#he literally behind the scenes was like 'hmmm I don't think he can ever really love a woman tbh' but you just know light being gay instead

[13eyond13]

If I was Ohba I would love my dead gay son Light Yagami so much

[mlobsters]

supernatural s11e4 baby (w. robbie thompson)

i've seen a number of gifs from this episode and i've built it up in my mind as an episode i should enjoy which makes me nervous to watch it :S

enjoying the variety of shots being in baby's pov and the guitar man by bread, nice choice (night after night who treats you right)

very fic-ish slice of life domestic vibes. both jared and jensen seem to be leaning into their accents more than usual, i often wonder about that. what decides when they do it, if it's a choice (i can only imagine it is). anyway, it's very... homey. relaxed

very normal

ack making me cry with all these smiles and sweetness. robbie, this is the fanservice i needed (and deserved). goddamn what a breath of fresh air it's like concentrated version of old times with just the two of them, but being relaxed and happy for a minute as the cherry on top.

DEAN Piper? That's awesome. Heather. One-night wonders, man. Shoot, we're lucky we still get that at all. SAM Really? You don't... ever want something more? DEAN I'm sorry, have you met us? We're batting a whopping zero in domestic life, man. Goose eggs. SAM You don't ever think about something? Not marriage or whatever. But... something? You know, with a hunter? Somebody who understands the life? DEAN Have you not heard a single word Bob's been singing about? You're tired. I can tell. You're exhausted. Well, I'm still wired, so I'm gonna pull over, get some gas. You hop in the back, get some Z's 'cause, buddy, you earned 'em. Proud of ya! Piper. Mmm. Man, she smelled good, too.

yes, sam, you're right. dean should consider settling down with a hunter—oh wait. wonder what that "have you not heard a single word bob's been singing about" means though. i'm not that familiar with his catalogue of work :p

was someday soon in this show before or am i getting weepy over it because it was used in a fic? signs point to a fic

He loves his damned old rodeo As much as he loves me Someday soon, going with him Someday soon

--

JOHN You okay, pal? You look a little spooked. It's nice to be back behind the wheel. Looks like Dean's taken good care of this old beast. Seems like he's taken good care of you, too.

literally sobbing what even is happening. wish fulfillment that dean could get the parental approval and validation that he did a good job with sam, and acknowledging how much he did raising him.

and this has nothing to do with my own dead father issues and desperate desire for approval, no way.

that i'm not pissy that it's john saying it should say how much this kicked me in the gut

JOHN What you said about relationships, wanting something more... I never wanted this for you boys. This life. Not really. SAM We turned out okay. JOHN You did, didn't you? But that was on you boys. You did that, not me. SAM Well, you played your part. JOHN I did my best, anyway, for what it was worth. SAM This isn't real. JOHN I never could fool you, could I?

so is this lucifer? show brought him up making a fuss in the cage with the darkness busting out, and the whole i never could fool you thing. like he showed up as jess (??) in a dream did sam figure it out? no, he didn't know. hmmm. surely not god though :p

SAM I prayed when I was in that church, and I saw... something. And now, here you are, whoever you are, whatever you are. What the hell is this? JOHN Dream. Vision. Call it what you want. The message is still the same. The Darkness is coming... and only you boys can stop it.

again, i rag on the musical score a lot but the foley and overall sound design minus the score tends to really be noticeably good. and i really like what they did with the sound and the filming in this scene. where there's kind of a low wavering thrumming hum and their voices sound more close up. and i really liked that they didn't do any noise hits when he flashes back briefly to the torture vision, it was just a little extra very low soft bass thumping with the flashes. all that combined with these super tight close shots of their faces kind of adds to the slightly uneasy/unreality feeling. very nice

DEAN Welcome to the Winchester Motel. We don't have cable, but we do have room service. You were singing in your sleep, that song mom loved that dad used to always play for us. I think I've actually still got the tape.

great, another song i can have an additional layer of weepiness over, confirmed mom favorite.

SAM I think I've been having visions, too, lately. I mean, it's just images. I mean, more of a feeling, really. But I just had one right now, and Dad was in it. But it wasn't dad like the Dad that I grew up with. It was Dad when he was our age. And I guess it wasn't even really Dad. It was someone pretending to be Dad and -- DEAN Okay, what makes you say that? SAM For starters, he told me everything I wanted to hear.

you and me both, friend

dean really going in on the accent in this conversation in the car. i'm not one to anthropomorphize cars (i love cars and my car) but they're definitely getting to me with that whole.. baby has bore witness to so many conversations and fights and... like the hannibal quote

from s2e13 mizumono HANNIBAL You sit in that chair, as you have so many times before. It holds among its molecules the vibrations of all our conversations ever held in its presence.

also my own personal wish granted that sam would own up to something he was hiding, the visions are a start

SAM He said, "God helps those who help themselves." I mean, maybe these visions are coming from God. DEAN Whoa. Pump the brakes.

brief terror that lucifer is getting those prayers and will lead our sam the (at times) believer astray because he thinks it's god

the wins keep coming, sam telling dean about being infected. thank you, robbie, good sir. to keep things reasonable dean blows off the visions because he's mad or whatever

DEAN Come on, man. That quote? "God helps those who help themselves"? God didn't say that. That's not even in the Bible. That's an old proverb that dates way back to Aesop. I read.

it's so hit or miss on whether dean is well read or it's a joke that he doesn't know about stuff. consistency! 🥴 he read the odyssey, didn't know who calliope is, etc. i know i've talked about this before but can't find it.

DEAN I have that dream every couple of months. Kind of comforting, actually.

and dean's dream about john and having a normal life? i haven't felt this many feelings since probably s5. and all the little domestic canon tidbits they're feeding us, just wow

DEAN I know what you're trying to do here. You're trying to find some -- some greater meaning to it all. Right? Some fate to what went down. But I'm telling you, Sam. The Darkness? It's on us. And no one's gonna help us, certainly not God, so we'll have to figure this thing out, like we always do. But until then we hunt.

don't love how he's blowing him off (though i mean, not terribly unexpected), do appreciate that sam reiterated that he doesn't think it was just a dream

even in the fake recreated car interior sam looks so uncomfortably cramped. and as ever consider there's an actual roof over their heads to contend with when contemplating them full on fucking back there in fic :p

the deputy i looked up because he's a redhead and looks kinda like sheriff stilinksi from teen wolf, it's the guy that was in a different ep of spn (7x04) that i looked up because he's pale and freckly. and he was in altered carbon.

it's so interesting how natural the episode is flowing even with the rather large limitation of having everything take place in the car, and not feel gimmicky. even this little interlude with the girls on the joyride is lifted by an excellent song choice, and the scene seems to be referencing the video, and they're doing an actual car stunt that we get to see from the inside

what a banger, damn and that video is amazing. only m.i.a. song i knew was paper planes via slumdog millionaire

okay well having an emotional breakdown every 5 minutes apparently has made this such that i can't wrap this up tonight. tbc

all right i was a little higher than anticipated yesterday so we'll see if the ✨Feelings ✨are the same with nothing in my system

was thinking last night that dean would likely notice his car being dusty as shit after doing donuts in a dirt lot :P but i'm glad she got to have her fun consequence-free, and Baby too

silly

so pleased with himself. this is all very cute honestly. it could have gone over the top slapstick having to keep dealing with this were-pire that won't die, but there was some restraint. the muffled growling and snarling from the cooler is just the right kind of goofy for me (not having music i think helps)

MRS. MARKHAM Your family. You do anything for them, don't you? DEAN Absolutely. Yeah, but not if it costs too much. [ Chuckles ] MRS. MARKHAM No. You do everything for them. Everything else is meaningless.

little on the nose but i'll take it :p that extended fight scene inside the car with her was a lot but

DONELLY It's like I said, I need help, every strong hand I can find. And I need an army to fight the Darkness. Oh, it's comin', for all of us. There's nothing hunters or any human can do about it.

is there some sort of monster memo going out about the darkness? we all need to band together against the darkness!

i give my car kisses like that too LOL

awkward

<3

DEAN We'll get Cas to fix you up. SAM Only if he fixes you up, too. DEAN Okay, mom. Let's go home. SAM You know what? We are home.

thank you, robbie.

There was no score for this episode. All music was diegetic: either coming from an outside source or the Impala's cassette deck. The scenes used in the episode for the Impala's cassette deck were used from 5.22 Swan Song.

i'm not gonna say that this episode was way better for not having a score, wait. no. i am gonna say it. thank you, for that choice

During the filming of the episode, during the scenes where the Deputy Donelly attacks Dean, Jensen found the remains of the Impala that was smashed up at the end of 1.22 Devil's Trap.

i can't remember an episode i wholeheartedly enjoyed as much as this one in a long damned time. i needed that. along with some somewhat cathartic sobbing :p skin cleared, crops watered, etc

[thebroccolination]

Ok ok ok….. this might be a big ask BUT from every countdown photo - what do you think scene is about?🫣

Tumblr just ate my entire post when I was up to NINE, so I'm gonna try this again and…hope. Also no more fancy formatting because I think it upset Tumblr asdfghjk

ANYWAY.

This is a fun ask, Anon! Okay, so a bunch of the countdown photos have already appeared in the first four episodes, but quite a few have yet to appear, so! I'll make my speculations based on the fifteen available chapters of Hemp Rope and my own baseless assumptions.

Spoilers for the novel! If you'd like to follow along, it's here.

LET'S GO (AGAIN)

Appeared: No Episode: 5 Scene: This is the famous tie-tying scene from chapter nine. There's a lot of emotion and tension and a lot of people have been eagerly awaiting this scene. Including me. :D

Appeared: Yes Episode: 4 Scene: The date that wasn't a date but it was.

Appeared: No Episode: ? Scene: I swear I've seen them in these shirts before, but I can't remember where. Possibly a behind-the-scenes photo? Or a video? Either way, that's definitely Team's car.

Appeared: Yes Episode: 4 Scene: Congratulations, Pruk, you have a lemon. \:D/

Appeared: No Episode: ? Scene: Hmmm we don't see much of A, Bee, and Sea in the novel, buut I'll assume it's something about Bee consulting his friends about Prince.

Appeared: No Episode: ? Scene: I will dance if this is their reaction to Win posting something sappy about Team and that turns out to be how they find out about all these romantic shenanigans Team's been up to behind their backs.

Appeared: No Episode: 6? Scene: My guess based on their expressions is that this is them realizing there's CCTV footage of Team nearly drowning. In the novel, Win deletes it and Dean lets him.

Appeared: Yes Episode: 4 Scene: The cutest Phawin ever to Phawin.

Appeared: No Episode: 8? Scene: This is going to be a big, Big scene. This is the "I'm sorry I won't go anywhere" scene from the trailer and the scene from the series' main poster. This is a biiiiig big Big scene. And we have zero information about it! I'm guessing episode eight just because Shit Tends to Go Down in the eighth episodes.

So okay, in the novel, Team keeps telling Win that he wants to tell him "something" after the qualifying meet. My guess for this scene based on Sheep's style of writing is that the universe is going to cosmically punish Team for being anxiety-riddled and traumatized and needing time by making Win find out another way. It'd explain why Win's so upset in the trailer but Team looks kind of neutral to vaguely bewildered.

Appeared: No Episode: ? Scene: Hmm. We really don't know much about them or their story yet. Hmmmmmmm nope, got nothin'.

Appeared: Yes Episode: 1 Scene: SUPPORTIVE BESTIES <3

Appeared: Yes Episode: 4 Scene: Violence as romance <3

Appeared: Yes Episode: 1 Scene: BABY BAO <3

Appeared: No Episode: ? Scene: Hmm it's neither of the elevator scenes we've gotten so far. In episode one he was on the phone with View, and in episode two he was smirking at Tul. I'll guess he's looking at Team. <3

Appeared: Yes Episode: 3 Scene: Chicken foot flirting. <3

Appeared: Yes Episode: 4 Scene: They REALLY liked episode four.

Appeared: Yes? Episode: 3 Scene: My guess is it's a wide shot of him playing the game with Wan.

Appeared: No Episode: ? Scene: Honestly, this could be literally any episode from now on. This is just their dynamic in a single image asdfghjk

Appeared: No Episode: 5 Scene: Wan's invasion of his little brother's campus is one of my favorite Hemp Rope scenes. He's a true-blue gremlin in it. Meets Team, uses that as blackmail to get Win to let him stay in his room so he can play games all night, etc. He's awful, I adore him.

Appeared: Yes Episode: 2 Scene: WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WE WERE GETTING WHEN THIS IMAGE DROPPED

Appeared: Yes Episode: 1 Scene: The decision that changed everything~

Appeared: No Episode: 7? Scene: OH LOOK MY FUTURE FAVORITE SCENE OF THE SERIES. I'm almost positive this is the homophobia scene from chapter thirteen of the novel, and oh my god, I can't put into words how much it means to me.

Appeared: Yes Episode: 1 Scene: The colors in this scene were gorgeous.

Appeared: No Episode: 5 Scene: I thiiiink the near-drowning happens in the next episode, which is gonna be WILDLY emotional and I look forward to crying as a group. <3

Appeared: No Episode: 5 Scene: THEIR FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING. EHEHEHEHE. WANTUL. <3

Appeared: No Episode: ? Scene: Oooh this is the same shirt he's wearing in the 26th countdown image. So I guess A and Sea get kicked out again lolol

Appeared: Yes Episode: 1 Scene: Cute meet cute~

Appeared: No Episode: ? Scene: Y'KNOW WHAT. I THINK THIS AND 13 ARE THE SAME SCENE. So I'll say Win kisses Team and then Team berates him for it.

Appeared: No Episode: 8? Scene: THIS SERIES IS THE BEST SERIES IN THE WORLD BASED PURELY ON THE AMOUNT OF FOREHEAD STUFF IT'S GIVEN ME. Also I'm gonna guess this is after the Hemp Rope scene.

Appeared: No Episode: 8? Scene: LISTEN. [SCREAM] Hemp rope hemp rope hemp rope. I have nothing to say that isn't more screaming.

So, thirteen of them are from episodes 1-4 and four seem to be from 5, so we've got thirteen episodes unaccounted for. \:D/ And when they did this countdown, they hadn't finished filming yet, either, so I feel like, again, we're completely adrift for the last third of the series. YAY. :D

[winterarmyy]

Yinn, my lovely😭😭

am shooting one back:⭐

Please - I hearing your thoughts on Bucky and how you write him

give me - am all ears😌

Taraaaa bby 🥺🤍 thank you for shooting one back! you literally didn't have to, but i am grateful regardless.

My thoughts on bucky? i simply love him. i think he deserves the world, he deserves his own show that revolves around him adjusting to modern days and fall in love and get married and have his own happy ever after; like a show with 0 fighting scenes. just sweet baby bucky finding life, love and alpine. but ultimately, i want him to be happy and honestly talking about 'happy', i think steve was sooooo wrong to leave bucky behind in end game. like bruh-- don't get me started. so we're moving on to the next topic.

hmmm 🤔 if you notice the way i write bucky, it is different for every fic , but there were also some similarities because i'd say i have a fundamental traits for every bucky that i write but each will have additional traits based on the plot/what type of bucky he is.

the base traits of most bucky i wrote is in a way... he is reserved?? i want to say he grumpy but not to the extend that he'd be rude yknow what i mean? there are times that he can 'sound' rude but usually it was not his intention to be. then from there i'd add up other traits like l:

1. in "and you're mine", bucky is very insecure due to him believing that he is not a worthy alpha due to his lost of limb and 'undesired' body, but since he is an alpha, there are times that he can be dominating and take control of a situation. like the way he saved her at the park from that drunk alpha.

2. in "plot twist" he tends to be a bit more charismatic?? a bit of a devil too tbh cause i mean how can we forget the scene at the balcony at the party. the man was literally on his knees, kissing his wife's thigh, worshipping her like he is not the most fearsome mafia in town?? that cheeky little devil.

3. in "welcome home soldat" well, bucky is exactly as his base trait but a bit more extreme, he is more hard on himself, and tend to bottle his true feelings instead of communicating them. thats why their relationship pre-relapsed was good. like he would came to her for help, he may seem like he is not interested in some of her jokes and all but he never really blatantly ignore her and then when he returned to his body, he distant himself, he blamed himself, he sound spiteful even if he was not trying to be and he did not seek help from anyone including steve. and as for winter, since the plot is written to 'flip the script', but still holding on to the base trait of the soldat. winter is ruthless to anyone he deems as enemies but he is a lovesick puppy to his darling. i also make it that he learns "how to feel" through bucky. especially from bucky's hidden feelingd; and winter was acting out as how he feels. which explains why he is written the way he is, very clingy, very people pleasing (at least he wants to please his darling if you know what i mean *wink wink), but still... he have his own consciousness as well, and you can see it on the part where they say goodbye. the whole speech that winter did. it is a glimpse of his own traits too.

and gosh i could go on and on but i'll be too long of a ramble. since you're curious of how i wrote bucky, that is basically it. i have some sort of a base traits for him, and i add more based on plot.

hope this answers your question! again thank you for shooting a star to me!! love you lots 🥺🤍

[ask-artsy-oncie]

Do you have some behind the scenes or development info about Jules? Since you talked about designing Yy 😊

Sorry for answering this one so late anon! I've been very sporadically online the past couple of days. I know you sent this today but like still.

I just wanted to make sure I answered this proper cos I like talking about behind the scenes stuff a lot ;w;

Hmmm. So Julio. Let's see...

Well, originally their name was going to be José, since that's the first half of my name. It was definitely something I teetered back and forth on because I know José Carioca is not only already a Disney character but literally in Ducktales 2017. I mean... we have two Disney Afternoon characters named Louie.... but still. Ultimately I decided on Julio. I actually have a cousin named Julio, though we don't live in the same country and haven't seen each other since we were kids. It was more because I was born in July hahaha.

Ah, yes! "Starleta"! I actually came up with the character's surname before changing my pseudonym! Because I loved it so so so much and it really vibes with me so well I decided to have it for myself, too :) what's interesting about that is that my older pseudonym, Artsy LaVerne, is also based on an OC - it's the deoncelerized version of my askblog onceler (since LaVerne means "born in spring" and it was fanon that the Onceler's birthday was on Earth Day!) Starleta just felt appropriately magical and fictional! And it's a play on my own last name!

I figured their nickname would be "Jules" - I imagine that in their "original" Talespin incarnation it'd be their whole name because DT17 did a lot to Latin-ize characters and I kinda wanted to play into that, like literally (retroactively) Latin-ize a character I made up lol, just so it felt a little more immersive. But I also wanted this DT17 version of them to have a nickname, preferably one syllable, that Kit could call them, because Kit is the kind of guy who would lean towards giving people/calling people by their nicknames rather than their full names.

They were originally going to go by he/him pronouns! This was because I was feeling massively dysphoric when I was designing them and very much wanted to feel like a man. What made me change my mind is the massive amount of euphoria I felt seeing an androgynous they/them character already on Disney - Raine Whispers :) and I knew then that I wanted to change Jules's pronouns.

Their two most important magical elements are their broom and their tarot deck - their broom, because I've yearned to have the power of flight for literally as long as I can remember, and their tarot deck because I actually read tarot IRL and practice witchcraft! I imagine that in the cartoon world where magic is literally real, tarot works more like the Alethiometer in the Golden Compass movie, where if you know how to read it, the answer appears to you as clear as day, with little to infer or guess at - that's why they always get a little piece of information they don't know the context to, like their deck is almost being snide with them by giving them a riddle rather than a straight answer. It obviously wouldn't be that way in a real tarot deck.

Their broom is also their comfort item, and inferred to be kind of alive in its own right for a reason! I wanted an analog to my dog, who is very much someone who keeps me calm, who essentially functions as my emotional support net, who understands me and is as inseparable as we can be (she is not a registered service animal so I cannot take her everywhere). Jules very much emotionally depends on their broom, and feels better when they're actively holding it or can at least see it. I they made it themself, much like how I raised Cali from a puppy, literally just old enough to be removed from her mother, there's a lot of care and love involved. I've pondered, but I honestly don't think they'd be able to handle if it ever got broken.

I decided, in order to help myself develop them, to try also developing an "original" Talespin incarnation of them that could potentially be rebooted. I imagined them like a side character in one of the comics (one, because those inconsequential side characters were the kinds of characters I used to fixate on, so it felt fitting, and two, because it would also be easier to keep them androgynous without ever having to confront their gender - they wouldn't have enough of a presence for it to matter lol) kinda like the daughter of Baloo's old boss, or the homeless folk who raised Kit - major players in the specific issues they appeared in, but essentially nonexistent outside of that particular comic. I almost even wrote and drew the hypothetical Talespin-style comic that I imagined them coming from, until I realized I was too exhausted to do all that hahahahahaha.

I believe the plot was about H4H being hired to deliver magically significant jewels (under the guise of it being "jewelry") from the island that Jules and their family live on - who in this 'verse are all witches, no real "not believing in magic" issues present, though they're not very open about it because magic can be dangerous in the wrong hands, of course, which is why they claim the cargo they're sending out is just jewelry. But H4H gets ambushed by Karnage and his crew as they're leaving, motivated by the precious jewels, causing them to be trapped on the island. The adults are all tied up by the pirates, but the kids get away (Jules is an only child in this 'verse, or maybe perhaps only has much older siblings, they're meant to be the youngest of their family, and a late bloomer in developing their magic). As Jules cannot use magic yet, they lament that they, Kit, and Molly, are powerless to save their families, but Kit comes up with an idea to trick Karnage rather than overpower him. Jules confronts Karnage "alone", proclaiming themself to be a powerful witch who will make him pay for imprisoning their family. Karnage amusedly dares them to prove it, to which Jules pretends to cast spells on him while Kit and Molly, unseen by the pirates, play tricks as though to make it seem like spells are actually being cast (hooking a fishing line to one of the pirates and lifting them to make it look like Jules is levitating them, discreetely setting one of the pirates' hats on fire to make it look like a fireball had been thrown, releasing a basket of snakes to make it look like they were magically manifested) and it scares the pirates off, the kids having saved the day :)

Hahahahahaha I know it's very simple and rather dumb, but I felt like it was rather on par with the way Talespin comics are written (and that's no shade, I do love them, but they're often very simple like that.) Maybe someday I'll be able to draw it! Maybe. There was also absolutely (and adamantly!) no romance between Talespin!Jules and Kit, because I just don't feel comfortable shipping a self-insert with a child character, even though the insert character would also be a kid. Just feels wrong. Talespin!Kit is my blorbo, it's DT17!Kit who is my husband, ha. Talespin!Jules and Kit are strictly platonic.

That's all I can think of, for now. Sorry I don't have any pictures for this one like I do for Ty. I'm typing this on my phone and don't have the energy to pull up my computer to find early sketches - I did all their visual development digitally. But honestly most of what I've posted of them is all there is, even their Talespin version is in my introductory post for them. Hope you liked this, thanks for the distraction ;w;

[gillianthecat]

Gaga won't let me screenshot, but I wanted their chemistry and their beautiful faces on here, so have this promo poster instead.

Bed Friend - episodes 1 & 2

Because apparently I'm still incapable of watching a show without writing about it. (That's part of why I've been reluctant to restart watching BL again, it ends up taking up so much more of my time than just watching a show.)

Uea looks so much like Saint from some angles/with certain expressions. It's not just me, right? And he's playing a character I could see Saint getting cast as, which only adds to it.

I love these two men so much already. This is a dynamic I love, and I think a variation of this is part of many of my favorite shows/couples (blueming, to my star, big dragon,

I appreciate Cheewin's experimentation, in the War of Y series with how far he could push what it means to be a BL, here with camera angles and editing and all the stylistic choices, but I have to say the results aren't really working for me. I think I've written my thoughts on Cheewin before, but this is solidifying my theory that his shows only work (for me, at least) when they have strong actors with good chemistry as the central couple. Which luckily these two seem to be. And when he doesn't over complicate things, which 🤞 he won't here.

Oh look, another middle aged woman as the villain of the story. I didn't think much of it in War of Y, with the two managers, but the appearance of Uea's mother is making me go hmmm. Cheewin, is this becoming a trend with you? Not that Uea's difficult, complicated relationship with an abusive parent isn't something that's interesting to explore, it just kinda makes me go hmm that most of the middle aged women I've seen in his work are so two dimensionally evil. But I've only seen some of it so perhaps that's not true overall.

I think I like this version of an office romance, where the office setting is background and context, but the actual work they're doing isn't the focus of the story. I think I just get too distracted and/or annoyed by the realism or ethics or whatever of the specific jobs they do, lol.

On that note, I suspect Middleman's Love will not be for me. All the annoying bits of Cheewin without characters I love to redeem it, and I get the impression, though without any evidence behind it, that it will focus more on the work they do. But I could be wrong! And end up loving the characters.

Kings little smiles when Uea tells him he's not mad anymore! He looks so pleased and hopeful. He likes this prickly man so much!

This scene with the STI testing feels like a PSA and I don't really mind. One thing I can trust Cheewin for is to advocate safe sex and openness around sex.

Ok, but this moment of King removing Uea's mask. I'm feeling many feelings, a few of them about the characters, most of them about the past three years of the pandemic. I think this may be the first time I've ever seen someone do this in a show or movie? Even including in the before times, on like hospital dramas and such. It's such a powerful intimate gesture, in ways I can't really articulate right now.

The way King looks at Uea. I can't get over it.

This whole scene from the walk in the park to Uea writing try? on the glass door he fogged up with his own breath... I love it. Just the tension between them. King feels so plausible as this confident playboy who also seems completely willing to fall for the prickly coworker. This shyness and amazement anytime Uea returns his overtures, without making his normal confidence feel fake.

Between this and the mask, the show is using literal physical barriers between the two in interesting ways.

Oh, I am getting invested in these two. Hopefully Cheewin doesn't ruin it for me.

[leejenowrld]

Hii bubs just read your jeno fic and its literally one of the best I ever read like ever! Firstly how are you? How was your holiday? Hope your year started well! So I made a lot of notes as I was reading, this is going to be very long. Contains spoilers and me freaking out

So starting with yn in the principal's office, I somehow read professor Johnny Suh speech about the project with his exact voice and tone like he really speaks like that sometimes-

Ooooh the panic attack, does she have anxiety?

The way jeno is so soft and smart I'm already In love with him in this wait till she found out he's a fuckboy

AND SHE DID Yeonjun spitting the facts sorry I laughed

Ok so yn and jeno are getting along they're really cute everything is peachy but I'm sending some trouble ahead

I'm still at the beginning so I may be wrong but maybe this sexy and fuckboy persona is just for show, the real jeno is who he is when he's with yn, he's naturally confident but he's also naturally laid back so he is able to have "two personalities", I even think is a bit like the Lee jeno in real life like he's so powerful and sexy on stage but out of it he's actually a sweet silly boy

No but jeno with theo had me giggling that was so cute

Oooooh its getting sexy hmmm the sexual tension hehe

Yn crying cause she wants him I get you girl

Jaemin cameo <3333

Them talking about sex I SWEAR they're getting to another level

"So you're not a needy slut?" IJBOL

Oh the similarities between her ex and jeno I hope he won't do the same

Jeno explaining his fuckboy story was so necessary but omg he's so sexy I caaaaannnnttt

The dress scene was so sensual wow the party and jeno's protective side aaa

Their differences are starting to crash I knew it would come a moment like this, but it's good how they can sort it out, I'm also happy yn enjoyed the party

They're dating OMG THEYRE DATING like officially

The smut was chefs kiss

Why does jaemin hyuck and renjun walking in on yn and jeno seems so real (jaemin and hyuck would definitely tease the hell out of him and ask if they could join and renjun would be pissed)

Oh no those stupid parties!

She's right actually, he should've told her on the phone what was happening, communication is one of the most important things in a relationship

Thank you sunwoo you're an angel but now I'm nervous

About the mean ppl I get both sides ofc yn is uncomfortable about it and jeno is also right in not letting it get into them

And I love how he's always so soft with her in these moments

FUCKING BITCH WHO ARE YOU TO TALK LIKE THAT TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN BUSINESS I SWEAR WHO SHE THINKS SHE IS I HATE HER SO MUCH

(Quick break to pet my cat cause she won't stop meowing)

The smut and after smut scene in the car was so beautiful I almost cried with them fr

GIRL you're letting some slut get into you DONT BRRAKUP WITH HIM

I WANT TO SLAP THOSE BITCHES

Again sunwoo is an angel

Jeno I love you so much you're the sweetest

DONT LEAVE HIM YOUR DUMBASS

Girl now what are you doing on his party

Damn but it's getting wild omg that was so sexy of yn

THRYRE BAAAAAACKKKKK I LOVE THEM

Also besides the love story the project idea is so cool

The speech was AMAZING I was smiling so wide through it

"I don't believe in God, but God made you for me" THAT WAS SO GOOD WTF

I love how they're ALWAYS HORNY

Sooooooo the writing was magnificent, the plot everything was so good so well planned. I got mad, frustated, happy, emotional, you portrayed love and its difficulty so beautifully

heyyyy!!! my holiday was good thank you 🥹 happy new year to you mwah

suh being the professor is everything to me. a little behind the scenes, i wanted to add a scene with him and ten (as they’re married and both are rich and handsome together duh) but it didn’t fit :( it was gonna be the ending but i really wanted the ending to be jeno smirking and saying he deserved the blow job lmao

yns anxiety!! huge role in the fic

jeno!! yeah!! super interesting. he kinda does have two personalities but keep in mind the person he was when he was with yn was a more relaxed, laid back and reserved version of himself. he’s was holding himself back a lot. i mean, as a person he is quite chill and doesn’t really actively attract attention, everyone just finds him hot and sexy cus he has that nonchalant vibe about him, but when he’s high he’s a lot more needy and himself… but he also shows his needy and confident and touchy side when he and yn get together ;))

them talking about sex was so funny lmfao it’s just jeno finally starting to loosen himself

thank you! i do struggle with smut and i wanted to showcase yn and jeno being freaks which tbh i could’ve done better but it’s ok!!! my series of texts between them will show that lmao

he’s so soft :( softest sweetest boyfriend ever he’s whipped

it’s frustrating isn’t it!! jealous ass dumb bitches. it’s so upsetting how yns anxiety got in the way :(

it was getting wild!! we love a good reconciliation line

no like… jeno and yn are CRAZY for each other oh my god they’re the most in love people you’ll meet. i wanna showcase that even more with the texts i’m gonna post and also future one shots :) wanna write them getting engaged and their sexy honeymoon hehe

[mistresseast]

can you explain in more detail why you think the PT weren't good friends for akiren? i'm not asking out of hate or to start drama, i just never interpreted things that way and i'm genuinely curious. i don't think them being brainwashed by maruki makes them "bad friends", but i don't know if that's what you meant either. i'd love to read a proper explanation on this that isn't just people arguing in the notes of that post.

Hi! Yeah, I know the ~discourse~ climate is pretty touchy and not a good place to exchange ideas, so I’ll do my best to put my thoughts on this matter into words. 

Settle in, bc this one is long.

I’ll start off by saying I don’t dislike the PT, nor do I think they’re bad people, and honestly I think they love Joker a lot! Ryuji calling Akira after his fake death and talking about how his ideas on what makes a hero have changed because of Akira genuinely makes me emotional, along with dozens of other scenes with the thieves! They’re good kids who could be really good friends to Akira but that’s not what’s shown in the game. I don’t think it’s controversial to say Akira’s relationships with all of his friends are transactional. That’s kind of the point, all of his confidants arise out of deals, give and take, and in the metanarrative of the game, that’s how it works. You as the player help these characters solve their problems, and through ranking their confidants up, you get access to more gameplay perks. So it’s pretty even!! But like,,Akira, the character, isn’t the player. There’s no in-story mechanic by which he can cash in friendship points for being-good-at-killing-things prizes. Yes, he uses those abilities to not die in the metaverse, but there is no literal, in-universe way to explain how hanging out with someone translates to [insert gameplay perk here]. So you have to look at what is physically happening in the story. Akira hangs out with the PT, stands there while they have drama with another irrelevant character, and then one way or another their problems get solved and they swear to be Akira’s blood brother or whatever. Akira is a crutch for these characters, and they say multiple times that they wouldn’t have been able to do what they did without him. So all of their shit gets handled and Akira gets?? Like actually gets?? What? Inquiries about his well-being? Offers to help him? Questions about his life, his interests? No,,,not really,, But he gets access to a super powerful persona!! Yay!!! Bc everyone knows he’s just a little shadow-killing machine, right? And even the relationships he does get something tangible (as in separate from the mechanics of the game) out of, like Kawakami’s, are built on the notion that if Akira stops providing for whatever reason, the relationship will end. So essentially, Akira is under the pressure of filling whatever role his friends need him in for however long at any time, and he’s been led to believe that if he stops or fails, he will stop receiving any reciprocal care and acceptance.

(And I know this is all gameplay stuff, I know it has to be like this to codify the complicated process of human relationships, I know all of that, I’m just trying to find a deeper layer bc that’s what I do.)

This whole thing comes into pretty clear focus for me during the third semester when you visit everyone in the false reality. Everyone is happy to see him, of course, but they’re clearly wrapped up in their own happiness. Which is understandable, again, I’m not saying the PT need to be attached to Akira to be good friends, but it all still feels off to me.

If they know Joker, then they’d know it’s weird that he just shows up and starts asking these pointed questions while they’re in the middle of something. All of their other interactions with him have been led by them. Yeah, Joker approaches them bc the player has decided to hang out with them, but the other character always chooses the activity and leads the discussion. Akira showing up out of nowhere and asking them to “remember” and “move on” and whatnot should be raising some major red flags. And it clearly does, since their memories do start to return, but they’re all too scared of losing their happiness that they nope out of the conversation as soon as possible, without stopping to consider why Joker might be trying to reach out to them like that. They’re his friends; they should know he wouldn’t just be trying to hurt them or make them unhappy. After all, their entire relationship with him up til that point has been exclusively about Joker trying to help them. This doesn’t make the PT bad people, running away is a totally natural reaction in that situation. They’re just kids, and their minds have been manipulated to a point, but it’s not like they don’t remember Joker or the way they’ve grown since meeting him. In fact many of them mention how much they’ve matured recently, but they never actually relate that back to Akira, despite him being the primary driving force behind most of their personal arcs, even though they definitely remember him. Translation vagueness or deliberate nod to the idea that the PT don’t actually credit Akira with all the hard work he did after their initial lip service? Hmmm. Anyway, their failure to recognize that Joker is struggling just demonstrates to me what was set up all throughout their confidant links, that their relationships are transactional and that they don’t necessarily consider Joker and his individual needs outside of what he provides for them. And when they no longer need him bc that hole has been filled, he simply doesn’t occupy the same place of importance in their lives. 

Makoto’s flashback in particular stood out to me, bc it was from a moment where she was specifically talking about feeling like she finally found a place to belong with the Phantom Thieves (and by extension, with Joker), but then she desperately tries to brush it off. Obviously that sense of belonging wasn’t meaningful enough to her for her to want it back. And I’m not blaming her, of course, any teenager would choose to have their father back over being in a vigilante group lmao, I just thought it was telling that the devs decided to show us a scene that was originally meant to be heartwarming as an example of the harsh reality Makoto wants to forget. All of the flashbacks are from defining moments for the thieves, but that one specifically got me like *thinking emoji*

So his friends are hesitant, despite the fact that they must know something is wrong. It’s understandable, they all stand to lose a lot if someone messes with the status quo. I genuinely don’t think I would react any differently. But there is someone who reacts differently and against his own self-interest. It’s Goro, the one who has arguably the most to lose, who doesn’t turn away from Akira. He seeks Akira out and teams up with him to uncover what’s really going on, even though he has every reason to believe that prodding too deep will literally mean the end of his life. He forces Akira and himself to face the truth because he knows anything else would just be an insult to what they’ve suffered so far. He’s the only one who never flinches, and that, more than any of his friends’ come-to-jesusing (which Akira still has to initiate) is what Akira needs in that situation. For the first time (outside of the brief instances in the tutorial levels), we see a situation where Akira is actually the dependent one, the one who needs help, who needs support. And the only one who has ever provided that, unconditionally, without demanding anything in return, is Goro. I could go into how Goro’s confidant blows all of the others out of the water in terms of building both himself AND Akira as characters, but it’s been said already and by smarter people than me. But basically, despite competition being a core theme of their relationship, Goro is the only character who is portrayed as Akira’s equal. Their contests are all in the name of improving not just Goro, but Akira too. Goro is the only character who expresses an interest in Akira’s inner life and development, and as such he knows Akira better than anyone else. So when Maruki tries to trap them all in a gilded birdcage, Goro won’t stand for it and he knows Akira won’t stand for it either. That’s why he’s so betrayed if you choose to accept the dreamworld. You’re negating the basis of your entire relationship with him and going against your own principles. Out of every character in the game, the one who knows Akira best and refuses to abandon him even when that could mean his own death is Goro Akechi.

I want to reiterate: I do not hate or even dislike the PT!! And tbh I don’t really think they “abandoned” Akira. That post, imo, is supposed to be kind of hyperbolic. Unless it’s referring to how many of them literally sprint away when he comes to talk to them lol. I look at it more like a commentary on how thoughtlessly the PT act as soon as their wishes are granted. I know it’s set up linearly for story purposes, but isn’t it kind of sad how no one checks up on Akira in the week he’s going around talking to people? Especially after he’s been acting so comparatively weird? It’s not unusual that they might be caught up in other stuff, but while you’re going around and visiting everyone, you don’t get a single text or call from ANY of the thieves, for a whole week!! Goro even comments on it directly with his pointed little “I’m sure you’re just as close as you were before” comment. God, he’s such a bitch. Ultimately, the PT do get their acts together, and it’s partially out of the realization that Akira is struggling alone against something and needs their help, which I love and appreciate. I think they are good friends who want to support Akira, but they can’t understand him past the role they’ve placed him in, and until they do, they’ll never be able to be what he needs. Akira loves his friends and knows he can rely on them in most ways, but those relationships will always be dogged by the pervasive fear that he must constantly earn the right to have the relationship at all. What he needs MOST is someone he doesn’t have to perform for, and from what we see in the game, none of the thieves fit that bill. Except Goro. 

I know this was long and rambly and probably pretty disjointed but I wanted to be as thorough as possible and all of my thoughts just sort of gushed out. Obviously ymmv about all of this depending on how you interpret the game, but this is what I arrived at thanks to my analysis so this is what I have for you! Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk

[duckodeathreturns]

Hi - after rewatching TTOI last week I started thinking about Malcolm's career choices (among other things) and why he didn't decide to become an actual politician. He's intelligent, probably charming enough to get votes whilst still being able to act ruthlessly when necessary, and has at least some sense of morality. I suppose if his previous job was in journalism or something similar then that might explain why he got into dealing with the media. I don't know.

Apologies, Anon (if you are even still out there) for the shamefully long time it has taken me to reply to this. Hmmm, I can’t say I’ve questioned Malcolm’s career choice in terms of him wanting a behind-the-scenes Number 10 government job rather than choosing to go into the elected side of  politics.

To start at the end, in UK politics being involved with journalism before (or indeed while) being an MP is not at all unusual so I don’t think that would be the deciding factor for Malcolm.

No, I think for him the deciding factor would simply be a) did Malcolm want to be the one being shouted at? or b) did Malcolm want to be the one doing the shouting? Because I think there is only one answer to that and we all know what it is.

(Although the other side of that is Malcolm as Director of Communications for Number 10 really only has the authority to shout at elected politicians if they are cabinet ministers like Hugh and Nicola and junior ministers like Ben or former cabinet ministers that he’d sacked like Cliff or put out by the bins persuaded to resign like Geoff Holhurst. So if he were on the backbenches with the majority of MPs – like Nicola before her unexpected elevation – almost certainly no one at Number 10 would care enough/even know enough about his existence to shout at him which I’m sure would be intolerable in its own way.)

Malcolm is also pretty consistent in his dislike of being known about by people outside of Westminster – although I think that no matter how much he protests that he doesn’t want the public to know about him he does get a bit of a thrill from even the most negative newspaper article written specifically about him

(which is pretty much every article written specifically about him) because it means he IS Very!Important! which has to be a great big ego boost.

On the other hand though, he pretty much doesn’t trust or like the public at all

and never wants to have anything to do with them if he can help it.

Yes, he can be charming with regular people when he needs to be like with Geordie Julie the Merry Fucking Widow in 303,

(or even telemarketers)

but only when he needs to be (see also Geordie Julie the Merry Fucking Widow literally two minutes later in 303)

and especially Middle England Mary the Actress in 102

although of course in that case Malcolm was in EXTREME need of a nap) and I can’t imagine he has the slightest interest in the public as individuals or in dealing with them on a day to day basis as he would have to (or should anyway) as an MP. I’m thinking about Simon Foster and his disastrous constituency surgeries in In the Loop

and trying to imagine if it were Malcolm instead and…nope, can’t do it.

(Although on the other hand if Malcolm were an MP and Sam was still his PA, I’m sure she would have had English Begbie Alan Partridge’s problem with the constituency wall sorted out in a trice.)

Malcolm’s first loyalty after himself – and be let’s honest about the order – is to the Party in general and I would say the first unnamed PM (“Boss”) in particular. What interests Malcolm is making sure the party stays strong and for him that means making sure the party’s message (whatever it may be at any particular moment which may well completely contradict what it was five minutes ago)

is being sold just the way he wants it to be.

At least in the glory days, Malcolm’s position at Number 10 gave him to a greater and lesser degree power over politicians AND the press.  Politicians – and the occasional unfortunate civil servant – only got to say the lines but Malcolm got to create them and then use all of his considerable powers of charm and persuasion and force of personality to MAKE people sell them

even when they really really Sweary Woman of Whitehall TERRI! really really don’t want to.

Just look at Malcolm’s 8:30s when he’s at the height of his power. Is any MP in TTOI who is not the unnamed PM ever as satisfied as Malcolm is here

laying down the law to the ministerial minions?

Oh I don’t think so.