quickly? Marvel’s Loki episode 5 “Journey Into Mystery” keeps up a streak of superb installments for this increasingly superb show.

In this hour, Mobius joins the side of the heroes, Judge Renslayer has some questions, and Loki and Sylvie’s relationship continues to blossom thanks to the conjuring of an uncomfortable green blanket. Equally as important, however, is that “Journey Into Mystery” raises some big questions about the ending of this show and the future of the MCU. Questions like…

What is The Void?

This episode does a pretty good job of succinctly describing what the Void is. The Void is the end of time, itself. Since the Time-Keepers are unable to completely destroy matter (Theory of Conservation of Mass and all that), they send unwanted Variants to the end of the timeline to languish or be swallowed by a hungry monster (more on him in a bit).

In Marvel Comics, The Void is something of an actual character. It is a destructive amorphous entity capable of both adopting a corporeal form and destroying the universe as we know it. During the Siege storyline, the Void even killed Loki, which then facilitated his “rebirth” as Kid Loki. See how this all starts to fit together?

What is Alioth?

In the world of Loki, Alioth is a big, hungry cloud monster that prowls the Void looking to consume yummy matter. It’s the TVA’s unwitting cleaning service, wiping out all the Variants that the TVA can’t eliminate. Classic Loki helpfully offers up the analogy that the Void is a shark tank, and Alioth is the shark.

Alioth of the comics was first introduced in 1993’s Avengers: The Terminatrix Objective #1. That same comic also introduced Ravonna Renslayer and features Kang the Conqueror as its central villain. Oh yeah, it’s all coming together.

Alioth is considered to be the first being that broke free from the constraints of time. It’s no wonder then that it would make an appearance in Loki.

What’s Up With That Castle?

It’s about time a Marvel villain lives in an honest-to-goodness castle! While it’s still possible that this is a misdirect and this environment is not what it seems, for now it looks like episode 6 will be headed off to a spooky castle.

Interestingly, there are no shortages of spooky castles in Marvel comics lore. Perhaps the most famous one is Castle Doom within Doomstadt. Bet you’ll never guess who lives there! Yes, it’s ol’ Victor von Doom himself, Doctor Doom to his friends…of which he has very few.

Another notable abode is Castle Limbo, which serves as the home of Immortus, who was once Nathaniel Richards a.k.a. Kang the Conqueror. Look, Kang is a confusing character, so you’ll just have to trust us on this one.

What is Mobius’s Plan?

Thank the gods that Loki and Mobius finally embraced their destiny as best bros. Mobius leaves all the Lokis behind in The Void to return to the TVA. What does he plan to do once he gets there? Why, burn the whole thing down, of course!

It’s unclear how Mobius believes he’s able to pull off such a grand task. The TVA is an enormous bureaucracy with seemingly infinite moving parts. The only real weapon that Mobius has at his disposal is the truth. The truth changed his and Hunter B-15’s perspectives but can it do the same for everyone else? The only other named TVA employee that we’re aware of is Casey (Eugene Cordero). He seems like a sweet, non-confrontational lad. But perhaps that will all change once he realizes he’s been robbed of fish dinners his whole life.

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What Becomes of the Other Lokis?

The most pleasantly strange aspect of “Journey Into Mystery” is how many new Lokis it introduces. This hour features: Classic Loki (Richard E. Grant), Boastful Loki (DeObia Oparei), Kid Loki (Jack Veal), President Loki (Hiddleston), and Alligator Loki (uh… a CGI alligator). Naturally, each of those Lokis has their own official hashtag sprite on Twitter.

Fittingly for their chaotic energy, each of the Lokis introduced in this episode have quite different ultimate fates. Boastful Loki betrays his Loki comrades, because that’s just what Lokis do. The subsequent scene of President Loki and his Void army battling the other Lokis is one of the best moments of this show yet. That causes our Loki to take off with Classic, Kid, and Alligator. When Mobius invites that trio to come back to the TVA with him, they decline because the Void is their home now.

Sylvie is the Secret Heart of Marvel’s Loki

By Lacy Baugher

Games

How Loki and Fallout Use Retrofuturism to Unnerve Us

By Matthew Byrd

That is the last we’ve seen of Kid Loki and Alligator Loki thus far but not the last of Classic Loki. The comic-accurate trickster returns to help Loki and Sylvie when they need it the most. He uses stunningly powerful magic to create an approximation of Asgard all around him, distracting the ravenous Alioth. Even Sylvie with her enchantress power is stunned by Classic Loki’s abilities.

Is Richard E. Grant’s Classic Loki Really Dead?

Ultimately Classic Loki is swallowed up by the Alioth and therefore finally blinked out of existence. Or is he? It seems like he could have been utilizing the very same technique here he claims to have used to escape his death at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. “I think we’re stronger than we realize,” Loki tells Sylvie, so this would certainly be a case of that if it came down to it.

Plus, that leads us to the final and most important question that this episode raises.

Who is the Villain?

Who indeed? There has been one name bandied about as the most likely Loki Big Bad. Before we get to him (and it’s absolutely who you think), indulge us in another theory. What if the villain of Loki is…

Classic Loki or Another Loki Variant

Richard E. Grant is kind of a big deal as an actor. It’s not every day you can find a seasoned performer who can portray a kindly exterior with some menace underneath. With that in mind, it’s possible that Classic Loki is a bigger character than he appears at first glance. This episode goes out of its way to communicate just how powerful Lokis can be. And when you combine that kind of god-like power with a trickster’s sensibility, it’s not hard to imagine that Classic Loki, or another Loki entirely, could be pulling all the strings.

Kang the Conqueror

While Loki confronting himself in the end would make for a dramatically interesting enterprise, the hard evidence at hand still seems to indicate that Kang the Conqueror is our real villain. The internet at large has been banging the drum for Kang the Conqueror as the ultimate Loki villain for weeks now and it’s not hard to see why.

This isn’t a case of collective delusion like with all of the Nightmare/Mephisto WandaVision theorizing, Kang really does seem to be a legitimate possibility. For starters, we know we already have an MCU actor for Kang in the fold already in the form of Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country). Kang was announced for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania but doesn’t it sound very Marvel for the character to make his unexpected debut here?

In the comics, Kang the Conqueror is wrapped up in multiverses, timelines, and all manner of heady sci-fi nonsense that Loki is already invested in. In fact, as Reddit user u/Hpotter821 points out, one iteration of Kang in Marvel comics sought to become Immortus by eliminating all of his other Variants. It would seem that creating the TVA to police other timelines would be quite useful in that mission.

Then there’s the fact that Kang has at least some level of crossover with just about every major character and element of Loki. Kang has a relationship with Ravonna Renslayer in the comics and is also an occasional rival of Alioth. The show is not shy about injecting Kang’s aesthetic into the proceedings. While ostensibly space lizards as Loki described them, the Time-Keepers do appear to resemble the classic Kang the Conqueror look a bit. And the TVA logo?

Oh. Hey. I just noticed that the centerpiece of the Time Variance Authority’s seal totally looks like Kang’s head. 🤷‍♂️ #Loki pic.twitter.com/93QzNDVSbi

— Ken Plume (@KenPlume) July 2, 2021

Oh yeah, that’s Kang, baby.

Perhaps by this time next week, all of this Kang conjecture will look as silly as WandaVision’s Mephisto fever dream. It’s undeniable, however, that Loki has provided us with plenty of breadcrumbs. If it’s all a Kang-sized red herring, then so be it.

Doctor Doom

This is a considerable longshot, despite the fact that we’ve wanted it to happen for a long time. Doom was at the center of Marvel Comics’ multiverse-shattering Secret Wars event by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic, and the castle we see in this episode’s conclusion sure does look an awful lot like his humble Doomstadt home.

Every time we get excited about Doctor Doom or the potential Secret Wars threads embedded in this show, we’re brought back to reality by the fact that there’s virtually no way that Marvel would introduce arguably their greatest villain in a teasing series finale episode, especially not when they’ve got the Kang-centric Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania to tee up with Kang. Yes, we’re hedging our best by including him, but can you blame us?

Anyway, patience, Doom fans. The Fantastic Four movie is finally a priority for the MCU, and we should see that by 2023.

Kevin Feige

This obviously won’t happen but in the spirit of Marvel’s next Disney+ series What If…?, what if Loki and Sylvie arrive to the throne room in the castle and Marvel Studios head Kevin Heige is hanging out there wearing one of his trademark baseball caps? As witnessed in WandaVision and now Loki, this phase of Marvel cinematic storytelling is clearly about setting up a new multiverse of possibilities. What better way to introduce that multiverse than by completely breaking the fourth wall?

OK, so there are probably a ton of better ways but Feige would at least be fun and truly unexpected.

The post Marvel’s Loki Episode 5 Ending Explained: Who is the Real Villain of the MCU Series? appeared first on Den of Geek.

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Finding You Always

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Chapter 232: Wicked Game, Pt 2

"Li?" Aphrodite asked curiously.

"Yes Goddess...I am of that Li bloodline and I present to you the sacred jar of my people. The Mu…" he said, as the spectators marveled at the glowing jar.

"Don't let him fool you...he's not the good man his ancestor may have been," Patricia warned.

"I am simply a man that wants the secrets to his heritage unlocked and I believe it is within this jar. Now...the children of the sun will open it for me," he said.

"Truest loves," Snow corrected.

"And what if we don't?" David asked. He smirked.

"Then the blood of every person in this room will be on your hands…" he threatened.

"What do you plan to do if we don't?" Snow asked in alarm. He smirked.

"I believe it is better if you do not know, my dear. It is not for the squeamish and I'm afraid the carnage will be quite severe if you do not open the jar," he urged.

"Do you have any idea what is in the jar?" David asked the Goddess. But she shook her head.

"Tao would never tell me...he never fully trusted me, because my father was Zeus. And he forbade Esteban and Zia from telling me as well," she admitted.

"They did have true love, but it was secrets and mistrust like this that led to all the corruption around them and eventually their untimely deaths," Aphrodite said.

"Evil was never meant to fester like it did, but there was six hundred years without a pair of truest loves to stand for good and justice. I think you both know how dark things can be without love," she added. Snow squeezed his hand and leaned her head against his arm. She knew all too well. She had once taken a potion to forget him and became the worst version of herself.

"Yes...their abysmal failure has fallen on you, their successors. Unfortunately, you shall fail too," Li said.

"Clearly you don't know us…" David said.

"There are no secrets between us...no mistrust," he added, as he looked at her and gently cupped her cheek in his palm, making her smile.

"And we're surrounded by friends and family that have our backs," Snow added.

"That is why I knew you two would be my greatest champions, so you will most certainly fail, Mr. Li. Not even the likes of Seth, a God killer, could stand against this true love," Aphrodite added. He smirked.

"Oh, I don't intend to stand against them. I intend for them to release whatever is inside this jar and take hold of its power. Your refusal will bring this entire building down upon our heads," he warned.

"With what? What have you done?" Regina asked.

"The lower levels of this museum have been wired with explosives. This entire thing can collapse in on itself, killing everyone here and destroying all this history...unless I get what I want," he threatened.

"You're bluffing," David challenged. He smirked.

"I do not bluff, Your Highness. I care nothing for these people. Their lives are insignificant," Li responded.

"No one is insignificant," Snow argued.

"Then do something!" Goldie snapped, as she now became concerned that he would make good on his threat.

"Just leave if you're so worried," Snow snapped at her.

"I don't think we have a choice. It's too risky to take a chance that the Chalice might be able to stop the blasts without knowing where he put the explosives," David whispered to her. She nodded and swallowed thickly, as they approached the pedestal where the jar rested. It glowed incessantly the closer they got to it and they could only wonder what was inside and if it would unleash horror. Snow and David touched the jar and were immediately thrust into a vision. It was hazy, but they were in what looked like a Throne room of a palace and they recognized the people in the room.

~*~

"You must never open the jar...for anyone, no matter what," Tao warned.

"My friend...we have seen what is in the jar. I hardly see why it's important," Esteban replied.

"You should know by now that things are rarely what they seem," Tao warned.

"What does it do?" Zia asked.

"It's sacred to my people. That's all you or your Goddess friend need to know," Tao replied shortly.

"When are you ever going to trust me," Zia questioned.

"It's not you...it's her. She is the daughter of Zeus," he argued.

"The Goddess is an ally…" Esteban assured him.

"Don't be naïve and even if she is, everyone around her isn't," he replied and they were quiet at that.

"And if something happens and we cannot guard the jar...you must have a backup plan," Esteban said.

"If the children of the sun cannot guard the key to my people's legacy...then it will be up to the sire of my bloodline to do so. Even then...you need more than the jar to unlock its secrets," Tao replied.

"And where are those secrets?" Zia asked. He smirked.

"Where else?" he asked in amusement.

"A book," she realized.

~*~

The vision ended and they exchanged a glance. They had no idea what was in that jar, but whatever object was concealed inside must have looked unexceptional to the eye. It was more riddles too, which was par for the course at this point. But whatever came out of that jar, they only hoped that Ichiro Suun Li had no idea what to do with it, for if he did have the knowledge, there was telling what that might mean.

"Fine...we'll open the jar for you and then you'll let everyone go," David said. He gave a curt nod and the jar glowed brightly, as they touched it. Snow touched the top of the jar and the seal closure dissolved. A poof of mist was released from the jar and they cautiously looked inside.

"Give me what's inside now!" Li demanded. David dumped the contents into his hands and he looked at the object in awe.

~*~

Once Killian docked the ship, Leroy was there with a van and took them all back to the station. Rose waited anxiously and ran to him the moment she saw him, throwing her arms around him. He smiled and ensconced her in his firm embrace, as she kissed him passionately.

"I was so worried…" she fretted, as their lips parted.

"I know, my angel...but I'm fine and the mission was a success," he replied, as he held her in his arms.

"I'm so glad you rescued them and no one was hurt," she said.

"No one except the doctor," Hyde mentioned, which drew their attention.

"What?" Emma asked.

"He's alive...but I lopped off his hands. He wasn't able to use his demon magic to regrow his limbs. While I'm sure he'll find a way to regain what he has now lost, it was still a victory since it seems that Hyde invented something that was definitely a match for him," Fandral replied.

"And that combination of science with the magic of the chalice could be the key. It might give my parents exactly what they need to end him for good," Emma realized.

"Yes...we were thinking that exactly," Fandral said.

"Which is good...considering the horror he has planned," Zorro replied, as Killian joined Emma and put his arm around her.

"He wants your star gem," he said wearily.

"Mine?" she asked.

"And your parents...siblings too and he has a way to do it," he revealed.

"I'm so sorry...I developed what he asked for. I didn't want to...but I couldn't let him hurt my daughter," Hiram apologized. She nodded.

"It's not your fault. Any of us would do anything for our kids," Emma said.

"So...what is this device?" Rose asked.

"A pair of gloves, not unlike the magic ones he has made for Rodmilla Tremaine. Except instead of giving the user synthetic magic, these gloves will allow him to rip hearts and extract the star gems, without damage to the heart," Fandral explained.

"He also built a staff of sorts to harness the gems and channel their power," Zorro said.

"Oh my God...he'd have control over us, wouldn't he?" Emma asked.

"I'm afraid so...we destroyed these abominations, but I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before he rebuilds them," Fandral replied.

"Yes...he has my blueprints, which means he can recreate my work now," Hiram said regrettably.

"Well...at least we know what he's up to now. But even with magic, Cora couldn't rip my heart when she tried. Though somehow I doubt Jekyll will have the same problem. He always seems to bypass our magic with science," Emma replied.

"But like you said, we know what he plans now and we can prepare," Fandral said. They nodded.

"Yeah...getting him away from that damned island is key I think and that won't be easy," Killian said.

"Yeah...but I know my parents. Between them, Gold, and Regina, they'll come up with something," Emma assured him, as she turned to Hiram and his daughter.

"Your place is still a mess, but we can drop you off at Granny's until your place can be cleaned up and repaired," Emma said.

"Thank you, but I have plenty of room at my place. They can stay with me," Hyde replied. She nodded.

"Thanks again for all the help. I'll tell my parents about everything and your new invention," she said. He nodded and turned to Fandral, before putting his hand out. Fandral accepted the gesture and shook his hand.

"Thank you for helping to save them," Hyde said.

"Anything for family," Fandral replied, as Rose put her arms around him and they watched them go. He looked down at her and rested his hand on the small swell there.

"Let's return home to our family," he suggested, as he kissed her gently.

"Us too," Emma agreed, as Leroy took over for the night shift and they went home for the evening.

~*~

King Runeard took a late night stroll that evening in Arendelle. He wore a thick cloak and a hood so as to not be recognized. But there were very few out and about in the twilight hours. It seemed his Kingdom knew peace, but peace had always made him a restless soul. He had great ambitions for Arendelle. Eliminating the threat of magic would have ensured that he could have grown Arendelle's armed forces and eventually invaded certain Kingdoms with no magical protection. At least, that had been the plan. The Northuldra posed a great threat if they decided to help other Kingdoms and that was why he had targeted them first. He planned to take them out and then move on the Kingdom furthest north in Misthaven.

At that time, few Kingdoms had magical protection and he knew enough about fairies to know that they wouldn't intervene in mortal wars. Zeus had rarely ever involved himself in mortal quarrels, unless his wayward family members found themselves entangled with mortals. Arendelle was to become a conquering nation and assimilate Misthaven accordingly. Peace meant nothing if you had no power to keep the peace. Or at least his version of peace, which meant control of anything and everything he could see.

Magic could spoil it all. Magic, to him, was the pathway to everything unnatural. He believed in working for everything you had and yet someone with magic could have it all with no effort at all. To him, the easy path was the path to destruction. Magic always came with a price, after all. But instead of his adversaries paying the price for their magic, he had paid that price. He had only been trying to rid the world of power no one should have and as a result, he was banished when that power sought to destroy him. He took pride in that. He had disrupted the balance and was punished for it.

His first years, wandering the desolate netherworld, had been uneventful. But one day, a vision came to him and he saw Arendelle under the onslaught of magic. Magic unleashed by his own bloodline, proving to him how devastating such power could be. The spirit of the Northuldra apparently had lived on, not only in his own bloodline, but another as well. The Northuldra had chosen a new bloodline to bestow its gifts upon. The children of parents, championed by a Goddess. In his absence, the magic had grown and spread like a disease, ensuring that no order could ever be restored. Unless he restored it. A reset could fix the problem.

"Disgusting, isn't it?" a female voice said, as he watched magic rule this world.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Gothel...and I wanted the same as you. To unmake the world and return it to a former glory. But I failed, thanks to that little family," she said.

"You have magic too…" he said in disgust. She smirked.

"No longer...I don't even exist anymore. They erased me and now I am this," she said, as she touched a small sprout that had managed to grow from the desolate ground. He watched it wither and turn to ash.

"Everything I now touch dies...I now kill my lovely creations," she said sadly.

"A terrible existence, indeed. For you anyway," he said, as he approached.

"For me though...I would use such to unmake the world too. Magic must die. Only then can order be restored," he replied.

"Touch me and it will be you that turns to ash," she warned. But he surprised her and gripped her throat. His skin began to slowly turn gray, but he persisted to choke her, until the gray receded and began to turn on her. She looked at him with wide eyes, alarmed that he had easily overpowered her.

"I'm afraid not. I have been here much longer and know the tricks of this place," he boasted.

"And you are no longer a flower...you are nothing more than a weed that needs yanked out. You will wither...but this ability you have will pass to me," he added.

"And then...when I get free, the realms will get a do-over with me at the helm," he said. She barely screamed, as she turned to dust and her ability to drain life transferred to him.

In this new land, magic meant life and most importantly love. Light magic dueled with dark magic, but as far as he was concerned, it all needed wiped out. Only then would the elements go back to being balanced. Only when people were not wielding them could things be right. He looked at his hands in amazement. He had the power to shred everything down to nothing and start anew. And if he was ever freed, he would do so.

Now that he was free, he had spent his first few days observing this world and as he stared at his grand castle before him, his anger only grew. His own bloodline had been infected by the last of the Northuldra. But worse than that, an outsider sat on his former Throne; one from the very family chosen by the elements. It was an abomination, but he would soon rectify that.

The earlier scuffle with Dr. Jekyll had proven that he would only stand in the way of what Runeard wanted. He didn't like that the demon was impervious to his ability, but he was a patient man. He would let the doctor war with the Charmings and eventually lose. The other peons were of little concern. If they crossed him, then one touch would rid him of their nuisance. He turned back toward the Fjord and smirked, as he saw the waters beginning to churn violently. He would enjoy leaving these types of parting gifts in his wake though. As he made his way back to the sanctuary of Pleasure Island, a storm began to rage in Arendelle once again.

~*~

"What is this?" Li asked, as his face twisted in disgust.

"A rock? This is what you've been going on about for years?" Charles asked.

"All we've heard is the story of this stupid jar and how it's got some all magical power inside," Ginger agreed.

"Shut up!" Li snapped at his cohorts, as he looked curiously at the green stone that looked to be shaped like a heavily stylized fish hook.

"There must be more to this! Get it to work!" he demanded, as he placed it in Snow's hand.

"And what exactly do you expect us to do with this?" Snow asked. They remembered their vision, but if there was something significant about this rock, they weren't about to tell him.

"Make it work!" he shouted.

"Dude...it's a rock," Bobby said, as he looked at it and picked it up to examine it.

"It's a pretty cool rock though," he mentioned.

"No...there has to be more! This cannot be all there is to the secrets of my ancestors!" Li ranted.

"We did as you asked. Now you'll disarm the explosives and let everyone go," David said sternly.

"No...you'll figure out what this is! Or everyone dies...starting with her!" Li threatened, as he grabbed Snow's arm and pulled her toward him. He pulled a curved blade from his belt and put it to her throat.

"Well, that was stupid," Bobby commented.

"Very," David agreed, as Snow knocked her head back into his face and he held his nose in pain. The three perpetrators were suddenly stricken and unable to move, thanks to Rumple and David and Xander cuffed all three.

"There were five of you supposed to be in attendance tonight," Patricia said, as she moved to interrogate them.

"Now, I know General Mendoza is likely in the shadows somewhere and using his own, innocent soldiers to protect him. But that still leaves one of you out there," she added and they heard a slow, mocking clap. They could hear the tapping of high heels on the floor, as a woman emerged from the shadows.

"Bravissimo, truest loves. A magnificent show, indeed," a stunning blonde said, as she came forward.

"Who the hell are you?" David asked bluntly. She smirked and blew out a breath.

"My...so abrasive. No tact...and sinfully handsome too. How exciting," she commented.

"I recognize you...you're…" Snow said, with scrutiny and blocked her path to Charming.

"Callista Stavros...and you must be the famed and fairest Snow White," she said, with an edge in her voice.

"Clayton was quite obsessed with you...and her," she added, as she looked at Aphrodite. Her distaste for the Goddess was evident in the daggers she was shooting at the other blonde. Snow rolled her eyes.

"Well, whatever grievances you have with us are misplaced. Clayton was a creep and it's on you for getting involved with him," the raven haired beauty said.

"Oh, you don't need to lecture me, princess. I know exactly what he was...but he still gave me my son, who you have locked away. You're going to release him or a lot of innocent people are going to die," Callista threatened," as her eyes scanned the room and landed on Natalie. She smirked.

"Looks like I'm going to be a grandmother soon," she said. Robert and Thalia blocked her path to Natalie, as did Snow and Charming.

"Not happening...Clayton's line is one that needs to die with him and your son," David responded. She smirked.

"I warned you...and now you're all going to pay," she hissed, as they heard a boom of thunder from outside. They saw her eyes begin to glow yellow.

"Oh...it's been so long since I have felt magic coursing through my veins," she said.

"How do you have magic?" Snow questioned.

"She's a Goddess...now I know why you're familiar…" Aphrodite said, as the roof above them was suddenly ripped off by her magic. The sea from the ocean churned off the coastline and threatened to breach the land.

"Who is she?" Regina asked.

"Calypso…" Aphrodite answered, as they watched her arms become tentacles. She immediately went for James and wrapped a tentacle around him, snapping him away from his wife.

"Looks like Clayton had a child with a Goddess, after all...just not the one he wanted," Rumple commented.

"James!" she cried, as she ran after him, but the other Goddess batted her away.

"Hey Succubus...I can do that too!" Bobby called, as vines erupted from the floor and wrapped around her. She screamed in agony, as the thorny vines pierced her skin. David swung his blade and sliced through her tentacle, releasing his twin, who he helped pull back.

"Thanks...Aphrodite!" he called, as he found his wife getting up, after being hurled into a wall.

"I'm fine," she assured him, as they watched Calypso grow in size.

"Let's see if you can stop a flood...boy," she roared and they hurried outside, only to see that she had created a waterspout; a twister over the water that was threatening serious damage to the whole city, endangering thousands.

"Emma...now would be the time for backup," David said into his phone. Within minutes, a sparkling orange portal opened up, depositing Emma there.

"Holy crap on a cracker," she uttered, as she joined her family.

"Who the hell is that?" Leo asked, as he and Elsa came through another portal.

"Calypso...also Johnny's mother," Snow told them.

"Well...she seems a lot different than the myths I read," Eva said, as a portal deposited her as well.

"She is...she is not a recluse waiting on an island for wayward sailors at all," Aphrodite replied.

"Wow…I guess one of the heads of these families being immortal makes sense," Summer said, as she was the final one to join them. Her tentacles whipped around and damaged the buildings around her, sending chunks of them flying and turning them into dangerous falling objects. Summer gasped and started putting as many of the falling pieces into bubbles as she could. But one large piece fell directly on the three heads of the families they had arrested, including Mr. Li, crushing them all. It was a gruesome end, but these three had probably ruined many lives and were all heartless and none would shed a tear.

"We need to shut this down quickly or there are going to be some innocent people that get hurt!" Emma called.

"Storm bubble...like we did with Seth!" Leo suggested.

"That's perfect!" Bobby said, as they prepared to isolate her and themselves inside a combination of their powers.

"She's flailing around too much for me to get a bubble around her!" Summer cried, as the Goddess continued her ballistic assault on the city.

"Leave that to me," Elsa said, as she created an icy path for herself and then used it like she was ice skating to get close enough to Calypso. She unleashed her powers and slid all the way around her, freezing her legs to the ground.

"You insolent brat!" Calypso cried, as she found herself immobile from the waist down. She slapped Elsa away with one of her tentacles and she went flying through the air.

"Elsa!" Leo cried, but Summer released a bubble and captured her safely inside, allowing her to float to safety.

"Thanks," Leo said in relief. Summer smiled at him.

"Okay...one big bubble coming up," she said, as she released one and encased her and all of them inside.

"What is this!?" Calypso growled, as she tried to burst through the bubble.

"Eye of the Storm," Bobby said.

"Eye of the Storm," his siblings agreed.

"I'll crush you all!" she threatened, as her tentacles snapped at them, trying to capture one of them in her coils. Snow aimed and fired an arrow, hitting her in the chest. She screeched in pain and plucked the arrow out of her chest, glaring down at her.

"You'll have to do better than that, fairest one," she hissed, but the arrow in her hand exploded and burned one tentacle very badly.

"Those exploding arrows were a really good idea," David said, as he put his arm around her.

"They were...Henry's love of comic books usually serves us well," she agreed, as Calypso looked at the damage done to her.

"You little bitch! If I wasn't hearing about the Goddess, Clayton was going on about you!" she raged, as she flailed her tentacles in their direction.

"You weren't even a Goddess...and he wanted you over me! I was just the convenient choice in case he couldn't use you or that blonde bimbo to have his spawn!" she hissed.

"I've cursed your name many times and now I'm going to squeeze the life out of you and make your beloved watch!" she growled, but Leo stepped in front of his parents.

"Nope…" he said, as he unleashed his powers, adding an electric layer to the barrier around them. There was a sharp gust of wind, as Eva added her pink colored magic to her twin's. Emma joined them, adding her white fire to the bubble around them.

"What do you brats think you're doing?!" she screamed.

"Oh, you're about to find out, Octopus breath," Bobby quipped, as he harnessed the power of the bubble and used his own power to shrink it down around them.

"You think this little bubble is going to destroy me?" she asked.

"No...but I am," Bobby replied, as his siblings and parents all put their hands on his shoulders, channeling their elements through him. His eyes glowed rainbow and he drew the power into a bright, multi colored ball. She barely had time to scream, as it hit her and they exited the bubble, before she was destroyed. When the explosion ceased and they lifted the shield, they saw that there was nothing left of her but ash. The damage to the city around them was done though, but four heads of these families had been taken out.

"Any idea where your General friend is?" David asked.

"Probably watching all this right now from a well insulated place. Getting to him will be the hardest, but four out of five tonight was quite a blow. The rest of them will be on high alert after this," Patricia replied.

"Then let's repair the damage and go home," Regina said, as she and Rumple assisted Emma and Bobby in repairing all the damage to the city that they could. Summer used her powers to help the water recede back into the ocean and David sheathed his sword.

"As usual...we make a pretty good team," Snow said. He smiled down at her and then kissed her tenderly.

"Only you two would make out after you drop four bodies," Goldie commented, as their lips parted.

"First of all, we didn't kill those three and Calypso would have killed us all, including you, unless we destroyed her first," David argued.

"Perhaps...but before you two and your magical brats came along, this land didn't have to deal with monsters like that. Something tells me that many would be happy to see you go and never come back," Goldie said, as they saw the army trucks arriving.

"We're helping free them from some very bad people. Maybe you could report the truth for once," Snow snapped.

"People they don't even know exist. You may think you're doing good, but that's not how a lot of people will see it. They didn't ask for a Savior. Maybe you two should stop forcing your kids to be those saviors," Goldie argued.

"Oh shut up, you two bit hack. Our parents don't force us to do anything," Bobby said, with irritation.

"Excuse me?" she questioned.

"You heard me. Find your own way back to Storybrooke," he said. Snow and David smirked, as they made their way through the portal, leaving her and Grimm behind.

"Oh I loathe them," Goldie growled.

"Come on, let's get back. I could only smuggle one bean out of the field without getting caught. We'll need to rent a car and drive back," he said.

"That's fine...we can podcast in the car," she replied.

~*~

"So all that crap and all that's in the jar is a rock?" Emma asked, as she shoveled onion rings in her face. It was late, but they were starving and Joe and Frankie insisted on cooking for them before they closed up, for which they were grateful.

"Yeah...but it's a cool rock. I think I'm gonna put it on a lanyard and wear it," Bobby said. Regina helped him out and attached it one for him with magic.

"Thanks Nana," he said, as he put it on, just as his parents exchanged a glance again.

"Okay you two...what do you know about this? I can tell there's something," Regina said.

"Well...we sort of had a vision when we got close to the jar and it glowed," Snow said.

"This thing doesn't even look like a jar," Leo commented, as he looked it over and inside.

"What did you see?" Summer asked.

"Our predecessors and their advisor," David revealed.

"Tao was his name," Aphrodite recalled. They nodded.

"Whatever this rock is...I think there is more to it," Snow said.

"And whatever secrets this thing has...apparently, it's in a book," David replied.

"Of course...it's always a book, isn't it?" Regina questioned.

"Do you think the people of Mu might know what it is?" Eva asked.

"It's worth a shot going and talking to Queen Nubia and then if they can tell us about this book, it will give Rose a bit more to go on," Natalie replied, as she examined the artifact. Bobby knew his Aunt loved artifacts like this.

"I think...this is a Pounama stone," she said.

"A what?" Bobby asked. She smiled.

"It's a durable stone, usually found in New Zealand and sometimes on other Pacific Islands. It wouldn't surprise me if they were common on Mu," Natalie replied.

"Cool...can I come with you when you go tomorrow?" Bobby asked.

"To see Zia?" Leo asked, as he nudged his baby brother.

"No…" Bobby protested, as all eyes looked at him.

"Maybe," he muttered and Snow smiled.

"Of course sweetie...but for now, I think we should all go home and get some sleep," Snow said.

"Uh there's more that went on while you were gone, but it can wait till morning. I'll tell you then," Emma said. They nodded and parted ways for the night.

~*~

The small private plane landed on the equally as private airstrip. Mendoza, in his full military uniform, complete with all his decorations as the three star General he was, stepped off and made his way inside the building where a car awaited him. He got in and nodded curtly to the woman there, drinking expensive wine. The car drove them to the undisclosed location where they would meet with the rest of the heads of their secret organization.

"Seven," she finally said.

"Ms. Blaine…" Mendoza started to say.

"Save it," she snapped.

"They have killed seven of us, including Ms. Stavros!" she hissed.

"Operations all over the world are on the verge of collapsing with this news! She took over for Clayton when he was killed. Without her...it's a serious blow!" she shouted.

"Relax…I have a plan," Mendoza insisted.

"Your last plan to lure them to Washington DC for ambush worked out splendidly," she pointed out.

"How was I supposed to know that Callista has really been the Goddess Calypso this whole time and allowed the lure of magic to play her hand too soon?" he snapped back and she was silent. That had been a surprise to all of them.

"The others are refusing to agree to anymore appearances. These two...and their children can kill Gods and Goddesses. They want a solution and I seriously hope you have one or you might join the others," she threatened.

"I do have a new plan. It will take time, but it's in the works," he said.

"It better be good," she said, as the car continued on. Once at the undisclosed location, he would reveal his plan…

~*~

Snow mewled, as he kissed her passionately, moving his lips over hers in a sensual rhythm. She felt boneless and sated after her husband made love to her. She sighed, as his lips trailed down her jawline and to her neck, giving her goosebumps all over.

"Charming…" she murmured, as he moved back up and kissed her lips again. Eventually, they settled down and she rested half atop him, as their legs remained entangled beneath the bedclothes. She rested against his chest and he gently stroked her naked back.

"It's good to be home," she said. He dropped a kiss to her hair.

"Definitely…I'll be glad when we don't have to leave. This is where we belong," he said.

"Mmm…I agree. We just keep running into monsters. Here and out there," she replied.

"I know...but I also know our love is always going to win out. I have faith," he assured her. She smiled and kissed him tenderly, while stroking his handsome face.

"Me too, my love," she agreed, as they settled down and sleep finally took them. Tomorrow was likely another busy day in their fight against the forces of darkness around them. But they would never hesitate to face it head on and knew love would always light the way...

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intelligentdumbass · 4 years

Text

The Walls Have Fallen

(Not sure what this is, I guess Pollo’s talking to himself? Pretty experimental)

If I sing, would anyone listen? Would anyone bother with a song of this god in a foolish war?

’You knew how everything would end.’

I always do.

‘Yet you still kept up the game of pretend’

What else would’ve I done? Would you have rather let them rot?!

‘But isn’t that exactly what you did? When your silver arrows pierced the heart of the Grecian camp?’

He refused Chrysies’ ransom!

‘That is not all, what of the things before it even began? Do you still remember your twin sister, upon seeing the army do her wrong, suggest on giving them an impossible task?’

I thought he wouldn’t dare! We thought he’d never agree to such an awful ask!

‘But he did; all for a change in the wind, but this is not all of what you immortals did. Don’t act like it never happened. You always remember, even if you wished to forget. It could’ve ended quicker, but it didn’t.’

But I did wish for that, for it to stop!

‘But you didn’t let it; you couldn’t’

That wasn’t my fault!

‘But not exempt from blame either; you lot never are. Even now you still smell the blood; hear their cries, and see the desperate look in their eyes, and by the reach of the tenth year, you were desperate too.

“Trojans!” you yelled “Rush on the foe; do not let yourselves be thus beaten by the Argives!” all the while as Pallas urged the Achaeans forward whenever she found them slacking.’

I know; it was foolish for me to hope.

‘Well, I suppose there was a brief point in the war, where both sides were glad, for they thought they could finally rest, when Paris declared,

“…Hector, your scorn is as sharp as an axe that a shipwright wields at work, and the rebuke is just. Still, do not taunt me with what the goddess of love has given me. If you would have me do battle with Menelaus, bid the Trojans and Achaeans take their seats; let the victor, who proves to be the better man, take the woman and all that she has, and the rest to swear to a solemn covenant of peace.”’

I remember that, that and so much more. You’re right; I haven’t forgotten anything at all. Oh, if only the peace Paris spoke of was meant to be!

The gods were sitting on their thrones and gazing down upon the earth.

“Well?” Zeus’ voice thundered across the halls. “We must consider what we shall do about all this; shall we set them fighting anew or make peace between them?”

Hera couldn’t contain herself. “Dreaded son of Cronus, is all my effort then, to result to nothing?”

He frowned. “My dear, what harm have Priam and his sons done that you are so hotly bent on sacking their city? Of all the inhabitants under the stars of heaven, there was none that I so much respected as Ilium with Priam and his whole people.”

“Some of my own favorite cities are Argos, Sparta, and Mycenae. Sack them whenever you are displeased with them. Even if I tried to stop you; I would gain nothing from it, for you are much stronger than I am, but I will not have my own work wasted.” Her voice was stern as they locked eyes. “I am a goddess of the same race as yourself, and am honorable not on this ground only, but also because I am your wife, and you are the king over the gods.”

She continued. “Let it be a case of give-and-take between us; the rest of the gods will follow our lead. Tell Athena to go and take part in the fight at once, and let the Trojans be the first to break their oaths.”

And Athena eagerly went, and Pandarus fired his bow in my name.

‘Why were you so silent?’

I was in Pergamus and there was nothing that I could’ve said to sway them.

Hera wouldn’t be the only one upset, some of the Greeks themselves would complain for their work to have been all for naught. They didn’t come here to toil for some woman they never met; they were here for the glory and the prizes that they would get. For those men, Helen was merely an excuse, to give reason for what they have done. It would also be easier then, for Agamemnon to quell everyone’s frustrations of having to fight for him, when they all get their large share of wealth.

‘Are you mad?’

…Not at my fellow immortals, no. They were only doing their job; they are their patrons after all.

‘But aren’t you as well?’

What of it?

‘Hah, I suppose you must’ve just loved the royal family that much.’

Oh fuck you.

‘Am I wrong? Want me to name them one by one?’

You know that’s not all it was, at least not just that type of love-

Apollo briefly snaps out of his internal monologue when Athena enters the room, but before she could say a word, the god was already gone. He now sits down on the ground, back leaning against one of the many oaks in the garden.

‘…Are you sure you’re not mad?’

I just need time for myself.

‘That’s what you’ve been saying for the past 4 months’

Okay fine, maybe a little bit, but I still try not to be. Even then, in the midst of the war, I tried not to fight them.

‘Like when Poseidon and Artemis insulted you and Hera hit your twin with her own bow?’

I meant when Athena and I were on good terms; proud of our men, and watching them duel while we were vultures perched on father’s high oak-

‘“Idiot, you have no sense, and forget how we two alone of all immortals fared hardly round about Ilium for Laomedon.”

“So you would fly Far-Darter, and hand victory over to Poseidon with a cheap vaunt to boot. Coward, why keep your bow thus idle?-”’

I’d have no respect for myself if I were to quarrel with them because of a pack of miserable mortals-

‘But you already have, and what good did it do you?-’

Ares fought to oppose Athena; Aphrodite intervened for Paris and Aeneas.

I cared for the whole of Troy.

I went before their horses to smooth the way, carrying the Aegis, the Achaeans were afraid. I gifted great strength to Hector, the shepherd of my people, as he gladly sped forward, killing all that stood in his way. I destroyed the Argives’ wall as easily as a child that kicks down a sandcastle on the beach.

Nothing escaped my gaze, for as long as they fought on the plains, Ilium’s walls stood tall, the Greeks frustrated and in a daze. Not even Patroclus could get in, as I beat the helmet off his head, and undid the fastenings of his corset, his shield falling down to the ground.

I was not helpless; I am not useless, and I do not regret a single act.

‘If you believe this to be so, then why do you feel the need to say all of this? Whom are you trying to convince?’

…who else?

I think the answer is obvious.

#Apollo #Iliad #Trojan war #greek gods #greek mythology #Not sure what i just did #soliloquy???#Well it is what it is #MyWritingShit #idk #experimental

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fugandhi · 4 years

Text

Why We Rise (A Meditation on Humanity)

by Adam Kenichi Wekarski

The time has come for me to write about Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy (and why it is the most important cinematic franchise of our time). *Please purchase & view the franchise in it’s entirety prior to reading this independent essay. Spoilers are No Fun for Anyone. SUPPORT The STORYTELLERS*

Although it’s a story derived from a comic book, this is not a movie franchise to be taken lightly (or for granted for that matter). Christopher Nolan’s film, “Memento” was the first work he had accomplished that I had ever seen (back in the Blockbuster days - ahem, VHS RULES!) and it is still spinnin’ my mind after all this time. Christopher Nolan ALWAYS delivers some form of ground-breaking excellence in his work - his ‘Dark Knight’ Franchise is no exception.

When one thinks of Batman, it’s very easy to consider the various forms (literature, animation, cinema, video games, etc) of said character (God Bless You, Adam West! R.I.P., Good Sir!). SO many INCREDIBLE & [BEYOND] TALENTED folks have, not only performed as the character, but have helped in shaping this character’s Monumental & Positive Imprint on contemporary society (worldwide).

I still believe Christian Bale is one of the most under-appreciated performers of our time. I first saw him in the Dark Comedy, “American Psycho” (DUDE! Holy Smack-a-RONi! Totally Bonkers & Viciously frightening). I still can’t believe he did not receive an Academy Award nomination for that performance (for shame, HollyWould). As much as I love Tim Robbins (SHAWSHANK, BaBY!), Christian Bale is one of the greatest actors of all time (100% WITHOUT A DOUBT). He plays Bruce Wayne PERFECTLY (TOTALLY the BEST Bruce Wayne OF ALL TIME! DONE! NO ARGUMENT! END-ALL-BE-ALL..”..Been there, Done that - got the album, Bought the Tee-shirt..NEXT” (Ricky Gervais, The Office [UK]). CHRISTIAN BALE DESERVED AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR “The Dark Knight Rises” - I’M SAYING IT - HE DID SUCH A PERFECT PERFORMANCE in (Yeah ALL Caps) this entire franchise. I need to address that because so many folks seemed to be swept-up in their own distractions as viewers (Yeah we get it, he disguised his voice with a growl - get over it, ya’ll). He seems to be a good person (‘seems’ being the operative word) & I’ve read about his efforts in his life off-screen (You are a Good Man, Sir) when the cameras are not around. I have a belief that it’s good for people to appreciate those ‘moments-of-truth’ more often (just one person’s opinion, take it or leave it).

Speaking of ‘moments-of-truth’ - This story (spanning across three EPIC films) is the ultimate moment-of-truth for Sir Christopher Nolan (Why Not?; He actually is CBE apparently; Respect) and his AMAZING Production TEAM’s collective efforts. So many people put their well-being on the line to make these stories happen (some even, their lives, Rest in Peace) and I believe this franchise deserves ALL of the Success & Recognition & Praise (and honestly, Time) for the awe-inspiring efforts put forth (in regards to cinematic storytelling). This is a franchise for the fans (due to how well it honors the source material & simultaneously manages to elevate the art-form).

Bruce Wayne is one of the most important modern characters of our time. Not since the days of Jesus Christ, himself, has there even been someone who sparked a universal impact (sorry ‘Supes’ - You & Ol’ ‘Batsy’ are Tied in my book) upon average people worldwide. Granted - Bruce Wayne is NO Jesus (there can only be one), however, his life’s journey is a true Test of Faith, which is a universal lesson that I firmly believe Jesus Christ was attempting to spread in his message of good faith towards one another.

Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale & Gus Lewis, respectively), as it is now [mostly known], was born an heir to The Wayne Family, an age-old empire in modern society (Gotham City, U.S.A.). In Christopher Nolan’s particular take on this (now-classic) SuperHero story - Reality is the cinematic setting.

“Batman Begins” is Nolan’s homage to Richard Donner’s “Superman”, having been THE standard for comic book movies (since the late 1970’s if I’m not mistaken). Having obviously been a fan of Donner’s work (Gee, who isn’t?) - it’s an obvious source-of-influence for the first installment in Christopher Nolan’s Perfect Epic.

When I had first discovered the news that Christopher Nolan was Warner Bros. Studios’ choice for a brand new Batman reboot - I have to admit I was VERY optimistic. After having seen “Memento”, and his work with that incredible team - I was very, very optimistic that for ONCE the Batman universe was going to be actually depicted like it is in the comic books (at least the ‘80s Batman Comics - Hello Dark & Gritty Vibes). Considering the mental intensity of “Memento” (and how linear-storytelling-need-not-apply) - I was absolutely curious to see how well the story would finally be done on-screen (with all due respect to Tim Burton & Joel Schumacher & All previous efforts achieved in the known story-telling community). After all is said and done, this franchise is a ‘Grand Slam’.

Christopher Nolan’s version of Milton “Bill” Finger’s (Bob Kane took all of the credit for Bill’s work; for shame) story of Bruce Wayne/Batman is the most inspiring work I’ve seen achieved on the concept (and characters) to this day. With the initial tone set in the first film - we find a young Bruce Wayne as a child - simply playing in the Wayne family’s garden with his best (& childhood) friend (and one of the most important characters in the franchise): Rachel Dawes (played by Katie Holmes, Emma Lockhart, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, respectively). Bruce & Rachel establish the innocence of childhood (and of our main protagonist) with the playful phrase, “Finders Keepers” which is followed by young Bruce falling into an old dried-out well (which then traps him into a slight crevice, filled with Bats).

As we discover in this story, the symbol of Batman has a rather deeper meaning to Bruce Wayne than what had been initially expected (unless if you’re a fan of the comics). When the first film starts to take form, we find Bruce Wayne lost in the depths of ‘hell’ as an adult man. Having been an heir to a Family’s Kingdom (so-to-speak), Bruce Wayne had lost his Mother & Father; Martha & Thomas Wayne (SUCH Good People) at a tragically-early age, having their lives taken by a lost soul in the dark of night (a reality known, all-too-well, by our own collective experiences as a contemporary society).

Martha & Thomas Wayne establish the core values that help shape Bruce Wayne as an Individual. Their Leadership, their knowledge, their wisdom, their love (their faith). All of their finest attributes shine a light on how the community - the city of Gotham (and their actions as people) help shape said community. Without their Faith, Bruce Wayne’s immediate world probably wouldn’t have even been established for him (perhaps). It is that faith that is the driving force of this franchise, and the greatest tragedy of this film is, indeed, the blatant & cold-blooded murder of Martha & Thomas Wayne. Ya know, they were really good people in terms of their contributions to their household & community & their lives, and they truly cared about their impact on the world (in a greater sense).

With such care, they made important choices (that had an effect on everyone in Gotham, regardless of outlook). Choices that made a necessary difference in, not only their home, but in their overall world. Gotham may be fictional, but I will let the fantasy play and I will acknowledge the tremendous amount of detail put into these stories that went unnoticed in the initial ‘life’ of this franchise’s release. Having said that - Unless if memory serves inaccurate, this film received a lot of unwarranted criticism for the realistic depiction of modern violence (due to the UNGodly public shooting(s) that have been taking place in our country; I acknowledge the real-life tragedies, but also acknowledge the importance of artistic vision). I say unwarranted due to the fact that Christopher Nolan managed to hold up a mirror and we need to pay close attention (and look beyond the glamour & simulated violence), and this was accomplished well-before Todd Phillips’ incredible film “Joker” had been produced (which drew plenty of inspiration from Nolan’s signature style and Heath Ledger’s actual development of said character; Joker’s Journal).

At the core of this story is Faith.

Faith is what was instilled in Martha & Thomas Wayne (and their lessons with Bruce as a boy). Alfred Pennyworth (played Beautifully by Sir Michael Caine in a Nomination-worthy performance for Best Supporting Actor in my humble opinion) is the reinforcement to protect the Wayne Family’s Honor & Good Name. On the surface, Mr. Pennyworth is Bruce Wayne’s Butler, however, when he’s not maintaining the Wayne fortune, he is ‘the guiding light’ (no pun intended) in Bruce Wayne’s Journey (despite the efforts of various opposition). While Rutger Hauer (rest his soul; “BLIND FURY”!!! YES!) had set the tone for what was to come later in young Bruce Wayne’s life (at the funeral for Martha & Thomas Wayne) - it becomes abundantly clear that Bruce Wayne has quite the journey ahead of him in his life (with plenty of whom have pre-developed plans & agendas to seize Wayne Enterprises for their own gain).

Bruce Wayne, born of a Mother & Father, heir to “the throne” (as it were), and thriving billionaire, one day decides to leave it all behind. It’s a moment of internal crisis for our protagonist due to the severely traumatic act of witnessing the death of his own parents (while almost being murdered himself). I know a lot of people think Kal-El (aka ‘Superman’, aka ‘Clark Kent’) is the end-all be-all of Superheroes (myself included), however, after a retrospective look back at Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy it becomes abundantly clear just how much credit this franchise did NOT receive from the critics & the artistic community (Hi, Academy. I’m lookin’ at ya’ll). Despite the worldwide acclaim, I believe this franchise was well ahead of it’s time in terms of the most important aspect of the entire achievement - The Story.

This is a franchise fully-devoted to the story and that is a significant contributor to the success of this version of Batman. I grew up watching old reruns on TV of Adam West & Burt Ward going around and ‘CLEANING-SOME-CLOCKS’ as it were (POW! ZAM! KLAM! CHOWDAH!), and I always hold that version near-and-dear to my heart because I still think the early 1960’s version of Batman was really fun & really awesome & an absolute delight. Plain & simple. ..Granted - as time continued and the characterization of Bruce Wayne (and his alter-ego “Batman”; His Armor; His Protective Shield) had advanced & developed into a new ground (conceptually-speaking). The core values of who Bruce Wayne is, where he comes from, and Why he does [what he does] did not truly become profoundly-realized for me until I’d say when the Animated series (1990’s! DUDE still one of the best Animated Series I’ve ever seen; like ‘a fine wine of cartoons’). “The Mask of The Phantasm” is still one of the best Batman stories I’ve ever seen - Such an incredible origin story for Bruce Wayne - and definitely one of the best animated, full-length features I had ever seen as a kid (Not to discount Tim Burton’s gothic-induced-dream-like version of the knight’s tale).

With Christopher Nolan’s contribution to the overall storyline of Batman - we truly have a Masterpiece Trilogy before us (as audience members). Nolan’s take on Batman is truly like no other (even surpassing efforts that preceded the franchise) in that he actually provides a glimpse into what it would look like if the fantasy actually became a reality. Christopher Nolan achieves that goal (Ten-fold) with this trilogy.

In the first film - what we know about Batman becomes hyper-realized with the emphasis on Bruce Wayne’s life in modern-day America (Gotham City being the quintessential metropolitan All-American city). An America that has succumbed to an overall tone of darkness & hopelessness (with the reality of tangible corruption & streets of truly deadly conditions) which has reached a pinnacle-of-suffering for the good people of Gotham (and perhaps, rippled outward into the rest of the world).

Jim Gordon (played PERFECTLY by Gary Oldman, one of the finest performing actors ever to be on screen), a symbol of Gotham’s defeated Law Enforcement, patrols the streets of Gotham City each night. Jim Gordon is one of the key individuals that Bruce Wayne reaches out towards (in his pre-Knight regalia) in the first stages of ‘Batman Begins’. Jim Gordon was the person who wrapped the coat around (a young) Bruce Wayne’s shoulders after his parents had been needlessly-murdered right before his very eyes. Jim Gordon was the one who kneeled to Bruce’s level, acknowledged his loss, and gave him that moment of kindness & warmth & honest-to-God decency. He acknowledged Bruce’s sorrow & loss with grace. He gave him a moment of simple human decency & kindness for the sake of kindness itself.

Jim Gordon’s kind gesture is merely a moment in time, which made all the difference for a young kid who just needed someone to simply be there for him. A moment that showed Bruce Wayne that Goodness & Human Decency can & does still exist in the world despite a traumatically-life-changing tragedy. Jim Gordon’s simple, nearly effortless act, is a sign that people Do honor good faith (and people who truly deserve it) and the good Do get rewarded.

I really like the character Bruce Wayne. I think he’s a better character than most that I’ve ever seen, especially since he actually has character. It’s a shame that people can not see beyond the surface to find the deeper meaning of this story. Bruce Wayne’s [incredible] journey takes place all over the world. When we find him in ‘..Begins’, he is locked up in the ominous mountains of Bhutan. His home now a desolate wasteland of an existence due to his loss. His tragedy (despite Jim Gordon’s act of kindness) had lead him astray and brought him across the other part of the world (only to discover what it truly means to suffer in poverty & hunger & pain & strife & darkness without any means of comfort). As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Bruce’s path is the ‘path-of-most-resistance.’ Rather than succumb to a frivolous, meaningless, and hollow existence - Bruce Wayne took the path rarely taken. He chose his own path, to earn his own personal truth, his own story to be lived & known (and eventually discovered by Gotham City).

When Bruce meets an unusual individual by the name of ‘Ducard’ (aka Ra’s al Ghul; aka Liam Neeson; Also played simultaneously by the honorable Ken Watanabe, respectively) in his own ‘personal hell’, Ducard feeds into Bruce’s fall from the path of grace (and his spiritual confusion). Ra’s al Ghul/Ducard is only interested in one thing: controlling Bruce Wayne. As Ra’s al Ghul is the quintessential ‘Handler’, or ‘Hypnotist’ of Bruce Wayne in the training period for Bruce Wayne’s spiritual journey - it becomes evident with each effort from Wayne that Ra’s al Ghul represents The Devil (aka ‘The Prince of Darkness’, ‘Satan’, ‘Lucifer’; The ‘Shadow Side’ of Saturn; See “Yikes!”; See “YOWZA”; See “Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife”; No Disrespect To The Coven; See Not My Lord; See God Protect Me).

From the moment we first-see Ra’s al Ghul - he is shrouded in darkness - lurking in the shadows within each unseen corner of the world - the proverbial serpent of the shadows (so-to-say). In a manner of speaking, Ra’s al Ghul is merely one of many faces throughout the story that showcase the forces of darkness in this particular cinematic legacy (from the depths of darkness, here to possess the living). Ra’s al Ghul attempts to indoctrinate Bruce Wayne (in Bad Faith) in the Bhutanese abyss; a wasteland for the damned (and where the death of hope thrives amidst the stone-prison-walls). Despite Ra’s al Ghul’s efforts - Bruce Wayne not only proves to be the most-prominent under-study of the cult (while being initiated into a secret society; a clandestine fraternity; a subversive order of assassins following an ancient practice (unknown & unseen by the blissful light of day).

Bruce Wayne’s prominence during his training cycle with ‘The League of Shadows’ (an appropriate title) shows us that he surpasses even Ra’s al Ghul’s expectations: showing how the student becomes the teacher (by upholding an authentic approach to having a Personal Moral Code & Justice & Ethical Values). Bruce Wayne is not only faster, stronger, and smarter than Ra’s al Ghul - Bruce Wayne is also wiser. Due to Wayne’s parents (and his friendships) he truly is ‘the shining example’ of true justice that Ra’s al Ghul has yet to achieve in life (due to his obsessive wrath).

Having destroyed the League of Shadows’ initiation grounds & temple of darkness - Bruce Wayne LITERALLY SAVES RA’S AL GHUL’S LIFE. ‘True Colors’ does not even begin to define such a moment for our protagonist (that’s a true sign of Mercy).

Despite Bruce Wayne saving Ra’s al Ghul’s life, afterwards the dude STILL tries to come back and kill Bruce AND Gotham City (Showing how The Devil has No Mercy for Anything, Anyone, or Anywhere and is just flat-out unwilling to acknowledge when something good actually does happen). Granted, at the end of “Batman Begins” we discover how Martha and Thomas Wayne were murdered as a direct result of Ra’s al Ghul & The League of Shadows (and their hatred for all things Gotham City & Western Civilization). It’s a diabolical reveal that the devil holds nothing sacred in the sanctity of human life. The devil will literally kill an angel after having been saved by said angel. In fact, Bruce Wayne’s own personal brush with death is (tragically) a common concern of not only Alfred, but Lucius Fox (played exquisitely by one Morgan Freeman), a former Board-Member & former colleague of Thomas Wayne (prior to his passing).

Bruce shows us that good people typically make a lot of good friends and have good people looking out for one’s best interest (no matter their walk of life). The most awe-inspiring truth of Bruce Wayne/Batman is that his ‘best interest’ is preserving & honoring the good faith of his community and the people in his life (including his ancestors, mind-you, as well as the herculean guidance of one Alfred Pennyworth). Without friends - life goes nowhere - that’s a universal truth. Bruce Wayne nearly died so many times in this trilogy and I don’t think people appreciate that aspect of these movies. This is an individual who literally put his life on the line to save the soul of the city he loves (wanting nothing other than a good, normal, & happy life). I know people only fixate on ‘the How’, but I think ‘the Why’ is the most important element of Bruce Wayne’s fictional example.

Bruce Wayne (as all of us) exists for a reason. His life (albeit fictional) does have an important purpose in the grand scheme of things (as one puts it).

Of course, this reason is emphasized (more & more) by his best friend, Rachel Dawes (among others). It’s a shame that Katie Holmes did not portray Rachel Dawes in both of the first two films, however, I found it to be very impressive [just] how smoothly Maggie Gyllenhaal performed as the character. It’s one of the rare instances in which a character is portrayed by two different performers who both managed to bring an equal amount of dignity & respect to said character. Katie Holmes & Maggie Gyllenhaal should both be applauded for their contributions & performance(s) as the grown-up portrayal of Rachel Dawes.

Rachel Dawes is the positive-female-influence in Bruce Wayne’s life (complimentary to that of Alfred Pennyworth’s positive-male-influence; or non-gender-specific-neutral-influence? Sure, why not) that is necessary to develop his respect & honor towards women (which is a necessary element of chivalry). Chivalry is not dead in America: The examples set before us can be found within our own real-life society (I shall go into that more later..).

More important than Rachel Dawes’ positive influence on Bruce Wayne is her genuine friendship (since their childhood). Rachel is not interested in taking advantage of Bruce or using him for her own personal gain. Rachel Dawes genuinely cares about Bruce Wayne and how well the quality of his life (as well as the life of the community) have grown. Rachel Dawes shows Bruce what is occurring in the streets of Gotham on a daily basis. Rachel is living, breathing, working, and seeing what has become of Gotham City - a limping giant of a once-prominent-city (Modern-Day America in a nutshell). Rachel Dawes reminds Bruce Wayne of the importance of Good People Taking Ownership of One’s Community. She reminds him that life is not only about one’s own personal pain, but alas, the collective pain of which a community must endure & resolve (as a said community) with good faith; “It’s not about who you are underneath, it’s what you do that defines you.”

In the second act of Nolan’s Cinematic Epic, “The Dark Knight” - Bruce Wayne encounters the tangible result of Newton’s Third Law: for every action there is an equal (or greater) reaction; hence ‘The Joker’ (played enormously by the late Heath Ledger; Rest in Peace).

The Joker is the response to Bruce Wayne’s actions in the first act, and in every way, he is Bruce Wayne’s exact opposite (albeit opposites, their life paths are balancing on the same proverbial axis of existence). Bruce Wayne is a reflection of light while The Joker is a product of darkness (Negative Energy, Pessimism, Hate, Evil, Unhappiness, Pain, Suffering, Misery, Torment, Violence, & Trauma). While Batman is the answer to corrupt forces in Gotham City - The Joker is the reaction to The Bat-Man.

The Joker is the continuation of opposing forces attempting to infiltrate Bruce Wayne’s life & community (as would a specter in the shadows, a spider in the darkest reaches of lunacy; a.k.a. the absence of faith, the inversion of angels; i.e. Demons, Demonic Entities, Dark Deities, etc). The Joker represents everything evil in society - everything sick, everything sad, everything hurt. To The Joker (and the fools before him) - society is an infestation, a plague, a result of toxicity & corruption (especially the light of which darkness cannot fathom). Batman is the antithesis to Joker’s Chaos. Batman is the collective honor & balance of civility & justice & good faith quantified into one symbolic rogue.

Heath Ledger’s performance of Joker was nothing short of awe-inspiring artistry & workmanship (WorkPERSONship?). His passing was a needless tragedy and although his performance garnered him numerous accolades - I wish he did not have to die in order to attain it (It should have been him accepting the award - it should have been him). Without a doubt, an equal to Joaquin Phoenix’s performance (if not Superior) - I still acknowledge Heath Ledger’s ground-breaking performance as a perfect triumph of Acting (although I think the character is absolutely distorted on all accounts; despite Joker’s persuasive wit).

Many people like to compare Joaquin Phoenix & Heath Ledger’s performance(s) as The Joker (folks compare everything in life), and I think both performances stand strongly on equal ground. Total Perfection. No doubt about it - and one kinda goes with the other if you were to align the vision side-by-side. Of course I love me some Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton’s “Batman” - I think he gave an undeniably frightening & charismatic performance just as Ledger & Phoenix (proof of the character’s universal & artistic appeal). Although Heath Ledger’s performance shall always be praised as a definitive milestone in Acting on Film - I still think the character is a twisted f**k (pardon my American).

Not only does Joker attempt to destroy Bruce Wayne’s personal Faith, but also everyone he cares about in his life, and everyone in the entire city of Gotham, USA. The pitiful tragedy of Joker’s existence is the sad truth that he lacks good faith in not only himself, but the people of Gotham, and the one individual who is genuinely trying to make a good difference in the world: Bruce Wayne.

It is a tragedy & a disgrace to humankind that Rachel Dawes & Harvey Dent (played by the Always-Excellent Aaron Eckhart) died in vain (as Thomas & Martha before them). It’s a sin that the Joker did what he did to everyone in Gotham City. It’s unGodly that so many human beings had to lose their lives, needlessly, just because of one individual’s own loss of innocence, and more specific, his loss of personal faith in his life (and in the world, of which, we live). The reason why Joker is dangerous is because he is the quintessential ‘mass shooter.’ He is the terrorist. He is the result of a society that has forgotten him. He is the reason why so many people struggle & suffer in contemporary society - not because he caused it, but because he fed into it - preying on the life force of humanity & destroying the efforts of truly good people who kept striving to save the soul of humanity (within the framework of a struggling eco-system).

If Bruce Wayne did not have friends he would have been dead in the first act of the story - that is a fact. When Dr. Jonathan (Not ‘Frasier’) Crane (aka ‘The Scarecrow’) had attacked Batman (in ‘Begins’) with the weaponized hallucinogens, Bruce Wayne was almost killed. If it was not for Alfred Pennyworth & Lucius Fox, Bruce would have been dead in the streets of Gotham. The consistent importance of Friendship is quite evident when thinking of Bruce Wayne’s network of acquaintances (both in ‘high’ & ‘low’ places) in the city of Gotham. This also applies in the opposite, with Bruce becoming an important (and powerful) friend to certain individuals of Gotham City (in return).

Friendship is a universal quality of humanity that should be cherished & honored. Friendship, like everything, requires effort. Bruce Wayne’s life requires effort even though he is a “billionaire playboy” - he still has struggles just like anyone else, and he shares the struggle with his friends (since they became a sort of surrogate family; more like extended-family; legal & spiritual guardians). Bruce Wayne is a fictional example that no one is free from life’s struggle and life’s personal challenges & lessons (no matter the ‘advantages’ or ‘upbringing’). It’s a sign of brilliance on behalf of the conceptual team behind the vision of The Dark Knight Trilogy. I know a lot of people focus on the action sequences and the drama of the theatrical dance of Light & Dark play out on screen in the form of the Batman & the Joker, but beneath the surface is a sincere sociological & political commentary (and spiritual message).

The Light & The Dark (i.e. Positive & Negative, God & Lucifer, Heaven & Hell, Angels & Demons, the Good & the Bad vibes, The Upward Infinity & The Downward Spiral, etc, etc, etc): it is at the fundamental core of our collective balance of existence; Life as we know it to be. It is my humble understanding that the eternal balance is a necessary process, it requires effort on both sides. Both Light & Dark must cooperate to preserve the equinox-of-existence (just one person’s opinion based off of observation & objective analysis, take it or leave it).

The death of Bruce Wayne’s best friend, Rachel Dawes, was not only a tragedy in Bruce’s life, it was a tragedy for innocence. She was so angelic & kind & giving & honorable & brave - her Faith is what helped Bruce remember his childhood innocence (before he was robbed of said innocence), and her last words (which were concealed from Bruce due to desperate-times-call-for-desperate-measures; see Alfred Pennyworth), she continued to spread the message of Good Faith in Humanity despite the fact that she was needlessly murdered. A defining attribute of Rachel Dawes’ character is one-in-the-same as Martha and Thomas Wayne - the Belief & Faith in Humanity despite the monumental heartache & loss (and yes, trauma & death).

If one recalls the time in the first act when Alfred was bringing Bruce Wayne back from the mountains of Bhutan - Alfred briefly mentions how Bruce Wayne’s ancestors’ tireless efforts to keep their community alive (even at the worst of times) nearly made them bankrupt. It was their tireless dedication (their faith) that paved the way to set a foundation for future generations to prosper (while honoring the efforts of said ancestors). Although their example did not improve Gotham’s economic prosperity overnight, the murder of Martha & Thomas Wayne set the wealthy of Gotham into action (as the story goes).

Bruce Wayne comes from a long lineage of helpers. Helpful People who are Good. People who want to see the best results out of humanity’s efforts (as a whole). People who believe in the power of the individual, and the social end-result of one individual’s tireless faith (and life choices).

Although Bruce Wayne’s ancestors are not the focal point of Batman, they are his bloodline & family’s history which in it’s own right deserves to be honored & respected (I know this is a fictional character, but roll with me here, people HahaHA).

Yes, “The Dark Knight” consists of nothing short of complete Mayhem, and YES, The Joker may make ya pee a little bit (just a little), and maybe even laugh (the writing is pretty damn genius in my humble opinion). I acknowledge that “The Dark Knight” should have been nominated for Best Picture (Double that for “The Dark Knight Rises”), and I acknowledge that Christian Bale should have been nominated for Best Actor his final performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman (I think he was snubbed, but hey I’m not in the Academy, so what do I know, right? HahaHA).

Speaking of “The Dark Knight Rises”, I still believe it’s the best Batman movie of all time. I understand (and have heard) many folks say “The Dark Knight” was a better movie, however, I believe (on the contrary) that not only is the third act of Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece a testament of cinematic storytelling - it is a testament to just how AWESOME we are when we perform at our best. When we work together, we are at our best (as a country, and as a people).

“The Dark Knight Rises”, at it’s core, is a cyclical nod to everything that was established in the first act of the trilogy (a perfect Full Circle), and of course, is the conclusion of Batman. Every lesson in Bruce Wayne’s life, every struggle, every enemy, every friend - every aspect of Bruce Wayne’s life is interwoven with Gotham City (and the people of Gotham) as he & his friends defend Gotham City (and everyone in it). In “The Dark Knight Rises”, Bruce Wayne has become a Hermit; locked away, half man, half mythos, in an air of mystery & fascination (among the ones who still speak of the elusive figure; a fading memory of a silent guardian). And as a hermit, Bruce has become deeply reclusive due to the Joker’s killing spree in Gotham City nearly a decade prior (while exploiting the sick minds & lost souls who stand for nothing [and truly fall for anything]).

While an average person would possibly accept Bruce Wayne’s physically-defeated, emotionally-scarred, and spiritually-damaged condition - Alfred Pennyworth (God Bless ‘em) does what any individual of Good Faith would do - he encourages Bruce. He sees Bruce as a human being, not as a symbol. He cares about Bruce Wayne’s life, his well-being, his overall fulfillment, and Bruce’s personal happiness. He chose to honor the pact he made with Thomas Wayne to protect the family fortune (most importantly, Bruce). Alfred Pennyworth has his own fascinating & rich history from his own backstory (having been a soldier in his younger years). Fact of the matter is, Alfred never stopped being a soldier at heart. He is True Blue; a true man of the cause; a true Englishman, a true American, and overall a true HUMAN BEING. He is a True Believer of preserving all that is sacred & righteous in our world. He is a Saint and he is a blessing (in contrast to Ra’s al Ghul’s curse-like presence; working in Bad Faith; a destructive force; almost the polar opposite of Alfred).

One thing I love about the final film in Nolan’s titanic, artistic, commercial, & cinematic effort is just how well the Production had managed to pull off the third act (having so many characters and SO much exposition) especially considering the factors that most wouldn’t even consider (i.e. Budget, Lights, Sound, Wardrobe, Set Design, making sure everyone’s hitting their marks, making sure all the stunt-work is safe, making sure it’s all coordinated to the “T” - the amount of brain-storming, conceptualization, the marketing, the pre-production, the principal photography, the post-production, etc etc etc). Movies that require so much of the cast & crew do not always work well, but Warner Bros. & Nolan’s Team somehow managed to actually pull it off. They did what no one else could do - they made Batman real. Christian Bale made Bruce Wayne real. He made Bruce Wayne truly Human (even if just for a moment).

In this day & age (with everything that just happened very recently in our very own United States of America) - one could find a jaw-dropping parallel to what happened when ‘Bane’ came to Gotham City (played ferociously by the envelope-pushing Tom Hardy; see “Bronson”, so gnarly) to what had happened to our own U.S. Capitol.

Bane is the darkness (cloaked with brute force) that feeds off of the fear of humanity. Bane is a product of The League of Shadows (with Hardy’s vocal performance being a nod to UK & Ireland Bare-Knuckle-Boxing Champion, Bartley “King of The Gypsies” Gorman), and was actually ex-communicated from the league (so the story goes) by Ra’s al Ghul (himself). Word around the campfire is that Bane is a force of nature (more destructive than known before) and will stop at nothing to ‘fulfill the destiny of Ra’s al Ghul.’ Bane is a result of fringe-Cult-Mind-Control-Indoctrination (a life devoid of pure faith & free-will entirely; typically due to some possible form of sincere trauma and/or loss and governing authority; aka The Darkness).

The legend of Bane is more rumor than fact. He is just as elusive as Batman, and just as evil as Joker (if not more). Bane’s physicality brings Bruce Wayne to his knees in the third act of Nolan’s 3-piece work-of-art, while also providing all of the intellectually-driven rationale (totally psychotic) behind his Madness & Apocalyptic ambitions. Bane is a real-life-threat to Bruce Wayne & Gotham City (and The American Way). Bane represents the overall threat to our way of life (as a humanity). Bane is everything wrong with world leaders & corrupt forces (cultivated into the most toxic physical form); like a deranged & disfigured Churchill who lumbers about (as a lion in a den) in the underground infrastructure of Gotham City’s sewage system (almost as a warped, drug-induced, Shakespearean Emperor). Bane is a deadly force of nature, fueled entirely by the sickness of bad faith; coerced into his own psychosis by probably the most complex & frightening character of the entire series - Talia al Ghul (a.k.a. ‘Miranda Tate’, played unnervingly-well by one Marion Cotillard [the child played by Joey King, respectively]; her performance sends chills up the spine upon numerous viewings).

While introducing Batman & Gotham’s new enemies, some of Bruce’s new friends in the final (and most epic) installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman storyline are Officer [Robin] John Blake (played exceptionally by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and a Wild-Card-Femme-Fatale character by the name of Selina Kyle (a.k.a. ‘Catwoman’, performed very well by Anne Hathaway). Joseph Gordon-Levitt shines as young Patrol Officer Blake - also having been an orphan, like Bruce Wayne, and a true believer in the purpose of Bruce Wayne (Batman) in Gotham City. Unlike Bruce, however, Robin is not a billionaire & Robin was not born into a life of privilege. Despite his brief backstory, Robin Blake, like Bruce Wayne, has Faith in Humanity. It’s why he puts on the uniform (speculative subtext). He does not have the luxury to become Batman, so just as Jim Gordon does - He works with what is given to him. He applies himself within the structure already established within Gotham (despite the restrictions & limitations of said structures of society). He, like ‘Serpico’ before him (see Al Pacino) is a regular Cop who just wants to do what the Law is supposed to do: To Protect & To Serve the good people of Gotham City.

Selina Kyle, on the other hand, is on a path between The Light & The Dark (on a sort of ‘spiritual tight-rope’ between the two paths). Selina’s life path is one of constant survival and constant running. As a ‘Cat Burglar’, Selina Kyle is a flat-out Crook. Her tough exterior conceals what truly is underneath her mask - a person who, too, has faith in humanity (proof that the ones who wander are not lost). Unfortunately for Bruce Wayne, as previously-mentioned, ‘Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures’ - and Selina Kyle’s desperation put Bruce directly into the hands of Bane & The League of Shadows (at a truly disturbing moment in the film). While forces of The League of Shadows’ (combined with a few of Wayne Enterprises’ own ‘bad seeds’, i.e. Daggett, Stryver, etc) disseminate chaos throughout the plot of “The Dark Knight Rises” (by destroying the city of Gotham and exiling Bruce Wayne across the world into a pit of hell) - all of the friends Bruce Wayne has made start to band together to organize a resistance with the surviving members of local (and once-established) authorities. The honor, the people, the community of Gotham City, and the overall driving spirit - the collective faith of the city (as a whole) had been damn-near destroyed entirely in this film. The resistance was born from those of whom are still faithful to their city and the rights of every individual who resides within.

Between the clandestine operations of Robin & his fellow law enforcement officers (all trapped underneath Gotham due to The League’s devastating terrorist attack), the United States Federal Government (and necessary agencies) & Wayne Enterprises (with ‘Miranda Tate’, Lucius Fox, etc), and the awe-inspiring action-sequences in this grand finale - there is no denial that the final installment of The Dark Knight Trilogy is the most realistic & visceral revolutionary epic set in modern-day America. It’s funny when one stops to think that this was all originally based off of a comic book character published by Detective Comics in the late 1930’s. It’s astonishing to think of just how far this fantasy story has evolved throughout the years.

Bruce Wayne is more than a comic book character. Bruce Wayne is a symbol of humanity. That is his ‘superpower’ - his Humanity. He is more than just a person fighting crime to honor his family’s faith & heritage - he is honoring the faith of humanity as it stands today. After all of the corruption & loss & trauma - Bruce Wayne never lost faith in what we have in life (even after losing so many loved ones and frequently having his own life in harm’s way). As he strives to defeat the darkness of Gotham (by striking fear into the hearts of those who prey upon the fearful), the force of darkness continues to rise to attempt to destroy & defeat The Light (Futility at it’s finest).

The greatest villain of all, Batman’s most incredible threat throughout the entire trilogy is actually Talia Al Ghul (Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter & heir to The League of Shadows; the true leader of the cult). She is the one who almost destroys Gotham City (if it wasn’t for Bruce Wayne and everyone who stepped up to do what was right to defend the city).

Although Talia does not fight Batman physically - she is the only villain who ever slept with Batman & exploited him with complete intimacy (seducing Bruce Wayne in a seemingly romantic moment in the film). Talia (still known as “Miranda” by this point in the story), appears innocent & sweet upon first glance, however with multiple viewings of the film, one begins to understand the disturbing nature of what Miranda/Talia is and is Not saying in Bruce Wayne’s presence (a brief glimmer of her spiritual void). Talia al Ghul truly is Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter and her light has been completely stamped out by the fact that she, not Bane, was the one who came out from the pit of hell (as it is revealed in the climax of this epic conclusion). The Devil lurks in many forms - in this particular case, Talia al Ghul displays the darkness as it exists in feminine form. Marion Cotillard was the most over-looked performance of the series (in my personal opinion) and I think as much as Tom Hardy does not get enough credit for his, at times, somewhat Macbethian performance (albeit not as flamboyant as Joker, but even more deadly) - I believe Talia al Ghul is the greatest threat to Gotham City in this trilogy (sorry, fellas).

While magnifying the character of Talia al Ghul, one must acknowledge her natural ability to be a ‘Wolf-in-Sheep’s-Clothing.’ She is the deadliest threat to Humanity due to her belief in a necessary demise of Gotham (seeing Gotham City as a hotbed of hypocrisy & imperialism). Talia al Ghul has no problem burning the barrel over a few bad apples (if that makes sense). While Talia is the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, she was also simultaneously dictating every strategy for The League of Shadows behind closed doors. She is the ‘Queen’, ‘The Head of The Serpent’, The Leader of ‘The Hive.’ She is the quintessential ‘Wicked Witch’, The ‘Bad Girl’, the ‘Goddess’, Kali, Baphomet, etc etc etc). She is an individual, born into a pit of darkness, and exposed to a potentially-life-shattering amount of trauma (based off of the staggering display of complete psychosis; albeit tremendously stealthy & downplayed under her facade of congeniality).

Talia al Ghul is the mastermind who inherited the crown from Ra’s al Ghul’s ‘throne’ (if that makes sense). She is a product of trauma, suffering, & loneliness, but more importantly, a severely sick individual who needs some serious mental & emotional help (more than Joker & Harley Quinn combined) and is the deadliest foe of all (due to her intellect & internalized rage & female fury & her knowledge of all things Gotham & Bruce Wayne/Batman). Talia al Ghul, like Batman, is a force of nature; especially due to her complete cutthroat tactics and inversion of personal Faith in Humanity. Talia al Ghul initially comes across as a meek & angelic person, responsible for the credibility & success of Wayne Enterprises. Her entire life, however, has been dedicated towards the infiltration of Gotham City, USA, and she is the only character in the film who is truly superior to Bruce Wayne in terms of sheer will-power (He caught up to her in the end though). What saves Bruce Wayne is his network of friends (Alfred, Jim Gordon, Lucius, Robin, Selina, etc), in addition to his mind, body, & spirit (once they attain alignment).

I don’t know what others have said, but I think Robin & Catwoman were actually done brilliantly in “The Dark Knight Rises.” Robin was a pleasant surprise for me as a viewer (truth be told; although I thought Ryan Gosling (GOS!) would have made an amazing Robin in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’; much respect for Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and Selina Kyle/Catwoman is fascinating due to her being the wild card of the last film (that truly helped level the playing-field; Girl-Power).

Catwoman, unlike Batman & Robin, is a big question mark throughout the majority of the last film. Her presence is just as elusive & threatening as Talia’s, however, Catwoman (unlike Talia al Ghul), underneath it all, is a Good Person trapped in a bad situation. That is a common thread in this storyline - Good people being in bad places (i.e. Jim Gordon, Lucius Fox, Rachel Dawes, Harvey Dent, etc). On the flip side of the coin - there are plenty of bad folks in good places amidst Gotham’s corrupt forces (i.e. Dr. Crane/Scarecrow, Carmine Falcone, Judge Faden, Detective Ramirez, Detective Wuertz, etc). It’s a reality known all too well in our modern society.

When one observes the overall arc of Bruce Wayne’s transformational life experiences in Nolan’s Comic Book Epic - I have to reiterate the notion of duality consistently interwoven within each one of these films. Light & Dark - Good & Evil - Positive & Negative - the eternal dance - it is the driving force of this franchise (as Bruce is the quintessential “Light Worker” - not that I’m soliciting ‘New Age’ [or ‘Old Age’ for that matter] ideologies, just a matter-of-saying). Bruce Wayne symbolizes The Light of God found in human form (at the very core and most-primary form of what Natives call, “The Great Spirit”, respectively), of which must seize the day to tame the night. Bruce is the epitome of a Capricorn/Aquarius cusp (Western Astrology/Zodiac) - in full force - bringing the water to those who are thirsty, bringing food to those who are starving, and healing the suffering of a people by means of very serious mental, physical, and Yes, Spiritual Work & Seriously Visionary Goals. Bruce Wayne is the Light while Bane is the Darkness of Humanity (the brute force, the inversion of light); the absence of faith. Although he does indeed have an inherent belief within his bones (and muscles reminiscent of mountains), Bane is still dependent on man-made ideologies & approaches (entirely based in the material world). The League of Shadows are attempting to summon the fires from hell in order to bring the dark prince into Heaven to seize the light (again, futility) to fulfill the devil’s ultimate lie (talk about a God-Complex..Oh me, Oh my) of Superiority (‘Can’t we all just get along?’).

When examining Talia al Ghul’s presence as a double-agent mastermind - her reveal is one of the most important plot twists of the series. Talia being a hidden “mole” within the resistance of Gotham City during The League of Shadows’ Hostile Takeover sets off Martial Law in Gotham - which sparks an uprising in the city that eventually saves Gotham (due to the efforts of a network of people who utilized adaptability & effective methods of coordination & action). Bane is to Batman as Talia is to Catwoman (just as Harvey is to Rachel; Duality; Gemini, Twins). What’s so incredible about Selina Kyle is her purpose in the story as a symbol that people CAN & DO redeem themselves despite having a checkered past (something a good amount of folks have in this day-and-age, myself included). Although the clandestine efforts of Gotham’s resistance had been futile due to the fact that Talia al Ghul was hiding in plain sight (a stroke of genius on the writing), Selina Kyle was the defining individual that tipped the scale in favor for Gotham City (and more importantly, Humanity as a Whole). She had an opportunity to leave Gotham and have a clean slate, but she had a personal moment-of-crisis... That’s because she has a soul, and in her soul, she knows, by faith & intuition, that humanity needed her help (one could speculate). She went back & risked her life (God bless her), which was a full circle nod, of which, echoed the sentiment originally planted within the first film: The moment when Rachel Dawes asked a younger Bruce Wayne, “..What chance does Gotham have if the good people do nothing?” (Edmund Burke; ‘Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents’ [1770], regarding the nepotism of a monarchy).

Talia al Ghul is a highly-complex character (next to Bruce Wayne) in the series due to the potential life she may have lead as an orphan born in the pit of hell (shot in the jaw-dropping landscape of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India). She is also the most tragic due to the fact that she literally has an opportunity to leave her life of pain & suffering behind to be with Bruce Wayne, but succumbs to the ‘Shadow Side.’ ...You know something is ‘rotten in the state of Denmark’ when she would rather destroy the world than have a ‘happily ever after’ with Bruce Wayne. Her spirit fell back into the proverbial pit of despair & darkness (without ‘The Light’) that she had escaped from (in a metaphoric sense). Bane, like Scarecrow before him, is merely a pawn in the worldwide game of Chess (‘all the world is a stage...’). The tragedy of Talia is that she is someone who was born into darkness and literally had to pay for the sins of her father (as her mother did, tragically).

Talia al Ghul is the most heart-breaking villain of the trilogy simply due to her life being a complete tragedy. One begins to ponder if she had a romantic evening with Bruce Wayne simply because she had felt the cold winter of loneliness for too long, or if she desperately (just for a moment) wanted to be one with God’s Light & a person’s gentle embrace (although I don’t know I might be wrong - she was probably like “Hey, it’s either Scary-Ass Bane or six-pack abs Bruce Wayne. HMMM. Let’s tip the scale on that one - HAhaHa, I digress). Regardless of reasoning - Talia al Ghul’s complexity is probably no match for the intense unhappiness she carries with her. It’s no surprise due to the fact that her mother’s absolutely unGodly demise (so sad) was the catalyst that sparked her mission from Hell (with her hound-of-hell on a leash, aka Bane). As much as I may condemn Talia al Ghul & Bane - I want to reason with them. I want to listen to them and I want to let them know that America is not a bad place, and we are not a bad people. I want to find a common ground, and extend the olive branch (as the saying goes) in order to help heal their pain & misconceptions of Americans and Humanity (as a whole), without having to give my (or anyone else’s) life in the process.

I have a belief that if Talia al Ghul was given a fair & ample opportunity to have a better life in America - she would have taken it (if she had not been so deeply-programmed with hate). I have the understanding & more concrete belief that it is due to her life-long journey of trauma-based-indoctrination as the main culprit as to why she simply won’t cease & desist from committing further acts of wrath upon Humanity. Talia al Ghul could have put just as much effort into the healing as the killing (but she fell back into that spiritual pit). I know why she hates. She hates because she weeps, deep down inside in her soul at night (when no one is around), for her trauma & her unbearable internal pain. She hates because she is repeating the pattern of trauma that may or may not have been applied to her mind, body, and worst of all - her soul. She hates because she had hatred put into her (since being a small, innocent child) and she put that hatred out into the world (a severe lack of comfort, love, care, family, and yes - Faith). Although symbols of lightness, darkness, duality, and representations of sins & faith are all spread across this monumental achievement in film (without having to shove a Cross in someone’s face) - at the very core of this film is, again, the importance of faith in humanity despite our individual & collective tragedies (and shared injustice). The importance of striving, no matter the odds, no matter the pain, no matter how dark the night.

I believe the BEST moment in the entire story was the moment Bruce Wayne climbed out of the pit to save his people. He could have easily died a painful & shameful death in that ancient prison (while watching his city & country being destroyed by an insane fringe cult; a militia of madness; a false liberation). A lot of people seem to overlook just how incredible & truly powerful that moment is in “The Dark Knight Rises.” Tom Conti (a perfect performance of an apathetic mentor-like figure; complimented brilliantly by one Uri Gavriel as the exiled Medical Doctor of a Monarch) & Christian Bale’s overall dynamic in the entire pit sequence was a masterful stroke of storytelling (tying back to the first film, putting Bruce Wayne back where he first began). It’s fascinating to find Bruce Wayne, with a severely-injured body, having to rebuild himself and strengthening his spirit to rise out of the pit of despair - the pit of personal hell, the unforgiving pit of Time (Capricorn; Saturn; Kronos; “The Task-Master”, “The Reaper”; Reward or Punishment; Karma; The Lord of The Rings). The moment of truth comes when Bruce Wayne discovers (through numerous attempts) that it is his spirit that must rise to seize the light - without vanity, without any fancy gadgets, technology, tricks up his sleeve, or any clever contraption (or vehicle) to assist him in the process. This was a moment for Bruce Wayne and Bruce Wayne alone. This is what we call our moment to “Shine” as an individual being... our independent spirit. Bruce Wayne had to learn what it meant to climb out of the pit of hell and abandon his fear (as the child in the legend had done; Talia al Ghul).

The pit can represent many things to many different people. The eye of the beholder truly does apply to this (as well as any) story. For the individual to think & feel for one’s self - and to also believe in one’s self. The pit can be a literal prison - or it could be a wealthy kingdom. I know (from personal experience) the feeling of being at the pit of one’s own existence. I know what it means to be a prisoner trapped in one’s own body (due to unwanted pain & suffering & hidden trauma). I’ve learned the plight of humanity and the experience of suffering in the night (I’m just like everybody else). I have been there. I have known the darkness. I have known what it means to “dance with the devil under the pale moonlight” (as the expression goes). I’ve known what it means to defend the innocent from evil, thrusting myself into danger to save family members from toxic masculinity & extreme violence (since being a little boy). I have known the darkness, which is why I kept searching for my own personal truths & answers (which ended the day I had a near-death experience & literally saw The Light of God; 100% Serious). I have known all of these things, but I also know that the people who put that hurt into me had that same hurt (if not worse) put into them... That’s the paradox of trauma. The original source goes so far back it’s pointless to trace - which is why I look FORWARD in Life. I no longer dwell in the weight of one’s misery & spiritual darkness - I seize the light by choosing a good life (to fulfill my own purpose).

At the risk of my own humiliation & embarrassment (and at the delight of those of whom feel actual glee out of my personal struggles & suffering; God knows who you are), I can acknowledge that I am someone who has lived “in the darkness” before. I have known what it means to suffer and toil without the light of God in my life. I have abandoned my own belief in God before, and my own personal Faith before... it’s not something I am particularly proud of, and although I have survived various life experiences that made me plunge into the pessimistic side of life (having been mentally, physically, and yes - Sexually-Abused in my early childhood) - I reach out (in spirit) to anyone who may be reading my words, who has possibly fallen from the good grace of God (especially due to what has happened in our country). I, too, know what it is to lose faith in God & The True Light (as opposed to the Man-Made light). I know what it’s like to suffer & hate “The Believers” (my trauma came from a so-called “believer”).

You know, stories are more powerful than one may ever think (as well as Family, Friendship, Fun, and Faith). I have lived in my own personal hell before - I have ‘had it all’ and then lost EVERYTHING the following year. I have rebuilt my life SO many times (too many damn times), and I’ve learned one ultimate truth that I MUST share with everyone who is (and will be) alive to read these words...

..There IS A GOD. THERE IS A LIGHT. It may not be visible because we cannot see what lies beyond the veil of existence, but I assure you - Everyone is Alive for a REASON (and Individual Purpose). Women may have the divine gift of giving Life (RESPECT!), but we ALL have the gift of giving LIGHT (each in our own unique way). We all have a way to help heal and put something good into the world, despite our shared pain & trauma, as a people. We all deserve to be happy and have a decent opportunity for a healthy & happy existence (ESPECIALLY with our modern-day world; unless if folks start committing crimes and harming others and whatnot). I believe we are all at our best when we cooperate & coexist with one another (despite our individual differences). The Light does not need to shine out The Darkness just as The Darkness shall never overthrow The Light. We can live in a spiritual Harmony. We do not have to walk the same path. We do not have to share the same spiritual beliefs. I just think we CAN share this world (as I believe we are truly alive in what is known as the Garden of Eden).

We do not have to destroy ourselves to prosper. We can live among one another (with dignity & respect & honor). I’m not always happy to see that people willingly practice certain principles & “values”, but who am I to judge? That’s why God is here... It’s a tough lesson to accept, but it’s true. I should not judge someone just because they worship darkness - because at the end of the day that’s between them and their purpose in life - not mine. I have walked the line, but I never learned from others shouting in my face - I learned from listening & civility & patience & yes - Faith. That’s the purpose of the light - not to drown out the dark, but to work together (as Santa Clause & Krampus do), as a balance of necessary elements that will always be present in our own reality. We, as a contemporary society, have lost touch with the natural way of the world (well, a good amount of folks anyhow). We, as a humanity, have become so vain that we do not even know which way is Up & Down anymore - which way is truly Left & Right. We, as the soul of humanity, have suffered in the darkness for far too long (due to those who wish to control our individual light). We, as a country, MUST help one another climb out of our collective pit of despair - our sociological prison (cultivated through the last aeon), our ‘darkness.’ It has happened before and it can happen again - and to all of my fellow beings of whom shall always carry within us, The Light of Goodness, the love of God, and the wisdom of The Light - I say to thee: RISE.

I give Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy a PERFECT 10 out of 10! The most inspiring superhero franchise of all time (in my opinion). Bruce Wayne & Gotham City show us that Chivalry is NOT dead in The United States of America (despite our challenges). Christopher Nolan’s Cinematic Achievement is victorious in it’s final conclusion: Gotham City IS worth Saving, as our very own Humanity - and Yes - We can all have a better way of life without having to sacrifice our own lives in the process. We can rise to fulfill our individual & collective destiny (as decent human beings) and have, not the life we need, but the one we DESERVE.

*This is dedicated in loving memory to everyone who has lived & died in service of The Light..✝️

“I see a beautiful city... and a brilliant people, rising from this abyss... I see the lives, for which I lay down my life: peaceful, useful, prosperous, and happy... I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendents (generations hence)... It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known...”

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