#choices were made for oleg that season

[ruby-red-inky-blue]

I can help. I can show you how to trick the machine.

The Americans: Arpanet (2.07)

[tarisilmarwen]

Rebels Rewatch: “Breaking Ranks”

Ezra acquires some friends and Imperial disguise gear, let’s jump right in.

This show is so pretty sometimes.

The Imperial Dome and the factories look almost like a blight on the scenery in this shot; they look like they’re constructed of completely different materials and they’re distinctly obvious even under the same light.  It’s really quite a lovely use of light/dark color balance.

And pan down for our introduction to the cadet training academy, which as you can see is a completely different building from the Imperial Dome, fandom.

*grumbles*

In distinct and clear contrast to bright homey colors of the Ghost, the Imperial facility is of course clinical, colorless, and sterile, yet another example of the Empire’s austere authoritarian aesthetic.

The only splash of color anywhere are the helmets of our four named cadets.  (And honestly most of that is probably just Doylistically so that we can tell who’s who when they’re moving around the obstacle course.)  Everyone else is faceless and indistinguishable.  Ezra’s sigil is a heroic red, marking him subtly in Rebel Alliance colors.  Oleg’s is duplicitous green (also symbolizing his apparent ambition and avarice), Jai’s is calm blue and Zare’s is clever/creative yellow.

Ngl, hearing Dante Basco’s voice always throws me, my brain hears Zuko and it is super distracting.

Love how Ezra can’t resist a chance to be cheeky lol.

Aresko and Grint making note of Ezra’s uncanny skill and marking him for suspicion AKA Example #45 of the Empire’s relentless persecution of Force Sensitives.  If you’re just a little bit too good at what you do you get pulled aside and assessed for midichlorians and Force potential.  In Legends EU they tested Wedge like five or six times because they refused to believe he was just that skilled lol.

Ahh the camaraderie of students stuck in a horrible school together. <3

Chopper’s Imperial paintjob is a bit more rudimentary and crude this first time.

Kanan having very understandable apprehensions about putting his barely-trained padawan in the midst of a bunch of Imperials.  Don’t think about the anxiety this poor man is having, recalling all his early years of hiding and suppressing and being on the run, looking out for enemies on every side and never knowing who he could trust, and now projecting all of that into his parental worry over Ezra. :)

Kallus barely paying attention to Cadet!Ezra lol.

There hasn’t been much to say about the music thus far, it’s all unique to these scenes, but there’s a bit here where Ezra’s infiltrating the office that’s reminiscent, in instrument choice note progression, of cues used during the Death Star bits in A New Hope.

So we’re agreed that the kyber crystal shipment that Kanan and Hera are trying to stop was 100% going towards the Death Star, right?

Early fandom was pretty certain that the “five year plan” later mentioned this season was leading up to a Death Star reveal and, to be fair, a lot of kyber and doonium they were mining from Lothal was being used in the Death Star project, but no one actually guessed that the Empire’s interest in Lothal was a tad more personal and unique.  (Thrawn’s pet TIE Defenders and the World Between Worlds.)

Kind of a shame they relegated the continuation/conclusion to Dhara’s story to tie-in materials, it would have made a good plot arc in the show proper, especially given that the Force Sensitive children in Season Two were likely being kidnapped for the same endgoal: Project Harvester, one of Palpatine’s many efforts to subdue and control and “manage” free-range Children of the Force.

It was one of the tasks he gave the Inquisitorius, focusing more on capturing and recruiting new baby Force Sensitives rather than hunting down Order 66 survivors.  It’s quite possible that children captured under Project Harvester eventually get drafted into the Inquisitorius but it’s also hinted that they’re experimented on or meant to become some kind of telepathic spy network for Palpatine.

In any case, not a pleasant outcome.

*ALLY ACQUIRED*

Ezra probably wasn’t a stranger to having to backstab “friends” as a street orphan but he’s definitely not enjoying it.

The ruthless hyper-competitive Social Darwinism of the Empire evident in how Aresko encourages the backstabbing here.

Zare playing the part of confused low-level peon that no one tells anything perfectly here, lol.

And Ezra’s trusting enough that he openly uses the Force in front of him.

Zare’s little astonished double-take with his eyes ha ha.

I don’t think they ever confirmed whether or not Jai was actually Force Sensitive, or just talented enough to trip suspicion.  Either way, still probably a good thing Ezra decided to stay to extract him.

(It’s six episodes in and Ezra’s selfless Jedi instincts are already growing, aaaah character development!)

Sabine totally digs Ezra’s hero complex.

Another small note about Ezra’s character development: He now has confidence that they’ll come back for him. :)

Kanan having a small freakout when he hears Ezra didn’t get extracted. <333

Am I the only one who headcanons that Jai’s mom had him a little young?  I dunno, I just kinda get Impoverished Single Mother vibes, maybe that’s why Jai was eager to rank up, even when he heard about the Inquisitor.

Ahhhh one of the classic themes at last!

Ezra jumping in to take the stun shot for Jai, making up for knocking him off last time. :)

The separate sequences are tightly intercut here, great editing work.

Lol the boys sound a little bit shrill here.

The kyber explosion is beautiful.

For the sharp-eyed, the Phantom can dock both forward and backwards.  Kanan parks it nose in into the socket this time.

Rebel Alliance fanfare right here.  And Ezra’s theme once we cut back to him.

SHUT UP AND LET ME HAVE THIS, IT’S CUTE.

Lol Zeb pulling up the speeder and filling it up with kids like it’s a mom van.

Grand looking piiiiiiiiised ha ha.

The warm lighting in this last scene here is lovely, underscores the heartwarming little moment here between Kanan and Ezra nicely.

So the best part of this episode is definitely the fact that we’re already seeing character growth for Ezra, and to a lesser extent Kanan.  Aresko and Grint get a couple humanizing moments that make their eventual offing even more shocking, we befriend a couple allies that come into play later, get glimpses of how the Empire propagandizes their youth, and the first hints of the Empire’s nefarious behind the scenes machinations start bubbling towards the surface.

A solid episode, if relatively low-stakes.  I don’t think I ever quite worried that Ezra would be caught this round (unlike the absolute stressfest that was “An Inside Man” and “Through Imperial Eyes”) but it was still engaging to watch him infiltrate enemy territory and pull a few friends out with him.

It’s the girls’ turn tomorrow. :)

[icedanceupstarts]

Cup of China 2019 Preview

We’re officially halfway through the Grand Prix and no closer to knowing what any of these numbers mean. There are some rather interesting head to heads this week, including the Grand Prix debut of the reigning World Silver Medalists, so maybe it will all finally make sense this week!

Laurence FOURNIER BEAUDRY / Nikolaj SORENSEN CAN

Age: 27/30

Started Skating Together: 2012

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 201.00

Rhythm Dance: Bonnie and Clyde

Free Dance: Cry Me A River

The Canadanes have been having a wonderful season so far, winning Nebelhorn and following it up with their first ever GP medal, all while posting scores high enough to make some top teams a little nervous. Their Bonnie and Clyde rhythm dance especially has been a hit with the fans, with their commitment to the performance and characters as well as that distinctive twizzle sequence. They bring all the drama in their FD with more strong tech and well placed elements. They look good to turn their first season medaling on the Grand Prix into their first season medaling at both of their Grand Prixs, with their biggest competition for the bronze being Hawayek/Baker who they already defeated at Nebelhorn. They have the higher scores thus far, but with the unpredictable scoring trends thus far, that might not mean as much as it has in the past. The flipside of that is that if they bring the levels and the performance, they just might be able to aim higher than bronze, particularly if the top teams here have an off day. Regardless of the outcome here, they have put themselves in an excellent position looking ahead to Canadian nationals high placements at championship events.

 Hong CHEN / Zhuoming SUN CHN

Age: 25/24

Started Skating Together: 2018

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 159.94

Rhythm Dance: It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing

Free Dance: It's All Coming Back to Me Now

YouTube has failed us, I'm sorry. Tracking down videos that don’t get pulled from existence almost immediately remains a dire struggle, but we can say these two had a solid Grand Prix debut a few weeks ago at Skate America. Particularly in the free dance, they showed off the immense progress they've made as a fairly new team. They still have a lot to learn, but they have a certain appeal to them that make them a team to keep an eye out for after a few more years of high level coaching and competitions. Plus her dresses are already gorgeous, so there's that to look forward to as well.

Yuzhu GUO / Pengkun ZHAO CHN

Age: 20/22

Started Skating Together: 2013

Coach: Hongyan Xi, Xun Zheng

Personal Best: 114.41

Rhythm Dance: Quickstep

Free Dance: A Thousand Years

Fresh off the junior circuit, the opportunity the host spot brings is invaluable to any young up and comer, and this team is no different. They’ve had some international competitive experience at both the junior and senior levels already, and now they're getting the chance to compete with some of the best teams in the world. They're probably going to be last, but there are things more important than results, especially for such a young team from a country still developing it's dance program. They actually have a really nice chemistry and emotional connection that is shown off in their lyrical, emotional free dance, as well as a good feel for the music. With more opportunities to grow their technical abilities, they may become another step forward for China's ice dance program.  

Shiyue WANG / Xinyu LIU CHN

Age: 25/25

Started Skating Together: 2010

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 184.72

Rhythm Dance: Charlie Chaplin

Free Dance: Swan Lake

Following their silver medal at Finlandia, Wang/Liu will be starting of their Grand Prix season at home. Their Charlie Chaplin selection for the rhythm dance is honestly super cute. Just a really fun and funny concept that these two and their massive height difference pull off amazingly well. For their free dance - love both Swan Lake and a drama program, do not so much love the structuring of this Swan Lake drama program, but they skate their hearts out. While undoubtedly one of the most warhorse-y warhorses, this type of program is a departure from what Wang/Liu have done with their free dances the past few seasons. We might quibble with the placement of their twizzles but it's a rather charming touch that they're placed them to the part of the music where Odile famously does her 32 fouettes. They’ve had a number of sixth place finishes at Grand Prix events over the years, but this could be their year to break into the top five.

 Misato KOMATSUBARA / Tim KOLETO JPN

Age: 27/28

Started Skating Together: 2016

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 142.09

Rhythm Dance: Dreamgirls

Free Dance: Lord of the Dance

Komatsubara/Koleto have had a rough few months, to say the least. In July Misato got a concussion so bad she couldn't move the lower half of her body, had issues speaking, and her life was in danger, but is competing here now for reasons beyond us?? It's hard to hype a team when all we want to do is shriek at them to GO TAKE A NAP IN THE HOSPITAL but we'll try our best. They competed at Asian Open Trophy last weekend, and while they were far from their best, they're still appealing performers. The biggest problem at the moment is that both programs were choreographed with the intention that they be skated with a certain amount of energy and sharpness that is currently beyond them, particularly in the steps which, understandably, look a little under trained at the moment. Even if it's a while before they're at full strength, it's always a delight to see them skate, even if this week that delight is undercut with concern.

 Sofia EVDOKIMOVA / Egor BAZIN RUS

Age: 22/24

Started Skating Together: 2007

Coach: Oleg Sudakov, Valentin Kuziaev, Artem Kudashev

Season's Best: 167.39

Rhythm Dance: 42nd Street

Free Dance: Schindler's List

Following a bit of a disappointing start to their Grand Prix season, Evdokimova/Bazin will be looking to improve on their results. They had decent levels at their first event but low GOEs kept them at the bottom of the field finishing ninth overall. 42nd Street is one of the more popular choices for the RD, and you can see why. It's perfect for a Finnstep and would carry the program even if their performance ever faltered. Their free dance isn't quite there for us yet-- it's fine, but the program doesn't carry itself the way their rhythm dance does, and it's very easy for this kind of program to dissolve into aimless angst. Their interpretation is evolving, though, and maybe if they hit the right notes this time the judges will see fit to reward them. Their experience together helped carry them to Europeans last season, but they’ll need to keep growing their performance and minimizing errors to try and maintain this advantage over the newer and younger teams they’ll once again be up against at Russian nationals next month.  

Victoria SINITSINA / Nikita KATSALAPOV RUS

Age: 24/28

Started Skating Together: 2014

Coach: Alexander Zhulin

Season's Best: 198.14

Rhythm Dance: Singing in the Rain

Free Dance: I Giorni/Songs My Mother Taught Me

The reigning Russian National Champions and World Silver Medalists are looking to cement their reign as Russian #1 as well as close the gap to the top of the world podium. They competed at one Challenger event this pre-season, which they won, though their seasons best from that event sits quite a bit lower than the other top world competitors. We expect to see that increase to a much more competitive number this weekend. While most of their competitors are increasingly going for more modern looks, Sinitsina/Katsalapov have thus far preferred to keep it classic. Their rhythm dance, while perhaps not quite as astoundingly perfect for them as their tango from last season, is still an excellent program and vehicle for their talents. They've excelled at dramatic programs more recently, so they surprised many fans with how light and charming they can be in this program. Their free dance plays on their classically Russian skating, elegant and stately, making great use of their long lines to hit striking positions. When they last performed it several weeks ago, their free dance lacked some narrative cohesion but they've had time to tighten up the program and rework their interpretation. Given that unlike Chock/Bates, they aren't just coming off a competition, one might tentatively declare them the favorites if they can keep their twizzles under control, often their nemesis in the past.

 Anastasia SKOPTCOVA / Kirill ALESHIN RUS

Age: 19/22

Started Skating Together: 2013

Coach: Svetlana Alexeeva, Elena Kustarova, Olga Riabinina

Personal Best: 179.78

Rhythm Dance: Bonnie and Clyde

Free Dance: Never Tear Us Apart/ Earned It

Happy Birthday Anastasia! These second year seniors have once again gotten off to a bit of a slow start this season, missing the free dance at test skates and only competing at one small domestic event prior to the Grand Prix. But fortunately their GP assignments are on the later side of things so we are excited to finally see them at a major event! It will never fail to astonish that a musical as little loved as Bonnie and Clyde has found so much traction in the figure skating community. It works pretty well for them, and we especially like the opening step sequence. Their new free dance kind of builds off last season's while still being different and feeling fresh. They already have a mature feel to them as a team, and have surprisingly acrobatic lifts for a team with a fairly small height difference. Having a good placement here could be essential to staying afloat in the crowded Russian dance field.  

Madison CHOCK / Evan BATES USA

Age: 27/30

Started Skating Together: 2011

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 204.84

Rhythm Dance: Too Darn Hot

Free Dance: Snake Charmer

After last week Chock/Bates will be looking to clinch their place at GPF with at least a silver medal, if not the gold. Their technical display was not as strong as it was at the beginning of the season or performances they've had in the past, but they've made up for it in other ways. They have a lot of showy highlights in both programs that help keep their marks high even when their levels are low. Their lifts and performance quality especially have always been a strong point for these two. You can say a lot of things about their free dance, but it's a program that easily allows the judges to separate them from other teams and displays their growth in several areas. They're going to be fighting jetlag but they'll want to give stronger performances than last week if they want to make GPF, and especially if they want to win. More lackluster levels could even put them in danger of slipping out of the top two if they make a mistake, but Chock/Bates have been skating with more passion and confidence ever after their coaching change, and the judges seem to be responding accordingly. A strong result here and ideally doing enough to punch their ticket to the GPF would set them up very well to battle for the US national title this season.  

Kaitlin HAWAYEK / Jean-Luc BAKER USA 

Age: 23/25

Started Skating Together: 2012

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 194.77

Rhythm Dance: Disco

Free Dance: Beethoven Flamenco

The reigning US National bronze medalists have had a bit of a bumpy road this season, and they've only had two competitions. They barely hung onto the silver medal in their season opener at Nebelhorn where they were not as competitive as they no doubt would have liked. They posted much higher scores at Skate Canada a few weeks later, but ended up slipping off the podium. They've got another shot at the bronze here, but they'll have to fight their training mates Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen for it. Hawayek/Baker have made a noticeable effort this season to imbue both programs with their offbeat, irreverent personality that hadn't been shown off in their more lyrical programs they became so known for over the past few years. The slow section in their disco RD could use a little more sparkle, but it's a fun program even so. Their weird flamenco with Kaitlin as Marie Antoinette stands out nicely from the rest of the field, but might be a little too weird for the judges? Honestly hard to say, because what is score. If they can convince the judges of their program concept and get another GP medal, it'll put them in a better position to hang onto the National bronze and maybe even move up, especially if the top teams here falter.

[sonisinghworld-blog]

A Fun Beach Themed Wedding During a Hurricane | Adam Mason

We met my first year of school at the University of Maryland, College Park. I turned out to be quick companions with Chris' sister, Kara, who lived in a similar quarters. To me, Chris was Kara's charming more seasoned sibling and we progressed toward becoming companions after some time, however nothing more. Quick forward to 2012, when Chris posted an advertisement on Facebook searching for a flat mate keen on moving to Silver Spring, Maryland. I was living in Columbia, Maryland at the time and needed to be nearer to the city, so I put it all out there and contacted him after not representing years. 

We moved in together with two different flat mates and immediately revived our companionship. We were both dating other individuals at the time, however turned into an emotionally supportive network for each other. It wasn't until I moved out that we understood there was something more than kinship blending and we took a risk on building up a sentimental relationship. It was truly stunning to date somebody who was an incredible companion first!

The Proposal

Chris and I were heading out to Chicago to visit companions for a long end of the week and much to my dismay, he had another arrangement. Chris is a planner, so we arranged a design visit through the city, which was such a treat. The vessel took us through the streams that cut over the center of the city and we took in such a large number of mind boggling sights. Unbeknownst to me, Chris had the wedding band free in his pocket the whole time! When we got off the pontoon, we went for a crisp stroll along the stream and happened upon an adorable play area. The kid/instructor in me couldn't avoid trying out a couple of bits of gear and I before long ended up setting down within a swinging log. Chris twisted down on one knee to enable me to up and before I knew it he was pulling the ring from his pocket and requesting that I wed him. It occurred so rapidly. Tears were running down my face as we grasped and a bystander saw what occurred and offered to snap a photo to celebrate the event. It felt like a fantasy as we visited a greater amount of the city and got together with companions to appreciate celebratory beverages on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building. It genuinely felt like we were on Cloud Nine as we ignored the whole city.

Meeting up

We both truly appreciate the shoreline, and that was our motivation. It is one of our most loved excursion goals and our primary objective for the wedding was to make it the best move party ever. Chris has constantly cherished moving and going to shows, so keeping the move floor stuffed was our fundamental objective. We realized that Mango's had the ideal brilliant, fun, and empowered vibe we were searching for and it helped that it was claimed by our family! When my mother heard 'shoreline subject', Pinterest turned into her closest companion and the rest is history!

Adam Mason was our picture taker. He was inconceivable – really one of the features of the wedding. He conveyed so much vitality and imagination to the night. His photographs really caught our identities and the enjoyment of the whole night. I have suggested him various occasions and our cousin simply utilized his administrations a year ago for her wedding in Lancaster. It really feels like he is a piece of the family!

My cousin, Alex Heidenberger, deals with Mango's Bethany Beach and he was our informal wedding organizer. He is unbelievable! He is very sorted out and focuses on everything about. He realizes how to take control and remove every one of your stresses amid the arranging procedure. It was stunning to have him organize the whole gathering. It took a ton of stress and weight off my plate! I would exceptionally prescribe him and his eatery in the event that you are searching for a fun, laid back vibe for your wedding.

I likewise need to specify our DJ, DJ Paul Entertainment. Paul is the proprietor of his own DJ organization and his child, Dom, was the DJ for our wedding. He was genuinely unimaginable and truly focused on the vibe on the move floor. We instructed him to play cheery radio hits most of the time, except if he felt like there was a respite. Our visitors didn't disillusion and they were on the move floor the whole night! He never played a moderate melody. It was flawlessness.

The Dress

My mother and I went to a couple of various shops, yet wound up back at the first, David's Bridal, selecting an Oleg Cassini dress. The expert was really the one to select the dress. It was structure fitting ribbon, with extraordinary structure – precisely what I envisioned myself wearing on my big day. The main issue was that it was strapless and we understood late in the diversion that even with adjustments it was not going to remain up for the measure of moving I needed to do. My mother and I settled on a very late choice to get a shorter, lighter white dress at Macy's for later in the gathering. It wound up being the best choice in light of the fact that the dress gave me the opportunity to move unreservedly without stress.

The Suit

Chris needed something easygoing and beachy so he made a beeline for Macy's and discovered a light dim Calvin Klein suit. He matched it with light dark colored shoes, a fresh white shirt, a blue handkerchief, and a blue tie (which tied in with my blue hydrangeas).

The Ceremony

The function was a genuine portrayal of the collaboration it takes to pull off a great wedding day. With the typhoon clearing out the whole beachfront we settled on the very late choice to move the function to the bandstand on the Bethany Beach promenade. My folks were going around on the morning of to get allows and guarantee we were permitted to hold the function there. The whole family pitched into the get the seats, passage, and blossoms set up. It sincerely appeared as though it was intended to be there from the start.

The function comprised of Chris' father as the minister, Chris' sibling, Jamin, as the best man and my sister, Katie as the lady of respect. Our nieces, Sydney, Ellie, and Abby were the blossom young ladies and our nephew, Nate, was the ringbearer. My dad strolled me down the passageway as a hundred of our dearest loved ones demonstrated the veracity of such an awesome minute. We composed our own pledges and read a rundown of guarantees to each other. It was extremely close to home and sincere. The unforeseen part was the 30 to 40 spectators who halted along the footpath to take in the function and root for us. The following day individuals even halted us, remembering us from the service, and complimenting us on the wedding. It was a really astonishing background.

The most entertaining minute must be our pledges and guarantees amid the function. Chris' comical inclination truly came through and had every one of us laughing out loud. I tossed in a couple entertaining recollections and Adam figured out how to catch an image of us both snickering in the meantime. He caught the happiness and delight of the entire day at that time.

Having my dad walk me down the walkway was imperative to me, however nothing else was conventional. We endeavored to keep our service short, basic, and significant.

The Reception

Our motivation was shoreline, shoreline, shoreline!

I kept the hair low and pulled back. I picked our white and blue hydrangeas, and all the wedding subtleties were shoreline themed. Lights with candles and seashells for focal points, shoreline themed cake and cupcakes, shoreline themed wedding signs. Truly, the eatery justified itself being recently remodeled with brilliant, beachy paintings on the dividers. It didn't require an excessive amount of styling to get the vibe we needed.

For our first move, we moved to Frank Sinatra's 'The Way You Look Tonight', sung by our family companion, Deirdre Jennings-Jones. It was great, rich, and sweet. We cherished its straightforwardness and abbreviated it a tad to guarantee we were not on the move floor alone for a really long time! Neither one of us very like being main focus.

When I think about our wedding I simply think about the moving.

I don't think Chris and I left the move floor the entire night. Everybody remarked that they had never observed a wedding where such huge numbers of individuals were on the move floor promptly and remained the whole night. Be that as it may, in the event that I needed to pick a most loved minute, I would need to state the sparklers toward the finish of the gathering, which were quite otherworldly. The majority of our visitors assembled around outwardly deck and we lit sparklers in the meantime. Chris and I were in the center and felt so much love and happiness as we were encompassed by the majority of our nearest family and companions. It was the ideal method to end the night.

Difficulties and Triumphs

Basic leadership was my greatest test. I will in general be an extremely ambivalent individual and if not for Chris, my mother, and Alex, I don't assume this day would have been conceivable. They assumed responsibility and made the whole procedure less demanding. I had a feeling that I could take on any test with such a solid group on my side. The greatest triumph was cost-cutting, on account of the extraordinary liberality of my family.

[zorkaya-moved]

―  A wolf is no less a wolf because he's dressed in sheepskin and the devil is no less the devil because he's dressed as an angel.

It is important to remember where Zarina came from before coming to Japan. I will not be touching on Victor’s part in this meta, but it will come later because the older twin was able to slither around in the society and assimilate there much better because she was considered a “healthy” citizen. Let’s start talking about the past of Inspector Zarina Sokolova that is NOT fully known to everyone, but it can give hints about her behavior, word choice, and approaches towards missions and relations in general. 

Without hiding anything, both Zarina and Victor are children of a higher up in the underworld who have been one of the leading forces in Russia from “under the ground.” They were not known on the level of governors, but they were one of the leading forces that brought up corruption. With that in mind, Zarina and Victor have been taught how to protect themselves, kill, and how to lead. When it comes to Zarina, her arrogance as a child - since similarly to her canon - was caused by her not needing to be in company of kids and her being able to keep up conversations about complicated matters with adults as a teen made her think she’s invincible. However, once again, similarly to her canon, Zarina was abducted and tortured, unable to escape until she was saved by her mother who died while saving her daughter. Her father wanted to send his kids to Japan after pulling on the strings and being able to have the twins & Aleksey’s grandparents able to bring their grandchildren to Japan for safety. Oleg was killed while protecting his son Aleksey, who also passed away during the attack while twins were dragged out on a helicopter and moved to Japan. Zarina during that time was unable to move after being saved from the torture and has been recovering from her injuries, which were only fully healed in Japan while being cared for in hospitals with the best technology. 

After giving the short rundown on Zarina’s past and some experience, let me explain what it means in a better detail when it comes to skillset. Zarina is a survivor and a fighter at her heart. Her views and her approaches are cut-throat and straightforward, always calculating risks and creating the best plans without letting arrogance take over after the traumatizing experience. Inspector Sokolova is somewhat similar to a combination of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler, analytical and observant. She’s much less emotionally inclined than Victor, which lets her be much more logical and create plans without letting bias and emotions shake them. As someone who has come from the “lawless land” where a lot of things NEVER go according to the most perfect plan, she knows that the “true perfect plan” is a plan that is flexible, thought out, able to change based on circumstances. This is her true power throughout seasons of Psyc.ho P.ass as a possible villain: to understand your enemy, become the enemy and know every single weak spot they might have. Zarina develops her plan on bringing down Sibyl no by destroying it, but by making people face the truth when they are not ready, which may or may not happen depending on her developing interactions on this blog. Inspector Sokolova is patient, tenacious, 

Zarina has been in sniping position as a child, she has been as a fighter/soldier on the field, she has seen how people fuck up. Both Victor and Zarina have been child soldiers, assassins, whatever you can call it. Their parents couldn’t allow their children to have a childhood with all the pain in their hearts because the outer world was not kind to normal citizens and especially to them. Zarina’s interest has always been in human behavior and study similar to Saiga, it’s certainly important to note that they have a very, very similar behavior but Saiga is older and more experienced with age while Sokolova has experience with people from “the outside land,” which gives her another perspective when it comes to understanding the minds of ‘criminals’ and their actions. Saiga will know of Zarina’s innate darkness and coldness, her efficient nature and her “beastly” nature that not many have in general; if there is someone who is unpredictable, it’s her because you never know what will sway her interest (she is both fox and serpent). I will go as far as state that Saiga might be the very person to give Akane the knowledge of Zarina’s true nature instead of Sokolova being found out by Tsunemori after a year and a half by S2. The fact that there is something in her that disturbs him greatly; however, the fact that her CC is never higher than 37% it might be his deduction, but I can see him actually telling Akane about the possible way Zarina’s mind works, which is connected to efficiency, survival, but also... control, apathy, and sharp observation. 

The latter three being the most important because it will lead into another meta that will contribute to Inspector Sokolova’s unique ability of strategizing and planning. After all, there is no one who have yet beaten her in a game of chess, ladies and gentlemen. 

Zarina may pretend to be a funny happy-go-lucky and laid-back clown as an Inspector who keeps people curious, however...

It doesn’t take away the way she commands Enforcers with power and charisma. 

It doesn’t take away the fact that she is much more well-versed in dangerous situations that others may not be. 

It doesn’t take away the fact that she has been taught how to kill and how to “hunt” others for survival.

It doesn’t take away the fact that she is that good at her job is because she is a natural-born genius who is that good at hiding her true calculative and manipulative nature. 

It doesn’t take away the fact that she one of the most patient and tenacious people who will act her part for years and years until the bomb about her true nature will ever be dropped because there is almost no one who she cares about besides 2 people as of now. 

Zarina is dangerous because she is an unpredictable sleeping beast who is thankfully not into causing actual destruction in Tokyo nor have any plans for it as of S2. I will write more about her skillset and abilities in another meta because this got very long. 

All in all, Zarina’s environment is the reason for her merciless true nature but she does hold back a lot to “fit in” with the society. The thing is, her ability help her “fit in” but it doesn’t mean she “belongs” there. This is important to underline: Zarina is a pretender, an actress, and a liar. Her warm and friendly nature is a lie to many but who will believe if you say it to others when so many believe another truth and without proof your words are nothing but a lie? Think about it. 

Who has more weight in this situation? Someone who has a solid rock-hard reputation in consistently being “someone” or you who has no proof to showcase the lies hiding under the guise of sunlight? The sheep may actually be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but if you cannot pinpoint the ears or fangs, no other sheep will listen to you. If you cannot find the serpent whispering to Eve not to eat the forbidden fruit, it’s all the humans’ curiosity fault and the serpent still remains in the Gardens of Eden as justice is not served. 

[aion-rsa]

Vikings Season 6 Episode 20 Review: The Last Act

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This Vikings review contains spoilers.

Vikings Season 6 Episode 20

“I left when the sadness became too much.”

There’s a certain sadness that accompanies the moment we must say goodbye to the beloved characters of a television series that captivates so much of our emotional capital and also demands we examine our own spirituality and moral principles. Vikings has reached the end of its run, and while some may find the conclusion somewhat dissatisfying, the acknowledgement that the past must be left behind resonates powerfully not only throughout the series finale, but the entire back half of the season as well. 

Some fans of the series left after the death of Ragnar Lothbrok arguing that the writing suffered and the remaining characters lacked the ability to carry the narrative. I am not among them. As a reviewer, I tried to judge each episode on its merits within the context of the overall series, not against the historical accuracy it may or may not have achieved. That said, like many series’ finales, “The Last Act” brings with it a bittersweet close to the glimpse we’ve had into the gradual transformation of the Vikings during the latter stages of the first millennium. Nevertheless, Vikings creator and writer Michael Hirst leaves viewers with three story arcs that reach natural and compelling closures.

Even though viewers have much more investment in the exploits of the sons of Ragnar, the situation in Kattegat bears examination and a bit of praise. With Harald, Ivar, and Erik now dead, Queen Ingrid’s rise to power is now complete, and if the cries of “Long live the queen” are a true indicator of the people’s feelings towards their new leader, we can only speculate what changes lie ahead in Kattegat. We have no doubt that Gunnhild would have successfully led the village into the future, but the question we’re left with is whether the witch Ingrid not only deserves to wear the crown but possesses the wherewithal to carry out the duties the people deserve. Will she rule through fear or love? Have her experiences and those of her freed slave partner given them the insight and compassion to rule for the good of the people? I guess we’ll never know.

We don’t really need to go to the history books to know how the battle in Wessex is going to turn out, but this chapter of the Vikings saga is as much about the growth of King Alfred as it is about Ivar the Boneless and his brother Hvitserk. When Ivar requests a parley with Alfred and admits “we are still fighting like our fathers did,” there’s a brief moment when we think this might turn out differently than expected. Interestingly, before giving his answer to Ivar, Alfred looks to Elsewith as if he’s not certain how to respond. She’s made plain her feelings about her husband’s apparent weaknesses, and whether her steely stare buoys his spirits or not, his refusal reminds us that this is the man who eventually carries the label “the Great” along with his name. 

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A good portion of the episode is devoted to the battle with Alfred’s Saxon army, and while there’s nothing new here, Hirst, once again, delivers a solid action sequence that makes judicious use of slow motion and quick flashbacks that provide a call back to pivotal moments in the characters’ lives. However, it’s the moments of doubt both Alfred and Ivar struggle with that stand out as they question whether their god is truly with them in this life and death encounter. Ivar remembers the pain of Hvitserk’s desertion to Ubbe only to have his older brother jump ship at the last moment to stay with him in Kattegat. Though he fears the All Father has abandoned him here, we see he still holds out hope that the tide of the battle will change with Divine intervention.

The Lothbrok brothers have enjoyed a tenuous relationship, but as both sense death just around the corner, we’re given a moving exchange when Ivar tells Hvitserk to leave the battle and save himself. This simple gesture is likely the catalyst that propels Hvitserk onto his new path, but it also appears to give Ivar the strength to make his last stand. As he cries out “I will live forever,” it’s difficult to forget the similar ravings of Prince Oleg just before his death at the hands of his nephew. And even though we really don’t need the explanation, it’s a nice touch to have Hvitserk recount that “one day everyone will know of Ivar the Boneless.”

Entering this battle we are fairly certain King Harald doesn’t plan to return alive to Kattegat, and while Ivar’s death doesn’t come as a complete surprise, it’s narrative execution does. We see his leg and will give way several times during the battle, but it’s his final stand that’s a bit puzzling as he allows a young Saxon soldier free rein to kill him. “Don’t be afraid,” Ivar tells the man, but the complexity of this brief scene also includes Alfred who witnesses the event from mere yards away. Despite viewing the Vikings as savages, Alfred watches the tender scene as Hvitserk holds his dying brother in his arms. “Just leave me here with my brother for a moment,” he tells the now kneeling king, who is so moved by what he sees that he immediately crosses himself.  As the camera zooms out to an aerial shot looking down on the three men and Alfred’s burning cross, we can’t help but view this as the Christian God and the Norse gods looking down on these brave soldiers.

However, the larger twist to come out of the Wessex battle occurs when Hvitserk talks to Ivar’s grave and tells him to “enjoy Valhalla, brother, while it still exists.” While leaving the old ways behind has clearly been a central theme of the episode, this statement acknowledges that even their religious beliefs may need to be re-examined. We get our first hint that something’s afoot with Hvitserk when we see him brought to Wessex on a cart after his wounds have clearly been carefully dressed by Alfred’s surgeons. The flash forward to his decision to embrace Christianity and leave the Norse gods behind fits nicely with his father’s curiosity of faith. And how perfect that Alfred tells Hvitserk that from now on he’ll be known as “Athelstan, our brother in Christ.” The call back to Ragnar’s relationship with his Christian friend just works.

And while matters in Wessex and Kattegat get settled, at least for the time being, it’s Ubbe’s new world that holds the most promise moving forward and ends up as the most compelling aspect of the saga. We finally learn Floki’s fate, and while there were likely logistical reasons for Gustaf Skarsgård’s (Floki) absence during the last season, Hirst comes through with a perfectly acceptable explanation while at the same time giving Ubbe a hand in learning to live with the Native American tribe that welcomes them. However, it’s once again the tie-in to Ragnar that can’t be overlooked. “This is what he [Ragnar] was searching for,” and Ubbe understands that they cannot continue in the old ways. 

Nevertheless, when Naad asks about gold, we know where this is headed, and Ubbe’s response to the murder of the young tribe member is sure and unambiguous. What’s left to ponder is how the leader Pekitaulet (Carmen Moore) will react to this violent act. There seems to be no question the punishment will be swift and severe, but the initial choice of the Blood Eagle contradicts Ubbe’s desire to move forward rather than look to the past. Had he carried out the punishment, its savage brutality and cruelty may have had the opposite effect Ubbe intends. Fortunately, he changes tact and slits Naad’s throat instead, calling on the “eye for an eye” system of justice. It’s a wise decision.

With Ubbe and Torvi at the helm, it seems likely that the two groups will not only peacefully coexist but actually thrive as they openly share their collective knowledge. Still, it’s wise that Pekitaulet explains her stance in no uncertain terms. “When we said you were welcome to this place, we did not mean you were welcome to possess it.” Even so it’s what happens next that shows the untapped potential inherent in this land. So moved by her words, Torvi hugs Pekitaulet with such emotion that it’s clear, not only do the two women understand each other, they’re in total agreement. It’s a truly beautiful moment.

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We knew Vikings would eventually bring an end to its various story arcs, and has typically been the case, “The Last Act” seamlessly blends the three Viking tales into a coherent whole. Perhaps Floki’s advice to Ubbe says it best: “Let the past go.” And so we shall. 

The post Vikings Season 6 Episode 20 Review: The Last Act appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[kingmaker-thac0hno]

The Kingdom of Thornvale: A Year’s End

The month of Kuthona, 4711 

By Kuthona, the cold winds of winter have settled across the lands, and most folk stay indoors by the warmth of the fire. The Lords of Thornvale announce their plans for the month, expanding the kingdom northwest along the Thorn River, and seeking to construct a horse ranch in the hills northwest of Haven. 

Evrin works with prominent members of the Haven militia to familiarize themselves with the newly constructed ballista, practicing the slaying of various tree stumps and old barrels. He speaks with Thefina about the construction of a swivel base for the weapon, which she promises to begin working on next month, as she is dedicated to building a school for Lord Stonewalker.

The halfling begins a series of drills at the nearby Stag Lord's fort, and though the weather is unfavorable, many of the militia dutifully trudge there for practice. A few comment on the halfling's desire to fish on the Tuskwater during middle of winter - in truth, Evrin was acting to sink the enchanted and fey-touched Thorny Crown to the bottom of the lake. 

Evrin speaks to Jubilost about the recent discovery of the Taldan burial site, and the little gnome is ecstatic. He immediately packs up his things and enlists the help of his gnomish companions to prepare for a journey to the site. Within a few days, the small group is able to reach the crypt and set up camp. Jubilost informs Evrin that he will likely stay here for some time to properly document and categorize his findings. At first glance, however, the gnome is able to explain some of the site.

Long ago, before the Golden Age of Taldor, the young country sent many explorations parties out to settle these lands. If my suspicions are correct, this site seems to be from that era. The markings on the walls and the arrangement of the burial site seem to indicate a person of some stature - perhaps a noble or warrior-knight. The sheer number of books here is astounding, which is indicative of a scholar. They are remarkably well-preserved, and the handful I dared to touch all appear to be written in old Taldan script. Some of these texts appear to be of a magical nature, and I have refrained from examining those in detail until I can be sure of their safety.

There are some interesting observations I can make, however. First, there appears to be a book missing from this crypt. Did one of your men take it? A surveyor perhaps? Something to look into, certainly: where it went, and why they took it?

Second, the deceased corpse from the sarcophagus, see it there? The crown on its head? It appears as though a gemstone once rested within it. Though I have not once seen a gemstone with such an odd, notch-shaped cut. It too, appears taken. At first I thought it may have simply fallen out in the battle, but no! Look there, and there - upon the gold, what do you see? Those little scrapes could only have been made by a knife or dagger.

Third, you are right. The shield here is indeed missing. You can tell by the depressions on the shield-arm here and here, where the shield straps were fastened. It would have been rounded, likely with a high or low grip as was commonplace at the time - not a center grip shield like we do now. Though I am confounded as to why someone would take the shield, and leave the sword. Or how it would have lasted all these ages, as the wood surely would have disintegrated by now.

Hopefully, these books will hold some answers, though I suspect the missing one is key. 

*** Karis speaks to Kimble the tailor and Quill the Blacksmith, setting them to crafting various outfits and wrist dagger-sheaths. They, along with Thefina and her hidden-compartment crates, set to working and by the end of Kuthona have suitable products for use. He directs Lathon to continue drills with the Aldori - now taking place at the nearby ruined fort. The sailor looks hale and much more resilient than earlier in the year, and his demeanor reflects it. 

Daily visits with his wyvern maintain the bond between the two, but the winter weather has made the creature lethargic and slow. It seems to sleep more and prefers the warmth of the fire.  Throughout the month Karis dedicates many nights to meditation, seeing to connect with his patron - but the Lady remains disturbingly quiet.

Much time is spent on training with the young boy Rhys in learning the elven language and the subterfuge tradecraft. Though a few grumpily shoo the boy, most commoners in Haven often laugh at the lad as he slinks about the town, playing at being a sneakthief. Karis sends the boy on several play-missions such as how many pints is Oleg consuming between breakfast and dinner, performing some infiltration exercises, such as lifting some of Saryn’s fancy boots and returning the footwear before he notices them missing.

Unfortunately, the lad stumbles, and is caught red-handed by the Lord Saryn With a wink, he offers a few unsettling words. Momma always told me taking things without asking was asking for trouble!  With that, sinewy elongated tongues jut forth from deep within each of the boots wrapping around the lad’s forearms as fangs tear through the fine leather cuffs and begin gnashing hungrily at his hands. Rhys, screaming in terror, yells, Lord Karis told me to do it! He told me to do it!

After a few moments, Saryn calmly explains, If you apologize to my mimic I am certain he will probably not devour you, but you should probably be far more careful in the future- especially when breaking into a house full of monsters!

Rhys, realizing he is unharmed, apologizes, and explains the exercise. He then sulks away sheepishly, returning to Lord Karis, who takes the opportunity to relay to the boy that failure and learning from these exercises within the confines of Thornvale is far more forgiving than far reaches of its enemies.

***

Upon returning to Blackstag from Haven, once well upon the waters of the Tuskwater, Odis says over his shoulder  Well, it’s getting better...but they still don’t think of us as equals.

After a moments pause, Arna responds, ‘Cause we are not equals. We’re yet to provide to the kingdom main  At this Odis actually stops paddling and turns to meet her  We now is it?

Arna ignores the jest, surprised herself at her choice of pronouns. We know their needs, needs they have been trying to fill, but have been unable...you’ve been trading with Mivon, tell me about them.

What, the eel eaters? Walled city built on a bog. Lots of folk, but short on resources, nasty bunch of gangs. Duels weekly right in the square, damned waste of good swordsmen if you ask me, came the reply. 

Let’s make a trip this month, take 3 or so of the fairest looking widows. See if we can convince some apprentice or journeymen to come to Blackstag in the spring. Men will come at the promise of getting their wicks wet or finding a bride along with the coin they’d make. 

And so Odis, Arna, and several other women from Blackstag head south to Mivon. The journey is cold and slow, as they paddle down the Little Sellen Rriver via canoe. There are remarkably few dwarves in Mivon, and the city smells vaguely of peat. Nearly everyone here seems to dress in the style of the Aldori duelists, and virtually everyone with a sword seems to have the colors of one house or another emblazoned upon his person. Finally, a warm tavern is a welcome sight, and within, Arna gets to know the folk around town.

Little do they realize that they have ended up in the lower quarter of Mivon, full of the un-desirables. Two near-fistfights and a bowl of spoilt gruel later, Odis and the dwarf end up in a quiet discussion with the waitress, a lass of maybe 15, curious as to why such foreigners would come to her town. After a brief discussion of their mission, the gal excuses herself, promising to return.

Later that evening, the small group is approached by a rough-looking gentleman, but one clearly respected ( perhaps feared?) by his companions. He's heard of Arna's story, and comes with a proposition:

I have, at times, a need to relocate people out of Mivon. Good people. People who shouldn't have to face bad things. It seems that you are looking for people with skills. These people, my people, often do. It seems we may be able to help each other.  Take your time, think it over. Have a meal on me - the good stuff, not that swill you’ve been eating. When you decide, let the lass know.

The man turns to leave, but as he does so, he speaks one final time, We never met, understood? 

*** 

Continuing their plans for a school in Haven, Thefina and Stonewalker enlist a number of idle folk to help with the work. The going is very slow, as the cold ground makes digging difficult, but by the end of the month, the school stands - doors open for new students in the new year.  

Regarding the position of instructor, Stonewalker speaks to many of the skilled folk in Haven, who all politely decline. Most - like Kimble Purling, Grutzner Brasse, Ardbeg, and Thefina herself ( among others) openly offer to take on younger apprentices to teach their trade, but most express that they have no time for classroom teaching ( and a few suggest that the classroom is no place to practice a trade).  As such, no full-time teacher is found to staff the school. One of the local mothers, Midge, volunteers as nanny. In addition, a missive is sent to Blackstag informing them of the opportunity for education for their youth.

Stonewalkers biweekly meetings of various tradesfolk in Haven have encouraged more and more residents to speak up regarding suggestions. Jubilost Nartropple, recently retuned to Haven, suggests that a library of sorts would be good for academics, and is willing to contribute the first book to it's collection: The Mysteries of Mivon: An Exploration of the Eastern River Kingdoms, by none other than himself. In addition, he would like someplace where he could buy some decent ink.  

Oleg mentions some warehouses to store surplus furs during hunting season, and one of the local farmers mentions that the cellar underneath Havenhall is getting rather full - suggesting that perhaps a granary is in order. A few of the fishermen in town suggest a establishing a curing house where they can salt excess fish for trade ( or a winter stockpile).

***

Saryn continues his tradition of aiding those in town, speaking words of inspiration to the departing surveying expedition and singing songs of rejuvenation to the workers at the ranch. By now, he has come to know the majority of the residents of Haven, and is able to quickly find and speak with the halfling seeking to create a gathering place for burrowing folk near the old sycamore. 

Furret Quickfoot explains that he would like to convert the hill under the sycamore to a home for all burrowing sorts - a haven ( near Haven!) for little folk, filled with amenities that suit their kind. Though not nearly as proficient as the battle-hardened lords, the little halfling seems skilled enough with the blade, and light of foot to boot.

Another brief visit to the giant finds him sitting next to a roaring fire made from uprooted trees and surrounded by empty barrels of ale. Munguk is cold and miserable, and very, very drunk.  Munguk walk see mommy, but she not home. Munguk wait. No come back. Mommy gone! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

After a bit, Saryn is able to calm down the sobbing giant, and Munguk agrees that sitting in the cold hills sucks, and would rather go someplace warmer - provided there's something to drink. 

Additional training with the owlbear and wyvern is difficult, as both creatures seem lethargic and slow. The young owlbear cub seems to just want to sleep all day, and the wyvern stubbornly refuses to leave the warm stone of the fireplace. As such, Saryn makes very little progress with any sort of 'training'.  

***

The end of the month brings the end of the year as well, and various small celebrations during Winter Week.  The Sootscale kobolds dedicate quiet moments to Aspu during their Time of Reminiscence.  Lady Garess is spotted during the Winter Solstice, performing the Ritual of Stardust by singing songs and dancing about a blazing bonfire.

during the last week of the month, with construction of the school complete and Arangin's Acerage finished, the surveyors from upriver return to Haven, happily chatting among themselves and declaring their job complete.  

Most Havenites stay indoors to mark the Final Day, waiting for spirits of the years' dead to pass by their doors on the Night of the Pale, and emerging the next morning to welcome in the new year: 4712 AR.

Turn 17; Abadius, 4712 AR

Petitions:

Cedrin reports that Jubilost has left Haven again, eastablishing a camp near the old Taldan burial site. 

Cedrin reports that the workers sent to construct the Graniteworks upon the quarry site still refuse to return to work, and are scared of the giant bird who attacked the site in the previous month. 

Cedrin reports that he has been able to process the many requests for land from the citizens of Haven. Virtually all of them are requests for small family farm plots in the outlying hills. 

Cedrin has collected the submissions for the name of the newly constructed road. A full listing ( sans duplicates) is as follows. 

The Kamelands Pass

Four Lord’s Road

Haven’s Trail 

Kesten’s Way

The Eastern Stolen Trail

Rue de Garess

The Stag’s Path

Handor’s Highway

Edicts:

You may issue two (2) edicts for the month of Abadius.

[actutrends]

Why Orthodox Christians are losing faith in Putin

MOSCOW– As Vladimir Putin prepared to return to the Kremlin for a third term of workplace in 2012, Patriarch Kirill, the powerful head of the Russian Orthodox Church, explained the ex-KGB officer’s guideline as a “miracle of God.”

The patriarch’s comments, made throughout a pre-election televised conference with Putin, were a plain illustration, critics stated at the time, of the erosion of the separation of church and state, as specified by Russia’s much-abused post-Soviet constitution. Over the following years, Putin, who professes a deep Orthodox belief, would move to ultra-conservatism, positioning himself as a protector of standard Christian worths.

Flash forward to 2019, and while the organization of the Russian Orthodox Church stays broadly devoted to the nation’s nonreligious authorities, the Kremlin’s relations with grassroots believers– once deemed a bedrock of support for Putin– are significantly tense.

Not just did Orthodox Christians comprise a significant number of ball games of protesters who took to the streets in pro-democracy demonstrations throughout Russia this year; a number of them freely mentioned their faith as premises for acting.

The severe crackdown on demonstrators in Moscow– where opposition politicians were disallowed from running in city elections, sparking mass unrest– was a turning point for lots of.

” This is the first time ever that the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church have taken collective action that was not approved by the church authorities” — Ksenia Luchenko, religion specialist

” I signed up with the protests this summertime due to my religious beliefs,” said Elena Morgunova, a 27- year-old financial services employee in Moscow. “Jesus Christ said, ‘Love one another as I have loved you’ and he died on the cross for us. You simply can not be indifferent when you see people suffering, when you see unfair court judgements.”

Their desire to sign up with the pro-democracy rallies has actually put spiritual Russians in the crosshairs of the larger crackdown on opposition figures. It has likewise prompted an unmatched response from specific spiritual leaders themselves, who are progressively putting their heads above the parapet to safeguard the worths they connect with their beliefs and which they view as being breached by the Russian authorities.

In September, Russian Orthodox priests signed an open letter condemning what they called the “repressive” trials of more than 2 dozen protesters– most of them in their twenties or thirties– who have actually been charged for taking part in the protests. To date, 6 of the protesters stay behind bars waiting for trial, while 8 more have been handed jail terms of up to five years.

” We appeal to those with judicial power who serve in the law enforcement agencies of our nation.

Russian Orthodox church structures in main Moscow|Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images

The letter was an extraordinary display screen of clerical independence. It revived memories of dissident priests such as Father Gleb Yakunin, who campaigned for human rights throughout the officially atheist Soviet period.

Vedomosti, a day-to-day organisation paper, called the relocation by the priests a “brave and deeply Christian action” that was invited by large numbers of followers.

” This is the very first time ever that the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church have actually taken collective action that was not sanctioned by the church authorities,” Ksenia Luchenko, a religion expert, wrote in a piece for the Carnegie Moscow Centre think tank.

” The letter is currently inscribed in the church’s history.”

When Alexei Minyailo, an Orthodox believer known for his charitable work and political advocacy, was arrested in Moscow previously this year, police officers robbed his house and confiscated an indication that read “Love is stronger than worry,” a paraphrase of a Scriptural verse.

A number of Orthodox priests attended his court hearings in a show of support, and charges of calling for mass discontent were ultimately dropped.

” In Orthodoxy, there has actually long been a custom of staying silent.

The institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, nevertheless, has come out powerfully against breaking the silence.

The priests’ letter provoked an instant rebuke, with the Church’s spokesman, Vakhtang Kipshidze implicating the clerics of meddling in politics. A minimum of one of the signatories was apparently disallowed from performing church services.

” The church is a part of society. It can not exist in a vacuum” — Oleg Batov, Orthodox priest

” A [political] struggle with the authorities has actually never been and will never be the church’s mission,” Kipshidze said.

The priests who signed the letter felt they had no choice, Dad Oleg Batov, among the signatories, said in an interview at his 16 th-century Church of the Dormition of Theotokos, a brief walk from the Kremlin.

” The church belongs of society. It can not exist in a vacuum,” Batov, wearing a standard black cassock and a big metal cross, said. Paraphrasing the words of St. Augustine, an early Christian theologian, he included: “A state devoid of justice is no much better than a band of robbers.”

” There were some cases when authorities officers preferred to resign, rather than take part in the whipping of serene protesters,” Batov stated.

The Kremlin has been implicated of making use of religious beliefs to whip up hatred against Ukrainians|Vasily Maximov/AFP by means of Getty Images

The heavy-handed arrests at this summer season’s election protests aren’t the only problem to cause issue amongst the community.

Orthodox Christians have likewise spoken up in assistance of eight people from Moscow and surrounding towns who are facing up to 10 years in prison after being implicated of forming an “extremist” motion named New Greatness that allegedly outlined the violent topple of the government.

The defendants, 2 of whom were in their teens when they were arrested, reject the charges, and state they were framed by a representative from the FSB intelligence firm who infiltrated their online chats and offered financing for their “motion.” Critics implicate FSB representatives of inventing the charges to enhance their criminal activity clear-up rates.

” This group of young people talked about politics in McDonald’s and dreamed of making our nation much better, now they are accused of extremism.

Possibly the most striking symbol of growing Christian resistance to Putin’s rule is the significant conversion of Dmitry Tsorionov, the former leader of God’s Will, a now-defunct radical Orthodox group that as soon as vandalized “blasphemous” art exhibitions and performed physical attacks on liberal activists.

Tsorionov, who passed the nickname Enteo, was the pin-up boy for a generation of ultra-conservative Orthodox activists. He worked carefully with leading church figures, consisting of Daddy Vsevolod Chaplin, Patriarch Kirill’s former spokesman.

Nowadays, Tsorionov is presently in a relationship with Maria Alyokhina, an activist with the Pussy Riot feminist art group. He’s most likely to be seen at opposition demonstrations or campaigning for the elimination of tips of the Soviet age from Russia’s streets.

Dmitry Tsorionov, a previous Orthodox radical, who now objects with Russia’s opposition|Kirill Kallinikov/Sputnik via Belga

” Monstrous propaganda and xenophobia because [the Kremlin’s annexation of] Crimea has actually made lots of Russian Orthodox believers to understand that our society is heading in the wrong direction, and it is not possible to identify with evil,” Tsorionov, 30, said in an interview in main Moscow.

He likewise implicated the Kremlin of exploiting religious beliefs to work up hatred against Ukrainians. “Young people, with weapons in their hands, headed en masse to southeastern Ukraine under the banner of Christ,” he stated.

Like other Orthodox opposition figures, Tsorionov says that while Putin, who often goes to church services, might really believe in God, he has a twisted view of Christianity that does not leave out purchasing attacks on political challengers.

” Any individual can come to faith,” stated Minyallo.

The post Why Orthodox Christians are losing faith in Putin appeared first on Actu Trends.