#book fangasm

[doublerainbow-if]

How would the RO’s react to finding the MC’s sketchbook and when they open it, either purposely or accidentally, they see it has a bunch of sketches the Mc made of them?

M is wistful at the sight. They just stare at each drawings and wonder what made them so special to have you sketch them. They wish they could draw like you to show their feelings but maybe a poem could do.

L is so happy. They often see you sketching them when you think they don't notice and often wonder how they turn out. It makes their heart feel light as you shows how you feel about the other with you sketching them and them giving you their little carvings.

B isn't even thinking of the implications as they just fangasm over your art. They look each line and sharing to see how your art style originated and evolved from. They won't notice they're the main subject until it hits them in the face of you snatch the book from them.

J is smiling so big. They notice the book laying open and decided to take a peek at some of your future work. Their heart is full with you using them as a subject but they feel more enjoyment from the emotions coming off the page with each line and curve.

V is shutting the book with a slam when they see you use them as a subject. They are shaking a little as a small blush creeps onto their cheeks at the seeing the clear love you out into the book. They wonder why you would chose them of all people.

C is having a good time seeing all of your sketches until their mind catches up to the implications of you using them as the star. They have to put the book down to think for second as they do love you seeing them like that but worry that they could be leading you into something that can never be.

Avery is shutting the book so fast and getting away like the roadrunner. They are not thinking about seeing themselves as your study in your book but that they look into something that was private to you. Unknowingly on their part but they don't want to break that trust with you.

Kahula is so happy. They make a fool of themselves by spinning around and giddily dancing in place with your book as their partner. Each page and drawing reinforcing what they so longed to know. You were thinking of them, you were thinking of them. They can't contain the joy inside.

[shallowseeker]

Natural crisis points in The Winchesters character arcs and struggles

(Image from fangasm)

If it ever comes back for a short run or the characters appeared in later SPN incarnations, The Winchesters has a lot of built-in crisis points to power it forward.

I think overall, Robbie Thompson built them moderately well, because below are intrinsic qualities to each of them! He's good at building complex heroes, if he only has the time to follow through.

I. Fans as demonic forces

There are OG!fans actively rooting against it, which is VERY helpful for the writing team because such figures can immediately become an endless supply for bad-guy motives, villain monologues, demonic taunts, and dark mirrors.

Anyway, for characters, here's what I think:

///

MAIN SERIES THEMES

#1 BREAKING: Everyone has a breaking point, and when you do, you humans...your edges are sharp. You'll cut each other into ribbons. Familial counter: So, we'll break! But we'll be there to help pick each other up again. Even if it hurts. Even if we bleed. #2 DESTINED IDENTITY: You are who I say you are. Because I'm the only one who really knows you. You were written to be what I say you are. Familiar counter: I am my own person! No matter what you say. No matter how you wrote it before. #3 HUMAN-ING WRONG/FIXING OTHERS: You think you can fix them. Classic blunder. You can't. They're unfixable. Miswired. They were just born wrong, you know. Always running into danger. "John is a lost cause, he'll always devolve into abuser," etc etc. Familial counter: Maybe people don't need fixing. Maybe they just need to be accepted. Maybe, sometimes, they just need support!

#4 PEACE OR FREEDOM: Which would you rather have, peace or freedom? Familial counter: Both!

///

ALT MARY

Fear, powerlessness, destiny, entrapment, & the timeless Campbell classism of assumed stupidity

Go on, Mary. Trade your future for your blessed, blessed present.

No Mary Winchester in any timeline anywhere ever triumphed, because she is just too easy to trap. So are you.

You think you're a hunter? You're prey. Like an impala on the open savannah.

You're easily manipulated Mary, because you're just dumb, like all those backwoods Campbells.

We wanted the Winchesters for their brains, but we wanted you for your body. That's all you're good for. A weapon, a vessel.

("Stay present," was such an oft-repeated line for Alt!Mary. We could twist that into short-sightedness, I think.) ///

ALT JOHN

The worst version of yourself & the complicated gray of the Men of Letters; the arrogance of trying to be "the brains" and trying to be "lone wolf"

Become who you were meant to be.

I know who you really are, because I wrote you that way.

You're an abuser, a murderer, a bigot. It's your destiny.

You're just a soldier, a tool of war. A blunt hammer that hammers his own fuckin' thumb.

You're going to become the monster at the end of this book, John.

And the best part? You're going do it to yourself.

"I'm a John understander, you see."

So, go on.

Be all that you can be.

///

CARLOS

Doomed to be alone and fearful of reaching out; you become embittered by the constant pain of loss; you're so pathetically needy

You say you won't play my game, but you don't even see how you're already playing it.

You don't want to be alone, do you?

You actually want chaos to stay together. What if I told you that hunting could be forever? Would you choose it? I think you would, no matter who it hurt.

You're the weakest link because you're so desperate and needy.

When you have your own chance of happiness, you can't even be happy for yourself; you're fundamentally broken (re:Anthony)

You're too busy steeling yourself for the loss that you ruin everything, so why bother wanting?

Might as well cut it out now before the love gets its hooks in you too deeply.

It's your foolish, reckless altruism that winds up hurting everyone around you. Irony's a bitch, ain't it?

///

LATA

Violence is inevitable, even for you.

You're not a good person. That's just how you get through your day.

One thing writing taught me is that anyone can do anything if you know where to put the right amount of pressure.

And it's beautiful how desperately you want to be good, and yet every action you take always hurts someone.

Your hands aren't really clean. You like to watch, don't you? You're just a hypocrite.

You let innocents die, just because you wouldn't go against your principles.

Or, you know--your tragic cowardice.

Everyone around you succumbs to violence because you're poison.

So go ahead and have your cake and eat it, too, Lata.

I hope you choke on it.

///

MILLIE WINCHESTER

"Sooner or later, everyone is gonna leave you."

How can you turn your back on your dream to chase your husband's shadow?

It's gonna kill all three of you before the show's over, you know.

You warned John not to go down this path, and now you're the one lighting the way.

Doing this won't bring Henry back to you, you know.

You weren't there for him.

When he walked out that door, he said I love you.

You were silent.

///

ADA MONROE

Kill him. Kill your son.

I told you, Ada. Cute cuddly half-breed pups become the biggest, baddest wolves.

When push comes to shove, you know what's gonna happen.

You've always known that he'll turn.

He'll turn on you.

Would you rather your son die at the hands of a stranger?

If it has to be done, wouldn't you rather it be by your merciful, loving hands?

You can die with him if you like. An equalizer of sorts.

Or maybe...you think that if you become powerful, become successful enough, you'll have enough power to protect you and him. Control him if it comes down to it.

You can always try.

You'll never be powerless again, you say?

I'll take that bet. Don't say I didn't warn you.

[asknarashikari]

Me: Here. Is the Forge and Metallurgy. Made long long ago and is still working as it is also renewed. Daishinji: *eyegasms intensify and gasps internally* Cool. Me: Go ahead fangasm. I know you want to and I won't tell. Daishinji: *Goes nuts* --- Me: Eh. Do not touch those on the walls or the one in the shrine. These are going to be gifted to my godson and his 10 kids. You want these on the racks. Daishinji: *gasping* Me: AU!Tetsuo is also given these. Now hear them. Daishinji: *puts an ear to one of the swords* This one... hmmm... Joyous and valiant. *puts another one* Strong, fortified, and full of laughter. Can I hear the swords on the walls earlier? Me: Only to hear them. --- Daishinji: *starts crying* Hope. Tears. Lamentation. And the Breath of the Universe. What are these swords? Me: My essence was poured into making these swords. These are meant to destroy evil, save those who need it, and bring hope into a world that grows chill. Daishinji: *puts swords back* Is it possible? Me: How about I give you an old sword of mine that needs work. So master smith... let's get to work.

Later. Daishinji: Oh Suzune... Your new friend has seen battle and it would be given to a student of mine or my descendant.

SaberCast and Science Squad Reactions?

Welp, the Saber cast can say goodbye to their swordsmith because he's never leaving that place ever again. You'll hear him screaming gleefully at your place forevermore.

(This is why they don't leave him unsupervised with amazing swords- he literally goes crazy.)

Or Tetsuo may just break down crying if they try to drag him away... or otherwise conduct strange experiments in his forge (possibly with their Seiken, including Yuri/Saikou) that would put the fear of the gods even in Book Jesus himself.

[lol-jackles]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cp3kzOgASki/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

So, Misha reposted a TikTok by Jai, on Twitter and his instagram, The Jared-hating engineer of straight-gate. And Jensen liked it. Is there any chance they know what kind of content she dishes out about a coworker and either just don’t care, or are actively cool with it? Or is it more likely that they are too lazy, or their social media teams are too lazy, to even check a couple video to see if this is the kind of person you want to amplify. I’m leaning towards the latter but it seems to be a pattern at this point. It seems like everyone is promoting, or even hiring, fans who are actively and publicly hateful towards Jared. Either he was working with a bunch of dicks who hated him (including Jensen) and is well rid of them, or they are all just a bunch of lazy idiots ergo don’t pay attention to what someone posts beyond their own name being mentioned and he is still possibly better off without them.

First, working actors don't know what's going on in their fandoms. At best they (meaning their social media managers) may know who the BNFs are because they are interviewed by them for their websites/podcasts, books etc.

Majority of the SPN's BNFs are Sam/Jared girls, which is partly why the meta fangirls portrayed in SPN are Sam fans. Neither Misha nor Jensen have BNFs on their side, even the Fangasm ladies are smart enough to (mostly) hide their biases and remain publicly Bibro/SPN fans.

So it wouldn't surprise me if Misha and Jensen (and Danneel) latch onto the loud, aggressive, non-BNF fangirls who constantly make their presence known and are willing to work for free, just like the Ackles Army. I get the impression that this Jai person is on social media All. The. Time and goes to SPN cons All. The. Time. And her bright hair colors stand her out in the crowd when the SPN con goers are increasingly leaning towards the Goth look. I read con reports of people easily finding Jai in the crowd even though she keeps to herself and is very quiet (like most, her social media persona does not match her real life persona).

So to answer you question, neither Misha nor Jensen personally would have much inkling of what contents Jai is constantly dishing out.

[twochildreninamoteldemo]

Appreciate both posts about spn cons! I haven’t checked out the comics so thank you for the rec! And I agree they are extremely expensive. I’d mainly want to go to meet the people I like in the fandom haha Hopefully they’ll be some kind of event in the future that would be more humane lol

(More likely to run into you at an Ethel cain concert, noted ✔️✔️)

The late Katherine Larsen (rip professor 🕊) wrote a book called Fangasm: Supernatural Fangirls with her friend (who runs the @/fangasmspn account on Twitter) and it talked a bit about fanmade spn/wincest conventions in the 00s and I got so jealous reading about that...so I get u<3 there are so many of y'all I'd love to meet!

(And I'll be seeing miss cain for the 3rd time at the omaha show hehe)

[bagheerita]

So I just finished Empire of Gold and need to gush about The Daevabad Trilogy for a minute.

(I try to be vague, but that's exactly when I up and hit you with low-key SPOILERS, so be aware.)

My rambling is only barely organized into the format of randomly selected topics in order to provide a vague outline for my outflowing of affection for each book.

CITY OF BRASS

Favorite character: Definitely Nahri. I love a woman who isn't afraid to go after what she wants, and boy howdy do I love me a pragmatist. AND do I love me a girl who can keep her head on her shoulders even when she's in-lust with man. As much as she is truly falling in love with Dara, she never forgets the way he looked at her when he thought she was shafit and his relief when Ghassan said she wasn't. She would have married him if he had offered I think, but she was smart enough to make him take the first step to cross the gap that his prejudice had put between them.

Most impressive thing: The way the author uses her narrator to tell a story that the narrative character doesn't always fully understand. This mostly comes through Ali's chapters at this point cause he's a little naive, but it's really skillfully done.

 KINGDOM OF COPPER

Least favorite thing: There are some moments that just felt... weirdly written. There's three big ones that come to mind...

At the beginning- the way the writing describes the environment. I'm paraphrasing because it's been a week since I read it and I don’t remember details, but it's like "the only sound in the graveyard was the distant sound of cats fighting" then, five minutes later "The only sound was the sound of coins jingling in her basket."  Like, where were those coins five minutes ago?! Also, why does an experienced thief put coins in a jingly basket that is easy to steal or drop instead of hiding them on her person??? (That's super nitpicky, but it was the first chapter, so I noticed it more.)

The second big moment that annoyed me was... okay so Dara learns that Muntadhir is bisexual through mind-reading powers that he's never previously demonstrated? I mean, there are enough clues about how he does it, and it makes sense to the character's history that he can sense peoples’ desires, but it felt weird that this is the only time we really see him use this power- here, as the inciting incident to the third act, where so much of the plot revolves around it. Dara already knew that Ghassan was planning to force Nahri to marry Muntadhir, they'd already talked about this, so I'm not sure what about Muntadhir being in a relationship with a man, as opposed to the multiple women he’s slept with this week, was enough to make this prospect so immediately repugnant that Dara goes absolutely stupid about it and incites the climax of the book.

Then there's the epilogue that basically just exists to point out what we already learned about Muntadhir and Jamshid. I thought that was kind of unnecessary, as no one in this epilogue scene, including the reader, doesn't already know about this relationship. Though the epilogue does also contain what I think was supposed to be foreshadowing, but which sent me off on a weird mental tangent where I spent most of the second book thinking Jamshid was the reincarnation of Rustam...

Favorite character: Muntadhir, hands down. There is one scene in particular, where he sasses Dara while dying of poison that is just my favorite scene in the entire book. I mean, I think part of my enjoyment was that I had been worried that he was about to be a victim of the Bury Your Gays trope, so when he shows back up still not dead I was so relieved to see him I literally squeeeed, and then he's bragging to Dara about something I explicitly know didn't happen, just actively involved in assassinating his own character because he has nothing else he can give to save his brother at that point except trying to distract Dara by enraging him... omg, do I love me some brotherly feels- my second favorite scene was the three siblings in a closet plotting a coup.

Least favorite thing: Dara lying to himself and justifying Manizheh's actions for the entire book. I get that the fact that he was lied to and betrayed by the people in power that he should have been able to trust is a big part of his arc, but I was not excited to have his POV added to this book just to have him and everyone around him spout off more prejudiced victim narrative bullshit every time I flipped to his chapters, like I wasn't getting enough of that from practically every other character in the story.

Most impressive thing: The author draws some really great parallels and contrasts between the 3 main characters and their journeys that I absolutely love. In chapter 2, Nahri says something like "Where's your sense of adventure?" to her new friend and then literally in the next chapter Ali says "Have you no sense of inquisitiveness?" to his new friend. (I don't like to call ships that early in the story, but I was like- these two are fated to be best friends if not something more.)  A bit later in the story, Dara is presented with a choice: to do the easy thing or to do the Right thing, and he chooses the easy path even though he knows that it's wrong. After this, Ali is presented with a choice: to do the easy thing or the Right thing, and he does the Right thing, even though he knows that it ultimately probably won't help. I just really love that this story always feels like every narrative POV and every chapter fully develops the character and contributes to the world. 

I also really love the twists and turns that Ali and Nahri’s relationship has taken over these first two books. They really have grown as individuals, and have believed the best and worst of each other, and understand each other in a way that is a great foundation for a truly lasting friendship (which is, of course, the best bedrock for building a more intimate relationship).

 EMPIRE OF GOLD

Favorite character: Sobek. I have a soft spot for unrepentant murderers who have a soft spot for the people they find interesting.

Least favorite thing: It ended? I know this book was long enough to be an entire trilogy on its own, but I would have loved more at the end from the side characters. Like, I want 100 more pages just about Jamshid and Muntadhir. I was explicit confirmation of what Zaynab and Aquisa are up to, and a sequel trilogy about their adventures. I want more about Fiza and what her plans are for the future. I want orchard shenanigans with Mishmish. I want more about Sudha and her family. I want more about Nahri conning everyone into making a functional government, and I want more about the trials of everyone in the city learning to not hate and judge as a first reflex. Just MORE!

Most impressive thing: Overall I was just impressed with this entire book. If I had to pick one thing, I would probably say I was most impressed, and pleasantly surprised, by Dara's ending. By this point in the story, I was certain that Dara had transgressed every transgression that it was possible to transgress, and lied to himself the entire way, only deciding upon the Right course of action when it was exactly 2 minutes too late, so I was prepared for him to find Redemption in Death. But once again I was pleasantly surprised at this story's refusal to follow popular story tropes, when it instead granted him true freedom as he perhaps had never known in his life, and the ability to choose who he would live that life in service of- choosing to help those who, like him, had been victims of the ifrit. 

I want more stories like this, about characters who are unforgivable, but who are forgiven- not by people or by those they have wronged, but by the narrative itself. Who are able and allowed to rededicate their lives to something, choosing to see their own actions and commit to helping people instead of just blindly following.

 OVERALL

Favorite character: I want to say Nahri, though I also really appreciate Ali and his quiet growth from being naive and kind of annoying to a man who is finally comfortable with and understands himself. But I think I’m going to have to choose Jamshid. I really like characters who are honest with themselves about their motivations, and I really admire his willingness to be open to change, to having his entire world and beliefs be turned upside down and try to go with the new way of being instead of holding on to the past, to confess his sins and be honest with Nahri, to believe in the people he knows rather than in what others say about them when Manizheh tries to manipulate him, to have been through everything he's been through and still retain a sense of humor and a generally upbeat personality.

The author does a good job of presenting all of the characters as fully rounded people so that there isn't really a character that I find poorly written. I definitely disagree with a lot of characters, and dislike them as individual people, and Manizheh comes the closest to being someone I truly hate, but you can see the paths that brought these people to be who they are. There are some great lines- where I think it's Nahri who notes that Ghassan's father make him like he was by his abuse, as he had twisted Manizheh  up with his own abuse, and that Muntadhir could have easily become just like his father. All people have the potential inside of them to be good or to be evil, and they are formed by the circumstances of their lives, the choices they make, and the power they give to the relationships they have.  I also loved that, once she learns the truth about her parents, Nahri notes how much of herself she gets from her Egyptian mother, just as much as she got her Nahid heritage from Rustam, and that it's a part of her that she can be proud of and celebrate.

 Most impressive thing: I don't like "realistic" fantasy, where lots of people die, because that tends to be an excuse for the book to just be really depressing. This story really surprised me by being realistic but in a way that was still full of hope. Sometimes people are terrible, or they are broken by the world and can no longer see anything beyond their pain, and a lot of the time the institutions we have created are terrible and are built on terrible things. But there is still always a need for people who do the right thing, who stand up for those who are being treated unfairly, who are willing to make sacrifices to break down the "us" and "them" that divides people. Who are willing to see change not as something to be feared but as a beautiful potential.

Least MOST favorite thing:  As Chakraborty herself notes in her afterward:  "There are days when it feels silly and selfish to spend my days crafting tales of monsters and magic. But I still believe, desperately, in the power of stories. If you take any message from this trilogy, I hope it is to choose what's right even when it seems hopeless - especially when it seems hopeless. Stand for justice, be a light, and remember what it is we were promised by the One who knows better.

“With every hardship comes ease."

I also believe in the power of stories, and I’m so excited to have been able to experience this one.  <3

[stan-morley]

The struggle is WAY TOO REAL.

[krynior]

*triumphant loot music* ♡(ӦｖӦ｡)

[the-nerdy-librarian]

Birthday present book unboxing!!! Thanks to the lovely @the-battleflag

1) Finn Family Moomintroll

This book looks so cute, so good, so pure. And considering how many times she's called me deprived for not having read it as a kid... I'm just surprised it hasn't been a gift before now, LOL

2) Spinning Silver

I stared at this book for like ten minutes last weekend at the bookstore. Naomi Novik is a great writer, and Miryem sounds like a smart and sassy protagonist. Can't wait to read it!

3) Heart of Iron

I'm squealing like a fangirl right now - I ADORE Ashley Poston, and have previously reviewed Heart of Iron on this blog. It's one of my Top Reads of 2018, and this copy is not only gorgeous, it's signed! And comes with a poster! And purple edges!

[erasedfromhistory777]

Can’t believe they have this and the ultimina #finalfantasyvii#finalfantasy#barnsamdnoble#books#alternativemodel#venom#fangasm (at Barnes & Noble) https://www.instagram.com/p/BonD2q6jI9V/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=s17iinqjesj5

[lila-rae]

Ooh, SpicySagittarius’s smutty fics are fun. One of my favorite smut writers is SpidermanHomecomeme. Spicy and really funny. The Nutcracker series (about ill -fated No-Nut November bets) legit cracks me up and is one of my moodbooster reads. And Last Call (bartender Peter picks up MJ while she’s on a tinder date with Brad) is really fun — and it was read on that podcast Fangasm (fka Potterotica)!

We’ve all seen that what I read constitutes little more than porn. Currently reading a book called Her Filthy Firemen btw (really good) so @spicysagittarius and @spiderman-homecomeme are two of my favorite Spideychelle writers.

The No nut November fics are hilarious. Like peak smutty comedy. They’re idiots and I love them. I especially love part two because the dynamic between the two is just *chefs kiss.

Also “Peter and MJ are GREAT friends” is the first fic of Spicy Sagittarius I ever read and this is how I was the whole time (and I mean it in the best way possible).

And I loved every second of it. (Can’t think of the little mermaid the same way though)

[beauarlen]

❝I have actually known Jared longer than I have known Jensen. He's like a brother to me.❞ ~ Danneel Ackles.

I really love Danneel's friendship with Jared. I love how she is so protective of him too...how she was there taking care of him when he had a tough time.

I also love their banters and teasing..and how she said jared is the best actor in her commentary of supernatural 13x13...and how Jared wrote about her in his chapter in fangasm's book 'family don't end with blood'. they really have a beautiful friendship.

[thecuriousinferno]

Since @madillhethen showed off their Fate collection, I decided to post mine! I totally get the hype :D it’s exciting to fangasm over all the pieces you can own of your hobby/interests!

Starting with BDs/Games/Materials! I have Extra, multiple copies of Extella and Link! I enjoyed Link but honestly I found myself much more emotionally invested in regular Extella. No comment on Extra CCC because I guess that game will never exist in the US

I have the emiya gohan game for my switch as well and ofc the original fate stay night VN on my computer!

Anyway! You’ll notice two copies of Camelot and that’s because I usually buy the Japanese release and didn’t realize this particular movie didn’t have English subtitles. OH WELL. I also have my old ass copy of the Deen anime (episodes 1-4), a Blu-ray complete set, the UBW movie AND the tv anime. Also threw in my Garden of Sinners set, the little seiba decoration I got in Akihabara along with some FGO materials I also got in Japan! Vol 2 was nowhere to be found…but I did get that Trailer’s Trail and little book thing at a Gamer’s. I’ve also got the FGO manga that’s out covering Orleans and that little mini servant material book from Japan. Idk if you can see the little FGO thing I have on my fridge in the bg but that’s the wrapping paper for some FGO themed cookies I found in some random shop :D

Onto the figures! And I have a lot o_o

The jalter one is actually put back in her box so that picture is kinda old. I don’t have a very good place to put her and she was over $300 so I’m not putting her out in the open. She is massive and doesn’t fit in the China cabinet or curio cabinet. I have lots of fate knickknacks and could fill up a post with just those, but I’ll draw the line at actual scale figures!

Hope you enjoyed! Send a prayer for my wallet because it’s long dead.

[bagheerita]

It was my birthday this week, so as my birthday gift to myself I finally got ahold of a copy of Patricia Briggs' Storm Cursed that came out earlier this year and set aside some time to read it. And OMG why do I love this author and this series more than anything else out there being written today???

I remember back when each new book in the series used to deal with one aspect of the supernatural at a time, but I love that 11 books in we can now jump from werewolves to vampires to walkers to fae to witches in the same story because we already know who Adam, Marsilia, Gary, Uncle Mike, and Elizaveta are.

I love that Bran and Wulfe are apparently fighting an epic battle of misinformation via the Wikipedia page on werewolves.

In the last book, Mercy finally seems to come to grips with the fact that Bran loves her just as much as he loves his true sons, if not more. It was sweet then in this book for Mercy to be confronted with the fact that one of her other father figures also cares about her enough to take a personal interest in what's going on in her corner of the world.

I love seeing Mercy grow in her powers. Having never been taught what a walker really is, she's spent most of the books, and a lot of her life, being kind of an outcast werewolf. But she is slowly coming to understand that she doesn't just see ghosts, she can use that power- and her connection to Coyote, the spirit of change and chaos- to affect the world in a positive way.

I love that the characters change, but I also love the moments that highlight that for all that they do grow, they are the same people still. My favorite one here being: Another character refuses to leave Mercy alone at her garage saying, “The last time I left you alone here you almost died.” I fully expected her to shoot back with sarcasm and some variation of "I can take care of myself” but instead Mercy says, “Thank you.” She fully understands that it’s not about her ability to take care of herself, but it’s about her friend’s trauma; she notes, “we all have our scars.” It reminded me of Mercy’s comment in Silver Borne, when she observes, “A coyote adapts, that’s how she survives.”

It's a weird thing, because he's one of my favorite characters, but I liked that Warren wasn't in this book that much. It gave some room for other members of the pack to come forward and fill that space. And honestly, after Blood Bound, if the closest Warren gets to black magic is roping a zombie cow from the back of a pick-up truck I’m happy for him.

I love that Sherwood was introduced a few books ago but we only learn his mysterious past here. Briggs has been really good in this series at introducing characters before they become important, so that they really feel like an organic part of the world and not just "the character that was useful for this episode."

I love that Cookie finds a home. This was such a minor thing, but a great way to get some vulnerable characters out of the way of a dangerous situation, and also to introduce a continuation on the themes of: rescuing animals from bad situations which is continued with Pirate; charity and generosity, or "balance" as Aiden sees Cookie and Lydia's mutual life-saving; and the pack offering shelter and restoration, which is continued through Sherwood mostly, but also (less markedly in this book) Zach, Aiden, and Joel.

One of the things I love most about Briggs' stories is the balance. There is darkness and evil in the world, but there is light and hope as well, and there is power in love. Mercy might be facing something that terrifies her, but: Her fathers have given her gifts to help her succeed. Her and Adam get strength from their bond. Because of the remarkable and individual person she is she has friends all over the board who have an interest in helping her achieve her goals, even if, for the ones who are less “friendly,” it’s just because, today, their goals align.

[write-nerdy-to-me]

Corporate meddling often destroys the end product. It happens to shows, movies, games (Final Fantasy 15 was supposed to be much darker, Deadpool writer quit after producers started to limit him, Community writer quitting cause they wanted the show to appeal to a broader audience). I still think Dabb wanted to please the Fangasms and Superwikis, or he wouldn't have each character hear they're loved but Cas. Why do you think he was forced to write Dean telling Sam it's only ever been about them?

alright, anon. you’re right that all these other characters heard that they’re loved but cas didn’t. you know what else happened? dean never got to speak. it’s interesting, right? that their stories are interlinked in such a way? it’s almost as though there was something supposed to happen between these two characters with an unfinished narrative, fucking wild. it’s almost as though this is what the story was building up to, but something stopped that from happening -- rhymes with “cuck.”

“why do you think he was forced to write dean telling sam it’s only ever been about them?” because the show started out as just two bros in a car. that’s the way Chuck the Network Insert recognized it, that’s “what worked.” for a network patting itself on the back for queer rep, they sure fucking suck at providing, because they actually don’t give a shit. they don’t care about their legacy shows, they just want your money.

s15 is a whole dear sister letter, laying out why things went awry: there was an omniscient force controlling the board. god, i mean, 15x05 is a perfect example of the whole “just two bros” toxic narrative Chuck the Network Insert wanted with the two codependent werewolf brothers. it showed how he doesn’t get that the boys are different now, that that’s not the story we were being told anymore. but he didn’t care what the boys wanted, he wanted his version.

LILITH: God. I was supposed to get rescued and in a moment of sweet relief seduce Dean, blah blah blah, obviously that’s not happening now, so – oh, well.

SAM: So, Chuck sent you to kill us?

LILITH: No. I wish. That’s not how this story goes.

DEAN: Story?

LILITH: Oh, come on. You know how he is. All this? Personally, I thought the whole thing was kinda… easy. Stupid. But I batted my eyes and put Dean to sleep. Made sure you guys saw those two mutts go all murder-suicide. So, yeah.

--

DEAN: I don’t get it. Why the games?

LILITH: What? You didn’t like the part when you bonded with the victim? [LILITH pretends to be ASHLEY.] Wouldn’t it be great if everything was just planned out for you? [She laughs.]

DEAN: Let me guess, one of Chuck’s lines?

LILITH: Word for word. God… he is not exactly Shakespeare. He’s more of a low-rent Dean Koontz. I had to listen to his whole, quote “writing philosophy”. And his very weird, very pervy obsession with you. Then it always ends the same. One brother killing the other. I mean, this world… he could’ve ended it in so many ways, and… he likes that one. You know, I guess that’s why you had to see the werewolf brothers die the way they did, ‘cause… foreshadowing.

--

BECKY: No. You can’t.

CHUCK: I did.

BECKY: Y… this is just an ending.

CHUCK: Yeah. I don’t know how I’m gonna get there, but I know where I’m goin’.

BECKY: B-But it’s so…dark.

CHUCK: But great, right? I can see it now… “Supernatural: The End”. And the cover is just a gravestone that says “Winchester”. The fans are gonna love it. Well?

BECKY: It’s awful! Horrible. It’s hopeless.

[...]

BECKY: Please… you can’t do this.

CHUCK: Oh, Becky. I can do anything.

--

CHUCK: What part of omniscient do you people not understand? So I can't read my "Death Book." So what? I control space and time. Just plant a few visions, goad Death a little... Mess with a few outcomes... And... bada-bing! I mean... [laughing] They think they can kill me?

--

CHUCK: We came to an understanding, so spare me your contempt, Castiel, the self-hating angel of Thursday. You know what every other version of you did after "gripping him tight and raising him from perdition?" They did what they were told. But not you. Not the "one off the line with a crack in his chassis." All of you. You know, I tried and I tried and I tried, but you're all just too stupid, too stubborn. Too broken. You know what? I'm over it. I'm over you.

SAM: Yeah? Good.

DEAN: Screw you, Chuck.

CHUCK: No, screw you. You know what you do with broken toys? You throw them out. So, kill each other, don't kill each other... I don't care.

CAS: What do you mean?

CHUCK: I mean... have fun watching him die.

[eabevella]

The Book of Boba Fett episode 5 and 6 would be great if they are the interlude for Mandalorian season 3.

I mean, it’s very obvious who’s Jon Favreau’s favorite child and I don’t know how much of it is maybe due to Disney’s direction, but it sucks even not being a Boba fan at all to see his name’s show had little to do with him.

Episode 1 is kinda meh. It’s bad for a grand opening for a fan fav character.

Episode 2 is the only decent one with Boba as the main character.

Episode 3 is disastrous. It sucks. Period. And it’s not because of the Mobs. They are the least problematic thing in that episode.

Episode 4 is kinda meh but it’s more forgivable because it is meant to be the type of episode that connects the clues and points into the supposedly big mafia war.

But than we have 2 episodes that have nothing to do with Boba?

Episode 5 is great but it has no Boba?

Episode 6 is also not about Boba? And I would seriously argue that Luke is super OOC for (emotionally manipulating) asking Grogu to choose between the beskar chain mail and the lightsaber. Like... I thought we’ve over the “no attachment=no emotions at all” bullshit? That making Grogu choose would only make it worse (remember what happened when Anakin was not allowed to see his mom)? For fucks sake it feels like Din Djarin knows the true meaning of “no attachment” than every god damn Jedi in the known universe. Luke may as well take him as his second student because this Mandalorian dude exercises your Jedi code better than you do, the only thing he lacks is lightsaber training.

Also, I don’t get why the Pykes blew up the Sanctuary? Like, the owner didn’t even work for Boba or anyone, she was even willing to pay tributes? Any mafia with half a brain cell would try to infiltrate that place for information and for future usage because every mafia needs a “neutral” place to do mafia stuffs? It’s blowing up a place for blowing up’s sake, a cheap way to say “look those Pykes are tERrORisTs” Dude, we are not 3 years old kiddies, we know!

There’s only 1 episode left and we barely even got anything set up, every thing is still a mess because all precious screen time is spent on meaningless fangasm (and it’s not even Boba famgasm lol).

Tattoine suddenly became travel hot spot? The hutt twins just showed up and left? Boba just walked around? Like, this show is a pacing and story telling mess I bet they are just going to have every money grabbing “fan favorites” (may or may not including Boba) stand out side in the sand, and give us a “See You Later In Disney’s Money Milking Business Season 2″ announcement as a cliffhanger.