#fe series salt

[randomnameless]

Reverse uno card : Jugdral edition

2014 : "yay, i can't wait for a Judgral remake, with updated graphics!!!"

2024 : "gods please no remake"

What happened in ten years to make me dread the remake I would have sold my soul for back in the days?

Well... IS's policies and new writing, mainly.

While I was joking about "Genealogy of the Holy Self Insert" in 2015, I still had faith in eventual Jugdral remakes. Sure, we were in the big Fateswakening era where the only things I could frown at IS were the "writings" worshipping self inserts (Ryoma being jealous of Corn's talents, when Corn was like, 5?) - but I still had hope for a more "serious" FE, and I first I was very delighted by FE15 - no self insert, a more "serious" setting, no hyperbolic time chambers to try to explain in watsonian words why second gens exist, etc...

But there was still something ringing dead wrong with FE15, which I only noticed thanks to FE16 and its years of discourse - at one point, IS's writing went in a certain direction that makes it impossible, imo, for us to have a "correct" Jugdral remake, as long as IS still follows this direction.

I'm not talking about uwufest - even if it is part of the larger problem - but back in FE15, I remember being really pissed at the schizophrenia of the plot : saying one thing and the inverse at the same time.

The narration reminds us of the classic Kaga lesson : whatever madness exists in dragon/gods, a greater madness/evil lurks in the heart of men.

And yet, we have the Hero (who was so cajoled by the plot that, at times, you have to wonder if Alm wasn't the devs's self insert, he's lavished with praises almost as extensively as Ike was!) saying nonsense - without being contradicted by characters at all (or when Celica does it, she admits later she's wrong) - like Duma being responsible, mainly, for the events that transpired in Valentia and, novelty that wouldn't have been in the original game since the character was made for the remake, Berkut's fall and madness.

By that point in the game, the player saw that Berkut hunts low class people for what he sees and perceives as sport, is the textbook classicist asshat noble, but has a lot of pression on his shoulders due to his role of being the heir of the Empire, pression that isn't alleviated at all by his Uncle who mocks him and refuses to give him a third chance... to fight against a person said uncle very well knows cannot be defeated by Berkut himself, especially as said Uncle pretended to "care" for him, only to pit him against his trueborn son whom he names his heir just before dying.

Point is : Berkut feels betrayed by Rudy and goes mad - because of this betrayal : Rudolph named him heir when he fully knew Alm was alive and was the true heir he always wanted, in Berkut's eyes, no matter what he did, it wouldn't have mattered to Rudolph since Rudolph planned on giving Alm his throne since day 1 - of course, without telling him a thing and making him believe he would one day become Emperor.

Is it Duma's fault that Berkut went off the deep-end in Part 4? Because Rudolph's shit gambit involved playing with the life of his nephew and crush it in a bid to have Alm unify the continent against Duma ? Or... it's just Rudolph being an asshole, not curbing the worst of his nephew tendencies (and in a larger part, of Rigel in general) ?

Now, Rinea. She too, is called one of Duma's victims, and yet, who pushed her in Duma's magic pyre that turns women in witches? Duma himself?

No.

Berkut, who already, when pissed tells her "silence woman" pushes his fiancée and love of his life in a pyre to sacrifice her, because in his grief and rage (caused by Rudy!!!) Rinea is only a pawn to be sacrificed to gain more power to kill Alm. Sure sure, Berkut is redeemed in death and Rinea - in a classic Kaga style writing that wasn't here made by Kaga since this plot is basically new so where the fuck does this sexism come from - forgives him and they both die and ascend to another plane of existence.

The point is, despite what Alm says, Berkut and Rinea's fates weren't caused by Duma's degeneration - but by Rudolph and Berkut's own actions.

Heck, I remember when I was sort of live-blogging my run back then, Desaix's greed and lust for power wasn't fueled by Mila's apathy : it wasn't Mila who burnt Celica's house and tried to cook Conrad, it was Desaix, and why Desaix did it? Because he wanted to become king. That's it, and that's all.

So why FE15 - while giving the Kaga message - still tries its hardest to pin the blame of everything "wrong that happened" on... dragon gods, refusing to acknowledge the own responsibilities of humans in their suffering?

I think we had that lunar dialogue at the end of FE15 (or in part 4?) where Clive (i think?) tells Alm without gods giving their blessings, people in Valentia will starve, and Alm saying that may be so, but ultimately Valentia will survive and work hard through those upcoming harsh times to demonstrate how humans, when they work together, can achieve things without needing to rely on Gods - basically, King Alm tells his people to starve now because Humanity will come out stronger afterwards, since they will have learnt to grow their own food without needing magic dragon blessings to make the ground fertile.

... yeah. That's definitely going to work.

FE15 took the Kaga lesson to try to hammer some "humanity fuck yeah!" Square JRPG message and it completely messed up what FE2 tried to say.

(I confess, retconning Duma'n'Mila in dragon gods like Naga from Archanea was a big part in this shitstorm - that was also retconned to explain Grima from FE13! - i mean Duma'n'Mila have to die because they're degenerating, but they didn't get the memo from Gotoh living overseas that degeneration can be stopped by using dragonstones, instead of being a fatality that must be dealt with death...)

Humans cannot be held responsible for what they did, everything BaD that happened is somehow due to the influence of dragon-gods : even if it means "suffering" and sacrificing a part of your population, this choice is a good one to get rid of the obviously nefarious influence of dragon-gods.

So, is it so surprising that FE16 - the most popular title in the franchise uwu - went in the same direction?

Even if it tried to mitigate the "gods BaD" spiel because the avatar - Billy - is the Goddess reborn, the thing is the CoS - aka the dragon - is blamed for humanity's mistakes through each route (AM dodges the question completely) and all routes end up with the dragon going away (her skull being cracked open, or she retires, or she dies off-screen, or she dies because the plot commands so unless you want, as the player, to shag her).

"But in VW, Claude reconsiders his initial stance!"

And yet, it is only off-screen that he seemingly becomes aware that Fodlan people are not superpals with Almyra because Almyra raids them, not because Rhea told them Almyrans are BaD, that's why he tries to negotiate - off-screen and post-game - some sort of ceasefire between the two parties, or at least make it so Almyra doesn't try to raid Fodlan every Thursday for their weekly dick measuring contest.

No matter the ending, Rhea retires and in the worst support, muses on her failings for "having turned a blind eye" to Fodlan and its people in her quest to resurrect Sothis : aka, Rhea (and the game, since Billy doesn't tell her anything) believes Fodlan's state is due to her inaction and not, you know, the action of the humans who lived in the continent and ruined it of their own volition.

Which is also what fuels the endless discourse about what kind of power she has - or not : Rhea BaD for using her power, but also BaD for not using it and letting humans to their own devices.

Supreme Leader's memetastic line from the trailers ring even more true : in Fodlan, Crusts are to blame for everything. For Adrestian being attracted to young women because otherwise without crests they surely wouldn't seek to bed a 12 years old Doro, for Miklan trying to murder his younger brother (and not because, at least FE16 wise, Miklan is a terrible person who is very jealous and not afraid to kill even a child to get what he feels like he deserves), and for people basically killing their wives/letting their daughters die to get a "suitable" heir.

Humanity/Humans can get a pass for doing horrible things (Berkut burning his fiancée alive) because those horrible things can sort of be linked to "dragon-gods", and so, the blame exclusively lays at their feet.

I am always reminded of that Obi-Wan reply to Anakin when Ani accuses him of having turned Padmé "against" him, Obi-Wan basically tells him he brought this upon himself.

Now, what would Obi-Wan tell a non-recruited Doro who blames the Goddess for the War, the leader she is actually protecting, started?

Billy is no Obi-Wan, so we are left in this limbo where characters are telling you everything wrong that happens in Fodlan is due to "dragon blood" aka their existence and presence, even dragons who blame themselves for "being blind" - but not once do we have the Kaga message, or an Obi-Wan reminding people that they have to take responsability for their own actions : Hanneman will blame crests (dragons) for having killed his sister, but not the man who forced her (marital abuse?) to bear him many heirs until one was "good enough" for him.

Claude blames dragons for creating, both literal and metaphorical walls between Fodlan and Almyra - and it's only in his best ending, after the game credits and off-screen that he seems to realise that those walls were built by Almyrans raiders.

"enough about the fodlan rant, what about jugdral?"

Jugdral was sort of unique for not having a giant eldritch abomination as a boss, unlike the later FE8, we never fight Loptyr in his "original" form, Loptyr is fought through his host, Julius.

And I love Jugdral because unlike Fodlan, the local evil death cult might stage a few skirmishes and manipulations here and there, but Jugdral people are... asses, in general.

Elliot will mount an army to seduce Raquie while Eldie is away - and it's not because Manfroy told him to seduce her, no, Elliot does it from his own will.

Reptor'n'Langobalt'n'Andrei rebel against Kurth and Azmur? Sure, Arvis is pulling some of their strings, but Reptor'n'Langobalt are ambitious, even without Manfroy whispering anything.

Arvis pulls out his gambit... with Manfroy's help (and blackmail?), but also because he genuinely thinks he can sacrifice lives to make HIS world a reality because HE has great ideas about how the world should be and will torch anyone who opposes him.

F!Lewyn, as much as I dislike the character, reminds the cast that while Travant's actions might seem justified to him and to the Thracian people, he is still a man who assaulted a bunch of randoms + non-combattants in a desert, amushed them and slaughtered them : no matter his reasons and how justified he was, Travant is still a criminal to Jugdral people.

In Jugdral, people do things and have to take responsability for it - Oldvis basically dies after losing everything he had - by Seliph's hand (and with his own participation!!) because Oldvis has to take responsability for what he did in Barhara. Ditto for Travant, who accepts to die if it means the peninsula will be united (tfw his son doesn't understand what he meant !).

Dragon blood and Dragon people are never blamed for the shitty state Jugdral is in in the 1st or even 2nd gen, if Danan turned Isaach in giant brothel, it's not Julius-Loptyr who asked him to do so, nor Manfroy.

At least, that was the case for the pre FE15/FEH/FE16 Jugdral.

Now...

While I want to blame FE16 for this shift, I know the roots are more ancient (FE15?), IS's writing seems to favour a certain narrative, aka people having sad and or complicated fates because of their brands and Holy Blood - when the ONLY case of having a fate tied to Holy Blood was the Curse of the Gae Bolg, aka a sibling quarrel between Dain and Noba that will eventually "curse" Noba descendants, but through the events of the game we know that curse is more like a prophecy : Quan doesn't die because he had Noba Holy Blood, Quan dies because Travant kills him in Yied. Why Travant kills him? FE5 reveals Quan and his forefathers are basically letting Thracians starve and refuse to "give" them arable lands, or even export food.

Now, did Travant kill Quan because Quan had major Noba Holy Blood, or because Quan (and his forefather)'s policies made Thracians so desperate that their king feels like he has to resort to murder to "save" his people?

The issue is more complicated than "he has Noba HB so I had to kill him".

Come FEH and we had, in 2018 (before FE16 but after FE15) this :

My blood has granted me gifts, it's true. I have expended every effort to be worthy of those gifts. That same blood makes it impossible for me to live a peaceful life. That's a lesson I learned from my mother...

Now, even if I was dissecting and hc'ing and posting about Saias a lot for 5 years, I fully understand Saias is a character with maybe 20 lines in FE5, so you can only dissect the script and theorise and read between invisible lines to get something about the character.

But this?

It might be a reference to Cowen's last words who basically tells him his job is to "pass on" his Fjalar HB, and how having major Fjalar HB was the reason why Manfroy tried to kill him when he was younger (his mother Aida died to protect him).

And yet, FEH here seems to imply Aida died because Saias had Fjalar HB, and not, y'know, died because Manfroy wanted to kill him due to this HB.

It wasn't HB who killed Aida, but Manfroy!

FE5 never reveals why - but if Fjalar HB was the reason why Manfroy targeted Saias, then why the fuck wasn't Oldvis iced earlier, since he has the same brand and blood?

In a way, Saias blaming HB here as the "reason" why his mother died and why he cannot live a "peaceful life" is similar to a Leif who would blame Quan'n'Ethlyn for being the reason why Travant and the Empire were after his life : what is to blame, their "blood" that makes people want to kill them, or the fuckers who want to kill them?

Granted those lines from FEH completely miss the point of Saias as a character - FE5!wise Saias is in a class that cannot use fire magic, when his HB automatically gives him the highest rank in fire magic, and he is funnily enough the only character who "retreats" in his death quote -> Saias doesn't "expend" every effort to be worthy of HB, he hides and doesn't use the abilities given by said HB!

We can say, mkay, this was just FEH trying to fit their "gods and their influence BaD" narrative and missing the real culprits, aka humans themselves (Manfroy is one!) - from FE15 - in Jugdral, even if it meant retconning a character no one cares about.

But then, last year, we had Galzus' FB :

You speak of the blood of the Sword Saint Od. Perhaps. Is that the reason you have been set on a path of violence and bloodshed?

Nyx says Galzus' "curse" isn't tied to his HB, but it's basically his regret at not having been able to save his daughter.

So far, it's completely the inverse of what I decried, so this was a good FB, right?

:)

There is no doubt that the blood within you compels you to lead a cruel life. However, the loss of your daughter was the wedge that split your life into pieces and let the curse in.

Damn it Nyx, why???

Why Galzus's brand "compels him" to lead a cruel life - when it was just established that Galzus fell to despair and became a mercenary who kills for money after the loss of his daughter?

Before losing Mareeta, Galzus, at least per this FB, wasn't killing people right and left as the merc he now is (or was in FE5).

Now, much like Saias...

Why was Galzus left to roam around Jugdral with a toddler to begin with?

I had a daughter. When my wife died, I brought my daughter with me as I traveled around Jugdral.

This FB establishes that Galzus settled with Mareeta's biomom for a while, but when she died he "traveled around". Why Galzus couldn't return "home" and had to "travel around"?

You know the Ribaut family was devastated by our own House Isaach.

Timeline wise : Ribaut is already demolished during the prologue of FE4, and Mareeta is no older than Leif himself, which means she was born after Galzus' grandfather and Ayra's brother, aka, his uncle, beheaded his dad and demolished his kingdom. Galzus, in exile, had Mareeta, and then had to "travel around" Jugdral because his home had already been demolished by "House Isaach" -

Note how Ayra talks about the Ribaut (i prefer rivough but meh) family when she talks about her very own sister - Galzus' mother. Jugdral family trees being what they are, Shanan, Larcei, Scatach and Galzus are actually cousins, Galzus is Ayra's own nephew, just like Shanan!

Anyways, in FE4, the reason given behind Ribaut's destruction is their attack on Darna, so the Isaachian royals killed them.

Galzus' "cruel life" wasn't compelled by his HB, Galzus' life took a turn for the worst when his Uncle and Grandpa knocked at his door and slaughtered his entire family, destroying their Kingdom.

So why FEH tried to fit his backstory in some sort of "dragon blood is to blame" Fodlan narrative?? They at least acknowledge the bad blood (lel) between Isaach's royal family and Ribaut's, hell, Ayra even wants to say Mareeta is a part of Isaach's royal family in her FB with her son, so it's not to whitewash the Isaachian royal family because their units are more popular and would sell more...

Contrary to Saias, Galzus's writing and his FB seem to have been made by people who cared and didn't completely ignore what the character was about so... why this emphasis on his HB ??

Are we bound in post FE16 releases to have, at least with the current writing team, the excuse of "dragon blood is to blame" ? Galzus cannot blame the Isaachian Royal Family or even the slavers for his (and his daugher's!) fate, but he can blame his HB, aka, a non-entity?

Will HB be now used as a "responsibility free" card, because the fate a character suffers or their actions are only tied to said HB? Arvis will get a pass because his HB compelled him to save the world (tfw Victor prefered to "seduce" women instead), Lewyn will be lightly chided by his mom instead of receiving the beatdown he has in FE4 because his HB now makes him unable to stay in place? Ditto for Ced, Karin won't chew him out for abandoning his mother and sister because his HB compelled him to travel around, so in the end, dragons are to blame for him abandoning his sister and mother?

That's what I'm the most afraid in future Jugdral remakes, that had humans characters with human flaws in a crapsack/shitty verse, the insertion in a future remake of a very Squenix "but aksuhally gods and church bad" when Jugdral is the pinnacle of "the world sucks because people living in this world suck". No need for secret sects manipulating everything in the shadows like FE16's Agarthans, Chagall is a horrible person without needing Manfroy's help, and Hilda will not say "Holy Blood is to blame" when she tortures Tailte to death.

When Tailte is caught and Hilda'd, it's because she participated (or even commited) in parricide, and because her camp/army lost the battle. She doesn't die because of her HB, she dies because Hilda kills her, most likely, for having killed Reptor (Hilda wants to avenge her "father" when fought, i'm pretty sure she means her father in law aka Reptor!).

As befits a game called "Genealogy of the Holy War", people aren't targeted because of their HB, but they are targeted because they are part of a genealogy - see the Leif comparison earlier on : Leif is hunted because he is Quan's son, even if he doesn't have Noba major blood. Seliph is hunted because he is Siggy'n'Deedee's son, not because of his Baldo HB.

In FE4, Manfroy tells Julius Arvis was a thorn at their side because "Fjalar's ways" ran too strong in him - implying he had some moral fiber that would make him oppose the return of Loptyr (but those same "ways" didn't prevent him from torching his own brother and conquering the world...) - I will have to check the translation and og script, but was Saias targeted because he had Fjalar HB, or because he could develop the same moral fiber Arvis does in his later years, or just, because he is Arvis's son? Cowen seems to suggest it is FB, but we know Fjalar HB cannot harm Loptyr so... what was the true reason?

Blaming dragon-gods reduces the complexity of Jugdral's setting and characters - and in a post FEH world where tropes win character contests and sell a lot of alts if they are flanderised enough + a post FE15/16 world where characters, to be likeable enough, have to ditch their responsibilities or at least have the plot elude them to pin them instead on vague and non-important (gacha wise) gods, what is going to happen to Jugdral?

Fanfics are fanfics and people are free to write whatever they want - but I wonder (especially after Nopes and the plethora of 'golden endings' fics that ended up with the CoS as the big bad lol) if fics where Mareeta and Ced blaming their HB for their various hardships is going to become the new canon...

I seriously hope it will never, and it if happens then...

I guess I'll still yell at cloud and nerd about the 1990s versions of those games, completely ignoring the new releases (save for maybe updated artwork).

Tl;Dr : FEH makes me afraid Judgral remakes will borrow the "humanity fuck yeah" page from FE15 and FE16 and put the blame of Jugdral's shitty situation from Jugdralians to... Holy Blood and "dragon-gods", completely missing and rewritting the point of those games. IS already said "fig" to Kaga once or thrice, but this might become the most contentious "fig" they ever give him if they decided to write a Jugdral remake this way.

[fbfh]

rocks at your window pt. 6 - ricky bowen x reader

disclaimer: this series contains smut and chapter by chapter warnings, so as with all nsfw works, ricky is aged up to 18+!! ricky and reader are 18 and in their senior year

additionally, we're working towards a ricky x therapy plot so he's going to start expressing some symptoms of mental illness and bpd but he does get therapy eventually and has a good support system but he gets worse before he gets better yk. Obviously I'm not a professional and this is for entertainment so while I have done my research pls take this with a grain of salt!! or several!! /lh

!! contains some spoilers for season 1 of hsmtmts, and previous chapters of this fic !!

wc: 5.3k

genre: hurt/comfort, fluff, smut

pairing: ricky bowen x (afab she/her) reader

warnings: mike's a good dad, mike and your mom are the most iconic single parent bff duo, mike and ricky are both water signs so there's a lot of feelings fromt he bowen boys, LYNNE IS SO TOXIC, intentional and unintentional guilt tripping, todd /derogatory, ricky's spiraling just a tad /s, lynne calls herself mommy once /nx, passive agression and emotional manipulation from lynne, comforting ricky, more (brief) one sided gina pining, more background slowburn ashlyn x red, nina being a tacky toxic bitch </3, groping, grinding, fingering, bathroom sex/hitting it from the back, wrap before you tap, pressing on stomach/external g spot stimulation (we need a name for that), mirror sex, one brief mention of porn, clit rubbing, attention whore hours, trying not to be too obvious about sex, I think that's it

summary: As if the holidays aren't enough of an emotional minefield, Ricky gets blasted with back to back phone disasters from his mom, and trusts you implicitly to help him navigate through it. You turn the night around by going to Ashlyn's thanksgiving party with your theatre friends, where it's only a matter of time before you're sneaking upstairs together.

song recs: are you in love - the regrettes, nothing came out - moldy peaches, ribs - lorde, into you - ariana grande (bathroom at a party edit), lover's spit - broken social scene

a/n: got bad burnout/depressive episode in the middle of writing this (i'm fine now /gen) so it took longer than I wanted but I'm really happy with how it turned out!! I love you all and I'm really glad you're liking this so far, it really does mean the world to me babes <333 Also thank you again Cici for proofreading!!!!!

tags @yesv01 @thatawkwardlittlefangirl @afidiofobia @aliyahsutherland @hopefullhearts @pikzel @demirunner @matiere-detoiles @ifilwtmfc @uselesssapphickitten @nxstalgicnxbxdy @ggclarissa @n-slayaaaaa @stormi-ames

Ricky has been dreading the holidays this year, and he knows his dad has been too. When she left, she took that warm hustle and bustle, that rush of excitement was with her. But he and his dad weren’t totally without holiday spirit, thanks to you and your mom. Your mom and Ricky’s dad bonded over PTA meetings and having their kids star in the same show, quickly becoming the single parent friend the other needed. Since your mom has been through the divorce wringer, she’s been there to support Mike, encouraging him to be there for Ricky and prioritize him. Mike has found a lot of strength and camaraderie in your mom, so when the holidays begin to approach, a joint thanksgiving seems like the obvious option. 

Pooling resources, helping each other cook, and navigating relatives together will both be much more manageable with a friend by your side, so they’ve been bouncing between each other's houses for the last week or so, coordinating recipes and travel plans. You and Ricky have been helping around rehearsals and homework too - just last night Mike watched you two sit at his kitchen table making paper leaves and turkeys, laughing for hours. 

It’s finally turkey day, and you and Ricky are wrapping up the last decorations while your mom and Mike get the final dishes out of the oven. Mike watches you two talk, giggling at something or other ever few minutes. He hasn’t seen Ricky like this in a long time. A few months ago if Mike had asked his son to do festive arts and crafts with him, he would have laughed. Now you’re both approaching him with a giggle, asking him to decide which hand turkey is better. Yours is really colorful, but Ricky’s has a funky little hat. He sucks in a breath.

“That’s a toughie… I gotta say it’s a tie.” 

“I called it,” you say with a knowing smile, and Ricky lets out a loud laugh.

“She did,” he tells his dad as you walk back to the dining room table, “she totally called it.” 

Ricky stays in the kitchen for a few moments to throw away all the scraps of construction paper and synthetic feathers, tacky with glitter glue. He watches you until you’re out of sight, and his gaze lingers. He lets out a soft sigh, overjoyed from being in your presence. It’s quiet for a moment. Mike lets out a soft sigh.

“You really like her, huh?”

Ricky looks at the last piece of cut up construction paper in his hands, the one you’d been using. He watches the way the glitter shifts in the light, the glitter you’d placed with your own two hands, and it feels like he’s looking at the starriest night sky he’s ever seen. He’s enchanted. 

“Yeah…” he breathes, obviously deeply lovestruck, “I really, really do.” 

That’s putting it lightly. He’s been trying not to dwell on the dream he had last night where you two had moved into an apartment in portland and adopted two dogs. He didn’t realize how badly he wanted that sort of thing, that life, until he saw it last night, but now it’s consumed his thoughts in every spare moment. 

Mike places his hand on Ricky’s shoulder. The gesture is reassuring and comforting, and brings a sudden unexpected wave of emotion over Ricky. 

“You work well together.” 

His words are simple, but there’s so much meaning behind them. Ricky understands this, and he’s grateful for his dad’s blessing. 

“Thanks.” Ricky says with another one of those smiles Mike hasn’t seen on his face since you came into his life. He’s happy he’s been seeing them again. He pats Ricky on the back one more time before sending him back into the dining room with you to hang up the decorations you finished. 

Mike goes back to the stove to check on the potatoes, and as it so often seems to, his mind wanders to Lynne. He's been doing his best to take your mom's advice, to let Ricky decide when and how much he wants to talk to her - if he does at all - but it's been hard. He knows how much a call from Ricky would mean to her, especially this time of year. Your mom enters the kitchen through the back door a few minutes later, and holds up a shopping bag triumphantly. 

"Butter, yeast, and nutmeg." She states, pulling out the ingredients they had run out of. Mike thanks her, but she doesn't miss the solemn look on his face. 

"You okay?" She asks, a knowing tone to her voice. Mike is so glad that she's been here. It's nice to have a friend, and some feminine energy in their house. He lets out a sigh, and finds himself rambling before he can stop himself. 

"I just know she’s miserable." He says, "All alone in a cold apartment, and during the holidays? We used to get so excited this time of year, I can't imagine how alone she must feel." 

Hovering outside the doorway, Ricky feels his stomach sink. Guilt creeps in, and he’s running up to his room before he can think.

As his footsteps recede, your mom lets out a knowing sigh. They've had this conversation many times before, and she’s happy to be there for him, to give him that support to make sure he doesn't backslide. The cleaner the breakup the better, especially when kids are involved - she knows from experience. 

"Mhm." She starts, and Mike fights a smile. He knows what she's going to say, but he needs to hear it anyway. "And what did you and her decide about communication with Ricky?"

"She promised she'd call at least once a week and I'd tell her if he wants her to call him less."

"And…?"

His silence is all the answer either of them need. 

"She’s probably upset," he says, reaching for an explanation, "I know she misses Ricky-"

"Screw that." Your mom says, pausing on the rolls she's making to look up at him. "If she wanted to, she would, Mike." 

He's quiet again. 

"Is there anything," she questions, that seriousness in her voice that only comes from a parent talking about their kid, "anything in this world, any bad feeling that could keep you from talking to Ricky for weeks?" 

"No." He doesn't even need to consider. "Of course not." 

She holds out her hand, point proven. Mike silently concedes. He's not sure what it is about Lynne that makes it so hard to detach, so hard to set and keep boundaries, but he’s grateful for the support. He couldn't do it without your mom. 

“Why don’t you put on some music?” she asks, knowing his favorite part of the holidays are his playlists. 

If Ricky had stuck around for a few more seconds, he wouldn't have found himself where he is now; pacing his room, biting his lip as he keeps opening and closing the phone app. The idea of calling her feels gross. Not calling her feels gross. He feels so fucking gross and he just wants it to stop. A wave of laughter passes downstairs as his dad starts singing along poorly to the Michael Buble now playing out of the Alexa in the kitchen. It should make him feel warm, happy, good. Instead it just makes his stomach drop and tears spring to his eyes. 

It feels like the universe is conspiring against him, throwing in his face everything she’s missing right now. He can’t get the image of her alone in a sad dim apartment out of his head. His hands shake as he holds his phone to his ear, dial tone ringing softly. She needs this more than he does, he thinks. No matter how much it’s hurting him to call her right now, he can keep it together. He can do this for her. He can be civil for a few minutes over the phone and that will give her at least a decent Thanksgiving. 

“Hello?”

Ricky stops in his tracks as an unfamiliar man’s voice reverberates through his phone speaker. 

“Uh, hi,” he starts, confused. He knows he called her contact in his phone. “...I’m trying to reach Lynne Bowen?” he swallows thickly hoping the stranger won’t hear the way his voice cracks. He doesn’t remember the last time he had to use her full name. “I think I have the wrong number.” he chuckles dryly. 

“No, you got it,” he doesn’t have time to process that before the stranger keeps speaking. “Ricky, this is Todd. I’ve heard so much about you.” 

Todd? 

“Lynne’s in the shower, can I take a message?”

He briefly wonders why she would have a stranger in her apartment answering her phone while she showers, but he knows this guy - Todd - must be her… He knows his fleeting hope that he’s wrong and this is some crazy stalker that broke into her house is just that, fleeting hope. His stomach is twisted up in knots and he can’t breathe right. His mind is racing, swirling and repeating the 10 seconds of this terrible phone call over and over. 

“Ricky?” 

Part of him wishes he could scream at this guy to keep his name out of his mouth. Hers too. He has no right to be anywhere near her. Not when she needs time to herself; so much time to herself, to figure this all out, that she can’t even be around her son. A very jaded part of him might understand if she never wanted to see his dad again, but a small voice in his head is screaming, asking why she’s okay with abandoning both of them. He’s her son, her child. Aren’t parents supposed to care about their children?

He hangs up the call before he can further this horrible pointless train of thought. He rushes into the bathroom, locking the door. He paces around. He splashes cold water on his face. He tries to get his shit together. He tries to make it look like he’s not about to break down. It’s Thanksgiving; this holiday might be ruined for him, but he won’t ruin it for his dad, or you, or your mom. He can pull it together, he can act like everything’s fine. He’s supposed to be an actor, right? 

After he desperately tries to collect himself, he heads back down, bumping into you on the stairs. 

“Hey, I was just looking for you…” you trail off. You take one look at his face, and he knows you know something’s wrong. “You okay?” 

Your voice is so sweet, so sincere that it digs everything he just tried to bury. He opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. It doesn’t have to, though. He can tell from the look on your face that you understand. 

“Do you want to go talk?” you ask gently. He nods. He can feel himself fighting tears, brow scrunching up at the effort. 

A few minutes later you’re sitting on his bed while he tells you everything. He knows he’s probably not making it sound as horrible as it felt, but he’s backpedaling. He can hear her voice in his head, telling him not to get so worked up over nothing, that he’s blowing this all out of proportion. 

“What the fuck?” you ask, looking as confused as he feels. He’s about to agree, this is stupid, and you should just go downstairs and- “What the hell is wrong with him?” 

He stops in his tracks.

“That was so outrageously inappropriate. I don’t know whether or not she told him not to talk to you, but obviously she should have.” 

He lets out a small breath, the first time he’s been able to since this whole incident. 

“It was pretty out of line, right?” he says hesitantly.

“Way out of line!” you say with a disbelieving laugh, “I can’t believe you just went through that!” 

He lets out a nervous laugh, feeling some of his distress transmute into anger, and because of you, he’s sure it’s justified. 

“What kind of lunatic answers their… I don’t know who he’s supposed to be - a friend, assistant, weird invasive neighbor -” Ricky laughs, and you continue ranting, worked up for him, “But unless he’s literally her life coach or personal assistant or something, there is no fucking reason why should have answered her phone. Also why the hell would he try to strike up a conversation with you? This isn’t some little league game, or PTA meeting!”  

He can feel himself coming down from the panic that had gripped him so tight before. 

“You know, maybe - just if you’re ready for this -” you amend, wanting him to know he’s not pressured to do anything, “maybe you should take her out of your favorites.” 

He sits with your words for a moment, considering. 

“Yeah,” he says, “maybe I should.” He’s already opening his contacts to remove her, when a voicemail pops up. He must have missed the call when you were talking, but he recognizes the number as hers. He lets out a weary sigh.

“I got a voicemail…” he turns his screen toward you so you can see. 

“Do you want me to… proof-listen to it?” You offer gently.

“Could you?” there’s a fragility in his voice that makes your chest squeeze. You accept the phone with no hesitation, pressing play and holding it to your ear. 

“Hi sweetie, it’s mommy…” 

Off to a bad start.

“Sorry I missed you, Todd told me you called, so I called you right back but I got your voicemail instead.” 

Her voice drips with a tone that’s obviously looking for sympathy. 

“I hope you’re having a good holiday. Tell your dad not to burn the turkey like he did a few years ago. I won’t be here to fix all the recipes, so help him out in the kitchen, okay?” 

There’s an edge of condescension to her voice that you don’t appreciate. Ricky’s dad has been doing great, especially under the circumstances. 

“My Thanksgiving is going well,” she continues, chuckling “Todd and I watched the parade, and some of those performances were really terrible. I don’t know who let them go out looking like that, and that tacky little girl on the turtle float was seriously tone deaf…”

You and Ricky had also watched the parade, and all the performers did great. You both loved the girl on the turtle float, she killed it. She hit a high C that left you both speechless. 

“Anyway, we’re meeting up with some friends later; I think this will be the first holiday party I’ve been to in years without children. Other than that, things have been fine. It’s been quiet, and a pleasure not to spend all day slaving away in the kitchen. Call me back when you get this, I’d like to hear your voice. Bye bye.” 

If you’d like to replay this message, press 7. 

You pull the phone away from your ear. You don’t say anything, but the expression on your face tells him everything he needs to know. You slowly hand him back his phone. 

“Yeah, I wouldn’t listen to that now.” Your voice is quiet, trying to maintain your composure, “Or ever. Maybe just delete that one.” 

He chuckles dryly. “That bad?”

“Oh yeah.” you state. He lets out a shuddering sigh, and it’s obvious the toll this whole ordeal has taken on him. 

“C’mere,” you say softly, flopping down on his bed and opening up your arms for him. His chest squeezes and he’s overwhelmed with another wave of emotion. He wonders when it will stop, constantly being bombarded with complicated horrible situations he can barely handle. It’s a lot. It’s too much. 

You wrap your arms around him, dragging your nails up and down his back in that soothing way that you do, and he feels it start to slow down. He’s still upset, anyone would be, but it feels like he can handle it somehow. He buries his face in your neck, soothed by your smell, your touch, even your breathing and heartbeat. He lets out another sigh, this one relieved as he finally starts to come down from the acute distress he’s been in for the last little while. 

“You’re gonna be okay,” you say, just loud enough for him to hear you. “It’s all going to work out with some time. It’s gonna be okay.” 

He doesn’t say anything, just holds you tighter. 

“Hey, kids!” You both look up as you hear Mike call you from downstairs, “Everyone’s here, come say hi!” 

You share a look with Ricky, silently asking if he’s ready. As I’ll ever be, his expression says. 

“Coming!” you reply. 

You spend the next hour or so greeting aunts, uncles, and family friends that both your mom and Ricky’s dad had invited. A handful of elementary school kids run around; cousins, kids of coworkers and the like. After a substantial amount of wow you’re so tall, the last time I saw you you were still watching sesame street, and countless so how’s school going? comments, the parents finally rescue you from someone's grandma - you’re not sure whose - and pull you into the kitchen. You’re about to ask when you can go to Ashlyn’s thanksgiving party, but they jump in before you can.

“Thank you guys for all your help with the cooking and decorating, you did a great job.” Your mom says.

“And,” Mike continues, “since you said hello to everyone you can go to your friends party whenever you’re ready.” 

You smile, blurting out a thank you in unison and hugging your respective parents. 

“Take these with you, and tell Ashlyn’s parents we said hello.” Your mom hands you a box or two of pumpkin bites to bring with you. 

You’re grabbing your coats when Ricky gets a text from Gina, offering to walk him to the party. He texts her back, letting her know he’s driving there with you and asking if she needs a ride. A second later, his phone buzzes again.

‘Of course you are. See you there.’ 

“You ready to party?” you ask, drawing his attention back to you where it so often resides. The drive is short and pleasant. When you arrive at Ashlyn’s a few minutes later, everything’s in full swing. Making your way through the house, you see Nini in the kitchen, having some intense girl talk with Gina. Most of your other friends are in the living room, including Big Red, who seems to be flirting with Ashlyn - or at least trying to. Ricky makes a mental note to ask him about that later. You pass by EJ on the stairs, who’s ranting to no one about getting ratioed. You start to sit down with your friends, then turn to Ricky.

“Do you want a drink?” you ask, and he nods, thanking you. You make your way to the kitchen, smiling when you see a case of Ricky’s favorite soda. You grab a can for him, then look around to pick one out for yourself. You turn around only to be met with Nina. You jump slightly at the unexpected presence. Before you can even greet her, she starts talking, staring you down. 

“You need to stay away from Ricky.” You’ve been here for three minutes and she’s already off to a strong start. “You’re not his girlfriend, so stop acting like it. I should know, I’m the one who’s known him since kindergarten.” You’re trying hard to be mature about this, even with the ridiculously incredulous look on her face. You take a subtle, grounding breath and think for a moment about how to respond in a way that will get your point across without causing even more drama. 

“Wow,” you start, “okay- uh, look, we haven’t made anything official, but full disclosure, we have hooked up a few times.” 

She looks irritated, and you continue.

“Also, you broke up.” you state, a shrug, your expression bewildered at how she’s acting, “You’re not his girlfriend either.” Having said what you need to say, you grab your own beverage and leave the kitchen as Ashlyn enters. On your way out, you hear her tell Ashlyn how she’s right, that she should stop writing songs about crappy relationships and crappy boys and just write about life. 

You sigh as you reenter the living room, glad Ricky wasn’t in earshot of that. After the day he’s had and all the shit he had to deal with from his mom, you’re sure the last thing he needs is another person to confirm all of his fears. You perch on the arm of the cushy chair he’s sitting in and hand him his drink. He smiles up at you, looking sweeter than ever, and you wonder how anyone could think he’s anything close to crappy, anything less than the most wonderful endearing boy you’ve ever met. You really don’t trust Nina’s taste in people. 

“I am so sorry,” Ricky says for the millionth time, ushering you into the bathroom. You let out another sweet laugh, genuinely unperturbed by the drink he’d spilled on you by accident. You make your way to the sink, turning on the warm water and grabbing a wad of tissues. You briefly run them under the water to get them damp, and start blotting at the very large stain. Ricky does the same, attempting to remove the sticky sweet liquid from your clothes. 

“God, it’s all over you,” he smiles, and you can tell he still feels bad. 

“It’s okay,” you say with a giggle, “Now I have a tangible memory from tonight, and a great story for the drycleaners.” He starts to relax a little, sensing that you’re telling the truth, you’re not upset. Even if you were, he’s sure it wouldn’t be at him - you know it really was an accident. After a few more minutes of trying to get it out with partial success, you grab more tissues to dry your sweater back off. Ricky stands right behind you, watching you in the mirror as you do. He’s enamored by you. Everything you do draws him closer and closer to you like a magnet. 

Satisfied enough with your work and mostly dry, you turn to throw away the damp tissues. 

“Okay, I think that’s-” the words dry up in your throat when you turn, suddenly face to face with Ricky. Neither of you had realized how close you got in the last few minutes, but now your body heat is mixing and it makes your stomach twist. Your eyes are locked on each other, and the air is pulled from your lungs at the way he looks at you. The atmosphere is suddenly thick with lust, and you can hear a song playing on repeat downstairs. 

His eyes flick between yours and your lips, bringing butterflies to your stomach. His hand rests gently on your waist as he finally leans in to kiss you. It’s sweet for a few seconds, then it melts into tongue and teeth and breathy sighs. Before you can fully turn around and hop onto the counter to let him stand between your legs, he’s kissing down your neck. You sigh at the feeling, bracing yourself on the counter, and he wants to make you moan. He wants to make you whine and scratch his back like you do, he wants it more than anything right now. 

His hands run along your back, down your hips and thighs, leaning into you. He reaches the bottom of your skirt, slipping his fingertips under and inching the fabric up. He squeezes your hips while he sucks dark bruises into your neck. All the noises, the soft little sighs and halted breaths are making him want to touch you more and more. 

His hands on your thighs and mouth on your neck are making you dizzy. You want him even more, and find yourself grinding your hips back against him. He lets out a hiss, and you can feel him harden against your ass. Your eyes flick up to his in the mirror, lingering on how flushed you're making his cheeks just by grinding against him. He catches your gaze,  noticing the way you smirk at every sigh he lets out. 

“Oh,” he mutters into your neck. His tone is playful as he gets dangerously close to your ear. “That’s how you wanna play…” He nips your neck before finally sliding his hand between your thighs. His fingertips brush against your clothed cunt, feeling the wet spot that’s already formed on the fabric. When he dips his fingertips between your folds, he can’t believe how wet you are already. It makes his head spin, as he slowly pushes into your entrance. After just a few pumps, sticky beads of arousal are already dripping down his fingers. He lets out a shuddering breath at the sensation. The noises you’re making, both your moans and the wet sounds of your walls around him, make his head spin. After a few minutes, you’re holding back whines. You need more, leaning onto the counter and sticking your ass out. It’s not a hard cue to pick up on, and he’s quick to grab a condom from his wallet. He pumps himself a few more times before slowly pushing in. You both choke back a moan as you squeeze around him. He feels his head grow fuzzy at the euphoric feeling of your bumpy walls squeezing around him, and it feels like being welcomed home. He braces against the counter with one arm, the other wrapping around your hips, holding you close to him as he thrusts into you. 

His face is right next to yours, and you can feel his warm breath against your cheek as he pants at the sensations wracking through you. He squeezes you tighter, and the pressure against your lower stomach has you choking out a moan, eyes rolling back in your head.

“Fuck-” you moan, trying your hardest not to be too loud. Everyone else should be downstairs, but you’re sure anyone nearby would be able to tell what’s going on. Ricky’s staring at you in the mirror. He tries to look away, tries to bury his face in your neck and press his nose to your skin but he can’t. You look so beautiful fucked out like this, so ethereal with your eyes clouded with lust. He can’t believe he made you like this, it’s all from him, from his touch.

Your expression, the noises tumbling from your pretty lips he’s just itching to kiss are better than any porn, because you’re the one making them. Everything is better with you. It always is. You’re whining, begging for him, and you feel the vibrations of his voice as he moans right next to your ear. You feel so good, you touch him so sweetly in a way he didn’t even know was possible before he met you. He’s so close, and by the way you’re squeezing and pulsing around him, gripping tight onto his arm, you’re not far behind him. 

He holds you closer, adding more blissful pressure against your lower stomach, leaning into you even more. His other hand moves from bracing you both against the counter to rub your swollen clit, sending jolts of electricity and pleasure through you. He’s been hitting that spot inside you over and over, and it’s more than enough to send you over the edge. You hold onto him for dear life, legs shaking  as you hit an intense high, your cum beginning to drip down your thighs. You throb and pulse around him milking as his hips push and stutter into yours. 

“Fuck fuck fuck-” he babbles into your ear, against your skin, “shit, I…” 

“Oh god, Ricky,” you pant, distracting him from the words that had come up as suddenly as his high. You have his full attention, looking prettier than ever.  He keeps his mouth busy, kissing and sucking your neck, running his tongue over your skin. 

A few minutes later, you’re cleaning yourselves up and trying to fix your clothes. You’ve been up here for a while, and with how loud you got toward the end, you’re sure someone is going to have a few questions. Ricky wraps up the tied off condom in tissues and shoves it deep into the garbage can, hoping no one will find it. You start to make your way downstairs, Ricky keeping his hand on your waist to help you when your legs wobble. In spite of your best efforts, you know it’s obvious - anyone could take one look at you and know what’s going on. You don’t mind in theory, figuring it’s only a matter of time before someone puts the pieces together, but the last thing either of you need right now is more drama. 

“Hey!” Seb exclaims, bumping into you on the way back to the living room, holding two drinks. “What took you so long?” he smiles. There’s not a thought behind his eyes, and you’re pretty confident he didn’t pick up on anything between you and Ricky. You look to each other reflexively, smiling nervously. 

“Oh, uh…” you start, fumbling for an answer. “Just cleaning up.” Not technically a lie, so that works. Ricky laughs, a blush still present on his cheeks. 

“Yeah, we started talking about the show and we just…” he suppresses another giggle, “got distracted.”  He keeps looking over at you, staring at your pretty face. He can’t help it. You’re glowing in the warm lighting, the glow of the fake candles scattered around other autumnal decorations. 

“Well, come on, we’re about to start playing board games!” Seb says with an excited shrug, before returning to the rest of your friends. You nudge Ricky playfully. 

“Real smooth,” you tease, at his lovestruck gaze. He laughs and nudges you back.

“I guess I need to get better at improv. Maybe you can tutor me?” He leans into you as he speaks, living for the flustered expression on your face. You laugh and nudge him again, knowing your friends could walk around the corner and see you two like this at any minute. His gaze lingers. 

You finally enter the living room, and before you can sit next to him, Ricky pulls you into his lap. Everyone’s crowded around the coffee table where Carlos has the game set up - it’s even High School Musical themed, which is really amazing - so you’re sure the lack of space is at least some justification for where you're perched, why his arms are wrapped around you like that.  

“Okay,” Carlos says, a small smile appearing on his face, “...you two, pick a team. Knights or Wildcats.” 

You and Ricky reflexively share a look again. 

“Uh… Knights.” he says, arbitrarily. 

“I’ll be on his team,” you say. 

“Alright,” Carlos says, and begins explaining the rules. Ricky tries to suppress the smile, the warm feeling swirling and puffing up his chest at your words. You want to be on his team. He tries to pay attention to Carlos, but it’s so hard when you’re so close to him like this. He thinks that aside from the rocky start, this is the best way to start off the holidays. He can’t think of anywhere better to be than holding you, still a little blissed out, and having a great time with all your friends. 

Your thumb brushing over the back of his hand, you’re trying not to space out too. You’ve been having a great time tonight, but you can’t shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen. You let out a sigh, trying your best to ignore it, to stay present with your friends, with Ricky. It doesn’t matter now, you remind yourself, if anything bad does happen, we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. But for now, you’re going to have a nice night with your friends, and stop stressing about what could happen next.

[tarisilmarwen]

Rebels Rewatch: “Rise of the Old Masters“

Happy Father’s Day!  Rather appropriately we are talking about a keystone Kanan-Ezra episode today.  I swear I didn’t plan that, just how the timing worked out, lol.

Anyway...

I briefly mentioned this in my coverage of “Spark of Rebellion” but one of the reoccurring elements that tend to crop up in all my favorite characters (because I’m horribly predictable and have a Type) is:

“Has complicated yet ultimately heartwarming storgeic relationship with (surrogate) father figure.”

Soooooooo yeah, Kanan and Ezra pretty much hit me right in that particular button.

Poor Kanan fumbling with the lessons that came so instinctively to him. XD

“Actually that one always confused me too.”  Love that Kanan can admit it.

Kanan’s approach is almost adorable in how inept it is, he’s just kind of throwing things against the wall hoping something will stick.  In perhaps the worst environment to do any of this.

(Seriously Kanan, on top of the Ghost, while it’s in midair?!  Disaster was inevitable.)

Hhhngl, look how Ezra’s eyes light up when Kanan offers him the lightsaber, he’s so eager for this.

Another quick instance of Ezra flinching as if anticipating being hit, watch close and you can see he ducks his head as well as squeezes his eyes closed briefly.

Kanan forgot to teach good weapons safety lol.

Ezra actually gets a few cartons when he peeks. :)

Aaaaaand down he goes, certain unmentioned uncharitable portions of fandom will not let up on Kanan about this particular series of mistakes.

Is practicing on top of the Ghost irresponsible child endangerment?  Yes but... that’s literally the point?????  Kanan has no idea what he’s doing and makes horrible mistakes left and right?????  That’s why he’s so afraid and reluctant to teach Ezra?????  That’s his whole motivation for wanting to go get Luminara?????

Oh but if characters do not relate to each other absolutely perfectly without any friction or conflict or mistakes whatsoever that’s horrible and toxic.

Said at least one Maul stan without a hint of irony.

Okay, done salting, let’s enjoy this moment of Ezra trying to play it cool in front of Sabine despite being in eminent danger of falling to his death.

“What, no, this is nothing.  I’m fine.” XD

Fun fact: Pretty sure a gifset of this moment was one of the first Rebels-related posts I ever saw on my dashboard.

Hera looks very concerned here, lol.

And our first glimpse of what a Loth-cat looks like.  Cutest addition to the Star Wars menagerie ever.

Ezra’s theme is piping in here, fragmented and quiet.

*resists the urge to go into another ranting paragraph about how uncharitable parties in fandom use this scene to argue that the Ghost crew are actually terrible towards Ezra and don’t care about him properly*

Once again, everything in the eyes.  So much is unspoken but conveyed with just a look.

Friiiiiiick his expression here breaks my heart.

Casually referencing the events of last episode which should have been fandom’s first clue that it was more narratively tied into things than they thought and also introducing a new story element that plays out later.  I don’t remember what I thought about Gall Trayvis the first time around, I’m pretty sure I found it weird and fishy though.

Ha ha ha the casual Fridge Horror of the Imperial broadcaster talking about a “planetary liberation” via Base Delta Zero protocol.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW: Base Delta Zero is basically code for “Have a bunch of Star Destroyers systematically incinerate everything on a planet’s surface from orbit.”

Soooooo yeah, there’s probably not much left of that particular “liberated” world.

Kind of interesting that Ezra chooses to confide in Chopper about his fears here.

I do like the nice cloud effects.

Kanan is in a very serious mood here, one we haven’t seen from him yet.  Speaks to the depths of how badly he wants this to succeed.

Badass Stormtrooper takedown immediately ruined by feral gremlin child. <3

Aaaaaand yet another instance of Ezra flinching like he expects Kanan to hit him.  Just what exactly caused such a pronounced startle effect, exactly?

Don’t think about bby Ezra growing up on the streets, don’t think about bby Ezra growing up on the streets--

Ezra looks so crestfallen here ow ow ow ow. :(

Hera shivers as if it’s cold, which could be taken straightforwardly but also I like to think she senses the bad vibes about the place.

Oh hey, now’s a good time to remind people of the horrible headcanon theory someone sent me about why Kanan can still sense Luminara even though she’s dead.

You’re welcome.

LOOK AT THIS TIRED FATHER AND HIS THREE HORRIBLE CHILDREN.  Love how Zeb and Sabine openly roast him while he’s right there, terrible influences on Ezra the both of you. XD

Snrk, the one Stormtrooper getting his helmet caught in the lift doors lololol.

The music has been periodically sparse throughout this episode, the quiet parts giving all focus to dialogue, but it’s picked up quite a bit here.

I hear the Force Theme strings prelude of course.

It is physically painful how much Ezra already hero-worships Kanan and looks up to him.  He didn’t want to learn how to be a Jedi from just anyone, he wanted to learn from Kanan specifically because thinks Kanan is so cool and amazing.  Ezra is constantly in awe of him this episode.

But, I mean, is it any wonder that an emotionally vulnerable teenage boy with deeply-seated abandonment issues would latch onto the first available and positive adult male influence in his life?

The Force theme coming in more fully here to trick us right before the horrible reveal, though the way it sours on the end note is a little five-second musical foreshadowing.

Hi Grand, bringing the Imperial March with you I see.

And then his theme breaks in after the commercial break cut and lemme just appreciate it again, it’s so nicely dark and foreboding.  That tiny little snatch of Force Theme on the trumpet can barely be heard through it, it’s too overpowering.

Grand refrains from going for an easy kill several times this fight.  He likes to play with his food, apparently.  Even toying with Kanan he’s waaaaaay outclassing him, very neat and precise fencing strokes here.

Kanan’s heavy flailing is actually very at odds with his supposed preferred form, Soresu, Form 3, a primarily reflective and defensive form, which makes Grand’s comment about him being a poor student sting a bit more.

Lololol my man doesn’t even flinch at Ezra’s slingshot bolts.

Hngl the smoke element is fantastic here.  Watch it waft around Kanan and Ezra as they run through it.  This is not the kind of effect work you usually get on CGI kids cartoon shows.

Kanan’s form actually improves a bit after the cutaway, his footing is more solid and he’s expending less effort, making his blocking stances more effective at turning back Grand’s blade.  So that jibe from Grand apparently kicked Kanan’s brain into focus.

Oh yep, all those troopers are dead, that is not a survivable explosion.

Kanan’s managing the spinny Jedi flips now; he’s untensing and likely falling back into muscle memory and connection to the Force.  I love how Star Wars tends to depict Jedi survivors getting back into practice after they haven’t picked up their sabers or connected to the Force in a long while, awkward at first but slowly getting the hang of it again, remembering their training, moving through basics into more complex moves until they’re comfortable again.  I know A New Dawn also depicts Kanan tapping into the Force as straining a muscle that hasn’t been used in a while, nice consistency across the board there.

“He is unfocused and undisciplined.”  “Well then we’re perfect for each other!”

And one of my favorite Papa Wolf Kanan moments right here when Kanan slams Grand up against the ceiling. :)

The Force Theme is finally louder and more confident here and Grand’s has taken a pause.

Buuuuuuut it’s soon back in force lol.

I dunno what it is but I really love the animation in Grand’s unflinching run through the closing doors here, even when he has to leap over them he doesn’t even break stride.

Ezra’s slicing and lockpicking skills kind of fall by the wayside as he focuses more on Jedi training, which is kind of a shame, I liked that he was a bit tech-savvy in ways Sabine wasn’t.

Why I like to include little moments here and there in my fics where he still gets to use his talents.

Can I appreciate this little moment of Sabine reaching for him in concern?

Of course I can, who’s going to stop me?

And one of my favorite master-padawan moments right here, Kanan finally giving some solid instruction (”Picture the locking mechanism in your mind.”), doing it with him, and it’s something easy that Ezra can already do albeit on a bigger scale.

A very victorious Force Theme to mark the occasion. :)

Something Rebels does when it needs to emphasize Kanan and Ezra’s connection is basically have them mirror each other’s pose, this is one of the first examples.  Ezra’s straining a little bit more in his expression but they’re perfectly in sync and mirror-matched limb for limb.

WHICH DOESN’T NECESSARILY MAKE THE PARALLELED IMAGERY IN THE FINALE HURT MORE BUT IT ADDS A LAYER.

Ohhhhhhh hang on, does anyone wonder if Hera leading the tibedees here was inspiration for the eventual purrgil surprise?

It’s on theme at least, lol.

I hear the “Rebels Shenanigans” leitmotif here, bit more dramatic than normal, lovely.

Ezra’s theme coming in as we return to Lothal and man, there’s really nothing I could say about this scene that hasn’t already been said, this is one of fandom’s favorites, we can all spill ink about Ezra’s fear of abandonment and Kanan’s sense of inadequacy and how the Force tends to bring together pairs that teach and grow each other.

How Kanan finally figures out and understands what Yoda’s “Do or do not” line means, how it’s all about your mental state, you can’t give up before you’ve started, you have to be all in and fully committed.

How he’s realizing he has to commit to this and not half-ass it and that leads him to adjust his strategy and go much slower and more meticulously in this lovely little last scene which has the distinct look and feel of a father and son playing catch in the yard. ^_^

Our first real “plot-heavy“ episode of the series, heavy on the drama and interpersonal character conflict.  Can see why it’s the episode that convinced a lot of people to stay on board.  It delves much more deeply into Kanan and Ezra’s master-padawan connection, the Found Family aspects of which are, of course, widely loved.  Their relationship was always one of the show’s strengths.  Like Ezra and Zeb’s friendship it starts off rocky but there’s an extra emotional and personal element in that Kanan is the teacher, the “parent”, and they’re both connected to the Force, something no one else can teach Ezra about.  Kanan has to be the one to guide Ezra through that learning process because he’s the only one who understands it, who can bring that aspect out of Ezra and make him truly who he is.

Kanan really starts to step up after this.  He’s still got a LOT of fears and worries and insecurities, as he’ll tell Yoda later, but he’s over his initial mental block now.  All the better for Ezra, for helping him feel wanted and safe. :)

Ahhhh I love this episode, the character growth from this point to the end is just *chef kiss*.  More worried spacedad Kanan up next week, hopefully I’ll have that post up quicker than this one.

Coming in last minute like my newborn last month oy.

[babyspacebatclone]

I happened to find this interview transcript from ND Stevenson regarding a lot of his work while looking for something else.

And while scrolling down to find what I was looking for, I saw a gif of Catra with a captured Adora from “White Out,” and I had to read the paragraphs around it.

And just…. Stevenson is not a good showrunner. 😬

First of all…

Catradora being endgame???

I’m not sure the rest of the crew had been told that!!!!

ND: …But is also, I think, a good thing to see representation of characters making the wrong choices and doing the wrong thing. And Catra is defined by that. This was [something that] the crew [asked about as well]. People would come and they'd be like: "so, you told me that she's gonna join the good guys again, right? She'll be OK? When is that going to happen?" And people started to stop believing me that it was going to happen.

I’m sorry….

What the actual boiling salt???

The other people helping you make this series…

Started to stop believing you that Catra was ever going to be redeemed?????

I don’t care if that actually happened or not.

That’s not something you make up to sound cute!!!

There’s only two options: You didn’t tell the people helping you make the show what was happening in the show, or you don’t think acting like you would treat your fellow crew with that amount of disrespect and disregard for the product makes you look like anything but an idiot who can’t be trusted!

Either way: Bad showrunning!!!

This is not to talk against withholding plot points etc. on a limited basis: The Good Place did not tell most of the main cast a major plot twist until it was time to get ready to make the relevant ep:

(The article and enclosed video have spoilers for the first season of The Good Place)

But the season would not have worked if the writers didn’t know the twist the entire season was building towards. The audience wouldn’t have been able to watch it all again and say “Yes, this makes sense, I know why these background characters are doing this now.”

ND: AJ [Michalka], who voices the character, I would [tell her] "We have a big run for you today, Catra is going to do something new, but I promise that she's going to be OK in the end". And she'll be like: "yeah, sure, you say that every time".

Now, compare that to The Good Place cast reaction to learning they’d had enforced method acting:

In truth, the cast was forgiving after the deception. "It was good not to know until the very end," [William Jackson] Harper told EW earlier this summer. "It's just part of the character to not know. In a way, it's like Ted, Kristen, and Mike made me a Method actor against my will, which is great! Who knows what I would have done?"

Now, potentially, this is just a good PR lie for the press. Although the reactions show in the video support the cast being impressed with the twist, and understanding how it fit into the show, and their role in it.

But again: The Good Place example is not the same as ND withholding all the information relevant to the plot itself to themself. (apparently)

The actor playing the mastermind of The Good Place twist knew the plot, and could create a performance that worked towards that plot.

Michalka was, apparently, not told how Catra’s story was going to go. She had to take everything on Stevenson’s word.

And as someone currently working for a boss where I have to just accept whatever version of reality he’s decided is in play today - that’s fucked up.

(example of my boss: Apparently, we don’t need annual reviews. Except also apparently the sit down I had with him - the daycare owner - and my director after my surgery recovery time where we discussed how ready I felt to return to duties on schedule counted as my review. Except that was in May, and when I mentioned to my director in September I hadn’t had a review since the previous March she agreed with me. Since she was working literally two full time positions I didn’t want to push her to ask the owner about it then…. Anyway, just more of his bullshit.)

Also….

ND: And that, I think, in it's own way can be something that also tells us how to make decisions ourselves. So when you see somebody who we sometimes want to scream [at], sometimes we're compelled to do things that make us a bad friend or bad people. And it's important, I think, to know the consequences of those wrong decisions. [emphasis mine]

I agree.

It’s great to represent characters who make bad decisions, because of their personal traumas.

And if that happens, it’s necessary to show the consequences of those decisions.

I completely agree.

Why the boiling rain didn’t we see Catra suffer the consequences of her leading the war on Etheria?

The consequences of repeatedly placing Adora in deadly situations??

Trying to stop Adora from preventing the reality of Despondos from collapsing???

Edit: Oh, and actively blaming Adora for it, purposefully triggering Adora’s trauma??? The woman she later claims to have “loved the entire time”??????

Where were those consequences, Stevenson???

Can you fucking answer me there???

[lawonderlandwriter]

Everything we know about the Jon Snow Show

Facts:

~ News about a Jon Snow spinoff was first broken by James Hibbered of The Hollywood Reporter, then subsequently confirmed by Emilia Clarke, and finally by George RR Martin himself.

~ The working title for the show is Snow (though this could definitely change, ex: GRRM wanted the ill fated show about the Long Night to be called The Long Night but the HBO official title was Blood Moon).

~ The writing / producing team for Snow is a crew put together by Kit Harington and the idea for the series was created by Kit.

~ Kit’s writing / producing crew visited GRRM in Santa Fe and are working with him / his writing and consulting team to “hammer out the show.”

~ Snow is not yet greenlit by HBO (that they’ve announced, at least), but is in the “script” stage of development, which includes an approved outline and treatment, notes, and multiple script drafts (though whether for a pilot or a whole season is unknown).

~ Lastly, goes without saying, HBO will be the network behind Snow.

Reasonable Assumptions:

~ Friend of Kit Harington and co-executive producer of the limited series Gunpowder, Daniel West, will likely be involved with the show.

~ Tandem news, Snow will likely be a limited series (West’s page on his agent’s website was briefly updated with an item for an unnamed limited series with HBO but it has since been deleted) (and not to toot my own horn but I had already long predicted that it would be a limited series so, yay me).

~ Brienne of Tarth actor Gwendoline Christie could be involved, as she has said she would love to play the character again and gave a “maybe” when asked point blank if she’d be involved in the Jon Snow spinoff. 

~ Lastly, could be something but could be nothing, but House of the Dragon co-showrunner, Miguel Sapochnik recently left the series after only being involved for a single season. With Sapochnik also being a friend of Kit Harington and Kit being an admirer of his work, it’s entirely possible he’s been poached by Kit for Snow.

Unhinged Dot Connecting:

(The tinfoil hat is screwed on tight for this section and the shipper goggles are ON so take all these predictions with a grain of salt). Keep reading line included cuz this gets LONG. 

~ We know Kit personally told Emilia about the Jon Snow spinoff. They’ve talked about this show together. Granted, it could have just been in the casual context, “Hey, I’m thinking about pitching a Jon Snow spinoff to GRRM, what do you think?” But arguably, it also could have been a lot more. For all we know / have been told, this is something Kit and Emilia have come up with together. Based on their individual thoughts of the final season and their desires for their characters’ endgames, it makes sense that they would ruminate on the S8 ending together and then come to the logical conclusion most of us had in response to watching that dumpster fire: it’s bullshit and it should be re-done. 

That Emilia was THE former cast member to officially confirm that the spinoff was real after the THR leak feels significant. Also, George’s Not-A-Blog was posted the same day that Emilia’s BBC interview came out (Gwen Christie’s Newsweek article also came out this same day, but was more framed from the perspective of it already being confirmed and just asking Gwen if she’d be involved, whereas Emilia’s was asking if it was true or not). All 3 confirmations of the show from people being previously involved in GOT coming out on the same day and exactly one week after the Hibbered article. I mean, I know I’ve got my tinfoil hat screwed on tight here but it really feels as if this was all... planned. 

~ Though she initially demurred in the BBC interview and said she was “done” playing Daenerys, Emilia has since backtracked. At the DIFLondon event, she was asked about playing Dany again in a sequel and allegedly said it would be “difficult” because she’s dead and “We don’t know where her body is.” She allegedly dropped the old “could come back as a white walker” chestnut. And she said she wants Dany to be with Jon, for them to work through their issues in family therapy (lol), and said that Dany is ultimately a hopeful character. 

So all her talk about Dany being dead, to me, is very reminiscent of Kit’s “I’m dead” routine following the GOT Season 5 finale. She absolutely knows that characters can come back from the dead in the ASOIAF universe which is probably why, after saying it’d be difficult to play her again with Dany being dead, she added “we don’t know where her body is” as an additional obstacle to her coming back to the character. 

But, of course, as we’ve all theorized about a thousand times, at the end of GOT, it very much seemed as if they were hinting at Drogon flying toward Volantis, where there’s a temple of the lord of light with red priests who could bring Dany back. 

Now, do I think D&D purposefully set up Drogon’s location to hint at Dany coming back for potential future spinoffs? Not really. I mean, it’s entirely possible they thought they could come back to the franchise a few years later but it’s also possible HBO asked them to leave that all ambiguous for the purpose of potential spinoffs, with or without their involvement (like Showtime did with the original Dexter series - the writers were forbidden from killing off Dexter). 

~ According to Maisie Williams, Kit was allegedly told back in Season 3 that he was going to be the one to kill the Night King.

This is such an odd rumor considering the character of the Night King doesn’t exist in the books and didn’t even appear in the show series until Season 4 (though Maisie could have gotten the seasons wrong). But, so far as canonical ASOIAF, Kit being told his could have been genuine. D&D learned from George the final fates of all the major characters around the time Season 3 was airing. So if George had told them Jon was involved / helped with stopping the White Walkers, they could have offhandedly passed that information on to Kit.

With House of the Dragon now shining a beacon on the Prince That Was Promised prophecy that D&D completely abandoned in Season 8, this could become a central plot point for Snow, especially if they’re going to rehash the White Walker plot with the old, “but they weren’t really defeated” trope.

At the end of GOT, Arya is headed west of Westeros and has Aegon’s prophecy-inscribed dagger with her, which could definitely prompt a return of Maisie Williams to the character in the spin-off.

Now, this absolutely does not mean that Dany can’t also be TPTWP. And according to the prophecy from the books about waking dragons from stone and Maester Aemon realizing it could be someone male or female, it actually makes more sense for it to be Dany. Going back to HOTD, with the Dance of Dragons ending with Rhaenyra being killed by her usurping male relative, it feels reasonable that they’d be setting up a Targaryen woman to be the savior of Westeros, not a man. 

At the very least, if Emilia is indeed coming back as a resurrected Daenerys, we can safely say this would be Dany’s redemption. There is NO WAY Emilia would agree to come back to the character if Kit’s grand spinoff idea was to turn her into the Night Queen or another kind of “big bad” for the show. If Dany comes back, she will be redeemed, she will be a hero, and she and Jon will be given another shot at love (true, they could die again in the end, but they’d likely die together as heroes). 

~ Speaking on House of the Dragon again, this is a show that they are rushing. There’s such a huge time skip in the middle of the show that they had to cast multiple actors to play the same characters to show them when they were young vs when they got older. And this isn’t an issue of waiting for actors to grow up so they can do sex scenes à la Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. The younger versions of the characters cast were adult actors too. And there is certainly enough material on the Dance of Dragons to last a series at least as long as Game of Thrones. However, HOTD is being planned as only a three or four season show. 

Now, why on earth would HBO (and GRRM for that matter, as he was always in favor of having more seasons of GOT to flesh out the story more) only order a show for three or four seasons, when there is certainly enough material to run for at least as long as GOT did?

Well, if they are going to tie in the Jon Snow spinoff show with HOTD (and especially if the spinoff contains a Daenerys resurrection / redemption), it makes a whole lot of sense that they’d want to premiere Snow as HOTD is ending. Season 1 is already half way finished airing, which means it’s only got two or three to go. If Snow rides on the coattails of HOTD and follows directly after its run, we could get the spinoff on screen by as early as 2024.  

(As far as production and writing timelines for House of the Dragon, this could logistically make sense. Though Fire and Blood, the book on which HOTD is based, came out in 2018, and the series was ordered by HBO around October 2019, writing for the series only began around January 2020. George stated that Snow has been development almost as long as the possible shows for Ten Thousand Ships, 9 Voyages, and The Hedge Knight. And though those three potential spinoffs weren’t announced / leaked until early 2021, they’d have to have been in development / talks much earlier than that before news of their development finally got out).

Other silly tidbits:

~ When a fan explained to Kit the finer points of fandom shipping and that they believed Jon and Daenerys were “The Song of Ice and Fire,” he called it “brilliant” and said he “totally agreed.”

If HOTD was in the writing stage then and Snow was in very early development, Kit could definitely have been agreeing because he knew he was already creating a limited series spinoff based on that exact idea and had insights from GRRM about the true ending to ASOIAF. 

~ When Kit was asked whether or not he’d become a father in Season 8 (before the table read when he found out Jon and Dany’s ultimate fates in the show series) he certainly seemed fond of the idea. And, as has been relentlessly pointed out, the GOT 7x07 commentary with David Benioff, Dan Weiss, Kit Harington, and Lena Heady (not to mention the numerous references to “children” throughout Season 7) definitely seemed to hint that this would be the case for Season 8, and realistically could have been a planned plot scrapped by D&D in favor of Mad Queen Dany. But if it’s part of Dany and Jon’s book fates and is a plot favored by Kit, we could finally get a Targling at the end of Snow if Dany is indeed resurrected.

But what do you guys think? I’ve already predicted that Kit’s growing out the beard in preparation for beginning filming Snow, though it hasn’t been announced that the show is going to series yet. I doubt they would officially announce it before filming begins because it is such big news and HBO wouldn’t want paps trying to get photos of the set and spoil parts of the plot. Though if we get short-haired Emilia soon or blonde Emilia, I think we’ll be able to say with confidence that it’s happening. 

[furryprovocateur]

Do you think FE Engage is worth playing?

haven't played it, but i've gotten a lot of secondhand info about it. the long and short of it is that it's not a very good game if you're either new to the series or looking for a good story. but if you're a veteran who can look past bad story/characters, it's got good gameplay. it's basically the same as the reception fates got, but less severe/polarizing. take all that w/a grain of salt because i have played precisely 0% of it. it definitely seems to have a lot of self-referential shit in it that might go over newcomers' heads (idk how versed you are w/FE).

[damoselcastel]

Hello, welcome to the world of Elios. I'm Dameceles, and will be commentating on a Blind 1st playthrough of the game Fire Emblem: Engage. A TRPG also call "anime chess" by fans, we'll see how silly this romp gets. Expect some salt and sarcasm, but mostly here for a good time. Warning for spoilers across the entire FE series.

In this episode, we're tutorialized a wee bit much.

(aka, I decide just to record rather than write my reactions)

[crystalelemental]

(Pichu anon) Thank you so much for the video input, Crystal! I don't think I'll pull for Jasmine, 'cuz I'm saving for Calem/Serena, but I appreciate your helpfulness. In general, can I say I really appreciate your content? It's thanks to you that I found how to make viable Pokemas teams, but you're also really insightful. Like, remember the anon who talked about Hugh and N in the Unova VA? That was me, so thank you for listening. Plus, I really like when you talk about FE, Radiant Dawn (1/?)

"Specifically, because it's my favorite entry of the franchise, so hearing someone analyse it's content and actually appreciating Micaiah (fuck you, FE dudebros) it's simply fantastic for me. So, thank you again. (Btw, at the end I settled for Pichu/Volkner/SC!Lillie for the team) (2/2)"

You're welcome! And that's fair. I love Jasmine, she was my top priority this run and I will always push for her, but...yeah, Calem and Serena are probably the stronger units, so good luck getting both!

And thank you, that means a lot. I try to be helpful with what I bring up for teambuilding and the like, and am working on curbing my general salt about options I'm not a fan of. And I do remember that discussion! I'm always happy to hear other people's takes on events and character dynamics. I'm in the game for the characters and the interactions we don't get main series. It's a huge selling point for me.

Ah, a person of culture as well. Micaiah is my favorite, I love her so. And Radiant Dawn is a great game, that I think people agree is really great, but also gets a lot of criticism that isn't entirely fair. But then, I'm also someone who openly argues that Elibe are the best games, FE7 has one of the best stories, Genealogy is the worst game by a mile, Thracia would be the best game in the series if it wasn't designed to make the player suffer, Eirika and Celica did nothing wrong, Kris isn’t that bad as a main character and New Mystery was super fun, and all the lords of Three Houses (and Rhea) are super good and interesting and no one is strictly in the wrong. So like, my opinions may be questionable in the broad scale.

Nice. Hopefully the team is working out better for you.

[getitfrenchship]

Back when baby Pikes was making friends Pokemon would’ve been the guaranteed series to start mutual conversation

Online days seem to be FE now despite my salt for this series lately

[ochazos]

2. What are your unpopular opinion(s) of the fandom you’re rping in?

Munday Asks: Salt Edition / @chibitantei

p3 is the best game in the series and each version (fes, portable, movie, manga, ect) of it has so much to offer. while p4 and p5 (with royal being a CLOSE second for me in terms of favorites) have things i think they do better in some respects, there are a lot of things I think were just more interesting in P3 than the other games. I know it's a hot take. I thought my opinion would have changed replaying it after all of these years but it really hasn't.

[vavaclasses]

NCERT-Metals and non-metals class 10 notes

Introduction to Metals and Non-Metals Class 10 Notes:

Metals and Non-Metals form a fundamental classification of elements, playing a pivotal role in understanding the diverse world of chemistry. In Class 10, students delve into the distinct characteristics, properties, and reactions that define these two broad categories. Metals, with their conductivity and malleability, stand in stark contrast to the non-metals, which exhibit varying physical and chemical traits. These notes provide a concise exploration of the essential attributes of metals and non-metals, offering a foundational understanding for students to navigate the complexities of chemical interactions and classifications in the realm of science.

Here are some condensed notes on the topic of Metals and Non-Metals Class 10:

Difference between metals and non-metals

Metals:

1. Physical Properties:

Solid at room temperature (except mercury).

Good conductors of heat and electricity.

Malleable and ductile.

Usually have a shiny luster.

2. Chemical Properties:

Tend to lose electrons to form positive ions.

React with acids to produce hydrogen gas.

Can undergo corrosion when exposed to moist air.

3. Examples:

Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Aluminum (Al), Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), etc.

Non-Metals:

Physical Properties:

Can be solids, liquids, or gases at room temperature.

Poor conductors of heat and electricity.

Generally not malleable or ductile.

Lack metallic luster.

2. Chemical Properties:

Tend to gain electrons to form negative ions.

Do not react with acids to produce hydrogen gas.

Many non-metals are essential components of living organisms.

3. Examples:

Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Nitrogen (N), Carbon (C), Sulfur (S), etc.

Metalloids:

1. Elements with properties of both metals and non-metals.

2. Examples: Silicon (Si), Germanium (Ge).

Reactivity Series:

1. Arrangement of metals based on their reactivity.

2. Highly reactive metals at the top (e.g., potassium), less reactive at the bottom (e.g., gold).

Important Reactions:

1. Metal + Oxygen → Metal Oxide

Example: 4Na+ O2→2Na2O)

2. Metal + Water → Metal Hydroxide + Hydrogen Gas

Example: 2K + 2H2O→ 2KOH+ H2

Metal + Acid → Salt + Hydrogen Gas

Example: Zn + 2HCl → ZnCl2 + H2

Difference between metallic and non-metallic minerals

The distinction between metallic and non-metallic minerals lies in their composition and physical properties. Here are the key differences between metallic and non-metallic minerals:

1. Composition:

Metallic Minerals:

Composed of metals in their chemical structure.

Examples include iron ore (hematite, magnetite), copper ore (chalcopyrite), and gold.

Non-Metallic Minerals:

Do not contain metals as a part of their chemical composition.

Examples include quartz, mica, gypsum, and limestone.

2. Physical Properties:

Metallic Minerals:

Typically have a shiny or metallic luster.

Good conductors of heat and electricity.

Often exhibit ductility and malleability.

Non-Metallic Minerals:

 Generally have a non-metallic luster, which can be vitreous (glassy), pearly, silky, or dull.

Poor conductors of heat and electricity.

Lack malleability and ductility.

3. Color:

Metallic Minerals:

Can have a variety of colors, but many have a characteristic metallic color (e.g., iron is often reddish-brown, copper is reddish-orange).

Non-Metallic Minerals:

Exhibit a wide range of colors, not necessarily related to their mineral composition.

4. Hardness:

Metallic Minerals:

Generally have a high hardness.

Non-Metallic Minerals:

Can have varying hardness, but many are softer compared to metallic minerals.

5. Usage:

Metallic Minerals:

Primarily used as a source of metal extraction for industrial and economic purposes.

Examples include iron ore for iron and aluminum ore for aluminum production.

Non-Metallic Minerals:

Used in various industries for different purposes, such as construction, ceramics, fertilizers, and cosmetics.

Examples include limestone for construction, quartz for glass and silicon production, and gypsum for plaster.

Understanding the distinction between metallic and non-metallic minerals is essential for various industries that rely on these resources for manufacturing and economic activities. These concepts is crucial for classifying elements, predicting reactions, and explaining the behaviour of various substances in chemical reactions.

[randomnameless]

Saleh found dead in a ditch :

Saleh: Would you please come to our village? Myrrh: To Caer Pelyn? But… Saleh: Dara and the other villagers would be overjoyed to see you. The village is quite spare, but we would do our best to entertain you. You could stay for as long as you wanted… Myrrh: … Saleh, you made that request on my behalf, didn’t you? Saleh: No, not at all. I apologize. I have been disrespectful. Myrrh: No, I’m pleased. However… I doubt I should stay too long. Saleh: Why is that? Myrrh: It’s because I’m a dragon. My father explained it to me. We are both human and monster. And because we are both, we are also neither. Saleh: …… Myrrh: We have the power of dragons; therefore, we cannot live together with humans… We have the hearts of humans; therefore, we do not belong with monsters. We are outcasts in this world, never a part of either community. And so we live our lives alone, never to be understood by anyone. Saleh: But there are humans whose actions make them monsters in the eyes of others. I do not think of you as such when there are many worse monsters among my own kind. Regardless, I believe the villagers would be most pleased to have you visit. Myrrh: Saleh… Thank you. Your words have cheered me up a little. Please wait for my answer. When all of this is finished… When peace returns, I’ll give you my answer then. Saleh: I understand. Myrrh: And when I do return to Darkling Woods, I will not be sad. Because of the time I’ve spent with you, the memories you’ve given me, I shall not be lonely. I shall never feel like an outcast again.

[softwater3452]

Kinetico Water Softener

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Softened water can be more practical at removing stains and cleaning garments, including those washed at lower temperatures in comparison with leads to onerous water. In addition, the research discovered dishwasher detergent and energy savings, together with the extra efficient operation of fuel water heaters. We had observed after 15 years in our then newly built home that the water move from our sizzling water taps was very sluggish. We had a Super Soft Kinetico Water Softener fitted and over the next few months the circulate steadily improved. Although the case is bulky it just matches in under the kitchen sink where our cold water supply are available.

On the other hand, if you and your beloved ones are away on vacation, a Kinetico softener will recognize that it doesn’t have to regenerate for days or weeks. Kinetico water softener brine tank blockage often signifies the formation of a salt bridge. Kinetico water softener not utilizing salt most likely signifies that the system is clogged. Kinetico makes a few of powerline water softeners the highest-quality, most varied water softeners on the market, however they’re still machines at the end of the day. And like all other machines, water softeners are susceptible to their very own set of problems. Kinetico water softeners are extremely reliable and cause few issues.

We work hard to supply one of the best customer service and water remedy to everyone we work with. Products Water Softeners The difference in softened water versus onerous water is a major aquasoft water softeners one you could see instantly. Your pores and skin will no longer have a film on it after you shower or bathe. Soaps or detergents will go additional and produce more lather.

The non-electric design means no computers or time-clocks. You never have to worry about complicated laptop or timer settings. We set up the finest California water filtration system available on the market, and we service our methods annually to verify they’re all the time in good working order. Most importantly, we’re proud to serve each household with care and a focus to detail. In different words, we’ll at all times totally check your water first and recommend the most effective resolution for your beloved ones, and we’ll always be out there to maintain it working easily.

[birlatmtsteelindia]

What are TMT bars and what are the different Types?

TMT bars, also known as Thermo-Mechanically Treated bars, are commonly used in the construction industry for reinforcement purposes. They are made by a combination of mechanical and thermal processes that alter the physical and chemical properties of the steel to make it stronger and more durable. These bars are a vital component of concrete structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, and flyovers, as they provide the required tensile strength to the concrete.

There are three main processes involved in the production of Best TMT bars in India:

Quenching: The hot-rolled steel bar is passed through a series of water jets at high pressure, which rapidly cools the surface of the bar while keeping the core hot. This process hardens the surface layer of the steel, making it tougher and more resistant to external forces.

Self-Tempering: The hot core of the steel bar, which was not directly cooled during quenching, starts to cool down slowly after quenching. This process results in a gradual transition of the steel’s internal structure, which makes it more ductile and malleable.

Atmospheric Cooling: The steel bar is left to cool down in the open air, which completes the tempering process and stabilizes the internal structure of the steel. This process also imparts the required strength and ductility to the steel, making it more resilient to stresses and strains.

There are different types of TMT bars available in the market, each with specific properties that make them suitable for different applications. The following are the most common types of TMT bars used in the construction industry:

Fe 415 TMT Bars: These TMT bars are used in small and medium-scale constructions, such as residential buildings, small bridges, and other similar structures. They have a minimum yield strength of 415 N/mm2 and are suitable for general-purpose construction.

Fe 500 TMT Bars: These TMT bars are used in large-scale constructions, such as high-rise buildings, flyovers, and other heavy-duty structures. They have a minimum yield strength of 500 N/mm2 and are suitable for applications where higher strength and durability are required.

Fe 550 TMT Bars: These TMT bars are used in critical and heavy-duty constructions, such as dams, nuclear power plants, and other similar structures. They have a minimum yield strength of 550 N/mm2 and are suitable for applications where extreme strength and durability are required.

Fe 600 TMT Bars: These TMT bars are the strongest and most durable among all the types of TMT bars. They have a minimum yield strength of 600 N/mm2 and are suitable for applications where the highest level of strength and durability is required, such as in the construction of tall buildings, bridges, and other critical structures.

 In addition to these types, there are also corrosion-resistant TMT bars, known as ‘CRS TMT Bars,' which have an added layer of protection against corrosion. These bars are particularly suitable for constructions in coastal areas, where the risk of corrosion is higher due to the salt content in the air.

TMT bars have several advantages over other types of reinforcement materials, such as plain steel bars and mesh. Firstly, they offer higher strength and durability, which makes them suitable for heavy-duty constructions. Secondly, they have excellent ductility and malleability, which allows them to bend and shape easily during construction. Thirdly, they have a low carbon footprint and are environmentally friendly.

In conclusion, TMT bars are a vital component of the construction industry and are used extensively in the reinforcement of concrete structures. They are made by a combination of mechanical and thermal processes, which result in a product that is stronger, more durable, and more resilient than other types.

[lgxnbook]

Fodor's Essential Southwest: The Best of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah - Fodor's Travel Publications Inc.

EPUB & PDF Ebook Fodor's Essential Southwest: The Best of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah | EBOOK ONLINE DOWNLOAD

by Fodor's Travel Publications Inc..

Download Link : DOWNLOAD Fodor's Essential Southwest: The Best of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah

Read More : READ Fodor's Essential Southwest: The Best of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah

Ebook PDF Fodor's Essential Southwest: The Best of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah | EBOOK ONLINE DOWNLOAD Hello Book lovers, If you want to download free Ebook, you are in the right place to download Ebook. Ebook Fodor's Essential Southwest: The Best of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah EBOOK ONLINE DOWNLOAD in English is available for free here, Click on the download LINK below to download Ebook Fodor's Essential Southwest: The Best of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah 2020 PDF Download in English by Fodor's Travel Publications Inc. (Author).

 Description Book: 

Whether you want to take in the views from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, explore Salt Lake City, or buy something at an art gallery in Santa Fe, the local Fodor's travel experts in the Southwest are here to help! Fodor's Essential Southwest guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This brand new title has been designed with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos.Fodor's "Essential" guides have been named by Booklist as the Best Travel Guide Series of 2020!Fodor's Essential Southwest travel guide includes:AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and doMULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your timeMORE THAN 25 DETAILED MAPS to help you navigate confidentlyCOLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust!HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants,

[ohmoguer]

El miércoles 10 de agosto llegan a Star+ los siete episodios de “Por mandato del cielo”, la esperada miniserie del ganador del Premio Oscar® Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”), protagonizada por Andrew Garfield (“Los Ojos de Tammy Faye”) y Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Fresh”). Inspirada en el best-seller homónimo de Jon Krakauer, “Por mandato del cielo” gira en torno al asesinato de Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) y su pequeña hija en un pintoresco suburbio de Salt Lake Valley, en el estado de Utah, en 1984. Mientras el detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) investiga los eventos que ocurrieron dentro de la familia Lafferty, comienza a descubrir verdades ocultas sobre los orígenes de la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días y las violentas consecuencias de la fe dogmática e inflexible. Lo que descubre Pyre, un mormón devoto, lo llevará a cuestionar su propia fe. El elenco de la miniserie se completa con Sam Worthington, Denise Gough, Wyatt Russell, Billy Howle, Gil Birmingham, Adelaide Clemens, Rory Culkin, Seth Numrich, Chloe Pirrie y Sandra Seacat.  “Por mandato del cielo” está creada por el ganador del Premio Oscar® Dustin Lance Black, quien además se desempeña como showrunner y productor ejecutivo. La producción ejecutiva de la serie está conformada por Brian Grazer, Ron Howard y Anna Culp, por parte de Imagine Television; Jason Bateman y Michael Costigan, de Aggregate Films; David Mackenzie y Gillian Berrie.  “Por mandato del cielo” es una producción de FX Productions. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf68SzJOLT3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=