#i fear my theories are becoming more and more delusional as i wait for season 5

[chilinandeppresing]

Mk is a Yaoguai

I came across some interesting information while I was researching another theory. The concept of a being not quite demon, human or celestial demon in Chinese mythology called a Yaoguai. The number of similarities MK shares with them is uncanny.

First of all, how Mk being refered to as the Harbringer of Chaos connects to him being a Yao:Within Chinese mytholgy, Yāo have a tendency to be "blamed for sudden outbreaks of confused and erratic action, or transgressive behaviour" with there literally being a Chinese saying saying that goes"when affairs go awry, there must have been a yāo (acting)" ("事出反必有妖") Quite like how Mk seems to cause a lot of chaos around himself, without even meaning to and feeling a lot of guilt for it. ie- Lady Bone Demon, Demon Bull King, Spider Queen, Azule Lion, and maybe even Macaque gaining power due to his (direct or indirect) actions. As well as other unfortunate things that have happened around him, like Mei's Samadi Fire getting activated and Wukong getting trapped in the scroll.

Secondly, tying in the concept of him being a Yaoguai to his creation: Mk was born from a rock, a clay rock made by someone unknown to us but presumed to be the goddess Nuwa. And guess where most Yao originate from? From unsentient natural items- "yāo refers to natural objects (animals, plants, or rocks) which have acquired sentience (lit. spiritual awareness)," That spiritual awareness might’ve been gifted knowingly or unknowingly by Nuwa.

Yao also only appear in human or near-human forms, and that is after all MK's original form that we see him in the show with. But they also share an "essential nature with an animal or plant." and that is there actual true form. Which since MK was carved into a monkey by Nuwa, it natural that that is the the animal he would share an "essential nature" with and would explain why he has a monkey form.

Mk also tends to have very atypical powers, which also aligns with the concept of him being a Yao since they tend to be born with unsual powers and with the ability to cultivate immortality. This explains why he was able to be immortal when we first met him, how he got that "invincibility" in the first place is still up for debate. I also wonder if this goes the other way where Yao can be born with immortality and cultivate others' powers... because that would explain how Mk is very easily able to adapt to others' powers. I'm not sure, though, since I've only done surface level research on this.

If that cultivation of powers is not possible then he may be unknowingly utilizing another common power of the Yao, shapeshifting to very accurately "mimic"(I'm not sure if that's the right word for it) others powers. Such as Wukong's, Macaque's and possibly LBD's.

Just some other cool tidbits about Yaoguai:

Yaoguai (妖怪) are distinct creatures from ghosts (鬼, pinyin: gui) and demons (魔, pinyin: mo). Ghosts are the spirits of the deceased, whereas demons are often described as fallen immortals and gods.(Mk is neither of those I think)

Sun Wukong uses this term often to insult his (demonic) adversaries(Huh that'd be ironic wouldn't it. To seemingly hate Yaoguai in JTTW, and then end up with one as his succesor.)

In Taoist folklore, yaoguai come from "an imbalance in the Tao" and "any combination of [atypical] powers, including mind control, shapeshifting and the ability to create illusions.(well our boy sure does have an atypical set of powers but if you all want to add on to this I would love to know if you've noticed some instances of these powers happening because I can see how Mk could be using shapeshifting powers but mind control and illusions? I'm not sure if there is any instance of him using those.)

[boneshine]

Jack Stauber’s “Opal” Theory

Last night, I stumbled across Adult Swim premiering Jack Stauber’s “Opal” and got to enjoy it in its entirety. I’m a huge fan of his work, and seeing his latest and biggest animation to date was quite the treat in this season of tricks!

I really enjoyed the lore and thought I would (try to) explain my personal theories regarding the story.

If you haven’t watched “Opal”, I highly suggest you do so. It’s available for free on Adult Swim’s Youtube channel. Go ahead. It’s quite the ride.

SPOILERS BELOW CUT!

The first time you watch “Opal” and the second time you watch it, the story completely changes. The atmosphere changes. The characters change.

What you thought was a surreal tale about a young girl exploring a forbidden house and being consequently terrified by the residents inside transforms into a story where a young girl suffers in a neglectful and abusive household and tries to escape into her fantasies to cope.

You’re led to believe in the beginning that the girl’s name is Opal and that the residents mistake her for someone named “Claire”.

At the end of the story, you realize that “Opal” is actually Claire.

“Opal” is Claire’s fantasy. She pretends to be this happy and bright girl on a billboard in the distance (Opal’s Burgers), surrounded by a family who love and “see” her.

The story begins with “Opal” sitting in her kitchen with a burger while her “family” (the family depicted on the billboard) sings to her.

We see you, Opal

Your troubles are miles away

We see you, Opal

And in our eyes you’ll stay

These lyrics are important because no one in Claire’s house sees her.

From the dialogue/lyrics, each character that Claire interacts with in the house showcases how they never truly see her.

The grandfather watching television is blind. (“And the girls are singin’. They dance too, I assume.”)

The father spends all of his time in the Reflection Chamber staring at himself. (“Why do people look at me like the way you probably are right now?”)

The mother is always intoxicated and lying in bed and sees through a drunken haze. (“Who’s that?”)

None of these characters actually see Claire, which is why she delves into a fantasy persona where she’s given positive attention and love and affection.

The fantasy portion in the beginning, I believe, shows that Claire spends most of her time at or on the billboard until she has to go back to the house to sleep.

In Claire’s fantasy, “Opal” sneaks into the mysterious house next door (which her Billboard Parents warn her to “don’t mind the house across the street”), but she hears cries coming from the attic and goes to investigate.

The realization at the end is that the cries are coming from Claire herself, and her inability to escape her abusive household as she’s locked herself in the attic.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the household in detail...

There are three other residents in Claire’s home, which are represented by the billboard: The Mother, the Father, and the Grandfather.

The Grandfather

Claire’s real grandfather is a blind, obese chain-smoking man addicted to television. He struggles to breathe, coughs up blood, and scolds Claire for hiding his cigarettes, claiming that “it’s evil to help someone that doesn’t need help”.

Claire appears frightened and nervous around him.

When he demands that Claire give him his cigarettes, he soon grows concerned that she “smells weird” (because she had been outside) and won’t say anything.

Due to his blindness (and possible dementia), he mistakes her for a stranger, panics, and lashes out, yelling at her to “get out of his house”. In his panic, he falls out of his chair and screams as Claire runs away.

The Father

As Claire continues on toward the attic, the Father stops her. He sits in his Reflection Chamber in the bathroom, surrounded by mirrors. He is unable to see anything but his own face.

(It’s implied that he is delusional, as you can supposedly see the Father’s True Face at 11:09, which is distorted, grey, and horrifying)

Claire appears perplexed by him. It’s obvious that she isn’t used to him speaking to her. However, it becomes apparent that he doesn’t truly speak to her, but rather projects his own insecurities and feelings onto her.

He appears to be extremely narcissistic and unaware of the world around him. Religious themes collide with his self-reflection, as he rambles and talks about how “God is in his skin” and he considers himself in the process of becoming the world’s next “savior”. He spends all of his time fixing his appearance because “they turn me down so I live my nightmare”, and his need to be “seen by somebody somewhere”.

When she tries to leave, he raises his voice at her, only to calmly remark that “you could spare me a little time, you know; you act like I’m a complete stranger.”

Which, to her, he most likely is.

The Mother

Claire’s mother resides in a dilapidated room, surrounded by wine bottles, pills, and romance novels.

She lies in bed (or on the floor) underneath the sheets and grabs Claire’s leg.

She speaks with a slur, heavily intoxicated.

At first, she doesn’t recognize her daughter, but comments that “you’re being a person today, huh?”, implying that Claire often spends her time away from the family-- and for good reason.

She speaks morosely and in confusing tangents that reveal her inner turmoil about the family and her circumstances.

“Goodness exists. If I wait, Claire, and sit still... it will arrive.”

“You should be more considerate, obviously, but I forgive you. I forgive every single one of you... every night. It’s a virtuous cycle.”

“How did this get so bad? I feel terrible for all the things I... I feel terrible.”

“You and I don’t live, Claire. We survive.”

“Our adversaries are in denial. They don’t know the wrong they do. And they never repent how I want them to.”

(To Claire) “And you, you’re just like me. You’re just as powerless as I am, Claire.”

She lies back into the bed and drunkenly sings a lullaby.

The Mother’s Song

Mama needs a little girl to land on

Mama needs a little girl to fall in her arms

Mama needs a Mama’s girl to take good care

Mama needs a baby girl to hold her hair

After this, the camera zooms into the Mother’s rolling eye and a flashback is rapidly shown, including a hand dialing 9-1-1 on a phone, a child(?) being struck and falling to the ground, and what appears to be the Mother (or, perhaps, the Mother’s Mother) screaming in terror (or anger).

This is either a flashback to the Mother violently attacking someone, or a flashback of the Mother’s childhood where she herself was abused.

(It should be noted that the side of the Mother’s head appears to have a dent, implying she may have been the child.)

Claire appears absolutely terrified in her presence, most likely having suffered before from her physical abuse and escapes as soon as the Mother lunges at her, fleeing up to the attic and locking the door.

The truth about “Opal” is shown, and Claire quickly surrenders to her fantasy in her mind as her family beats on the door, where the camera zooms out and the story ends...

In conclusion, the world of “Opal” is a sad tale. Its themes center on fear, neglect, isolation, and abuse in its many horrific forms-- physical, emotional, and psychological. It focuses on Claire’s escapism in her mind, to imagine a happier life, far, far away from those who hurt her.

A forbidden house across the street, filled with dark and foreboding figures, and a little girl that just wants to be seen and loved.

[dreamingofscully]

5x19. “ Folie à Deux “ - X-Files Rewatch

"Scully, you *have* to believe me. Nobody else on this whole damn planet does or ever will. You’re my one in … five billion." - Mulder

I go into some pretty in-depth analysis about Scully and her skepticism this episode!

***

Walking closely leaving Skinner's office.

Mulder's bandaged fingers from TPBV. LOVE THE CONTINUITY. (TY Vince?)

Mulder thinking the case is a waste of time, wants her to stay instead of joining him. 😥

Why doesn't he want her with him, even if it's a waste of time? Maybe still feeling guilty over his deception in the previous episode.

He calls her the instant he sniffs out the potential weirdness and gets her to come down when it turns out to be an actual case.

Mulder getting knocked around the last few episodes. 😥  He needs some doctoring, Scully.

Scully's worry when the head agent says someone was shot.

Scully exhaling a breath, Mulder being held at gunpoint, the rescue teams in place. 😥

Standing close after the rescue and when interviewing Pincus.

Scully stretching for an excuse besides Mulder being crazy. "Folie à Deux"

Mulder needs her to help prove his theory

Scully is unwilling to help. So strongly believes this is just someone who was delusional. The alternative is pretty incredible to be honest. Why is she drawing the line here so strongly instead of helping Mulder? Perhaps she's getting tired of the grind, and of being deceived the last episode. She's hoping Mulder will back off if she's not with him. (Ha!)

I think a lot of Scully's resistance to believing this season is over-compensation and fear. She does, deep-down, start to believe, but its not easy for her. She feels she can't do her job and ground Mulder if she becomes more like him. She's worried of the impact that believing will have on her character. She comes from such an unbelieving background that it's not as simple for her as flipping a switch.

Her insistence on not believing is becoming weaker but she's desperate to hold onto it. She feels safe thinking about things in terms of what she knows and being able to explain it. Just like how she went into pathology to explain death, to get over her fear of it. She approaches the X-Files cases through the lens of science even when it's not appropriate because otherwise she's confronted by fear of the unknown. She doesn't have power or control over things that she can't explain.

Mulder sent a body to Scully anyways, knowing she would do it even when she refused him the first time. OOF. Pretty asshole move, Mulder!

She tells Skinner she'll go to Illinois just so they won't think Mulder is crazy.

Rebels by not even doing the autopsy (at first) just getting the assistant to take pictures.

Calling Mulder to ream him out (and she's worried)  - but she discovers something weird about the body

"That man has no business carrying a gun, you ask me." - one of the witnesses/victims about Mulder 😆

The ICONIC hospital scene.

Scully taking Mulder's hand when she gets there ❤️ Her worry and concern.

"Five years together, Scully. You must have seen this coming." - Mulder

Poor Mulder, joking about his mental stability again

To be honest with everything he's gone through he's not doing too bad :P

MY ONE IN FIVE BILLION. ❤️ TY VINCE.

His confession makes her check it out further. I'm sure it just makes her heart break - that now that he's been committed/broken is when he says something so heartfelt. Has he ever said anything this sweet to her before? 

Scully saving him ❤️ Mulder's little nod from the bed when she looks back after looking out the window. ❤️

Scully having difficulty with her explanation for Skinner. He's pushing but she CAN'T SAY IT.

Even Skinner realizes how stubborn she's being.

Very telling. She sees something, but can't verbalize it.

Her lilac suit. Hnnnnnnnnnnng.

Mulder waiting by the elevator for her. "Folie à Deux" is how she explained it to Skinner, how she lives with it herself. It 'works', it's 'scientific' but ultimately it's a shallow conclusion. I'm sure she realizes it, holds onto it desperately, because she can't consider the alternative.

This shot! Scully can't look at Mulder. The line of the elevator doors separating them. Is this something they can get past? Mulder is desperate for an answer, for a reason, but she's not ready to give one.

THIS episode may also have caused Mulder to be more frustrated with her. SHE DIRECTLY SAW SOMETHING but cannot admit it. Her fear of diverging from her science.

She certainly doesn't open up to him about the reasons why, so he's only left to speculate. Perhaps his admission in Bad Blood is telling - he feels she doesn't want to look "like an idiot" like him. Are appearances important to her, more than the truth? It seems strange, but what else is he to think? Maybe she will NEVER believe, if she can't admit to the things she sees right in front of her. He doesn't want to just experience things for himself, he wants to share them with Scully, to expose them to the rest of the world. He wants to experience all the weird shit with her, because she means more to him than anyone else in the world. But she can't, she won't. Will she ever?

His words about her being the only one who would believe him (his one in five billion). Very true now, except what happens in a few weeks? DIANA. Diana believes Mulder without question, just when Scully is starting to feel that her skepticism is becoming a hindrance to him.

[twdmusicboxmystery]

Fear 4x08: Analysis

***Spoilers for FTWD 4x08 abound. Don’t read until you’ve watched!*** 

 Okay, let's talk about FTWD. Of course, will start with Madison's apparent death. Yeah, I'm not at all convinced. I'll explain why as we go along, but there are way too many symbols around her that show that she's really alive.

Don't get me wrong, I do think that she has, for all intents and purposes, left Fear. They gave her a big sendoff and I don't think we'll see her again anytime soon. But I do think that either 1) she will show up again after several seasons, or 2) she’ll show up in regular TWD.

Also understand that I don’t actually care that much about Madison’s character. I’ve never cared much for her and I’m not gonna start a Madison Team Delusional. I’m just saying this is what the symbols are telling me, and I won’t be at all surprised if we see her again in the future.

I also agree with at @wdway, who pointed out that with Madison gone, there's not another strong leader in this group right now. Sure, Alicia or Strand could evolve into a strong leader very easily, but for right now, there is no obvious choice to replace Madison as leader of the group. All that points toward the two shows (TWD and FTWD) possibly merging sometime soon. If they do merge, we don't know if Fear will continue to be its own series, or just become part of TWD. If it does become part of TWD, then Madison showing up again will have to be in TWD. Of course it's all conjecture for now.

The main reason I think she's alive? 

No body. Once again, they didn't show us her death. I kept waiting to see her get overwhelmed by the walkers. She never did. It's implied that she did, but we didn't see it. Because of my theories about Rick, even if she had been swarmed and gone under the horde, I might not have been 100% convinced.

About the only thing that would have 100% convinced me she is dead would be if we'd seen her be bitten by one of the walkers. Had her throat ripped out or something. Something she couldn't come back from. We didn’t see that at all. In fact, in the end, she threw her little fire stick into the crowd of walkers and started them on fire. They were still good distance away from her at that point. Theoretically, she could have used the opportunity to slip away to some passage or path that we couldn’t see. How or what would it have been? I have no idea. The camera stayed very close on her face and we couldn't see much of what was going on around her.

I’d also like to point out something very similar to this happened with Daniel in S2 of FTWD. He was in a building that was burning very closely around him. They never explained exactly how he got out. He simply figured it out. Found some way to escape. Lots of fans complained that it was terribly unrealistic that he would've gotten out of that building, but he did. That makes me think Madison did to. Who cares if it’s realistic? I’m not arguing that it is or isn’t. Just that there’s a precedent for it in FTWD.

And another thing: Althea drove her truck into the stadium where there were hundreds of burnt walkers. Another way they could have confirmed Madison’s death would have been to see her as a walker. Would have been super-easy. Nope nada.

Let’s go over some of the signs and symbols that I saw in this episode that had major Beth parallels, which adds to the idea of a death fake out for Madison.

First off, I thought this would be a major parallel to the prison falling. And there were some broad parallels to that for sure. Overall, this episode had closest to ties Still.

When Madison first happens upon Althea's camp (in the past) we see bottles hanging from a rope that Althea is using as a warning system against walkers. We’ve seen that more than once, but the first time we saw was in Still.

It also occurred to me that Naomi and Morgan, as a pair, had some small parallels with Beth and Daryl in this episode. They both jumped out of Althea's van and ran into the stadium to get medical supplies. Some of their dialogue caught my ear.

Alicia nearly blew them up. Althea got on the walkie and asked if they were okay. Morgan answered, "We’re good in here. You got out there?" Just reminded me of the whole “We’ll Be Good” thing. (Sorry the picture is blurry.)

Later, Morgan says, "You okay?" several times to Naomi. Finally, they realize Alicia is in the van is going to kill Naomi. Morgan tells her to stay hidden. He says he'll go out because Alicia doesn't want to kill him and Naomi can talk him through helping John on the walkie. He didn’t get the chance to do so because Alicia shows up, but we had them standing at a broken window, and Morgan was going to go out the window and up the way while Naomi stayed behind. A very Alone kind of situation.

Major focus on a bridge while Madison told Althea her story. (Bridge Theory: X, X). Even looks like the Danville Bridge.

Madison also told Althea a story about an injured bird. Of course, Beth is the Songbird, but remember that in 4x09, she was actually represented by an injured bird. Carl was walking around the pudding house and opened the door to one bedroom and he saw an open cage and a dead bird on the floor. You can read about the details HERE. But, together with all the other Beth symbols in that episode, it was a clear foreshadow of Beth being shot at Grady.

So Madison starts telling the story about an injured bird. She even talked about the kids digging up worms to feed it. I know it's not exactly the same thing, but I couldn't help but think of Daryl eating the worm and 5x10. I kept thinking that Madison would say the bird died. It was very sad story and in the story she expecting the bird to die. But in the end, it lived. Her children nursed it back to health, even though it took weeks and weeks. So we have a symbolic story about an injured bird who should have died by all rights, but was nursed back to health and eventually took flight again.. Sound like our Songbird?

And let's not overlook the fact that John is going to live! Yea! Naomi said he would be all right, and that's as good as a confirmation, because we know they use dialogue foreshadows in this show. Remember, I said HERE that him being shot was an exact parallel of Coda. So, because he lived, it's yet more confirmation that Beth also lived.

When the stadium went down, things got really interesting. The walkers looked a lot like the ones TF thought in Alexandria in 6x09. But here we have an opposite situation. They talked about how the people at the stadium had no faith in their home or in Madison as a leader. They didn't stay to fight the walkers but ran from them, and all died because of it. In 6x09, we the people believed in their home and in their leaders (Rick and Michonne) so they worked together to fight the walkers. All those who fought them lived and were able to save their home. Interesting.

Naomi also says at one point that she tried to talk everyone out of leaving. But, "I couldn't change their minds." It just reminded me of Beth saying to Daryl, "what changed your mind?" And once again it's a matter of faith. Her faith and goodness were able to change his mind, which helped him to keep going. Because Naomi couldn't change the minds of the people at the stadium, they all died.

Madison also said to Alicia of the stadium, "I thought you needed it to stay who you are." So another example of the, "stay who you are, not who you were," theme.

Then there’s Madison’s line and the title of the episode, "No One's Gone Until They're Gone." This is more of the “Gone” theory, and it's definitely true Madison. No one in her family watched her die. No one was there when it happened. None of the viewers actually saw her die. We saw her appear to die, but as for right now, she's just gone.

This number also really jumped out at me. Notice the 407 behind Madison. I've noticed it several times throughout the season, as it's painted on the wall of the stadium, but couldn't figure out what it might be pointing to. It's very prominent in this last shot of her right before she apparently dies.

Guys, 4x07 was one of the Governor episodes before the prison went down. In 4x06, we had some major Beth foreshadows, but 4x07 was where the Governor actually returned to the prison and TF. He did so as a villain and brought the prison down, so perhaps Madison will return either as a villain or with villains? Whatever it ends up being, I’m seeing 4x07 as a major return symbol.

Then there's the crowning thing that makes me super suspicious of Madison’s death, and also makes this episode like Still. A song called Love, Love, Love by the Mountain Goats plays the end. For those who don't know The Mountain Goats sang Up the Wolves at the end of Still. I recognized the voices right away and quickly jumped online to make sure I wasn't imagining it.

Tomorrow or Thursday I’ll do an in-depth analysis of the song lyrics. I’ve looked them over and they're VERY interesting. They give credence to both Beth and Madison still being alive. But I don’t want to do that today because this post will be too long.

But once again, we had something been burned to the ground, we had burnt walkers walking around, we have a blonde that went missing, but we never saw what happened to her body. And we had a song by the same group that setting up the walls in still.

I’ve said from the beginning of this season that Madison has had major parallels to Beth. It was odd because I never really liked Madison. She was kind of the opposite of Beth in the past, which means they purposely changed her character for this season. And then she just happens to die suspiciously with all these symbols around her in the same season they’ve given her all these death parallels?

Madison, dead? Yeah, I'm not buying that at all. Thoughts?

[bethgreeneishopeunseen]

Genekie: The Next Great Gimple Ship™?

(photo credit to @bethgreenewarriorprincess​)

We all know the Gimple Ships ™: Richonne, Bethyl, Carzekiel. The slow-burn ships of people with the same hearts wearing complementary armor. When I first watched 7x11, Eugene’s interactions with Frankie caught my attention. Their relationship was tinged with warmth and chemistry. I dubbed them “Genekie” as a play off of “Jinkies”, Velma Dinkley’s catchphrase, as it seemed like something Eugene might say. After further studying Genekie, I believe that Frank will probably play a role in Eugene working against Negan.

Before I go into farther into the sweet abyss that is Genekie, I would like to focus on Eugene. At the end of 7x11 he had declared that he was Negan, and he has stuck to that for the most part, to the end of the season. Gimple foreshadowed this part of Eugene’s arc back in 3x12, as Morgan’s walls read, “Eugene turned.” Many fans denounced Eugene’s decision, while others believe he will become a double agent like Dwight. Personally, I think the latter. Eugene did not choose to join the Saviors; he was abducted and forced to join their ranks at the threat of death by Lucille. He will likely not remain a Savior long-term and during the war, he will start working against Negan, who already suspects that he had something to do with Sasha’s death. In 6x14 Eugene described his transition into a survivor as being similar to that of role play:

“It's simple, really. As with any RPG, tabletop, electronic, or otherwise, the key to survival is allowing oneself to be shaped by the assigned environment. In doing so, a broad range of capabilities are acquired, allowing one to flip the script and use said capabilities to shape said environment for maximum longevity. I'm saying I'm in the process of said stage two. I've changed, adapted. I'm a survivor.”

That is what Eugene is doing at the Sanctuary. Being Negan’s engineer keeps him alive and awards him certain privileges that he can later use against the Saviors. For example, being an engineer allowed him to take valuable medical supplies without question. Furthermore, Eugene is trapped in an abusive situation. Abusive relationships and systems of oppression flourish from the same roots of thought (superiority, entitlement, selfishness, etc.), and Negan is both. Eugene has to work for the Saviors. the fact that he gave the pills to Sasha speaks volumes to how strong he already is. He could have fully submitted Negan and not help Sasha at all, but he did at risk of his person. I live in an abusive family, fighting against manipulation, minimization, and psychological abuse as well as the occasional threat of bodily harm. I have  to suppress a large of my personality in order to cope while also playing the good daughter, the good sister. Much like Eugene, I have no allies. At the end of the episode, Eugene said that he and Dwight were Negan, and by that point, Dwight had already turned, lying about Sherry and Dr. Carson. For me, that foreshadowed that Eugene will also turn. Right now though, he’s immersed in his role as a Savior. The only person who is possibly more manipulative and better at lying than an abuser is the abused. You have to learn the game being played against you. Frankie will probably/hopefully be a catalyst for Eugene, because Eugene’s allegiance to the Saviors began and will end with Abraham.

In 7x15, Sasha and Eugene discussed his situation. She tried to appease to his sense of honor, his character. Eugene cited Abraham’s murder as his reason for cooperating:

“You know, I believed I could be brave, that I could be a survivor like Abraham was, and ridin' that RV into the sunset was some of the greatest 37 minutes of my existence. But I know now that I was full-tilt delusional. I have never in my life been as scared as I was that night in the woods, kit to the grit, fully believing my number's about to be called, then seeing it happen to someone brave, to a survivor. And then the pants-pissing terror of the rinse and repeat of that very same event -- I just I couldn't. Being here means I'll never have to again.”

The writers even stressed this connection by having Eugene callback to Abraham’s speech in 5x02, when he convinced Team Family to go to Washington. TWD often uses a circular narrative style, such as the season six finale and season seven premiere being an inverse of the season five premiere. Eugene is not a bad person, nor is he a true coward. He was willing to sacrifice himself so Maggie could get to the Hilltop, and then he confessed to making the bullet. He may still be afraid, but ultimately he doesn’t let that fear stop him. Eugene’s family empowers him to be a good man, to be brave. Right now, he is without his family, trapped with a murderous tyrant. He needs someone at the Sanctuary, someone he cares about, to help push him. He already defied Sasha by giving him her the pills. He’s almost there.

The key to decoding the connections between Abraham and Eugene’s arc lies primarily in 6x14. @diamondcitydarlin first noticed the connections, writing that:

“[T]he fact that we revisit some central moments in his and Abraham’s friendship (’pump your breaks, red’ as repeated to Frankie, the suggestion of pouring molten metal over the walkers as per that walker that attacked him that Abraham ultimately had to save him from) seems to me all very intentional subtext to the fact that Eugene is not truly Negan.” (X).

The situations are mirrors of each other. Eugene told Abraham to “pump your breaks” as he wanted to kill the molten walker himself, and he told Frankie the same thing when she urged him to help Amber. One conversation involved killing a dead thing, while the other involved killing a person. Furthermore, the first molten walker tried to kill Eugene, pitting him against Abraham. Yet Eugene’s solution for the fence walkers saves him, as it makes him useful to Negan. Both situations also build on the theme of “usefulness”. In 6x14, Eugene angrily said that Abe was now useless to him, as he could survive, while in 7x11 Negan cites Rick not taking full advantage of Eugene’s abilities. Abraham mentions that “ghosting hostiles” was his skill set, and in 7x11 Eugene described attacks as “hostiles and calamities.” Much like Abraham, Negan is crude, womanizing, and physical intimidating. He does not see Eugene as a survivor, only as a smart tool.

The episodes did not have the same writer nor director, meaning that these parallels were less accidental than most thematic connections in storytelling. The writers wanted to intentionally connect Frankie to Eugene through his relationship to Abraham.

We were first introduced to Frankie in 7x07, when Negan showed Carl his harem. She sat in the background as Sherry comforted Amber. Then in 7x11, Frankie had a name, and she became a real character. Of the three wives who met Eugene, she showed the most interest in him. She offered him a massage, she hugged him after he exploded the balloons and also tried to get him to smile. She wanted him to enjoy himself. Neither the massage or smile were necessary to convince Eugene to help them, and she offered him the massage before she even knew how smart he was. Then, when she and Tanya went to him to “help Amber”, she appealed to his character, calling him a good man. Her interest and relationship in Eugene stems from his as a person. She values his intelligence, but she doesn’t see it primarily as a tool. This is her face when he explains how he would make a bomb from kitchen-based supplies:

Shock, with a bit of wonder mixed in.

In addition, cinematographic elements connect her Eugene more so than Tanya. When her first and last scenes with Eugene end, the camera focuses on her looking at him (X) (X). While she was furious at him for refusing to give her and Tanya the pills, she does not call him a coward and she waits for a moment before leaving after Tanya. Furthermore, TPTB set up her first scene with Eugene to maximize her closeness to him, implying that she was interested in him. By the time Eugene settles into his room, he had moved the armchair and television set, and Tanya chose to sit next to him, using a chair that was originally near the door. I looked around his room again and noticed a spare chair by the microwave. Frankie chose to sit on the arm of Eugene’s chair not of necessity but want.

In film, every prop serves a purpose. The extra chair speaks to Frankie’s personality and her burgeoning relationship with Eugene. The furniture had already been moved, so why not move the armchair just a little more so she could a chair in? Because TPTB wanted to portray Frankie being the most interested wife. The chair placement also reminds me of the iconic Bethyl meals in Alone. Daryl had moved his chair from across the table as a physical expression of him being emotionally closer to Beth. Bethyl is the central romance of the series and will resume once Beth returns (X), and Gimple’s other original ships (Richonne, Carzekiel) share many similarities with them. So does Genekie.

Genekie as a pairing actually makes a great deal of sense. Much like Bethyl, Eugene and Frankie have complementary personalities and types of intelligence. Eugene thinks strategically, planning an outcome like assembling a puzzle, and I believe that Frankie would follow her heart, i.e. her appealing to Eugene through his morals and feelings (you’re a good man). Following Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (X), Eugene has logical-mathematical intelligence and Frankie has bodily-kinesthetic and interpersonal intelligence, which means she knows how to use her body, like athletes, and how to communicate with others. Furthermore, they would have a natural understanding of the other. They're both being used: Frankie as a wife and Eugene as an engineer. Frankie signed up, but she's had to make herself a tool to survive, like Eugene lying about D.C.

Eugene and Frankie are both underestimated as Bethyl is. Daryl was the redneck asshole, and Beth just another dead girl. Eugene’s first encounter with a molten walker was actually an inverse of the scene in 4x12 where Beth killed the butler walker. In 4x12 Beth struggled with killing the walker, and Daryl just watched, as he believed she could take care of herself. In 6x14, Abraham killed the walker even after Eugene had called dibs as he didn’t believe Eugene could do it. Now, Eugene is the “Daryl” of the Saviors, in a sense. He has value in the apocalypse because of his specific skill sets, while Frankie is “replacable” to Negan. Like Beth, Frankie also is a nurturer. After Sherry left, Frankie took care of Amber the most, paying attention to her and comforting her. This part of Frankie’s character is very important to Genekie’s success. Eugene probably/likely has Asberger’s (X), so he sees the world differently from most and would struggle socially, as we’ve seen. I see parallels between Daryl and Eugene’s poor social skills. Daryl is a survivor of childhood abuse and likely has complex P.T.S.D., which would alter his brain. (Complex P.T.S.D., or C-P.T.S.D., is essentially long-term P.T.S.D., as it develops from multiple traumas over a long period of time, shaping the person’s identity, and usually arises from a situation with little hope for escape. Child abuse is probably the most common cause. While it’s not in the DSM yet, the concept has been in the medical field for twenty-five years, and it will be added to W.H.O. book next year.) Both of their brains are different from the majority of people. Everyone also has an inner child, and for those going through abuse with a tyrant God-figure like Negan, that inner child comes to the front. Daryl definitely has an inner child, and while he grew up with Beth, that child will always be there ready to take over during times of crisis. I thought about Eugene taking Grembly Gunk, and that’s when the child connection clicked. As a survivor of child abuse, I still keep a stuffed animal with me when I sleep. It makes me feel less alone, and having something to hold helps as I was probably neglected to an extent. Touch is so important for abuse survivors as it allows us to repair and forge connections. As Daryl needs a nurturer like Beth, Eugene needs a kind, patient, and understanding individual as a partner.

And it makes sense that Frankie would be interested in Eugene. He is everything that Negan is not.

Gimple has plans for Frankie. In the comics the only named wives are Sherry and Amber. I believe that he is adapting Eugene and Rosita’s relationship from the comics as Genekie. Rosita is very different from her comic counterpart, and a romantic relationship with Eugene would not work. While she cares about Eugene, she is more aggressive and emotionally unstable than her comic version. Comic!Rosita was known for her kindness and emotional stability. In the comics, Rosita used her body in order to be protected while traveling on the road, before  she met Abraham. So comic!Rosita and Frankie are similar in those regards. TPTB acknowledge this different in character in 7x15:

“A lot of guys wanted to protect me, like there was no way I could know how to take care of myself. And I didn't. And I hated the way that felt. So I rolled with it. They didn't even notice I was picking up everything they knew how to do and doing it better. Then I'd outgrow them and bounce. The sex was just for fun.”

The writers didn’t need to mention why Rosita had sex with the men who proceeded Abraham as there had never been any earlier reference to them. Unless the writers were acknowledging comic canon. As I mentioned in another post, TPTB treat the different TWD universes as interconnected in a sense (X). They want those familiar with the comics and the show to make comparisons. If Rosita will not end up with Eugene, then who will? Frankie makes hte most sense as of now. The other night I read diamondcitydarlin’s Genekie fic, and a large part of the story centers on Eugene helping Frankie escape the Sanctuary when she discovers that she’s pregnant with Negan’s child. Eugene later joins her after the war, raising her baby as his own. In the comics, after she married him, Rosita became pregnant with another man’s baby, and then was murdered by the Whisperers. Reading diamond’s story helped Genekie’s potential click for me. It makes so much sense that Gimple would adapt Rosita’s comic story and expand upon it. (He wouldn’t create an original character, pair her up with an iconic comic character, and then kill her.) Sherry took a pregnancy test in 7x03, so it’s possible that Negan would be trying with his other wives. Even if the pregnancy storyline does not play out in the show, Frankie is vulnerable to an extent. Abraham was the most important relationship in Eugene’s life, and Red protected him. Now Eugene would protect Red. From protected to protector, like a Cowardly Lion who steps up at the darkest hour, Eugene will find his courage again for the woman he loves.

[skamfairy]

What is Julie’s pattern? | A Theory

Note: This is super long and ranty and I probably ramble and make zero sense. But I hope some of you still kinda get where I am going with this? It’s also 1am but I just felt compelled to write this now. haha good luck.

Okay so for like ever we have all kinda assumed that the pattern with the mains for each season of Skam has been that they are all in the same year. Which makes sense right? So far the thing Eva, Noora, and Isak have all had in common has been that their all ‘99′ers. People have argued that this pattern makes the chances for an Even season extremely unlikely....buuuuuuuttt 

What if this isn’t the pattern? What if there is a different one? 

So recently I found myself having a revelation about something. Something that connects the season mains with something other than their age.

Eva’s season and the beginning of skam takes us into the first semester of her first year in high school. We see everything and everyone in her perspective. Her point of view. And during this season she meets someone important. Someone who is not only new to Nissen, but new to Oslo. Noora Sætre. Noora’s part in Eva’s story is important. Before she meets her, she has found herself lost and alone, not understanding who she is or who she wants to be. She is in a point in her life where she feels completely worthless. But then Noora enters her life, and instantly we see her through Eva’s eyes as this cool, smart, badass, beautiful girl who has her entire life together and more than that, she helps Eva get hers together too. She helps Eva on her journey of self discovery. and it is because of her friendship with Noora that she finds out who she is and gains enough confidence in her self to stand up for everything she believes in. Noora helps her find who she truly is. 

So then, of course who’s world should we see next other than the girl who we had only seen so far as the cool untouchable girl we along with Eva, wished we all were? Julie literally flips the perspective from Eva to the girl who influenced a lot of the big changes in her life. The new girl who seemed perfect to both Eva and us, suddenly became the main and we saw her as who she really is: Human. 

The beautiful thing Skam does is show us that no matter who you are, or who you think someone else is; we are all dealing and suffering from things that you may not see or expect. No one is perfect, and no one is awful either. There is no black and white in life. Just a lot of grey. And skam shows us this through introducing a character in someone else’s perspective and letting us all assume who they are, based on first impressions in someone else’s eyes; and then bam, Julie literally makes us walk in their shoes and be gobsmacked at how hard their life really is and that we really can’t judge someone from the first glance. 

And so next season, the start of the second year we get Isak who is in a very similar position that Eva was in a year earlier. He is lost, confused, he doesn’t feel like he is being real because well he is scared of who the real him is. He doesn’t even know who the real him is and it both confuses and scares him to the point that he would rather hide behind a facade than to find out....and then he meets a beautiful blonde who is completely new to Nissen and seems to be the most confident, gorgeous, smart and cool person Isak and us have ever met. Oh wait I already wrote this didn’t I? This sounds oddly familiar...wait

Wait

Is Even Isak’s Noora? Okay I know, I know. You’re probably rolling your eyes and thinking i’m making something out of nothing but like hear me out okay? 

Even, like Noora, shakes things up for Isak. He makes Isak finally discover who he truly is and accept it. He helps him actually begin his journey of growing and discovering not just who he is but what it means to love, and live. To let go of the fear of an uncertain future and appreciate everything he has in this moment. Even helps Isak learn his big season lesson. Just like Noora helped Eva. 

And just like Noora, we along with Isak get a very glamorous first impression of Even. He is literally introduced as the sexy, confident, extremely cool new kid. He is charming and charismatic and omg I wish I was just as cool as him, he is perfect,

but 

he is not. And Julie proved this to us briefly in the final episodes of season 3 but I don’t think that’s enough. Just like in Eva’s final episodes we saw Noora’s perfect stance begin to crack as William flirted with her and she....actually...??? liked it? and then with Even we saw a glimpse of how much he truly suffers. he’s not perfect, he is also human. 

And now I feel like if he became the next main, Julie would be continuing a pattern. A pattern where the hero of the story becomes an actual human being who makes mistakes, suffers from pain and feels just as insecure and alone as anybody else. 

I assume people will argue with me on this but I feel like Noora was Eva’s hero in her story. The person who she formed a strong relationship with (along with the beautiful girl squad) and who helped her through her journey of self discovery.

and then beautiful Even of course saved Isak in a way where he gave him a reason to stop being fake and truly live life. He helped him accept who he truly is and stop fearing of what the future will bring. Just live in the minute with the people you love and who love you back. Even was the hero in Isak’s story. 

And now like we did with Noora, we will get some back story, we will learn his struggles and weaknesses and the things that keep him up all night in a sheer panic. the things he can’t shake. We will see what it is like to live with an illness that convinces him he is unworthy of love and life. We will see Even in the way he sees himself. We will feel everything he feels, everything he sees this world to be. We will again learn not to make assumptions on people, because he will truly show us that he is more than the cool dude we saw walking in slow motion back in the beginning of season 3. He is just like you and me: Human.

I don’t know perhaps I’m delusional but I can definitely see a pattern here? It is actually so clever and beautiful how Julie shows us different sides to each character based on personal perception. Because that is so real? that is so true to think something of someone but then when you get to know them, listen to them and try to see the world in their eyes; well everything changes. You see them in another light and it is beautiful. Skam is beautiful and I really hope we get an Even season. 

Oh my Gosh congratulations you actually made it to the end? ahhh omg here is a panda 🐼 

💜 Thank you for reading this beast 💚

[generallyspecificblog]

  I watched episodes 1 & 2 of the new season of Stranger Things on Netflix this weekend, its been a long time coming. I’ve been waiting patiently for this season since the last one ended. The show grew on me in a big way, i did not like it initially. Something about it is mysterious and innocent and this season looks to have more of a suspenseful and scary vibe. I’ve only watched two episodes thus far so this is an incomplete project but I felt I needed to write about it because i haven’t blogged a long one in a few days. What follows are my hot takes, conspiracy theories, and honorable mentions of “Stranger Things” Season 2.

Ah, the ’80’s, things were slower back then i’m sure, i wouldn’t know though because i was -10 in 1980. The fact that in one of the opening scenes the boys are scrambling for quarters to go play arcade games just tells me that those were the good days. Reminds me of the movie/documentary, “The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters”, if you haven’t seen that i suggest that you stop reading this blog and go watch that documentary, you will not be let down, you will also have your masculinity tested by a man named Billy Mitchell. Also that is probably the only time i’ll suggest that you stop reading the blog so you know its worth it. Anyways, quarters are king and Mike robs Nancy of her piggy bank which i think is just great, but also i feel like Nancy is a bit too old for a piggy bank.

So the boys (Will, Mike, Lucas, and Dustin) rally at the local arcade room, Those for sure were only around for laundering money i imagine, and get to playing. At some point Will hears something and wanders off and somehow he is pulled into the upside-down place, his home pretty much the whole 1st season, and sees a dark sky with red lightning and a shadow demon thing with tornadoes for arms and then snaps out of it. First off i would like to say that i do not completely understand what the show writers are going for with the existence of the “Upside-down” place. I guess the easiest way to explain it is an alternate dimension that’s evil and terrible, but i just don’t know how it all works. I will admit that i think that if i were to somehow be instantly teleported to a place like that, i would for sure only be able to cry and close my eyes until i inevitably died because that place, and that monster thing seem completely terrifying. With all of that being said i think that calling it “The Upside-Down Place” is a rookie move and who ever came up with it needs to go to prison. It’s like calling it “Creepy Avenue” or “Elm Street”, how about a better name for the place that your main characters fear and where pure evil resides. As a matter of fact i will no longer refer to it as the “Upside-down” place and from here on out it will be called the “Thunderdome” or “Satans Basement” or “Oklahoma” ANYTHING but “Upside-down” place.  So, Will snaps out of it somehow and his excuse to his friend for being outside is that he needed some air, I found that funny because this show is set in the 80’s and no chance kids were as messed up and snowflakey as they are now. “Needing some air” in the 80’s was just something you said when you wanted your 3rd cigarette from your 2nd pack of the day, i assume. Be more dramatic Will.

The cameos in these first two episodes were very interesting and i didn’t hate them, i’d actually be excited if they all stayed on as regulars. First we have Brett Gelman playing Murray Bauman, aparrently some kind of private investigator with suspicion of Russian assistance in the events that transpired last season. Gelman is killing it lately with the cameos and honestly is just a really funny guy, i will never forget him in The Other Guys as the Arnold Palmer obsessed wanna-be swinger who begs Will Ferrels character to bang his wife.

Next and my favorite so far is the incomparable Mikey Walsh, the lovable Samwise Gamgee, Rudy HIMSELF, Sean Astin playing Bob “The Brain” Newby. Sean Astin is top 10 in my favorite actors, all around good dude, and just as lovable as they get. His character in Stranger Things is Joyce Byers’ new love interest it seems, and he does a fantastic job. The dynamic between him and Joyce is weird but i am fully invested after 2 episodes. Sean Astin nerding out about video cameras and radio shack is grade-a television folks.

Other than that there is a new pair of sibling characters in the show, Billy and Maxine AKA MadMax, that i just don’t know about yet. Billy is an absolute psychopath that resembles a younger Zac Efron who is fond of younger Zac Efrons who drives like a bat outta hell. This Billy dude is like a cross between Kurt Cobain on a bender and Jack Nicholson from The Shining. Pure crazy, but an entertaining character. His sister, i’m assuming, Maxine (or Max as she so rudely corrected the zany teacher at the school) is a very boyish little girl who is apparently good at arcade games and skateboarding, possessing some of the same crazy traits as her aforementioned brother. Some subtle yet understandable misogyny is featured in a scene where the boys are spying on her and say something along the lines of “girls cant play video games”. There is a new psychiatrist guy that talks to Will too but he is very boring and on the bad guys side so i don’t particularly care for him. Out of the new characters i mentioned above i would rank them accordingly: 1. Bob 2. Murray 3. Billy 4. Maxine 956. Doctor Boring D.O.

As for our returning characters a lot has changed in good ole Hawkins and its nearing the one year anniversary of the finale of last season some time around Halloween, obviously. The iconic Reagan Bush ’84 Campaign signs make an appearance in these episodes a couple of times in peoples yards and i love it, shout out Rowdy Gentleman.  The boys are still up to their nerdy shenanigans riding around on bikes and talking on their giant walkie-talkies. An exciting part is that they dress up as Ghostbusters for Halloween and being the season is set in 1984 i give 1,000 kudos to the kids for being such trailblazing fans of the film, and 2,000 kudos to their parents for making the costumes from scratch. There is a pretty comical argument between Mike and Lucas on who gets to be Venkman, Bill Murrays character, with an awkward reference to the only black Ghostbuster, Winston Zeddemore played by Ernie Hudson, being lame because he was late to the team.

  Mike is emotionally invested in 2 boxes of toys for some reason and misses the hell out of his superhuman girlfriend, 11, just being an emo little baby pretty much the whole time. Will and Mike make some weird pact while trick-or-treating where Mike says “If you’re weird, I’m Weird” kind of like Ryan Gossling does in the Notebook (If you’re a bird, I’m a bird). Lucas and Dustin fight over who is gonna date Maxine.

Our guy Will, who spent the majority of last season in the Thunderdome, has turned into a monster in the eyes of the kids at school. He gets bullied a bit, being called “Zombie Boy” and getting notes put in his locker saying the same thing, thank god Twitter or Facebook didn’t exist back then or this dude would of 13 Reasons Why’d his way through the rest of this season, probably. He takes it with stride though, animating his new nickname pretty artistically, wouldn’t be surprised if he creates a comic book about his Zombie alter ego and becomes a millionaire.

Steve and Nancy are still an item, probably my second favorite couple behind Johnathan and crippling loneliness. Nancy has become annoying because out of the clouds she starts actually caring that her friend Barb is dead, probably because she feels guilty, i mean you’d have to be an idiot to not blame Nancy for the demise of our homely heroine, Barb. There is a scene where Nancy and Steve go have dinner with Barbs parents and enjoy some KFC #fingerlickingood. Barbs parents are delusional at this point, in denial that Barb is dead. They are not in good health, mainly because of the fried chicken, and have plans to sell their home to fund a wild goose chase led by the wacky ex-journalist, P.I. Bauman. That should be successful. R.I.P Barb. Some how Steve has become more likable. Probably because of his hair which has some how become bigger, the higher the hair the closer to heaven, i see you Steve. Nancy and Steve go to a Halloween party together where she gets tipsy on some jungle juice, or as the raging toga bro, who is later seen yakking his brains out, calls it, “Pure Fuel”. Nancy, in typical white girl wasted fashion, says “bullshit” 9 million times after getting a cup of hunch punch spilled on her and brings up the past (Her and Steve basically murdering Barb, gone but never forgotten). Surprisingly Steve peaces out instead of taking advantage of Nancy like he did last season. Johnathan, in typical lonely guy fashion, swoops in like a sad pigeon and saves the day by taking her home and tucking her in. I feel it is necessary to say that i think Johnathan looks like an anorexic Bill Hader from SNL and i hope other people see that too.

  My favorite character, 11, or Elle as Chief Hopper adorably calls her, has taken up residence in a cabin out in the sticks. Chief Hopper is my 2nd favorite character in the show and he has become some type of father figure to 11 letting her stay in his cabin and is keeping her safe from the Russians or whoever is trying to get her. 11 is still a super hero and controls stuff with her mind. She has grown her hair out lookin like a jerry curl gettin real high up there, watch out Steve. Hopper is still whippin around in that dope ass Trailblazer and totin that 6-shooter like a rootin tootin cowboy, they should call him Sheriff instead of Chief. The interaction between Sheriff Hopper and 11 is perfect and comical. 11 is still very robot-like and says “five one five” instead of 5:15 at one point alluding that she hasn’t become much more normal than the first season. There are a few flashbacks to season one including one where 11 is breaking through some gooey womb-like substance out of Thunderdome and it reminds me of Jim Carrey being born from a rhino in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. In another scene 11 kills and begins to cook a squirrel to eat and then beams it at some hunter dudes face in the woods because i guess that’s what Russian cyborgs do. Sheriff Hopper misses hanging out with Elle for Halloween and that broke my heart, do better man.

As usual the soundtrack for the show is the absolute best, the beginning credit song that sounds like Daft Punk time traveled back to the 80’s is up there with Game of Thrones intro song. So far the show is fantastic and there are a lot more witty references and noteworthy things to say but i have just realized that i have written 2,000+ words and most of this was just mindless stammering on and so with that i give my superlatives and predictions thus-far:

Most likely to die alone: Jonathan Byers

Worst Father of the Year: Sheriff Hopper

Most likely to Smash for sure: Hopper and Joyce

Most Improved: Barb

Best Hair: Steve

Probably Gonna Finish Last: Bob “The Brain” Newby

Most Athletic: The Bike Boys

Life of the Party: Yoga bro

Most Likely to Become President: Reagan Bush ’84

Biggest Twist: Barb is alive!

Token Black Guy: Lucas

Least Likely to do Anything, Ever: The dumb psychiatrist guy

Most likely to end up in jail or an insane asylum probably: Billy

Most Likely To Confuse The Millennium Falcon with the Starship Enterprise: My Fiance while watching the show with me.

      Stranger Things: Season 2 Return of Barb, Maybe. I watched episodes 1 & 2 of the new season of Stranger Things on Netflix this weekend, its been a long time coming.