#her characterization so far has been so intriguing. something tells me that she's not as oblivious as she seems

[hajimedics]

welcome back, asuka langley soryu

[pandora15]

okay I didn't sleep very well which means that this is the perfect time for me to write a very obnoxiously long post about my very complicated feelings about ahsoka (both the show and the character).

there will be vague spoilers for what we've seen for the show so far (as of this writing, the first three episodes).

okay

also this will definitely be ramble-y and probably a bit controversial? idk man it's the star wars fandom, I'm sure to piss someone off regardless of what I say here, and I don't really care.

anyways

I'm gonna start with a simple statement.

I don't like the idea of one Jedi being better than another.

Clarification: Obi-Wan is by and large my favorite character of all time. He is my favorite Jedi. However, in my eyes, that does not make him better than all the other Jedi. That does not make him a better Jedi than all the others that we've seen in canon, just because I (or a lot of us in this specific fandom circle) like him.

make sense?

okay cool.

In a similar sense, Ahsoka is not better than all the other Jedi, including all the ones who taught her and helped shape her to who she ultimately becomes. Don't get me wrong, she is an incredible character who has gone through so much and has survived it all. And I take comfort in her character nearly as much as I take comfort in Obi-Wan's.

The way the show is going so far seems to imply that the approach that she's taking with Sabine by training her at all, when Huyang has said multiple times that the Jedi of old (ie. up until the end of the Clone Wars) would not have trained her, is absolutely the right and wonderful thing to do. So the fact that Ahsoka has previously taken this chance on Sabine and is doing so again seems to imply (to me, at least) that she is better than all the Jedi who came before her, since all of them would not have done such a thing.

The whole Sabine being practically Force-null thing but still trying to be a Jedi is a whole other conversation for another post, but…a part of me is intrigued by the idea, I guess? But I still feel like it steps back on her characterization in Rebels, and I am worried about the direction they're ultimately going to take with her.

Add this to the fact that the show demonstrates that Ahsoka has complicated feelings about the Jedi Order and being a Jedi. The fact that she calls Sabine her Padawan (a Jedi term afaik) eases my concerns slightly, maybe? I don't think it's clear quite yet how she feels about the whole thing.

But all of this stems from what happened to her during the Wrong Jedi arc.

And in the lead-up to this show, I rewatched that arc. On this rewatch, I felt a lot of sympathy for what Ahsoka goes through. She's on her own for most of the time that she's on the run, and obviously I can't say what would have happened if she'd chosen not to run away and investigate to the extent that she did, but it does seem to pile up even more evidence against her — but it also gave Anakin the stepping stones that he needed to figure out it was Barriss and Barriss the opportunity to sort of expose herself as the culprit. Like if Ahsoka hadn't run away to the lower levels to try to figure it out, would she have been better off?

We don't know. I'm not gonna make assumptions.

As for the Order and the Council, I'm going to say about that arc what I've said before: they were placed in an impossible situation. The war has drained them of the trust the public had once had in them, their dependence on the Senate made it so that they couldn't go against them.

Ahsoka says in the arc that she believes that no one in the Order fought for her, besides maybe Anakin. Yet we literally see Obi-Wan tell the Council that they can't expel her, we see the Council invite her back after her name is cleared because they still see her as one of them. A Jedi.

And yes, maybe they could have done something differently to change things. Maybe they could have taken a stand with Ahsoka against Tarkin and all the other Senators who called for Ahsoka's expulsion/trial. Maybe they could have refused to expel her to prevent all of that from happening.

But I can't imagine that things would have gone well for them or for Ahsoka if they'd done that.

Needless to say, Ahsoka could have done things differently to lead to a better outcome, and the Council could have, as well — but we don't actually know if it would have worked.

Putting all of that aside though, the way Ahsoka's character is approached after the Wrong Jedi arc aired is changed drastically, compared to how it was approached before that arc. Which makes sense, since she walks away from the life she knows and has to figure things out and all that. I know it must have been really tough for her, walking away.

Ahsoka's arc in Rebels is beautiful. I love it. The way she contends with the knowledge that Vader is Anakin, ultimately leading up to her duel with him and her sacrificing herself so that Ezra and Kanan can get away? It's so heart-wrenching to me, even now. Learning that Ezra ultimately saves her with the WBW made me so happy because she is such an important character to me, and to see her ultimately die at Vader's hand would have been completely heartbreaking.

And to see her again the Rebels epilogue, with the implication that she survives the events of the OT, was one of the most glorious endings I've seen in Star Wars. Just thinking about it makes me smile.

But after this is where the cracks begin to form for me.

We go back to Season 7 of TCW. I found the Martez sisters arc pretty fun, having rewatched it recently. However, there is this plot point of Ahsoka seeing that the Jedi are not doing anything for the people of Coruscant, since they're. you know. busy fighting a galaxy wide war and all that. (Also like the welfare of Coruscant's people is not strictly the Jedi's responsibility like assuming Coruscant has a Senator or maybe even the Chancellor would also have some level of responsibility, yeah? but people love to blame the Jedi for their problems, in and out of universe).

Anyways, the arc indicates that the Jedi are in the wrong, even though, once again, they're in this impossible situation for one thing, and they're also being "blamed" for things that aren't even their fault? And Ahsoka is like the only person who can see that so now it makes her better than all of them?

We see that play out a bit at the beginning of the Siege of Mandalore arc (which is still incredibly painful to me, thanks). We see Bo-Katan take shots at Obi-Wan for literally just saying that he has to speak to the Council about her request (I could be remembering wrong, I'm trying to double check this but youtube is literally refusing to load right now), and Ahsoka just stands there and lets it happen because "wow why are they not helping us how dare they be busy with a war omg after everything they've done to me"

And to be fair to ahsoka, it hasn't been that long since TWJ and it's totally valid for her to still be upset about it! I guess it's just painful to see especially for me because I've always loved Obi-Wan and Ahsoka's dynamic and it was just. yeah.

And yeah, Ahsoka decides to do the same to Obi-Wan later on when he says they have to go to Coruscant because their people are in danger, and Ahsoka's upset that they're not prioritizing Mandalore's people over Coruscant. Which like. Coruscant's people literally includes the two sisters you became friends with last week Ahsoka what do you mean —

anyways

in those opening moments of the siege of mandalore, it's clear that she still has a lot of emotions over what happened, and Obi-Wan takes the brunt of that. let's also not forget that she doesn't seem to want to talk to Anakin until later on, yeah?

and the way it's framed in the show, they really make it seem like ahsoka's in the right for treating Anakin and Obi-Wan like this. Like they deserve it for doing something differently than her.

When Mace Windu calls her a citizen when she LITERALLY called herself that first, people say he deserves to die? like what the fuck? it's not that serious y'all.

It's like Ahsoka has suddenly become the perfect character who can do nothing wrong ever and any time another character tries to go against that, it's implied that she's in the right and she's better than them all, actually. it's canon because dave filoni says it is.

skipping over the mando and tbobf episodes mostly because I don't have much to say about those episodes as it relates to this topic, this brings us back to the ahsoka show today.

I think it's a beautiful show with incredible music. like I'm obsessed with the end credits music. the premise is extremely interesting. I do think it should have been animated, even though the actors have worked extremely hard to get the characters down and I've literally seen how excited and passionate they are about the project while watching their interviews in-person at star wars celebration, I don't think it would ever feel the same as having the original voice actors back for all the characters.

that being said, I'm enjoying the show so far, but I am concerned. I'm worried about what the show is going to communicate about the Jedi Order and that it's going to continue to imply that Ahsoka is better and knows better than all the Jedi who brought her to where she is now.

I hope that the show is able to communicate that Ahsoka wants to be respectful of those Jedi, instead, and that they paint the concept of being a Jedi in a more positive light, instead of continuing to imply all this negativity.

I love the Jedi, and I just wish we got to see more of them in a positive light in canon.

[darkpoisonouslove]

Initially I wasn’t sold on Valtor and Griffin but reading your post on lovers to enemies and how it applies to them opened my eyes to the possibilities. Thank you so much

Thank you, anon! I am so happy every time someone tells me I've opened their eyes to Griffin x Valtor because, honestly, the levels of potential with them are just epic! I think the writers threw in their partnership to give Valtor a motive for taking over CT and the whole thing was extremely poorly thought out but it still has so many directions it could go! I have been thinking about this a lot in the last few days so I'm going to go ahead and ramble about it!

First of all, the whole betrayal business was glossed over in a truly mind-boggling way. In order to have a betrayal of any sort, that means that there was trust to be betrayed, which instantly adds a side to Valtor that we don't get to see on the show. He is definitely very far from trusting the Trix if he feels the need to manipulate them in a divide-and-conquer fashion the whole time. And examining this in detail leads to a very fun observation. Either he actually trusted her, in which case he totally allowed her to play him for a fool and he would absolutely despise that, or he trusted in his own ability to keep her by his side, in which case his charisma failed him to the result of completely shattering his ego. His total lack of reaction to the betrayal (he simply imprisoned her and proceeded to do nothing to hurt her afterwards) fails to take either of those into account and wastes a perfect opportunity to explore his psyche through his partnership with the Trix. They literally combine the humiliation of being betrayed by Griffin with the memories of being under the thumb of the Ancestral Witches. A perfect setup to show us a more vulnerable side to Valtor to flesh him out.

Speaking of the Trix, the reveal that Griffin used to work for the Ancestral Witches makes the entirety of season 1 plain stupid. I don't believe for a second that she would not have connected the dots and figured out the Trix are their descendants. Which presents us with intriguing opportunities of building up her character and possibly the world. Why did she work with the Ancestral Witches? What was her motive in keeping the Trix' identity a secret? Was she trying to protect them because she knew the way the Ancestral Witches would warp and exploit anyone they could get their claws into and she sees too much of her younger self in them? Was she trying to keep an eye on them? Was she hoping to somehow use their potential as witches to her benefit (suggested by 1x08)? Was it some mix of those? Instant layers added to the character, plus we could have learned why Griffin worked for the Ancestral Witches, what her role was in the scheme of things and how they operated.

Which leads me to another gripe with the writing - they made Griffin too nice post 1x17. Until then they characterized her as a villain (or at least as intensely antagonistic) only to turn right around and take most of the bite out of her. They completely fail to strike a balance with her, which leads to the generic, contrived and contradictory motive we're given for her betrayal and the absolute lack of motive for her working with Valtor in the first place. I'm sorry but I'm not buying the idea that she would suddenly chicken out of the quest for world domination. And yes, Valtor is the one that puts it like that (in 4kids at least, I think he said something about "having a change of heart" in RAI) but the whole thing is still vague and weak as far as motivations go. You don't go serve one of the greatest evils only to decide that actually, no, you're not cool with bringing about the apocalypse after all midway through bringing it about. Was she misguided? Angry and indignant about something (*cough* all the witchphobia going on in the Magic Dimension *cough*)? Ready to fuck shit up but failing to account for the fact that she'd fall in love with Faragonda? What? What happened?

To go on from there, she really could have used a somewhat more consistent characterization where she would do anything for the people she cares about - and by season 3 that includes Faragonda's fairies and Saladin's Specialists alongside her witches - at the cost of fucking over everyone else. Like I said in the previous ask, it would have made perfect sense to see ruthlessness and cunning from her but this time used against Valtor as opposed to for his cause like she did when she was his partner. It would have made the whole thing more believable and fixed the inconsistencies with the writing for her personality.

And lastly, going off of my mentions of witchphobia, this show really takes every opportunity to imply that witches are evil no matter how hard they try to pretend that they are sending the exact opposite message. So how come Griffin was not only allowed to join the Company of Light after her partnership with Valtor, but also became headmistress of CT? Trying to answer that in any capacity could have added a little something to the Winx world to make it a place of forgiveness and second chances (instead of the biased hellhole it appears to be - at least if you're a witch). Griffin being the only witch in the Company poses the question of how she got along with the other members, how they even came to accept her among their ranks and how close she was with all of them. Not only that, it would have added to the conflict between her and Valtor since she left him and then went on to join his enemies, basically implying that they are superior whether in a moral respect or where power and political influence were concerned. How much about his methods did she reveal to them and how valuable of an asset was she to the Company with her knowledge and her magic? How did it feel for both of them to fight against the other and lose (since Valtor claims they were unstoppable together - a much different assessment than that of his partnership with the Trix; they are his puppets on strings while Griffin he seems to have treated as an equal)?

Come on! There is a ton to do with these characters, a ton to explore about their stories, their psyches and the world around them! The script would have improved significantly if they'd even scratched the surface of any of these things.

[schrodingers-bisexual]

So I watched the Hazbin Hotel show and I have some thoughts…

So here are my live written thoughts/critiques of the first for eps

And before you get your pitchforks these criticisms have no malice behind them these are just my honest opinions (some good, some bad)

(Long post incoming)

Ep 1:

Plot-

* Interesting opening

* I enjoyed the reimagining of the Adam and Eve story

* they set up Charlie’s mom being MIA at the moment so that’s cool ig

* the b plot is boring, like idc about them making a commercial

* Charlie is so earnest it’s very endearing

* the angels are moving up the next extermination by 6 months which creates a sense of urgency that I enjoy (the deadline they have to meet gives me something to root for)

* Adam kinda dismissed Charlie’s hotel idea so I’m wondering if she’ll find a way to change his mind or if she’ll just do it behind his back, I’m thinking it’ll be the latter

* ohhhhh one of the demons managed to kill an angel so that’s why they moved extermination up

* I wonder when they’ll reveal who killed the angel or if they’ll even reveal it all, I’m thinking like mid-season finale type of reveal, or maybe they’ll just never say

Characters-

* Charlie is a very charming mc

* vaggie is fine ig (she doesn’t really do much)

* Alastor is just kinda there (they set up his beef with tv/modern stuff which was good)

* angeldust is annoying me ever so slightly but ig i see what they’re trying to do

* husk is my favorite so far (he’s had some pretty good one liners)

* nifty is also pretty great

* Adam is also annoying (i hate that they have him swear like a sailor when he’s supposed to be the head angel)

* i can already tell im not gonna like the characterization of the angels

* i liked Lute at first but she kinda falls into the same problems i have with Adam just a tad

Jokes-

* A lot of unfunny sex jokes from angeldust

* when nifty said something really weird husk said “Keep that to yourself, Niff.” And it got a good chuckle out of me

* a lot of unfunny dick jokes from Adam

* there was a silly gag with nifty that I enjoyed (every time they would try to get her to say her line she would stare blankly into the camera and then be “was that good?” in a cheery voice I thought it was silly

* Husk had some pretty good one-liners

* most of the jokes didn’t land for me tho

Songs-

* Happy day in hell- Erika’s voice is really good (to be expected from a broadway star), strange bridge with overlapping verses that didn’t flow well against each other and sounded kinda disconcerting (which is a shame cause overlapping verses are usually my favorite), the camera movements are giving me a headache, 5/10

* Hell is forever- I actually kinda liked that, Alex Brightman is a silly guy w/ a great singing voice, lyricism is pretty good, I enjoyed the rock-esc vibe, pretty catchy, 6/10

Overall-

It wasn’t as bad as I feared it would be but it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be, so far I’m pretty neutral on it, the potential is definitely there but it leaves a few things to be desired, 5/10

Ep 2:

Plot-

* Hell is freaking out abt the news rightfully so I’d gather

* this seems to be a good thing cause maybe they’ll be open to the hotel idea

* it’s implied that angeldust isn’t open abt the extent of his sex work like they know he’s a porn star but that’s abt it so I’m guessing they don’t know abt his SA yet

* Val is showing some textbook manipulation signs so A for effort on that front

* the vees make for intriguing foils to the MCs

* why is Vox like obsessed with Alastor what’s the beef there

* okay so I guess there was a fight of some kind (Alastor almost beat Vox but didn’t succeed it seems like)

* revealed that Alastor has been gone for 7 years so there’s that

* okayyyy so the true beef is that Vox asked Alastor to join his team but Al said no

* Alastor is the big dog even after his absence

* vees send a spy, spy is implied to be egg guy but I think that’s a misdirect, either that or he’ll end up caring abt the MCs later (great angst material when it’s revealed he’s the spy)

* ep starts to drag a bit after we get back to the hotel

* more manipulation from Val via voicemail (is he bipolar?)

* never mind egg guy is just a regular spy and it got revealed to the MCs instantly (missed opportunity)

* THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING

* istg if they blame angel for this without asking questions

* damn egg guy folded really quick, like that took nothing at all, and ofc Charlie is instantly forgiving

* so looks like egg guy is apart of the main cast now which I’m not mad at, I just wished they’d done something more with that spy plot point, like that was pointless

Characters-

* Egg guy (sir pentious) makes an appearance and he’s great

* Vox is a business mogul???

* i like Vox so far

* BRITISH?! (Velvet lol)

* the Vees are interesting

* Valentino is annoying

* I’m really enjoying the electricity motif they’re doing with Vox’s movements and voice

* I like whenever Vox glitches/buffers I think that’s a really cool animation thing

* I need Val to stop talking

* so far I’m enjoying the dynamic between the vees

* I wish they gave velvet a little more to do cause she seems like she has potential (makes you wonder if she’s sidelined because she’s the only woman amongst the vees/it’s not out of the ordinary for a vivziepop show to heavily sideline its female characters)

* angeldust is insecure after Charlie implied that he didn’t care abt the hotel which shows a little incite into his deeper character traits and reveals that he actually does care so another A for effort there

* I’m really enjoying the rivalry between Vox and Alastor

Jokes-

* “Since when do we manufacture that.” “Since thirty minutes ago.” That exchange got a smile out of me

* egg guy is really funny (not laugh out loud funny tho)

* more unfunny sex jokes from angeldust

* I chuckled when egg guy was like “you’ve left yourself an opening” and then all he ended up doing was ripping alastor’s jacket, that was silly

* I liked how during the it starts with sorry song Vaggie and Angeldust are like bro let’s kill this guy while Charlie is trying to forgive him

* were there any other jokes lmao

Songs-

* Stayed gone- Christian Borle can do no wrong, but this song kinda sucks lmao, I didn’t like that little talking with rhythm segment, like they probably wanted that part to be a rap (which would’ve been way worse), lyrics have clever word play, the beat is infectious I’ll give it that but it was kinda all over the place, 4/10

* It starts with sorry- painfully mediocre and instantly forgettable, like there’s nothing memorable or standout about this song, I’m forgetting the melody as I type this, 2/10

Overall-

It was fine, nothing too standout, the introduction of the vees was really good, I’m excited to learn more about them, but overall a pretty meh ep, 4/10

Ep 3:

Plot-

* Egg guy is adjusting about as well as you’d think (not well at all)

* he kinda reminds me of dr doofensmirtz with all his inventions

* I like that all of egg guy’s eggs are just running around

* this seems like it’s gearing up to be a boring ep

* I wish there was a little more urgency abt the six month extermination push (like I get they wanna focus more on characters rn but they could sprinkle it in a little)

* b plot is Alastor taking the eggs on a little field trip and then he runs into some guy (zestial)

* I’m guessing this was like an old friend from way back when and they’re in a part of town he used to frequent before his absence

* oh ok so this is like a demon overlord meeting (guess I wasn’t really paying attention if they said that’s where he was going)

* ok ok things are getting good

* velvet found the head of that dead angel, vees want to lead assault on heaven but zestial disagrees, he makes some good points abt the attack leading to more bad than good

* vees don’t respect council, council doesn’t like vees

* so its seeming like the vees wanna throw a wrench in the order of things and take over for themselves, that’ll probably be a main conflict later on, and I don’t think it’d be too hard for them to garner support considering all the followers/supporters of their multi-level business, I’m intrigued

* was implied that Carmilla might know more abt the decapitated angel than she’s letting on hmmm

* zestial and carmilla went off together

* secret love tryst???

* ok wait did i get which plot was the b plot wrong, or am i just more interested in alastor’s shenanigans

* like tbh whenever it cuts back to the hotel i could care less

* carmilla killed that angel but is keeping it a secret cause she knows it’ll cause war and not a lot of sinners would survive that which is admirable of her ig

* one of the eggs overhear carmilla’s secret and tells Alastor, some mischief is sure to be afoot

* the MCs are getting along better

Characters-

* Vaggie still remains kinda dull

* she’s really just there, like she acts as the “level-headed” one but doesn’t really have a personality beyond that

* that being said Vaggie and Charlie are really cute together

* Husk remains my favorite

* the eggs are silly

* Zestial is introduced (I like his design)

* so far I really like the one in charge of the demon overlord council (Carmilla)

* and I also really like zestial

* they both seem very redoubtable and deserving of respect, I enjoy that

* I knew velvet had the potential to be a compelling character, I just hope they keep her at a forefront (and I also hope she won’t get overlooked by the fandom),

* CARMILLA HAS A DAUGHTER???

* nifty is a character that I don’t know how to feel about

* finally some character development for vaggie

* SHE HAS TWO DAUGHTERS???

* Alastor is here for the chaos

* there was a nice bonding moment between vaggie and Charlie

Jokes-

* So many unfunny sex jokes from angledust

* get other jokes I’m begging you

* “oh look, frank is up there.” “We have names?” that got a smile out of me

* Alastor going “that was a productive meeting” after they literally got nothing done was silly

* husk has some good one liners

Songs-

* Respectless- oh wow, I really like this, bro how did they manage to get so many broadway singers to be in this show, it was short and sweet, didn’t overstay its welcome and I enjoyed its company, 8/10

* Whatever it takes- I really liked zestial’s voice its kinda heavenly, Carmilla also has a good voice, vaggie’s voice is also pretty, the vocals are really nice, the song itself is just okay tho, 5/10

Overall-

Better than the last ep, some interesting new characters, some development for characters I was afraid would get sidelined, I had a pretty good time, 5/10

Ep 4:

Plot-

* What is going on??? Why are they watching angeldust’s porn videos???

* oh I guess it’s show and tell day

* oop husk just dragged everyone through the mud

* more seeds of Val’s manipulation have been planted

* I think this ep is gonna be abt angeldust so I’ve gotta prepare myself for that

* okay so Charlie wants to get Angel some time off, Angel seems very terrified at the notion of Charlie meeting his boss (rightfully so)

* Charlie just fucking sets the whole porn studio on fire by accident which was really silly

* Val’s about to fuck some shit up

* oh shit he’s beating Angel up

* Angeldust’s real name is Anthony (which is also my brother’s name and that makes me a little uncomfy)

* that was an effective abuse scene very uncomfortable very impactful

* the visuals of the poison song are making me really uncomfortable which I guess is the point but idk

* okay so I’ve seen mixed opinions on how they feel abt the way the depictions of the SA in this ep were handled, and I get that they didn’t want to sugarcoat it or downplay the horrors of it but I also think that there were so many better ways they could’ve gone abt it, like you did not need to show on screen SA/rape like that was entirely unneeded, they could have alluded to it (like fading to black) and then show the emotional toll/repercussions of it and it would’ve had the same effect, if they wrote it well enough it may have even been more impactful, Moral Orel and Bojack horsemen did a good job at that, I just feel like it could have been handled better (also I hear that there’s a rape fetishizer on the crew who storyboarded this ep which is very icky)

* angeldust is having a mental breakdown

* angel ran away after getting into an argument with husk and husk went after him

* i sense a bonding moment coming on

* oh shit someone’s about to roofie Angeldust’s drink

* oh shit husk just beat that guy up

* and now angel’s crying

* ok wait that wasn’t that bad of writing, it was actually kind of heartbreaking, whoever wrote this section of the episode needs to write everything else too cause that was a very effective emotional breakdown which is like insane whiplash from the start of the ep

* HUSK WAS AN OVERLORD???

* ok ok so husk made a deal with Alastor to keep a bit of his overlord power after gambling a little too hard so now he owes Alastor like infinite favors

* that was a pretty cool fight scene ig

* now angeldust is being more real and upfront about things so that’s nice

Characters-

* Husk seems to be very observant, I enjoy that character trait

* I’m also liking Husk and Angeldust’s dynamic, it both is and isn’t what I thought it’d be if that makes sense

* okay so some major character development for angel is happening in this ep

* I like the new perspective we get to see of angeldust, and unlike other characters this development feels deserved because they’ve been alluding to this since the beginning, it’s a nice payoff and a nice insight into angeldust as a character

* ok so angeldust is constantly putting on an act to pretend everything’s fine (which explains all the unfunny sex jokes i still hate them though)

* husk seems like the therapist friend

* angeldust had a really impactful emotional breakdown scene, I didn’t hate the way it was handled

* husk and angel have a bonding moment and sing a duet,

* it was actually really sweet

* ok now that they’ve had their little bonding moment hopefully all the unfunny sex jokes directed at husk will stop

Jokes-

* Surprisingly there aren’t as many unfunny sex jokes (which is a good thing considering this ep is highlighting the horrors of SA/rape)

* during the loser song husk makes the L hand motion at Angel and I audibly laughed

Songs-

* Poison- welp that song was… it sure was, ignoring the tactless portrayal of the SA it just wasn’t a good song, like the verses themselves are fine but the chorus is absolute dogshit which is bad cause that’s the whole hook of the song, and there’s a lot of forced rhymes and the lyrics feel like they’re shoving in too many words so the singer has to rush to fit them in, 1/10

* Loser, baby- I really like this, Keith David’s voice is absolutely ethereal, the melody is infectious, and the lyricism isn’t half bad, I Iike it a lot actually, it’s a cute little duet, 8/10

Overall-

My favorite ep so far, even though the quality of writing was kinda inconsistent it was still an entertaining watch, and for all the scenes and themes that were handled very poorly there was another scene that actually did a pretty good job, it was a mixed pot, but the character development surprised me, 7/10

So that’s my little two cents

TLDR; it’s not as bad as some people will make it out to be, but it’s not outstanding either. I’m gonna keep watching and if you’re curious I’d say to at least watch the first ep and formulate your own opinion

[grandtourdiscussions]

Dragon Ball GT Episode 02 - I’m the Star! Pan Takes Off Into Space!!

Air Date: February 14th, 1996

The episode opens with, finally, our introduction to GT’s Trunks. After the 23rd Budokai, he seems to have taken charge of Capsule Corp’s business side. It seems like he’s doing a good job at that, too, because he’s widely respected by everybody, including presidents of rival companies. It’s a bit of a shock to me to see such a serious Trunks after seeing how he was in the Buu arc, but I certainly like this. 

Despite his reputation and his success, it’s clear that Trunks isn’t fully satisfied. As president, everybody relies on him to make the right calls and to make things work. With this comes truckloads of work and a packed schedule. Trunks deals with this by literally escaping from it, flying out the window time and time again. He even goes as far as throwing away his work attire for more casual wear.

Trunks’ situation certainly makes him a prime candidate for Goku’s journey. His heart is yearning for something exciting and escaping to fly around definitely demonstrates a desire for adventure. And of course, setting up Trunks in this way so he can go along on this adventure still stays true to the idea of Goku going on an adventure with the next generation. This introduction definitely seems to tell that Trunks can learn something valuable from this adventure, but I honestly don’t know where he will be taken. 

So far I really like how Trunks is characterized. We can see with his position that he’s become more mature, a tad more like his alternate timeline self, though demonstrating that maturity in a different way since he’s no warrior here. Even so, he still shows bits of his childish self from the Buu arc. It really feels like Trunks has evolved over the past 15 years but still remains true to who he was, much like Goku. 

Back at Goku’s place, we’re introduced to GT’s Goten, though it’s not much. We only really see him on the phone talking to women in this episode. It’s definitely in line with the little we see of Goten during the 28th Budokai, but it’s not very exciting. It’s funny, but we don’t get anything intriguing like in Pan and Trunks (and I mean, of course we don’t. Goten isn’t supposed to be going on this adventure and GT has made that very evident). Either way, we should be seeing more of him when we get to Baby, so we’ll just see where he goes then.

Pan makes fun of Goten saying his new girlfriend will break up with him soon, and Goten ridicules her, calling her a kid. She rejects this, but this whole conversation is juxtaposed with Pan willingly watching children’s cartoons. Then again I’m watching a children’s cartoon right now, so I can’t really put this against her much. However, there is more to talk about here. 

When the adults are further discussing Goku’s mission, Pan suggests she go with Goku. Obviously, she’s rejected because going across the universe to unknown planets is dangerous and she’s not mature enough to deal with that kind of thing. Goku says she’s too little for this kind of thing and Pan retorts saying that Goku is smaller than her. I think this kind of shows why it’s not smart for her to be going on this trip. It’s not that she’s “too young”, it’s that she’s not mature enough for such a dangerous trip. I mean, this conversation involves Goku, who lived in the mountains since he came to Earth and lived there on his own after Gohan’s death, and Gohan, who had to learn to do similar things at the age of 4 in order to prepare for the Saiyans. They guys have been through a lot at such young ages, so I definitely think their rejection goes beyond her age (in the literal sense that Pan views it) and involves who she is and how she acts.

Another interesting moment within this conversation is Goku’s suggestion of moving all of Earth to a different planet rather than looking for the Black Star Balls. It’s honestly a really smart decision since this whole thing happened to the Namekians and this was their solution. Videl agrees this is a good idea, but suggests that it be left as a last resort (again, similar to what happened to the Namekians, since they only moved when their planet blew up and Earth hasn’t blown up yet). Either way, I love seeing Goku think outside the box like this. This wasn’t something that I was thinking about when I was watching, so I appreciated the thinking.

At Capsule Corp, Bulma, Gohan, and Videl are preparing the ship for blast off. Despite the size of the ship, it only seats 3 people, so we can’t expect more people than that to be on this journey. 

Pan tries to help again, but she’s not able to provide anywhere. This scene kind of proves that her lack of inclusion on Goku’s journey is more about a lack of experience and a lack of maturity when approaching problems. When she tries to help Videl, her first action, starting the ship, could have ruined the entire mission if she had gone through with it. Really, the more time we spend with Pan looking at this problem, the more excited I get thinking about how this adventure is going to address these problems and make them more apparent to Pan. Expect me to be very critical if nothing is done because this is a decent setup. 

This scene also begins a strange B plot for the episode in which Goku get’s “kidnapped”. It starts with this guy sitting outside Capsule Corp looking to abduct Bulma’s daughter for good ransom money. However, the first person they witness coming out of the Capsule Corp building is Vegeta. 

I’d like to briefly mention that I really like Vegeta’s looks in GT. I really like the casual human wear he’s sporting because it follows the story Toriyama has been telling with Vegeta’s costumes. Essentially, from his introduction to the end of the manga, Vegeta slowly sheds his Saiyan attire for more human wear, which further emphasizes Vegeta’s growth as a person.

Pan leaves Capsule Corp in frustration after not being given the chance to help and Goku follows after since he’s bored. The kidnapper mistakes Pan for Bulma’s daughter and he tries to grab onto her, but she flies off and he grabs onto Goku instead. Mistaking Goku as another member of Bulma’s family, they hold him for ransom instead. This whole segment of the episode provides basically nothing narrative-wise, but I admit it gave me a good laugh at times, so I can’t really complain much about “wasted time”. 

Elsewhere, Pan is venting about her troubles to Mr. Satan. Pan orders a black coffee, which kind of demonstrates Pan’s very childish view of what “being an adult” is. She’s essentially forcing herself to be what she views as “adult” here, even if it’s something she doesn’t really like. When Pan goes to drink the coffee she ordered, she clearly doesn’t like it at all, but she keeps drinking because she views the coffee as some symbol of maturity and adulthood. Satan tries to calm Pan down and boost her spirits, which he seems to do fine, even if it’s not a perfect effort. 

Vegeta forces Trunks and Goten on Goku’s trip because he thinks they’ve both been slacking off on their training. Trunks definitely looks like he’s trying to pretend like he doesn’t want to go when in reality this is exactly what he wants. And so, everybody is about ready for launch. Except, Pan has stowed away onto the ship and prematurely launched the rocket (since she learned how to start it earlier with Videl, and since she feels so strongly that she has something to prove on this adventure). I gotta say, I love how this team is set up. Goku, of course, works well as a leader considering the knowledge he’s gained over the years. He’s very carefree and that can probably lead to danger, but his martial arts abilities can very well defend against harm, even if he’s been weakened by Pilaf’s wish. Goku fitting a leadership role is also a wonderful contrast against Dragon Ball’s first story arc, which this arc seems to be replicating in terms of feel. Pan’s introduction presents her as possibly the most troublesome member of the team here. Hell, she’s not even wanted on this adventure, as she’s only here because she’s a stowaway. Her immaturity and her strong desire to prove herself helpful imply lots of problems in the future, but these first two episodes are written as a clear beginning point for a character arc that we should hopefully be seeing throughout. Against these two, Trunks seems to be slotted in as the one who’ll be keeping these two in check. His work success demonstrates an ability to take a leading role if necessary. Goku and Pan work well as the “hijinx” of the comedic trio, whereas Trunks should end up playing the straight man. Then again, that’s merely my assumption of the roles each will possibly play. I honestly don’t know much about how each will be characterized throughout, so I’ll keep this interpretation with a grain of salt. Most of my thoughts are coming from me putting this team against Goku and Bulma in the first Dragon Ball arc, where Bulma is kind of split between Pan and Trunks, and we just give Goku the added experience that comes with GT taking place after Z.

I’ve given this episode a lot of praise for how Trunks and Pan seem to be characterized. It’s not mind-blowing writing or anything, but it’s all pretty good set-up. My only real complaint is that Trunks’ introduction is noticeably short compared to what we get from Pan. We essentially have an episode and a half to see Pan before taking off, but we only get about half an episode to see Trunks and how he’ll fit into the team. I definitely think more time with Trunks would have been nice, maybe replacing the narratively useless B plot with Goku. Either way, what we have is fine enough. 

I think that further cements to me that a lot of the problems I have with GT's first arc arise from the Black Star Balls rather than Goku being de-aged. Of course, Goku’s indifference to being de-aged presents a problem when you’re trying to write a conflict to get this adventure started, but as I stated before, the way that’s taken care of is really weak. Pretty much everything that isn’t the Black Star Balls is pretty good so far. 

Having a decent setup only really gets us so far though. GT can very quickly go down the shitter if the next episodes don’t follow up any of the set-up presented here. We have pretty nice character arcs set up here so seeing them possibly go nowhere is truly worrying. Let’s hope the next episode is good.

NEXT TIME - Dragon Ball GT Episode 03 - Super-Greedy!! The Merchant Planet Imegga

Still experimenting with how I want to complete this task. Dividing these larger episode posts down could help, since I'd be able to upload more often, but then everything would be more scattered and I don't know if I want that. As you've likely also noticed, I've spoken a bit less than last time. Admittedly I had more things to talk about at much more length last time, mostly because that was the first episode. I guess another explanation is that I didn't have that much issue with what was happening in this episode and I generally have more to talk about if something isn't done well. So, sorry if a lot of this is just summarization and "I like this". I'm still working on how I can best present myself. I promise I'll try to keep summarizations briefer next time. I think this next one should be easier to tackle. I'll try my best to complete it soon. Thank you for reading.

[sweatertheman]

i am going to assassinate john egbert i am sick of him.

why are these humans so one dimensional???? they have their like. one characterization, and they just dont ever break from it! this isnt even no character development, its just no character! and fucking john, man, what an egg! he just. doesnt seem to care? about anything? what is his problem? why hasnt he shown even a single deviation from his initial characterization in the THOUSANDS OF PAGES IVE READ SO FAR. even, fucking... DAVE got that one time he was super keen to suicide bomb himself, and rose gets to be kinda interesting, and jade is completely unhinged. what the fuck is this guy's deal? man doesnt even care about the time he got murdered! or the time he got murdered again and became a literal god! he rants at a murderous alien about ghostbusters in the middle of her telling him about the murder she plans to do! why is he so... nothing?! he doesnt seem to have a care in the world most of the time! he doesnt seem to care that the fucking earth got destroyed! what the fuck john?! are we at least going to explore that???? i dont fucking know! why is this comic so long?!

and like, I DONT CARE, if at some point he does get around to like. expressing an emotion. or some kind of character. 2000 pages from now. THATS NOT AN EXCUSE, JOHN. what, did you just forget to have a character for like 6 years straight or something???? like, he isnt even unconcerned in an interesting or aspirational way. he doesnt have anything to say! and before someone says he has emotional repression issues, can you at least tell me why???? like, obviously most of the homestucks have that, but i can at least tell you WHY they do it. Dave likes playing the cool guy and doesn't want to be vulnerable, presumably because he was raised by a psychopath. Rose is overly analytical and likes to play therapist, telling other people what their problems are instead of looking at herself and her tendency to see malice in others. Jade has lived alone most of her life and puts all her faith in some greater picture. As soon as that stability and comfort goes away she becomes unstable and volatile, angry at everyone. What's John's excuse?! nothing! that's what! i mean, MAYBE he think its his job to be leader and sort of take whatever happens in stride, but. no? why does he think that, then? he's the leader in name only, perfectly keen to take orders from random trolls. he doesnt come up with plans, he doesnt lead. MAYBE he considers himself the wholesome centre that keeps everyone together? sure, but why?! why does he think that? its not like he's always been able to tell that his friends are unstable and tries to be supportive to keep their lives better! i mean, maybe he has???? i dont remember, and it hasnt been made clear! isnt john supposed to be like, our main boy? shouldnt his story be important enough to focus on in any way? its been thousands of pages already, and nearly EVERYONE ELSE has budged in some way! and NO attention has been drawn to john! NO intrigue around him, NO emphasis put on his traits! he just. DOES THINGS SOMETIMES. MAYBE he'll bother to be a character at some point, but thats not an excuse for dancing around having his character examined in any way for years on end, and in real life too.

fuck john/june egbert. i am going to kill him/her/whatever and it WILL be a just death.

[mothman-rewatches]

Rewatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" (S1Ep5)

Summary: Buffy has to try and stop an ancient prophecy…while on a date. 

Written by: Joss Whedon, Rob DesHotel, Dean Batali 

Directed by: David Semel

Aired: March 31st, 1997

WARNING: This episode contains spoilers.

I wish I could say that this was one of my favorite episodes so far, but I can’t. I can’t even say I liked it, because really, I hated it. Let’s jump in.

Recap: Buffy and Giles are in the cemetery. Buffy stakes a vamp, who leaves behind a ring that Giles takes to investigate. The next day, Buffy and Cordelia compete for the affections of Owen. Buffy goes to talk to Giles, and together they figure out that the ring belongs to the Order of Aurelius. Giles states that Aurelius spoke of an “Anointed One” who would be brought to the Master, but before he can finish Owen comes in. He and Buffy agree to meet at the Bronze that night, and Owen leaves. Giles tells Buffy that the Anointed is set to rise that night, and they must stop it. That night, Buffy and Giles wait in the cemetery, but it’s uneventful, so Buffy heads to the Bronze. She’s too late for her date, however, and sees Owen dancing with Cordelia. Meanwhile, a bus is coming into Sunnydale, and a strange man starts preaching about Judgement Day. Vampires attack the bus, killing everyone. The next day Owen asks Buffy why she never showed, and they agree to try again to meet tonight. Just before Owen comes to get her, Giles stops by her house and tells her that he might not have been too far off, and she should go check the Sunnydale funeral home. She ignores this and goes on her date with Owen, leaving Giles to investigate instead. He is attacked at the funeral home by the Order of Aurelius, and Willow and Xander rush to go get Buffy for help. Angel finds Buffy first and tells her about what’s going on, and when the other scoobies get to her, she reluctantly agrees to go look. They head to the funeral home, where Owen - unbeknownst to the others - follows them. Willow, Xander, and Owen lock themselves in the viewing room while Giles and Buffy look for the Anointed. The other three are attacked by the strange man, who has been turned into a vampire. Buffy comes just in time, and puts the vamp into the incinerator. The next day, Owen asks when he can take Buffy out again, but she turns him down.

Overall Thoughts: I meant what I said about hating this episode. I really, really did not like this episode. By the last half, I had to  force myself to finish it. It just wasn’t that great, and my dislike of Owen definitely contributed to my whole attitude about this episode. 

On a brighter note, there was something I liked about this episode. It returned us to the overall arc of the season: The Master. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the side episodes and the characterization it gave us, but it’s nice to see that it isn’t all witches and she-mantises. 

I would save this for the characterization section, but because Owen isn’t a character we will see again, I’ll say it here. I hate Owen. He killed the whole episode for me, even though he was there to point out that Buffy trying to balance normality and Slayerdom is next to impossible. But mostly, he was just dull and annoying. He tries to come off as this deep and dark guy, but really if you wipe away some of that intrigue he feels a little bit like an excited puppy to me. And his thing with Cordelia. Oh my god, his thing with Cordelia. I’m not a fan of Cordelia this season, trust me, but Owen’s attitude and behavior around Cordelia is the worst. He seems to act like he’s above her, like because she is who she is and he is who he is, she’s someone to look down on. It’s really uncomfortable. 

In that same vein, there is a scene that I hate. When Buffy and Cordelia are having this weird…competition for Owen’s attention, Buffy makes a snarky comment to Owen about Cordelia’s body. He, in turn, makes a comment of his own. I don’t love Buffy putting Cordelia down to impress a boy, but I definitely hate Owen doing it as well.

There’s also this running theme I’ve noticed in the last several episodes, and it’s starting to get old. This season, so far, has relied heavily on fake outs. The first scene we see in the entire show is one where you are led to think one thing only for it to be the opposite. I want to see them start to move away from that. 

Also, the “gotcha” for the episode reveals that the weird preacher vampire Buffy killed was not the Anointed, but the little boy on the bus was. 

Characterization: There aren’t any real comments on characters this episode, really, but I did want to take a second to point out that when Owen comes into the library, Giles seems genuinely offended that a stranger is in their space. He forgot he was a librarian for a high school, you guys. If I remember correctly this is a sort of running joke.

Facts: This episode is the first to include a fight between Buffy and a vampire in the opening scene. 

David Boreanaz breaks character for the first and only time in the series while meeting Owen - at 28m26s. 

Quotes: “In that case, I won’t wear my button that says, ‘I’m a Slayer, as me how!’” - Buffy Summers

Apocalypse Count: 1

Final Notes: Feel free to leave any comments, suggestions, or questions in the ask box!

[greensaplinggrace]

do you have any darklina fic recs?

I certainly have a few! But first I want to clarify that I don’t really read fic when I’m writing it, and since I have so many fics in the works right now, I haven’t really been reading a lot of fanfiction. So this list probably won’t be as extensive as it could be.

Here are some other great fic recommendation posts, however:

DARKLINA FIC RECS by @vicioux

DARKLINA FIC RECS // part ii by @vicioux

Darklina Ruling the World Together Fic Recs by @clubofthestarlesssaint

Tumblr Ficlets

Aleksander’s First Memory by @kestrafagnor

Fivan Talk About Darklina by @jomiddlemarch

a little light in the great, big dark by @valkyrhys

Alina tells Mal she’s with Aleksander by @lorsanbitch

Darklina week day 5: intimacy & touch by @starlesscne

AO3 Fanfiction

if it ain’t me by larry_hystereks (Incomplete - 10/13 Chapters)

alina’s in her second year at Yale when she meets aleksander at one of his frat parties.

a hookup with the potential for more, only if alina wasn’t still struggling to piece herself together from last year’s breakup.

or: alina, zoya, their trust issues, and the men that fall for them

---

I’m only at about chapter 6 of this fic currently, but so far it’s one of my all time favorite Modern AUs. The characterization for Alina and Aleksander is incredibly well done, and the entire fic itself is so feminist and queer in such a refreshing way. Aleksander and Alina are bisexual as fuck, both with their own separate complex lives, and much of Alina’s own traumas and relationships are explored outside of Aleksander.

There’s some Zoyalina, with Nikolina friendship and endgame Zoyalai. There’s some mystery and some tension, but nothing too extreme, and a lot of the fic is merely an exploration in growth and overcoming one’s history and learning how to move on in healthy ways. I love it.

She Wears a Collar (With My Name) by Ceris_Malfoy (Complete)

She is immortal, and whatever lingering hints of humanity she may have once had have long been bleached from her heart.

I will grant you one wish, boy, if it is in my power to do so. What does a Shadow Smith most want?

"You," he answers.

Written for Darklina Week 2021 - Day 2: Role Reversal

---

This piece is just exquisite. This author’s writing style is one that I particularly enjoy. Their stuff is always so uniquely composed and crafted, and this one especially is a work of art. The way Darklina as a relationship is portrayed in particular is fascinating to me because it’s a role reversal but it’s still so complex. Aleksander’s character is nailed.

the bright sun was extinguish’d by athousandwinds (Complete)

Somewhere, deep in the dark forests of Ravka, a boy grows up on stories of Sankta Alina of the Wastes, the Sun-Scorched Saint.

---

This fic is just straight up magnificent. It’s so engaging and I love love love the way a role reversed Aleksander who joins the army is portrayed. He reminds me so much of Demon in the Woods Aleksander, as if he’s exactly what a grown version of that young boy would be. When I say I adore his characterization in this I’m not lying.

If I wanted any completed fic I’ve read to have a second chapter, it would be this one.

Winter in the Little Palace by redisxwing (Complete)

Written for Yuletide 2020.

Baghra and Alina's wildly different perspectives on the Darkling, and how things could have gone if nobody listened to Baghra.

Warning: Baghra is written as a harsh and arguably abusive parent, and this is darkfic about that relationship, with a side of shipping. Everything is terrible (except the parts that are pretty much okay).

Canon divergence pretty much as soon as Alina gets lessons in summoning.

This fic is likely not compatible with King of Scars (or any subsequent work).

---

As is said in the summary, this one makes Baghra a bit more extreme. If you’re a fan of Baghra, this fic probably isn’t for you. But since I’m not a fan of Baghra, I had no problems with it.

My biggest praise for this fic is in regards to the character interactions and the POVs. There’s a brilliant grasp of unique perspective and how to convey it, and that talent is carried over into the way character interactions are brought to life in the text. Also, there’s a scene where Alina gets kind of protective of the Darkling, which is one of my biggest weaknesses when it comes to Darklina.

Good Ideas by FelixRivers (Complete)

Alina Starkov had a very good idea. Aleksander Morozova would definitely agree. (or: Alina wants to go camping and Aleksander won't complain)

---

This fic is just straight up adorable and hilarious. They’re such a cute couple and Alina’s POV is great. It’s just pure fluff and humor 💕

I’m not a bad girl, but I do bad things with you by SanktaJenya - @sankta-arya (Complete)

Winter had been hard on Old Baghra and Ana Kuya was worried about her, so she decided that Alina should make the trip to her cottage on the other side of the woods to bring her some food and kvas. On her way there, Alina meets a stranger...

Darklina Red Riding Hood/Company of Wolves AU

Darklina Week, Day 4, Fairytales

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This fic has a splendid grasp of tension and atmosphere. It’s very enchanting and dark and intriguing, and it nails those aspects with absolute precision. I love the style and the way the fairytale is incorporated into the narrative. It’s truly a masterpiece.

The Wretched by @aceofnowhere (Complete)

“We are strangers, but I want to help.” He growls at her, mocking and mistrustful. “I understand,” she said. “You think I am one of them. I certainly look like one of them. But I want to help you. Will you let me?” Prompt: fairytale. Alina saves a dragon.

---

Okay so I’ve mentioned this one before as one of my Top 5 fics of all time and I still stand by that. I can’t even describe why I love this fic so much except that the pacing is amazing and the prose is stunning and the story is beautiful. Aleksander is a dragon and Alina is a witch, and their relationship is just so...interesting and fascinating and lovely. I would literally kill for this fic. There’s such a softness to it as well. Such a tenderness. Idk, I just really love it.

Show Me Who You Are (I Want To Know) by Ceris_Malfoy (Incomplete - 12/?)

Alina takes her future in her own hands and makes her own decisions.

---

This is a great “what if Alina had stuck around after the reveal” rewrite. It doesn’t have Mal bashing and in fact still writes them as close friends, which is something I’m fond of in Darklina fics. Aleksander is allowed to be soft and Alina is allowed to be powerful, and I really enjoyed the take on their dynamics as a power couple wherein Alina is given a lot of control.

There’s something to be said for the way Aleksander is written in the scenes where he must be honest and earnest with Alina. I really enjoy the way they both come to equal ground, and I’m even more fond of the way Alina is allowed to grow darker without losing her light. She also engages a lot with quite a few other characters, developing tons of friendships and alliances on her own that help strengthen her as an individual character.

on this bridge between starshine and clay by @rhea-imagined (Complete)

"His breath narrows for a moment, his fist clenched tight before he forces himself to loosen it. She is his only opportunity for salvation, but vulnerability is not a cape he wears easily. “In those days, there was less prejudice against Shadow Summoners. But everyone fears the dark, in one way or another.” He does not look at her as he waits for the penny to drop, half-hoping it stays suspended in the air."

In which Alexander comes clean to Alina and tells her about his true identity in hopes that this will help convince her to take down the Fold.

A rewrite of the fountain scene in episode four, with a good!Darkling that is trying to make amends.

---

This is my all-time favorite good!Aleksander AU. He’s kept in character despite the major changes made to his motivations, and Alina is given a lot more agency in her own story. It’s the first fic in what might become a series, but it can stand alone beautifully.

I love how Aleksander and Alina’s relationship is allowed to grow tense without breaking, and how it’s a clear sign of change but not abandonment. I love how both characters are able to think for themselves and become self-aware and are given the chance to think critically. I love the character interaction so much because it’s honest and fresh and engaging. Everything from the smallest action to the most off-hand thought is in character and meaningful and incorporated with an amazing style of writing. It’s a very refreshing piece, and the writing only makes it that much better.

Bunnies of a Feather Stitch Together by Ill_Ratte (Complete)

"Just as Alina called to the light, gathering and twisting it into a ball in her hands, the door swung open.

Kirigan blacked out the door frame. His appearance enough would have surprised Alina, but there was something clutched in his arm, something dark and floppy. It almost looked like the stuffed toys that had been passed around to the younger Orphans." - Alina and The Darkling bond over a love of soft things

---

Soft stuffed animal shenanigans. Bits of trans!Aleksander, which I’m very fond of, as well as just a lot of fluff with a bit of something bittersweet and sad in a good way.

Half Lie by Ill_Ratte (Complete)

"Baghra always talked of the demon that had stolen her daughter." Or, Alina learns the hard way that the Darkling isn't the only one who deals in half-truths

---

This one is trans!Aleksander, and it handles it in a very interesting way. It’s quite sad, and deals a lot with Baghra & Aleksander’s relationship through Alina’s POV. I want to give a warning for transphobia, because it does center around that a lot as the premise, but it really is worth the read if that isn’t a trigger for you. This is one of my favorite trans!Aleksander fics, and the way it handles emotion and grief and pain is quite extraordinary.

The CEO and Helioseismologist by mrthology (Complete)

Aleksander Morozova doesn't get sick. He's the CEO of one of the most successful companies in the world, one that he had built from the ground up with blood, sweat, and tears. He exercised daily (usually), maintained a healthy diet, and kept himself fit.

He wasn’t sick.

Too bad no one believed him. And too bad Genya decided to call Ivan to take him home before also calling Alina to take care of him.

Maybe, just maybe, being sick wasn't so bad. Especially not when he has such a wonderful girlfriend.

---

Both of the fics in this series are great, but I love this one in particular because I’m an absolute sucker for hurt/comfort. Anyone who’s been on my blog for a while knows that it’s my all time favorite trope to read, and this fic fits the hurt/comfort trope to a T in the best of ways. It’s very tender and in character, and Aleksander and Alina are so soft with each other. It’s adorable and really makes you feel for Aleksander, and the caretaking is done perfectly.

All the different layers of dark (thousand little suns) by Anuna (Complete)

One month after the Winter Fete, Aleksander returns to the Little Palace, and Alina has been missing him.

Or

Episode five canon divergence in which Alina had never left Os Alta.

---

This one is soft emotional hurt/comfort smut. They’re both so open and vulnerable with each other, and it’s so beautiful to read. I love the writing style and the emotion in this one. It makes my heart ache in the best way.

An Honourable Man by liviy695 (Complete)

A reimagining of the scene after the winter fete. Alina catches a glimpse of a caring Darkling after he returns from integrating the Conductor. Plus, no Baghra interference.

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This one is what it says on the tin, in that Baghra doesn’t interfere and they’re allowed to talk after the Darkling interrogates the Conductor. But more than that, it’s a great imagining of how a scene where Aleksander reveals Marie’s death would have gone. There’s a sort of quiet to it that I appreciate, with grief and solemnity weighed against care and vulnerability.

I see the real you (even if you don’t, I do) by Anonymous (Incomplete - 8/?)

A series of questionable decisions lead Alina to meet the Black General a bit earlier. Butterfly effect ensues.

---

I’ve only read half so far (I hadn’t realized it had updated!! 👀👀) but I’m already in love with this fic. Alina’s dialogue and perspective is perfect, her relationship with Mal and the other cartographers is great, and I really enjoy how much personality she has. Aleksander is so smitten, but more than that, his characterization is soft but not weak. It feels almost as if he’s swept up by Alina, instead of the other way around, and I quite like that.

Of parenting by Anuna (Complete)

Alina finds out how her husband handled yet another parenting situation.

---

This is pure adorable Darklina parenting fluff and I live for it. Yet it doesn’t lack depth and in fact explored Alina and Aleksander’s relationship with parenting quite well.

i have a longing by LRCee - @ladylyannastark (Complete)

“So, Alina Starkov, risk-taker, how did you end up being editing’s newest wunderkind?”

Alina Starkov is rising in the publishing world. Singlehandedly responsible for editing (see: rewriting) the hottest book of the year, she lands a coveted spot at Morovoz Publishers. It's the position she's always wanted, at the biggest publishing house in the country. Life is perfect. That crush on her boss though, that's gotta go.

---

OKAY! I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH!! Let me tell you, as someone who is not too fond of Boss/Employee dynamics, I was very wary going into this fic. But boy did it deliver in a way that was perfect for me.

The relationship that develops between Aleksander and Alina is complex but healthy, and it never feels as if there’s too much of a power imbalance or anything that would make Alina feel forced or unhappy. The tension lies purely in how she fears others will perceive her, and not in how unhealthy her relationship with Aleksander is. For somebody who’s often attracted to unhealthy ships, I have to say that my favorite fics are usually ones that don’t have that type of dynamic between the characters. This fic delivers on that.

Also, Aleksander’s POV surrounding his struggle with his Russian heritage and his feelings for Alina is amazing, and has some of the best writing and characterization I’ve seen.

You receive: an evil demon; I receive: human souls by @aceofnowhere (Complete)

The next morning while she tried to tell herself it was a dream, that of course there wasn’t a fucking demon in her house, she found a note taped to her fridge.

“You might eat this shit,” it had written, “but I would like some fucking souls please.”

Darkling Week Prompt 7: free choice. Alina has a demon in her house.

This is absolute crack, and I have no idea what the fuck is wrong with me.

---

May I just say that this is the most fun I’ve ever had when reading a fic. It’s interesting with a bit of mystery, and Aleksander as a little shit of a demon is hilarious. Alina in this fic is great too. It’s such a unique take on her POV, especially when you reread it after knowing the ending. 10000/10, this fic is brilliant in every way and I love it.

I had been lost to you, Sunlight by BrytteMystere (Complete)

A Girl became a Woman, became a Sankta, became a Goddess.

Or: An Immortal Alina calls upon merzost to reunite with the Prince of Shadows she lost long ago. She may have lost herself in the process.

But then again, maybe time and endless wars did that instead.

---

You really just have to read this one to get it. It is utterly haunting and fascinating in the best of ways. The writing style is strange and novel and fits so well with the story being told. The composition of the fic as a whole is genius.

I Look Inside Myself (And See My Heart Is Black) by Ceris_Malfoy (Complete)

"When is a monster not a monster? Why, when you love it, of course."

Written for Darklina Week 2021 - Day 6: Favorite Quote • King & Queen • Monster

---

Once more, this author comes through with an absolutely breathtaking writing style and story. The imagery is elegant yet brutal, simultaneously horrifying and glorious. There’s a certain way these stories are written, like fairytales, where the beautiful becomes the macabre and becomes ever more stunning because of it. It’s very dark but in a good way - an almost bewitching way.

Afterlife by @aceofnowhere (Complete)

“You are asking me to leave?”

“Not asking, shadow,” she said. “Telling. Time to get unlost, loser.”

Day 3 Darklina Week prompt: Modern AU (I mean, barely)

Alina expels ghosts from purgatory.

---

@aceofnowhere once again bringing the best of the paranormal to the Grishaverse. Literally everything you write is amazing idk why I’m even pointing out individual fics when I could just rec your whole page. But anyways!! This is fun and interesting and Alina is a badass. Aleksander is, of course, compelling and dark and kind of a little shit, and it’s all incorporated seamlessly into an existential paranormal narrative.

Once Upon a Shooting Star by Ceris_Malfoy (Complete)

"But most of all, she was drawn to a vast darkness that reached out above all of them, a void so hungry for companionship that she knew she could fulfill."

---

Let. Alina. Be. Feral!! Anyways, I clearly have a type when it comes to storytelling, and it’s whatever the fuck this person has got going on. Feral!Star!Alina is literally the light of my life. Her interactions with not only other people but the world in general are so well done, but my favorite parts about this fic are the numerous ways her relationship with Aleksander is described and depicted.

I love the dark and light imagery, especially with how it’s portrayed as them filling in the gaps of each other’s lives and supporting each other instead of trying to block each other out. There’s such clear passion and joy and love and devotion between them. The central focus of this fic is on her and Aleksander’s relationship, the interplay between them and their powers and the way her light fills his loneliness, the passing of adoration and trust and reliance between them. It’s very beautiful and I love it.

A Blaze of Light by Keira_63 (Complete)

They discover the Sun Summoner in the burnt-out remains of the Shu laboratory in which she has spent the last seven years of her life.

Or, the Darkling finds himself with a Sun Summoner whose greatest wish is to burn Shu Han to the ground. He is happy to oblige her.

---

👀👀 Badass Alina and Badass Aleksander. The ultimate power couple, and Alina burning a path through Shu Han before they both burn a path through the world together. The darkness and rage in this one are handled very well, and the way that rage turns to coldness and then resolve is done so well. This fic is very cathartic and also very furious, and reading it is certainly a trip down emotion lane.

One more for the Road by Rist (Complete)

He returns to the war room shaken, and finds an Alina that cannot leave without at least having tried.

---

This one hurts so much but its soooo gooood!!! Very smutty but also very tender and very bittersweet. Sad and soft all at once. I just... love the way Alina and Aleksander are written so much, and Alina’s complicated feelings for him are explored in such detail and depth. This one is truly worth the read.

[heyiwrotesomethings]

Research

Ririka Momobami x She/Her Reader (feat. Kirari being a nuisance)

A/N: Ririka’s relationship leaves Kirari feeling a bit envious and curious. Never a good combination. I think Kakegurui Kari ruined me from ever characterizing Kirari in a proper way. Anyway, hope y’all enjoy! Word Count: 3,456 (what are the odds?!)

“Ririka, how is it that you and (Y/n) are already in the hand holding stage of your relationship?” Kirari had asked out of the blue at dinner whilst swirling her drink, watching the liquid spin around.

Ririka recognized that look in her sister’s eyes. It was a dangerous one, boredom. And if there was one thing the older twin knew about how her sister dealt with boredom, it was to stand back as far as possible and disappear into the background. She couldn’t not answer Kirari though, that would just pique her interest even further. So, Ririka assumed the best disinterested face she could muster and answered her sister’s odd query.

“(Y/n) brushed her hand against mine one day when we were walking in the school forest. We looked at each other and we just sort of gravitated towards each other. Now it’s just something we do.” Ririka shrugged before savoring the last bite of her meal. Unfortunately her answer did not yield the desired effect as Kirari leaned forward a bit in her chair, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

“So you’ve communicated your intentions telepathically. How does one go about achieving that in a relationship?”

Ririka swallowed, wishing she could have chewed just a bit longer on the delicious morsel. “Not at all. We just... read each other’s cues.”

“So it’s like gambling?” Kirari asked, intrigued.

“In a way, I suppose.” Ririka said. She didn’t think so, but if there was one thing her fish brained sister understood, it was gambling. It was just about the only reference she understood besides those related to outer space, baseball and the ocean so naturally, she applied it to everything.

“Hmm, I see.”

Ririka had a moment when she thought Kirari was satisfied and was about to excuse herself to her room. Unfortunately, Kirari wasn’t quite done with her yet.

“So will you use the same method when you share your first kiss as well?”

Ririka fumbled with the silverware before she could place it back on the table. A fatal mistake in the presence of her twin.

“You’ve already kissed then? My, Ririka, you’ve only been together a couple of months. Aren’t you moving a little too fast?” Kirari asked, an amused and all knowing smile pulled at her blue stained lips.

“I assure you my relationship is moving at a normal pace. (Y/n) has been wonderful and hasn’t pushed me into anything before I was ready.”

“Is (Y/n) often the one to make the first move then?”

“If you must know, she is. She has more experience than me when it comes to these things.” Ririka answered, eyeing the grand clock none too discreetly. She hoped Kirari would lose interest soon.

“I see, more experience then.” Kirari nodded thoughtfully.

“Yes,” Ririka sighed, “If you won’t be needing anything else, then I’m going to my room.”

“There was one thing.” Kirari spoke, pausing Ririka in her tracks. “I will be needing the mask for tomorrow. There is something I must observe.”

“Very well.” Ririka answered plainly. She knew if she turned the questions back on her sister she’d be met with riddles and she was too tired to decipher them tonight. Ririka leaned over the large table and set her mask in front of her sister. “Good night.”

“Good night.” Kirari grinned, pulling the mask up to her face just enough to cover her chilling smile. It was an action that was completely performative, that much Ririka knew. If only she could understand just what her sister was up to.

Ririka simply continued on her way, getting ready for bed in her en-suite bathroom before falling into bed and wrapping herself up like a burrito. She reached her arm out for her phone and pulled it into her cocoon, smiling as she read (Y/n)’s goodnight text. She sent one of her own and was about to put her phone back on her charger when she remembered she wasn’t going to be herself tomorrow and frowned. She messaged (Y/n) again to fill her in on the switch as she usually did when they came up. It was something she really felt compelled to do after she and (Y/n) started dating. The last thing Ririka needed was for Kirari to upset (Y/n) while masquerading around as herself. With her message sent, Ririka put her phone back on her nightstand and curled further into her burrow of blankets.

***

(Y/n) walked through the main gates of Haykkaou Academy the next morning, breezing right past the students loitering around, not quite ready to enter the property for one reason or another. Usually Ririka would be waiting nearby, but sadly this was not going to be one of those days.

(Y/n) decided she’d head right into the school and do some work at her desk or maybe gamble with her classmates if they were paying something that caught her interest. She had just finished switching her shoes at her cubby when another pair of feet stopped right beside her.

Craning her head, (Y/n) was very surprised to see a familiar theatre mask smiling down at her. A sight that she had grown used to over the past couple months she had been dating Ririka. (Y/n) stood up, confused but no less delighted by her girlfriend’s sudden appearance.

“Hey! I thought you said you were busy today.” (Y/n) said.

“...” Only a small crackle of static as Ririka took a breath reached (Y/n)’s ears.

“What’s up, is your sister driving you crazy again this morning? Is that why you’re here and not in the council room?” (Y/n) asked, closing her shoe cubby. She knew Ririka wasn’t much of a conversationalist so she wasn’t particularly bothered by the silence, but a, ‘good morning’ would be nice at the very least.

She did not receive a greeting, just a blank stare through the black holes of the mask.

“Well, I was going to go to our classroom and hang out until class started, but if you’d rather go somewhere more quiet we can do that too, what do you think?” (Y/n) asked.

“Let’s do what we normally do together in the morning.” The distorted voice replied. Not that (Y/n) could know for sure, but it almost sounded commanding.

“...Okay then. I’ll just have to change my shoes again real quick.”

(Y/n) changed her shoes and started walking back to the courtyard, pausing momentarily to give Ririka a questioning look as the masked girl watched her move.

“Ririka, are you doing alright?” (Y/n) asked. She felt like she was playing twenty questions without getting any hints.

Ririka tilted her head just slightly before falling into step beside (Y/n). Her knuckles brushed (Y/n)’s hand and made the other girl stare at her oddly from her peripheral but other than that, they continued through the students coming into the school as they left. Ririka was intermittently bumping hands with (Y/n)’s in the process until she surprised (Y/n) by taking her hand completely.

Ririka hardly ever was the first to initiate contact, much less when other students were around to witness it. Even when the president had happened upon them, Ririka would get flustered and shrink away. Now here they were in front of the school’s main entrance surrounded by students, and Ririka had scooped up her hand and laced their fingers like it was nothing. Her hand wasn’t even clammy or shaking at all. Needless to say (Y/n) felt that something was off with Ririka today. In fact, she would bet big money that the person holding her hand right now wasn’t Ririka at all!

(Y/n) knew about the twins tendency to switch off whenever Kirari deemed it necessary, but never had the president bothered with (Y/n) while pretending to be Ririka. Just what was the president doing? (Y/n) decided she’d play along for now, to hold her cards close to her chest until she figured out Kirari’s game. (Y/n) doubled down, curling her fingers over the incessant imposter’s hand.

Once they arrived at their destination, a secluded part of the school forest away from the noisy courtyard, (Y/n) assumed her usual position sitting with her back against a grand old tree. Testing Kirari, she patted the free space between her legs, intending for the president to sit with her back to (Y/n)’s front. Then they could listen to the songs of the forest as (Y/n) normally would with Ririka. Speaking of which, (Y/n) was going to have to apologize for showing Kirari their secret spot. Honestly, Ririka would probably not be too pleased about any of this situation but (Y/n) just had to find out why the president was doing this.

The masked figure loomed above (Y/n) for a moment before beginning her decent, but to (Y/n)’s shock, the other girl took the cue as a signal to straddle her so they were both facing each other. Years of gambling helped (Y/n) hide her horror well, as she smiled the fakest smile to ever exist. Just who the hell did the president think she was? Well, she was trying to be Ririka, but was failing miserably.

Swallowing her urge to lash out at the younger of the Momobami twins, (Y/n) continued to pretend nothing was wrong and continued her reconnaissance, resting her hands over Kirari’s thighs.

“Anything on your mind, Ri? Do you need something?” (Y/n) asked, feeling proud of how smooth and unassuming her voice sounded.

Another crackle of air and a tilt of the head was the only reply (Y/n) received. Really, it was like Kirari didn’t know how to be Ririka at all beyond the mysterious vice president. When Ririka took on Kirari’s role, she did so extremely well. It kind of scared (Y/n) how well Ririka could impersonate her twin. The same could not be said for Kirari. She didn’t seem to know how to act like Ririka at all. At least, not in this instance.

It was a bit infuriating really, to think Kirari actually thought she was getting away with her little charade while putting in so little effort. (Y/n) was about to tell Kirari to get off of her when a hand reached up between them and pulled at the mask, slowly lowering it to hover just above the president’s nose.

Perhaps she wasn’t too bad after all. Downcast eyes, timid yet deliberate movements, even the faint flush of her cheeks seemed legitimate and for a second (Y/n) almost believed her. Almost. But the amusement that seemed to be ever present in the younger twin’s eyes could only hide so deep in crystal blue irises.

“I need you. Show me, show me how you take charge.” The twin’s voice whispered, taking in the cadence of her sister with frightening precision. Yes, the tone was good but the words were so wrong. Ririka would sooner shoot herself in the foot than say something she would consider so embarrassing.

Just what the hell was this girl after? What was she gaining from this torment? Was this some kind of gamble and depending on (Y/n)’s reaction, could be someone’s undoing? What was the right move to make?

“(Y/n), please. Kiss me like we’re doing it for the first time again.”

“What the hell?” (Y/n) couldn’t keep it in anymore, if someone was losing a bet right now she was sorry, but she could only handle so much ridiculousness. “What game are you playing, president?”

(Y/n) tried to wiggle out from underneath Kirari but she held firm, the facade she had put up melted quickly as she allowed the mask to drop on the ground beside them and pushed (Y/n)’s back firmly against the tree trunk with one hand as she grinned down at her fellow classmate. The effect wasn’t quite the same without the striking blue lipstick but it was still enough to make (Y/n) shiver.

“So you did figure it out. I was wondering why you would be holding out on me. I was beginning to think my dear sister was wrong about you.” Kirari mused, eyes glinting. “The only other person that can tell us apart is Sayaka, what gave me away?”

“First, get off of me.” (Y/n) said, making a shooing motion between them that made Kirari giggle as she stood up. “Second, you have to tell me what your goal was in all of this.”

“My goal hmm?” Kirari tapped her chin thoughtfully as (Y/n) got up from the ground as well. “Well, quite simply it was for research.”

“Research about what?”

“About your relationship with my sister.” Kirari answered.

Like that made anything any clearer. (Y/n) pressed a hand over her forehead, the other a firm fist against her hip, “but why?” She asked.

“I think I’m entitled to having my curiosity sated now.” Kirari said instead, looking over her plain, pale nails.

(Y/n) pushed an audible huff of air through her nose, choosing to cross her arms tightly over her chest instead and even going as far as to tap her shoe against ground. Kirari actually rolled her eyes at the display, an action the president wouldn’t give the general masses the pleasure of seeing lest she appear too human.

“I just don’t understand how you and Ririka have only been together for three months and you’re already holding hands and kissing when I’ve been with Sayaka for nearly two years and we have done neither. Ririka said you were the more experienced one, I thought I could learn something from observing you.”

“Wait, you and Igarashi are actually together?” (Y/n) couldn’t believe her ears. Igarashi obviously worshipped the ground Kirari walked on but (Y/n) had always found it hard to understand if Kirari was just stringing her along or not.

“Of course we are. I didn’t build that tower for just anyone.”

Ah yes, Ririka had told (Y/n) about the tower. What lunacy. She would be surprised if Igarashi truly understood what Kirari was going for there.

“Did you actually ask Igarashi to date you point blank or did you just imply it? You should know how her mind works by now.”

“But I don’t. That’s what makes her so spectacular.” Kirari sighed pleasantly.

“Well trust me, if you make your intentions absolutely clear I’m sure you’ll see some changes in your dynamic. Tell you what, let’s go to the student council room and sort this all out now before classes start.”

“Are you hoping for a seat on the council? Is that why you want to get involved?” Kirari smirked.

“I’m just trying to help my girlfriend’s sister so she doesn’t pretend to be her in my presence ever again.” (Y/n) shook her head and started to walk back to the school. She took out her phone and texted Ririka to let her know they were en route, “and I knew it was you because Ririka doesn’t act like that with me. I will not elaborate because the last thing I need is for you to get anymore funny ideas.”

Kirari hummed with amusement before placing the mask back over her face and together they made their way back to the school and up to the council room. Thankfully Ririka must have been able to end the meeting early because only she and Sayaka were left in the room.

“Oh thank god,” (Y/n) sighed walking over to Ririka’s side to rest her forehead against the older twin’s shoulder, making her blush and ruining the carefully crafted persona of her younger sister.

“What are you doing?” Sayaka said indignantly. “You can’t just come in here whenever you wish. Anyone with council business could come in and think you were involved with the president instead of the vice president!”

“Sit down Igarashi, I’m about to do you the biggest favor of your life.” (Y/n) said, lifting her head from Ririka’s shoulder to point at Kirari as she removed the theatre mask and placed in on the table. “Kirari wants to date you.”

Sayaka blinked, processing the words before her skin turned beet red, equal parts embarrassed and angry.

“That’s not funny, Senpai!”

“It’s not a joke! C’mon Kirari, tell her.” (Y/n) said before cupping Ririka’s ear to whisper, “If this doesn’t work out, I’m gonna scream.”

“It’s true Sayaka, though (Y/n)’s approach seems dull and predictable, it has come to my attention that you may not understand that I wish to be with you,” Kirari glided forward, her hair flowing behind her like a curtain, her hand outstretched to Sayaka, “so, hold my hand Say-a-ka, and be mine.”

“Uh oh.” (Y/n) and Ririka muttered in unison as Sayaka babbled, her head moving jerkily between Kirari’s face and her outstretched hand before her knees buckled. She almost hit the ground but Kirari caught her just in time, grinning down at her secretary.

“I told her to sit down.” (Y/n) said, shaking her head.

“It appears that Sayaka needs a nap. You two can head to class, I’ll watch over her.” Kirari said, placing the unconscious secretary on the couch.

“Sure, you just want an excuse to stay out of class.” (Y/n) turned her attention back to Ririka, still in her sister’s make up, braids and annoying ruffled shirt. “Come on Ririka, let me help you get changed real quick.”

“Okay.”

Ririka grabbed her mask from the table and together they headed to one of the side rooms off of the main council room where the twins kept their spare uniforms. While (Y/n) helped Ririka gather her belongings and remove the fresh blue nail polish and smooth out her hair, she told Ririka all about Kirari’s invasive behavior.

“So yeah, it was super weird but I guess it was worth it if it means she’ll be too busy with Sayaka to be too interested in what we’re doing.” (Y/n) explained, brushing Ririka’s hair into place. On the last stroke, she reached in front of Ririka to put the brush back on the table and as she went to withdraw, her wrist was gently encased in Ririka’s hand.

“Ri?”

Ririka tugged on (Y/n)’s arm until she sat down on the bench beside her. It took (Y/n) everything she had not to giggle once she registered the sweet pout the older twin was sporting.

“You held hands with my sister,” Ririka grumped, “you held hands with my sister and let her sit in your lap.”

“Yes, very begrudgingly I did. Only because I wanted to know what she was trying to do, but I promise it’ll never happen again.” (Y/n) spoke seriously.

“Good.” Ririka sighed, resting her head on (Y/n)’s chest, making her laugh.

“We can’t stay here all day. We have about fifteen minutes before we have to get to our classroom and you still haven’t changed your blazer and shirt.”

Ririka whined quietly before tilting her head up to look at (Y/n). “May we, first could you,” Ririka bashfully tapped her lips, still stained with blue, “you know.”

“Happy to,” (Y/n) tucked a strand of Ririka’s hair behind her ear, “let me just wipe that lipstick off first.”

Softly but thoroughly, (Y/n) ran the cleansing wipe across Ririka’s lips a few times until all that remained was muted pink. Then she dabbed at them with a wet washcloth so no trace of the bitter tasting makeup remover remained. As soon as she removed the cloth she leaned in, meeting Ririka lips with her own.

(Y/n) pulled away after a moment, a smile splitting her lips upon witnessing the relaxed and dreamy look on Ririka’s face, her cheeks dusted in a pleasant pink color that complimented her bare lips.

“I’ll wait for you to finish changing and we’ll walk to class together, okay?” (Y/n) said softly.

“One more first, please.” Ririka asked, pulling (Y/n)’s blazer to bring the girl closer.

“Of course.”

Another kiss and the fifteen minute buffer before class became eight minutes and they had three floors worth of stairs to climb. (Y/n) waited for Ririka to finish changing in the hall. She would have waited in the main area of the council room, but Kirari was sitting on the council room couch with that little smirk on her face. Her calculating eyes watching (Y/n) move across the room as the president patted Sayaka’s hair while the secretary remained unconscious with her head in Kirari’s lap.

When Ririka emerged, mask set into place, (Y/n) looked down both ends of the empty hall. When she was satisfied that no one was around, she pulled the mask to the side, surprising Ririka and making the vice president’s breath hitch.

“What?” Ririka asked.

“Just making sure.” (Y/n) replied, kissing Ririka’s nose before covering Ririka’s glowing face with the mask once more.

(Y/n) took Ririka’s hand and they jogged up the stairs, managing to slide into the classroom moments before the teacher.

[jayoctodot]

The Silent Patient vs The Maidens

I will start by saying that I understand the appeal of these novels as page-turners. They are easy to read and if you want a twisty reveal at the end, you will probably be entertained and satisfied. That being said, I am SO CONFUSED by the near-universal adoration of The Silent Patient and the reasonably positive reception of The Maidens. The weaknesses of the two are strikingly similar, as well, which doesn’t give me much hope of seeing improvement from this guy, though I am intrigued to see whether he keeps repeating the same (apparently successful!!) patterns. These books were at least super fun to hate.

(For context, I read The Maidens for a bookclub I'm in, because several of the members had read and loved The Silent Patient, and one of them gave me a copy of the latter to read on my own time. I loathed The Maidens and then read The SP for comparative purposes. And because I'm a masochist, apparently.)

SPOILER WARNING! Do not read on unless you've finished both books (or unless you care not for spoilers). Sorry if it gets a bit shouty.

Here are the similar weaknesses I noticed in both:

PSEUDO-PSYCHOLOGY

-> Weirdly similar “group therapy” scenes early on where a cartoonishly unstable patient arrives late, disrupts the meeting by throwing something into the middle of the circle, and is asked to join the group after the therapist(s) speechify on the importance of boundaries (HA! None of these therapists would know an appropriate boundary if it kicked them in the ass) and debate whether to “allow” the patient to join. Both scenes are so transparent in their design to establish the credibility/legitimacy of the narrators as therapists, but instead both Theo and Mariana come off as super patronizing. The protagonists are less and less believable as therapists at the stories progress (though at least Theo’s incompetence is explained away by the “twist” at the end; Mariana, on the other hand, is confronted in the opening pages of the novel by a patient who has self-harmed PRETTY extensively, and rather than ensure he get proper medical attention, she essentially throws him a first aid kit and tosses him out the door so she can pour herself a glass of wine and call her niece... and it devolves from there).

-> Ongoing insistence throughout the narrative that one’s childhood trauma entirely explains the warped/dysfunctional way a character behaves or views the world, which is why the books go out of their way to give EVERY potentially violent character a traumatic childhood; when Theo insists that no one ever became an abuser who hadn’t been abused themselves, I wanted to throw the book across the room. (That is a MYTH, SIR. GET OUT OF HERE WITH YOUR ARMCHAIR PSYCHOLOGY.)

-> Female murderers whose pathology boils down to “history of depression” and “traumatized by a male loved one/family member.” Because, as we all know, depression + abuse = murderer!

-> The “therapy” depicted in both books is laughable and so so unrealistic, mostly because neither narrators function as therapists so much as incompetent detectives, obsessively pursuing a case they have no place pursuing (or skill to pursue - both just happen across every clue mostly by way of clunky conversation with all the people who can provide precisely the snippet of info to send them along to the next person, and the next… until all is revealed in a tired, cliched “twist”). Their constant Psych 101 asides were so tiresome and weirdly dated (also, the constant harping on countertransference got so ridiculous that at one point during "therapy" Theo literally attributes his headache and a particular emotion he feels to Alicia, as though the contents of her head are being broadcast directly into his mind... and I'm PRETTY SURE that's not how it works???)

CHARACTERS

-> Psychotherapist narrators with abusive fathers and pretensions of being Sherlock Holmes, which results in both characters crossing ALL KINDS of ethical lines as they invade the personal lives of everyone even tangentially connected to their cases (and, in Theo's case, violate all kinds of patient confidentiality. Yeah, yeah, by the end, that's the least of his offenses, but before you get there, it's baffling that NO ONE is calling him out on this).

-> All female characters are either elderly with hilariously bad advice, monstrous hulking brutes, or beautiful bitches (except for ~MARIANA~, who is Bella Swan-esque in her unawareness of her own attractiveness, despite multiple men trying to get with her almost immediately after meeting her. I'm so tired of beautiful female characters being oblivious to their own hotness. Are we meant to believe all mirrors and male attention have escaped their notice? If it’s to make them “relatable,” this tactic really fails with me).

-> All characters of color are shallow, cartoonish side characters, and most of them are depicted as unsympathetic minor antagonists (the Sikh Chief Inspector in The Maidens continuously drinks tea from an ever-present thermos, and his only other notable characteristic is his instant dislike of Mariana, whom he VERY RIGHTLY warns to stay out of the investigation that she is VERY MUCH compromising… the Caribbean manager of the Grove is universally disliked by her staff for enforcing stricter safety regulations at the bafflingly poorly run mental institution, because HOW DARE SHE. There's a very clear vibe that we're supposed to dislike these characters and share the protagonists' indignation, but honestly Sangha/Stephanie were completely in the right for trying to shut down their wildly inappropriate investigations).

-> "Working class" characters (or basically anyone excluded from the comfortably upper-crust, educated main cadre of characters) are few and far between in both stories, but when they show up, he depicts them as such caricatures. We got Elsie the pathologically lying housekeeper in the Maidens, who is enticed to share her bullshit with cake, and then a TOOTHLESS LEPRECHAUN DEALING DRUGS UNDER A BRIDGE in the SP. I kid you not, a man described as having the body of a child, the face of Father Time, and no front teeth, emerges from beneath a bridge and offers to sell Theo some "grass." I was dyinggg.

-> There are no characters to root for. Anywhere. Partly because they’re all so thinly drawn — and because we’re clearly supposed to view almost ALL of them as potential suspects, so they’re ALL weird, creepy, or incompetent in some way.

-> The flimsiest of flimsy motives, both for the narrators and the murderers. Theo fully would have gotten away with his involvement in the murder if he hadn't gone out of his way to work at the Grove and "treat" Alicia and his justification for doing so is pretty weak; his rapid descent into stalking and murder fantasy and his random ass decision to "expose" Alicia's husband as a cheater with a spur-of-the-moment home invasion and staged attempted homicide is ONLY justified if the reader hand waves it away as WELP, HE'S CRAZY, I GUESS (after all, he DID have an abusive father and a history of mental illness, and in Michaelides novels, that's ALL YOU NEED to become a violent psycho). I guess we're lucky Mariana didn't also start dropping bodies (because the logic of his fictional universe says she should definitely be a murderer by now... maybe that'll be his Maidens sequel?). But she especially had NO reason to randomly turn detective - and she kept trying to justify it by saying she needed to re-enter the world or that Sebastian would want her to (??), even though she had no background in criminal psychology... or even a particular fondness for mysteries (really, I would've accepted ANYTHING to explain her dogged obsession with the case. WHY were Sebastian and Zoe so certain she would insert herself into the investigation just because one of Zoe's friends was the first victim? WHY?). As for Zoe and Alicia, their motives are mere suggestions: they were both abused and manipulated, and voila! Slippery slope to murder.

WRITING STYLE

-> Incessant allusions to Greek tragedy and myth, apparently to provide a sophisticated gloss over the bare-bones writing style, which opts more for telling than showing and frequently indulges in hilariously bizarre analogies. Credit where credit is due — the references to Greek myth are less clunky in the SP, and I liked learning about the Alcestis play/myth, which I hadn’t heard of before - but OMG the entire characterization of Fosca, who we are meant to believe is a professor of Greek tragedy at one of the most respected universities on the planet, is just absurd. His "lecture" on the liminal in Greek tragedy is essentially the Wikipedia page on the Eleusinian Mysteries capped off with some Hallmark-card carpe diem crap. The lecture hall responds with raucous applause, clearly never having heard such vague genius bullshit before.

-> Super clunky and amateurish narrative device of interludes written by another character; Sebastian’s letter reads like a mashup of Dexter monologues and Clarice’s memory of the screaming sheep, but by FAR the worse offender is Alicia’s diary, where we’re supposed to believe she painstakingly recorded ENTIRE CONVERSATIONS, BEAT-BY-BEAT DIALOGUE, even when she’s just been DRUGGED TO THE GILLS with morphine and has mere moments of consciousness left… and even before that, she literally takes the time to write “He's trying the windows and doors! ...Someone’s inside! Someone’s inside the house! ETC ETC” when she thinks her stalker has broken in downstairs. WHO DOES THAT?)

-> Speaking of dialogue, the dialogue is so bad. Based on his bio, Michaelides got a degree in screenwriting, which makes his terrible dialogue even more baffling.

-> HILARIOUSLY rendered voyeur scenes where the narrators spy on couples having sex. Such unintentionally awkward descriptions. First we had Kathy’s climax sounds through the trees and then the bowler hat carefully placed on a tombstone before the gatekeeper plows a student. Again, I died.

PLOT/"TWIST"

-> The CONSTANT red herrings make for such an exhausting read. Michaelides drops anvils with almost every character that are so obviously meant to designate them as suspects in our minds. There is absolutely no subtlety in his misdirections.

-> The “crossover” scene between the SP and The Maidens makes no sense - when in the timeline does Mariana’s story overlap with Theo’s? They confer just before Theo starts working at the Grove, obviously (though Mariana appears to be the one who alerts Theo to the job opening there? Whereas in the SP, Theo has been obsessively tracking Alicia since the murder and had already planned to apply to work there?), but then are we supposed to believe that while Theo has been psychotically pursuing his warped quest to “help” Alicia, he’s also been diligently treating Zoe, so invested in her case that he repeatedly reaches out to Mariana to get her to visit Zoe and even writes Mariana a lengthy letter to convince her to do so??? And then a couple days after The Maidens ends, Theo is arrested???

-> But the thing I really did hate the most is how Michaelides treats his female murderers (who are both also victims themselves) as mere means to deploy a “twist”; there’s no moment spared to encourage our sympathy for Zoe, who was groomed and manipulated by the only trusted father figure in her life, and even after spending a decent amount of time getting to know Alicia via her ridiculous diary, where it’s so apparent that she’s been demeaned, objectified, manipulated, gaslit, and/or used by EVERY man in her life, she’s sent packing to spend the rest of her days in a coma… HOW much more satisfying would it have been for her to succeed in exposing Theo and reclaiming her voice? But no, she basically rolls over when he comes to finish her off (SPEAKING OF — ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THERE ARE NO SECURITY CAMERAS IN THIS INSTITUTE FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE????), writes one last diary entry, and drifts off forever. And then a couple pages of nothing later, the story is over. GOODNIGHT, ALICIA!

Both books kept me rolling throughout (by which I mean eye-rolling but also rotfl). Maybe I will check out his next effort — I’m morbidly curious what he’ll turn out. It does leave me wondering whether I should give up on thriller novels entirely, though. Are many of the weaknesses of these novels just characteristic of the genre? Maybe I'm just holding these books to unfair standards? I'm mostly only familiar with thriller films — many of which I think are amazing — but maybe you can get away with more in a film than you can in a novel.

...I really only intended to write a handful of bullet points, but more and more kept coming to mind as I wrote, to the point where subheadings became necessary. Whoopsie.

[dastardlydandelion]

Who are your favorite Yellowjackets characters and why?

what a question! idk yet, we're only two episodes in but everyone is so interesting so far. i'm drawn to taissa, her quiet ruthlessness and goal-oriented drive are captivating but she has those moments of fleeting vulnerability despite her composure. she looks genuinely disturbed after injuring allie on the field and uncomfortable when her past is brought up during the photoshoot, when she sees her son's drawings, startled by her flashback, etc.

i think it's possible taissa and shauna did a lil rolling around together out in the wilderness? idk, they had that lingering hand touch in the diner...that doesn't have anything to do with ur question, whoops.

but shauna!! i like her a lot too. there's a lot of intrigue there. in the present it seems like she has the most typical life outta our four leading ladies. housewife with an annoying, mediocre husband who's probably unfaithful, a bratty teenage daughter, a garden to tend. but she's also clearly self-sufficient, deftly kills, skins, and cooks rabbits. she probably had to do that at one time to survive, but i'd *guess* she takes a bit of pleasure in it in the present, if only to break up the monotony.

on that note, i suspect shauna might be "antlers." by antlers, i mean the girl in the ep1 flashback who appears to be in charge during the ritualistic cannibalism. antlers's outfit is notably distinct from the others, she sits in the center, the platter of meat is placed before her and no one eats until she gives the signal. maybe two eps in is too soon for a theory like this BUT so far shauna's characterization has been that of the ordinary "every girl."

she's studious enough to get into brown and a good enough player on the winning team, but it's also made clear she plays second fiddle to jackie (in the public eye) and in the present, her lifestyle is the most typical, nondescript. that makes me think it would be an interesting angle if in the wild it turns out shauna was in a position of leadership, calling the shots, deciding shit like who lives, who dies...that wasn't really an answer to ur question either, but i mean, it's the intrigue that gets me abt shauna. there is so much under the surface there, it's hard to pin her down. all the leads are interesting but imho the others are more straightforward than shauna. taissa is rigidly ambitious, eyes on the prize. natalie's a relapsing addict and we see her drinking more than the others as a teen, but it's probable her trauma from those 19 months contributes. misty is the socially inept loner with a sociopathic streak. shauna's a bit more mysterious. something's lurking under the sheen of mundanity, but her characterization is more subtle.

i wonder how natalie comes to be wealthy? in the flashback before takeoff, she's shown in a trailer. i'm assuming that's where she lives, but she must've come into money somewhere to be in the fancy rehab facility. shit, that's also not an answer to your question!! i am sorry, as u can tell, this show has my gears going. i like nat a lot too. teen!nat is defo kind at heart. adult!nat is more prickly and i wonder if she's still a kind spirit or if the trauma and ugliness endured in the wilderness ripped it from her.

i 100% find misty interesting but i guarantee she will not be my favorite. she's abusive toward the elderly and that immediately eliminates her as my fave potential. i love old ppl too much and watching her bully that bedbound old lady bothered me a lot. and it was supposed to, obvi, that was the point of the scene-- that her cutesy scrubs conceal a darker nature --but i mean, she's off the table as far as problematic faves go. i have a *big* soft spot for old ppl, i can't love any character that treats old ppl like that. 😬

BUT i find misty v interesting and i like her place in the story. the bullied outcast at school who fucking thrives in the wilderness?? chopping off a man's mangled leg without so much as batting an eye? cauterizing it without flinching even as he screams?

a character like misty is awesome in this scenario. back home she's a nobody but in the woods, the moment she realizes she's finally getting respect, she dead ass sabotages their chance at rescue and i am intrigued to know if she'll ever come to regret this decision. misty is dangerous, and it's a peculiar kind of danger bc it's an internal threat from the get-go. she doesn't need desperation (what we can assume will drive the other girls to become dangerous), she's already someone u need to watch out for and NOBODY realizes it. she's still socially inept and lonely come the present, to the point where she sabotaged nat's car just to spend more time with her. that's actually insane. and nat doesn't seem surprised by it at all? that makes me wonder if it ever comes out that misty destroyed the flight recorder, if it comes out to erryone of if only natalie figures it out somehow...jfc, i'm still doing it, rambling on and on. my bad!

okay!! point is, i love the kind of character misty is in this show (her being played by christina ricci is also a plus), she's fun to watch, but i can't call her a fave bc elder abuse makes me viscerally uncomfortable. i love cannibalism with a passion but i cannot stomach denying an old woman her pain meds, go figure. 😅

taissa is *prolly* my fave at present bc i like her kind of character, but it's so early in the show someone else might steal my heart as we go and tbh, i love all our leading ladies and no character (besides jeff) is boring to me, i enjoying watching and thinking abt all of them.

how abt u, buddy? who's ur fave, @foxgirlontherun?

[thetypedwriter]

All the Young Dudes Fanfiction Review

All the Young Dudes Fanfiction Review by MsKingBean89

So. 

This is a first. 

If you’ve been following this blog for some time, then you know I generally read young adult books and write far too lengthy reviews on them with the occasional outlier of adult fiction, mystery, sci-fi, etc. 

At any given time, I usually have both a physical book that I’ve bought from somewhere that I’m working on (right now it’s Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley) as well as a fanfiction that I reserve until before I go to bed (my treat for a day well lived). 

Fanfiction is something that I’ve mentioned copious amounts of times on this blog in varying degrees, but this is the first time I’ll be writing an actual review for one of them on this platform. 

The reason for this is myriad. 

One, this fanfiction called All the Young Dudes is a far-cry from your normal standardized fanfiction of 5-50,000 words-something I can easily consume in a few minutes to a few hours. 

Nope, this behemoth ends on a staggering 526,969 words and 188 chapters, not including bonus chapters and extra in-universe canonical content the author has also written and published. Roughly speaking, if this was actually published onto paper it would be well over 2,000 pages. 

2,000 pages. 

Yeah. And I enjoyed every single moment of it. 

Two, while I read a lot of fanfiction I generally don’t put any of it on this blog because while I’ve dedicated it to published novels, I also usually have very simple feelings about fanfiction. My thoughts run the gambit of: It was good, it was fluffy, it was a train-wreck, so on and so forth. 

Normally my reviews are so long and wordy because I have too many thoughts about the published books that I read and I need an outlet to let them loose. 

Whether because of its longevity or because of its content, All the Young Dudes is a story I find myself having a profusion of thoughts for. Hence, the birth of this review. 

If fanfiction isn’t your thing, feel free to skip this particular review of mine (although fanfiction is a gift to this world and you should really rethink your stance on it if you don’t like it, just saying). 

Third, All the Young Dudes is well written and rivals any actual published content. 

Fourth, because of how extensive this fanfiction is, it took me over a month to read it-time I generally would have been reading something else. Instead of leaving you all hanging for a few more weeks until I finish Firekeeper's Daughter (don’t hold your breath-the book is sort of a slog for me personally right now), I decided to just take the jump and write my first-ever typedwriter review for a fanfiction. 

Fanfiction has been a part of my life for the better part of almost two decades now. It was truly something I found by accident and in retrospect, it’s insane to me that it’s still something that brings me continuous joy and happiness. 

I discovered fanfiction when I was 11-years-old and deeply obsessed with the Harry Potter fandom. 

Now, as an overall disclaimer I completely disagree with J.K. Rowling’s stances of gender and biology and differ wholeheartedly with her views of trans and non-binary individuals. With that said, I still love Harry Potter as a story and while I no longer buy anything that profits J.K. Rowling directly, I still love the fandom and the people in it, including fanworks like All the Young Dudes. 

When I was 11, the seventh Harry Potter book had yet to come out and like many other people in this time period of agony while waiting for 2007 to roll around so that I could find out what happened, I discovered fanfiction as a way to fill in that ache I was so keenly feeling. 

I found myself suddenly immersed in this world of online fiction-both good and bad-but completely entrancing all the same. 

I never left. 

That is to say, I did eventually move onto other fandoms with their own fanfiction cultures, but Harry Potter was still my first in terms of fanfiction and introducing me to the concept as a whole. 

Specifically and maybe oddly, I never found myself curious for actual fanfiction about Harry or Hermione or Ron. In my mind, I already knew what had happened to them and reading about them in fanfiction was redundant. 

In addition, the first fanfiction I just happened to come across was a Lily/James marauder era fanfiction on mugglenet.com

This idea immediately intrigued me as fans as a whole knew next to nothing about the infamous Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs and while I knew everything I needed to about Harry Potter it was intoxicating to think that I could learn about a time before the series had existed and about characters who were important, but off screen. 

I was hooked and devoured as much as I could for most of middle school about the marauders and Lily and James’ romance in particular (I even wrote and published some of my own that will go unmentioned as they are truly really terrible). 

That being said, I haven’t read a Harry Potter fanfiction in years. I grew up and out of the fandom eventually thanks to Twilight and from there I’ve bounced from fandom to fandom as I’ve aged and consumed different things and fallen in love with different characters and different worlds. 

That isn’t to say I’ve forgotten though. 

I still remember my favorite marauder stories, my favorite Sirius Black/OFC (original female character), and my favorite baby Harry drabbles. They made such a huge impression on me and even though it’s been sixteen years, I still recall those stories with fond nostalgia and jubilation. 

Which is why it’s almost ironic that I would return to this particular time period of the marauders with All the Young Dudes. 

In a fashion that’s almost scarily full circle, I happened to be on Youtube one day and saw a recommendation video about this girl reviewing a fanfiction called All the Young Dudes. Now, youtube book reviews aren’t uncommon, but a thirty minute video for a fanfiction? Not your typical sighting. 

So out of pure curiosity, I searched All the Young Dudes fanfiction on Google and low and behold the overwhelming and top results were all for a marauder-era fanfiction by MsKingBean89. Piqued, I clicked on the link in ao3 and thought why not? 

While I’ve mainly been reading in other fandoms recently (BTS, some anime and manga, All for the Game) I had been in a little bit of a slump for finding a really good, really alluring story for some time and really didn’t think I had anything to lose by reading All the Young Dudes, especially as the more research I did, the more I found how popular it was-a plethora of videos on youtube, tiktok compilations, and dozens of fanart posts. 

Plus, it had been so long since I had read anything from my progenitor fandom and the thought of going back was strangely comforting.

Hence the journey of reading All the Young Dudes began and oh what a journey it was. 

Now, that this review is already five pages in, I should probably tell you what on earth All the Young Dudes is actually about. 

The whole story is a marauder-era fanfiction told from Remus Lupin’s POV from the summer of 1971 when Remus is 11-years-old to the summer of 1995 when he is 35-five-years-old. It is an in-depth portrayal of Remus’ time at Hogwarts from year one to year seven and then going all the way up to the start of the second wizarding world, ending around the time Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix begins. 

While already the scope makes this a massive undertaking, the author also includes all canonical content from the original series involving Remus, the Marauders, and the time period and incorporates it into her fanfiction-making it canon compliant from start to finish. 

While a very large portion of this story is not romantic, there is eventual WolfStar (Remus Lupin/Sirius Black) and if you have read the original Harry Potter series...well. You know things don't end up super dandy for these two characters in particular so you know how the story will end before it begins. 

This fanfiction left me speechless for so many reasons. 

The scope and length is frankly unbelievable. This fanfiction was published on March 2, 2017 and it was completed on November 12, 2018.

….how?

How did she manage that? I frankly have no idea, but I am in complete and utter awe at her ability to write content with such a magnitude and actually complete it. She gets an award just for that honestly. 

Not only that, but the fanfiction is actually superbly well-written. I won’t lie and say it’s the most poignant and beautiful piece of literature I’ve ever consumed, but it was consistent in its pacing, characterization, themes, motifs, and structure, which, for 2,000 pages, is an incredible achievement when you think about it. 

Speaking of characterization, everyone was So. Well. Done. 

Remus was such an interesting POV to read from and while he was compliant in every sense of the word-werewolf, prefect, bookish-MsKingBean89 added so much more to his character and fleshed him out so incredibly that it’s truly tragic that he’s not a real person. 

And to that extent, she does this with all of the characters. You see James’ optimism and leadership, Sirius’ arrogance and loyalty, Peter’s jealousy and chess skills. 

Every character was so well-rounded and real. She did an incredible job of taking the bits and pieces from the canon series and using that to build up her own flesh and blood people with motivations, likes, dislikes, dreams, and desires. 

That being said, she also had 2,000 pages to do it sooooooo it would be bad if the characters weren’t fleshed out by the end honestly. 

In addition, I really appreciated that she didn’t just focus on Remus, Sirius, James and Peter. Lily Evans played a critical role in Remus’ school life and after and so did the other Gryffindor girls like Marlene and Mary. 

Too often, the focus is on the boys and their close friendship and while that was a huge focus, we also get to see Remus develop friendships with the girls in his own right and other friends as well that were often OC’s of the author’s. 

Now. OC’s are generally something I dislike. I’m reading fanfiction to read about particular characters that I’ve sought after, not to read about some imaginary cast. However, just like any of the canon characters, all of the OC characters were well-developed and played crucial roles in Remus’ development-while either at Hogwarts or after-and I found myself not minding them in the least. In a few cases (Grant) I actually really loved them. 

The biggest draw for this fanfiction for me was Remus’ time at Hogwarts. It was so well-written and incredibly descriptive and I found myself thrust back into the world of magic so suddenly and seamlessly that it was like I never left. 

MsKingBean89 includes so many intricate details and builds up the world so beautifully that I’d recommend any Harry Potter fan to consume it, just to get some good Hogwarts material out of it. 

Another thing I greatly appreciate about this fanfiction was the slow burn. I’ve read slow burn before (All for the Game trilogy anybody?), but this truly took the cake. Sirius and Remus don’t properly get together until the end of year six going into year seven. That’s over 100 chapters in. 

100 chapters out of 188. 

Meaning that over half of this beast doesn’t have the main pairing even together. For some people, this could be a drawback. You might think to yourself: It takes how long for them to confess their feelings and stop being prats?

A very, very long time. 

However...it didn’t bug me. I like slow burn to begin with, but being along for the ride as Remus goes from being a child to an adolescent with unrequited feelings to being in a relationship with someone he loves is so rewarding and fulfilling that the 100 previous chapters are completely and utterly worth it. 

MsKingBean89 develops them so well and so carefully that the payoff is so sweet and satisfactory that it's enough to bring the tears right then and there. 

The last huge feat of this fanfiction for me was the author’s dedication to canon not just confined to Hogwarts and the Harry Potter books, but also to the time period. Either she lived through the 70’s and 80’s herself or she had done her due diligence when it comes to research because anything from London anti-gay laws to British slang was commonplace in her fic. 

I found it completely amazing how she was able to tie in real-time historical and cultural moments like famous singers and movies playing at the time alongside convoluted muggle politics warring with the wizarding ones. 

I was so blown away by the accuracy and genuine love behind this fic that it often brought me out of my own mind to simply ponder once again how much work this was and how well she was delivering it. 

Even unpleasant things, like homophobia and bigotry, are dealt with in a very carefully constructed way that is aligned with the time period in which the story takes place. 

Unfortunately, everything beautiful is not without flaws and All the Young Dudes is not the exception, although it’s flaws are nary compared to its achievements. 

The few complaints I have with this fic are honestly quite negligible. 

First, there are a few grammatical and punctuation errors. Very few, but I did notice some. 

Next, and again, this complaint is really just me whining, but...the end of the fic was really fucking sad. The end of this whole story took me so much time to complete simply because I didn’t want to read it. 

I know what happened during the first wizarding war and I also know what ended it (James and Lily Potter dying, Harry being shipped off to the Dursley’s, Sirius imprisoned for a murder he didn’t commit, Peter presumed dead) and in one fell swoop Remus lost everything and everyone he ever loved. 

After spending over 1,500 pages of Remus growing to love these people it is absolutely devastating and heart-breaking to see him lose it all. 

The last handful of chapters are just really, really sad and it makes me wonder why MsKingBean89 decided to write it in the first place. Frankly, I don't know why she didn't write about Remus’ time at Hogwarts and stop after graduation because we all know what happens after that and none of it is good. 

Looking back, I wish I could time travel and tell myself to stop at chapter 150. I truly didn’t need to read about the tragedies that happened after that and the hell that all of the characters go through. 

And while it does end on a….sort of kind of maybe positive (?) note with Sirius and Remus reuniting briefly once the events of Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban take place, it was really tainted and bittersweet for me knowing that in a year Sirius would die and Remus would marry his fucking cousin and have a child. 

Urgh. 

I just can’t. 

That being said, I understand it’s not the author’s fault and I’m not saying it is. She wrote a canon compliant fic to the end and it was my choice to continue reading. That being said, she said she ended it before the events of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because Sirius and Remus are happy and back together and she didn’t want to write what was coming next if she continued. 

I truly, truly get that. 

But in the same vein, why even write the events of the first wizarding world to begin with then? I’m confused with that response as it doesn’t make much sense to me. I felt like ending it right then and there was not a happy ending. They’re together, yes, but at this point they are both shells of who they used to be. Both have severe trauma and PTSD and frankly I don’t even know if I agree with them being together just because they’ve put each other through so much. 

It’s just an interesting choice at the end of the day in terms of the author. 

Once again, however, I truly understand that she can do whatever she wants and that she doesn’t owe anyone anything, especially as she’s writing this for free and just because. So please keep in mind that although I’m complaining, I truly understand how fortunate we are to even have this fic in the first place. 

Okay. 

Secondly, my only other huge complaint is that MsKingBean89 made Remus gay. Not bi, not pan. Gay. 

You could argue that Remus just calls himself gay in the fanficiton as he didn’t know about other kinds of sexuality. You could argue that Remus’ sexuality changes and develops as he ages and experiences trials and tribulations. You could argue that it was a sign of times like so much else in this fic. 

I frankly just found it to be a frustrating choice as the fic is canon compliant and even though it ends before the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows we know that Remus eventually marries Tonks and has a baby son named Teddy Lupin. 

How does that make sense?

I tried very, very hard to come up with some sort of feasible explanation for how a gay man would have ended up with the love of his life’s female cousin and truly could not think of one that was not fucked up to some degree. 

Again. I know I’m being nit-picky, but it irked me that she made this choice regarding Remus’ sexuality and essentially ended her fic with Remus stuck in a corner regarding how the series actually ends. 

At the end of the day, all of the negatives are truly, truly not important. I’m just whinging to whine and to express my thoughts, but I do once again understand that MsKingBean89 isn’t profiting from this fic and that she can do what she wants as is her prerogative. 

I hope I was able to express that while I understand that, I can still be frustrated with some of the choices she made. 

To wrap this all up, All the Young Dudes is a masterpiece and is a must-read for anyone who loves Harry Potter, the Marauders, or Wolfstar. I was blown away by the sheer magnitude, the love and care she put into her craft, the slow and deliberate development of all the characters, the beautifully constructed love between Sirius and Remus, and the intricate world-both muggle and magic-that surrounded the story like a cocoon. 

I am so happy I found this fic and I truthfully am floundering at what to do with myself next. If you have any more current Marauder era fics that I’ve missed out in the past eleven years, please don’t hesitate to let me know. 

Recommendation: Go read All the Young Dudes. For weeks, you will cry, you will laugh, you will despair, and you will smile. This fanfiction will make you wish this was canon and in my mind, it now is. 

Score: 8/10

Links:

1. All the Young Dudes on ao3 

2. The Youtube Video about All the Young Dudes that made me aware of its existence 

[treestargarden]

episode 4, “colorful girls” analysis

tw: child sexual abuse

this episode does not hold back. 

first of all, momo is ace and non-binary. no i won’t be elaborating. 

wonder killers’ dialogue:

next, the wonder killers absolutely say things that were important to the wonder girls’ irl trauma. this is from miwa’s wonder killer. she just had a conversation with momo where she revealed the hurtful things her mother said to her, like “why couldn’t you just take it” or “take it as a compliment, it means you’re cute.” it’s quite possible with this dialogue, that these were also things her abuser said to her quite often to make her believe simply by existing she was “asking for it.” 

wonder eggs’ inner strengths: 

its also possible that the wonder killers are... combinations of the wonder girls’ sources of trauma and not just 1 manifestation of 1 person, but rather all of the people connected to the trauma. 

in response, miwa says this:

and added on “you got married, because you love each other” in the first few minutes of meeting her, i was not expecting this. up to this point, we have met a lot of wonder girls who are tired, exhausted, sad, lonely (excluding the 2 girls that ai and rika are trying to save right now). but, given the fact that she was vocal about her abuse, i’m certain this is exactly how miwa would respond in this situation.

even more poignant, is the fact momo simply listened to miwa’s protest while they were fighting the wonder killer. they agreed with her. i find it fascinating. i’m not sure what to do with this info yet, but i already like momo (partly bc i /know/ they’re non-binary, like... that’s a genderfuck if i ever saw one). 

this next part really grabbed my attention, juxtaposed with miko and mako’s kill-assist. these girls are definitely not meant to seem helpless or meek or powerless. i really like that this show so far has been capturing the complexity of a “survivor’s” strength (again, quotes, because these girls are technically dead, but i don’t want to use the term “victim” because it implies they have no power). 

they recognize when someone else is in need of help and they easily flip the switch from saved to savior. i’m in love with these girls so far. their characterization is complex, intriguing, and realistic at this point. 

specifically with miwa, her “surrender” is not my interpretation at all. she specifically recognized that she did have some power in this situation to help momo, just as miko and mako had some power to assist ai. their approaches are entirely different, but that doesn’t make their courage, or the strength, wrong. i’m not angry at this characterization of miwa AT ALL. sometimes, the best way to avoid worse punishment is to give in, its just the fuckin reality of abuse. but it neither makes her weak, nor does it make the writers apologists. 

they /specifically/ juxtaposed the girls because they wanted to show that they had different strengths for different reasons and that neither were entirely powerless. they did the best they could in this situation. 

shit i love momo:

also, if you have read this far, this is why i think momo is non-binary: 

i have a few... thoughts about momo’s trauma specifically that may relate to momo being non-binary.

1) momo’s wonder eggs r rape “survivors.” if my theory that the wonder eggs directly relate to the irl peoples trauma, then it would be plausible that momo’s trauma is some form of sexual trauma.

2) continuing with the sexual trauma thread, and also including momo’s flashback, it’s quite possible between them and now, that momo’s trauma occurred between these 2 points in time. this is inferred by the obvious change in appearance.

3) what could have “caused” (this isn’t to blame momo’s trauma on momo, but it’s the closest word i could think of on the spot for trading out my theories) momo’s trauma?

i have a few ideas: momo has the face of a boy, but used to wear girls clothing and sometimes momos voice fluctuates from sounding like a boy to sounding like a girl. momo could have been correctively raped either for being perceived as a femboy, trans woman, or a dyke.

additionally the corrective rape could have happened /after/ momo started wearing boys clothes and someone would have taken notice that momo sounded like a girl but looked boyish.

in either case, momo confessed to an unnamed second girl that wearing boys clothes is “simpler.” even if momo doesn’t necessarily like it, it seems momo feels forced to present as a boy. at this point, it can then be inferred the boys clothing is probably a coping mechanism to deal with the trauma (and now i feel that the issue happened when momo still dressed/presented as a girl).

HOWEVER, not once does momo ever explicitly say momo is a girl, feels like a girl, wishes momo was a girl. only momo’s presentation has been discussed at this point. in the screen shots i provided above, i feel like most people would say “i /am/ a girl.” i think that momo at least identifies with girlhood, but i don’t think momo is attached to the identity of “girl.”

and momo is ace/aro because all of these relationships we see momo in are very one-sided. when miwa tells momo she loves momo, momo replies with “thank you.” and when miwa asks if they can continue cuddling “until i disappear” we get a closeup on momo who looks forlorn and thoughtful, who simply says “sure.” a lot of momo’s interactions with girls giving momo sexual/romantic attraction feel empty.

on the other hand, we see momo’s interactions with the other 3 main characters at the end of this chapter as very emotional, light. it’s probably the /most/ lighthearted we have seen momo. momo is not getting unwanted attention—they’re all just gossiping and laughing.

when we see momo’s flashbacks with haruka, we notice that haruka hugs momo but momo does not reciprocate the touching.

again, these are just threads that im seeing and excitedly pull apart, some of my theories are half baked until i have more information. but for me it’s plainly obvious that momo is an ace non-binary person. i know the fandom has been... having heated discourse about “what is momo /really/.” and for some reason this is controversial? really weird to me.

it’s a complex issue because gender is complex. for those of you that are binary, remember that you feel very knowledgeable about your own gender, but being non-binary is an absolutely different experience all together. we aren’t some “third gender” bullshit. and i’m quite enjoying seeing binary folks be confused about momo because that’s what being non-binary feels like. i wake up every day wondering what today’s gender will be. welcome to my fuckin life.

neiru:

i find it fascinating her personality has taken a complete 180 turn regarding ai. if we remember, in the beginning of their relationship, neiru was specific that ai could only contact her if she wished to change who buys eggs when. but once neiru was admitted to the hospital, ai started texting and visiting her throughout her healing period.

initially i thought this was more of a “keep your friends closer, your enemies closer” scenario, but then i went back to the episode 2 ending: 

at first, neiru forbade ai from texting her other than to make egg-buying arrangements. but neiru texted ai back with a thumbs up emoji. she isn’t being incredibly open, but given the development of her character so far, i think this is definitely her way of showing ai she trusts her and that neiru is opening up to her. 

settings:

so at this point, its pretty obvious that the location of the main characters’ worlds are always the same and they are specifically tied to their links’ places of death. 

neiru: unknown

ai: school

rika: gardens

momo: subway

from the other information we have gathered, its probably likely all of the links have died by suicide. 

neiru: unknown. however, we do know that neiru claims she could have stopped it. 

ai: a story of child sexual abuse/bullying. i’m not sure if koiko committed suicide because she was being molested or because of the bullying, but it could also be a combination of the 2

rika: rejection/fatphobia/eating disorder. chiemi committed suicide because of rika’s rejection based on fatphobia. chieme probably developed an eating disorder, evidenced by rika re-telling ai the day she visited chiemi’s funeral “she was skin and bones”. 

momo: rejection/unknown. haruka expressed attraction to momo. it seems momo may have rejected that love and haruka felt suicide was the best way to resolve her inner conflict. 

faults:

hmm at the same time, there are some hang-ups i have about this episode. a lot of these girls are so... love-starved, that even when a character shows the slightest bit of tenderness for them, they are quick to say “i love you!” miwa told momo she loved him, “even if i’ve only known you for a day” and this was juxtaposed by miko and mako telling rika and ai they loved them, too. there is something to be said about the attachment issues some of the wonder girls may have to people who help them resolve their trauma/healing. 

extra:

[red-hood-redemption]

SO I know I’m like, super late to the party, but I finally got my hands on Robin 2021 and there is literally no one for me to talk to about it so now I’m just screaming my thoughts into the void ✌

First off, before i even bought the first two issues, I read through a lot of other people’s opinions on it to kinda get an idea of where it was going characterization-wise for Damian, and because of all the mixed reactions, I figured I should just read it myself and find out. Now I am the FURTHEST thing from a comic book authority, so like, this is truly just an opinion piece but if it convinces anyone to give the run a chance, then yay!!! Honestly, I’m really glad I gave it a shot because I’m genuinely hooked! I’m actually excited about this series (and it scares me lol)!!!

I'm gonna separate my thoughts into two sections: characters, and story, mainly for my own ease, but also if anyone cares more about one thing or the other it's easier to distinguish. But,  the line is a little blurry so if I end up getting a little too much into the characterization in the story section, just bear with me lmao. OH and I'm going to try and keep this as un-spoilery as possible but we'll just have to see. SOOOOOOOO

Characters

I think it goes without saying that Melnikov's art is absolutely gorgeous, and really does show how much Damian has grown up. It makes me want to sob its so beautiful, everyone is so pretty, even the guy that looks like a washed up, high as fuck Tony Stark lmao. But moving on to the actual characters,

Rose Wilson

I honestly don't know too much about Rose, I haven't read enough about her to say anything about her characterization and how it compares to her other appearances, or whether or not she is OOC, but so far, I'm enjoying her taking up the "big sis" role, like, immediately lmao.

I don't know how much I trust her yet, but I definitely get the vibe that even if she does betray Dami in any way, she's probably gonna stick her neck out for Dami again and he's probably gonna do the same.

I'm really intrigued about her motivations for being here. Obviously, Respawn has something to do with it, but I want to know what's up with that. I've seen a lot of theories and I'm so excited. Also side note, that Black Swan chick is hot, and I can't wait to see more of her in action!!!

I feel like Ravager knows a WHOLE lot more than Dami does about the interesting things going on on the island, mainly because she's been doing a lot more sitting and waiting than he has as of yet, but I'm hoping to see more of the two of them doing detective-y sleuthing together. We love a mysteryyyy

Flatline

Okay but real talk, why does she look like a character straight out of Monster High

Honestly tho, I dig it. It's cute! She's cute! She isn't annoying (yet) but I don't know if I care too much about her other than she would make a cute friend for Dami.

I think the problem with DC is that they know people LOVE Harley Quinn and they try so hard to make characters just like her but it always falls short, so honestly I am a little wary of her character development in this run, but I'm willing to give her a shot since her little coffin purse on the cover of the second issue is so damn cute. I'm a slut for character design, okay?

Oh speaking of Flatline and Dami, I don't ship it and I don't want them to force a romantic relationship into Damian's "coming of age"/"soul-searching" moment okay? Because that's what this run is about, at least to me! More on that in the story section!

They're literally 13/14 years old. That's 8th-9th grade, babes lets think about that for a minute

Also let's stop the whole "lets introduce a female character just to make her a love interest!" bullshit okay?

Basically, Flatline is interesting, or at least has the potential to be, but I don't want to get my hopes up because DC is notorious for disservicing their female characters 😕

I think the mixed reaction to her is valid, I don't think she's had much time to make a solid impression yet, so I guess you'd have to read it for yourself. Personally, I don't understand why people immediately hate her, especially because she's like, 14, and what kid that age isn't annoying? like at least a little bit lmao! But, yeah. I don't trust her either but literally everyone on this island is sketchy at least and a murderer at best, so hey 🤷‍♀️

Damian

His new outfit lmaoooo at first I was like "WHaT is this child wearing? You'd think Dick would have rubbed off on him and taught him what good taste looks like" but then I saw the later outfit, with the gold patterning and those sleeeevessssss ugh and I take it all back. A Fashion Icon TM. Truly stunning. A sight to behold. So proud, look at him go 😪

I think there's a lot of different opinions on Damian's characterization in this run, and I can definitely see where its coming from, but I disagree with the notion that Damian has been done dirty and reverted to a blood-thirsty, feral child.  And I have a LOT of opinions on the whole "feral" thing regarding Damian period (but that's for another time).

I don't think of Dami's rampage as a regression for his character. He's letting of emotions right then and I think its very similar to him venting. Its just not verbal, its physical and he knows he's not going to have to grapple with the consequences of his actions on the first kill. He knows he's technically not doing anything wrong.

He is clearly upset at Bruce and his failure to protect Alfred, and while Dami and Bruce are really often described as being very similar personality-wise, they are still distinctly different individuals who came to their current moral codes in vastly different ways. Bruce came to his "no killing" rule on his own; he made that decision for himself. It wasn't taught to him, it was a moment-of-truth kind of situation. Damian, on the other hand is in a vastly different situation.

Dami is, I think, at the beginning of the climb to his own moment-of-truth. He is in his rebellious phase like Dick, where he's gone off to spread his wings. It's not his conscious intention (at least that's not the vibe I got from reading the first two issues), but its directly underlying his "mission".

Damian is growing out of the expectations of his parents and into his own person. We all know he's been thrown from one moral code to another, both drastically different from each other. I don't think its a regression for him to lose his way a little, because realistically, he's going to have to in order to find it, specifically a moral compass that he forged on his own. He's just what? 14? Like hell a kid his age wants to listen to any form of authority. He's as stubborn as it comes. Damian needs to come to his decision regarding the path he takes in life on his own. It can't be made for him. He's seen and lived both sides of the coin, and I don't think he should be forced just yet to choose a side or pave a middle ground, but I do think that he should get the opportunity to see and experience all the gray areas on his own.

I think I'll transition from characterization to story here, because let's face it, this story is about Damian dealing with his confused emotions right now, in the wake of losing Alfred, a man that kind of acted like a grounding presence, a voice of reason, or a moral compass for him (and honestly Bruce and the rest of the bat crew if we're honest).

Story

So there's a lottttt going on in the story that is really enticing and exciting, and I'm really interested to see how it all plays out.

All the rules to the tournament are so, sketchy? Like they don't sound like they are meant to be sketchy, its basic safety and guidelines or whatever but with all the glowy green shit and the stakes of the tournament? Yeah, you can bet your ass its the "no fighting at night" and other shit is gonna be broken, and that's likely when the fun begins *insert evil laughter*😈

I was slightly put off by the whole "let me teach you to have fun" thing with Rose, because it's not like Dick, Steph, Jon, and like the Titans haven't done that with him too, but eh, not something I'm too concerned about. It's definitely just a segway to get us introduced to more characters that might become Damian's friends which will be interesting considering what Mother Soul said about fraternizing.

And that's another thing! I want Damian to make some friends! I know he already has some, but here's the thing: I think he's already been struggling with belonging, and he's definitely been feeling the disconnect between his life and other kids', whether they're supers/vigilantes or not. I think it'd be nice to see Dami have the experience of meeting people who he at first thinks are just like him!! and then realizing that maybe he doesn't really fit in here either, and that it's okay to feel like you don't belong, as isolating as it may feel at times. It just means you have a set of values. I want him to realize that its not always a bad thing, and you learn more about yourself and your own heart this way.

And from there,,, lets talk about the thing that stuck out to me the most in these two issues! GUILT!! It's mentioned SOO many times already, and I think its going to be a really fun, heartbreaking, and interesting aspect to explore about Damian. Is it guilt about his actions? Leaving behind family? Not being able to save Alfred? Not being a perfect example of Robin? He may call himself Robin but he doesn't sport the OG look or symbol like before. I love that his guilt takes on the form of Alfred though, or at least his conscious. I think it'd be really interesting to see this conscious disappear when Dami strays too far from his center, and when he finds it again, it reappears.

I really think that seeing Damian's actions in this run as a failure of character development is an unfair assessment, though. You can't do everything right in order to grow! You have to screw up, lose your way, experiment with life to find your fit, right?

Something tells me he doesn’t care for the tournament itself, but the end result, and the people behind it and more about WHY it was hidden from him. I mean he finds out the tournament TRULY begins once everyone has died once and tHEN he kill everyone? Felt to me less like a “killing spree” as everyone put it to a calculated decision to get the tournament going. He literally cuts Mother Soul off in the middle of her speaking to start fighting at the beginning

Anyway, just my thoughts lol. I do have some issues with the past two issues, and I might make a separate post about that, but honestly not enough for me to dislike Robin 2021 so far. I mean, besides the very obvious white-washing in the second issue, because DC can absolutely do better. And they should. It’s like they thought we wouldn’t notice???? But besides that, story and characterization-wise I’m looking forward to more. Here’s to hoping it stays that way, just with a better colorist!

[arysthaeniru]

Just came over from spiraling downhill. You’re writing is so lovely, I’ve beeen reading and rereading it for the past week or so. Maybe once I can get my thoughts more organized I’ll try and leave you a more detailed comment on what I love in particular over on ao3 but I struggle to put my thoughts to words on a regular basis as it is so uh. Basically, Kiryu’s inner monologue is very very fun to read and all you’re characters are written out in a way that makes them feel layered and lovely. Like a warm and flakey biscuit.

But anyway, if you’re still taking Drabble requests I’d love to see some more nishiki and haruka interactions. I think about the one we see from nishiki’s POV in his interlude a lot and how uh. Terribly it went. What does haruka think of nishiki exactly anyway? She distrusts him but he’s also clearly someone Yumi and Kiryu love. I just think that could be a fun thing to untangle or just take a glance at.

Thank you so much for this lovely ask <3 <3 I’m so sorry I took so long to reply to it,, but I’m so so happy that you enjoy Kiryu’s inner monologue. I always wonder if he’s a little too thoughtful in my fics, but I prefer leaning into Kiryu’s emotionally competent side. 

And there is more of Haruka’s thoughts on Nishiki in the next chapter actually!!! It was supposed to happen last chapter, but Nishiki and Kiryu dominated that one. So instead, I’ll give you a snippet from a yakuza 3/4 AU in this universe that I’ve been idly daydreaming about! I keep thinking about a three-part structure of Nishiki + Haruka + Mine / Kiryu + Majima + Daigo / Yumi + Reina + Akiyama....anyway. I’ll probably never actually write that, but it haunts me anyway. 

“Nishikiyama-san.”

Nishiki looks up from his paperwork with surprise. Kiryu’s kid doesn’t often come to him, even though Nishiki’s on kid-watching duty almost half the week, these days. She usually does homework and watches TV in the main room once she’s back from school. And sure, they exchange pleasantries when Nishiki gets up to get coffee and runs into her in the kitchen. They’ll talk about her classes, what takeout she wants for dinner, whether she needs money for some club-related expense. But it’s all casual stuff, polite things.

Nishiki knows that Haruka doesn’t trust him. Just as her relationship with Yumi’s been slightly wary since the events atop Millennium Tower, her relationship with Nishiki’s been strained ever since she’d first met him. He doesn’t begrudge her that, though. It’s a healthy thing for a kid to have grudges about life-threatening things. He’d held grudges against people for simply wearing similar clothes to him, back in the day. Kiryu’s ultimate peace is more unnerving than this quiet, normal resentment.

Still, they’d fallen into something of a habit of not really talking to each other when Kiryu wasn’t around, so her approaching him in his office with such a strangely determined look is unusual.

“Need something, kiddo?” Nishiki asks, putting away the paperwork.

“...yeah.” she says, after a long pause. There’s almost something shamefaced on her expression, and Nishiki’s curious. Kiryu’s never once really gotten angry with the kid, not in his earshot. He’s always open with her too, talking about his feelings and his reasons for his parenting decisions. Why isn’t she going to him with whatever this is?

“Well, I’m all ears.” Nishiki says, with a nod, gesturing for her to pull up the stool in the corner, so she can sit by his desk. She does so, and meets his gaze, brows furrowed, and lip tightly pressed together.

“I need your advice. There’s—well. There’s a group of kids at school who’re really mean to everybody from Sunflower. And me too, because you know. We don’t have normal families or nice new clothes or anything—and that’s fine! I don’t need that sort of stuff.” Haruka says, stumbling over her words, “But. It’s not fair for everybody to have to endure that sort of hardship. I want to...make them stop.”

Nishiki blinks. Bullying? Why wouldn’t she tell Kiryu?

If Kiryu knew that Haruka was being bullied, he’d puff up with outrage and rage towards the cool on a rampage path for justice by meeting every teacher until he extorted a promise from each of them to protect orphans—which would, of course, ironically guarantee that nothing would change, and that things might actually get worse. Right. Nishiki knows how school administrators think, and an ex-yakuza coming into the school and demanding what looks like “special treatment” won’t do anything but escalate the situation. There was a reason that Kazama had never stepped in with their school situation as children, and for all that the old man had been a shitty father, he’d understood those optical politics well.

Haruka’s come to Nishiki not because she trusts him more than Kiryu, but because she knows Kiryu’s approach isn’t useful. She wants Nishiki’s help.

“That’s difficult.” Nishiki agrees, pressing a hand to his face, briefly, “It’s hard to get bullies to stop. You’ve told the teachers, I presume?”

Haruka nods. “But they won’t do anything! Kanae-chan’s dad’s on the school board. And Erina-chan’s one of the top students. Her group can’t do anything wrong!”

“So, you want something else?” Nishiki asks, and at Haruka’s miserable, fervent nod, Nishiki feels his own righteous fury rise in his chest. Even if he’d briefly entertained the thought of simply telling her to toughen up, he can’t now. “Some things never change. We always used to get bullied at school too. And the one thing I know about bullies is that they don’t stop unless they’re scared to act up. But you can’t just punch them into submission, it doesn’t work like that.”

He remembers all too vividly the pitched battle he and Kiryu had upheld against their bullies in high school. The endless fights, the stealing and hiding of possessions, the name-calling, the taunting, the vandalism of the orphanage—it had never mattered what cruelties rich children with nice, neat families said or did, though. The image of chinpira punks like Nishiki and Kiryu in their second-hand clothes, bruises all over their cheeks, always won out. Nobody had ever believed their claims of protecting themselves, nobody had believed their claims of self-defence. All fighting back had done was paint themselves in the image of evil.  

“...so, what do I do then?” asks Haruka, and even though Nishiki knows that Kiryu’s not her real Father, the stubborn set of her jaw looks <i>so</i> much like him. He shouldn’t do this. These sorts of tactics aren’t the sorts of things to be used against children, in Kiryu’s clear-cut world. But Nishiki knows how cruel children can be, how deep those wounds in your heart can slice.

Haruka is Yumi and Kiryu’s charm, their bright hopes for the future. He can’t let her get hurt like they all had been. He doesn’t want her to be hurt like they had been.

“You ever heard of the ghost of Rukia-san?” asks Nishiki, casually. When Haruka shakes her head, he explains. “Rukia was a bullied student, small, helpless, weak, and everybody laughed at her and called her names and pushed her around. One day, they took things a bit too far. When they shoved her head in the toilet, they drowned her...the bullies managed to pretend it was an accident, but Rukia-san’s ghost knew better. Filled with righteous rage, she wreaked havoc upon the bullies, one by one, until they came clean and thoroughly repented for their crimes. Not satisfied with this, her ghost haunts the hallways of other schools now, looking to torment other vicious bullies...”

Haruka’s eyes narrow. “Is that a real thing?”

“No.” Nishiki says, with an immediate scoff. “But you want the bullies to believe it’s real. If you fight back yourselves, they can tell the teachers. But if what looks like supernatural events occur, with no way to pin it on you or any of the Sunflower Kids, what the fuck are they going to say? They can’t tell on anybody.”

The kid looks interested now, any hint of wariness has vanished from her frame as she leans closer, clearly intrigued. “So....how would I pull that off?”

“First, you’d want to get them nice and paranoid. Is there somewhere that’s both private and public? Your bullies hang out in the bathroom much? You’ve got to tell some of the other kids this ghost story, and then do a summoning ritual, very publicly. To make it look like it worked...I dunno. We can get you something with static electricity, so everybody’s hair stands on end, like she’s in the room. Or you can get a classmate to pour water everywhere. Or you have some fake blood somewhere. Point is—you get the bullies a bit paranoid. They might roll their eyes, call it fake, but a part of them will be thinking about it, no doubt.”  

Nishiki lays it out, carefully, like he is planning a coup. Haruka’s eyes are wide, completely rapturous. “Yeah, they hang out in the bathroom sometimes.” Haruka agrees.

“Then, once you’ve set that up, it’s time to let the chaos ramp up. Stick insects or frogs in their seats, leave them threatening letters, have strange voices and rattling around where they are—pull as many pranks as possible.” Nishiki explains, “But this is the key: you have to pull this off as a group, and you have to have group alibis. The bullies might try to accuse you, but if a different person does every prank, and all you orphanage kids hang out together, it’ll be hard for them to figure who’s doing it. You need a completely united front from all your friends.”

Most of the teachers had always treated most of the kids at Sunflower like a faceless, voiceless horde. If that characterization persists, Haruka using that stereotype to her own advantage will be critical.

Haruka’s brows furrow, thoughtfully. “Not all of them will like this...I don’t know if Sakuno or Shika would be up for it.”

Nishiki looks at Haruka, and shrugs. “That’s difficult. But ultimately, you have to ask your friends whether their own sense of morality is going to prevent them from protecting the younger children. This isn’t kind or righteous or something that will feel good. But the bullies will leave you alone. A fear of consequences is one of the only reasons that bullies stop. And since the school will never impose consequences on rich students, supernatural consequences might be the only way.”

Haruka looks down, and her hands clasp together. “I want to protect everybody.” she says, finally, her voice solidifying with conviction. “Nishikiyama-san. Please help me.”

Nishiki can’t help be grin, as he leans forward to ruffle her hair. “It’ll be my pleasure.”

And her answering, hesitant smile is like being blessed with sunshine after years of rain. Nishiki had never thought much about children, even after Kiryu’s insistence that they look after Haruka, but he thinks he gets it a bit now. Haruka’s smile is a mirror image of Yuko’s and his heart aches, and he cannot help but feel wistfully happy anyway.

He failed Yuko. He can’t fail this girl.  

[....]

Uncle Nishikiyama finally enters the small antechamber where he’d deposited Haruka and her DS two hours ago, deep circles under his eyes. He and Uncle Kaz always look so tired these days, busy with things they don’t often tell her about. Still, there’s a slightly kind look to his eyes as he removes his cufflinks and rolls up his sleeves.

“Hey kiddo,” he says, with a yawn, “Want to get some ice-cream?”

“Mmmm.” Haruka agrees, easily, “Can we get one of those big strawberry parfaits? We can split it!”

Uncle Nishikiyama agrees and tilts his head towards the door. Haruka presses the save button, snaps the DS shut, and follows after him. She holds her hand up automatically, before remembering that Uncle Nishikiyama doesn’t really ever hold her hand or touch her. To her surprise, though, he takes her hand. Maybe he’s even more tired than he looks, because there’s an almost surprised expression to his face when her fingers close around his warm hands.

Haruka, who has become something of a master at saying something sweet when things get awkward, smile widely. “Did the meeting go okay?”

Uncle Nishikiyama nods, absently, turning his gaze back towards the evening streets of Kamurocho. “Yeah, just some urgent problems with supply. Had to move some things around and yell at some people. Easily enough solved.”

“Mmm, sounds boring.” Haruka says, wrinkling up her nose, and she delights in the fact that it wrenches a laugh from him.

“You don’t know the half of it.” he says, darkly, “How was your game? Did you do well?”

Haruka shrugs. Even though Uncle Nishikiyama has a gigantic plushie of Bulbasaur in his bedroom, he doesn’t really seem to know anything about Pokémon. She wonders if maybe he’d had a kid who’d liked Pokémon, but the fact that Uncle Nishikiyama doesn’t talk about other children and seems to get tense when Haruka tries to play with the Bulbasaur makes Haruka think that she probably shouldn’t pry any further. Something tragic’s there.

Haruka’s come to realize everybody has something tragic, something in their past that makes them hurt and feel pain, and the kindest thing you can do for people is to simply be there for them when it hurts, and not dig too deep.

“It’s okay,” she answers noncommittally, instead, “I beat Whitney, but I have to wait until tomorrow for the bug-catching contest in this region.”

Uncle Nishikiyama just nods, not especially interested, but not especially bored either. “When you’re close to finishing this game, let me now, and I’ll get you another one, okay?” he asks, pulling them in to the fancy French café just by the Millennium Tower.

“Thanks!” she says, with a wide grin, as they sit down and look at the menu to order.

She doesn’t know what to make of Uncle Nishikiyama, really. He’s a strange man, to whom violence comes far too easily, but he’s quiet these days, in a contemplative way that reminds her more of Uncle Kaz. He likes meat and fancy food and expensive clothes, but he’ll also join her in watching idol shows and reality dramas on TV, if he’s not got paperwork to do. He has a quick temper and gets mad easily, but is also pacified easily, and when he’s in a good mood, he’ll give everybody lavish presents. And he’d helped her too. There’s a clever shrewdness and unyielding determination whenever he helps Haruka and the Sunflower kids plot about how to get the bullies to leave them alone. She appreciates that kindness, that ruthlessness, even as it occasionally scares her.

And, the fact of the matter is, he’s at home way more than Uncle Kaz is, these days. Which is an automatic plus in Haruka’s book.

“You look a hundred miles away.” Uncle Nishikiyama says, with an amused smile. “What’s wrong?”

Haruka shakes her head and buries her worries and annoyance and irritation with Uncle Kaz and her Mum and everybody who she loves but never seems to have enough time with her. She’s sensible enough to understand that you treasure the people that are here with you. No use crying over spilt milk—even if she really wants to. “Nothing, really. Just thinking about how much I want to do karaoke.”

Nishikiyama gives her a look. “Isn’t it a schoolnight?”

Haruka returns the look firmly. She wouldn’t have had the courage to do this two months ago, when she’d first tried to properly ask Uncle Nishikiyama for help, but now, she knows him better. He’s a familiar evil. Easily bargained with, if you know the right leverage. “You’re the one who took me to Kamurocho on a schoolnight. Besides, I did all my homework already, while I was waiting for you to finish your boring meeting.”

Nishikiyama’s lips quirk up at the sides and he props up his chin in his hands with a sparkle in his eyes. “What’s in it for me if I take you to karaoke?”  

“You get to sing too!” Haruka says, and then quickly realizing that’s not enough, she smiles angelically, “And you’ll get the best, most enthusiastic backup cheering that you’ll ever hear!”

Nishikiyama nods, firmly. “That’s more like it.” he says, and grins, broad and amused. “Attagirl. You’ll be ready for anything in no time.”

There’s such a fierce fondness to that absent-minded compliment and Haruka can’t help but beam at him. She’ll love whoever will have her, and as long as Uncle Nishikiyama will spend time with her, she’ll take him. Evil or not.

[toooldforfandom-liveblogs]

RWBY V08E01 - Divide

V8 is here!

Sadly, the hype I had for V7 is nowhere to be found this volume. V7 left me cautious. The way it used social injustice as little more than window dressing while doing nothing to address it was enough to leave a bad taste in my mouth, and has ended up being the only season I didn’t immediately rewatch or seek reactions to it. Hell, I still haven’t listened to the soundtrack.

But, weird issues aside, it’s still RWBY and I’m still excited to watch it so here we are! Let’s do this!

Note: I’ve managed to remain mostly unspoiled with the sole exception of hearing this volume is supposed to take place over two days, so yay?

Of all the things I expected this season to start with, Cinder's backstory wasn't one of them. That girl is Cinder, right? Cinderella and all that.

Yyup, Cinder. Wow, seven seasons before giving her a slightly more tangible backstory, maybe to humanize her a bit? Bold strategy, considering everything she's done, let's see how it plays out.

Neo has to be questioning her choices really hard. I know she's on the revenge path but it's one thing to work with Cinder and another to fly directly into a flying Grimm whale.

It's interesting that they chose to have a similar intro as in Volume 4, with someone who doesn't quite know what they got into. Back then it was Emerald and Mercury watching the pools of Grimm, now it's Neo walking into a giant whale.

Neo knows what Cinder is capable of. She's seen her maiden powers first hand. Hell, she knows how charming her personality is. And now she's seeing her kneel before someone. Can't be confidence inspiring.

Tsk, tsk, Neo, I expected she'd know by now her place in Cinder's ranking.

oh god no, please not another failed hug

What's the opposite of a glow up? Because Hazel went through that.

I'm intrigued. The glimpse of Cinder's past where she was completely powerless and now this dressing down. Is she lying through her teeth right now or does she genuinely believe that since Salem presumably rescued her from her previous life?

Interesting choice to not only hide her eyes behind her hair but to also present her Grimm side to the camera while she's saying this, hiding her expression even further.

Salem seems more evil than usual, but maybe she's just on the top of the world after having acquired a relic and having her army on Atlas' doorstep.

I can't quite tell what I'm looking at here. Maybe another angle of Atlas? It looks really weird from the side.

First faunus with animal hands? I guess Ghira had retractable claws.

They are looking quite calm considering there's a giant whale in their sky. Unless they can't see it. They are in a hole surrounded by stone after all. But still, it'd be interesting characterization to have them so used to being screwed over by life that they saw the giant whale and went "Huh. I guess it's Tuesday."

Weiss would definitely know about that.

I'm curious about the coordination that's been happening behind the scenes. How does she know that's a friendly ship?

I guess at least some time has passed, since Yang, Blake and Penny aren't with them.

Very inconspicuous to destroy a droid.

Not a lot of time though, since Ren is still brooding alone. Very intrigued by the picture in the background.

Nothing says that the time for silly shenanigans is gone better than this.

I guess enough people saw Pietro and Maria running around to make them fugitives. On the bright side, it still says "detain," not "kill"

Ironwood literally shot a child, that's pretty important information to keep secret. Even if he is the child who got shot. How long before this bites someone in the ass?

I wonder if the couple in the background are the founders of the happy huntresses. The one with the eyepatch looks a lot like Robyn, enough to maybe be her mom?

Also makes it a lot easier to threaten with overwhelming force to get something from Ironwood but I guess he already gave them up.

Uuh, I like this.

I thought that after V5 the team wouldn't separate again. And if the season is really going to cover just a couple of days, it almost doesn't count. So, it keeps the all the character development from V4 and V5 (that the team is their home) but gives them enough time to breath on their own.

It's also interesting that they seeded this during the last season. RWBY has shown some long term planning but this makes all the in-fighting and arguments from the last season make sense.

If they do split up, I think Blake would go with Ruby. She's always been on the pragmatic side of things. And it adds more drama to split her from Yang, last season was all about how well they work together (and flirting). Hopefully this'd mean that she'd talk with Ruby more than once this season.

It looks like Ren is joining team Yang, which would leave Nora with Ruby if only because they seem to need to do their own thing right now. I'm not sure how it'd fit with Nora's interest in Mantle though.

Everyone else I'm not sure about.

Weiss could go either way. Maybe she feels guilty about Mantle or maybe she feels like she could help infiltrate the military compound. Although that could lead her to meet Winter which I doubt she wants right now. Maybe she's too recognizable to help Ruby.

I think Penny is going to go team Yang. Protector of Mantle after all. And it'd make Ruby's arc more interesting to have less of her usual friends next to her.

I feel Oscar would make more sense in the infiltration side of things and warning the world seems like something Ozpin would try to do.

Jaune I have no idea. Maybe whatever team doesn't get Weiss?

yup

Okay, easy guesses out of the way.

Oh, honey.

Yesss, personal feelings.

Damn, she looks incredibly badass.

Huh.

I guess Weiss is going with Ruby then.

This is tense! I actually had a moment of dread the second everyone noticed it was Penny's scroll.

And Penny just had her remaining faith in Ironwood completely destroyed.

I can already see this season is going to break my heart again.

Harriet is literally pouting. Probably pretty humiliating to have been beaten by some academy dropouts.

Welp, only a human leg left.

Feels pretty on the nose to have him literally lose part of his human body to show how he's been losing his humanity.

Well, that took a turn.

I'm glad they are taking a possible redemption (other than death) completely off the table for Ironwood. I know shooting Oscar was bad but no one knows about that. There's no way to hide this.

Those are not the expressions of people thinking "huh, maybe I'm doing the wrong thing here"

Hm. I guess Oscar is getting kidnapped. By a Grimm?

Is this the first time a RWBY season premiere doesn't have a fight? I think it is, even V5 had Yang punching someone. Not that I'm complaining, I do like talky episodes.

My first thought after the first scene with Salem and company was that there were at least a couple of players not entirely happy with their situation. Cinder is somewhat of a mystery but Neo is way over her head and obviously not happy about being an "asset." Emerald got rebuffed again even after spending two seasons crying for Cinder.

There's a parallel between Salem and Cinder, and Cinder and Emerald I assume is intentional. If Salem rescued Cinder from her Cinderella situation, the similarities would be even more visible, with Cinder giving Emerald a life outside of simple survival. However, while Salem is firm about Cinder's position as a pawn, she does value her. She knows how to play that particular game of emotional give and take. Cinder doesn't. She has never shown Emerald any appreciation. How much further can she push Emerald before she accepts Cinder doesn't care about her?

I'd say Emerald is prime material for turning sides but I wonder... we haven't had a death on the enemies side yet. Even Watts survived. Emerald could be the first. Maybe to show how far gone Cinder is, or as revenge from Neo. And the death of someone who's at least doubting they are in the right place would hit harder that someone who is drinking Salem's kool-aid.

Anyway. I feel this first episode set-up a comparison between all three sides. Salem's forces hate each other, the "good guys" split but they still like and respect each other.

Somehow Salem's downfall (or slowing down?) this volume is going to be tied to the RWBY and JNPR teams working together and trusting each other despite their differences. Which, well, duh, but still.

Ironwood's are a bit more vague, they seem to be solidifying behind him but I'm not sure where it's going yet. Maybe Marrow could defect? Although that still seems like the too-obvious choice. In any case, freeing Qrow and Robyn would be good first step by whoever ends up switching sides.

I'm curious about a lot of things (What's going to be Penny's arc this volume?) but I think that's all for now. Until next time!