#chief from the very first promo pic

[ageless-aislynn]

I've always loved the look of tv!Master Chief in his undersuit, so I did my best to recreate my very own action figure undersuit!John. 😇😉

Click to make bigger. Now, granted, people with steadier hands than I could've painted details on the suit to make it more authentic but, well, ya girl has to work with what ya girl has to work with. 🤷‍♀️😉

The recipe, if you're interested, is a Valaverse Action Force Special Ops trooper body and the Star Wars Black Series Axe Woves head. They did not swap easily, I should warn, but it's doable. 😉

I really love him and am so glad to have him on my desk at long last! ⭐💖⭐

[dragoncityinteriordesign]

The good Deputy Chief’s promo pic made me wonder: Where are everyone else’s photos staged?

Zhao Yunlan: On his desk, of course. He seems to have moved his computer monitor, presumably because his lack of ass kept knocking it over.

Shen Wei: He’s over in the corner of the main room with all the clocks, in one of the armchairs that nobody ever sits in. He is also wearing no socks and his least attractive shirt. Someone please come take him home, Black-Cloaked Envoys only do this when they are very distressed.

Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan: They’re posed in front of the Dragon City map, presumably where the Dragon City map usually is in the SID main room. They just dragged over the couch that’s usually at the center table.

Zhu Hong: She’s up the steps over behind Da Qing’s desk. You can see the foosball table in the distance behind her.

Lin Jing: At one of the lab tables, but not his usual desk. I do not believe for a moment that he is a man who would actually think out problems on a chalkboard. Those are just to impress people.

Wang Zheng: She’s in Zhao Yunlan’s office, over in the corner, probably cleaning it up once he’s gone home for the day.

Sang Zan: The library, naturally! Most of the spines are unreadable, but they have him right in front of two upside-down copies of that fake version of On the Origin of Species and a somewhat pointed Wild Animals in Captivity.

Guo Changcheng: He is, perplexingly, somewhere that doesn’t actually exist in the show itself. The little side-by-side cabinet he’s in front of is over against the wall by the main room’s windows, and the snail lamp is usually found on Da Qing’s desk. The iron bird in the white wood frame and the globe-on-a-stick statue, however, as far as I’ve seen, are nowhere to be found in the SID building.

Chu Shuzhi: Location first. He is staring, somewhat hilariously, into the reflective side of the two-way mirror that looks into the interrogation room; you can see the grate and the fire extinguisher reflected behind him. Okay, good job paying attention to that -- now let’s talk about how Lao Chu’s initial design was just mind-blowingly gay-coded. He’s still got his black sleeveless shirt and black(-ish) pants, but instead of his big black coat and pashmina, we are treated to the bare-armed sight of him in a black leather vest? with rivets down the back?? and a chain hanging from one of the pockets??? You know the censors took one look at that and went, nope, that man is clearly a homosexual, tone it down. ...I don’t know if buzzing his hair even shorter and giving him Zorro detailing is as much toning it down as it is toning it vaguely sideways, but you know what? I can’t complain.

Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan (again): Oh my god you two are sitting on Chu-ge’s desk. You are being gay right on top of his desk. He already has Lin Jing’s annoying little fidget molecule to deal with, and now you are being gay on his desk. Go to gay hell jail.

[faerielleart]

levi and hanje in military clothing? because that are fucking ripped! i’ve seen too many soldier videos where they go back to their loved ones and even a couple where both of them were in the army and they hugged and it was mushy and cute. bonus if Irvin is the one in command!

my #1 wish is that hajime isayama one day has pity of my desperate ass and finally draws hanji flexing their biceps i only ask for this one (1) thing only once but i Need to see it for some reason please i’m begging

the new survey corps uniforms look GREAT i just saw the character design sheets from mappa and they did a great job with the bodies too! I see realistic muscles! Hallelujah! i like the total black look much much more than the old uniforms, maybe because i’m a huge cropped jacket hater 👁👄👁 but yeah the white pants with the orange/brown jacket,,,,, issa no from me chief

The long coats on the other hand, top tier. Especially levihan wearing those like in the promo pics from last week ✨and again i love how mappa actually drew their bodies closer to how they look like in the manga! wit seemed to draw all of them with much thinner arms and thighs for some reason?

but 🥺 okay headcanon time can you imagine either levi of hanji having to stay at the headquarters for some issues while the other leaves for the expedition outside the walls? and it’s the first time they have been apart from each other on a mission? and they are extremely worried? but then levi/hanji come back and find the other waiting in the crowd and they run towards each other’s arms and sqUEEZE the shit out of each other muttering things like “thank you for coming back to me” and it’s all very cute and sweet 🥺🥺🥺 brb crying

[hellyeahomeland]

“Fucker Shot Me” | Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, Cinematography by David Klein

Sara: I truly stan G’ulom and his collection of capes. He is the villain in the shadows we need! 

Gail: G’ulom’s character arc has really come a long way since Carrie blackmailed him back in episode two. Feels like a year ago.

Sara: Mike is highly annoying. He is so annoying I’m starting to feel sorry that he keeps asking Jenna to do things. Why did he have Jenna tell Saul what happened? Why did they wait until the next day? Why couldn’t he have done all this himself or at least delegated? What I’m saying is Mike is a drama queen. 

Gail: It’s interesting that you see Mike as an antagonist to Carrie when he is literally doing the right thing by reporting her. Carrie’s lucky he only went to Saul at first. It gave her the opportunity to get a head start on her mission to find Max. This small meeting of the minds in the middle of a bustling CIA station says a lot too: all of her secrets are about to be laid bare.

Gail: This surveillance shot was when I realized that Yevgeny is intentionally feeding into the suspicions around her. His government must know and approve of what he is up to. He might have some affinity for her, but he is definitely on his own mission here.

Sara: Couple’s first photo together.

Sara: Truly the road trip of my dreams! On a more analytical note, almost all the camerawork in these scenes is done outside the car, looking in, with the barrier of the windows between us. This is continuing a motif from earlier episodes that saw Carrie often shot from behind the car window, trapped on the inside. And now she’s “trapped” with Yevgeny. 

Gail: I love how the camera shots in this scene give us a feeling of eavesdropping on them. Makes me wonder who else is listening?

Sara: I really loved this shot, with the reflection of the countryside visible. The scenery and remoteness of it all (uh… not to mention them literally being on the run together) really reminded me of Carrie and Brody in “The Star.” 

Gail: Yes--and she’s not the one driving this time. Yevgeny is literally and figuratively in the driver’s seat.

Gail: I love that we are getting Carrie’s perspective here. We can’t see or hear what Yevgeny is saying. We are as in the dark as Carrie is when it comes to his true motivations.

Sara: Yevgeny shot from behind again. This continues another motif of Carrie watching him walk away (repeated in the first three episodes of the season), his back turned to her. 

Sara: Before I caught on to what was happening, I saw the light blue burqa and thought something was super fishy. This is the same color burqa that Samira Noori had. There was also a woman wearing a blue burqa walking by Haqqani at the end of last week’s episode when Carrie spots him outside the embassy. I feel like this is super ominous and must be intentional…. Right?

Gail: I noticed that too! I love how colorful the market is here too, it reminded me of the donkeys heading up the mountain in the last episode.

Gail: IJLTP.

Sara: Gotta have that parallel! This must be intentional. The positioning of the camera and choreography here is identical to the pilot.

Sara: IJLTP.

Gail: Even in a crowd of people, Carrie is always alone.

Gail: Such a contrast to the colorful market and busy streets nearby.

Sara: This is a really stunning shot and you can feel the emotional weight of these rows and rows of tombstones--all of which Carrie is responsible for.

Sara: I noted this in TCWTW, but they’ve dressed Carrie and Yevgeny similarly here. Notably they’re both in jackets with pockets on both breasts. Also notably, Carrie’s ensemble is in shades of grey, while Yevgeny’s is darker. Also also notably: height difference.

Gail: His constant and consistent nonchalance is such a vibe.

Gail: We are on the outside looking in at their relationship again. So much we don’t know about it, and by “we,” I mean the audience and Carrie.

Sara: This is a cute bookend shot to the final scene of last week’s episode where Yevgeny is staring at Carrie, who stares straight ahead.

Sara: The Jesus light shines on Max! 

Gail: Max’s living conditions keep going from bad to worse.

Sara: What the actual hell was this? The speed with which Yevgeny prevented a total and full-blown Carrie freakout was certainly admirable and positively weird as hell. 

Gail: Yevgeny sure knew how to calm her down quickly: bends down to eye level, holds her forcefully in place, and even does the sympathetic head tilt. He knows way more about her than “we” can imagine.

Sara: I just picked this shot because was anyone else surprised that Linus is still the Chief of Staff? I thought for sure he would have been transferred to an ~advisory~ role when Keane left but both Beau and now Hayes are keeping him? Let’s all admit that Linus is really the cockroach that creepy doctor in Caracas said Brody was. 

Gail: I loved the scale of the empty airplane hanger against the optics Hayes is trying to convey. Empty attempt with an even emptier coffin.

Sara: Don’t sleep on Tasneem! She’s always lurking around every corner and that is why we continue to stan. Also shout out to blog member Angela who remarked on the way they dressed Tasneem in virginal white a few episodes ago, and now this Madonna-esque blue. What does it mean?

Gail: Now Tasneem is looking over her shoulder too.

Gail: The distance between Saul and Bunny/Tasneem speaks volumes.

Sara: The choreography in this scene is really something. I mean… LOL. Could they hate Saul anymore?

Gail: Even though Mike has reported Carrie to the FBI, he still takes her call in private. Interesting.

Sara: Why does Mike have encyclopedias in his sad office?

Sara: This is such a great shot. G’ulom looming in the background, out of focus but still totally in control. Everyone gets an over-the-shoulder shot this year. 

Gail: G’ulom in a tie < G’ulom in a cape.

Sara: Yevgeny took the night shift and let Carrie sleep in the back of his car. I repeat: CARRIE SLEPT IN THE BACK OF HIS CAR. I can’t with them. 

Gail: I didn’t think she was sleeping, Carrie doesn’t sleep! I thought she was laying low since she’s a fugitive now and was hiding from the drone(s) that she was hoping the CIA would send to check for Max. Ugh, poor Max!

Sara: Dammit, Gail! You’re probably right.... but a full night has passed so she had to have slept, for at least 15 minutes, in his car. Let me have 15 minutes!

Sara: First, I think this shot is totally gorgeous (Jesus light shines on Max again!). Second, I’m not getting too freaked out because remember how totally dumb Jalal is? We don’t have much to worry about, folks. 

Gail: Such a gorgeous shot, I agree. Another empty space that illustrates just how alone Max is.

 Gail: Another parallel to the end of season three: Carrie calling for an extraction team that isn’t coming.

Sara: And this shot, too. Damn… this episode was visually quite gorgeous, if substance-wise quite dull.

Sara: Total Brody vibes with the cage and also Haqqani’s general air of acceptance here. They wanted us to feel bad for Brody at the end too! Later, again like Brody, Haqqani is surrounded by a crowd of raucous people who want him dead when he’s sentenced to his fate. Although this specific shot with the cell in the center of the courtroom reminded me a lot of those scenes with Hugh Dancy in Hannibal (can’t find a pic, you’re just gonna have to trust me!).

Gail: I agree and really loved this scene.

Sara: I love shot because of how small Saul looks. I don’t mean this in a shady way! It really puts into perspective (literally) how futile his attempts are to save Haqqani and secure the peace deal (again). Saul states at the beginning of the episode that Haqqani and the Taliban control half the country… that necessarily means that half the country would also probably like to see him dead. He’s just one man, one small man, and the sun is setting on him. 

Gail: Great insight. The loss of control and chaos surrounding Saul is only growing in scale through this episode, culminating in this fantastic shot.

Sara: I have to laugh. Best facial expression of the century goes to Mr. Linus Roache. 

Gail: Wellington is literally biting his lip! Love it and love the villainous John Zabel, menacing beard and all!

Gail: Carrie is very much “in the weeds.”

Sara: Carrie sure is trying hard to be stealthy given she’s tracing the perimeter of a fence that’s more or less see-through. I LOVE YOU, CARRIE.

Gail: Everything happening to Max feels extremely ominous to me.

Sara: It’s official, this show has an eyeglasses complex. Saul and Max are both glasses-wearing people, and I tend to think the scenes where they’re without them (whether in captivity or otherwise), and the scenes where they get them back, suggest a loss of humanity. They’re being stripped down to the barest and most vulnerable forms of themselves.

Sara: This reveal is really very clever and would have been a lot more so if it hadn’t been spoiled in 46 promos.

Gail: I love how Carrie and Yevgeny are off center in this shot, just like Carrie.

Sara: IJLTP. IJLTP.

Sara: And again with this eyes wide, hands on shoulders, controlled and direct response. I would be creeped out if I didn’t think he was doing it out of ~*~LOVE~*~. But seriously, what do you think this is and why is it so effective? 

Gail: I think he had a lot of practice. (Ugh)

[hithelleth]

The Originals 5 x 12 “The Tale of Two Wolves”

This got long, but it’s mostly just a recap, so I don’t forget everything, rather than meta, because this show is what it is and I’ll just end up shoving the bad somewhere out of my memory once it ends instead of losing my energy to perpetual rants. I’ve already said what I had to multiple times before.

So, to find a solution for Hope’s predicament, Klaus decided they take a trip to Mystic Falls with Elijah as her babysitter. Which was such a great idea, not stressing her out at all, but Elijah’s the only one Klaus trusts – which was nice to hear, still, after everything.

Ah, so we do remember that the Crescents can control transformation – but apparently with the exception of the first one. Okie dokie.

The way this show is pulling twists to their mythology this season. I swear.

The SBH has a lot of tales of Klaus being the big bad wolf. Although, Elijah did his fair share of damage, but no mention of that, eh?

Oh, Klaus has a ‘genius’ self-sacrificial plan that involves Caroline’s witch daughters to syphon the dark magic from Hope into him and then he would allow them to implement the long ago forged plans of chaining, cementing, and throwing him in the Atlantic.

You want to tell me that Elijah would walk past the office of Elena Gilbert, pardon, Salvatore, MD, and not drop by to say hello? Pfffft.

Also apparently she has a plaque to commemorate her death in the moonstone ritual?

And more horror stories about Mikael, because of course. While Elijah reminisces of their old home.

Hope got asked out on a date by a painfully oblivious boy who mistook Elijah for Mr. Marshall. She turned him down because she is going to be dead soon.

LOL, Josie and Lizzie are negotiating their help with getting new cell phones, a permission to go out, and striking the school skirt length rule.

Caroline gave in to maybe going out and yes to the skirt rule. A+

And then just as Klaus was about to ‘patiently, kindly, and without even a hint of a temper or frustration’ (Gah, this was best! The boy is whipped!) explain what he needs, Alaric shot him with a crossbow, because of course. Damn, it, Ric! And then he threw him into the cellar. UGH.

Yeah, Hope isn’t dumb enough to not figure out she’s dying. And she thinks it might be for the best because she wasn’t supposed to exist, as the universe has been trying to kill her since before she was born and she knew might die when she took the power back.

In the meantime Hope’s wannabe suitor, Landon, was being bullied by some jocks who didn’t even pay their entire bull, but Elijah tipped very generously – as is the Mikaelsons’ way – instead and then let Hope drive his Bentley.

She followed the bullies to the school parking lot and busted the chief bully’s car’s windows, Elijah-style, but with witchcraft. A+

Where the fuck has Klaus suddenly pulled out yet another last remaining white oak stake to be killed with after he absorbs the dark magic?

FFS, this mythology has gone completely off the rails.

And you say you can’t bring Hayley back, because ‘rules’. When there seem to be no more fucking rules!

Well, of course he secreted it away decades ago. Because in fiction we can retroactively fix the corners we wrote ourselves into by charming things in and out of existence when we want to. GRRRRRR.

Also Caroline lent him Stefan’s clothes since Ric ruined his. :( (I’d like a bit more acknowledgement at any point in this season of Stefan’s death, tho.)

And, yeah, Klaus has become a good farther/person.

Hope blames herself for Hayley’s death… Well, she’s definitely contributed a little bit, but my poor baby.  And of course she misses Hayley.

Then she fainted and her heart stopped, so she could cross over to the other world (IDK anymore, does the other side now exist or not? I guess it does?) where she saw Hayley and talkt to her and Hayley forgave her and told her to fight and live and she saw Hayley was at peace and not alone, hanging out with the dead Crescents, including her parents, Mary, and Jackson (yay!).

Well, that’s nice. Still sucks that she died at all, though.

At least Hope got to say goodbye to her.

Of course Klaus is not telling her the truth about his intentions to sacrifice himself or she wouldn’t go for it.

Hope and Elijah also bonded over having too many responsibilities too early in their lives. And she told him about seeing Hayley and Hayley telling her she’s still waiting for that dance (meh). *scowls*

Then Hope did get a date with Landon after all. 👍

Well, everyone is riff-raff in comparison to a Mikaelson. ;)

Caroline told Klaus about her visit to NOLA to search for him when she was in trouble, because he wasn’t the villain of her story.

Look at Klaus not being homicidal at his daughter dancing with a townie!

Of course Elijah figured it out and offered his life for Klaus’s, but Klaus wouldn’t have it. And his plan worked with the episode ending on a cliff-hanger just before he’d plunge the white oak stake in his heart with Elijah looking and asking him not to do it (we know from the promo pics for the finale that he doesn’t, though, but I’m still afraid he won’t survive.)

(Also, I think I’ll only be able to properly enjoy Klaroline once the show is over and I can forget/re-headcanon the shitty parts. But thanks for giving to fodder for later feels, I guess. ;))

[nomdeguerreblogs]

Some Thoughts About S4

Thanks to the anon who prompted this mini-thesis because. So. Many. Thoughts.

Tommy faces the morning sun and closes his eyes to regret and grief. Another series dawns…

Let’s start with the big question: ‘Is John Shelby Going to be Bumped Off?’ Short answer, I think so. I’ve vacillated a lot tbh, because being so spoiled it feels massively telegraphed, to the extent that it could be deliberate misdirection. Although that the evidence for it in the trailer is far from conclusive for people who casually watch the show is kind of proof in itself I think - there is still meant to be a question mark. But when you combine Esme weeping in (I’d bet on it because of her height and the necklace) Lizzie’s embrace; John and Esme’s absence at the family meeting; the Watery Lane bts shots without him joining the swagger; the wearing of black at that family meeting and elsewhere; that John and Esme haven’t had terribly much to do together since s1 and now are heavily featured; and Joe Cole not spending so much time on set it’s feeling ominous. Sure, it could still be smoke-and-mirrors. The tweeds of the promo pic suggest he goes country (the absence); and the black dress Esme’s in from that promo is the same as the one she’s wearing in a scene with John when he’s clearly very much alive. Her tears could be shock for his near-death (there are the scenes outside the hospital) or the untimely demise of one of their children. I don’t think the black is a ruse though, they all seem too united in anger at Tommy, and it’s not for our golden wrapper Harry Kirton at that point. The trailer heavily suggests that at least one of them will die, and wise money would be on John. At least it looks like there might be relatable grief this time.

About the family meeting, it is nice to see them in the gambling den again. I am terribly pleased Johnny Dogs and Charlie Strong are there too. But my favourite bit of the entire trailer is Finn’s Look™ at Tommy. They’ve come a long way since “that’s why you should never pretend to be me.” As if Finn ever had the choice to depart that shadow. I’ll miss Harry for whatever reason he’s leaving, he looks like a baby F. Scott Fitzgerald with that parting.

The Michael, Arthur and John scene with the policemen is likely a follow-up to s3. They are either being walked to the noose or a sentencing. They clearly all make it, past that point anyway.

Paul Anderson can break me with a twitch of his moustache and the dribble of a tear. Please never kill off Arthur, SK, I beg. Or Linda, I like her and that revolver was so cheering…

Michael and Ada don’t appear much in the trailer, but I think in combination with their ‘ranking’ in the s4 promo pic (and the comparative luxury of both’s outfits in said image), that’s because they’re still going to be the ‘legitimate’ side of the business - Chief Accountant and Head of Property and Acquisitions. Here’s hoping they share a plot, it could be enormous fun.

Polly facing the gallows must be her follow-on scene from the cliffhanger; she has the same hairstyle and blouse as 3.06. She clearly survives to do other things, which is great because SK needs her for balance. She’s the heart of the family, after all. The scene of her dressed in a fabulous floral kimono-type thing, taking a moment, is overlaid briefly by the zoetrope of the Edwardian (Victorian?) woman, perhaps representing something she once aspired to be, spinning round and around and it seems Polly herself will be sent reeling this series. She has a couple of quite different hairstyles - is there an element of disguise? Also the holster.

Speaking of hair, Charlie has a Peaky cut lmao. Tommy’s mini me. Perhaps nits were a problem at Arrow House? Tommy continues to have Dodgy Taste™ in artworks.

Adrien Brody appears to be another threat from Northern Ireland by that accent. Knowing SK, he’ll be ‘establishment’ of some kind as well; Tommy is always working against ‘them above,’ being as bad in order to survive ergo badder by the series, and there’s no other character we know of yet that could fulfil that role. But hell, Brody could be dubiously linked to the US government and have a legacy accent. He seems to be reprising Sabini in a murky tunnel at one point.

Alfie isn’t looking any healthier, or happier. Is the beach where that machine gun enters the country? Bravo the Woody cameo!!! I am desperately keen for Tommy and Alfie to have a fight on wet sand it would be hilarious.

Speaking of the machine gun, I LOVE the styling of that shootout! First time Peaky’s felt like a Western since s1 and I am digging it deeply.

ALSO pumped about the boxing match which I’ve been looking forward to since that ticket surfaced (date: 12 February 1926, Golliath vs Gold). Jack Rowan’s character is a bit of dark horse, though I’m guessing he’s the ‘Gold’ of the ticket bc his opponent is a fair bit bigger - he’s victorious in the ring, as well as there with Aidan Gillen’s character who is still thankfully lovely despite the hair - what ARE they there for? Anyway, that’s a publicly demonstrative thing Tommy’s doing with the gunshot at the end of the fight - it’s a message surely. The massive Union Jack AND Saint George’s Cross on the wall feel significant, especially possibly in conjunction with an Irish villain.

The girl under the bridge… I’ll come down off the fence and say I think that’s Charlie Murphy. I’d bet on it. One of my favourite mutuals (who’s very good at these things) swears blind it’s Lizzie, but there’s something about the profile where the cheeks meet her mouth and that tiny bump in her nose. Her hair looks longer than Lizzie’s s4 bob too. It is better than comparing Gaite and Annabelle’s breasts. Anyway, we’ve found our love interest of the series. Jury’s out on whether she’ll be the only one or one of two or three; my anxiety about Lizzie is unabated and May’s in s4. It would be the first series since one to not give Tommy three ladies. *sigh* *crosses fingers* The scene itself calls a bit to Ada and Freddie in 1.01, who met in the tunnel to hide their relationship. We’ll see; whatever it is it’s more intimate than the ‘hands’ bit of the s2 promo or the drunk snogging of s3. I’m just not that interested any more. At least it doesn’t look like she’s a queen on Tommy’s ever-more-acquisitive series of bedpost notches.

That scene in the cell with Arthur? No idea. And the tunnel-walking with gun raised in the lighting that seems designed against intravenous drug use is also a mystery. Though it looks like Victoria Baths to me and there isn’t even a whiff of May so at least that bit of plot is probably not facing reprise.

Cautious optimism abounds for a series that looks to be bringing all those chickens home to roost. There was no emotion that wasn’t pain or fear and after s3 that is apt and deserved. Here’s to the bleak midwinter!