#casey lee williams my hero

[rubyfunkey]

YOU WERE BORN TO HYPNOTIZE THEM!!!

[chatterkat]

No more sudden movements please

So tired from sleepless and haunted by you

Fallen forever, was I always just a man out of time?

So this is what life is

No trouble now

Just quiet

Never knew what patience was until it’s face stared me down

Couldn’t bear to witness my own fate

My convictions the weight of it, all the failures of me, and who I couldn’t be

Through the hands of time

I was was slipping, always slipping away

All I felt I could do was wait

So this is what life is

No trouble now

Just quiet

All this is a miracle

what more can you ask for?

I really like this one. So this a Jaune song clearly. Jaune haunted by the his failures as the hero he wanted to be. Especially killing Penny and how hard he held onto the paper pleasers without moving forward for the longest time.

[blue-cheeseinmyoffwhites]

So um just watched the RWBY Finale and I’ve collected my thoughts after screaming crying throwing up back flipping for half an hour so let’s talk about it

SUMMER ROSE!!! So she left after she told the story, her talk with Tai was sweet and it puts into perspective how long Ozpin has been doing this Headmaster stuff

RAVEN???? This just fuels my theory that Summer & her went to fight Salem together, & that’s why Raven is so sure that Salem can’t be defeated

“Burn the leaves!” Ok Joan of Arc

A CONSISTENT RUBY FIGHT SCENE!!!! IT’S BEEN SO LONG. THAT ENTIRE FIGHT WAS SO GOOD. When Weiss did that glyph thing I was jumping out of my seat

So I was NOT expecting Gods lore, apparently the Tree predates them. That just shut down like a billion theories just from that fact alone. Omg & they were little baby goats awwww

It’s still sucks that the Cat had to suffer that long only doing what it was made to do. Their general circumstances are definitely reminiscent of Salem, just looking for a way out. I really liked their transformation too. The Cat was an excellent addition to the series. Farewell you menace 🫡

RIP Neo, she’s not dead, but who knows what she’ll become. I do think it’s best she stays, she’s gotten her closure & can do pretty much whatever she wants here. Best to not have her as a problem anymore

LITTLE. WANTED. TO. BE. RUBY. OMFG That entire interaction actually brought me to tears. I hope they can pass through Remnant one day just for a little bit. Juniper too, underrated MVP of the Volume.

Sorry but THAT FUCKING FIGHT OMG

The Blacksmith is such a fucking treat. Everything about her is so good. She’s so ominous yet so calming. Her dialogue slaps every single time. She really leaves an impact on our heroes.

So…..is the Blacksmith Alyx? Cuz she fixed Jaune, which is what Alyx wanted to do (as well as everything else in the Ever After), but since the Tree predates the Gods…..

VACUO!!! It looks way better than I thought.

Shoutout Casey Lee Williams fr. It was a lot of pressure becoming the new music director but she served every single time. I hope she’s proud of how this turned out & I can’t wait for the soundtrack.

Amazing finale for an amazing Volume, I love this show so much dude. Thank you all for the experience💫💫

[chaos-vulpix]

Legacyverse: Kai - Heart of Wildfire

Y'know, it's been a hot minute since we had a Kai playlist.

Let's fix that with some fiery beats, shall we?

All Night - BTS & Juice WRLD | BTS World

Burn - Ellie Goulding

Dirty Little Secret - The All-American Rejects

Dynamite - Taio Cruz

Filter - Jimin | BTS

Get Ugly - Jason Derulo

Get Up (vs. Aspidochelone) - MADKID | Dragalia Lost (Scars of the Syndicate)

Giants - V O E

I Am Falling For You - Loving Caliber

I May Fall - Jeff Williams ft. Casey Lee Williams | RWBY (Vol. 1 OST)

Immortals - Fall Out Boy | Big Hero 6

Leila - Cheb Salama | Just Dance 2017

Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf ft. Lil Wayne

Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera

My First Kiss - 3OH!3 ft. Kesha

Now and Later - Sage the Gemini

Pretty Please - Dua Lipa

Seven (Summer Mix) - Jungkook ft. Latto

This Fire - Franz Ferdinand

Witch - Burn The Ballroom

[last-knight-who-was]

Tagged by my buddy @nsfwitchy.

rules : shuffle your 'on repeat' playlist & post the first ten tracks, then tag ten people

Hero by Jeff Williams, Caleb Hyles

The Rebel Path by P.T. Adamczyk

Self-Destructive Pattern by Spineshank

Resident Evil - Main Title by Dr. Hoffman

The Chosen One by A2

Unholy by Lollia, Sleeping Forest

What I'm Made Of by Crush 40

For Every Life by Jeff Williams, Casey Lee Williams

All Hail Shadow by Magni-Fi

Oh the Bliss by Hammock

And I'll tag @pro-prin-prinny, @snowsisterskiss, @nimona-antifa, @maria-sklodowskas-twix-bar, @holy-random-stuff-i-like-batman, @modernoracleofdelphi, @mrjocrafter, @cupcake--knife, @violet-stormbringer, and @catgirl-catboy.

As always, you don't have to do it if you don't want to.

[tres-fidelis]

When you get this, post theme songs for your muse! Then tag 5 or more people!

Standard Theme: Blackbird (Beatles Cover) - Annapantsu

Battle Theme: The Triumph (RWBY Opening 5) - Casey Lee and Jeff Williams

Emotion Theme: Coffee Stains - Unlike Pluto

Boss Battle Theme: You Say Run ( My Hero Academia: Orchestral Arrangement) - Cloudjumper

TAGGED BY: @seethingveins​

TAGGING: Anyone currently wearing something blue! 

[malice-death]

Remnant’s TD Au

Character Songs, Ship Songs, and Team Songs

I put this together for fun, please enjoy.

CHARACTER SONGS Mailman (Oscar Pine)

Unlikely Hero by The Hoosiers

Underdog by You Me At Six

Car Radio by 21 Pilots

A Sadness Runs Through him by The Hoosiers

Fear by Casey Lee Williams

Burnface (Cinder Fall)

Awake by Ok Goodnight

Get You Dare Forget the Sun by Get Scared

Redemption by Riell and others

Why Am I Like This by The Word Alive

Oh My Dear Lord by The Unlikely Candidates

Frozen Nightmare (Winter Schnee)

Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez

Alone Again by Asking Alexandria

Runnin by Adam Lambert

Everybody’s Fool by Evanescence

Rivers in the Desert Covered by Lollia

Coward (Adam Taurus)

I’m Okay by Honest Men

House of Gold by 21 Pilots

Confrontation by Anthony Warlow

Worried About Ray by The Hoosiers

Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons

TEAM SONGS

Dead! By My Chemical Romance

ANIMOSITY by The Warning

Clock Strikes by ONE OK ROCK

REVIVER by MY FIRST STORY

still feel by half alive

SHIP SONGS

Rosegarden

Rose by Honest Men

New Light by John Mayer

Can I Be Him by James Arthur

Falling Laughter

You & Me by James TW

No Promises by Cheat Codes/Demi Lovato

May I by Trading Yesterday

Snowbird

We Don’t Have to Dance by Andy Black

One Hell of a Team by Amalee/Divide Music

Allies or Enemies by The Crane Wives

Adam x Blake (seriously what is their ship name?)

Enchanted covered by Owl City

Little Talks by Of Monsters & Men

Are You Bored Yet by Wallows/Clairo

Mashup of Ships

(Basically like I guess amv songs)

In The Name of Love by Martin Garrix/Bebe Rexha

World So Cold by 12 Stones

Puzzle Pieces by Framing Harley

Don’t You Dare (Make Me Fall In Love) by Kaden MacKay

Youth By Daughter

Thank you for reading.

[maki-matsurra]

TMNT Playlists

💙Leo💙

❤️Raph❤️

💜Donnie💜

🧡Mikey🧡 (Coming Soon!)

Want to send in a request? Start Here!

(Feel free to use image as playlist cover! ❤️)

E = Explicit

1. Immortals - Fall Out Boy

2. Bad Blood - Taylor Swift

3. See You Again (feat. Charlie Puth) - Wiz Khalifa

4. Discord - The Living Tombstone & Eurobeat Brony

5. I’m Still Standing - Taron Egerton

6. Talk Dirty (feat. 2 Chainz) E - Jason Derulo

7. Enemy - Imagine Dragons

8. Believer - Imagine Dragons

9. Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede

10. Shell Shocked (feat. Kill The Noise & Madsonik) - Juicy J, Ty Dolla $ign, and Wiz Khalifa

11. Surface Pressure - Jessica Darrow

12. How You Like That - BLACKPINK

13. Angel With a Shotgun - The Cab

14. Voltage - ITZY

15. mother tongue - Bring Me The Horizon

16. Take It Off - Kesha

17. My Guy - Leon Bridges

18. Be Strong and Hit Stuff (feat. Casey Lee Williams) - Jeff Williams

19. Bad Apple!! (feat. Cristina Vee) - RichaadEB

20. Holding out for a Hero - Bonnie Tyler

21. Cannibal - Kesha

22. Give It Up - KC and the Sunshine Band

23. Ignite (feat. Casey Lee Williams) - Jeff Williams

24. Grow a Pear - Kesha

25. Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars) E - Mark Ronson

26. Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Main Title - Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

[kibonosentoki]

top 5 song associations :   Son Gohan / Future Son Gohan

Last Stardust - Aimer "Another scar, one more scratch, to my heart that's made out of glass! It lights a spark burning hot, one I had nearly forgot! I watch the last stardust rise up and fly, dust to dust, earth to earth, I say goodbye. These fragments of my hopes and dreams give me life!"

Kusuburu Heart ni Hi o Tsukero / Go For It "Wake up the hero that I need to be, I’ll burn like fire it’s taking over me! I’ll chase my dreams, I’ll be the man I’m searching for, I’m not gonna stop anymore!"

Red Like Roses - Part II (Casey Lee Williams & Sandy Casey) "I couldn't take it, couldn't stand another minute. Couldn't bear another day without you in it. All of the joy that I had known for all my life, was stripped away from me the minute that you died. To have you in my life was all I ever wanted, but now without you, I'm a soul forever haunted!"

Hero: Song of Hope "Be brave and gimme, gimme power, power, power, power. Let the strength within you shine! Even if you fall, I know you'll rise up and you'll try it over again! That's why you're running, running, running Running for the future, pushing on towards all your dreams! We'll see you flying high just like a... HERO!"

Day of Fate - Spirit Vs Spirit "I can't surrender at the turning point of destiny. Right now it's do or die; my life is on the line and I will not flee! By my power! Whoa~whoa, it's clear to me! My spirit grows and I will face this demon Whoa~whoa, with burning energy, the day of fate has finally come!"

tagged by .   I stole it from @flameroki

tagging . @makimv , @ichigokurosaki , @kenpxchi , @distortedbeat , @invisiquirk and anyone else that wants to do it! Just steal it from me lol

[doctorwhostuffnthings]

Playlist: The Stuff of Legend

And/or

Playlist: Volcano Day

The Stuff of Legend

➸ Heroes - David Bowie

➸ Feel Good Inc - Gorillaz

➸ You don't own me - Lesley Gore

➸ Trouble - Valerie Broussard

➸ These Boots are Made for Walking - Nancy Sinatra

➸ R.I.P 2 My Youth - The Neighborhood

➸ Gold Guns Girls - Metric

➸ This Will Be The Day - (RWBY Soundtrack) Jeff Williams, Casey Lee Williams

Volcano Day

► Radioactive - Imagine Dragons (derogatory) but fitting

► End of The Road - Juice WRLD

► Start a Riot - Duckwrth, Shaboozey

► The Night We Met - Lord Huron

► Softcore - The Neighborhood

► Live or Die - Noah Cyrus, Lil Xan

thank you for this ask! this was so fun I want to do more :))

[lar-mx]

Possible songs

So I was thinking about what songs I would like to include and how to do it. I currently have about 10 or 12 songs in my sights. Here are some of them and why.

Honkai World Diva

Heroes Rise - Watt White

Pentakill: Mortal Reminder

From Shadows (feat. Casey Lee Williams) by Jeff Williams

Simon Curtis - Superhero

BLEACH OP 13 - Ranbu No Melody

High School Of the Dead LIVE Kishida Kyoudan & the Akeboshi Rockets

D.Gray-man - "The Musician" 14th Melody | ENGLISH Ver | AmaLee & Andy Stein

then begins a little my explanation of "why?" In the case of 1 it is partly because I love the song, now it is a song that I feel that a senpai from the music and singing classes could have sung for Midori at a time when he was sad. mainly when she realizes that her memories with her friend are very corrupted by her own desires that they are still "friends".

with the second it would be a way of "talking about how a part of the population believes that heroes should be, by laughing even when they are on the verge of death among other things. At least that is one of the things that I thought could be applied by reading the letter and selecting certain fragments.

3.mortal reminder is that song that I use during rehearsals to get some pent up fury or at least it's something I can see midori do on certain notes

As for the fourth song on the list, it would be more of a reference to the negative treatment that people without a quirk or mutation quirks can receive.

With 5 I get the feeling that it would be that song with which Izuku's music band would start, as despite not being able to be "heroes" they can be superheroes, if you know what I mean.

with ranbu no melody is the song that I have in doubt because on the one hand it could be a request from fans but on the other it could be the song that one of the members sings in a moment of loneliness.

the seventh is like saying it without throwing garbage at toshinori, because going straight would be that song that, due to the lyrics, would hit midori's mental wound well after his "last hope" defeated him in his sleep a good part of the song is perfect for that.

As for 8, it would be more due to the tone, I think it would be a song that by chance a midoriya turned into a woman for a couple of hours could sing to eri when he meets her by chance, I don't know why but it gives me that feeling that he could calm eri down a bit due to her calm tone.

@mikeellee I tag you mainly to know your opinion or if you have a song that you would like to "see" in the story. PS: excuse my spelling, English is not my forte although I think I have already mentioned it from time to time.

[enigma-absolute]

13 and 3 for the ask game, perhaps??

3. What tropes do you like writing about the most? (´▽`ʃƪ)

That's honestly a good question, now that I look over my works, both original and fic. I think the thing that crops up the most in both sections is legacy - legacy characters, roles and how we all deal with it and inherit it. I think it really comes from my own experience of being the first freeborn daughter of two different families who escaped Communist Romania prior to the revolution, and the struggles they had to get their freedom. It gives me a lot to think on family legacy in my case, both ancestral and more personal, as I have found myself associating with my mom's inheritance more than I could my dad's.

In the Eagle's Cross Eddsworld universe, Cora and her siblings in the titular series have different ways of reacting to and embracing their ancestors' adventurous, if admittedly outlandish, histories and personalities. In 'The Christmas Calamity,' Jaxx (one of the main characters) is first trying to outright refuse it, but eventually comes to fall in love with it on his own terms and terms he has to redefine. Cora herself in 'The Eagle's Cross' has still to unravel some (honestly very opaque) mysterious past with her ancestors and dragging in her little sister and her own best friend into it.

In my own original detective show, the main detective and her 'Watson' partner are chasing after her hero's own mysteries to solve and eventually have to come up and fight against his enemies; leading the way to find out that her hero's adventures, mysteries and stories entwine closely to her own history and potentially taking up the mantle he sacrificed to save her life.

With Maddox Darling and his adventures in the Galaxy Far Far Away, it's more subtle. The Peter Pan references and links are on purpose, but they're not direct or in-your-face (his surname, the pin he constantly wears from his sister, etc). That being said, while he does have Peter Pan tendencies, his role is more of a Wendy Darling situation, honestly. He'll grow up eventually, but it doesn't mean he'll forget his loves nor stop adventuring. His legacy is more about what he leaves behind on the galaxy's inhabitants circa the Imperial and Rebellion era, but also the kind of legacy they leave on him and how he'll eventually take it home. That's why I love doing RP with him, because he's literally quite a character to Throw Into Situations and I'm figuring out his canon as I go along.

13. Drop a playlist for a story! ♪♡♪

Speaking of Maddox, here's his (slightly old) origin story playlist! I'd crafted it when I was very early on in writing him and did it as part of a character challenge to develop him a little more, so I'll be explaining songs in chapters under the cut.

Life in Aus before the GFFA: Down Under by Men at Work and Slice of Heaven by Dave Dobbins

Going to the GFFA: Starlight Brigade by TWRP feat. Dan Avidan

Settling into the Rebellion and Rebel Life: Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede

Infiltrating the Ship and Imperial Capture: Last Surprise (Cover by Arc Tournament, feat Casey Lee Williams), Eide+Eide Fight (NITW OST)

The Amnesia Process: The Mind Electric by Miracle Musical, Unknowable (NITW OST)

Waking up, Wrecking up and Escaping the Empire's ship, Roaming After the Escape Pod Crash: Black (Homestuck cover by RichaadB), Run! (NITW OST), Radioactive by Imagine Dragons

Reaching through the Force and Recovering Memories: Thirteen (Doctor Who OST, Series 11)

Back to the Rebel Base and Into Regret (I Should Never Have Left Home): Shut Eye by Stealing Sheep, Timshel by Mumford and Sons, I Was Wrong by The Oh Hellos

Amnesia Aches, Grief with Benny and Learning to Grow: Ghost by Ellie Drennan, The Doctor’s Theme (Doctor Who OST, Series 1-2), I Have Made Mistakes by The Oh Hellos

Call to Hope and Adventure Once Again, To Be Continued (I Will Remember and Grow as I Go): And Straight On Till Morning by Marianas Trench, Binary Sunset (A New Hope OST, particularly the horns at the dual suns), Call Me (Cover by Sebastian Böhm)

[adamwatchesmovies]

Under Siege (1992)

I haven’t watched all of Steven Seagal’s filmography but I’m nonetheless confident in calling Under Siege his best film. It takes a somewhat familiar formula (it’s Die Hard on a boat) and delivers everything you want to see. There’s a lot of action and thrills, the stakes are high, the bad guys are terrific - so good they easily steal the show.

Aboard the battleship USS Missouri, Executive Officer Commander Krill (Gary Busey) is preparing a surprise party for the captain. No one suspects there's more to it than music and a hot lady busting out of the cake. Actually, it’s a ploy to get William Strannix (Tommy Lee Jones) and his crew aboard so they can commandeer the ship and its nuclear arsenal. With all of the sailors killed or captured, it's up to the cook (Steven Seagal as Casey Ryback) and "Miss July" (Erika Eleniak as Jordan Tate) to save the day.

Unsurprisingly, Steven Seagal is not playing some lowly cook. He’s got special skills; exactly the kind required to take the Missouri back from the terrorists who’ve captured it. Even before we learn his backstory, you believe Ryback is up to the task because the character is smart. He knows he can’t take all of these baddies down on his own/through conventional methods so he finds ways to even the odds. Booby traps, subterfuge, calling for help, freeing some of his shipmates, getting anyone who will be sympathetic to help him and - my favorite - he picks up the weapons of those he defeats. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s what anyone with a brain would do in real life and in the movies, you rarely see anyone pick up a gun, much less pick up a spare so they can arm someone else to help. Though Seagal doesn’t prove himself to be all that charismatic, he handles the stunts well. You believe it when he sends the opposing goons to Davy Jones' locker. There are a lot of great kills in this movie, many of which will make you yell “Damn!” out loud.

I know Seagal has fans, but he's never been able to elevate the material handed to him. Luckily, we're in the hands of Andrew Davis (who made The Fugitive a year after this film) and a great supporting cast. First, there’s Gary Busey as Commander Krill. What a perfect role for him. The second he appears on-screen, you know he'll be an antagonist but then he surprises you by being even more despicable, sociopathic and corrupt than expected. You love to hate him because because you can tell he’s been thinking about this day for a long time, mentally picturing how it would all go down, and the people he was going to kill. You can’t wait for him to get what’s coming and the same goes for Tommy Lee Jones’ William Strannix. Somewhere between the cold, calculating Hans Gruber and the fanatical Egor Korshunov (from Air Force One”, another Die Hard-like action picture) he’s also enjoying this heist a little bit too much but between the jokes he makes at his victims’ expense, he keeps his cool. He recognizes the threat Ryback poses and comes up with counter strategies that keep him - and you - on your toes the whole way through.

Finally, we have Erika Eleniak as "Miss July", who might think is just a pretty face - and a bare chest - to add to the “R” Rating but she contributes A LOT. She’s the avatar for the audience: brought onboard the ship under false circumstances, she is totally in over her head. She realizes her only chance is to stick around with Ryback and yeah… that’s what you’d do too! I’m surprised more films haven't copied this aspect of Under Siege to give the hero someone to bounce off of and help them when they find themselves in a jam there’s seemingly no escaping.

Under Siege is a surprisingly memorable take on the Die Hard formula. I know that sounds like a backward compliment - like it’s only good if you’ve seen Die Hard a thousand times and you want something new - but this picture is solid. It’s a great “dad movie”, something you and the old man could sit through and thoroughly enjoy any day of the week. It makes great use of its location, both villains are memorable, the action is satisfying, Seagall handles the stunts well, and his sidekick is a great new ingredient to spice up the recipe. When you catch it, feel free to stay until the end of the credits to get some bonus facts about the ship upon which the film was shot. (On DVD, February 11, 2022)

[mceproductions]

Dancing the Year Away (Countdown Recap)

Before I sum up 2023 We'll look back on the past 30 days Countdown wise.

Best of 2023

Movies

1.  Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning: Part One

2.  Oppenheimer

3.  The Super Mario Bros Movie

4.  Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

5.  Barbie

6.  Suzume

7.  John Wick: Chapter 4

8.  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

9.  Killers of the Flower Moon

10. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

11. Elemental and The Flash

12. Fast X

13. Wonka

14. M3GAN

15. The Marvels

Runners Up:

A Man Called Otto

Shazam: Fury of the Gods

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

TMNT: Mutant Mayhem

80 For Brady

Worst:

1. Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey

2. Expend4bles

3. Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Honorable Mention:

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

TV

Best New Show of 2023 Nominee*   Winner^

1.  Star Trek Picard (Paramount+)

2.  The Last of Us (HBO)^

3.  Succession (HBO)

4.  The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

5.  The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)

6.  Yellowstone (Paramount TV)

7.  The Mandalorian (Disney+)

8.  Abbott Elementary (ABC)

9.  Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

10. Loki (Disney+)

11. SNL (NBC)

12. That 90’s Show (NETFLIX)*

13. My Hero Academia (ADULT SWIM)

14. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) and Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

15. Ahsoka (Disney+)*

16. Attack On Titan: The Final Chapters (Crunchyroll/ADULT SWIM)

17. The Good Doctor (ABC)

18. The Owl House (Disney)

19. TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You (Crunchyroll) and

Outlander (Starz)

20. My Adventures with Superman (ADULT SWIM)*

21. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FXX)

22. 1923 (Paramount+)

23. RWBY (Crunchyroll)

24. One Piece (NETFLIX)*

25. The Simpsons (FOX)

Runners Up:

Tomo-Chan is A Girl (Crunchyroll)

Oshi No Ko (HI-DIVE)

The Walking Dead: Dead City and Daryl Dixon (AMC)

Young Sheldon (CBS)

Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)

Worst:

1. Velma (MAX)

2. Secret Invasion (Disney+)

3. Gotham Knights (CW)

Honorable Mention:

Star Trek Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)

Music

1. Dua Lipa “Dance The Night”

2. MindaRyn “Way to Go”

3. Morgan Wallen “Last Night”

4. Jack Black “Peaches”

5. Miley Cyrus “Flowers”

6.  NSYNC “Better Place”

7.  Taylor Swift “Karma”

8.  Radwimps and Toaka “SUZUME”

9.  Ed Sheeran “Eyes Closed”

10. Jason Aldean “Try That in a Small Town”

11. Ludwig Goransson “Can You Hear The Music”

12. Olivia Rodrigo “Vampire”

13. Halle Bailey “Part of Your World”

14. Jimin “Like Crazy”

15. Ryan Gosling “Push”

16. Metro Boomin, Swae Lee, Lil Wayne, and Offset “Annihilate”

17. NBA YoungBoy, Bailey Zimmerman and Dermot Kennedy “Won’t Back Down”

18. Brian Tyler “Level Complete”

19. Neriame “Unmei Kyoudoutai!”

20. Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairva “Naatu Naatu”

21. YOASOBI “IDOL”

22. Ryan Gosling “I’m Just Ken” and Cher “DJ Play A Christmas Song”

23. Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem “Rock and Roll All Nite”

24. Taylor Swift “Cruel Summer”

25. LAUV “Steal The Show”

26. U2 “Walk On (Ukraine)” and Blink 182 “One More Time”

27. Jung Kook “Standing Next to You”

28. Linkin Park “Lost”

29. The Weeknd and Ariana Grande “Die for You”

30. Rachel Zegler “Nothing You Can Take From Me”

Runners Up:

Radwimps “Kanata Haluka”

Chris Pine “This Is the Thanks I Get”

BTS “Take Two”

Casey Lee Williams “Worthy”

Oliver Anthony “Rich Men North of Richmond”

Worst:

1. Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs “The Scuttlebutt”

2. Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice “Barbie World”

3. J6 Prison Choir and Donald Trump “Justice For All”

Honorable Mention:

Taylor Swift and Her Taylor’s Version Remakes

Game of The Year

Nominee* Winner^

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom^

Starfield*

Sony’s Spider-Man 2*

Super Mario Bros Wonder*

Hogwarts Legacy*

Worst:

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

THE JAW DROPPERS:

1. Damar Hamlin

2. The Enterprise D Returns to the fold

3. Barbenheimer

4. Breakthrough of Bilingual VA’s in Anime

5. Hamas Gives another Salvo

6. Memory of a Flerken Brood

7. The Toymaker Spices Up Our Lives

8.  Looks like ______ is back on the Menu

9.  The Twilight of An Icon

10. The Saga of George Santos

HM: A sport goes Swiftie

[andrewmoocow]

Little Homeworld Life chapter 14: It’s Tough To Be A Star (originally published on March 28, 2023)

AN: At long last, we're finally back! This set of thirteen all-new chapters will provide you with enough fun, mystery, and drama to keep you engaged in this world before I inevitably have to put it to an end with the upcoming Snake Eyes. When last we left off, the evil alternate universe versions of the Crystal Gems were sent packing back to their home universe by the Crystal Gems we know, with a little help from a good version of Black Rutile from the same universe. But where do we go from here? Well, let's find out, shall we?

Synopsis: The Gems learn of their newfound star-power from the President, but some have let it go to their heads more than others.

Cast:

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Lin-Manuel Miranda as President Eduardo Suarez

Jon Wurster as Marty

Casey Robertson as Neil Michaels

Richard Horvitz as Christopher Cage

Alexia Khadime as Sardonyx

Billie Eilish as Turquoise

Featuring T-Pain as Sam Galley

Jay Leno as Leonard Jason

Anderson Cooper as Andrew Cooper

And Shanelle Grey as Sally Grove

--

"Welcome back, everyone!" Sardonyx yelled delightedly on a talk show set with Turquoise as her guest of honor while a canned audience cheered excitedly. "Hoo boy, that was quite a commercial break we had there, huh? Well, at least our sponsors won't be breathing down our necks now! On that note, please welcome our next guest, Turquoise!"

"Hey everyone, nice to see you." Turquoise awkwardly greeted her screaming fans. "Thanks for having me on here, Sardonyx, love your show." She said to the host of the show. "So, remind me, this is about fusions?"

"Why yes, my dear!" Sardonyx laughed. "We stage this program to interview the various fusions around Little Homeworld, get a taste of their bond, and maybe show off their abilities too! Which reminds me, kiddo, how does it feel being the embodiment of a rather rocky relationship?"

"Surprisingly stable, actually." Turquoise responded. "Lapis and Peridot have definitely had their issues, sure, but they managed to grow past all that. Through all the struggles and suffering like any other duo had, they've had each other, and that's all that-"

"OMG, is that Lapis Lazuli?!" a voice yelled as a tourist got up on stage to strike a pose with Turquoise. "Quick, Blaine, get a picture!"

"Hey, I was in the middle of a poignant speech here!" Turquoise complained as Blaine took a picture of her with the tourist. "Where did you come from?!"

"Yeah, that's what I want to know." Sardonyx added crossly. "Security!" As Topaz unfused to drag the excited tourist away, more of them began to show up and crowd around Sardonyx. "Where are you all coming from?!"

"Oh, we're just on a tour of Beach City, home to some of Earth's mightiest heroes!" another tourist replied eagerly.

"WHOO, AMETHYST FOR LIFE!" a particularly eager tourist yelled as he took off his shirt and began swinging it around, revealing that he had a tattoo resembling an amethyst gem on his chest. "Hey, you wanna know who Amethyst reminds me of? My mom!"

"Well, unfortunately, it looks like we'll have to cut this short so we can get to the bottom of this." Sardonyx said while preparing to unfuse. "Until next time everyone, remember to- "

"KNOW! YOUR! FUSION!" the audience yelled in unison as Sardonyx unfused into Garnet and Pearl.

"So let me get this straight: you consider us Earth's mightiest heroes?" Pearl asked the growing horde of tourists. "I mean, sure, we had saved the Earth multiple times in the past, like last month when we fought those evil versions of ourselves, but I wouldn't consider us heroes."

"We need to get to the bottom of this." Garnet declared while Turquoise unfused into Lapis and Peridot. "Lapis, Peridot, get the others. We need to call someone about this."

--

Once Garnet, Pearl, Lapis, and Peridot contacted Bismuth, Amethyst, Jasper, and White Topaz about the current situation. There was only one person who could give them some answers on what was happening, and he was only a video chat away.

"Uh, for the last time, Sorayama, I'm unsure if I can trust you with our nuclear weapons array." US President Eduardo Suarez groaned as he turned around in his chair, only to realize that he was actually speaking to the Crystal Gems. "Oh, dios mio, the Crystal Gems! Feels like we haven't talked in a while! How are things holding up in Beach City?"

"We're doing muy bien, Eddy!" Amethyst replied. "Hey buddy, could you be a pal and answer us just one question?"

"We've discovered some tourists visiting Little Homeworld and treating us like celebrities." Garnet said. "Please tell us why this is happening."

"Oh yeah, forgot to tell you about that." Eduardo sheepishly proclaimed. "Ever since your recent victories against Black Rutile, The Sickle, and now that Crystal Regime or whatever it was called, your approval ratings have skyrocketed! People from all over the world are cheering your names! Words cannot describe how pleased I am to hear all this praise pouring out from all over, especially after how Black Rutile nearly turned the world against you!"

"Wait, we're famous?!" Amethyst cried eagerly. "YAHOO!"

"About time we got some credit for our deeds." Garnet smirked pridefully. "But let's not let this get to our heads, everyone. We're still citizens of Earth at the end of the day."

"Are you kidding me?!" Peridot exclaimed. "We're now on par with the likes of Christopher Cage, Jacob Steele, Edward Christian, and Bella Anastasia! Just imagine it, our names in shining lights, our footprints on the Los Diego Crosswalk of Legends!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty excited too, but why me?" Lapis asked. "Didn't I drown hundreds of people across three third-world countries, nearly cause tons of economic crises, and put tons of ocean life at risk of extinction?"

"Frankly, I'm not too sure how to feel about this." Bismuth stated. "I mean, what's it like as a celebrity?"

"Yeah, that's what I want to know too." Jasper added. "Like, is it anything like Peridot said?"

"Yeah, kind of," Eduardo answered. "As a celebrity, you are expected to preserve your image by treating your fans and the general public with respect, committing to endorsement and major motion picture deals, and try not to succumb to any human vices that'll cause you to get canceled on the spot. In fact, I already contacted a freelance talent manager to come give you the lowdown on what you'll be doing from here on out!"

"Talent manager?" Pearl asked just as the Gems heard the door open, and discovered a short, dark-skinned man in a suit and trilby hat standing before them with a briefcase in hand. "Is that you?"

"Why yes, that's me. Sam Galley, freelance talent manager at your service." The man introduced himself like a gentleman. "I've worked with some of the finest actors in the business for as long as I could remember. John Chaney, Velvett Johannason, Jack L. Samuels, all of them some of the highest grossing in the business, thanks to me. But never have I thought my latest clients would be so out of this world. I truly think this partnership could benefit me, I mean us, in the long run."

"Oh, why thank you, Mr. Galley." Pearl said while shaking Sam's hand. "Now then, is there anything you'd like for us to do?"

"Oh no, no need to ask him, girls." Eduardo stated. "Just listen to what he says, and you'll do the rest! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go have lunch with the familia. Bye!" As soon as Eduardo ended the chat, Sam shut the computer and pushed it away so he could sit on the coffee table.

"Okay, girls, work with me here!" Sam exclaimed. "There's a whole world of possibilities for you to explore! I'm talking film deals, television, goodwill tours, music labels, and all the merchandise you could imagine!" To prove his point, Mr. Galley presented the Gems with some ideas for the merch. "Clothing lines are huge, for one. Just imagine your attire being the next big fashion trend! Ooh, or maybe an autobiography or two! And let's not forget, the Lapis Lazuli brand flamethrower!" He presented some concept art of a blue flamethrower, which made Lapis raise her eyebrows at the irony of the idea. "The test audiences love this one!"

"I still have no strong feelings about this, one way or the other." Bismuth proclaimed.

"Ooh, I'll take twenty!" White Topaz eagerly said.

"Guys, you have no idea what this could do for us." Amethyst declared. "Soon, we might not need this old beach house anymore; we could just give it to Greg while we, I don't know, build ourselves a mansion or something!"

"Now, let's not get too ahead of ourselves, Amethyst." Pearl cautioned the Quartz. "I swear, this is exactly what I just warned you about, and you're so quick to forget it."

"Now, Pearl, no need to get so worried." Peridot smugly responded as drum music began playing, and she began to sing. "I hardly think I'm qualified to come across all sanctified; I just don't cut it with all my followers."

"Yo Peri, what are you talking about?" Amethyst asked the green Gem while gesturing to legions of fans bowing before them. "There again, they're on their knees! Being celebrities is a breeze! Which I think suits the two of us no lower."

"Us no lower, us no lower! Just me and her!" Peridot began to realize. "Oh, my stars!"

"IT'S TOUGH TO BE A STAR!" the duo sang together while Sam served as a backup dancer, and the other Crystal Gems looked around at the sudden musical number taking place.

"Movies, TV shows, and a fancy car! Being worshipped, not like it's a high bar!" Peridot declared as she perched atop a giant statue of herself. "Be the object of devotion, the subject of shrines!"

"It's quite a heartfelt notion; all the autographs and camera shines." Amethyst remarked as photographers and autograph hounds surrounded the duo.

"And who am I to bridle when people consider me an idol?" Peridot asked in exchange. "If they say that I'm an icon, that's what I am!" She then took Amethyst aside to tell her the drawbacks of celebrity godhood. "What's more, if we don't comply with the fanbase's wishes, I see ourselves being canceled online."

"Oh yeah, that's definitely possible." Amethyst concurred. "So let's be stars; the perks are great!"

"Yeah, all of entertainment on a plate!" Peridot exclaimed with big cigars for her, Amethyst, and Sam to stick in their mouths.

"Now we're talking!" Amethyst cried in delight. "Everyone's feelings should not be rebuffed!"

"Never rebuff, a-never rebuff our public's feelings!" Peridot scatted. "No, my friend!"

"It's tough to be a star, but if our fans raise the bar!" the two proclaimed. "Count your blessings, keep 'em happy; that's our advice!"

"Really great advice!" Peridot stated.

"Be seen as pure perfection; they worship us like a cult." The pair parroted. "Showered with praise, no time for reflection, when the multitudes exalt!"

"This could become a habit!" Amethyst cued for the song to end while the Gems and Sam hopped in a limo.

"Call us insane not to grab it!" Peridot agreed.

"You got it!" Amethyst yelled.

"So sign these shining stars up for paradise!" the star duo exclaimed. "PARADISE!"

"Uh, what just happened?" Lapis asked worriedly once the song finally ended.

"I don't know, and I'm not sure if I'm going to like what this will lead up to." Jasper agreed. Unbeknownst to the Gems, however, Black Rutile was watching the entire thing, and the big musical number had given her some ideas.

--

"So let me get this straight," Cat's Eye said as Black Rutile sat down on her computer. "the Crystal Gems are apparently celebrities now? Frankly, I'm not surprised it's come to this point, but I find this a little ridiculous."

"Well, that is why I need your help." Black Rutile said while browsing the popular social media site Yatter. "How do I gain as much attention and supporters as theirs to get somewhere with my newest plan?"

"Oh, funny you should mention that." Cat replied before turning her phone over to Black Rutile. "You're pretty famous as well." To Black Rutile's delight, dozens of users were pouring out their support for her under the hashtag #BlackRutileWasRight, with messages varying from how they're fascist sympathizers or poor excuses for role models. "Yeah, you're pretty popular among incels, conservatives, homophobes, skinheads, conspiracy theorists, users utilizing the tag to fantasize about their favorite Korean boy bands, and just people abusing the Internet's power of anonymity to get away with whatever they want."

"This can't be real, can it?" Black Rutile muttered in amazement before she suddenly had an idea. "Remind me, Cat, what do all these have in common?"

"They're complete idiots who shape their identity around believing everything they read?" Cat replied while filing her nails.

"Exactly!" Cat proclaimed while looking at one of the most liked posts on the tag that read "The Crystal Gems basically thrive on white savior complex, discuss." Her mouth curled into a cat-like smile before tapping on the user who posted it, who went by Sally Grove. "Ooh, she's probably your biggest fan! You should talk to her!"

"I'm sorry; what is this white savior complex?" Black Rutile squinted in disbelief over the sheer audacity of such an opinion. "Besides, Steven has a slightly pinkish skin tone, and everyone else has varying inhuman skin colors."

"You'll find out soon enough." Cat said. "Want me to reply for you? Maybe I can arrange for you two to meet up!"

"Fine, I'll dictate for you what the post must say." Black Rutile said before Cat began typing precisely what she said. "Greetings, Sally Grove. I am Black Rutile of the Rutile Rebels, an organization dedicated to combatting the oppressive regime of the Crystal Gems and their little champion, Steven Universe. I recently came across this post and insist we meet up somehow because I feel you might relate so much to me. Please respond ASAP."

"And send!" Cat's Eye proclaimed as she finished the post and submitted it, when she suddenly got a response. "Wow, that was quick!"

"Dear Black Rutile, I am amazed to be in your presence, considering that you're a wanted criminal under house arrest." Sally's response read. "I never trusted the Crystal Gems to begin with. Their message of kindness and love makes me feel so uncomfortable since I am a total cynic who sees the worst in everyone and vehemently despises any act of goodwill."

"Wow, she wears her hatred of good people on her sleeve, just like me!" Black Rutile exclaimed. "What else does it say?"

"If you wish to talk with me, I shall DM you my contact info so we can video chat. Hope to see you soon." Cat's Eye finished reading before putting down her phone. "Can you believe this?! We've struck paydirt!"

"One question though, what does DM stand for?" Black Rutile asked.

"It means direct message." Cat's Eye answered. "The humans who use the Internet have a very strange vernacular they use. Like for example, OMG means oh my gosh." Just then, a DM popped up from Sally Grove asking to video chat with Black Rutile. "Well, here goes nothing."

The two Gems sent the link to Black Rutile's computer and opened the invite. On the screen, a blonde woman with aqua-green eyes behind a thick pair of glasses sat down staring at Black Rutile. "Hello there. I suppose you may be Black Rutile, correct?"

"Yes, I am she." Black Rutile stated. "I have only just discovered you, yet I feel like the two of us could become like sisters to each other. United by our shared hatred of the Crystal Gems!"

"Yeah, but I prefer to discuss my dislike of them through my controversial opinions." Sally stated. "You prefer plots to try and take over the world or something corny like that."

"My schemes are not that corny!" a very offended Black Rutile exclaimed before composing herself. "Anyways, I discovered your posts through a little hashtag proclaiming #BlackRutileWasRight, used primarily by people who share my viewpoints."

"Oh yeah, that." Sally casually said. "I was the one who started that hashtag because I find it so hard to believe that a rampaging monster is actually a hero of the universe!"

"Exactly!" Black Rutile cheered. For what felt like hours on end, the two continued talking with each other, sharing stories and decrying the Crystal Gems over the Internet. For the first time in forever, Black Rutile felt like she had found someone who could finally understand her. And now, she has the perfect tool to use to further her vengeance.

--

In the meantime, the Crystal Gems were now living the life of celebrities and all it entailed. For Pearl in particular, she was sent off to the set of a big-budget movie under Sam's orders. Things seemed innocent enough, but something about the sets, the props, and the giant dinosaur-like creature seemed familiar to her.

"Uh, hello, everyone." Pearl shyly greeted. "I'm Pearl, and I've been sent here by Sam Galley to star in whatever movie you're making here."

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in." the familiar voice of Neil Michaels, Pearl's one-time rival from Los Diego, purred as he strolled in. "Hello there Pearl, long time no see."

"Neil Michaels?!" Pearl gasped in alarm. "What are you doing here?!"

"What am I doing here?!" Neil exclaimed. "This is the set of my newest movie you've come upon! It shall be my latest box office masterpiece in the making, and I call it-"

"Michaels, what are you doing?" another voice asked as he strolled towards Pearl. He was visibly far older than Neil and had a bit of a shark motif to his clothing. "Oh, are you one of those Crystal Gems everyone talks about?"

"I'm sorry, I'm kind of drawing a blank on you, and we know pretty much everyone in Beach City." Pearl said. "Who are you again? I feel like I've heard of you somewhere before."

"Don't you remember? It's me, Marty!" Marty exclaimed. "I was Greg's manager; I was the guy who made him rich with that burger jingle! Come on, not ringing any bells?"

"Oh yes, Morty!" Pearl realized despite getting Marty's name horribly wrong. "I think I remember you. What brings you here?"

"I'm here working with Neil Michaels after I got sued for my Guacola causing food poisoning." Marty stated. "I got into the film business to recoup my losses, and business is booming."

"That reminds me, what film are we making here?" Pearl asked. "I feel like I'm getting a sense of déjà vu here."

"I am so glad you asked!" Neil proclaimed as he pulled out his phone and presented a trailer for his new movie. The mood was set quite well, Pearl admitted to herself, but then came the film's title.

"Oh my lord, it's coming!" the motion picture's leading man, played by Christopher Cage, screamed in horror before it cut to the words "THE PINK BEAST OF THE BAY" in big pink letters. "Based on a true story." An announcer declared. "This film is not yet rated."

"Wait, is this based on Steven's meltdown?!" Pearl screeched angrily at Neil and Marty's toothy grins. "How could you?!"

"Yes, and we thought you'd make a perfect leading lady!" Neil replied happily. "Given that you were there that day, your point of view could really make our-"

"Don't tumble my rocks here, Michaels!" Pearl roared as she grabbed the arrogant director by his collar and dragged him so close, her nose could almost poke his eye out. "You knew exactly what you were doing when you conceived such an idea!"

"Cut me some slack; I didn't realize that was your little friend when I saw him on TV that time!" Neil tried desperately to save face while struggling to free himself from the angry Gem's grasp. "Listen, I'll allow you full creative control over the writing, I'll let you do whatever you want if you don't kill me here! Seriously, I have not been this disrespected since that party at Jeffrey's island!"

"Oy, Gems." Marty rolled his eyes in disgust. "Okay, Pearlie, put the nice man down and hear him out."

"And what will I get if I comply?" Pearl coldly asked as she dropped Neil to the ground when Marty suddenly presented her with a big sack of cash. "What is that?"

"Approximately 4.3 billion dollars, give or take." Marty said. "If you want this much cash, you gotta accept our offer. Capische?" he suggested with a sharklike smile. "Come on. You wouldn't want to disappoint Sammy, right?"

Though she had a bad history with Neil Michaels and absolutely refused to partake in this mockery of Steven's mental health, Pearl couldn't bear to disappoint anyone, least of all an important figure in the entertainment industry. "Okay, fine, I'll do what you want, you mongrels."

"Happy to be working with you, Pearl." Marty stated as Pearl replaced the sack of cash with her hand, and the two shook. "You're going to love what we have planned."

--

"IT'S THE AFTER DARK SHOW, WITH YOUR FABULOUS HOST!" the announcer of a talk show excitedly cried as its aging host jogged on stage, high-fiving some of his fans in the front row of the studio audience along the way. "LEONAAAAARD JASON!"

"Thank you, thank you! You're all too kind!" Leonard Jason chuckled as he sat down at his desk. "We got an interesting show tonight, folks. I've had some unique guests before, but none are quite this out of this world. Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you Amethyst and Peridot!"

The audience cheered wildly as the camera panned to show the two Gems sitting on a couch across from Leonard. "Thanks for having us, Leonard; being on here is like a badge of honor." Amethyst said.

"Please, you're too kind." Leonardo smiled in reply. "Now tell us, your friends tell me that they found you years after the war ended in a Kindergarten. Tell me what that's like."

"Well, being the runt of the litter who emerged for a war that already ended certainly took a lot out of me." Amethyst responded. "Feeling like I'm useless, like I never asked to be made, a sorrowful story. Which you can read all about in my latest book!" She then presented her book with a portrait of Amethyst on its purple cover. "The Kindergarten Kid On the Run, coming soon everywhere where books are sold!"

"And on the topic of writing, I'd like to announce that I've begun pitching my ideal reboot of Camp Pining Hearts to its original network, The DW." Peridot declared proudly, to the excitement of thousands. "In addition to being a far superior reboot than the atrocity we already got that'll appease both original fans and new generations, I also made sure it appealed to my personal tastes. Which means yes, Percy and Pierre will be an official couple from the start."

"Wow, an author and a TV writer right off the bat, what more could you want?" Leonard asked his audience. "But I think we've all seen enough TV shows where the character becomes famous for an episode to know what could come next. Eventually, the fame will get to your heads, and you'll start ignoring your friends in favor of your fellow celebrities before realizing that friendship matters more than fame, hm?"

"Geez, you're starting to sound like Pearl." Amethyst snarked, causing the viewers to laugh. "But no, Peri and I are ensuring that doesn't happen. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

--

Faraway from Beach City, meanwhile, Lapis was now on a private jet with Sam flying through the skies towards Africa. "So, where did you say we were going again?"

"We'll be heading off to a little village in Tanzania, which I hear was one of the many third-world countries you attacked." Sam stated while reading a newspaper. "You remember that, right?"

"Yes, very well." Lapis groaned in embarrassment as she buried her face in her hands.

"Aw, don't be too guilty," Sam assured Lapis. "this is all for a goodwill tour I've arranged to improve your reputation. According to your approval ratings, you're not very popular among these countries you've nearly drowned."

"Great." Lapis replied dryly before the plane touched down in Tanzania, and the two disembarked to be greeted by a group of suspicious civilians. "Uh, hello, everyone."

"It's here, the water witch!" one of the citizens screamed, causing a riot where everyone started throwing trash, rocks, and produce at Lapis, making her look very worried as she tried to shield herself with her wings.

"Now, friends, we don't have to fight!" Sam tried to placate the furious masses while quietly passing out pamphlets. "My companion here is simply here to talk with you about how much she has changed since that day she nearly killed you all. I can assure you, she has had time to think about the consequences of her actions and went to many lengths to atone for them."

"Yeah, I've changed so much since then." Lapis agreed with Sam. "Please, just give me the benefit of the doubt, and maybe we can get along then."

"Oh, so does that mean we can take down this statue of you we deface every day in honor of everyone you drowned?" another civilian said while pointing at that very Lapis statue, which was covered in toilet paper, graffiti saying things like "BURN THE WITCH!", "WANTS TO GO HOME MY ASS!" and various obscenities, and some stains that Lapis doesn't even want to know where they came from. And this all just made her feel even worse.

--

"Hello, everyone, and welcome back to 90 Minutes." Andrew Cooper, the host of the news program 90 Minutes, announced as the show returned from a commercial break. "With me right now are four members of the esteemed Crystal Gems, Garnet, Bismuth, Jasper, and White Topaz. Welcome, ladies. So glad you could accept this offer."

"Well, technically, we didn't accept it. It was just arranged for us." Bismuth answered. "But regardless, it's nice to be here, Mr. Cooper."

"Now, onto today's topic." Cooper said while shuffling some papers in his hands. "You may consider yourselves alien lifeforms, but I have seen people online say that you are an inspiration to people of color and abuse survivors. Would you care to share your opinions?"

"As delighted as I am to see people consider us role models, I'm not sure I'm following this." Garnet said. "You're allowed to believe what you want, but I'm not sure I'd consider us people of color because we are from another planet. Therefore, we don't fit your definition of race."

"I think they mean color in a literal sense, like how Bismuth is purple, Jasper is orange, etc." White Topaz replied to Garnet. "No, wait, I think I'm getting this wrong.

"Let's remain on subject, girls." Andrew interrupted the banter. "As I stated, Garnet, you may not actually be human, but your struggles are very human, which is what makes you relatable."

"Okay, that; I can definitely see your point!" Jasper exclaimed. "For example, I was the victim of a mutually abusive relationship that lasted for months while my partner and I were trapped under the sea!"

"That is a sentence I never thought I'd hear on my show." Andrew deadpanned. "That reminds me, would you care to discuss your version of human relationships?"

--

"Boring!" Cat's Eye grumbled as she switched the channel from 90 Minutes to some kind of sports game. "Ugh, I can't stand this! I've already had enough of everyone here singing the praises of those Gems in Little Homeworld, but the entire world is doing it now? Someone get me an aspirin; I have a headache!"

Black Rutile ignored Cat's complaining as she continued chatting with Sally over the Internet and was utterly enamored with what she was hearing. "You know, you have taught me so much in our time together. For example, what is this 420 I hear people laughing about?"

"Oh, that's just a random number that's code for "ha ha ha, drugs are funny" or "adults who still watch cartoons." Sally answered bluntly. "So tell me again, what are you planning?"

"I've concocted many revenge plots over my imprisonment here in Little Homeworld, but I think this one might be my deadliest yet." Black Rutile proclaimed as she presented the torn page of Rasputina's grimoire. "This is a page of a magic book I stole that tells of an ancient being of chaos known as Flipso. Once I unleash him onto the world, I'll be utterly unstoppable!"

"Interesting." Sally smiled evilly. "How can I possibly help?"

"I'm not sure if you can fit into my plot at the moment, but I do have one mission for you." Black Rutile answered. "If you have the time, use that hashtag to gather me more followers, and together, the two of us will restore the Rutile Rebels into an unstoppable army!"

"I'll see what I can do." Sally stated. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to start recording my newest video. It's about why KA Howling isn't actually a bigot; people are just jealous of a woman being superior to them in every way imaginable."

"Isn't that the lady who wrote all those wizard books?" Black Rutile asked. "Ooh, you truly are evil! You're wasting your time as an Internet personality when your personality is more befitting that of a supervillain!"

"Oh, you're too kind." Sally blushed. "Bye-bye now!" The chat then finally ended, causing Black Rutile to get up from her chair and walk over to Cat's Eye with an excited grin on her face.

"Sounds like you two had a good time." Cat's Eye said while taking a long drag of her cigarette. "What did you two talk about?"

"Oh, we went on and on about how repulsive and hypocritical the Crystal Gems are; it's like meeting a human version of me!" Black Rutile sighed dreamily. "She completes me."

"Oy, get a room, you two." Cat rolled her eyes. "That reminds me, are you sure she genuinely hates the Crystal Gems, or is it born out of jealousy that they're superior to her in every way and will be remembered for centuries while she'll be even less than a mere footnote in history?"

"Don't say that!" Black Rutile exclaimed. "I just have living proof that there are people who despise the same individuals I do, and therefore they will believe everything I say! Which reminds me, give me your phone." Cat's eye complied, and Black Rutile immediately took to Yatter. Almost instantly, she found numerous new posts on the #BlackRutileWasRight tag talking about her chat with Sally, and how Sally was using the tag to gather many new followers for the Rutile Rebels. "You know, we should make a dedicated page to the Rutile Rebels soon. Would you like that?"

"Oh yes, very much." Cat nodded eagerly.

--

"Now, onto our next subject for tonight." Cooper continued. "Recent social media posts claim that you are, quote, "fascist sympathizers" simply because you dared to show a hand of kindness to the oppressive rulers of your race. Is that true?"

"Wait, what?!" Bismuth yelled. "Who's saying such things?"

"Just an online influencer calling herself Sally Grove who is using the tag #BlackRutileWasRight." Andrew proclaimed as he brought the tweet up on the screen. "And if my admittedly barebones knowledge of your social media rings true, cancel culture might be working its magic soon enough."

"It was either reach out to the very people we've sworn to fight or let those corrupted Gems languish in agony!" Bismuth yelled abruptly, giving Cooper a spook. "We never forgave the Diamonds; we're simply giving them a chance to atone for what they've done!"

"And I think we're done for tonight!" Cooper nervously declared as Garnet dragged Bismuth away. "Join us next week for another episode of 90 Minutes where we ask ourselves if artificial intelligence can revolutionize the paperclip industry!"

--

As soon as word got out about the tag, the Crystal Gems reassembled at the Crystal Temple to discuss this recent development. Pearl had just finished shooting for The Pink Beast of the Bay and had to avoid Marty following her home; Garnet, Jasper, and White Topaz pacified Bismuth enough for her to return home, Peridot and Amethyst were on the run from an inexplicable mob, and Lapis decided to fly home after her goodwill tour.

"So tell me, what happened again?" Amethyst asked as she immediately dug up something to eat from the fridge.

"Someone really has it out for us, aside from Black Rutile, of course." Pearl explained while examining the posts on her phone. "She's saying all these hurtful things about us and our way of life, and for what reason? Is she just jealous, or does she get a kick out of making people's lives miserable?"

"I think I've heard of this girl before." Peridot stated. "She has some pretty toxic opinions, yet so many people follow her despite how blatantly abusive she is!"

"People will always follow whoever has the biggest voice, no matter how terrible they are." Lapis remarked. "They're basically everywhere. TV, movies, online, politicians, the news, the works."

"Who would've guessed celebrity life would be this tiring?" Jasper asked. "I mean, I didn't ask for this, but here we are!"

"That reminds me, I have something to say as well." Sam said as he stepped forth. "You may think I'm saying this completely out of nowhere, but I admit that I've been kind of taking advantage of Crystalmania because going freelance isn't very kind to me. The moment I first heard of you guys, opportunity started knocking, and I just had to open that door to strike it rich. Surely you must feel mad at me for using you, right?"

"I never even realized it, probably because this came straight out of nowhere." White Topaz said. "But hey, if you legitimately feel sorry, then I guess we can let this slide."

"On the grounds that we take a bit of a break from celebrity life." Garnet added. "However, if we feel like it, we'll definitely call you."

"Wow, you're way cooler about this than I thought." Sam said before the door opened to reveal Marty, out of breath and desperate to get Pearl's attention. "Martin, what brings you here?"

"I just need to give the Crystal Gems another offer!" Marty panted as he presented a certain dessert treat that Steven loved so much. "I pulled some strings to get Cookie Cats back in production, and I need you guys to be the mascot!"

"Yeah, I don't think we're interested." Pearl declared before shoving Marty out the front door.

"Freaking immortal broads." Marty grumbled to himself as he walked away. "Black Rutile had the right idea about them."

"Well, that certainly got tied up pretty quick." Sam said as he put on his trilby and began to leave the beach house. "So long, everybody. I'm off to find my next muse!"

"Have a safe trip!" Peridot and the other Gems bid farewell to Sam Galley as he left the beach house for greener pastures. "So glad we got the call before Amethyst and I let the fame go to our heads like on those TV shows."

"But that begs the question," Amethyst added. "Who in their right mind would believe Black Rutile?"

--

"And that is why Pearl is a bad example of a strong independent woman and is no better than the narcissistic sociopaths plaguing our superhero movies." Sally ended another hot take on Yatter and pressed send as she sat back to let the replies and likes fly in. "Those Crystal Gems have no idea what they'll be in for."

Meanwhile, Black Rutile was browsing her computer as she and Cat's Eye continued setting up a social media account for the Rutile Rebels when Cat's Eye suddenly got another message for Black Rutile. It was signed, "Dear Black Rutile, we need to talk. Signed, Marty."

--

At long last, Season 2 begins! For the next twelve weeks after this chapter, expect more musical numbers than the last season, a lot of social commentary and mockery of certain controversial YouTubers, celebrity guest stars both old and new, and an epic finale to lead directly into the final story of this little universe. But that's for much later. Next time we meet, we get a glimpse into Steven's side of this story with A Quick One While I'm Away. Yes, I'm not afraid to admit that's a Bojack Horseman reference.

[a-mellowtea]

Sarah’s Soundtrack Corner | RWBY Volume 8

Today: Episode 1 // Divide 22/11/2020: Episode 2 // Refuge

Hello everyone!

This year, I’ve decided to do something new. Rather than waiting for the Volume to end or the soundtrack to drop to talk about RWBY’s music, I’m starting this little side project: cataloguing and somewhat analyzing the show’s score and songs as they’re released.

This is also a way for me to keep myself engaged in something other than academics (’cause quarantine be gettin’ to me), as well as pointing out some details folks might overlook: there’s always a lot to talk about with the music, and it plays a pivotal role in the series.

A mini-disclaimer beforehand: I am in no way well-versed in music theory. I can’t really tell you how things are composed so much as how they more generally sound, and what the intentions behind certain choices might have been.

So, without further ado, let’s begin!

The first cue of the Volume, coming in gently against the slow fade-in from black of a young Cinder scrubbing the floor, is on piano and sparse strings. I’m hesitant to label this as anything in particular with any degree of confidence, but the progression of notes makes me believe it could be an abstract variation on Cinder’s core “theme” - specifically, the haunting choir we tend to hear around her. It would make sense: bridging the visuals with something just familiar enough to catch the ear, but also distinct.

There’s a brief pause as Cinder and Neo approach the storm, with only a small bit of ambient, tense strings; then it’s into a development of the new melody we got accompanying Salem’s arrival in Volume 7 under the usual first-episode credits. This section has a wonderful female choral element added: I’m actually half-convinced that it’s a specific “theme” for Monstra (the whale Grimm; apparently that’s her official name), rather than Salem herself. The bass percussion makes the cue feel almost literally alive, giving it a slow, steady heartbeat.

The piece crescendos as Neo catches sight of Salem, then fades away into more tense strings when Cinder kneels. A small quote of what I believe is “One Thing” kicks in when Cinder takes Neo’s credit for stealing the Relic of Knowledge.

The next quote is equally small, coming and going in the span of about 5 seconds between the 03:25 and 03:30 timestamps, and references the strings from “Party Crashers”/the Volume 7 Mantle massacre. 

I can’t quite peg the following string melody - under Cinder’s declaration that she’ll return to Atlas and take the Maiden’s power from Penny - as anything specific, though it sounds similar to the opening piano.

What I’ll tentatively label as Monstra’s “theme” takes over again as Salem communicates with her, and the cue ends on a tense crescendo along with the scene.

On our heroes’ end, this is quite the episode for abstract little melodies, because I can’t seem to nail down what plays under Oscar’s respite in the slums either. What I do recognize, however, is a small section of Mantle’s melody at around 05:42, continuing until 05:52 where it’s briefly interrupted by a vague handful of notes from the Grimm “theme”.

Everything in Mantle is quite bleak, including the instrumentation: it’s soft and somber, even the gentler moments. Oscar’s melody kicks in at 07:06 on slow strings after Weiss asks how he ended up in the crater, which transitions into a despairing little quote of Penny’s established “theme” from Volume 7. This “theme” is of particular note this time around - Alex Abraham (composer) switched up the sound of her melody to a more subdued, lost quality, and it’s quite something whenever it pops up.

“Bad Luck Charm” makes a brief appearance at 07:30, and it’s interesting to me just how darkly the quote drifts off - the final note sounds almost distorted, lending it not only an air of uncertainty, but also danger (totally not hinting at things to come - no way).

Mantle’s theme makes a reappearance at 09:03, following a lead-in on strings as Yang argues that they need to help the people. The “theme” for Amity follows at 9:18 when Pietro begins talking about the titular colisseum, then drifts into Ironwood’s once he’s brought up, and then into one of the “Atlas tension” motifs from Volume 7. The orchestration of this entire section is notably quiet; almost not there, and all with a sense of unease. As the idea for the plan begins to come together, the Atlas Military “theme” (introduced at the end of Volume 6) plays, but fades out largely unresolved with Pietro’s uncertainty about it.

Once the small argument begins in earnest and the group divides, what sounds like a gentle quote of the as-yet untitled opening plays, easing into simple strings once Jaune interjects.

A sneeze-and-you’ll-miss-it soft interruption of Penny’s melody plays again, almost lost in the strings, then a third time when she volunteers to go with Ruby’s group.

And now for the fun part.

I’m not horrendously biased, I swear.

The tense silence of this scene once Penny’s Scroll begins to ring is perfect; as are the dark, sparse, ambient strings and the fourth instance of Penny’s “theme” - played on piano, with an almost music-box-like quality. The juxtaposition is horribly fitting for the moment - James is playing on Penny’s role as a guardian, her desire to protect people, her uncertainty about a situation in which she has had very little control, and that’s all beautifully reinforced in the music.

Speaking of juxtaposition.

Upstairs, we get a gorgeous rendition of “Hero” on brass; played slow, full and in earnest, with a small bit of Winter’s melody thrown in the middle once the camera briefly shifts focus to her. The way this section is orchestrated piques my interest as well - it’s not dark, it’s not particularly somber. It’s gentle. It still has that, for lack of a better term, heroic quality to it.

And that becomes such a twisted thing by the end of the scene.

Before that, however, there’s an instance of the Grimm “theme” clearly at 14:56, and it continues to be a personal favorite. 

Another intriguing little reference hits at about 15:12, when the Council members show up - if you have an ear for it, you might pick up on it as coming from the scene in the office from Volume 7 Chapter 11 “Gravity”, complete with Ironwood’s “theme” at 15:33 (this cue might actually be directly taken from “Are You With Me?”) and to say it’s appropriate for a moment where James slips even further would be putting it mildly.

Closing out the episode proper is a freaky new melody for the Grimm hound that I can honestly say I cannot wait to hear more of.

Overall, the score for the premiere isn’t quite as bombastic as the last two years, but that’s fitting - it’s largely understated, with lots of tension and somber takes on the leitmotifs that crop up. This is actually one of the things about the episode that left me feeling like it was more of a firm and simple continuation from last year than the start of a brand new chapter, and that’s certainly not bad.

And now you stand alone, opening!

I don’t think it needs saying that every RWBY OP will split the fandom to some degree, and this one has a very different style. It doesn’t have a name yet - I personally labelled it as “The End” on YouTube, unfortunately confusing a few people - which is odd, but Jeff professed that he just couldn’t settle on one yet.

The standard guitar and heavy percussion are present, kicking off in the usual instrument-focused intro, and are mixed with layers of different instruments, synth and backing vocals throughout the song once Casey’s vocals start. Speaking of, our leading lady delivers with her usual grace, and her matured voice lends a lot to the tone of the song (the growl on “Some roses will never bloom” is amazing). Almost every line on the verse and pre-chorus has an echo behind it - either as an effect or as part of the backing - giving it a forlorn yet powerful quality.

In the lyrics department, it reminds me quite a bit of the second opening - “Time To Say Goodbye” - save with a darker undertone. I’d be hardpressed to believe that the line “We said goodbye / To all the things we loved” isn’t, in fact, a direct reference to “Now it’s time to say goodbye / To the things we loved and the innocence of youth”. In a Volume where a lot of people were clamboring for a “When It Falls 2.0″ - yours truly included - this was a surprise, but a welcome one.

Second opening is the best opening. That is a hill I will die on.

Come to think of it, this might become a trend. If I remember correctly, several lyrics in “Trust Love” harkened back to “This Will Be The Day”; what springs to mind immediately is the contrast of “When the day you waited for won’t come” with “This will be the day we waited for”, and “Always hoping that a lightning bolt / Is going to save you from this gravity” with “We are lightning / Straying from the thunder”.

If this is the case and Volume 8 goes as I believe it will - setting up for another Volume in Atlas where the huge fight happens as everyone struggles to hold the line until help arrives - then we could be due for some “When It Falls” references then.

I’ve heard some say that this opening sounds a little too crowded, that it doesn’t hit quite as hard as they expected/compared to “When It Falls”, that the darker tone relies on the lyrics rather than anything in the instrumentation, and those are valid critiques. Personally, this one’s an ear-worm - I love the sound of it; Jeff made a lot of interesting choices - but the melody itself isn’t as discernable as previous years and is going to take a while to grow on me.

I’m not going to rank these or anything because that feels a little arbitrary, but I really enjoyed what we got this first Chapter. Knowing the team, they find ways to step it up every year, so I’m seriously looking forward to what’s in store.

Until next week!