#but. BUT. the resolution in the last episode???

[lifes-pinata]

Duck and Mytho, A Relationship Analysis

BY POPULAR DEMAND (10 notes and 1 prompt by a blog I follow and admire)

Duck and Mytho are obviously so very important to each others stories. Without Duck, Mytho would have remained a heartless doll forever. And without Mytho, Duck would have remained a simple bird. The story cannot exist without Duck, and up until the last few episodes, Mytho remains her primary motivation.

Which is why is was so surprising to me that the way their relationship resolved was so..... Unsatisfying.

Now when I say that, I am not talking about Siegfried and Tutu's resolution, which remains one of the most touching scenes of the show. I am specifically talking about the relationship between Mytho and Duck.

For the first 14 episodes, Duck and Mytho's friendship was a slow but steady burn. Duck is an anomaly in Mytho's small world. Even heartless, he doesn't quite know what to make of her. "Fakir and Rue don't say things like that" he says in episode 3, when Duck reacts to his hurt hand.

Duck, as a person, represents something Mytho never encountered even when he was Siegfried. Her simple, straightforward kindness is so different from Rue's desperate, grasping love. Fakir's poisonous protection, and even the blushing, tittering classmates that never dare to speak to him.

And even though Mytho can't express it, I think it's really valuable to him. Early on, Duck is the only person capable of making his loneliness disappear. Not Rue or Fakir, who he's known for years (which he says to their faces oh my GOD) but Duck. The first request he makes is that she stays a little longer.

The entire first arc Duck continually proves herself to be trustworthy. Once Mytho returned to school after receiving the feeling of fear, Duck tackle hugs him, saying she looked for him everywhere. She knows about Princess Tutu, and is the only one who listens to him. Who doesn't talk over him. She brought him an umbrella when he was waiting for Tutu. He values her opinion enough that he asked her opinion on gifts to get someone. And yeah maybe he could have asked anyone, but we never see him seek someone out until the Raven's Blood kicks in.

In episode 14, Mytho says to Duck, straight out "You're the only friend whom I can tell everything." And then? They never interact again? Huh???

Well. That's not entirely true. There is one more scene where Duck and Mytho interact, if you believe that Mytho was lucid enough to truly count it. Episode 24, where Mytho has fully succumbed to the Raven's blood, and as a result has turned into a raven himself. He runs outside, after being hidden away by Rue, and finds Duck. And what does he do? He asks her to dance, just as he did on the day of the fire festival. But this time, Duck doesn't answer. She backs away from the monster he's become, just like everyone else.

To its credit, that is a resolution, but it still doesn't sit right with me. It feels too bleak in a story where hope overcomes everything else. A spot where Drosselmeyer's tragedy wins.

The thing is, I understand why they did it this way. One thing I have always appreciated about Princess Tutu is that there is no wasted time. Even at the beginning of the show, when it seemed lighter and sillier, every episode contained important information. From the very beginning, they were building to the finale.

The second arc of the show is even more this way, there is no wasted space. Where would they even put Duck and Mytho interactions? Duck is reckless but she knows better then to approach Mytho when he's actively trying to rip out the hearts of their classmates. If anything, trying to shoehorn interactions would come across as forced, and could even cheapen their interactions in the finale.

But as much as I love the scene where Mytho realizes that Princess Tutu was a duck. I also wish he had a moment to realize that the duck was Duck.

Because Princess Tutu performed magic and returned heart shards with her beautiful dancing.

But Duck did the hard work of being human. Of living and loving and trying and failing and getting back up.

It was Duck who saved the town in the end.

And it was Duck, who was ultimately forgotten.

[mikimeiko]

Bodies | Miniseries (2023), Paul Tomalin

[eikichi-supremacy]

and they were singin', bye-bye Miss American Pie // american oldie i think kuwabara unironically listens to

(low effort lyric edit im queueing here in May cos im probably gonna forget it exists otherwise)

[zoe-oneesama]

So is Caline just…not worried about Marinette at all? She was the one that she was actively targeting, but instead of being worried that Mari isn’t hurt, she’s asking about Chloe instead.

Bustier doesn't remember targeting Marinette, at most she remembers being upset with Marinette's attitude and then waking up on top of the Eiffel Tower. She could probably conclude she might've hurt Marinette, but she can't be sure (and she definitely hurt more than JUST Marinette). And now that she's awake, she knows that whatever she did, Scarlet Lady at least reversed it. Also, the general rule is that people shouldn't be blamed too harshly for what they did while an akuma (Scarlet Lady blaming Lila for what she did as Volpina was just another highlight of why Chloe is terrible).

It's not really fair to attack people for what they did under the supernatural influence of the resident super terrorist in which the person in question is essentially in a total blackout, though it's appreciated if the person apologizes anyway.

[awhoreintheory]

Done with no redemption

Lance heard him before he saw Keith, not because he was loud or anything, but because Lance was expecting him. His footsteps have always been annoyingly light like a ninja. Lance tensed, a sour frown taking over his previously good mood. 

“Lance, I—” Lance rolled his eyes, turning around with the fakest smile in his arsenal. 

“You what, Keith?” Lance asked pleasantly, cocking his head to the side. Keith paused for another moment, his eyes awkwardly averted to the ground as he fidgeted. 

“I ran away from you.” Keith sighed, hands dropping and finally looking Lance in the eyes. Lance felt it wasn’t adequately remorseful enough. 

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and, yeah. You were right.” 

“You were right.” That single sentence seemed to just echo in Lance’s brain. Because— because his Keith didn’t just come out and admit something like that. Ever. You had to fight him tooth and nail for a half confession. (And Lance had evidence. He had to throw down with Keith just to get an answer to Lance’s real life, actual, love confession. Stubborn prick.) To say Lance was too shocked to speak would be an understatement. The shock gave way to an odd mix of amusement and seething hot anger.

“I was just running because I was afraid to face my feelings— actually, no. I was afraid of you.” Keith gnawed on his lip, thinking his words through. (Good, he’s learned his damn lesson about that.) “Because I tell you things I can’t even tell myself. Around you? My… walls are about as effective as paper is to fire.”

“Is that so?” Lance hummed, turning around and going back to folding his laundry. “Glad you’ve had some time for self discovery in the past 11 months that you’ve ghosted the team.” —and me, went unsaid, but the message was just as clear as though he had. 

“I’m proud— really! Congratulations, dude!” Lance's grin only got bigger, throwing one of Keith’s t-shirts at him. He caught it and unfolded it with a hurt expression. 

“Lance, please—” Keith’s eyebrows creased, like they always do when he’s hurt or confused. 

“Don’t “Lance, please” me, Kogane. It’s not like you ever listened to a single please from me. In fact, I don’t even think it ever even made you pause.” Lance calmly stated, wrapping up doing his laundry and storing it in Red. On the trip back to Earth with minimal supplies, Lance barely had any supplies— no moisturizer or anything! But he was making do in these trifling times.  

Keith was silent for a long moment as Lance continued cleaning up his Lion, throwing trash away and clearing out things he didn’t need as though Keith weren’t there in the first place. 

“...Is this not fixable?” It was a quiet, feeble question. 

“It was.” Was Lance’s simple response. It ignited a hope in Keith, but left him feeling uneasy. 

“..Was?” 

Lance straightened up, standing chest to chest with Keith, leaning in as though he were whispering a secret. “”I just don’t want to be stuck here for eternity with Lance.”” 

“From— from the game show? Seriously?” Keith asked incredulously, eyebrows now furrowing in anger and confusion. 

“Hmmm…” Lance tapped his finger to his chin contemplating. “Yep! From the game show. You and the team made it quite clear how you felt about me, ya’know?” 

Lance spun on his heel, plopping down and grabbing his armor to polish. “So, on that note; I need you to be civil until I leave the team.” 

“Leave the team?” 

“Yes, that’s what I just said.” 

“You can’t just— you can’t just leave, Lance! What about Voltron? What about us?” Keith’s temper was steadily rising, stomping towards Lance before he stopped and recollected himself. 

“One, yes, I can. Why would I stay somewhere I’m clearly not welcomed or appreciated? I’m going home after this shit-show. Two, there's six paladins, Keith. Simple math, even I can do it. Since, ya’know, I’m too stupid and should just leave something that complex to Pidge. Shiro can take Black back, you never wanted the position anyway, right?” Lance’s sugary sweet words were practically dripping in anger, Lance’s grin starting to annoy Keith. He knew just how hard he was hitting, and if he was honest? Lance was amused. 

“Of course we want you here! And— and, um…” Keith’s shoulders slumped, he was too flustered! He couldn’t think of an argument, yeah. He just didn’t see this coming— Lance was just confused! Keith reached for Lance’s wrist, brows furrowed and eyes oddly wet. 

“You can’t leave us, please. We need you.” 

“Well I don’t.” Lance yanked his wrist back with a disgusted turn of the lips. 

“Now get out of my lion.”

[jjsanguine]

I thought, Mhok needing to to be at most a phone call away from any of his close ones because he thinks declining that call was THE factor in Rung's death, is kind of like in Lilo and Stitch where Lilo thinks forgetting to feed pudge the fish lead to her parents deaths, except Mhok's anxiety quashing rituals manifest as socially acceptable "green flag boyfriend" behaviour and not stuff like giving sandwiches to fish

[the-chat-who-got-the-cream]

where’s my son where’s my son where’s my son whERE’S MY SON WHERE’S MY SON  WHERE’S MY SON WHERE’S MY SON WHERE’S MY SON-

[radiohostkevin]

Wtnv ep 250 spoilers:

The episode felt...shallow. They didn't explore the emotional ties between any of the characters, even when it was plot relevant. Tamika raised the Boy for a year and didn't even say goodbye or try to save him from Lauren. Carlos knew Kevin for a full decade and they didn't so much as speak to each other.

Then Carlos severed the portal between the Desert Otherworld and Night Vale just like that? Where is the emotional weight behind that decision? Even from a scientific standpoint, there's so much about the Desert Otherworld that we don't know, and that connection was just kinda casually cut. (Even though, as an aside, Desert Bluffs Too hasn't been a threat to Night Vale for years - decades, from their perspective - and so it feels hasty to cut off access to an entire town as a precaution.) It feels like that storyline might be done, and it's such wasted potential if so.

Speaking of wasted potential - Lauren's departure, and her lackluster interactions with Kevin. A few vaguely mean words, and she decides to leave? Why? We're not given any insight. Kevin and Lauren's vaguely antagonistic relationships was fantastic, and even that received little fanfare in the end.

This arc could have ended in so many different ways, and it was ultimately so unsatisfying.

[heartvisor]

[cherrymoonvol6]

.

[pagesofkenna]

i wanted to make a post about a thing but the more i think about it the more i want to say and it's just going to end up being a big ramble essay, so instead i'll just give the thesis statement, thusly:

as the #1 Ratgrinders Apologist (self-appointed), of course they're the final boss fight to the death. i expected nothing less and the people trying to make discourse about it are ignoring the entire context of this being a Dungeons and Dragons game

[5-pp-man]

oh my god I'm not crazy. they skipped Tsuge's whole rotting in his bedroom over Minato thing and sped up their resolution so it happened whilst Adachi was having his work trip instead of after.

i remember how much time there was between Tsuge and Minato chapters in the manga but they rlly streamlined their whole deal in the anime.

[khruschevshoe]

Being a true galaxy-brained Doctor Who fan is hitting the epiphany that every showrunner had their strengths and their weaknesses and their own interpretations of the Doctor and you can like or dislike any aspect of any showrunner and acknowledge their genuine mistakes/bad choices/yikes decisions (such as racism, sexism, homophobia, questionable undertones, lack of agency for female characters, etc.) and it is COMPLETELY VALID to have that turn you off of a Doctor/showrunner but also acknowledge that some of the things that people have considered bad writing over the years are often personal preference (valid opinion, not always valid fact) and that just as there are clunkers in every season, there's something to appreciate about every showrunner and every Doctor.

After all, "The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don't always spoil the good things and make them unimportant."

[3rdbogwitch2theleft]

So we finished season 5 episode 7 of Smallville "Splinter" and the whiplash I felt seeing this one come right after the "Dukes of Hazard reunion & Lois goes undercover at a strip club" episode. Just wow.

I had no memory of this one. So much so that I think maybe I missed it when it originally aired.

This is the one where Brainiac exposed Clark to silver kryptonite and Clark becomes paranoid, delusional, and violent. It's shot like a horror film and as a horror episode it is extremely effective. The changes in perspective conveyed by the changes in camera angles so you know what's real and what's Clark's delusions. Clark's progressive deranged sweatiness. His little half smile when Lex pulls a gun on him. Unsettling to the core.

Clark is terrifying in this episode. Truly, honestly terrifying.

He nearly chokes Lana to death because he thinks she "betrayed him" and it's horrifying to watch. And I it baffles me to my core that this was not the immediate end to their relationship. She just forgives him instantly. Girl. Girl he almost killed you ON PURPOSE in a jealous rage.

It could have worked better if she was like "hey I was possessed by a homicidal witch last year I know all about coming out of an altered state disoriented and plagued by guilt and I know how it feels not be be able to trust my own mind", but they didn't bring any of that up they just had her say "Chloe told me the meteor rock made you violent and delusional and gave you temporary powers. I know you'd never hurt me" except he did hurt you Lana. You're in a hospital bed Lana. Had he not be interrupted you would not be alive, Lana!

I like Lana and I want good things for Lana and the men of Smallville are just not it and it's so hard to watch.

[rtdont]

Hmmm, trying to decide why Clara in s7 pulling a version of Sam's arc doesn't bother me while the mere idea of rose doing that and/or that being ruby's arc makes me wanna spit knives, and trying to come up with an answer slightly more rational than 'I enjoy Moff's writing so I will forgive him for this whereas davies annoys me and his slavering stans drive me up the wall so actually when he does it he's a hack'.

[cecilyacat]

Soooooo are they not telling us what happened with Laris? Like at all? I'm aware that she was in the beginning of episode one and then has never been mentioned again but still, Picard was apparently in a relationship with her before he went off with his Enterprise friends and now she's just gone. No time to squeeze two sentences in?