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robinofgothamcity · 3 years

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♡ scenario: connor losing his mind when you're hurt and charging into the fight recklessly.

♡ pairing: connor kent ( superboy ) x fem! reader

♡ note: not checked for grammar or spelling mistakes / i'm sorry but i'm living for these angst to fluff moments rn especially bc i rewatched reign of the superman and forgot how much i loved connor in it.

Connor watched as you were completely slumped on the side of the building, no longer clear headed and struggling to stay awake. what was supposed to be a clean and easy mission turned out to be more than what the league expected.

he had requested for back up and while they were already trying to fight off the thugs that were attacking Connor, he could still see that you were fighting to stay alive and he had no idea if you were even going to come out of this fight alive.

"what the fuck?" Connor whispered, seeing you now slumped on the ground. he turned to the person who attacked you, eyes fully red with no intention of holding back. Clark could sense his song was a second away from committing murder as he saw Connor charge into the heart of the battle with no game plan, just murder.

"SUPERBOY NO!"

you waved shyly to the group of league members as you hid behind Wonder Woman. you were new to the scene of sidekicks and had no idea how to even introduce yourself without sounding like a complete idiot.

"woah new girl!" you heard a male voice say as you stood in your place petrified. you had no idea who it was as Diana had yet to individually introduce you to everyone, "i call dibs!" you heard the same voice say.

Diana turned to you before grabbing the boy who was charging towards you by the head and tossed him back to Superman, "she's not up for 'dibs' Superboy. she's my newest apprentice and you will treat her as such," she threatened.

you giggled behind her as a few of the sidekicks introduced themselves. you knew them as the Young Justice team and although you weren't formally with the team, you figured Diana was training you to become apart of them in the future.

"( your hero name ), this is Superboy," Wonder Woman said, "he associated to the Super family," she explained as he pushed up his dark circled glasses and flicked his hair back, "pleasure is all mine," he muttered, shaking your hand.

you returned a tiny smile before she continued to introduce you to Robin and Impulse. you noticed how Superboy kept his eyes on you. you had no idea if it was because he liked you or he disliked you but every time you turned to look at him, he was already staring at you.

after introductions and the cliche 'your real identity is sacred' conversation ended, Diana felt it was for your own good to get used to your new 'teammates'. she wanted you to make sure you weren't uncomfortable around any of the YJ team even if that included Superboy.

"so, what do you like to do for fun?" Wonder Girl asked, sitting down next to you and handing you a bowl of popcorn. you shrugged, "uh, not much. I like to watch tv and read for the most part. no one really invites me to do things with them," you admitted, scratching the back of your head.

she laughed, putting her arm around you, "well that ends today! we should all do something fun! how about we go to the county fair? doesn't that sound fun?" she asked. you shrugged, not really opposed to the idea, "I call all the rides with ( your hero name )!" Jinny replied.

you smiled, following her and Wonder Girl out the door as Robin, Impulse, and Superboy followed behind you. Robin looked at him, "you like her don't you?" he asked, already calculating the minute Connor had fallen in love with you.

"well she's apart of the team, i'd like to hope we'd all like her," he replied as Robin shook his head, "no, you get what i mean by that," Robin pressed as he could see Connor's face fall with realization. he didn't reply but he could tell what he was tell Connor's real answer through his face.

as they arrived to the fair, they all booked it to the first food stand they saw. Robin offering to pay for everyone being Bruce Wayne's son had its benefits. you ordered a simple coffee as you didn't want Robin to spend too much on everyone.

"what ride should we all get on first?" Jinny asked excitedly. you pointed to the tallest ride, it was one of those high rides that sat two people at the top and had them spinning around, "oh I can't do that. it's way too scary," both Keli and Jinny said.

Superboy smiled at you, "I'm down if you are," he said as he grabbed two tickets from the worker, "cool," you replied as the two of you walked to the line, sweat already building up from nervousness.

once they sat the two of you and made sure you were both buckled in, you stared at Superboy nervously as the ride started up and pulled you up before immediately starting to spin. you stared at Superboy, screaming for you life. you unintentionally grabbed his arms, not realizing you were holding onto him as you continued to yell.

Superboy chuckled, finding your reaction cute.

after the months passed and you finally grew closer to everyone on the team, you were particularly close with Jinny and Superboy. you and Jinny shared a lot of common interests as she showed you how to shoot a gun and Superboy...well, everyone could tell the two of you were just seconds away from actually dating.

you walked into the YJ lair, sipping on hot chocolates with Jinny as the weather was turning cold. she was cracking some cringe dad jokes, trying to make you laugh as you tried to contain from choking on the hot chocolate.

"hey, where we yall at?" Keli asked. you turned to Jinny before giggling, "just doing a few errands we had to run before I had patrol with Superboy," you said, not really clarifying on what you both were actually doing.

although everyone could see how much you liked Connor, Connor himself thought you had a thing with Jinny. he knew she was particularly close with you and felt as though he was practically competing with her for your attention.

"do you have my phone?" you asked Jinny as she dug into her pocket and handed it to you. you grabbed your phone before quickly snatching her hat and putting it on, "yee-haw," you giggled into the mirror as Jinny started chasing you down the halls.

as you turned a corner, you bumped into Superboy and fell flat on your ass, "oh, I'm sorry Superboy, I didn't see you there," you groaned as Jinny grabbed her had and put it back on her, "you've yee'd your last haw," she said, making you laugh harshly.

Superboy's eye couldn't help but twitch as he gave you his hand, "ready for patrol?" he asked sternly. you looked to Jinny who crept away from the angry Kryptonian and left you to deal with him, "yeah, let me just freshen up again and I'll meet you outside," you murmured, going into the bathroom.

you quickly used the bathroom before checking if you had everything. you opened the door and walked into the lair's common area. Connor had yet to drop the angry attitude and everyone was eerily silent as you walked in. he grabbed you by the arm and practically rushed you out the door.

"weird," Jinny told Robin as he shrugged, "what isn't weird about him," he replied making everyone laugh.

patrol started extremely awkward. you hadn't felt this weird since you first started on the team and you had no idea what was wrong with Superboy since he wasn't telling you.

the two of you walked on top of roof, scanning the empty roads before you turned to look at him, "what's up? you seem bothered," you asked him as you both sat on the ledge, "seriously? you seem annoyed at me or something so at the very least you can try and tell me what's wrong," you pressured again.

he looked at you with eyes of determination before grabbing you by the collar of the shirt and pulling you into a very heated kiss. you were taken back by surprise but let him continue to kiss you. a part of yelled at Connor pulled you close but another part of him was still screaming at him that you still could've liked Jinny.

"I had to do that before Jinny officially took you away from me," your eyes fluttered in confusion, "uh, what do you mean by 'take you away from me'?" you asked, not knowing what he was talking about.

Connor sighed in frustration, "I see the way you're around Jinny and figured that she likes you and vice versa," he finally admitted as he stood up, not wanting to hear your response. you quickly stood up and grabbed him by the wrist, "hey wait," you said.

he stared at you, "I'm really not in the mood to get rejected ( your hero name )," he ran his fingers through his hair annoyed. you shook your head, "I don't like Jinny nor does she like me. we're just really close friends Superboy," you whispered, bringing him into another kiss.

this time, he was the one taken back but he melted into the kiss, all his negative emotions washing away as you continued to kiss him. he wrapped his arms around your waist as you him in closer by the neck. Connor was definitely not expecting this tonight.

"so does this mean that we're like....together together?" you asked playfully shy. Connor let out a laugh before lacing your hands together, "clearly. I can't let Jinny steal you away from me," he jokingly replied.

Connor ran to the three different henchmen as his strength was to the point of killing, not caring if he died in the process. he was recklessly dodging bullets, knowing they wouldn't do anything to him. he grabbed the first man and threw him against a wall as it collapsed around him. Connor only hoping that it did enough damage to unalive him.

the second one he managed to choke him out enough to the point where he passed out but that wasn't enough for him. you were on the brink of death and if he had to see you die, he was going to make sure the men who possibly killed you got what they deserved.

"SUPERBOY!" he heard his father scream again. Connor paid no attention to him as he grabbed the third henchman and slammed him to the ground, throwing punches left and right, "listen to me," Clark screamed at him.

he could see the tears coming down Connor's face as anger, fear, and sadness clouded his mind, "this is not you! pull out of it!" he yelled, shaking Connor's shoulder, "you're about to kill this man. I get that you're angry but you don't get anything out of hurting him. all you get it consequences and your girlfriend needs you right now more than ever!" he continued.

Connor finally shook himself out of his trance as he heard his dad telling him to go to you. Connor nodded and ran to you, seeing you unconscious and hardly breathing, "I'm taking her to the hospital," he yelled to Batman before hauling your body into his arms and flying towards the nearest hospital.

once he finally reached the emergency doors, he shoved everyone out of his way and to the front desk, "she needs help...NOW!" he yelled to the poor receptionist. the girl jumped up from fear but nodded and screamed for a bed and a few doctors.

the doctor asked Connor to place you on the bed before the doctor told him that he could follow them inside. a part of Connor wanted to straight up move the doctor to follow you into the OR but he knew that he'd get into more trouble with his dad and the MPD if he hurt anyone else.

for what felt like hours, he was waiting inside of the room they had told him you'd be in once you got out of surgery. he had already gotten the lecture from his dad about the consequences he would've gotten if he actually managed to kill the three men earlier.

"she's going to make it," the doctor told Connor as he walked into the room while they adjusted you to the bed. Connor nodded, "she'll be out of duty for months. she sustained a lot of injuries to her body that'll take weeks to recover and she got a nasty concussion so you'll need to play doctor for the next few weeks to make sure she's okay," he explained.

Connor nodded as the doctor told him that you should be waking up within the next few hours. Connor adjusted himself on the seat and got comfortable as he had no intentions of leaving your side until you were awake and ready to leave the hospital.

you woke up a few hours later, your body killing you from all over as you saw balloons all around the room. you knew you had landed in the hospital but you had no idea how long you were asleep or in a coma even. you turned to see Connor passed out next to you, his body slumped awkwardly.

"Kon, Kon wake up!" you whispered, shaking him softly. Connor jumped up in a fright as he immediately realized you were awake, "how do you feel? are you okay? do you need anything?" he immediately asked as you couldn't help but laugh at his frantic attitude.

"Connor, I'm okay, I promise," you whispered as you brought him in for a kiss, "my body just hurts and i'm still kinda tired," you murmured as Connor nodded. you managed to wiggle yourself enough to make space for him, "babe, it looks like you haven't slept in days."

"I had to make sure you were okay so i haven't exactly slept in a while," he admitted sheepishly. you shook your head, "you're too much sometimes," you giggled as you put your head on his shoulder, "but you love me regardless," he replied.

this was the first time the L word had came up in the relationship, "yeah, I guess I do but now you need to sleep," you said as you closed your eyes and felt Connor pull you closer to him, "I love you too by the way," you whispered, giving him another kiss on his partially exposed chest.

#dc #dc x reader #dc imagine #connor kent x you #connor kent x reader #connor kent imagine #connor kent #superboy x y/n #superboy x reader #superboy imagine #comics #dc comics

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fandomscombine · 4 years

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The Hargreeves Kerfuffle Part 1 : Disastrous Childhood (Prologue)

TUA Series Part 1: Disastrous Childhood

The Hargreeves siblings x Hargreeves!Reader (Familial Relationship)

An idea came to me at 2am after binging TUA S2 and rewatching S1 right after!

BG: The Reader is Number Eight. It follows how you fit into the structure of Season 1 and the family dynamic of the siblings.

This part follows when the young Hargreeves Siblings had their powers manifested and the development of The Umbrella Academy.

Contains: Sibling Angst and Fluff. Reginald being a crappy father but sometimes not really?

The series will consist of 10 parts. Where the reader would have a focused interaction with each sibling. (Eg. After this part, it would be Luther x Reader, then Diego x Reader and so on! –Yes Ben is included)

WC:2649

A/N: This is my first ever TUA fic and I’m doing a series. WOw ambitious I know. Anyways I hope you enjoy! And tell me how you feel about it!

>>MASTERLIST<<

>>THE HARGREEVES KERFUFFLE SERIES MASTERLIST<<

READ: [PART 2] [PART 3] [PART 4]

>>JOIN MY WRITING CHALLENGE!<<

On October 1, 1989, 43 women across the globe gave birth despite them not being pregnant when the day began. In news of this mysterious happenings, Sir Reginald Hargreeves immediately went out of his way to find as many of these special babies. He has successfully adopted 8 of these children and you were one of them.

One might think that when a person adopts not one, but eight kids would have so much love to give but they would be mistaken. Sir Reginald Hargreeves—Dad, was not a loving father. It would be a miracle for one to see the man show any other emotion apart from anger. Sir Reginald Hargreeves was distant and treated the children like they were experiments that the dynamic felt closer to a doctor/patient relationship. The children weren’t given actual names, only to be called by their numbers based on the order Sir Reginald Hargreeves had procured them. It was only when Grace, their robot mother insisted they have a real name, were the children given them. And so, the children were:

Number One - Luther Hargreeves

Number Two – Diego Hargreeves

Number Three – Allison Hargreeves

Number Four – Klaus Hargreeves

Number Five – Five Hargreeves

Number Six – Ben Hargreeves

Number Seven – Vanya Hargreeves

And finally,

Number Eight - y/n Hargreaves

For 6 years, the only special thing about the children was that they were miraculously conceived and birthed within a day, the same day. However, on the 7th year , October 1 1996, more strange things started to happen to the children.

It first started with Ben at breakfast. Dad as usual is cold and strict more so in the early morning. ‘Sit up straight Number Six.’ He directed without even a glance up from his newspaper at hand.

‘Yes Sir.’

Beside him you place your hand on his and whispered, ‘You alright Ben? You look sick.’

He gulped. ‘Yea y/n.’ Wiping the cold sweat off his forehead.

‘You sure?’ you questioned, not buying it.

‘Umhmm never bett-----’

You expected vomit to come out but what happen next is something you would never though was possible.

Screams broke out everywhere.

You feel yourself being raised above the table. Looking down, you were 5 feet off the ground held by what seemed to be tentacles.

‘Take that!’ You hear some shout then a thud. Diego had brought down a knife to the tentacle that had suffocated him and in now laying on the floor covered in green blood.

The sight finally snapped you out of your shock, your fight or flight reflexes kicked in.

A quick sweep of your surroundings showed Five and Klaus on either side of you, they too are struggling with the ever-tightening grip of the monstrous arm.

While on the ground, Vanya and Allison are making their way to Ben in hopes of helping him control whatever all this that was coming out of his body. While Luther is fighting off the arms away from Diego who seem to have broken his leg from the fall.

Dad, Mom and Pogo are nowhere to be seen.

You move your head to the left, knowing that Klaus doesn’t do well in small spaces. ‘Klaus it’s okay buddy, Dad would find a way to fic this. Just breathe’ You choked out ‘Just breathe Klaus, everything’s gonna be alright.’

‘mmmm!’ That was Klaus’ only reply but you were thankful to see him to fidget less. He seemed to have taken your advice – how much of the second part of that advice be true, you genuinely don’t know.

You try to move your head to face the right towards Five but no dice. The arm was wrapping itself closer to your neck. ‘Five’ you call out, but it was barely a whisper. ‘five..’

‘Y/N!!’ Five’s scream was the last thing you heard before everything went black.

‘She’s broken a couple of ribs and sprained her neck. But’s she’s gonna be okay. Just needs time to rest.’

‘And how long would that time Pogo?’

‘She would need to say in bed for 2 to 3 months, Sir.’

You open your eyes and are greeted with blinding white light. Dad, Mom and Pogo surround your bed.

Grace tucks a stray hair behind you ear. ‘My baby, y/n. How are you feeling?’

‘Sore.’ You reply, noting the coarse sound of your voice. ‘How’s Ben? Klaus? Vanya?—’

Grace cut you off. ‘They’re all fine y/n. Though Ben is a bit roughed up.’ She says truthfully.

‘Number Six has appeared to have powers of summoning monsters with his body and he is currently under supervision.’ Reginald stated.

But something didn’t fit right. ‘But how did you calm him down? The whole fiasco back there was in total chaos?’ Voicing out all your thoughts and questions. ‘No one could get him to take back control, unless…..’ You couldn’t continue the thought. Your eyes go wide. There was no way. It was too harsh, but it was dad after all, he would do whatever means necessary to get what he wants.

Your dad smiles proudly ‘Ah yes. Y/n ever the cleverest of the bunch.’ You had observed that he had addressed you in your actual name instead of your number for the first time in your whole existence. ‘Unfortunately, I had to sedate Number Six. You do understand that it was the only way.’

You open your mouth to argue.

‘No buts, Number Eight!’ Ah and now we’re back to number, you thought.

‘I’ll have Grace by you side whist you recover and Pogo here would relay your recovery progress to me daily.’

He was almost to your door when he faced you again. ‘Oh and Number Eight, When you feel something different or unusual. Do inform me of it immediately.’ And with that he left.

‘Pogo? What does he mean by feel different?’ Your nerves go up, worried about your siblings. ‘Is anyone hurt?’

Pogo sighs, after much contemplation he begins ‘Y/n dear. Today’s happenings uncovered that there are stranger yet special things about you children.’

You nod, not wanting to interrupt but also wishing he would hurry up and continue.

‘Ben isn’t the only one who have gotten powers today. During the kerfuffle, Diego has shown skill with a knife, Luther immense strength and Five had shown ability to teleport.’

Once again you found yourself in shock.

‘Your father has gotten the idea that you children have varying power wish are “activated” so to speak when reached the age of 7.’

‘Haha-OW’ You clutch your side.

‘Careful y/n, try not to do sudden movements—yes and that includes laughing too.’ Mom says, caressing your cheek.

‘When can I see them?’

‘I’ll try to persuade Reggie to allow them for a visit dear. But now I need you to rest.’

Sibling Visits are limited to 30 mins a day, right before the bedtime curfew.

All your siblings (expect Ben who was still under strict supervision and is recovering himself) came to see you the following night.

Allison was the first one through your door and ran to give you a hug. ‘Y/n! We are all so worried!’

‘Aww thanks—OW OW OW’

‘Oops sorry’ releasing you from her death grip of a hug.

Seeing that movements still hurt you. The rest opted not to hug you, Klaus and Diego held your hand, Vanya is sitting on the edge of you bed, Luther gave you forehead a quick kiss and Five being Five, greeted you with the typical sibling teasing. ‘Glad to see you not drop dead in front of me.’

Diego showed off his leg cast and asked you to sign it, which you happily did so. Signing ‘Badass as always. -y/n’ beside Ben’s note of ‘Diego is cooler than Batman’

The 30 minutes consisted recaps of what happened the day before, the gushing of the boys showcasing their powers and debating on who’s the most powerful.

And just like that, the time was up and each had to go to bed. Everyone kissed your head for goodnights, even Five.

‘You know I love you right?’ His eyes softer than you ever seen before

‘I know’

‘You really scared me yesterday when you blacked out.’ Five had his tough façade down. ‘I thought you died y/n.’

‘But I didn’t.’ You reach up to wipe his tears away. ‘It’d take something bigger, if you wanna get rid of me.’

He chuckled. ‘Night, y/n’

‘Good night, Five.’

3 weeks had passed, and your siblings never failed to visit you. Over that time, Klaus and Allison had manifested their powers. Klaus can conjure the dead while Allison could ‘rumor’ people to her will.

Ben came by 2 weeks later. His color is back to normal, not like the blueish tint it had the last time you saw him. Though he still had a few remnants of bruises and scars across his arms and face.

‘I’m sorry y/n.’ He said leaning on your door frame.

‘Ben!’ You exclaimed. ‘I’m so glad you’re back up and running!’

Ben was caught off guard. ‘You—You’re not mad at me?’

‘Why would I be mad at you?’ You questioned, genuinely confused at your brother’s words.

‘Cause, Cause I almost got you killed. I am a monster.’

You sat up straight at those words, your ribs hurt a bit at the sudden movement, but you didn’t care. Your brother was blaming himself for something he couldn’t have controlled.

‘NO BEN!’

Ben jumped from your sudden outburst.

You motioned for him to come closer.

‘Ben…’ looking into his eyes. ‘Ben you are no monster.’

‘But—’

‘uuh uh I’m not done’ You held his hand in yours. ‘You are no monster what happened then was an accident, nobody knew, heck nobody expected powers to just show up. It was beyond anyone’s control. It took us by surprise.’

His shoulders relaxed.

‘It wasn’t your fault. I don’t blame you for what happened.’

He gave you a bone crushing hug. ‘Thank you y/n. You don’t know how guilty I was feeling.’ Voice muffled by your shoulder, which is now wet with his tears. ‘I kept thinking about the pain I caused you and I wasn’t allowed to leave my room even when I begged dad to see you and say sorry. y/n’

‘Shhh shhh’ Rubbing his back. ‘It’s alright Ben. What’s important is that we’re all here now. Alive, Safe and sound.’.

You still have a month left for recovery.

Only you and Vanya are the one left who haven’t had their powers revealed.

Dad had created a group called ‘The Umbrella Academy’ in which he trained your super powered siblings. He even given them codenames to go along with their newfound powers.

Number One - Luther Hargreeves aka Spaceboy

Number Two – Diego Hargreeves aka The Kraken

Number Three – Allison Hargreeves aka The Rumor

Number Four – Klaus Hargreeves aka The Séance

Number Five – Five Hargreeves aka The Boy

Number Six – Ben Hargreeves aka The Horor

With this new training program comes with the downside of spending less time with your siblings. Your traditional Sunday afternoon sister bonding time Allison and Vanya is basically non-existent now. Sure the rest of siblings still drop by to check up on how you’re recovering but it is not as frequency as they once were- you totally understand though, it must be tiring to be part of ‘The Umbrella Academy’ but girl were you still hurt and wanted more than anything to be a part of it.

So, you spend most of your time with Vanya nowadays. You didn’t mind, it is nice to have someone along. Most of the time Vanya practices her violin in your room.

‘That was beautiful Vanny’ you commented after she finished a rendition.

‘Thanks y/n’ Her face flushed. ‘Maybe someday I’d be a famous violinist!’

‘I know you would.’ You say truthfully. ‘And I better get the best seats at your concerts okay? Nothing short of VIP treatment for your favourite sister!’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Allison would get that.’ Vanya teased.

Placing a hand dramatically to your chest ‘uhh I am offended! I thought I was your favourite sister!’

‘well... you thought wrong.’ Vanya tried to keep a straight face but failed. ‘You y/n are the VVIP guest!’

‘Now that’s more like it.’

That night you were tossing and turning in your bed.

In the training room, huge boulders were being tossed onto Luther’s back. He currently had 3 on him. ‘More’ he cried. It was an impressive feat to see. A 7-year-old carry the what had to be at least 5 times his weight.

It was at his 6th block when his legs start to shake.

‘Straighten up Number One!’ Reginald voice came through the speakers.

‘I-I’

‘Fix your posture! And stop babbling!’

He was trembling all over, the weight was far too much and carried far too long for just a young boy.

Any second now, he is gonna be crushed by the boulders.

‘LUTHER!’ You screamed. Cold sweat was plastered all over your face. You were still in your room- but it all felt so real.

You look over to your bedside table, 9:07

Training would have started an hour ago. You had time.

You took the stairs two at a time, bursting into the training room. ‘STOP’

Reginald stood from his seat. ‘Number Eight. What in the world are you doing here?’

‘STOP! Luther is gonna get hurt please stop it--.’ Ignoring his question.

‘Number Eight, what are you talking about? Number One is doing perfectly fine!’ He gestured towards the front.

He was right. Luther looks fine. In fact it looked like it was carrying a light backpack instead of 3 boulders. ‘But- But I saw—’ Then it hit you 3 boulders. 3 not 6.

‘More’ You heard him cried out, just like you had in your nightmare.

You stared at Luther, how could this be?

‘I saw him sir, he is gonna collapse from 6 boulders.’

At this, Reginald took interest. ‘You saw?’

‘Yes, I-I must have dreamt it.’ You slumped against the free chair, defeated. ‘but it felt so real.’

‘Let me everything you saw, and don’t miss a single detail’

And so, you did. By the time you finished, Luther was with his 6th block.

It was exactly like how things went down in your dream. ‘No No NOOOO!’

‘Release him!’ Reginald called at the last second. Standing he faced you. ‘Now y/n dear would you please come with me.’

He didn’t speak again until you were both in his office. ‘It seems to me Number Eight that your powers have finally manifested.’

‘what—’

‘A slight delay compared to your siblings, but I presume that it was due to you recovering from your injuries that your body had focus on your recovery first then powers.’

‘What about Vanya? Would she have powers?’

‘It seems that Number Seven has no powers gained.’ Standing in front of you. ‘But no matter now, what’s important is that you’ve got them.’ He placed his hands on your shoulders. ‘You would do great things Number Eight. To see into the future is a valuable asset to have indeed. For this I shall name you Foresight.’

This was it! You own codename!

Number Eight - y/n Hargreaves aka Foresight.

‘I’m gonna be part of The Umbrella Academy?’ Overjoyed by your father taking pride in you that every other thought left your concern.

‘Yes Foresight. You will.’ Standing straight again. ‘However, your training would only start once you have fully recovered.’

‘Thanks Dad.’ Hugging him and for once showed the affection back.

You wish you could say that it was at this point where you and your siblings finally gotten a loving and healthy childhood. But you were wrong. Things only deteriorated from here on out with the Hargreeves household and by extension the dissolve of The Umbrella Academy.

END OF PART 1

READ: [PART 2] [PART 3] [PART 4]

Taglist [All]: @gruffle1

Taglist [TUA]: @herecomesthesun1969 @ultraviolet-m @winterierwriter @lordofthunderthr @alabaster1223

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stanharu · 4 years

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beastars episode 24 thoughts!

this post got kinda long i have Many Thoughts on this one

Overall I had fun watching this ep but I could really tell it was rushed and there was so much that got cut, which makes me super sad. our fears about the finale having pacing issues due to all the added scenes & rearranging were confirmed & it rly sucks, but i'll elaborate more on that in a bit.

this week's ep covered the end of chapter 92, chapters 93-97, and included small bits of chapters 98 & 99.

so the ep starts with the ED and the latter part of the tunnel scene with ibuki and louis. i liked the visual effect they used to show that they were in the dark. louis' voice acting was also On Point. for the most part i think this scene was done pretty well but I can tell it's being rushed also. I really wish we got more buildup and narration instead of just jumping straight to ibuki telling louis to shoot him. the way it is in the anime feels less impactful imo.

also im sad we didnt get to see this in the anime

before i move on, i wanna talk a bit about louis and his relationship w/ the shishigumi and ibuki. i feel like in the anime quite a few of the lil moments that really endear you to the shishigumi and also ibuki were either cut or kinda glossed over, which is strange to me considering how much effort and care went into the ED. it's very emotional and good but i feel like maybe anime onlies are missing out only seeing the anime and the MV. but idk.

legosi and riz's fight was quite rushed as well. there's so much narration and dialogue missing from it and that really rubs me the wrong way. It wasn't all bad but compared to the manga I just don't think it's as good. I will say tho that I really liked the sequence w legosi and the moths. I thought it looked really nice and was pretty well done.

also i liked how the backgrounds had some anti-yahya graffiti, its a nice touch imo

it says "high quality horse meat"

I was happy to see legosi do the "tell me more" pose but I'm honestly disappointed that the anime took out the whole exposition about why legosi did it. like i feel like without that it's just legosi being weird when he has a reason for it!!! This is just one example of the anime taking out crucial narration during the fight.

I also think it's kinda weird how they changed how louis shows up at the fight. im not sure how i feel about riz just charging at him like that, but i liked how legosi kicked him before they ran lol.

i dont have much to say about pina's small scene but I did wanna say that during my first watch thru of the ep i was too distracted trying to read the graffiti behind him that i didn't notice him getting his phone out of the dumpster and calling the cops lmao

it says "devour yahya"

and now... here we are... the predation scene.

overall i thought it was pretty well done but, like the rest of the ep, i could tell it was also being kinda rushed. some important beats werent given enough time to really sink in, and there's a few bits of narration taken out of this part as well that i find disappointing :^(

tho i did like how the anime called back to this scene in s1 when legosi mentions utilizing his strength.

also this part where louis is remembering ibuki had me like😭

I also really liked seeing louis cry. I was crying too sjdflskjdflsjkdf. i thought that scene was really good, its prolly my favorite part of the ep tbh. getting to hear the whole predation scene voiced made me kind of a mess lol. i really liked louis' expressions throughout this whole ep too. studio orange used their whole louis expression budget on these last 2 eps lmao.

seeing legosi instantly get all beefed up was great too. he looked a little ridiculous but i kinda loved it lol. he's so huge and poofy. i love him.

big pomeranian

anyway, im also sad they took out louis' line about being reduced to a flashback character lol. instead he tells legosi "be a hero" again which... im not sure about that change. i liked the part with riz thinking back about tem tho. tho imo the way riz realizes he's in the wrong feels pretty sudden. again adding to how rushed the whole ep feels.

before i move on again i just wanna say legosi looks so cute. even all puffed up and covered in blood. how does he do that

baby boy baby. i wanna ruffle his cheek floofs.

i think one of the things im most disappointed about from this whole ep was how the fight got wrapped up. i really like how the cops show up and totally shift the tone in the manga jslkdfjskljdf. im also really sad we didnt get this interaction

tthe anime really took out most of the sillier moments from the finale, which makes me pretty sad to think about. i know the anime and manga have different tones but pls let the boys be silly sometimes!!

the next part where legosi and louis finally establish their friendship was really cute tho ❤️ even tho it was pretty different i enjoyed it a lot.

BABIESSSS 🥺😭❤️❤️

the wrap-up for this arc and this episode gave me whiplash sdjlfkjsdf. it literally speedruns thru legosi's predation conviction, being released, louis & haru's graduation, and legosi deciding he's going to drop out of school. that is SO MUCH AT ONCE. also i was holding out hope that legosi would have his new years call with haru after the fight instead but that didnt happen!! so it just got cut!!! kinda mad about that tbh. legosi and haru having a lil scene at the very end made up for it a lil bit but that's still one of haru's few moments in this arc that's just not included.

we didnt even get the part wher legosi learns he can't marry haru bc of his conviction.

ive been really hoping for a season 3 announcement once this season ended. with all the background allusions to yahya, the added plot point of someone stealing elephant tusks, and sebun and melon's lil cameos in this season, it seemed to me that studio orange was kinda teasing a 3rd season. but now, with the dismissive way the anime ended, and paru's note from earlier today, im less sure about the possibility of a 3rd season. i'd still like to see the rest of the series animated, but i guess we'll just have to wait and see if more anime is announced in the future.

if we do get another season in the future i just hope that we swing back around and actually address the things that got completely glossed over in the last couple minutes of this episode instead of charging forward w/o touching them again.

i really think the finale for this arc should've been two episodes at least. not including the tunnel scene. i think then things wouldn't have felt so rushed. people have been saying this season really would have benefitted from at least 1 extra episode and i cant help but agree. some have even suggested a whole 24 episodes just for this arc, but i think that this arc couldve been done properly with 12 or 13 episodes if there was some better prioritizing on what to include and what to cut.

like i dont mind not getting the parts about legosi's family if they can be addressed somehow in a future season (or if theres no more future anime seasons thats a plot thread that doesnt have to be worried about). i could have lived w/o seeing sheila & peach's chapter animated if it meant more time for the focus of this arc. and was the kangaroo red herring really necessary?

adaptation wise, i dont think this season was as good as the first. i still think it did fairly well, but i know that it could have been much better. ive been excited to watch this season with my friends once the dub releases, but now im wondering if i should just tell them to read the manga instead. sighs idk. perhaps it comes thru better as a bingewatch, or perhaps im being a bit too harsh. idk. at some point ill do a rewatch and see how i feel about the season as a whole, but that wont be for a while.

if you've read this far, thanks for reading my ramblings!! it's been fun to make these posts every week and im gonna miss getting new episodes every week.

#beastars #beastext #legosi #legoshi #louis

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btssaysstudy · 4 years

Text

Let You Love Me | pjm.

Pairing: Jimin x reader, Platonic! Hoseok x reader Genre: Angst, fluff (enemies to lovers situation going on) Warning: Swearing, mentions of Imposter Syndrome, mentions of sex (if you squint) Words: 6k

Synopsis : Your dance partner had always been Hoseok since you joined the club. It was production period once again however Hoseok had injured himself during one of the training sessions. With a partner down, the club instructors assigned you a new partner, your dance rival - Park Jimin. You never got along with Jimin since the beginning and now you were forced to do a partner piece with the one and only. With a few months left to production, you guys have no choice but to find chemistry, or fake it, in order to pull off a successful piece.

A/N - I’ve been rewatching WOD performances, especially by Sean and Kaycee. So I’ve been inspired to do a piece after them. Hence, the actual performance described later is actually the Let You Love Me piece that they have performed on YouTube - choreography by Tessandra Chavez

Since the beginning of joining the club, you had been partners with Hoseok. You would participate together as a pair for competitions or showcases. You two had such a strong chemistry, neither of you bothered trying to partner others for events. The two of you had trained together so much, you knew each other’s strengths, training styles, weaknesses. All these were important to perform a seamless partner piece.

It was once again production period, all the members had signed up for their preferred acts. As seniors, you were given the opportunity to have solo acts, to which you and Hoseok decided to perform an act together. Once the programme list was finalised, everyone had begun training. One of the club choreographers helped to choreograph a piece for you two. It was a style you both would execute for competitions, allowing you guys to pick it up fast.

On top of your partner act, you two had also signed up for group acts with the club. One particular act had lots of power moves for the male dancers of the club. They would rehearse it non-stop for every practice to grow more confident with their moves. However, one unfortunate practice had caused Hoseok to injure himself.

The doctor informed him that he would need to pull out from the production in order for him to fully heal. Hoseok was extremely upset with himself when he first heard the news. “I’m sorry Y/N.” Hoseok would automatically apologise when you visited him in the hospital.

“Stop being sorry Hoseok, accidents happen. I just want you to heal right now.” You would always bring his favourite snacks while he was hospitalised, keeping him company for a few hours when you could. “What did the instructors say about our act?” You shrugged your shoulders, “They said they’re still discussing about it. Honestly, I don’t know what’s there to discuss about since I have no partner and it’s a partner piece.”

“Maybe they want you to perform it solo.” “There’s no way I’ll perform that piece without you. It’s our piece.”

Hoseok chuckled, “Doesn’t hurt to have a solo stage now and then, Y/N. Plus, it’ll be such a waste for our piece to be discarded. It’s a good choreo.”

“Well, we’ll see what they say about it.”

“Jung Hoseok!” You cried out as you entered his apartment. “Well, come in?” He walked out from his room, clearly looking like he had just taken a shower as he dried his hair with his towel. You had spent so much time with Hoseok, you’ve seen each other in your lowest forms but you had to admit that Hoseok barely had any bad looks.

“Did you see the email they sent?”

“Clearly not.”

You huffed impatiently, whipping out your phone to show him the email. “I’m partnering with Park Jimin!”

Park Jimin had always been your ‘archenemy’ in the club. To be honest, you never had a proper reason why you were so annoyed with his presence. There was no specific reason. All you could remember was Jimin taunting you during practices and always being one of your competitors for competitions.

He also participated in dance competitions with his own partner - Ji Na. They were amazing partners together, they worked just as well as how you and Hoseok work together. Despite disliking him, you admit that he was an excellent dancer. Jimin and Hoseok were one of the higher tier dancers in the club and everyone respected them. However, you just never gotten alone with him. You thought that one possible reason was that you and Jimin have a similar dance background so you saw him as a direct rival. However, Ji Na also had a similar dance background but you were good friends with her.

Hoseok’s confused look changed to amusement, chuckling as he returned your phone. “That’s cute.”

“That’s cute?! You know I can’t stand him Hobi.” You whined loudly as you plopped yourself onto his couch, “I would rather cancel our act. I can’t work with him.”

“Come on Y/N, you’ve never even had a proper chance to work with him before. Besides, he’s a nice guy.”

You scoffed, “You say that because he’s nice to you. On the other hand, he acts like a dick to me.”

Ji Na and Hoseok never understood why you guys were always at each other’s throats. The whole situation was ironic as Hoseok and Jimin were good friends and you with Ji Na. Jimin would give you compliments in almost a mocking tone and you would return the favour, this had become muscle memory for the both of you and it never stopped.

However, when it came to training, you would keep emotions aside, behaving professionally in front of your choreographers and instructors. Hence, they weren’t aware of this feud between you two. This was probably why they were more than happy to have Jimin as your partner for production.

Initially, Jimin did not have any partner acts as his duo, Ji Na, was overseas for the semester. Hence, he was only part of the group acts. This meant he had extra time to train with you. Not only that, you knew because of his level of skill, Jimin would pick up the choreography in a nick of time. You had no doubt about that, as much as you hate to admit it, no one else can replace Hoseok except Jimin.

Especially with three months left to the performance. Productions always took about half a year to prepare due to all the different logistics to prepare. Learning the choreography and cleaning the choreography were two very different things and that needed lots of time. With only three months left, you would have to spend lots of time with Jimin and you were not looking forward to it.

“Hey.” After receiving a long lecture from Hoseok, you promised to be nice and professional with Jimin. “Excited to dance with me, princess?” Jimin had a playful smirk on his face as he entered the studio. Just from that sentence made you break your promise with Hoseok.

“Definitely not. I’d rather dance with a tree than with you.” Jimin laughed mockingly, “Really cute, y/n. I would love to see that happen.”

Just as you were about to retort, your choreographer for the original act entered with a club alumni. Hyun Jae. Hyun Jae was one of the best alumni dancers, especially when it came to contemporary and you admired his dance a lot. The two of you stopped your bickering, standing upright to greet them.

“Let’s get started right away shall we? Hyun Jae is with me today because we’re learning a complete new piece.”

“W-What? A new piece?” You asked in shock. “We discussed a lot about it. Seeing that you and Jimin have similar dance backgrounds, we decided that it’ll be better to have a more contemporary piece for the act.”

“B-But what about the original piece?” “Don’t worry too much y/n,” Hyun Jae smiled encouragingly at you, “I’m confident you’ll do well.”

His smile was charming and it somehow made you feel more at east. Beside you, you heard Jimin chuckle, and you knew it was directed at you. Your choreographer handed over the time to Hyun Jae and you two began learning the new piece almost immediately.

You were slightly rusty in this style as you had gotten use to the more urban, hip-hop genre with Hoseok as your partner. You found yourself struggling with certain moves as Hyun Jae progressed with the choreography. “Struggling, princess? You know, you can always ask me to help you.”

You hated his tone. His mocking tone as he called your ‘princess’. You don’t remember when he started calling you that but it felt like ages. “Sweetheart,” You gave a plastic smile, “you’re the last person I’ll ask for help.”

Jimin’s cheeky smile dropped as you approached Hyun Jae to break down the moves for you. It didn’t take long for you to get a hang of the piece and the two of you progressed quickly. During non-training days, you and Jimin would meet up to practice together. As much as you disliked the thought of spending extra time with him, you had no choice.

Hoseok would drop by to watch your practices whenever he could and it was a blessing. Since Hoseok and Jimin were close friends, Jimin’s teasing would die down when he was around. “Hobi please, I beg you.” You pouted, clinging onto your best friend’s arm, “You have to come to all our practices.”

“That’s a lot of practices Y/N. I have my own life.” Hoseok laughed, “Besides, you and Jimin seem to be going along well.”

“But that’s only because you’re around! When you’re not around, I swear, he’s a devil.”

Hoseok only laughed louder in response, clutching onto his stomach. “A devil. That’s new.”

“Come on, pretty please?”

“Okay okay, I’ll do my best to watch most of them.” Feeling like you won, you grinned widely, pulling him into a bone crushing hug. “You’re the best Hobi!”

You groaned frustratedly, “I told you, you have to be bend lower so it’s easier for me to get on your back.”

“It’ll look so ugly if I go any lower. And you’re landing on my back fine, I don’t get what’s wrong.” Jimin argued back. “In fact, the part that needs fixing is that you always look so scared when I lift you!”

“Because I can feel that you might drop me any time!”

“Stop complaining, after this production we’ll go back to our real partners.”

The two of you would constantly bicker back and forth when it came to cleaning up the choreography. Hoseok would always have to intervene to find middle ground.

“Alright you two, do you know what you guys need? You need trust. And chemistry.” Hoseok placed his coffee on the ground, getting up to approach the two of you. “Your piece looks good already, but what’s missing is that I can feel you guys don’t trust each other. Plus, there are no emotions. You guys need to find a way to trust each other or at least tolerate each other if you want your piece to be perfect.”

You frowned, glancing at Jimin who was staring at the ground in thought. “Alright fine, I agree with Hoseok. I need to trust you in order for the lifts to look effortless.”

Jimin nodded his head, “Yea you do.”

Raising an eyebrow, “Yea I do? How about you, you need to work and trust me too!” He chuckled, “Don’t worry princess, I agree with what Hoseok said too.”

Hoseok grinned, satisfied with the outcome. “Well, I’m leaving early. My job is done.”

“Early?” Your head snapped back to face your best friend. “W-Why are you leaving early?” “Because, I have plans tomorrow morning. I need my beauty sleep.” Hoseok winked at you, pulling you in for a quick hug. “Hang in there. You’re doing great.” He ruffled your hair, after saying goodbye to Jimin, he left you two alone in the studio.

“Don’t be so sad that your boyfriend’s gone princess, I’m still here.” Jimin teased to which you laughed in response. “Hoseok’s not my boyfriend.”

You noticed Jimin furrowed his eyebrows, “He’s not?”

“Yea, he’s not. Anyway,” you clasped your hands together, “He’s right, we should put our arch enemy shenanigans aside and get to know each other better for the piece.”

Jimin raised his eyebrows, “Do you have something in mind?” “Let’s end practice early tonight and go get a midnight snack.” The two of you headed over to McDonald’s since it was the nearest place that was 24/7. “So, how does this exactly help?” Jimin asked you in queue. “Well first, we can talk about why we hate each other so much. “Hate each other? I never hated you.”

You laughed dryly, crossing your arms, “Sure you don’t.” “I’m serious.” His tone was surprisingly genuine, and you could tell from his facial expression that he was serious. “Okay, if that’s true, why do you always fight me?” Jimin chuckled, shaking his head, “Princess, I do that because it’s fun.”

“And why do you call me princess? You know that annoys me.”

“Why do you call me sweetheart?” He countered.

“Only to spite back.”

Jimin grinned, “I call you that because I love to see your annoyed face. Gets me every time.”

You grumbled, “You’re really making it hard for me to tolerate you.” He only laughed, “How bout I make it easier by treating you this snack?”

“No it’s fine—“

“Too late princess,” He winked at you, “Already made up my mind. What’s your order?”

It could be because of the numerous sessions you had with Jimin or it could be the late night snacks you two would have after practice. Whatever the reason, you found Jimin more tolerable and his snide remarks less agitating.

“Much better.” Hyun Jae clapped in satisfaction, “I can tell you guys have been working a lot together from that run. Jimin, you just have to hold her slightly longer until the next beat and y/n, stop looking so scared.”

You frowned while Jimin laughed from behind you. “Still don’t trust me after all that bonding, princess?” He whispered in your ear which made you shudder. “Shut it.” You smacked his stomach, receiving a grunt in response.

Practice went on and it was draining as you two were still involved in the group acts. That meant you guys would sometimes have back to back practices - your group practice and your partner practice.

Hyun Jae wrapped up the training and you guys took a break before the combined practice began.

“I’m sooo tired.” You yawned, lying back on the floor, resting as much as you can before dance resumed. “I need a good massage after all this is over.”

Jimin sat next to you on the floor, “I’m pretty good at massaging.” “Is Park Jimin, offering me, a massage?”

“Only if you want to.” He shrugged his shoulders. You took the opportunity to get a quick massage before practice, “I’d appreciate it actually.” You sat up, scooting in front of Jimin and patted your shoulders.

He chuckled before placing his hands on your shoulders, placing just enough pressure as he massaged you. You groaned in pleasure (in the most non-sexual way), “Dude that feels so good.” “I’ll be charging you for this.” He teased.

“I don’t care. I need this.”

It was small moments like this that made you think that maybe you disliked Jimin for no reason and just held it against him the entire time.

Once combined practice started, you were both parts of different group sp each group took turns to use the studio. When it wasn’t your turn, the non-performing groups would sit in front of the mirror to watch the practicing group do their runs.

You caught yourself watching Jimin numerous times, always attempting (but failing) to divert your attention elsewhere. You had always respected his dance skills, he was truly one of the stronger dancers in the club and he could easily grab your attention with his stage presence.

“You’re gonna drool.” Your friend beside you commented, nudging your side.

“Oh shut up, I wasn’t staring.”

“Yea sure.” Your friend teased as your gaze shifted back to Jimin. When the music stopped, you were about to look away when his eyes immediately glanced in the crowd sitting front to find you. He sent you a wink, and you rolled your eyes in response, ignoring the fluttering feeling in your heart.

“Okay, the group in charge of the second half can use the studio now.”

You enjoyed dancing in a group the most, you always had extra energy when in a group. The energy oozing off each member always gave you the push and adrenaline to give your 120%. It was one of the reasons why you loved your club, the members were all so supportive and everyone was always pulling their weight.

Once your group ended your run, you took your empty bottle and headed for the cooler.

“You did great Y/N.” You almost splashed the person with your bottle and when you saw who it was, you wished you did. “Jimin! What the fuck I almost had a heart attack!” He laughed, “Calm down princess, I just complimented you.” Raising an eyebrow, “Was that a compliment or were you just mocking me as usual?” “Hey, I’m being genuine.” He frowned, placing a hand to his heart, “That really hurt me.” You jokingly shoved him away, “Get used to it sweetheart.”

Since schedule was extremely tight, you guys had numerous vetting sessions to ensure that you guys were progressing well and getting the desired results. Hyung Jae loved the partner piece and it was evident every vetting session.

“You know, I can’t even tell that it’s your first time partnering up. You guys should partner more often.”

You shook your head, “Actually we already have our own dance partners. It’s just for this production, right?” You nudged Jimin, getting him to respond.

“Oh yea.” He agreed however what threw you off was how un-energetic he sounded. It was almost as if he sounded sad?

“Oh, that’s a bummer. Would’ve loved to see more from you two.” Hyun Jae shrugged his shoulders, “Well, that just means we have to make this one and only collaboration a perfect one!”

After that afternoon vetting, the two of you stayed back to clean up the second half of the piece as that was the section with more partner moves. “You gotta trust me Y/N.” Jimin sighed, sounding slightly annoyed. “I do! I just don’t feel comfortable with this move.” “Why not?” You sighed, “I don’t think I can pull it off.”

Jimin shook his head, “You can, you’ve done it so many times. We just need to clean it up.”

“Maybe I should ask Hyun Jae to change this part of the choreo. I’m not doing it justice.”

“You’re an amazing dancer, you can do it well.” Jimin took a step forward, placing both his hands on your shoulder to give you a good shake, as if wanting to wake you up.

“Dude, you’ve won so many competitions! You’re amazing!”

You frowned, looking away, “Honestly, it’s just because Hoseok is my partner. He always carries the two of us.”

Jimin’s hands shifted from your shoulders to your upper arm, giving you a firm squeeze. “Y/N.” You were shocked by how serious he sounded, “Look at me.” You felt obliged to listen to him, staring straight into his eyes. “You’re an amazing dancer. I’ve seen you grow so much in terms of dance since you joined the club. You guys win not because of Hoseok but it’s because of the both of you. If Hoseok had a shitty ass partner, he would lose even though he’s an amazing dancer himself. So don’t downplay your strengths, you’re amazing and you have to start believing that.”

You could feel yourself get emotional from the pep talk Jimin had just given you. You never brought this up with Hoseok since you didn’t want to look like you were fishing for comments but it had slipped out in front of Jimin so easily.

After hearing his words, you felt a sense of confidence in yourself and you felt more at ease. “Don’t cry, it’ll look like I just bullied you.” Jimin joked, and you laughed.

“There we go. What a beautiful smile.”

Damn you Jimin.

“Can’t believe vetting is at 11pm today.” You groaned as you two were stretching in front of the mirror.

“Isn’t that good? More time with me.” Jimin grinned cheekily.

“You’re right, I feel so much better now!” You feigned excitement, clasping your hands together as you jumped on the spot.

The two of you had been going through the piece non-stop, not realising someone entered the studio to give you a surprise.

“Wondering if you two could squeeze in a little break time?”

“Hobi!” You greeted your best friend super enthusiastically, rushing over to pull him in for a tight hug. “You brought food too!”

Hoseok laughed, wrapping his arms around you for the hug. “Didn’t know you miss my presence that much.”

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself Hobi.” You laughed, pulling away to see what food he brought. “No way, my favourite! You’re the best!” You reached out to pinch his cheeks.

“Jimin, I bought extra for you two to share!” Hoseok called Jimin to come over. “I’m just here to drop the food since I know your vetting is pretty late today.”

“Aw, you’re leaving already?” You pouted.

“Yes,” Hoseok patted your head, “Because you have to train.” After a quick bite, Hoseok said goodbye and left you with Jimin. “Shall we resume?” You asked JImin, clearly in a super good mood after seeing your best friend.

“Yea sure.”

You didn’t fail to realise how cold he sounded, watching him head to the speaker to start the song. This run went worse than the others. The lifts felt half-assed and Jimin was avoiding eye contact throughout the song.

“What happened?” You asked the moment you finished that run.

“Nothing.”

“Then what was that?”

“What was ‘what’?” Jimin asked in a low voice as he looked at his reflection to fix his hair, doing anything except to look at you.

“Our practices have been going so well. It was fine minutes go until this round. You okay? Did you hurt yourself before we took a break?” You approached him to check for any sprains or bruises but Jimin stepped back away from you.

“No. I’m fine. Stop asking me questions.”

“You don’t sound fine to me. If anything, you sound pissed at me.”

Jimin looked at you and you knew he was upset. He was good at controlling his facial expressions but his eyes told a different story. “I’m fine. Let’s just take another break.”

Without waiting for your reply, he left the studio and you assumed he went to the bathroom. You sat in the studio, staring at your reflection as you wondered what triggered the sudden change in demeanour.

He was fine and happy until after the break. Did you say something wrong? Was the food giving him a stomach ache? But you ate it too and you felt fine?

You couldn’t think of any reason why and you just hoped that vetting would go well.

But you were wrong.

Hyun Jae was evidently disappointed, so were the other instructors. “Hyun Jae said you two were doing great. What was that?”

You two bowed apologetically, “Sorry, we recently had some difficulties but we’ll fix it immediately.” Jimin spoke.

“I trust you guys, I don’t want the next vetting to be this way again.”

After they dismissed you, Jimin headed straight for his bag, ready to go back home. “Hey, you alright?” You asked and he nodded his head, “Perfect.”

“Okay, that was so fake. Can you please tell me what’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?”

“Nothing. You did nothing wrong!” Jimin barked at you, causing you to step back in shock and in slight fear from his anger. You were hurt by how cold he was talking to you that night. Things were going well for the both of you and you thought you were growing closer.

“You know what’s wrong? I miss my real partner, she’s so much better to work with than with you.”

You scoffed, not believing what you just heard. To be frank, you wanted to just cry and shout at Jimin for being such a dick. “Geez, thanks for your honesty.” You laughed dryly, deciding to be the first one to leave the studio.

“W-Wait, Y/N—“

“What?” You turned around, if looks could kill, you swore that Jimin would’ve been gone by now. You were beyond hurt by his words. “I thought things were going great with us— Guess it was one-sided.”

“No, I didn’t mean it I swear.” Jimin shook his head frantically, trying to close the distance between the two of you but you stepped back for every step he took forward.

“I got jealous, okay? When I saw how close you were with Hoseok. I want you to be as comfortable with me as you are with him. I want that with you.” Jimin ran his fingers through his hair, “Why can’t that be us as well?”

You were overwhelmed with so many emotions and thoughts. You were still hurt with what he said earlier and now he was saying things that made you flustered.

“Stop playing with me Jimin. You don’t just insult me and say you want to be with me the next second. Nothing’s going to happen because you’re right. I miss my original partner too.” You reponsded with nothing but poison in your tone, leaving him alone in the studio.

As you walked away, you regretted what you said because you didn’t mean it. You wanted what he wanted as well. You wanted to hug Jimin whenever you could, you wanted to spend even more time with him outside dane. You did miss Hoseok but you loved being with Jimin too.

But it was too late to take back what you said.

“I fucked up, Hoseok.”

The next day, you were at Hoseok’s place to update him on every single detail. Hoseok stayed silent as he absorbed every single word you said. With a sigh, Hoseok finally talked. “You like him.”

“I what?! Did you not hear what I’ve been saying? I’m pissed at him!” “Yes you are.” He nodded his head, “But that doesn’t mean you don’t like him. And from what I just heard, I think you do. And I’m pretty sure he does too.”

“Well, you’re not helping.”

Hoseok sighed, “You want my advice? Go talk to him.”

“No way.”

You ignored his advice and it also seemed that Jimin was not in the mood to talk to you either. You barely made small talk with each other, communicating only when it was related to the dance.

Your runs were better compared to the vetting however Hyun Jae was still not satisfied. “The spark is not there guys. You know what the song is about right? It’s called ‘Let You Love Me.’ You guys need to look like you’re in love but you’re fighting it and struggling to come to terms with it. Yet you’re longing for each other - I need to see that emotion.” You internally winced, realising that Hyun Jae just described what you were currently going through but didn’t want to admit. You knew Hoseok was right.

Once practice was over, you wasted no time to pack your things and leave the studio. You couldn’t stand any extra second being alone with Jimin.

“Y/N wait, please let me apologise.” Jimin called out for you, his voice cracking upon calling your name.

“It’s okay Jimin. I understand. We just need to keep it together so that we can finish the production smoothl.y and go back to our original partners.”

“No that’s not what I meant.” He frowned but you shrugged your shoulders, “That’s the message you gave me.”

During combined rehearsals, Hoseok attended them to watch the whole production come alive. He noticed that Jimin would glance at you so often to try and get your attention. You yourself noticed it.

You would catch him looking at you with so much desperation and guilt in his expression. It almost made you crack and run to hug him but you held yourself back.

On production day itself, things were hectic as usual. Behind the stage was always chaotic and fast-paced. You had time limits for everything and the production couldn’t afford even a split second delay.

“There’s my partner!” Hoseok called for you, shimmying his shoulders as he approached you. “Please laugh, you look so stiff.” He frowned, shoving a bouquet of flowers in front of your face. “This is for you.”

“Aw, Hobi, thank you so much! You being here is more than enough.” You smiled at him as he pulled you in for a hug. “You’re going to nail it out there. I’m keeping my eyes on you. If you drop step, you owe me a meal.”

“Deal.” You saluted jokingly at Hoseok who returned the gesture.

Your eyes looked behind Hoseok to see Jimin hesitantly approaching you. Hoseok glanced behind before saying that he will excuse himself.

“Hey.” “Hey.” You awkwardly greeted your dance partner. Though the makeup room was filled with club members, you felt like you could only hear Jimin amongst the noise.

“All the best for production.” He spoke with his arms behind his back.

“You too.”

He shifted uneasily on his feet before showing you had he had in his hand. “I know it’s small compared to what Hoseok just gave you,” He glanced at the large bouquet by your bag. “But this is for you.”

Despite telling yourself that you were angry with him, the gesture made your heart flutter and your cheeks get hot. “T-Thank you Jimin. I like it a lot.”

You twirled the rose in between your fingers, smiling fondly at it before frowning. “I’m guessing you’re excited to end this so we can go back to our original partners, huh?”

Jimin frowned, “No I’m not.”

You looked up from the rose to Jimin. “I love dancing with you. I love training with you. I didn’t mean what I said that day. I like you. I genuinely do. But, I understand if you don’t feel the same.”

You knew you should be focusing on getting into the zone since your act was already on standby but Jimin’s words had thrown you off and especially his expression. He meant it. You knew 100% that he meant it with every fibre in his body.

“Jimin! Y/N! Standby positions!” The stage crew announced through the loudhailer.

You weren’t able to reply Jimin as you guys were rushed to your positions and you were at the center of the stage while Jimin waited at stage right.

When the song began, it felt different than all your rehearsals. The song resonated with you more than ever as the piece felt even more intimate after his confession.

He had just confessed to you and you liked him too but you’ve been pushing your feelings away. You’ve been pushing Jimin away. You had been in denial even when Hoseok confronted you about it. But this song and the piece, made you slowly come to terms with it as each move and each beat went by.

Every connection made with Jimin, every touch and embrace in the choreography felt so real and not staged. The expressions of longing coming from Jimin felt like it was piercing your heart. Jimin knew that this song was for the both of you. It felt like it was his attempt to get his message across to you once more - this time not through words but through dance, asking you to give him a chance.

At the end of the choreography, you lifted his face to look up at you, smiling at each other to tell a happy and hopeful ending. Though, you could tell from his eyes that it was really an act.

Once the lights went out, you two pulled away and headed backstage.

“Jimin.”

But he continued walking to the dressing room.

“Jimin,” You called out again, this time sounding even more desperate for his attention, “we need to talk.”

He sighed, finally turning to you. You looked around to see your other members frantically running around for their outfit changes or to get to their standby positions. There were two more acts before your next one, “Can we go somewhere less crowded?”

The two of you went to the waiting room where you all had dinner at, which was now empty for you two to talk. “Did you mean all that?”

“Every word.” Jimin responded, not missing a beat. “Every move.”

“How do I know it’s not just the adrenaline from the piece?”

“I should be the one asking you that.” Jimin countered.

You sighed frustratedly. “I don’t know! One moment, I like being with you and the other we’re suddenly fighting again and bickering? If we’re going to keep this up, it’s not good for us.”

“But I don’t want to keep this up. I admit I was an asshole at times. But I just hated seeing you so close with Hoseok and not me. I let jealousy get the best of me. But I understand you and Hoseok are just close friends. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being such a dick -for saying that I didn’t want to dance with you.”

Seeing that you were out of words, he continued, “I want to dance with you. Damn it ,I want more than that. I want to take you out on dates, grow with you and love you. Please, y/n, if you feel the same way about me, please give me a chance.”

“I need to think about it—“

The door knocked and you two pulled away, Hoseok entered, wide eyes reading the situation before speaking. “Sorry I know I just ruined something but y’all gotta change your costumes for the last act.”

The last act went by in a blur, the adrenaline taking over your muscles as your whole club gave it all. Once again, the energy coming off from the people surrounding you gave you the push to perform the last act with every drop of energy you had left, ignoring whatever had been going on with you and Jimin.

The adrenaline slowly died down as you heard the crowd cheer loudly, the applause filling the venue as the curtains drop, signalling the end of the production.

The whole club cheered loudly, behind the curtains. A tradition you always had as a club.

This time, you didn’t cheer with them. You squeezed through your members, finding for Jimin who didn’t seem so enthusiastic with his clapping.

His eyes shifted to the side to see you rushing towards him. With furrowed, confused eyebrows, he asked, “Y/N, what’s wrong—“

“I’m willing to take the chance. I’ve been denying it but I like you too. It’s not the adrenaline. I mean it. I really mean it.” You said in between pants as you were still trying to stabilise your breathing from the powerful choreography. His face lit up, any trace of confusion and sadness was now gone. Jimin wrapped his arms around your waist, lifting you up briefly as he beamed with a bright smile. Your arms wrapped around his neck as you laughed in response. “You have no idea how happy I am.”

“Why don’t you show me?” “Will do, princess.”

It felt like you’ve been waiting for this moment for centuries. His soft, plump lips, lightly but firmly against yours, his arms tight around your waist. The two of you not caring that you were being surrounded by your club members.

In that moment, you just saw each other and that was all you needed.

“Is it weird that we’re still partners?” Hoseok asked, glancing between you and Jimin.

“Nothing’s wrong. Jimin is still with Ji Na.” “Yea but it’s kinda strange that now you two are partners but still dancing with different partners.” “It’s cool Hoseok,” Jimin draped his arm over your shoulder, “We don’t need to be dance partners just because we’re in a relationship.”

You grinned, looking at Jimin and nodding your head in agreement. “Besides, we do lots of partner stuff in our free time.” You winked at him, causing Hoseok to grown, throwing a pillow at you two.

“Spare me the details, please.”

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ettadunham · 5 years

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A Buffy rewatch 6x22 Grave

aka doesn’t matter i still love you

Welcome to this dailyish (weekly? bi-weekly?) text post series where I will rewatch an episode of Buffy and go on an impromptu rant about it for an hour. Is it about one hyperspecific thing or twenty observations? 10 or 3k words? You don’t know! I don’t know!!! In this house we don’t know things.

And today’s episode is easily the most unconventional season finale of the show (excluding Restless, which is more of a bonus episode). Buffy doesn’t defeat the Big Bad. Or... does she?

Fun fact, Grave is the only season finale that wasn’t written by Joss Whedon. Well, depending on whether you count Primeval or Restless as the finale of season 4, since the former was also penned by David Fury instead of Whedon.

But this episode has many other distinctions as well. It comes at the heels of an already subversive season, that was meant to deconstruct the very structure of the show, as well as its characters.

Deconstruction however is tough. If you don’t do it well, your audience will rightfully call you out on needlessly pulling your story in an often darker direction to seem fake deep or interesting.

And I feel like season 6 has plenty of criticisms on that front. This certainly wasn’t one of my favorite seasons on my first, or even second go at it. It’s hard seeing characters you love hurting and acting against their own self interests. It’s even harder to see them hurt each other.

This time around however, I wanted to not only look past those previous misgivings I had, but appreciate them and what they mean to the story. Because truth be told, I’m not sure season 6 is actually more flawed than any other season of Buffy.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t issues – Willow’s drug addiction metaphor was pushed way too hard and took away from the themes of power and control surrounding her narrative for one –, but every season has its hurdles and strengths. Season 2 had an excellent arc, but a lot of confusing fillers. Season 4 meanwhile had great standalones, but a weak overall Big Bad. Every season had its missteps, and a lot of those are subjective to begin with. One girl’s Go Fish is anothers Beer Bad.

There are no wrong answers on this quiz.

So yeah, I went into season 6 not only knowing what to expect, but expecting to gain a new, more favorable perspective on it. And that’s more or less what I got.

Sure, there are things to criticize. But what I’ve been enjoying about this Buffy rewatch in particular, is the opportunity to write long paragraphs of nonsense rather than just saying “Thing Bad”.

Look at Tara’s death. I am perpetually ready to fight Joss Whedon over that in a parking lot, but it also gave us one of the most memorable examples of a hero going dark. And people’s been coming up fixes to that storyline for years (Xander being the one to die is a popular alternative among some fans, but also time travel if you go by fanfics), but it only goes to show that that story itself still worked.

…it’s just that it works in a horrible cultural context that’s rightfully criticized for perpetuating harmful notions, especially for some of the most vulnerable of our population, and the role of media in our society as both a reflection and a model can’t be ignored and should be discussed in order to call attention to these patterns.

Anywho. Grave.

As mentioned before, this is a rather unconventional season finale. Buffy doesn’t even get to fight the Big Bad, aka Willow in this one. Instead the initial showdown happens between Giles and Willow, at least up until the moment Willow breaks free.

That doesn’t mean that Buffy doesn’t fight though. She runs to save Dawn and Xander (and also Jonathan and Andrew I guess), and then when she gets stuck underground with Dawn, she fights to get out. And then she fights some magic zombie skeletons.

More importantly though, Buffy fights her own depression. She’s fighting to see that beauty and meaning in life that she failed to convince Willow of in the last episode.

She even talks to Giles about this. She tells him that she doesn’t understand why she’s here, why she’s alive, and Giles’s response of how she has a calling feels unsatisfying.

Others would’ve taken her place. She was done.

Then why is she here now?

And Giles doesn’t have an answer to that. Because they both know that there isn’t one. There isn’t a purpose to life, no all-encompassing explanation. We all have to find our own answers to get us through the day.

And by the end, Buffy finds hers in Dawn. Seeing life through her eyes, her future, the many things that’s yet to come. It’s arguably a bit clumsy, and I wish we built more on this theme between Buffy and Dawn this season, but it does tie into another aspect of the episode.

While season 6 in itself is a deconstruction of the show, this finale, and Buffy’s arc in particular, is clearly a subversion of the end of season 5. And in true Buffy fashion, a very unsubtle one at that.

In The Gift, the sun coming up marked the turning point for Buffy, the realization that she can save Dawn by sacrificing herself.

In Grave, the sun comes up right after Giles confirms that Willow’s going to end the world.

In the season 5 finale, Buffy jumps to her death. At the end of season 6, she crawls out of the ground to live.

I could go on, but you get my point.

This is also just a great moment for Dawn, as she interrogates Buffy on why she didn’t tell her what Spike did, and reminds Buffy how she can’t protect her from the world. Tragedy happens either way.

BUFFY: “Dawn, I'm trying to protect you.” DAWN: “Well, you can't! Look around, Buffy. We're trapped in here! Willow's killing and people I love keep dying! And you cannot protect me from that.”

At the center of it all though is Willow. I’ve already been through the broad strokes here; basically, Willow’s rampage is about avoiding feeling her pain and grief.

And Giles understands that. I absolutely love Anthony Stewart Head’s performance in this one; Giles is focused and cautious, but there’s also genuine pain and concern in his expression as he’s talking to Willow. I also love this exchange around the end of their fight:

GILES: “Your powers may be undeniably greater. But I can still hurt you if I have to.” WILLOW: “Boy, you just don't get it, do you? Nothing can hurt me now. This? *heals a cut on her face* Is nothing. It's all... nothing.” GILES: “I see. If you lose someone you love, the other people in your life who care about you become meaningless. I wonder what Tara would say about that.”

Yup. Giles definitely knows how to hurt Willow. Willow’s line of “it’s all… nothing” is also a lot, especially that little melancholic tint that Alyson Hannigan delivers it with.

But apparently this was all part of Giles’ plan to get Willow to take his magic away, so it would open up her to feel again. However, his line to her afterwards about how “she can make it stop” naturally backfires.

Willow’s been doing all this in order to stop the pain. Giles wants her to feel it to get through it, but Willow predictably would rather see the whole world burn than feel it anymore.

I’m not a super big fan of the narrative choice to have Giles comment upon what’s happening through his link to Willow after that, especially by the end as Xander shows up with her. But I do like those initial lines when he first feels what Willow does, and you can see the pain through him.

Giles later says that the magic she took from him tapped into Willow’s remaining humanity, but I’m not sure I would use that wording. Willow tried to avoid and shut off her pain through her murder trip, but that was still her. Her humanity, her pain was there underneath all along – Giles’ plan just made it harder for her to repress those emotions.

So, hence why she decided to go full apocalypse in order to stop feeling them anymore.

It definitely made it easier for Xander to get through to her in that moment too. But maybe he didn’t even need the extra supernatural help for that.

Willow spent the last three episodes trying to get away from herself. She didn’t want to come back, and she made sure to burn all her bridges in the process. Knowing that what she’s done would cost her friends only strengthened her resolve.

And here comes Xander, out of nowhere. Xander with his familiar, signature jokes, the ones that he cracks in order to cope with life.

More importantly, Xander doesn’t blink. He doesn’t fight or argues with Willow. Doesn’t try to convince her to stop. And that, paired with the familiarity momentarily disarms Willow. So she counters that by lashing out, hurting Xander.

But Xander, once again, doesn’t blink. Because he’s not bluffing. When he says that he’s okay with the world ending as long as he gets to be with his best friend, it’s because he means it.

This is a difference that I’ve been alluding with Buffy for a while now. Buffy can’t do what Xander does here. She can’t put the whole world aside to be with her best friend. That’s not who she is.

It’s definitely who Xander is though. Right or wrong, he always goes with his heart.

So, that’s what he does. He does exactly what Willow mocks him for, and tells her that he loves her.

Even if she kills him, he’ll still love her.

The fear of being unlovable is ingrained into us all on some level. It creeps in when we least expect it. Fear that we’re not good enough. Fear that we can never live up to others expectations of us. Fear that we won’t be accepted. Fear that we can’t be forgiven.

That’s why there’s so much power in unconditional love. Being told that we’ll be loved, no matter what.

We often don’t even realize the anxiety and fears we have about it and how deep they go; so the sheer relief upon hearing those words can be unexpected and overwhelming. And Willow’s no exception.

Again, she tries lashing out, telling Xander to stop, hurting him, but it’s of no use. All he does is repeat those words, even while suffering through the pain that was inflicted on him. By her. “I love you. I love you.”

And when Willow breaks, she breaks hard. Letting herself go in her best friend’s arms, feeling all of her grief at once.

Platonic love saves the day, as the show once again invokes Sarah McLachlan in its final moments. It’s a less memorable song choice than Full of Grace was at the end of season 2, but it’s a nice callback to that.

Oh, and Spike’s got his soul back, after the last few episodes aggressively tried red-herring that he went to remove his chip.

Overall, as I said, I enjoyed this season. As with all seasons, there were things that worked less so, but I generally liked the deconstruction that we’ve got around to. Instead of a Big Bad representing a metaphor for Buffy to overcome, we’ve made those struggles real. The Big Bad of season 6 was Buffy’s depression, Willow’s addiction and need for control, Xander’s baggage, and so on.

We also didn’t need to turn the characters inside out to have these turns and conflicts. The season built on well-established character flaws, and guided us through a journey full of ups and downs, culminating in an emotionally cathartic finale.

I think I’m ready for the finish line.

#buffy rewatch 2k19 #btvs talk #btvs

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space-princess-genesis · 5 years

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Caged Bird. Chapter I (Kabal x Genesis)

(Ta-da! First Chapter of my How Genesis and Kabal Met! Yes split into two parts because its a big one! Please enjoy it! I worked really hard on these so I appricate the love and support!

Pairing: Kabal x Genesis (OC)

Warnings: Small mentions of abuse, violence, angst, and fluff.

Word Count: 4,277

Beaten up. Broken. Lost. These were all thing Genesis had felt. Her home world had just been destroyed by Cetrion and Shinnok. What was once a beautiful and lavish world called Kosmos, no longer existed. The Elder Gods, mainly Cetrion and Shinnok, had felt threatened by the Kosmos beings becoming more powerful than the Elder Gods. Throughout the millions of years, they had become stronger through their abilities. Soon enough, their powers began to rival the Elder Gods. So, Cetrion and Shinnok ambushed the world in darkness and chaos. Some managed to escape the two all-powerful Elder Gods and flee to other realms for sanctuary, but many did not. Genesis, after having a huge fight with her mother had tried to get out of her locked room. She couldn’t even escape through her balcony as there was a shield around it from her mother. Luckily Genesis’s father could make it vanish, so she could escape her room. Genesis ran through the crumbling palace. Dead guards and servants turning into stardust, a sight certainly that will be engraved in Genesis’s mind. Genesis got to the two Elder Gods that had beaten up her father. He was on the edge of death. Genesis quickly battle Shinnok and defeated him easily. However, she had tried to battle Cetrion but was unsuccessful. Cetrion was more powerful than her. As Genesis attempted to throw one more final blow at the goddess of virtue, Genesis’s dying father had phased her off of the crumbling world and into Earthrealm’s atmosphere. Earthrealm’s gravity began to pull Genesis in, as she began to descend to its surface. All Genesis could think about while falling down upon Earthrealm were her people and family. How many had survived? Where did the survivors go? Is my family okay? Mother…Father…my brothers…These were the thoughts that Genesis was having as she was quickly falling down to Earthrealm. Lucky for her, Genesis had landed in front of Raiden’s Sky Temple. Thankfully, Raiden was around to hear that something had crashed. Raiden ran over to where the sound came from, and saw a large hole in the ground. Through the dust and dirt, he saw a small figure. He could barely make it out. But he recognized the purple hair from afar. Could it be? Princess Genesis? He ran over to her and carried her into the Sky Temple. He aided her in the Jinsei Chamber and she told him what had happened. Tears were shed as she told Raiden everything - even the stories about her mother, as it got to a point where she had mentioned being taken advantage of her powers. Raiden felt empathy for her, which was a rarity as he did not show his emotions that often. He offered her a home in the Sky Temple to regain her strength and regroup from what had happened. And also train a little bit. Genesis gladly accepted, she had nowhere else to go. She trusted Raiden. As he was the only person she knew on this brand new world to her…

~ A few months later ~

It’s just another day at the Sky Temple. It was sunny which was unusual. It usually rained a lot giving the area a gloomy look. But now, the air was fresh and the temple had a beautiful glow to it. Genesis was in her usual battle suit, as it was the only thing she had from the incident. She realized thank she never gave her thanks for Raiden allowing her to stay at the Sky Temple. She runs around the Sky Temple trying to find him. She quickly finds Raiden, doing his usual meditation. “Raiden…um… I never told you this, but… I very much appreciate you letting me stay here.” Genesis enjoyed Raiden’s company; he was almost like a second father to her, along with Fujin. He and Fujin had known Genesis when she was a princess on Kosmos long ago. Occasionally the two would visit the world of Kosmos occasionally to keep the peace alliance with Earthrealm in tact. Every time they were visiting, Genesis would always have conversations with the two about what Earthrealm was like and how she wished she could get off this world and visit. But with the strictness of her mother, she wasn’t able to even leave her palace. But now, Genesis had no authoritative figure looming over her. She was free - somewhat. “And thank for all that you are doing for my flashbacks, I really appreciate that as well.” After what had happened to Kosmos, Genesis had been getting bad flashbacks of her home world being destroyed by Shinnok and Cetrion. Rewatching and hearing the screams, people dying, and the once beautiful world crumble occasionally would flashback into Genesis’s mind and haunt her to the point were she herself was crying. Raiden would always hear the cries, and be the one to comfort her. “Princess, I am glad to have you here on Earthrealm safe and sound. Who knows what would have happened to you if you had not escaped.” Raiden said in his usual tone to Genesis. “Probably gone and made up into stardust…” Genesis had given a sad smile. Even though Genesis had lived a long life, she felt she had not reached her full potential. There were many things to see and do. Luckily, her people live eternal lives, so, now she had all the time to do what she had wanted to do. But something was missing. Oh yes, another reason she wanted to talk to him. “Hey Raiden? Could I ask you something?” Genesis was reluctant to ask this question too Raiden, as Raiden did not understand emotions, being a demi-god and all. “Anything you want Princess.” Raiden answered. “Do you ever feel…something is missing from you?” Genesis had felt this way even long before her world had vanished. She always felt this missing feeling in her heart. “What do you mean princess?” Raiden was confused. He had never been approached with these kinds of questions. “I always feel that something is missing from me…deep down in my heart…” She put her hand over her heart. Genesis couldn’t describe what this feeling was. “Do you miss your family?” Raiden suspected it was her family, because for most beings, family was the most important aspect to one’s self. “It’s not that Raiden… I can’t describe it…” Being stuck in a big palace meant not experiencing the greatest joys in life. Exploring, meeting new people, adventures, love… “I’m sorry princess, I do not have any knowledge in that area of feelings and emotions. I wish I could help you more.” Raiden, being a demigod, did not quarrel in Earthrealmer activities, or any beings behaviors, emotions, and feelings, he just simply did not have the time to understand it. “It’s okay Raiden…say, I’m up for a little training today, I need to release some repressed emotions. And what better person than you Raiden? I’m obviously joking on that last part. Hehe…. Are you up for it?” She knew she would get that sort of answer from Raiden, but at least he was aware of her feelings. “As you wish princess.”

Kabal stood behind a bush near the Sky Temple. Another mission from the Black Dragon? More like Kabal doing Kano’s dirty work. Apparently the mission was to find a space princess? What does that mean? How did Kano know about her? What was she? Valuable? Probably, but Kano promised him the big bucks to find this chick alive. Alone. Apparently she’s all powerful and shit like that. But why would Kano want her? Who knows? Why doesn’t he do this himself? But it didn’t matter to Kabal. A job is a job right? Kabal eventually makes his way up to the Sky Temple. He looks around the temple trying to find this chick and get out of there quickly. It’s kind of quiet around here. Too quiet. “Shit, where would this chick be?” Kano had given him the most vague description of this princess-chick. Short and pretty. That’s it. Well, that’s Kano for you. Short and sweet, and vague. Don’t forget, smelly and drunk. It took Kabal well over half an hour to find where this girl would be. Dodging monks all around, he runs into many empty rooms, not finding what he is here for. As Kabal is running around the Sky Temple, he comes across a room, more like a chamber, that is penetrating blue light. Maybe that’s where this chick is. He walks slowly into the chamber but quickly hides behind a rock as he sees a figure of girl.“There she is! I think…” Kabal thinks in his mind. Kabal waits for his chance to snatch this girl and grab his big buck.

Genesis was facing towards the blue light as the power of the Jinsei heals her after her and Raiden’s friendly sparing. The sparing got a little rough today because Genesis’s repressed feelings. She even almost knocked Raiden unconscious due to the thoughts of what had happened not too long ago. It’s gotten worse the past couple of days, but it felt good to release some of that tension. Well, for Raiden it was not all that pleasant because he almost lost a tooth due to it, but at least Genesis felt a lot more relived. But now, she could relax under the power of the Jinsei and revitalize herself. However, what she does not know is there is someone else in the chamber with her. Kabal waits for the right moment and makes his move, and runs over to her to grab her. Unfortunately for him, Genesis turns around. Kabal stops in his tracks and is only a couple feet away from her. “Whoa…” Kabal is in awe. This chick isn’t like anything he’s seen before. She’s out of this world. Literally. Genesis is also in awe of him. He’s quite the handsome guy, much more handsome than the men that were on her home world. Kabal stares at her in awe for a good minute or two before Genesis starts to get creeped out. “Uh sorry to interrupt but, who are you? And why are you here?” Kabal is snapped back into reality. That’s right! He had a mission to finish, But did he want to? “Oh yeah, so… I’m here…to… take you…” Kabal honestly did not know what words to say. How do you properly say ‘Hi! I’m here to take you to my boss ma for money?’ without sounding like you’re actually trying to kidnap someone. Yeah no… not possible. “Excuse me?” Genesis was confused and concerned. What did he mean take her? Take her where? “Take you to…uh… you know what, this is hard to explain.” Kabal attempts to grab Genesis but she blocks him with her purple energy. “Do not even dare to touch me.” A stern tone comes out of Genesis’s mouth. Who is this guy to even come approach her and take her? “Shit… this is going to be even harder than it look. Fucking Kano..” In the next moment, Kabal immediately regrets what he had just said. “Kano? The man whose the leader of the Black Dragon?” Kabal nodded at her questioned. “No…this can’t be… you need to leave. Please.” Genesis started getting stern and scared. Raiden had told about the different factions of Earthrealm. He told her all the things about the Black Dragon and how they were mercenaries and all the awful things they do. He told her many things about Kano - bad things. Lying, cheating, stealing, killing, and money. All the things that he cared about and did. “Look, I’m not here to hurt you or anything. I just-“ Kabal is suddenly interrupted by an angered Genesis. “No! I won’t let anyone take advantage of me. I know what you mercenaries do for a living. I already had someone do that for me.” A quick visual of her mother rushed through her mind. All the verbal abuse and actions that her mother had did to her - no, never again, she wouldn’t ever let it happen again. Genesis gets into her fighting stance. If Kabal wouldn’t negotiate with this girl, what else could he do? So the two fight. Nomad spins, conjured purple energy, and punches fill the chamber as the two fight. Throughout the fight, Kabal is impressed by Genesis’s fighting ability. Like this chick is kicking his ass big time. He almost can’t keep up with her. It’s like there’s this motion of grace while she fighting. It’s kinda hot. However, Genesis’s repressed feelings come out during this fight like it did earlier. Each punch and kick becomes more powerful as more and more are thrown. Towards the end of the fight, more memories of her mother completely fill her mind; the verbal abuse, the lock ups, everything, start to make Genesis tear up. Kabal gets distracted by the tears and doesn’t realize the last punch that knocks him to the ground. She pants heavily and starts crying softly for a few moments and drops to the ground. Soft cries can be heard all around the Jinsei. Genesis honestly thought that her new life on Earthrealm was going to be different than her life on Kosmos; nobody taking her advantage of her would be non-existent for her. Turns out, that was wrong…

Kabal slowly gets up and sees this strong girl that just kicked his ass is crying. How could someone who had kicked major ass, Kabal’s ass to be exact, be torn down to tears in just a quick moment? He walks over to her and lowers himself down to her level. Genesis slowly looks up, meeting a melancholic Kabal. She latches on to him and cries into his jacket. Kabal is struck back for a second because this chick literally tried to kill him, but realizing what’s happening now, there’s something more to this. He can’t take her to Kano. No. He couldn’t. He wraps his arms around Genesis as a way to comfort her. “Do you wanna talk about this? I’ll take you to the nearby beach or something so you can cool down or something like that…” Kabal wanted, no, he needed to know more. Fuck this mission. He’ll tell Kano that he couldn’t find her or something or he found out she moved somewhere else. This girl is his own priority now, not Kano’s. “Yes…please…” The beach was one of Genesis’s favorite places to escape too whenever she would sneak out of her palace. She felt free there and it aloud her to feel at peace with herself.

Kabal carries her out of the Sky Temple without being seen by anyone around. He then runs over to the closest beach and sets her down on the sand. It’s sunset time, the sky is changing color, it’s getting colder, and the air has that usual sea smell. She sits down on the sand and takes in the ocean air. Kabal follows suit. Genesis then goes on to tell Kabal her whole story on how she was a princess, locked up in a palace for being the only one of her people with purple hair and how she had powers no one else had, which meant that she was the universe’s chosen one. She told him about her abusive mother, the attack on her world, and everything else about her. Kabal listened to every second of her story. He couldn’t believe that such a beautiful and talented girl like herself could be locked up by her own jealous mother. “Shit… you’ve been through a lot haven’t you?” Kabal had started to feel empathy towards this girl. He began to rub her back. It felt nice and comforting for her. “I have…and living here now, I thought my life would be for the better, no more yelling, being talked-down too, and being taken advantage of for being basically stronger than the whole world combined…but I seem to be wrong yet again…” A lump in her throat forms, tears start to form again. Kabal brings her into his arms and hugs her. “Hey, I’m not going to take you anywhere. I promise. Screw my mission. Screw the pay. I don’t want to see you get hurt again.” There’s plenty of missions that don’t require stealing broken princesses; this one can pass. “Thank you.” A small tear falls down her face. Kabal catches it before it’s halfway down her face. “By the way, what is you name?” Genesis realizes after all this talk, they have not gotten each others names. “Kabal. Yours?” Kabal…What an interesting name… Genesis wondered if that was his real name. “Genesis. Princess Genesis. You don’t need to call me Princess, usually those who have met me as a princess can call me that. But I guess you have what they say the ‘green light’?” Genesis…what a pretty name, Kabal thought to himself. He hadn’t known a lot of people with that name. Pretty name for a pretty girl. “Hehe…I like it. Princess….Okay Gen. Whatever you say.” Genesis gives a quizzical face to Kabal as she thinks that he said her name. “Gen?” Kabal gives a chuckle. “Like a nickname? Gen from Genesis?” “Ooooh. I get it. That’s kinda cute…I like that…” “I mean you are pretty cu- I MEAN… aw shit… you are cute and pretty.” Genesis giggles as Kabal has blown his cover. Suddenly, he begins to feel his heartbeat quicken. Damn, there’s something about her that’s making Kabal feel some type of way. “You are pretty handsome yourself.” She chuckles as she confesses that herself and also feels her heartbeat thump really quickly. Could she be…no…she couldn’t. He couldn’t. Were they…? They stare deep in each others eyes for a moment. Could they be falling for each other? No…they just met, and Genesis kicked his ass. The two shake it off and Genesis breaks the silence: “I should be getting back to the Sky Temple now…” Raiden must be worried sick right now, she has been gone for a long while. “Let me lend you a ride.”

Kabal runs fast back to the Sky Temple with Genesis in his arms. Kabal stops in front of the entrance of the Sky Temple. “Thank you for listening to me and taking me to the beach as well.” “My pleasure Princess.” as Kabal starts to walk away, he has this urge. He wants to see this girl again soon. He turns around and approaches Genesis with a simple question. “Hey so, I was wondering when can I see you again?” Genesis smiles when he asks that. “Well, I’m always here so, please come anytime. I guess it will be a little hard because you don’t have any way to contact me….But I do have this.” Genesis raises her arm to the sky as if she was grabbing something. Suddenly, particles of stardust fall from the sky. Genesis lowers her arm and the stardust turns into a gemstone. A purple one. “Wow…” Kabal is just astounded by the abilities Genesis has. What else can she do? “When this glows purple like so, you’ll know when you can come and see me.” She demonstrates how the gemstone will glow purple so Kabal knows what to look out for. “Sounds great. Well, see you soon.” Unconsciously, Kabal almost lands his lips on hers, he halts himself and instead kisses her cheek. She giggles. For a short moment they look into each others eyes before Genesis gives him a hug. Kabal accepts the hug before momentarily letting go. The two smile at each before Genesis waves good-bye. Kabal waves back and leaves. Is Kabal in love? No, he just met her. But she’s just so…wow…thats the only word he could say every time he thought of her.

A year goes by as the two get to know each other even more and become closer. Kabal would either tell stories about his childhood or funny stories that have happened in the Black Dragon. Genesis would tell him her stories about the good things that had happened in her life, plus her hobbies and what not. All of the meetups were filled with laughter and fun, and Kabal fell deeper and deeper in love with her. He wanted to confess to her every time he met with her, but never had the courage to speak up. He wondered if she felt the same way. And she did, but she didn’t have the confidence to tell him either. They always would meet down by the beach, or even have a walk in the forrest. Raiden had started getting worried about Genesis going out so much. He had no problem with it, but he was worried if she would get hurt. She always reassured him that it was never a big deal and she could handle herself pretty well. Raiden always felt a relief when she would come back but had superstitions on where she was going and what she was doing. She would always tell him she was going for a walk or hike, but he started to doubt her.

A year passes by and it’s a typical day for Genesis and Kabal’s meetup. Genesis would send a mind signal for the gemstone, Genesis would wait at the beach, and Kabal would come. Today was no different. Kabal had gotten to the beach and saw Genesis looking strait towards the ocean. However, Kabal had to confess something to Genesis, something that he had been bottling ever since he first saw her. It was time, he could not hold it in anymore. “Hey Gen!” She loved it when he called her by that nickname, it felt like she really had a true friend that she could be causal with. “Hi Kabal, how are you today?” Genesis was in a happy mood today. Raiden had some business to take care of so she was free to roam around wherever she wanted. “Aw, well couldn’t complain. I don’t have Kano busting my ass off today so I’m doing well. Yourself Princess?” Genesis had gotten used to Kabal calling her ‘Princess’. It felt more casual. Not formal, like with Raiden or Fujin. “I feel great! Here I am at my favorite place with my favorite person ever!” Genesis started to feel more confident as she met more and more with Kabal. She went from down and dispirited to happy and cheerful. The two go on to talk about stories about their families. Mostly the good things, like how Kabal’s mother would always cheer him on in running competitions when he was younger, and how Genesis’s two older brothers would always bring home girls into the palace, and do…questionable things with them. “And then he kissed her and told her I love you and she slapped his face and almost left the palace with no clothes on!” Kabal started laughing so hard his stomach was hurting. Genesis always had stories about her brothers shenanigans in the palace, there was a time where she woke up to both brothers lying across her bed and when they woke up they had no recollection of how they got there. It was stories like that that would make Kabal laugh so hard, it would make his stomach hurt. After Kabal had recollected himself from almost dying of laughter, it gets silent for a moment. Not awkward silent, but intimate silent. Genesis looks deep into Kabal’s chocolate brown eyes. Genesis accidentally lays her hand on Kabal’s and immediately takes back her hand. “Ah! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that…I-I just.. !” Genesis didn’t know what to say, it was hard for her to really tell Kabal how much she admired him and dare to say, even loved him. Kabal just chuckles. “It’s okay Gen… I really don’t mind that.” Kabal had not felt this romantic in the longest time. The last girlfriend he had cheated on him and he pretty much vowed never to see her again. Even then, he never felt any romantic feelings towards her. With Genesis, it’s drastically different. He felt different inside. Warm and fuzzy would be the words to describe it. “Genesis I need to ask you something.” Kabal heartbeat rises and the adrenaline is rushing through his veins. This is usually so easy for him. Why is so hard for him right now? “Sure. Anything Kabal.” Genesis doesn’t know what’s coming. Will he confess his love for her? “Come live with me.” Genesis is taken back by that question “Really? Why? Why me? I’m just… a nobody Kabal…” With all the thoughts of love for Kabal Genesis had, she still had doubts about her self. “You’re not a nobody Genesis. You’re a beautiful and wonderful girl who I happen to…” He couldn’t say the last word, the ‘L’ word, but he wanted to - badly. He just didn’t know how she would react. “We’ve know each other for a while now, and I really like you but I need to confess something with you. Well, it’s hard for me to say it…” Genesis looks down. Kabal lifts up her head with his thumb. Her hair is in the way, he then pushes it away from her face to get a clear view of it. Gosh, her white sparkling eyes, the hair, her personality, everything about her made him so wild. He goes in again to kiss her on the lips but is interrupted by a voice. A familiar one for Genesis. Oh no…

#kabal x genesis #princess genesis #kabal #mortal kombat oc #oc #fanfic #raiden #angst #fluff

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brainy-storm · 6 years

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S414 - ‘EL MAYARAH’ HEALED MY HEART (2/2 aka Karadox Edition)

Well, hello, hello, ladies, gentleman and esteemed NBs. We are gathered here today to witness me, a karadox fan who is too deep, commentate on and (over)analyse the happenings of that delicious episode that is Supergirl 4x14 Stand and Deliver. In the proceeding post, I will be going through many, many frames. So hold on to your dashes cause this is gonna be a hecka long post.

Warning: Again, LONG LONG post. 95 screenshots, guys. I recommend reading this on a computer. MUCH karadox. Including Brainy’s amazing speech, ofc . And the amazingness that was Kara Zor El.

Now, my friends. Where to start? What’s this? You wanted to go to the hand holding? We shall get there in due time. For now let us go start earlier at the 7:11 timestamp that I have. In which Brainy gets given -

The Letter

This is Querl Dox aka Brainy. His eyebrows furrowed as one of their DEO targets was captured. I might say, he’s cautious about what this letter might be. Who knows? It could have been a threat that Menagerie or The Elite might have wanted to pass on.

Nah, it’s a note from Supergirl, and it made him smile.

I mean, it’s a very cute-looking note (I love Kara’s handwriting, mine’s a mess). She could’ve just written ‘from Supergirl’ but nah, gotta draw that logo in. Love it. Go Kara!

“Supergirl left us a present, and a note.” Brainy whips this note from behind his back. He can’t just bring the note normally. No, he’s gotta whip it out like ‘surprise b*tch’. He not only likes to show off in front of Kara, but also likes to show off in Kara’s stead.

“Says: you’re welcome.” Brainy looks like he’s trying to return to a neutral expression here, but his tone didn’t quite hide his smugness. And throughout this scene he still looks like he wants to keep smirking.

Now, we know that Brainy’s on Kara’s side. He’s part of the super-friends, of course. I’m pretty sure that Brainy’s supposed to at least pretend he’s backing the DEO fully. But he can’t help himself from celebrating a victory for Supergirl. His loyalty is always towards Kara, and I like how they keep this consistent even if (well, especially) Kara’s not around.

Alright, now it’s time for Kara to finally interact properly with -

Brainy!

“Brainy!” says Kara. What does that mean? Nothing much, she just turned around when she saw heard the door open and saw Brainy. But after several episodes of no proper interaction, it’s nice to hear her say his name. Yeah, yeah, I squealed, this is how deprived we were.

And then, unprompted, immediately after saying his name, she walks over to stand next to him. Must...not...overanalyse...must....resist....can’t --- AIGHT look she moved next to him. Didn’t need to. Nia’s not moving. Brainy wasn’t talking to her yet. Might one say she subconsciously feels comfortable being next to Brainy?! MIGHT ONE --- okay fine, I’m reaching, I’ll stop. But go on. Rewatch the clip. 23:10 is the timestamp.

Oh yes, this is probably why they wanted Kara to move. To get this angle specifically and reaffirm the #SpouseEnergy radiating of these two. Exasperated dad and amused mum. Look at it. Breathe it in. Rejoice.

Oh, this is just to compliment Melisa Benoist and Jesse Rath, just cause they move super in sync here, almost like you’d see in a cartoon/anime and I just found it pleasing. Moving on.

Alright, the next screencap is where Brainy thinks he’ll never see his ring again and is understandably in a bit of a shock. He looks at Nia and then Kara, then back at J’onn. Kara looks down before looking at Brainy.

Okay, you get the point. If it looks like Kara’s getting closer to Brainy every screenshot, it’s just cause the camera angle is shifting, by the way. Although, if you watch the clip, she is shifting her weight back and forth between her feet, throughtout this whole moment, which I didn’t notice until taking these screenshots, which is some very nice subtle acting from Benoist.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this is the first time Kara has seen Brainy when he’s emotionally vulnerable (onscreen, at least lol). She wasn’t there when he was rattled by the hatred he got when his image inducer didn’t work (Alex was there). She didn’t see him cry and didn’t hear him talking about his tears of logic (Lena was there). And when he just lost his ring, she wasn’t really there either (Nia was there). Anyway, she and the others are visibly unhappy when Brainy is unhappy. Even as part of a group shot it’s nice to see it, finally. It only lasts a little while anyway, because Brainy swiftly changes the subject.

It’s like an appetizer to the emotional main course we’re getting right after. For that moment when our beloved Brainy says -

El Mayarah - (IT’S GO TIME PEOPLE)

“Ah...yes, it’s the march today...will you all be joining?” He finishes that sentence, looking at Kara. Because we know who he wants to go most. Ahem *cough, cough*.

@fairyroses pointed out that here, after J’onn has said he’ll be there and Brainy proceeds to say ‘Wonderful! ..Kara?’ That this might be the first time Brainy addresses Kara directly as ‘Kara’ when speaking to her. As in usually he’s like ‘Supergirl, we need to....’ etc. Which is strange considering we’ve been shown that he’s close enough to hang out and watch movies at the loft with her and Alex (pre-mind-wipe) but nope we haven’t had an onscreen ‘Kara’. I tried finding one to no avail. So this must be it, then.

Also, look at that raised eye-brow right here. He’s so excited, bless.

‘Yes, I definitely think we should be there’ -

‘HUZZAH’. -- Yep, Brainy is happy that they’re going. Look how excited he is.

With the same energy from 4x01 where Kara says ‘nice work, Brainy’.

Okay, again, look how happy Brainy is. And he’s just looking at Kara with that smile. My actual heart eeeek.

And then his confusion when he realises that she didn’t mean that she was going to march with him. Complete confusion.

‘Uh..’

‘Kara...a..’ (SECOND KARA)

‘A word’ He looks shook the whole time.

He takes a while to actually start talking to her. He looks down again, back at her as if he’s about to start talking about then away again for a tiny moment. (also whoops got that screenshot mid when he’s licking his lips. Was an accident but...you’re welcome.) I wonder how many thought tracks he’s using to try and get the correct words to talk to Kara about this, because there seems to be some hesitation there.

‘I think it would mean a lot to have Supegirl march today’ - So more obviously I think Brainy says that as a sense that the aliens attending would feel more strengthened by her marching, and of course that everyone could see who Supergirl stood with. But of course, I think he also means this, as in personally, since this is the march, that he organised.

“I wish I could, Brainy, but I think it’s more important for me to patrol. In case anything gets out of hand.”

Kara’s genuinely sorry here, and that glint on her glasses makes her seem even more remorseful (yay angles), and I like how she makes it clear that she wants to support Brainy and the march, but is putting her duty to protect as Supergirl first.

“They won’t. I am American Alien. Hash-tag, American Alien.”

So, Brainy didn’t feel the need to tell the others that he himself organised the march. I think he assumed they would all be up for going, without saying. He reveals this now, to reassure Kara that as the organiser, he would be able to keep things under control. I also like how confident he is here, with his ‘they won’t’.

“You..you organised it?” - and now it’s Kara’s turn to be surprised.

“When I lost my Legion ring, I realised how much I depended on it for strength and confidence. I thought it was what made me a hero.” Oooof there you go, there’s that vulnerability that Kara has not been shown to have seen before. “But not having it these past few days made me see, it wasn’t the ring that gave me strength.”

“It was fighting.” *breathe* “alongside all of you.” - @kara-querl mentioned that she thinks that Brainy wanted to just ‘alongside you’ at first, but changed his mind. Which I could totally believe. But I also think he might be remembering fighting as a Legionnaire back home as well.

I think a reason why we didn’t see his realisation is that 1. well, airtime 2. He’s been showing that he gains strength from fighting alongside others over the past few episodes. That’s why he was so adamant on getting together a superhero team - trying to convince Nia to join them when the DEO fired Supergirl, and then being more eager about it after Alex’s mindwipe. Going to J’onn with money to try and get him to join their team. He wanted to gain their strength for Kara, but he also needed their strength too.

“helping to make the Earth a better place.” Oof and look at Kara’s face. I think she’s getting just as emotional over this as we are. I also love how she just listens to Brainy. She doesn’t interrupt or even try to, which is excellent. Pefect communication skills.

“In times like this change won’t come from someone with a Ring, or a cape. It will only come when each one of us answers the call to stand up and be heard” Brainy is not asking for Supergirl, the symbol and is not going as Brainiac 5, the legionnaire. He wants them to go, purely as themselves.

“El Mayarah” - OKAY CUE ME LOSING MY SH*T RIGHT HERE. especially after making that post about wanting inside codes/jokes in Kryptonian for them, I’M He uses Kryptonian, trying to convince her and not any old plain Kryptonian but her god dang House of El family motto. This is not about just trying to convince Supergirl, this is trying to convince Kara Zor El.

So Kara has been listening carefully and holding eye contact with Brainy this whole time (thank you), and when he says ‘El Mayarah’ she looks down immediately. How long has it been since she’s been specifically an El? A while. And even though she loves being Kara Danvers, and that’s who she is with Alex right now, Alex doesn’t know the Kara who she first met, the one she first met as Kara Zor El.

“Stronger together.” I love love love how he reiterates this 1. cause lol I’m sure a lot of viewers forgot what it meant 2. He just says the meaning again in the language of Earth, the one sh’es adopted, calls home, and is trying to protect.

And here Brainy follows her eyeline when she looks down, coaxing it back up as he says ‘stronger together’. I’M SOFT.

He takes another breath and breaks eye-contact and looks away. Yup, that was a lot. A lot of emotion right there. He needs a break. I need a break. [we’re just about to hit screenshot 40 WOW I do need a break]

I like how Kara’s still looking at him, nice. Thanks. Also Nia just streching in the background, not interuppting yet. Dad and Mum are having a Serious conversation, gotta keep busy and not make eye contact, duh.

“Just because we’re superheroes, doesn’t mean we forget who we are.” - Beautiful. What a beautiful speech. Brainy always seems to be there to help remind Kara of what’s important. 3x10 - with her as Kara Danvers, and now 4x14 with her as Kara Zor El. He’s there to support her not only as the hero, Supergirl, but all sides of herself, all sides of Kara.

She takes a breath here, and I think she’s definitely conflicted . She follows with a , I’m sorry Brainy...the risk is too great.”

BRAINY DOES A LITTLE TINY SHAKE OF HIS HEAD. Like he has more eto say but is also still shocked. And then Nia says she’s ready.

(OKAY YOU GUYS TOOK SO LONG. CAN WE GO PLAY PATROL NOW? PLEASEEE?)

And here Brainy is still in disbelief and worried, like look at this face and oh my god --- I took this screenshot and then just had to replay the clip - HE’S FIDDLING WITH HIS FINGER WHERE HIS LEGION RING USUALLY IS. THE THING HE DOES WHEN HE’s FEELING ANXIOUS. Lord help me, I’m done.

“Supergirl may be a symbol...” -- ooof they look so pretty there.

“but more importantly, she’s a citizen of Earth. Like the rest of us”. And he does this little shoulder raise at ‘like the rest of us’...my heart. He’s trying to appeal to her as people who both are not from Earth, but call Earth their home. [sidenote: ohoho ARE YOU EXILED FROM COLU, HUH BRAINY? IS THAT REBOOT BACKSTORY, I HEAR? sorry, moving on]

Another long pause before the “Remember that” --- ahhh he still looks so soft, end me.

NOPE. NOW I’M DONEKARA’S FACE AS SHE WATCHES HIM LEAVE. SHE’S SHAKEN BY THE SPEECH AND I THINK SAD THAT SHE’S LETTING BRAINY DOWN. AND HERSELF DOWN AS A CITIZEN OF EARTH.

Phew. That was long. A long but beautiful secton. ALRIGHT. LET’S KEEP GOING, SHALL WE? LET’S HEAD OVER TO -

THE MARCH -- IT’S TIMEEE

“They’re not like you - you’re a superhero.” --- I’m starting here because I think it’s important that he doesn’t say ‘you’re Supergirl’ he says ‘you’re a superhero’, because Brainy’s whole speech’s bottom line was “Just because we’re superheroes, doesn’t mean we forget who we are.” That they’re not just superheroes.

And I think here, she fully understands what Brainy meant.

“No, you’re wrong, I am just like them.” --- so in otherwords, she’s a superhero but more importantly she’s a Citizen of Earth, just like them. This episode is not just great for karadox but great for Kara’s character development because her identity as Supergirl was so at stake, that she’s put that above all else and now she remembers what she needs to be doing. I’M SO PROUD. Rip rewatching this part made me a bit teary wow what is this. KARA I LOVE YOU.

Hmm...is Brainy the first one to look up? MAYBE SO. im not sure but shh

THERE SHE ISSS. SHE.

Everyone’s in awe.Also, Brainy’s fingers are steepled here, when they weren’t before. (Excitement? Perhaps? idk, hm)

AWE I SAY. AWE.

“Supergirl.” HE’S HAPPY. LOOK AT THAT. LOOK AT HIM. AHHHH.

“It’s Kara Zor-El.” KARA ZOR EL OF THE HOUSE OF EL. WITH HER GOD DANG ROBES. ‘ In times like this change won’t come from someone with a Ring, or a cape.’ -- SO SHE CAME AS HERSELF.

“Citizen of Earth” - Just to reiterate -- ‘ more importantly she’s a Citizen of Earth’. She says this. While maintaining eye contact with Brainy the whole time she lands and joins the march. His speech helped her make this decision directly, and she’s letting him know that it did. Her smile in this screenshot and the one above. HER SMILE. BLESS KARA.

And now J’onn says ‘nice to have you with us’ - and they automatically hold hands. Oof and my heart, Papa J’onn. The father figure we all deserve. And...ohhhhH...hmm see Brainy is still holding his hands in position and maybe they made him do that...

To make it clear that it wasn’t automatic. So that Kara has to offer her his hand. Look at her smile. He’s still just looking straight at her. ALSO LOL J’ONN IS LOOKING. HE SEES.

AHAHA LOOK AT BRAINY JUST STARING DOWN. ‘oh yes, I should...hold the hand’. And kara’s smile like ‘yes, yes, it’s okay’. AND LOOK J’ONN IS SMILING AGAIN AHA. He ships it is proud too. hmm I wonder if J’onn was secretly listening to their convo the whole time...or hm maybe Brainy voiced how he felt that Kara wasn’t coming to the march to J’onn before it started. I gots to know

THERE

IS.

alksdjaslkjdalsjdlaskdjlaksjd

wow wow wow wow wow

STRONGER TOGETHER INDEED.

1. the alien march is stronger together

2. MY SHIP IS SO STRONGER TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO BE THEIR BEST SELVES.

Brainy takes his hand and Kara tightens the hold on it. THANK YOu. THANK YOU.

See, the reason they gave this close up, I think, is to

1. reaffirm the themes of togetherness in this episode

2. FEED ME THAT GOOD KARADOX FOOD THAT I ORDERED.

Kara is just taking a breath here but lol I still laugh at how much it looks like the Distracted Boyfriend meme.

“Thank you.” *turns to Kara* “Both”. So much direct eye contact this episode.

THIS IS THE PUREST OF SMILES. KARA. SMILING AT BRAINY THANKING HER. WHO IS HAPPY TO BE HERE TOGETHER IN THE MARCH. PURE. MY SHIP IS PURE.

And you can’t see it well, or much at all, until she turns but he was smiling too, even if it’s not that clear.

And off they go, to confront Lockwood at -

The Rally

A bottle is thrown over their heads.

“Stay peaceful! - Brainy. Kara is shaken, by the looks of it. And Brainy just instinctively holds his hand out to Kara this time.

Takes a moment after he holds her hand...then...

“Don’t stoop to his level.” - again, supporting each other. He takes her hand this time.

BLESS THIS EPISODE.

So here they’re looking at the people who were here supporting Lockwood and I love how Brainy just looks them straight on. Kara’s also maintaining eye contact in the face of aggression.

The Fight

“Hologram!”

“Then where’s the real Manchester?”

Okay, so I just like how they can switch so quickly to get into the fight. Superhero mode starts exactly now. And just look how smoothly they go about it. I love them.

So here, she says she’s gonna go find Hat.

“Hello, Hat, we meet again.”

*insert fightscene that you can see giffed by @fairyroses here http://fairyroses.tumblr.com/post/183443782018*

“You don’t need a ring, when you have friends.” Throwback to how he gets his strength from fighting alongside the team.

“So where are your friends now?” - jinxed yourself, mate.

Kara literally is only a blur in this scene. And lmao Brainy catches the hat, which I did not realise till I saw the gifset. I’ve included @fairyroses tags here because she says it all and I literally can’t take any credit for noticing this lol. Bless you.

“Nice work, Brainy.” - I am fed well with all the times she has said Brainy today. Compliments today too.

“Now get him to the DEO.” - LOOKING GOOD BRAINY.

“Then help me get as many of these people to safety as you can.” Menagerie was brought in my the team sans Brainy, and now Brainy and Kara are taking down Hat together. I like how she says then help me. Just another confirmation of yes, you are on my team, even if you’re going back to the DEO for a tiny bit for the delivery. Again, stronger together.

“And this was from the time me and your mum took down a villain named Hat together” - is not something that was said, but is going in my future headcanon, thanks.

And yep, that’s the beautoful end of the karadox interactions of this episode, time that I start -

Wrapping it Up

Shh, yes I have more to say, bear with me.

“I know that Supergirl and I have not been on the same page lately, but you know, seeing her out there in that march, hand in hand with everybody else,I was inspired.” - so ‘I think it would mean a lot to have Supegirl march today’ ---- Turns out it also meant inspiring Alex to take action too. Brainy’s speech being the root of convincing Kara and Kara taking that stand. directly inspired by Brainy grabbing Kara’s hand that second time, kthx

“Yeah.” - Kara agrees, and then makes a funny joke about roughing Ben lockwood up lol. She did tho.

“No, *laughs* no, you know I followed my beliefs, not the rules..and it felt really good to take a moral stance.”

“Yeah, I think everyone at the march felt that way.” - Kara was glad to have gone to the march and she felt better for it. Oof look at that smile. Look at how good she thought the march was.

“It just goes to show to show, no matter who you are. Alien, human, superhero. Every action counts. And every voice matters.” ---- again, throwing back to Brainy’s speech.

“In times like this change won’t come from someone with a Ring, or a cape. It will only come when each one of us answers the call to stand up and be heard”.

So everything ties together nicely, in -

THE END

Thanks for bearing with me, which I assume you have if you’re all the way down here.

To summarise:

Brainy and Kara make an excellent team and they both are each others’ strengths, and help each other grow. They are stronger together.

#supergirl #brainiac 5 #karadox #querl dox #kara zor el #my post #kara danvers #my text #supergirl ramblings #my ramblings #karadox ramblings #cw supergirl

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theonceoverthinker · 6 years

Text

OUAT 3X11 - Coming Home

Will Pan take over Storybrooke and turn it into PAN-archy?!

...I’m gonna miss this arc for more than PUN reason!

Anyways, let’s close out the fun and talk about feels and semi-smart things under the cut!

Press Release

In the Winter Finale episode, the race is on to stop Pan from enacting another curse on the residents of Storybrooke, which could kill every living soul in town.

Main Thoughts - Characters/Stories/Themes and Their Effectiveness

Past

So this segment is made of mini segments, so I’m gonna give mini reviews for all of them!

Snow and Charming: Blue, for all of her asshole-y beauraucracy, can be so vague and platitude-y when she wants to be. It’s not too bad here. BUT just like David’s speech in that same scene, it’s kind of the point that it’s vague, but comforting all the same. David’s was definitely the better of the two speeches.

Killian, Smee, and Tink: Okay, so now we’re given a LOT more info on Killian’s stay in Neverland. It looks like he wanted to leave Neverland as soon his interactions with Bae were done. I wonder when he decided to incorporate the Dreamshade though. BUT, in terms of the snippet itself, it’s pretty serviceable as a “look how far we’ve come” counterpart for both Killian and Tink. They’re both mean enough and hopeless enough.

Henry and Mary Margaret: ...First off, I love how Henry gets out of explaining anything about his homework! XD Second and more seriously, I think that this was the most necessary of the segments. It comes back and shows a starting point for Henry, the catalyst for so many characters on the show. I ADORE Emma and love her as the Savior, but I do think that at times, Henry was more of this turning point for characters and seeing where he took off was so important.

Rumple and Belle: “My ending shall not be a happy one.” I didn’t like this line. Literally, the entire reason Rumple cast this curse was to find Bae and make his ending a happy one. And it’s not like Rumple ever lost faith in that happening, so what the hell? Like, this line was just a weird character contradiction (Different than a plot hole) and it makes the scene threaten to fall apart.

Emma’s Pregnancy: I loved the revisiting of this scene and its post-memory change revision. It’s so heartbreaking to see Emma believe that she can’t take care of Henry, but also beautiful that she wants to give him his best chance, no matter what.

Present

Tink’s take down of Pan’s shadow is so satisfying! The music that accompanies it and everyone believing in her is just beautiful! It’s also the only time where flying is truly framed as whimsical without something darker being below the surface and that’s something desperately needed in this pretty freakin’ dark episode.

Pan is fucking brutal. From his speech about how much of a leech he saw Rumple as to the cuff to “down boy,” he proves himself more here than anywhere else to not only be a psychological monster, but a full-on monster. His strip down of Rumple in their scene at the shop is horrifying, especially given that this is RUMPLE! Rumple, the biggest threat in the series until Pan, was left sniveling in a corner at the end of the scene.

Rumple’s the big dog in this episode. It’s his moment that’s given the most gravitas and serves as what amounts to the climax of the story (And at little over the halfway mark at that) and for good reason. His arrival at the conclusion of what has to happen in order to save everyone was ingeniously reached. I have a lot more to say about that, so we’ll get to it when we talk about arcs.

So, here’s something I want to point out about Rumple’s big scene -- something that harkens back to why I often make a point of saying “fuck plot holes:” From a plot and story perspective, it makes no fucking sense. Why could only the dagger kill Pan? Why did Rumple have to die for Pan to have to die? This shit is never explained. But here’s the thing and why it and the larger aspect of plot holes matter so little to me: IT DOESN’T MATTER. The important thing about this scene is the climax of Rumple’s emotional journey -- Rumple “definitively” choosing love over power. It’s a point of emotional culmination and as it stands, it’s one of the most powerful scenes in the entire show! Rumple stops being cryptic and communicates to those he loves about what has to happen. It’s a big display and it hits its mark perfectly!

Insights - Stream of Consciousness

-Okay, so weird contradiction in the press release. Pan says he’s not gonna kill everyone, but the press release says he will.

-“The Black Fairy’s wand.” I wonder, did Tinkerbell know they were related? Like, as soon as Rumple talks, Tink knows exactly what he needs.

-”I should pay my respect to Blue, after all.” Tink, honey. You are too pure.

-Dude...those freakin’ unicorns! They’re so cute, but also...OW because of all of the shit that went down with Maleficent!

-”It’s not a weapon...in the traditional sense.” Damn. That line hits hard given Killian’s alcoholism.

-”Is that the best you’ve got?” Killian, you cannot say that with such an adorable smile and not make me love you even harder!

-David! Saving his bro!!! Yasss!

-I love the adorable way Tink just plops the Shadow into the fire! It almost looks like an accident and it’s so cute! XD

-”It was for Emma.” So I’m not sure if I like this line because Killian’s crush on Emma is so freakin’ obvious OR if I’m critical because Tink hasn’t really seen Killian and Emma crushing on each other all that much.

-”I might have been overly strict.” UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE MILLENIUM!

-Okay, Blue is such a bitch, but I like how she entrusts Fiona’s wand to the one person who will be super discerning over Rumple’s actions.

-”I haven’t forgotten about all that, by the way.” Dude, if Pan’s curse was never cast, then these guys should’ve gotten group therapy. Archie would’ve been rich af!

-”Unfinished family business.” *Underworld flashbacks ensue*

-*Henry puts away a family tree worksheet* ...You’re gonna need a bigger worksheet, Henry. XD

-I have a LOT of Regal Believer headcanons concerning how Henry became so unhappy prior to Season 1.

-”And what exactly do you think fairytales are?” THIS and the words that follow serve as what Jefferson’s speech to Emma in “Hat Trick should’ve been. A bit desperate, but actually communicating humanity rather than being an asshole-y smart aleck that has more in common with Sherlock than a father.

-”I’ve got his scent.” Good move using Granny for tracking!

-”That’s why is so easy for you to strut around and pose now, isn’t it?” Bitch, please. Rumple was strutting around and posing long before you had that cuff on! It’s his thing!

-”Pulling away my name.” BITCH! You gave him that shitty ass name!

-Rumple! Cut off your hand! Then you and Killian can be besties!

-What the fuck was up with that weird coma Regina had?

-Aww. Killian’s standing by himself. :(

-”The only way for you to die is if we BOTH die!” Why?

-”Do we need to start preparing our souls, ‘cause mine’s gonna take some time?” I’m stuck between raising an eyebrow at Killian’s quip when Rumple just fucking died and laughing out loud because it’s a really funny quip. XD

-I love that Neal/Henry hug!

-The memories line didn’t make any sense. Everyone remembered what happened to Pan on the Enchanted Forest side and Emma and Henry had their memories altered. So what was the point of this section?

-And the last goodbye is from Snow! Awww!!!

-Tbh, that opening shot of New York City is the least appealing shot of the city that I’ve ever seen.

-Damn, Emma. You get to wake up at 8:15 for work. I envy that.

-And the modern music has returned! And it cuts out right as Killian appears!

-Emma’s got such cute PJ’s!

Arcs - How Are These Storylines Progressing?

The Mission to Save Henry - Our story concludes today! The pacing for this arc was just marvelous. I hate when people disparage the arc as being boring because holy hell, it isn’t! Every bit of this arc grew on itself in some way. Even episodes like “Good Form” and “Ariel,” which weren’t heavy in terms of plot progression were in terms of character growth. This arc was so nicely balanced and well handled, carefully put together like the lace of a wedding veil.

Emma Accepting Her Parents - “I like the unicorns.” Emma just says that line with not a hint of sarcasm, bitterness, or insincerity and it’s just beautiful! The scene that comes from this line is utterly beautiful and shows just how close Emma and Snow have gotten. They think about the same things in regards to their children. They’re able to bond without walls in the way. And then...of course, there’s the goodbye. It’s so heartbreaking that Emma fully accepts her parents, but is forced apart from them. Watching Emma try to cling to that hope of keeping them close is so brutal and sad.

Rumple’s Redemption - There is so much to say and so much to discuss -- a lot of it i already have -- but as of right now, I think that this was the strongest writing put forth for Rumple’s redemption arc. The buildup of not only seasons 1 and 2, but also an arc that was so largely Rumple-centric and heavy had this fantastic build of momentum that made the payoff of his sacrifice the powerful moment that it was. And look, I like the Rumple stuff that comes after...to varying degrees, but I wanted this rewatch to allow for more emotional honesty from myself and yeah...this was the pinnacle. Should he have remained dead? I’d probably say yes for the character and no for the series. Rumple was brought back for a reason and that’s because his character is ingrained on the series. He (Among others) make Once Upon a Time what it is and I don’t fault anyone for bringing him back and even writing his decline. I wish they were just a little more careful with it because of the strength of this moment.

Killian’s Redemption - “There’s only two things I’d risk my life for: love and revenge.” Killian’s redemption didn’t get a ton of focus here, but I do appreciate what it got. While I found it a little weird that Tink connected Killian’s brave act solely to Emma when she hasn’t seen them flirt all that much, I was willing to forgive it because the action was really cool.

Henry Wanting to Be a Hero - ”Your happy ending may not be what you expect.” This line is so important as it pertains to Henry. Knowing where his story ends and what he hoped to make of it, I feel like it was so nicely put as to give this storyline a bit of prominence, especially since his happy ending at the end of this episode arguably changes the most out of anyone else’s due to the memory change.

Regina’s Redemption - “Will you be okay?” “You will be.” Literally everything Regina does is so redemptive here! Her apology to Henry is the first big thing. She stops his doubts about whether or not he really did the right thing by telling him straight up that this was her fault and that is so important to her redemption. “You’re not a villain. You’re my mom.” This line also freakin’ gutted me. Regina’s progress this season from a thin-iced redeeming villain to someone with a role to play on the team and someone who can strongly bond with everyone was fantastic.

Favorite Dynamic

Rumple and Pan. Pan is a reflection of Rumple and one line tipped me off to this. ”Pwotect your wuved ones.” In season 1, very similar lines came out of Rumple’s mouth. Pan is a Rumple without love and this episode really highlights why. Look at Pan’s verbal takedown of him at the shop. Rumple is a harsh character. He’s beaten people up, extorted, murdered, and kidnapped. But no moment from him has been shot so brutally as Pan’s takedown of him. He cuts Rumple down to the bone with his words -- words so harsh and that fly into the face of the “best chance” sentiment even before Cora did! Like, that scene would be enough to justify these two as having the best dynamic, but then we get to the town line scene where the idea that Pan is a Rumple without love is further shown. Pan, like Cora, didn’t expect for Rumple to pose a challenge to him while backed by love, but he does. He stands up and moves past his desires for his life and loopholes in order to save Neal and Belle. And Pan, even to his death, doesn’t get it.

Writer

A&E close out our half season and fuck me, it’s perfect. The name of the game in this episode is payoff. It’s character payoff. It’s story payoff. It’s emotional payoff. And it’s all handled flawlessly. For a while, I wasn’t sure whether or not I liked the past segments, but as “look how far we’ve come glimpses” and by extension, part of the payoff, they work fantastically.

Culture

There’s a lot to reflect on when it comes to the cultural impact of this episode. Two big points come to mind for me: How this episode could conceivably be a series finale in a lot of way and Pan. I have a great deal to say on why I think Pan was such an amazing villain, so I’m actually going to make that its own post, so I’ll touch on my former point here.

This episode is considered by many to have been able to stand as a series finale, and to tell you the truth, I can see it. Everyone’s arcs are completed in completely satisfying ways. The destruction of Storybrooke is brutal but in the most jaw-dropping and beautiful way. Save for the literal last minute of the episode, one could have seen this as an ending to the show proper.

Now, what does that mean for me? Well, the last time around, I wasn’t paying as close attention to that aspect of my feelings, but this time, I felt it more. In fact, I felt it a LOT. And for as much as I love Seasons 3B-7, I feel weird jumping off of this episode onto the next. Maybe it’s the knowledge that there is admittedly a bit more of a decline in quality going forward (Albeit to varying degrees) or maybe I just like how a lot of the characters’ stories ended here, but I feel so weird knowing that there’s more. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to hit up the Zelena arc, the Frozen Arc, and more, but this episode was so good and so...final. Like Pan, I don’t want to grow up.

Rating

Golden Apple. That wasn’t an episode. That was a masterpiece. This is honestly probably OUAT’s best work. I felt my soul go on a journey while watching it and it now ranks as one of my all-time favorites. Moments like “Coming Home” are what rewatches are for. I’ve never fallen out of love with the series, but seeing it is like renewing my vows. It’s emotional in all the best ways, it’s sincere in all the best ways, the character work is fulfilling, and the story leaves most with something to do. I’m so glad I watched it again.

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Snowing - No one rocks platitudes like David does! His speech to Snow about unexpected turns is just beautiful, romantic, and just lovely!

Tink/Killian - There is some crazy sexual tension between these two! The way they whisper their words and practically dance around the jungle with Tink’s knife at Killian’s throat and then sip the rum together.

Swan Queen - Emma/Regina/Henry hugs never cease to make me smile! They’re so cute! Also, literally the first thing Regina says after waking from her weird coma was “Emma.” And dudes, Regina’s decision to give them new memories...that’s...that’s fucking beautiful. HOW WAS THERE NOT A HUG FOLLOWING THAT, AT THE VERY LEAST?

Rumbelle - Am I allowed to just put the entire middle of the episode here? Belle made him stronger and Rumple’s goodbye and gratitude for that is one of his most earnest and kindest moments in the entire series. It’s so genuine and beautiful. And Belle’s reaction as Rumple dies is heartbreaking. I know its a point of contention that no one goes to comfort her, but I think that it works just as a display of isolation and how gutted she feels from Rumple’s loss. Rumple was her future (Or at least a part of it) and now that future is no more. That hopelessness was more effective by being untouched. Anyway, Emiliee pulls off that crying scene flawlessly!

Captain Swan - “Good.” In that one little word, there’s that longing for a possible future that, as far as they know, they’ll never be able to explore. Also, I love in this sea of tears and sadness, Killian’s able to lighten her spirits, this time in a more tactful way than the “prepare our souls” moment from earlier.

Swan Fire - Neal’s goodbye to Emma and faith that they’ll meet again was just so nice and beautiful!

-----

Sorry. I tried to get in four reviews this week, but “Coming Home” had so much meat to it that I just couldn’t. Hell, I still don’t think I covered everything that I wanted to, but at least I still have the Pan post which should come out tomorrow. Going forward, I will try for the four reviews at some point, but in all likelihood, what’s going to happen is that I’ll just post three reviews on the week of the finale or the week before.

In any event, thank you for reading and to the fine folks at @watchingfairytales. Love you all!!!

Season 3 Total (106/220)

Writer’s Scores: Adam and Eddy (29/60) Kalinda Vazquez (17/40) Andrew Chambliss (27/50) Jane Espenson (10/30) David Goodman (20/40) Robert Hull (20/40) Christine Boylan (20/20)* Daniel Thomsen (20/30)

* Indicates that their work for the season is complete

Operation Rewatch Archives

#ouat #once upon a time #watching fairytales #ouat 3x11 #ouat rewatch #jenna watches ouat

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stevethehairington · 7 years

Text

My thanks and appreciation and love to everyone who was apart of Skam...

I can’t believe that today is the last day of Skam. It feels like just yesterday I was logging onto Tumblr and seeing my feed full of countless gifs of the two precious boys who would come to change my life (and take it over!) making out spiderman style and sharing smokes with each other. I remember reblogging one of those gifs and thinking to myself “they look so cute together and they look so gone for each other, what is this show?” and thus, my downward spiral (really it was totally positive though!!) into the abyss that is called Skam began. I remember figuring out that those gifs were from season 3 and that they were already on the fifth episode of it and I went back and watched all of season 3, found season 1 and 2 and watched those, and then watched season 3 again until I was caught up. I think I’ve watched season 3 about 10 times by now and I’ve seen seasons 1 and 2 several times more as well! That’s how much I love this show, I can rewatch it so many times and still never get sick of it! I really can’t believe that we’ve reached the end- it feels so surreal. I’m so grateful for everything Skam has done for me. It has taught me so many things about some many different topics, I’ve made some great friends because of it, I’ve gotten to learn a new language and appreciate different cultures, I have so many new mottos to live by now as well. God, this show was just so good. It was so real, which is way different from most of the shows I watch. As an American, our television shows love drama and love to drop bombs for “shock value” and they love to use actors who are like 27 to portray someone who’s supposed to be 17, so the fact that Skam had actors that were really 17 playing 17 year olds and that all of the conflicts were realistic and weren’t just there to create more drama but actually had a purpose was so so refreshing and it just drew me in even more. I have loved every second of Skam and deciding to check this show out was probably the best decision of my life. This show, these actors, Julie- all of it has changed my life for the better and I know I’m never going to find something as amazing as this. I will forever cherish this show and everything it has done for me.

To Julie, thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for this show. You’ve created so many amazing characters that all represent something different and are all so genuine which allows us to see ourselves in them- they’re not perfect, they make mistakes, but they learn from those mistakes and the lessons these characters have taught us are lessons I will never ever forget. You also managed to give so much representation for so many different groups- religion, sexuality, mental illness, gender, race, abuse victims, and so many others that I have not seen before, and that in itself is truly amazing. You chose the perfect actors to be apart of your creation as well, every single one of them seems so down to earth and so genuinely good, and they are all immensely talented and work so well together. The storylines, as well, are masterpieces. Every single problem these characters faced were real problems that people face all over the world and every person that watched this show could identify with at least one of these problems. I especially enjoyed how everything was relevant and how you used parallels and symbolism so so well. This show has not only taught me so much and helped me become more aware of things, but it brought me closer to so many people around the world. I’ve made so many new friends through this show and for that I am forever grateful. Not to mention, this show has sparked an interest of languages in me, and I even started learning Norwegian! It’s such a beautiful language! You are an incredibly talented human being and I have never been more happy to have found this show. I stumbled upon a true gem when I found this one ❤

To Tarjei, god where do I even start? I started watching this show about halfway through Isak’ s season and I knew from the second I started watching that I would absolutely fall in love with you. I was totally right. I was captivated from the start. You are such an amazing actor, I literally cannot put into words how talented I think you are. Your ability to do so much and portray so many different emotions with your facial expressions and just the tiny details of each expression, it blows my mind. You’re only eleven days older than me and you’ve got more talent that I could ever imagine having. I know you’re going to go on to do the most amazing things- who are we kidding, you’ve already gone and landed yourself some wonderful roles (Grease!! My favorite musical!! I’m so excited for you!!) that I know you’ll beyond succeed in! I’ve really enjoyed watching you grow both as a person and as an actor (and as Isak, especially as Isak, that character development is wow, too good!). Throughout the years you’ve only gotten more talented and more amazing, and I am so glad that I was able to be here to witness that! You put so much passion into everything you do and I could totally see that with Isak. The way you played him was phenomenal and the way you handled his struggles and the ways he dealt with things (or didn’t) was so well done. Once again, I am at a loss for words for how insanely proud I am of you, Tarjei. I love you with all my being. Never stop being you. ❤

To Henrik, you wonderful, bright star of a human being. I’ve only “known” you since November but it feels like it’s been years. You are single handedly one of the absolute most talented people I have ever had the honor and pleasure of watching. In one of your interviews at the Skam party you said that you didn’t want to make Even a stereotypical character and that you wanted to portray mental illness in a respectful, believable way and can I just say you were beyond successful in this. Anyone that ever has to play someone with a mental illness should absolutely take notes from you! You did Even so much justice and you made him so believable and genuine and you were so very respectful about it all. Mental illnesses are not easy, and you definitely portrayed that. Your portrayal of Even taught me so so much about mental illnesses and I will forever be grateful for that. I know that you resonated with so many people through this role and you should be incredibly proud of yourself. You definitely made history with Even seeing as he not only represented living with bipolar, but also identifying as pansexual, something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. You are a role model for so many people, myself included, and I’m so glad that Julie picked up that phone and called you. I’m still so upset that we didn’t get to see more of Even and learn more about his story and his background and explore all of his complex layers- he had such an amazing story to tell and so so much potential. Part of the reason why he had so much potential, I think, is because of you Henrik. You breathed so much life into that character and I could tell how passionate you were about that role. Every single time you came on screen I was just so captivated with how much effort you put into Even. I’m truly impressed and so so proud, I can’t even properly express it all. I’m not ready to let go of Even, that’s for sure! I’ll miss him so so much, but I know he will always live on in my heart and mind, and I know he will in yours as well. (And hey, I know a ton of people, myself included, would totally be 100% on board with and in support of you just making Even his own season- I bet you could get some of the other cast to get on board as well, if they’re not already) I know you’re going to do great things, whatever projects you have next are so lucky to have you and I can’t wait to hear all about them. Not only are you incredibly genuine when you play Even, but you’re also so genuine in real life as well. You seem like you’re the nicest human being ever and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to exist in the same lifetime as you. You’re insanely talented and charming and so down to earth and sweet, I’m sure this won’t be the last we see of you! I love you with all my heart, Henrik! ❤❤

To Iman, I’m so incredibly proud of you for everything you have done in Skam. You are a truly wonderful person and an amazing actress. To hear that you’ll be joining the army- I am incredibly proud of you, and Norway is incredibly lucky, their army is gaining such a strong, wonderful woman. Your portrayal of Sana has been amazing, you brought her to life, embodied her sass and her strength and gave her your everything. I learned so much from both Sana and you about so many different things- about Islam and religion, about friendship, about being selfless and always looking out for those you love. Sana was such a loyal character and I admire that so very much. She always stood up for her friends and defended them and would go to the ends of the earth for them. Her heart is so big and so golden and I love her so so much. Her friendship with Isak was one of my favorite things to watch, their banter was lovely and they were so pure. I wish we could’ve seen more of Sana and Even interacting, I feel like they would have been amazing friends. Your portrayal of Sana was a gift to us all, and Sana’s nickname may be Sanasol, but Iman, you really are the sun here, shining so very bright and leaving us all in awe. You are a beautiful soul, inside and out and I’m going to miss you and Sana so very much. ❤

To Ulrikke, you. are. absolutely. stunning. You have a heart of pure gold and I admire you in every single way possible. You are such an empowering, strong, beautiful woman and I consider you to be one of my role models. Every time I see you post something on Instagram, I always smile because I know that whatever it is you posted is going to inspire so many people, girls and boys, young and old, everyone. Your portrayal of Vilde was amazing. Vilde was such a complex character and she struggled with so much, and I’m so disappointed that we didn’t get to see her have her own season- I know she deserved it- but what we did get to see of her was so so wonderful, and that’s all because of you and your incredible talent. Vilde could definitely be problematic, but you couldn’t help but love her. Despite her ignorance’s, she really did mean well and she seemed like a lovely person to have in your life and a great friend. You really brought her to life and I’m so glad I got to be here for this! I cannot wait to see what you do next- whatever it is I know you’ll do such an amazing job at it! ❤

To Lisa, the amazing, beautiful girl who started it all. Our very first ever main character of Skam! When I discovered this show and then went back to watch season 1, I fell in love with it in an instant. I loved everything about Eva’s season and I think it was a brilliant start to a brilliant show. Eva is one of my favorite characters on the show, I absolutely love her. At first, she was very shy and insecure, but as time progressed you could see her coming out of her shell and really finding out who she was and I think you managed to capture all of this so well. You can truly see the difference in her, can see her character development and her growth and that’s so impressive! Eva is so fun-loving and sweet and I absolutely adore her. I loved her friendship with Isak and I’m so happy that Jonas and Eva were endgame because I love them together. You are such an amazing actress and I’m so glad you got cast in this show! I’m going to miss you and Eva so so much but I know both will go on to do wonderful things! I love you! ❤

To Ina, what a fun-loving, big-hearted, beautiful spirit! It is truly a travesty that we didn’t get to see more of Chris, I loved her so much. She was always so funny and always put a smile on my face every time I saw her. Chris was such an underrated character and she totally is one of my favorites! You did such a good job as Chris, I love everything about her and everything about how you portrayed her. My absolute favorite Chris clip was the solo one she got in the last week of Skam. We got to see a different side of her, and it really made me feel for her. Her insecurity about her friendships, the “am I good enough?” feeling is so relatable. Her talk with Dr. Skrulle and the smile that she gets at the end and then how she goes out and sends everybody such sweet messages, I fell in love with her all over again! Chris Berg is the purest soul! She is really an amazing friend and I would love to have her as one of my friends! You really did a wonderful job playing Chris, Ina! I’m going to miss the both of you immensely! And of course, you will do such amazing things in your future! I love you! ❤

To Josefine, Noora is one of the first characters I fell in love with! I absolutely loved her strong, independent vibe in season 1. She was such an empowering character, and she stands up for such amazing things, and has such solid, good beliefs. I wasn’t the biggest fan of her relationship with William, but I knew that Noora’s a strong girl and would be able to take care of herself, something she proved time and time again. Not only is she strong, but she is also one hell of a friend. She stands up for her friends, she helps her friends through tough times, she’s loyal. Josefine, you portrayed Noora so fantastically, there is no one who could have done it better. Listening to your voice is always fun, I think your voice is just so nice to listen to. You always seem to have a smile on your face as well, which I love. Also, you’re absolutely stunning in every way possible. You made watching Noora so enjoyable and I’m going to miss you as Noora! You’re going to do wonderful things in the future and whatever project you work on next is going to be so lucky to have you! I love you, Josefine! ❤

To Marlon, the eyebrow king of the world. Okay, I actually love you so much it’s crazy. Both you and Jonas are so likeable and I just want to be both of your best friends! From the first episode in season 1 I fell in love with Jonas. He’s such a strong character, so opinionated (in the good way!) and wise, and just so genuinely cool, like, god I really do just want to be his best friend. I love how season 1 opened with Jonas’s anti-capitalism speech and I love how season 4 ends with Jonas giving a speech again, it really feels full circle. Marlon, your acting as Jonas was spectacular and I enjoyed every second of it! Jonas was such a loyal friend and when he loves someone, you can really see it and you managed to capture all of that so so well! I especially enjoyed the wide mouthed laugh thing you do in the episode where Isak texts Even to figure his shit out after Isak announces that Even is at his door is my actual favorite thing ever, it’s absolutely precious, and your little “ahh” in the first episode of season 4 is also just great. I wish we would’ve seen more Jonas in season 4, he’s such a great character- I wish he would have had his own season as well, I think that would have been so cool to get to see things through Jonas’s perspective! But Jonas is such a good friend to Isak, so supportive and chill and the scene where Isak comes out to Jonas is by far one of my favorite Jonas scenes. You are truly such a talented guy and you seem like such a cool dude as well. Like I said before, I would love to have you as a best friend, Marlon! I especially enjoy how you would draw stick figure Isak and Even in the places of your home that they used during filming and I also loved the lowkey shade you would throw about your character and whatnot with all of the Instagram posts you liked. Thank you for everything you’ve done with Jonas, he was one of my favorites! I’m sad to see Jonas go, but I know this won’t be the last we see of Marlon! I can’t wait to see what adventures you go on next! Marlon Langeland, I love you so much! ❤

To David, oh my god I love you I love you I love you! Magnus was one of my absolute favorites! He was insanely funny and boy squad always gave him so much shit and teased him a ton (all of it lovingly of course!). He definitely had some moments where I would facepalm and be like oh my god Magnus why? but he always came back from those and he always meant well! I wish we got to see even more Magnus he was a true gem and such a pure soul (despite his dirty mind and desperate need to get laid haha). You truly brought Magnus to life, David, and I am so happy that you were the one to play him! You hit the nail on the head and portrayed his slightly cluelessness and desperation perfectly. He may have been somewhat ignorant at times, but hey he learned from his mistakes and like I said before, he totally meant well! David, I just want to give you the biggest hug, especially after watching Magnus hug Even so many times- those hugs always looked so good and cozy! Magnus’s obsession with Even is actually the purest thing in the world and I adore it so much. He definitely looks up to Even and the way he treats Even just makes me love him that much more. I really really loved the scene where Magnus talks to Isak about Even and bipolar disorder and shares about his experience with it via his mom. That scene showed a different side to Magnus and made me fall in love with him even more because he really loves everyone with his whole heart and sees the good in everyone. David, you are truly talented and I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for you! I think one of my favorite things about you is your laugh as well. It’s so bright and it never fails to make me smile and laugh right along. I feel like you would be such an amazing friend, you seem like the nicest soul ever! I love you with all my heart! ❤

To Sacha, you are a gift to us all! I’m really sad that we don’t get to see much of Mahdi onscreen and that he doesn’t have more speaking lines, but what we do see of him he is truly wonderful! He seems like a solid friend, always seems to have good advice, is totally loyal, incredibly pure, has amazing values, and his love for waffles rivals Leslie Knope’s! The advice Mahdi gives Isak is wonderful, and I really liked how open-minded Mahdi is. In the scene where Isak comes out to Magnus and Mahdi, I love everything about Mahdi in it. He isn’t holding a grudge towards Isak about Isak shoving him, he’s completely chill about it. He gets offended when Magnus thinks it’s funny that people thought he and Isak fought because he’s homophobic (which he makes very clear is not the case!). He suggests that maybe Isak and Even are pansexual. Everything about that scene, I love. You portrayed Mahdi as such a ball of sunshine and as such a great friend and I love everything about him! You’re incredibly talented and I hope to see more of you in the future! I love you! ❤

To Carl, the one and only guru angel. Carl, Eskild was such a fun character because of you! Everything about Eskild, I loved. He was so supportive and so sweet and so energetic and uplifitng and funny and just an all around angel. He was very much like a father figure to Isak and every time I think about how he found Isak all alone, drunk off his ass at some gay bar and how he decided to help him and take him in and all of the support he’s given Isak and how he’s constantly there and in Isak’s corner ready to give him advice or make him smile again, gah it just makes me so emotional! Eskild is a gift to this world and so are you Carl! Your portrayal of Eskild was absolutely amazing! You really brought him to life and made him fun and vivacious and loveable! His numerous nicknames for Isak, his constant support for everyone close to him, his perky personality, all of it was so wonderful because of you! There are so many favorite Eskild moments I have, but I especially enjoyed the speech Eskild gives Isak when he makes the ignorant comment and puts himself above gay pride- you did an amazing job with that scene, the emotion you have while giving that little speech is so raw and it’s so moving. Another one of my all time favorites is the Eskild and Linn clip from season 4 that we just got! That scene legitimately made me cry. Eskild is such a good person and such a great friend and he loves with his whole heart. To see him reassure Linn that they will always have each other made me so emotional. Carl, you are so talented and I cannot thank you enough for your portrayal of Eskild. I love you and I can’t wait to see what you will do next! ❤

To Rakel, a beautiful warrior-princess. You did an absolutely outstanding job at playing Linn. I wish Linn had more screen time, I would have loved to see more of her, especially more of an interaction between her and Even. I feel like they would have gotten along swimmingly and would have been fast friends. Even could have even helped Linn out with her depression maybe, and they could have talked about a lot of deep stuff together. Linn was totally relatable in some ways and I really liked her. You’re incredibly talented and absolutely beautiful inside and out! I can’t wait to see what you’ll do next, I’m sure it will be wonderful! I love you Rakel!❤

To Cengiz, to Yousef, to Simo, to Adam, to Mutta, the balloon boys, the sweetest, purest souls. All of you were so amazing in your respective roles! I wish we would have been able to see more of you guys, and I definitely wish we could have learned more about the balloon boys’s relationship with Even and both how it fell apart as well as how it was repaired. All of you boys seem like such lovely people and are all insanely talented. Cengiz- you were a wonderful Yousef, he was so sweet and such a down-to-earth cutie pie, I loved him with all my heart, just like I love you! Yousef- Mikael was such a sweetheart and I always loved seeing your smile onscreen, it’s absolutely precious! I wish Mikael had a bigger role in this, he seemed like such an interesting character! Simo- Elias Bakkoush was the best big brother in the world. He was so protective of his sister, but in such a good way. Him saying that Yousef would be good for Sana was so sweet and the fact that he genuinely was disappointed when the other boys said Yousef was with Noora. I would’ve loved to see more of him as well! Adam- I would have loved to see more of you and hear you more as well! Adam seemed so fun! Mutta- The same goes for you, it would have been lovely to have you in the show more! ❤

To Herman, to Thomas, you both did amazing in this show! Herman, your portrayal of Perpetrator Chris was funny and you did a really good job at playing a fuck boy, haha. Minus his fuck boy attitude and his playboy “I can do whatever and whoever I want” mentality and his cheating tenancies, I think Chris was a good person, or at least he seemed to be shaping up to be a decent person towards the end. Thomas, I didn’t really like William at all, but you did a really good job with his character. You got the fuck boy attitude down as well, and the onscreen time between William and Noora was sweet at certain times. ❤

To Theresa, to Cecilie, to Kristina, to Ruby, you all had the more “villainous” roles, but in reality you all seem like absolutely sweethearts! You all played your roles exceptionally well and I give you all the kudos for that, those roles always seem hard. I can’t wait to see what each of you will do, I know it’ll all be great! You all are so talented and will go far in life! ❤

To whoever was in charge of picking the music, I just want to give you the biggest kudos in the entire universe. The music of Skam was so so amazing, especially in season 3. God, season 3′s music was the best. Every single song fit the moment perfectly and I will truly never get over that! I’ve found so many new songs and artists because of this show and for that I will forever be grateful! Music is such a big part of my life and getting the opportunity to discover new sounds made me so happy! ❤

To all of the friends I’ve made through Skam, I love you all so so much and I am so glad that we were brought together! It’s been amazing to get to know you guys and I only wish that we don’t stop talking because the show is over! ❤

To all of the incredible fic writers and fanart creators… @shadeandadidas @westiris @bechnaesun @noenoaholi @dahlstrom @isisisak @jydoodles @isaksredscarf @danielhowell @elli-skam @miranhas-art @ravenclawisak @stardefiant @leoniejulie (I know there are many more so if I didn’t tag, don’t worry, it’s just because I’m drawing a blank because there are so many!)… you guys are absolutely amazing! I appreciate all of the time and effort you take to create these masterpieces, these incredible works of art. You all have so much talent and I hope that you all will stick around and keep writing/drawing for this amazing fandom! ❤

Skam, it has been a real pleasure. 😚👏✌

Tusen takk og jeg elsker deg i alle universer! ❤❤❤

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buytabletsonline · 7 years

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In 1993, TV—and TV writing—were much different entities than what we know today.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, Exhibit 5,768: the current golden age of TV has clearly inspired a golden age of TV writing. And if you follow today’s TV criticism at all, chances are a handful of names immediately come to mind (people like Emily Nussbaum at The New Yorker or James Poniewozik at The New York Times, for instance). But time and time again, stories on the rise of this format in recent years end up pointing to one writer—Uproxx’s Alan Sepinwall—as the dean of modern TV criticism.

While landmark TV writing sites like TV Without Pity (1998) wouldn’t come along until the Internet matured, Sepinwall was on the Web back when “Lynx and Mosaic were the only two browsers and you had to drive uphill through the snow both ways to get to the Yahoo! homepage,” as he once put it. Back in 1993, long before he started his own blog or went on to contribute to the Star Ledger and Hitfix, Sepinwall was just a college sophomore posting about NYPD Blue to Usenet.

DS9 recapper / physics teacher, Tim Lynch.

MKA.org

Ask Sepinwall about the origins of modern TV writing, however, and he has something different in mind: Usenet’s rec.arts.startrek.current and a certain Deep Space Nine recapper extraordinaire named Tim Lynch.

“Tim was, I think, a CalTech prof by day. I tried tracking him down once to thank him for inspiration, to no avail,” Sepinwall tweeted when reflecting on his 20 years as a critic in 2016.

Luckily, Sepinwall ultimately got his chance. In fact, the underground TV writing/DS9 legend recognized the name. “I remembered Alan Sepinwall from my days on Usenet,” Lynch told Ars recently. “He didn’t tend to post to the Star Trek newsgroups all that much, but I remember seeing his stuff here and there. And when I later moved back to New Jersey, The Star-Ledger is where he was writing for years. I read that column and I said ‘I know him.’ He found me a few years ago when someone was doing a feature on him, and he ended up sending me a signed copy of his book.”

Enlarge / Ah, a delightful Usenet terminal.

Ground zero(ish) of Internet TV writing

Ahead of the recent anniversary of his start with DS9, Lynch happily revealed he didn’t start modern TV criticism, either—he actually got into it because his college buddy Mike was already reviewing Trek on mailing lists and Usenet back in 1988. “After about half a season [of reading], I said, ‘You know, I can do that,” Lynch said. “So very early in The Next Generation S2, I started writing reviews.”

This was the late ‘80s, and Lynch would review TNG all the way through S6. His early work doesn’t resemble what you’d necessarily read in Entertainment Weekly or on The AV Club today: the pieces include recaps of the main plot and any notable subplots before getting into how he feels about the episode (see an early review from 1989 for TNG’s “The Icarus Factor” as an example). Each ends with a rating out of 10, sometimes rating individual storylines or performances even.

But in January 1993, things changed. That’s when, 25 years ago this month, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine premiered.

“I even said it in one of my reviews, I wasn’t planning on reviewing DS9. The time suck was too large,” Lynch said. He had just started his first year of teaching (which was “also not a time-light activity”). “I warned people not to expect reviews, but then the show premiered. I thought ‘I can’t not talk about this.’”

Here, Lynch’s writing evolved into the forebear for modern TV writing. To start, Lynch didn’t shy away from or hide his personal preferences. For instance, slapstick Ferengi episodes? No thanks, see his review of S6’s “Profit and Lace”—“I wrote something to the effect of: ‘There were some nice moments of pathos, some nice cliffhangers, and Armin Shimerman did a great job, but enough with this week’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’” Lynch recalled. “That got a lot of people’s attention.”

Lynch skipped his prior recaps in favor of individual episode discussions involving themes, writing, and performances. His pieces got longer, and separate season wrap-ups emerged. For another example, Lynch looks back at DS9 S2 as a high point, and a late-season review like his take on two-parter “The Maquis” demonstrates that reverence. While all the reps (Lynch imagines he penned well over 100,000 words in total between TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, and some film reviews) clearly helped him develop a certain style, Lynch acknowledges DS9 also provided a richer text to engage with.

“From early on, DS9 struck me as something with so much meat in the premise. There was an awful lot of stuff they could do with it, and I got very into its potential,” he said. “TNG was depicting a very utopian society, which was challenging for the writers at times. But DS9 and later Voyager dealt more with, ‘How do you maintain a utopia’ or, in Voyager’s case, ‘How do you build one?’ Voyager ran away from that premise as fast as it could, but DS9 mostly tried to keep that. In the end, I wasn’t 100 percent thrilled that they decided to go on a war footing instead, but there was a lot of stuff they did that spoke to more complexity of character and theme than TNG. I love TNG, but DS9 usually gave me more to think about.”

Sisko explains to Bashir that humans of the 21st century rebelled against the government that kept impoverished people in ghettos.

The actors who played Bashir and Garak on Deep Space Nine played up the romantic chemistry between the two men.

CBS

Deep Space Nine is on the wormhole front in the Dominion Wars, yet its main characters remain fundamentally humane and strive for peace.

Deep Space 9

A genuine Internet impact

Though he covered TNG, Voyager, Enterprise, and some films/books, Lynch’s writings on DS9 are what ultimately earned him a lasting place in TV criticism lore. If the Sepinwall namecheck isn’t enough proof, his work eventually inspired fans to create an entire wikia just for these reviews, and his writing decisions (like when he took on Enterprise or eventually retired) made TrekToday headlines just like the announcement of a new film would. (No, he insists his work didn’t inspire the First Contact character, though.)

Lynch kinda, sorta even had an idea at the time that he was gaining more readers than just his other Usenet pals. Early in his DS9 review, Lynch taught science at a school in California “and I was teaching Rick Berman [Gene Roddenberry’s successor]’s son, just luck of the draw,” he said. “I don’t know that his dad was reading my reviews all that much, but his son certainly was. And he asked me for copies of a couple of them from Voyager and DS9 to print out and show dad.”

Lynch would later hear from people like writer Brannon Braga (TNG, Voyager, Enterprise, and now The Orville) and artist Michael Okuda (supervisor on many films and Enterprise), plus fellow TV writers like Bad Astronomer Phil Plait. A UK magazine called TV Zone asked Lynch to review Trek books based on the strength of his DS9 work, studios approached him with sci-fi scripts to review, Tor nearly published a compilation, and the Marc Alaimo (DS9’s Gul Dukat) fan club even asked him to attend an official farewell dinner at the end of DS9 (both Alaimo and Casey Biggs, DS9’s Damar, chatted Lynch up that evening).

Yet the pièce de résistance of his impact seems clear in retrospect—the TNG writers room once invited Lynch to pitch an episode based on the strength of his work near the beginning of DS9. Lynch recalls he wrote an episode following up on Data dreaming as laid out in TNG’s “Birthright;” the writer dug into Trek dream symbolism and Data’s emotions or lack thereof.

“Obviously, I wasn’t taken, but that was very flattering,” Lynch said. “I’m flattered and still somewhat amazed that the decade or so of writing I did was seen as so valuable.”

Born at the wrong time?

If Lynch came up reviewing Trek during today’s TV writing culture, it’s quite likely he would’ve been scooped up by some major outlet (if not a sci-fi show writer’s room directly) to write full-time. But his experience came during a different era of recaps and reviews, so Lynch still teaches science to generations of young students. And if he were to shift careers back to writing, he’d rather pursue science writing than entertainment writing at this point anyway. Yet, today he has no regrets about how it all played out.

“Those reviews made me realize my writing was somehow valuable, and it encouraged me to keep doing it in some shape or form,” Lynch said. “It made me better as a teacher, and it leads to the occasional moment of hilarity when students stumble upon it and say, ‘Wait, is this you?’ A friend who was dean of students at one of my previous schools referred to me as her favorite science nerd, and she said it was because I didn’t write like one.”

A few years have passed since Lynch rewatched any DS9, but he keeps up with new Trek films and intends to follow Discovery once its distribution method becomes a bit more viewer-friendly. Given how much a certain series shaped his life, however—Lynch’s DS9 writings spanned the entire run of the show, which coincided with ages 22 to 29 for the teacher—it’s unlikely his answer to “what’s the best Trek?” will ever change.

“As much as I tended to ride DS9 for not living up to its potential at times, in a lot of ways it was a high-water mark for writing in the Star Trek Universe,” Lynch said. “The advantage of being in a stationary setting versus a starship setting is, you couldn’t run away from the consequences, which is something virtually every other series did quite a bit. In DS9, they really had to push themselves in different ways, so some of the cultural questions and political questions it brought up are still to this day very, very strong pieces of work and things I think about.

“I would love to have some other Trek series come up where I can say, ‘I think we’re finally equalling the strengths of DS9—and without the occasional lows.’ But that remains a pipedream.”

Lynch joked he likely won’t be so eager to chat when Voyager hits its 25th anniversary in 2020. So as far as legacies go, he notes, DS9’s is not a bad one to have after all these years.

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ettadunham · 5 years

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A Buffy rewatch 5x03 The Replacement

aka how to handle your evil twin

Welcome to this dailyish text post series where I will rewatch an episode of Buffy and go on an impromptu rant about it for an hour. Is it about one hyperspecific thing or twenty observations? 10 or 3k words? You don’t know! I don’t know!!! In this house we don’t know things.

And today’s episode once again has me rambling about how season 5 brings us adult Scoobies (most specifically Xander in this case of course), and maybe also talk a bit about the Riley dilemma. Let’s see how far we’ll get with this.

If there’s one nitpicky thing I have about The Replacement, it’s all the red-herrings they pull to try and sell the audience on suave Xander as a body-switched demon. It might work on a first watch, but once you know the twist, you’re starting to wonder what Xander meant when he told Anya that he can relate to her sudden human fragility, and shit like that.

I also have questions about the real estate agent lady coming onto Xander. I guess suave Xander has all the asshole qualities since he isn’t shutting it down… but neither would the other Xander based on his lines??? Hoo boy.

Then again, I’m also wondering now about what power real estate agent lady has regarding Xander getting this apartment (maybe she’s actually landlord lady???), and now that’s a whole different yikes. On yet another hand though, the so-called suave Xander used a line mentioning Klingons on her, so this also seems like a very specific nerd fantasy.

But I digress.

Overall, this episode is about Xander coming to terms about his own adult life. And I know I keep going back to this word, and using it to describe the season, so I want to make a few clarifications.

When I say that the Scoobies are all adults in season 5, I don’t mean that they abandoned all childlike qualities or have fully matured. (Mostly because that never actually happens to any of us…) Buffy still fights with her sister like they’re both 5-year-olds. When it comes to Anya, Willow is petty af.

But so is Giles sometimes. Being an adult is much more about the ability to think ahead and knowing yourself, including your potential and limits. This is what Xander is faced with here - his supposedly best and worst qualities.

I do think that definig the two Xanders we see here as his strength and weaknesses is a gross oversimplification though - and one that the episode doesn’t really rectify either. It’s fun seeing confident Xander, and having this affirmation that he’s really taking charge of his life at this point… but I do wish that we’ve also had a bit of an appreciation for our other Xander. It would’ve helped driving this whole theme of how his character can’t be whole without both of these parts.

Another meh element was the gun. Buffy, the show, rarely uses guns, and when it does in a context like this - where a character is just waving it around to make themselves feel more in control -, it pretty much always leads to tragedy.

And yet… not here. The tension of the gun gets resolved without consequences. We also learn that the gun belongs to Anya, but we’ll never bring it back again. Which is just as well if you ask me. (Chekhov can go and sit in a corner for all I care.)

So I guess I actually have more than one nitpicky stuff about this episode, but overall, I still enjoyed it like most of this season. Seeing how I’ve been non-stop gushing about s5 for the last three episodes, I think it comes as no surprise that this always has been one of my favorite seasons of the show. And that opinion appears to hold up for this rewatch so far.

One of the other things I wanted to point to before moving onto the Riley section of this post, is Xander and Willow’s mention of Anya when they’re talking about Xander’s double taking over his life.

Xander: He can take anything, but he can’t have her. I need her. Willow: Really? Xander: He could be with her right now! [...] I gotta find her. Willow: Xander... You already knew he was taking over your life, and you didn’t think about Anya till just now?

The most important detail of this exchange is the tone of Willow’s voice when she says “Really?”. It’s easy to take Willow on her word when just doing a reading of the lines, accepting her perspective on Xander and Anya’s relationship… But Willow is an extremely biased narrator in this case.

And it’s all evident in the way she says that one single line. She almost seems disgusted and clearly annoyed with Xander’s sudden outburst of desperation for Anya. Willow just really doesn’t like Anya - thankfully we’ll have a whole episode this season dedicated to this where we can dissect the layers of those emotions.

On the other hand, it also doesn’t mean that Willow isn’t not right? Xander has a huge problem of not appreciating what he has in the moment, and trying to chase something new to move his life forward. But that’s why this episode is so important to him.

That last scene with Riley’s speech is just as much about Xander as it is about Riley. Xander clearly sees himself in Riley in a sort of what-could-have-been scenario. It’s debatable if he’s every got over his crush and entitlement to Buffy’s affections, but here’s this guy, who adores Buffy just as much as he used to. And he’s the luckiest guy! He’s actually got the dream girl or whatever…

…And yet he’s also just a saddest thot, ‘cause the girl of his dreams doesn’t seem to reciprocate those same affections. Because of that, i read that last close-up on Xander’s face as him realizing just how goddamn lucky he is to love someone who loves him back. And perhaps finally giving up on his last shred of daydreams about that one girl who turned him down back in high school.

On the other hand, it really is also just about him watching one of his best friends and wanting to see her happy. And realizing that that’s not the direction her relationship with Riley is headed.

Now, the problem we run into here too is that we’re accepting Riley’s perspective on Buffy’s feelings about him, and you know what? I’m not so sure about that.

Buffy definitely feels like she can’t share all of her life - especially the Slayer parts - with Riley at this point. I pointed to some signs indicating this in earlier episodes, but she actually makes it explicit here.

Buffy thinks that Riley would rather just have Buffy without the Slayer parts and so she asks him. But Riley reassures her that that’s not the case. That he loves everything about her because it’s what makes her who she is.

It’s a nice sentiment, but one can also see moments that seem to support Buffy’s instincts that Riley might be uncomfortable with the whole package deal. There’s also an argument to be made that Buffy distancing herself makes Riley blame her Slayer qualities for her detachment on some level, which in turn informs Buffy that she can’t let Riley fully in, and so on. A neverending feedback loop that’s slowly but surely expanding the rift between them.

And yet it’s not even about Riley really - Buffy this season, more than ever, struggles with understanding her Slayer powers. In that sense, her asking Riley about whether or not he wished to have been able to separate the Slayer from Buffy, is more a question to herself. Buffy doesn’t yearn for that “normal life” quite the same anymore, but she doesn’t know how the Slayer fits in with Buffy either.

Going back to theme of adulthood being about knowing ourselves, Buffy knows Buffy. She’s yet to fully understand the Slayer.

In a way, it really isn’t about Riley at all, even though he appears to think so. Riley feels like Buffy can’t love him, specifically - but in reality, her detachment goes much deeper than that.

Buffy will have trouble opening up for the remainder of the series, and Riley eventually leaving won’t help, but it’ll also just exacerbate an existing problem. Probably more on that later.

You know what I love though? College Buffy being too engulfed in her history studies to enjoy the movie. And once she does look up, she spends the whole movie criticizing the fighting strategy of the protagonist. What a nerd.

I also laughed at Riley’s line about wanting to lock the Xanders up in separate rooms and study them. You can take the boy out of the Initiative, but… wait, the show already made that joke last episode, whatever.

Meanwhile Joyce is having a headache, and Buffy and Dawn joke about which one of them gave her that. I’m sure it’s fine.

Unfortunately, Tara skipped out on this ep. She’s probably getting prepared for a visit from her evil cousin from hell, Amy Adams.

I, myself, am not sure I’m prepared for that tbh.

#buffy rewatch 2k19 #btvs talk #btvs

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