#i liked them more in the Netflix series since it expands on their characters :)

[puppyeared]

Atla live action 😐

[barneysbigstompers]

Atp trolls is competing with sonic to take my top interest

[stitching-in-time]

Finally caught up on Star Trek: Prodigy, and I truly think it's the best of the new Star Trek series. It has the strongest first season of any Trek show since Voyager, and it both respects the Star Trek universe and expands on it beautifully.

As an animated series, it has a grand scale and visual beauty that's unmatched in all of Star Trek. This show is breathtakingly gorgeous! All the design work is top notch; the character designs especially are truly different and unique and completely break the 'basically humanoid aliens with bumpy foreheads' mold.

For all that people seem to ignore it because it's a kids show, I think it has the strongest and most thoughtful writing of all the new Trek shows. The premise of child slaves escaping a mining asteroid in a stolen Starfleet ship is actually the darkest of any Trek series, and there's as many heartbreaking moral dilemmas to chew over as any Trek series ever gave us. But it captures the optimistic, humanist spirit of Star Trek far better than a show like Picard does, because unlike that show, it's not trying to be dark to be edgy or cool, it's trying to be honest and to find hope and light amidst dark circumstances. Hope that a better future is possible is what made Star Trek edgy in the first place, and as the world gets more cynical, holding onto that ideal is infinitely more punk than cynicism could ever be. Prodigy gets that, and it respects the history and lore of Star Trek while building on it. It was clearly made by people who've actually seen Voyager, and actually know and like Captain Janeway, because what we see of her here feels like the Janeway I grew up with. It's like getting to see an old friend again, having new adventures, while still being the same person she always was.

I do like all the other new Trek series, except for Picard, and I feel like for the most part, they've been very strong, and in keeping with the spirit of Star Trek. But Prodigy has this special mix of being tied directly to the old stuff while adding something entirely new. The epic scale of the first season's story arc was amazing, it is one of, if not the, best season finales I've ever seen in all of Star Trek. I'm grew up on the 90s shows, which will always have my heart, but Prodigy is such a mind-blowing expansion of that whole universe, I'm honestly astounded and grateful that someone used my old faves to make this epic new thing, which hopefully will bring an entirely new audience to the old stuff.

Despite the fact that there's lots of deep lore references that us grown up Trekkies can pick out with delight everywhere, the story of the main protagonists is self contained, and doesn't actually need any previous familarity with Star Trek to understand. Since the main characters don't know what Starfleet or the Federation even is, the audience can discover that along with them. It's such a genius concept, and it works so well! I honestly cried watching the season finale, it wrapped up the season's worth of story and character development so well, and set things up for an exciting new season. The characters are so well defined and lovable already! It has humor, it has adventure, it has heart, it's a classic Star Trek found family story!

I just can't rave about Prodigy enough, it exceeded all my expectations and then some. Everyone who loves Star Trek, please go watch it! Everyone who loves animation, please go watch it! Especially if you love Captain Janeway and Voyager, please go watch it! I want as many more seasons of this show as I can possibly get, so we need to keep streaming it so Netflix sees how popular it is and decides to make more.

I guess I'm in the category of old Trekkies now, so believe me when I say this show is what Star Trek is all about! Please please please give it a chance and you'll love it too!!!

[natlacentral]

The cast of Netflix’s adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender knows they can’t please everyone.

It’s a difficult life lesson that many of the show’s young actors have come to learn since they were chosen to star in a live-action reimagining of one of the most beloved animated series of all time.

Like any great saga, the latest iteration of Avatar has taken a circuitous route to the small screen. In 2020, two years after Netflix announced that it was developing a remake, original creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino departed the project over creative differences. A year later, former Nikita and Sleepy Hollow writer-producer Albert Kim officially assumed the role of creator and showrunner, intending to honor the Asian and Indigenous roots of his source material.

Since the debut of the new Avatar last Thursday, longtime fans have remained divided over the many changes that were made to turn a 20-episode half-hour children’s cartoon into an eight-episode serialized drama that has multigenerational appeal. But by maintaining the essence of the original while expanding the world that Konietzko and DiMartino have created, the new creative team is hoping to recapture some of the magic that transformed Avatar into a cultural phenomenon.

Every diehard fan can recite the basic premise by heart: The four nations — Water, Earth, Fire, Air — once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping the peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads. A century later, Aang (Gordon Cormier), a 12-year-old Air Nomad frozen in an iceberg, reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. With his newfound friends Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley), siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang sets out on a quest to save the world from the onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) while avoiding being captured by Ozai’s tempestuous son, Crown Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu).

Almost every Zoomer who grew up watching Nickelodeon seems to have their own relationship with the original Avatar. Kiawentiio, whose older siblings would always have the show playing in their house, recalls being drawn to its depiction of a young Indigenous girl, at a time when there was scant representation of Native Americans. Ousley credits Avatar and Star Wars: The Clone Wars for inspiring him to take up martial arts. Liu has a vivid childhood memory of watching a restless Zuko and his tea-drinking uncle Iroh’s first scene together on a boat. Cormier, as the youngest of the bunch, admits that he had not watched the show prior to auditioning. But by the time he entered production, all he could do was live and breathe Avatar.

Daniel Dae Kim, who watched the original with one of his sons when it first aired, tells Teen Vogue that he held a kind of family meeting with his now-adult children and some of his nieces and nephews after receiving an offer from Albert Kim (no relation) to star in the new version. “I called all of them, and I said, ‘What do you think about me doing a part in Avatar?’ And they were like, ‘You should do it!’ without hesitation. Then I asked the next question: ‘Well, I’m playing Ozai. He’s a bad guy…’ They paused for a second, and then they all screamed, ‘You should still do it!’” he says with a laugh.

Once the cast was assembled, the creative team began the seemingly gargantuan task of trying to breathe new life into each of the characters. While the animated series dealt with weighty issues such as genocide, war and imperialism, there is an added human component in live-action storytelling that requires a more grounded approach to depicting real-life reactions and emotions. “We were all definitely allowed to look into the darker sides of each of our characters,” Cormier says. In Aang’s case, he is tasked with a responsibility that he doesn’t necessarily want but feels obligated to assume after discovering that he is the last living Airbender of his kind.

Aang is “naturally a really fun-loving, goofy 12-year-old, so to be hit with something so serious like a genocide [affecting] all of his people, it really affects him badly,” Cormier says. “We see in the first episode where I blow Katara and Sokka off the mountain how badly it’s affected me. It hurt me so much [that] I blasted into the Avatar state and started destroying my home. I think it just shows how serious and traumatic it is for Aang, but slowly, he’ll get through it and become the Avatar.”

The themes of loss and grief remain prevalent across all eight episodes, with each of the young characters being forced to confront their own unresolved trauma.

Katara is forced to reckon with how her memory of her mother’s death has affected her ability to become a full-fledged Waterbender. “Another thing that I feel like impacted her so much, without even really explicitly touching on it, is being the last Waterbender of her tribe,” Kiawentiio says. “She really feels so deeply connected with that part of [herself], even though it’s something that she can’t really access [at first], and she feels this sense of, ‘This is what I should be doing.’”

After his father left years ago on a mission to fight the Firebenders, Sokka was forced to grow up quickly and protect his tribe, especially his younger sister, from the waterbending abilities that had caused them so much pain. “Sokka is a perfect example of somebody that is not healed, is pushing stuff down and won’t let it come out, is putting on different masks to the point where he doesn’t even know who he is when we first find him,” says Ousley, who insisted on finding a way to bring out a more serious side in Sokka without losing his signature sarcasm in this adaptation. “I think the trauma that he has is covered up by humor often and covered up by acting silly, and he will have lots of moments where he actually discovers who he is.”

Zuko, however, may have the most compelling arc of the first season. Having been banished by Ozai from the Fire Nation, Zuko has effectively lost one father but gained another father figure in his Uncle Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), who takes it upon himself to look after Zuko on his journey to capture the Avatar. In the first season, viewers see Zuko’s Agni Kai — or traditional Firebender duel — with Ozai, who was responsible for giving Zuko his prominent facial scar.

While Ozai “may not have the tools to do it the right way,” Kim understands that his character “is trying, in his own way, to shape his children into what he feels is necessary to secure the future of not only his family, but of the entire Fire Nation.” That kind of tough love, unfortunately, has done irreparable damage to his children.

In a dramatic departure from the original series, the writers decided to introduce Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula earlier than in the original series. In doing so, the family dynamics between Ozai, Zuko and Azula become even more complicated. “Since Zuko’s away on his ship in the first season, you get a glimpse into, while he’s away, what is going on in the Fire Nation and who’s pulling all the strings,” Yu says. “For Azula, Zuko is very much more like a roadblock than anything else. You see that sense of family is not really there.”

“I think the writers did a good job of showing a rivalry between the two fighting for the father’s approval and attention without us directly interacting or speaking with each other,” Liu adds. “Zuko is just trying to prove he is worthy of his father’s love and attention just as much as Azula is. I think people will really come to root for Zuko because of everything that he’s been through.”

The production team was also keen to honor and recreate the costumes of the original series in a way that was not only beautiful but practical for the actors; Kiawentiio and Ousley had to wear heavy coats made of suede and fur, while Kim, Liu and Yu wore layers upon layers of corseted material with large shoulder pads.

“They really helped me complete the character because there was something about when I put on the wardrobe that made me walk [and] feel a certain way,” Kim says, “and it turned my character into someone more regal and powerful.”

It’s almost fitting that the most regal character is played by Hollywood royalty among Asian Americans. For the better part of the last three decades, Kim has been at the forefront of the movement to increase the visibility of Asian Americans in film and television. “The fact that I’m still working and able to see [the change] and be a part of it makes me feel very grateful, because success is not guaranteed to anyone in this business,” he reflects.

Kim believes the new Avatar is a reflection of today’s changing landscape in Western entertainment for more diverse stories that center Asian and Indigenous communities. “I don’t think it’s any secret to say that a live-action version has been done in the past, but it wasn’t done this way,” he says, referring to M. Night Shyamalan’s disastrous The Last Airbender film, which whitewashed many key characters. “I don’t think that it would have been done this way even five or 10 years ago because there wasn’t the same emphasis on proper representation and real diversity [that there is now].”

“I feel like we fought hard for the progress that we’ve made, and at the same time, I acknowledge that there need to be others outside of those of us in the community to push things forward,” he adds. “It takes a community working together along with allies.”

As the most accomplished actor of the group, did Kim have any advice for his younger castmates? “I don’t feel like it’s necessarily my place to be giving advice where it’s not needed or wanted, but it was nice of them to ask me about my experiences and how they could chart their own path forward in a business that’s very difficult,” Kim responds. “I can tell you that I really have been impressed by all of them, and I’m so excited to see the next generation of Asian American actors in particular come in with this attitude, with this opportunity. I would really love nothing more than to see them succeed beyond what we’ve seen in generations previous.”

The first season ends with Aang, Katara and Sokka successfully helping the Northern Water Tribe fend off a vicious attack from the Firebenders. Rather than following the advice of past Avatars, who stressed that he would have to bear the burden of his title alone, Aang realizes that he needs his friends to master all four elements.

“The Avatar still has to learn other elements, so we had to get the ball rolling on water and earth. If we did reach Season 2, I believe that we’ll find Aang already practicing water just because in the group he has quite the master to teach him,” Kiawentiio says with a smile, alluding to her own character.

But the last minutes of the finale also reveal that the attack on the North was actually a decoy for the Fire Nation. Ozai, as it turns out, had his sights on the Earth Kingdom — and his daughter, Azula, has taken over the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu with her own army. Aang’s old friend, King Bumi (Utkarsh Ambudkar), has now been taken prisoner.

“You have this idea of the prodigal son and you put all of your attention to someone who, in Ozai’s eyes, is failing him,” Kim says of the state of Ozai’s relationships with his two most powerful children at the end of the season. “So when there’s another child that you are not looking at in the same way that ends up surprising you, it’s a pleasant surprise, and it changes the way that you see the future. I think Azula was a surprise to him, and it brings him some joy, and he may have overlooked her in the past, but now he sees her as a real heir apparent.”

The revelation that his father has passed him over for his sister, at least for now, shakes up Zuko’s entire world, Liu says. “He feels a weird sense of betrayal because even though it is his sister and his father working against him, they are part of the Fire Nation, and his loyalty towards the Fire Nation was something that we know he was very persistent about, even though he was banished.”

Going forward, Kim would be interested in deepening the portrayal of Ozai’s relationships with his children, as well as his older brother, Iroh. “What is the relationship between the two of them when the second son supersedes the first? And how does Iroh feel about all of that? We never really see that explored,” he remarks. “I’d also like to see what happened to Zuko and Azula’s mom. These kinds of things are crucial to deepening the character, and I would love to see a little bit more of his history and how that informs who he is now.”

While the show has yet to be renewed for a second season, the young actors all have their own hopes for future seasons. Ousley would like to see Sokka “pick up the pieces” emotionally after the beautifully tragic end of his first love, Princess Yue (Amber Midthunder). Yu is ready to “do some of the really iconic Azula lines and scenes that we all know,” especially the Agni Kai in Season 3. Cormier is most excited to potentially adapt “Appa’s Lost Days” and the final fight scene between Aang and Ozai. “Throughout the show, I feel like he's going to learn more and more about why he has to be the Avatar,” he says.

[dharmas-spam]

In wake of recent events and allegations against Neil Gaiman, I would like to release a statement that I know no one asked for. Because I have not been doing very well as of late, and this was the cherry on the shit sundae.

I hope you all understand that, in doing so, I do not mean to take away any attention from the victims. I just have to get this off my chest and clear the air I feel is polluted at the moment.

Here's my long-winded timeline of my interaction with Gaiman's work. Underneath will be my statement on these allegations and what I will be doing moving forward.

I first got into Neil Gaiman's work in June-July of 2021, around my birthday, although I had seen some of his work unknowingly over the years.

I will never forget the first time I watched Good Omens, and I will never forget the joy it made me feel from the first few frames. I finished the show soon after. The message of the beauty in individuality and the inherent neutrality of humanity made me feel hopeful for the first time in a while.

I read the book in October 2021 and was officially hooked. I started engaging in the fandom and found a place online where I felt wholly accepted. I made fanart, read/wrote fanworks, etc.

I then expanded my Gaiman-Verse knowledge in April 2022 and began reading American Gods, Anansi Boys, Trigger Warning, etc...and found great inspiration and solace in these works as well.

On August 5th, 2022, I watched Sandman the morning it released on Netflix, beyond excited, and then bought one of the large books with the first few comics complied inside after finishing the show.

My love for The Sandman universe only grew, and I gained new outlooks on life inside the character's words and actions. Death of The Endless and Hob Gadling were two characters that helped me better understand how to truly appreciate the world around me and the time I am blessed to have in it.

I received the full collection of The Sandman comics for Christmas 2022 and nearly cried with elation. I read through them like a beast and was given more of the extended works in the series (like Death's solo comic) later that same holiday. I was also given The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, and finished it in two days flat. I loved Mrs. Hempstock and her words on humanity.

As time passed, my passion for Gaiman's literature/media didn't waver.

I started dating my partner on June 1st, 2023, and Gaiman's work was part of what helped us bond, in addition to our already-lovely chemistry.

The EVERY kiss spoiler leaked and sobbed with excitement, lol.

Good Omens S2 was set to be released a few days after my birthday. However, I was very sick on my birthday and was rather miserable.

My parents went out of their way to make me Good Omens cupcakes in secret, and it was one of my best birthdays, purely because my father put in the effort to design them, despite my never letting him watch the show (which has since been amended).

That Christmas, I was given quite a bit of Good Omens and Sandman merchandise and started growing my collection of copies of Good Omens.

On April 25th, 2024, I watched Dead Boy Detectives the day it released, having been excited for it since November 2023, and found another media in the Gaiman-Verse that I adored and saw myself in.

Flash forward to tonight, July 4th, 2024, and I am devastated.

I spent the majority of my teen years consuming Gaiman's content and engaging in the fandoms. During the time, I found true happiness and felt comfortable in my identity, and I refuse to lie and say my self-discovery was not aided by the media he created.

I know this is not about me, but about the victims, and I know the allegations have been brought to light by many shady news sources, but I must finish my piece with this:

When J.K Rowling exposed herself as a TERF, I had not realized I was queer yet, but I was still deeply disturbed for reasons unknown to me. I separated the art from the artist, as I had loved Harry Potter since I was seven, and it was a way my mother and I bonded during hard times. It also helped me get through the height of quarantine and the horrors of puberty.

When I discovered Gaiman's work and the fandoms his work's inspired, I felt relieved: here was a white cishet person who cared for minorities and who created media for minorities.

If the allegations are true (which they likely are), it turns out my hero doesn't deserve his cape.

I will do as I did with J.K Rowling, with a much heavier heart. The fans deserve the joy and inclusion Gaiman's work has created, even if he himself is vile. I will continue to consume his work indirectly and in no support to him.

I encourage everyone in the fandom to stay calm during this time.

It is okay to be angry, sad, and confused. However, it is not okay to ignore the allegations altogether or the trauma these women have experienced at the hands of Gaiman.

This fandom is a safe space for many people, and I beg that it will remain that way.

I send out much love to the women who were hurt, and I hope you both find contentment.

[autumnmobile12]

All right, it's been almost year since Nocturne aired and I think my lack of enthusiasm really showed in that my Nocturne posts are pretty nonexistent compared to Castlevania. I've gone over my points in the few posts regarding my issues with the series. Most of them are personal preferences and not so much a writing problem. Richter and Marira are the types of character I don't like, so that automatically makes me less inclined to enjoy Nocturne right out of the gate. Again, personal preference and I'm hoping it's just part of their development and they'll be more likable as the series progresses. As I've said in previous posts, I'll continue Nocturne when Season 2 drops, but I'm more invested in Annette and Olrox's characters.

...

Julia's death, though, is still something that really bothers me.

Setting aside the obvious refrigeration here, she really got screwed over.  On the surface, dying in battle protecting her son is a good death, but here’s what ruined it:

Her last words to Richter are,  “I’m so sorry.”

Why is this a problem? Take this scene from the perspective lens of Julia, not the audience or the plot.  There is a dangerous vampire on the offensive in front of her.  He challenged her, not the other way around.  She knew his name and what he was capable of, and she did not hesitate to try to take him down to defend herself and her child. In this circumstance, she was a defender, not a hunter.  As a Belmont, killing Olrox is the objective.

But Julia doesn’t know Olrox is going to spare Richter!

Olrox is a vampire and he’s pissed; from Julia’s point of view, kiddo is next on the hit list.  She has no reason to believe Olrox won’t kill her son.  So she’s pinned and losing the fight, has limited options, is losing her strength, and at the point she realizes she can’t do this and that she’s going to die here, she turns to Richter and says she’s sorry.

Yeah, sorry she’s going to die and the Belmont line is going extinct tonight apparently.  Again, she has no reason to believe Olrox won’t kill Richter.

For this scene to have worked the way the writers intended, her last words, at the very least, should have been, “Run, get away!”  Or something like that.  Or they could have given her a true death in battle by letting her have that classic anime surge of energy and motivation that only the most dogged of characters have, you know——“Over my dead body are you killing my boy!”——and dying that way.

She didn’t die protecting her son.

She gave up and died. She, a Belmont, gave up and died.

She did her ancestors dirty, and therefore, the writers did her dirty.  If you’re going to kill off a character for the plot of the protagonist, especially a woman (because this happens way more often to a female character than a male,) at least do them the dignity a good death.  Make it worthy.

But getting back to the refrigeration issue, I have mixed feelings about that.  On the one hand, if they really wanted the ‘dead parent trauma’ trope, I guess I appreciate that it was Richter’s mother and not his father and therefore just another run-of-mill male hunter.  But still, we did need something a little more original than this. Even though Lisa was part of the original games and her only lore was the 'dead mother trope,' Castlevania Netflix gave her more than that: She was a doctor, she was intelligent, she was kind and always tried to do right by others. It's not a lot, but with the short amount of time Lisa is onscreen, she was given something fans could remember her for aside from 'the woman who died.' Castlevania honored the content of the original plot while expanding on it and giving it more substance.

Julia is not from the original video games, and in spite of endless possibilities they had, Nocturne still went with the 'woman whose tragic death drives the protagonist.'

The body count of dead women in Nocturne is so uncomfortable that when Edouard was killed, my immediate reaction was not the emotional response the writers probably wanted.  It was, “Oh, thank goodness, a dude finally died.  Between the two dead moms and the dead sister, we were running out of room in the fridge.”  At least Edouard and Jacques still have the benefit of still being active characters instead of plot devices and, yeah, of course I was sad to see Edouard go, but I am still irritated about what they did to Julia.

[godsgamefreak]

After 1354 saves and just over 60 hours, I finally finished my Dragon Age II re-play, the first of its kind since the game came out 13 years ago. I toyed with it for a bit longer, I know I bought the Mark of the Assassin DLC and I think I even finished it, but I barely remembered it. But not a single proper playthrough in 13 years.

In that time DA2 of course got ripped apart by the media for the glaring issues of developing a massive RPG in 16-18 months, like the re-used assets (particularly in dungeons) but I had remembered enjoying it well enough as I played. Though, I also had issues with a lot of the Companions at the time too.

After being quite soured in my playthrough of Inquisition a few years later, I had fully dropped the series, with little to no interest in anything it was doing (granted it wasn't a lot, with Veilguard only just recently being properly announced) outside of the animated series on Netflix which was neat. But with Veilguard around the corner, and over 10 years of life under my belt, I thought... why not give it another try, see what's different?

Turns out both not much and also a fair bit. The not much was how much I enjoyed it - while certain mechanics don't work the way I'd like or aren't communicated as well (I'm very sad I couldn't truly be a proper tank, since enemy threat was constantly all over the place) I still had FUN with it. Since I remembered being meh on a lot of the Companions, I made sure to keep a particular eye on them this time around and I came to realize I understood them all a lot more this time around.

Merrill held a conviction, though a dangerous one, and while commendable to hold to it despite understanding the dangers... was completely blind to so much more. A great comparison to Anders, who was so much WORSE than I remembered, finally coming to a head if you question him during his Act 3 companion quest. I literally had to get up out of my chair in anger when he tries to threaten your friendship over his cause ("trust me even though I lied to you" like fuck off man).

Fenris was still overly grumpy about so much, but the reasoning is still solid, and it was nice to see him loosen up a little here and there. Agreeing to drop the mage freedom topic with Isabela and deflecting with a game of "guess my undergarments colour" was wonderful. Speaking of Isabela, I'm definitely older and care less about her darker side than I did as a "young and pure paladin" of 20 years old. I even romanced her, due in part to a similarity to one of my wife's OC's. Her romance story ends so sweet too, and her story is quite interesting. I wish the game had more time to expand on both Fenris and Isabela's stories and personal growth.

Varric and Aveline are still great, I love how they individually check in on Hawke through the game. They feel like the closest friends you have, in that they check on you just as much as you check on them, with no other major goals taking up their time and attention. Though the Aveline vs Isabela lines feel like they get a little too catty, there was one scene of them laughing over a drink once that made me happy to see they could get along.

My biggest regret is that Bethany is so absent from Act 2 and most of Act 3, not even making an on-screen appearance over your mother's death - the quest of which still hits pretty hard, though I didn't fully realize it until afterwards.

All in all, it was wonderful to re-play it, re-experience it, and play it in its complete form start-to-finish, and did exactly what I hoped: re-ignited my desire to care about this dark fantasy world, and make me excited to play Inquisition again. This time with less faffing about, more paying attention, and spending more time with Companions (and other major characters). I barely remember what happened in the game, so it's almost like finishing a re-play of DA2 before the big new game comes out. I hope I really find something I missed in my first DAI playthrough that makes me love it after hating it for 10 years.

[freddycarterus]

Help us save Six of Crows!

DONATE ONLY $1 TO HELP US REACH OUR GOAL! WE ARE GOING TO DO A BILLBOARD FOR SAB TOO!

On November 15th, Netflix announced its cancellation of the Six of Crows project, an adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s beloved Grishaverse duology. Since then, there has been an outpour of grief and heartbreak online from thousands of fans, begging for a reversal.

The novel Six of Crows was first published 8 years ago, gaining critical acclaim and a massive fanbase. Over the years, its numbers have only grown. First appearing on screen in Shadow and Bone, the Crows rapidly became favorites among critics and fans alike. The fandom’s love for the ragtag crew from Ketterdam was so significant and well-known that the show diverges from the book’s canon to include them. When showrunner Eric Heisserer announced in March that a Six of Crows spinoff was in the works the fandom rejoiced, but since being canceled, the fandom's joy quickly turned into dismay and uproar.

With scripts already written, an immensely talented group of people both in front of and behind the camera more than ready to work, and a massive fanbase, it’s baffling that Netflix would choose not to go forward with the project. However, the Grishaverse fandom refuses to accept this fate. 

We refuse to accept that we will never see Inej Ghafa’s empowering backstory, the beautiful love story of Matthias and Nina, the dozens of famous lines that make us weep, or a single scene with all of our beloved Crows together.

We have organized this Kickstarter campaign to show Netflix that we reject this abrupt and heartbreaking end. For the cast, for the crew, for all of us that love this world and these characters, we will fight to see this story on screen.

Donations to this Kickstarter will be put towards the renting of a large billboard in Los Angeles demanding Netflix’s action in saving the Six of Crows series. If sufficiently funded, we plan to expand the campaign to other locations to further demonstrate our commitment. 

As exact details will partially depend on the success of this fundraiser, more information about the specific address and duration of the billboard(s) rental will come soon. For questions, keep an eye on this webpage or follow @freddybrekker on X for updates.

It is our hope that Netflix will be forced to listen to the fandom’s dedication to this series as well as our outrage at its cancellation. For our cause to be successful, we must be impossible to ignore.

Finally, we will leave you with words from our brilliant, dedicated and beloved cast of Crows.

“I feel like the fans, myself included, have been really looking forward to seeing the Six of Crows storyline come to life. It's just so, so cinematic, that storyline…It would be heartbreaking to get this close and then not get to see all six of them together." Freddy Carter

“I haven't had the same luxury of Inej's backstory yet, and I think they're saving that. I'm really, really glad that they are. I know the payoff for this, if it does happen, is gonna be absolutely an emotional wreck but in the most beautiful, exciting and exhilarating way.” Amita Suman

“I’m heartbroken by the idea that we won’t be able to finish what we started… I desperately wished to go further, and believe me those plans are special…The patience I’ve carried for that dream these past years has been beating in me like a slow steady drum, and yesterday it paused for the first time.” Calahan Skogman

"[Nina has] helped many people like me to love, like, and accept myself. I tried to stay true to her character.” Danielle Galligan 

“Growing up, I didn’t see that many characters like myself who were in big fantasy series, with violence or [who] even had access to fantasy weapons or got involved in big fights and battles…I think to see a character like myself in those situations is a really cool thing, it’s something that I actually don’t see often.” Jack Wolfe

"I think that I can speak for everyone here when we all really care about doing it well, and we are invested in its success… I think hopefully what you see is something that we are already proud of because we’ve put our blood, sweat, and tears into it. And it’s just a joy to do. So wherever it can go next, if we get the chance to keep going, then you know, we’re all game, we’re all excited to do it." Kit Young

#SaveTheCrows #SaveShadowandBone

“Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.” 

“Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.” -  Kaz Brekker, Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

No mourners. No funerals. 🖤

[b-else-writes]

it's so interesting to me how seeing the actual live action cast of ATLA has really made people realise that Katara and Aang together is weird because Aang is an entire pre-pubscent child with the maturity to match, and Katara is a whole teenager. you can hide that in animation easily, but once you actually cast people in that age range, it becomes glaringly obvious that a 14 year old girl would not be giving a 12 year old boy the time of day and how all the pictures of the four together make it look like a child, his babysitter, the babysitter's brother, and the babysitter's high school boyfriend.

but it does make me extremely curious how they're going to adapt then. we're only getting Book 1 so far, so i can imagine that they could keep Aang having a puppy crush on Katara, but they cut the (very minimal because Kataang was half-baked) evidences in Book 1 like the powerful bender blush - which they'd prob cut anyways given we're only getting 8 episodes, 1 hour each. and then they save the "development" for Book 3 where Aang's actor will be an older teen.

there's also been persistent but unfounded rumors that Zutara was the reason Bryke stepped away from the project. now i have shipped Zutara since i was a child, but it does give me pause here as well because Zuko's actor is gonna be 22 this year and Katara's actor is a minor still - but that's not say they won't do it anyways, since they're meant to be playing characters around the same age. i could see them just following what has been laid out in Book 1 and staying there, and then seeing what happens for future seasons, when Katara's actress is an adult (which still feels morally questionable).

of course, all of this assumes that the series will be good or popular enough to even receive renewal for 2 more seasons, and it is Netflix. how they're adapting the series has been kept under wraps heavily, the only rumor i've seen so far that seems credible is that they'll show the Air Nomad genocide in Ep 1, basically compressing ep 1-3 + 12 into the start. so we're not getting an exact adaptation.

now, i'm not on board with a live action adaptation because they ultimately don't need to be made at all. BUT, i do think if you're going to make an adaptation, then adapt. do something interesting with it, expand on stuff that was interesting but never went anywhere, remove stuff that didn't work the first time, etc. it's not going to be a shot for shot remake so don't try to be. i've always loved the live-action version of Sailor Moon because while it had the most god-awful special effects, it basically took the bones of canon and expanded on them in new and exciting ways that still felt true to the spirit, characters, and themes of the original. otherwise, don't bother. the cartoon will always exist so making a 1:1 adaptation is pointless.

so in THAT regard, i actually think using the live action to explore Zutara is not a bad idea at all - it's just.....everything else surrounding it that is like, hmm. which really could've been solved by casting a 17 year old to play Zuko as well, like Dallas Liu is cute as hell and there's also rumors that he and Uncle Iroh are the best actors on the show so i'm firmly of the belief he won't be an issue in enjoyment, but this man is old enough to have graduated from university! but again it's all putting the cart before the horse because this might all just crash and burn in Book 1 so it won't even matter. which just goes back to. time to let ATLA and its legacy be.

[likeabxrdinflight]

so I have seen the new trailer for the live action ATLA adaptation and I think I'm actually feeling more optimistic about it. Generally when an animated product is adapted to live action, I want to see something new in the production and storytelling that justifies why this story benefits from being re-created in a live action format, while still maintaining the overall heart and spirit of the animated original. Most of the disney live action remakes, for example, have failed to meet this bar.

Where I'm feeling a little more optimistic with the ATLA remake is because the format almost necessitates some pretty significant structural changes to the story. You can't take something like season one of ATLA, which was incredibly episodic and designed for Nickelodeon syndication in 30 minute blocks, and stitch it into eight hour-long episodes on a serialized, binge-watching style platform like Netflix without making changes. You just can't.

What I'm hoping they do with these changes is that instead of trying to frankenstein the story together, they pick and choose which elements matter and which do not. And then I want to see the storylines they keep get greater focus and more elevation than they received in the original. One of the benefits of a remake is that you already have the finished project to build off- you know what matters, you know what doesn't, and you can work with that to craft a tighter story while giving appropriate expansion and depth to elements of it that might have been overlooked in the original. The way Suki and the Kyoshi warriors have been billed and marketed gives me a lot of hope for this- when Bryke were first creating ATLA, they had no plans for Suki to be anything more than a one-off character, but she ended up Sokka's endgame love interest. The new show has the benefit of already knowing this.

Same thing applies to characters like Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. We already know where their storylines end up, so they have the opportunity to expand and deepen all three of them without worrying about making things up as they go or maintaining any sense of mystery. And they have a lot of opportunity to play with Ozai's character too, given they don't have to keep him in the shadows for two whole seasons anymore- we already know he's a hot older version of Zuko, that reveal happened in 2007. Since they don't need to hide his face, they can actually show a lot more of him a lot earlier in the story. Again, I'm hopeful for this given that the trailers seem to be showing a lot of extra scenes with the Fire Nation characters and Azula and Ozai are both featured on the promotional poster.

Now, will I like the changes they make? That's an unknown. I might. I might hate them. We'll see- but at least it seems like there will be changes that, hopefully, will serve to justify why this remake deserves to exist. I do not want to see a shot-for-shot recreation of the animated series. I can already watch the cartoon.

That said, I still want to see the spirit of the original preserved. So far I like what I'm seeing from Netflix- the world looks pretty good, the animals, while obviously CGI, look faithfully rendered, the costumes are miles better than what we saw in the 2010 movie (though I have my reservations about the saturation of the blue in the water tribe coats), and the characters all look pretty accurate to their animated counterparts. The lighting is dark because lighting is dark in every show these days, and I'm not 100% on the color palette. But I was glad to see some of the humor has been retained in the trailer- we see Aang running into the statue like in the opening of the cartoon, Sokka has a few one-liners, and the shot with Momo was cute. I'm a little worried Iroh's humor won't translate well into live action, but we'll see what they do with that (I imagine they'll have to cut back on some of the slapstick, Saturday-morning-cartoon antics anyways).

I like most of the casting too, from what I've seen so far. Dallas Liu looks like he's gonna be a great Zuko, Kiawentiio I already knew from Anne with an E and I think she'll be a perfect Katara, and I think Ian Ousley will grow on me as Sokka. His line reads sounded good in the trailer. I'm a little concerned about Gordon Cormier, he looks the part perfectly but he is so young and I felt like his delivery in the trailer was just...lacking a bit. But I need to see more of him to really judge. And I love the casting of Elizabeth Yu for Azula, I love that she looks like a tiny baby. No one will mistake her for the older sibling in this version. And of course the adult cast I'm not worried about at all.

(bully any of these children online btw and die by my sword)

Will this show be good? I don't know. But I hope it will at least justify its existence to me as more than just a nostalgic cash grab. That's what I'm looking for first and foremost.

[reigningrockets]

Sooooo... Netflix's Avatar the Last Airbender huh...? episode 1 thoughts under cut.

just finished episode 1 and.... I am.... not impressed. It seems like this show fails to understand the core of what made the original series work. It's only episode one and it is severely suffering from an ABUNDANCE of tell don't show. It looks incredible and the sets and costumes are all impressive and wow they even pronounced the names right... (can't believe that's actually a positive point) however none of that matters if they fail to deliver on the storytelling.

First off, I found it quite amusing that Katara's opening monologue was stolen not once but TWICE by other people. First by Kyoshi, then later on Gran Gran. And speaking of Gran Gran I couldn't help but burst out laughing when she just somehow knew Aang was the avatar despite there being literally no reason for her to guess that. She was a wonderful exposition dump tho (I say sarcastically). And more on Katara but this is not the badass that we know and love. She's quiet and meek and doesn't even free Aang from the ice due to an angry rant about sokka's sexism (more on that later). I know it's episode one and of course she's an inexperienced bender but she's still is powerful in other ways. This version is so... nothing.

Next, the show annoyed me when Iroh basically just told Zuko and in turn the audience that Ozai's quest for Zuko to capture the avatar was supposed to be impossible and Ozai wasn't ever expecting Zuko to succeed. Did the writers REALLY not think that the watchers could just... I don't know... PICK UP ON THAT FACT FROM CONTEXT CLUES???? Of course the task was supposed to be impossible. Ozai does NOT want Zuko back home but Zuko is so blinded by his mission he fails to ever see that or accept it. You don't need to tell us! SHOW US! Audiences are not stupid! (also every time I saw Zuko drawing in his little book, I just laughed.)

Also love (hate) how the show removed all of Sokka's sexism because it was "potentially problematic" or whatever.... I guess characters aren't allowed to grow any more. Originally, when Sokka went on a journey away from home, a home where he was taught the "warrior way" and grew up as the oldest man in the village, he was finally exposed to the rest of the world and his narrow minded view expanded as he saw more of the world. Sokka GROWS as a person and becomes an "all women are queens" icon. This is important to his character and Netflix deciding to do away with that plot point is going to severely hurt his character. And once again the show suffered by just outright saying "sokka had to grow up fast." WHY ARE YOU TELLING US THIS? YOU COULD EASILY SHOW IT I PROMISE THE AUDIENCE WILL UNDERSTAND!!!

Finally, I want to just remind people that there is no such thing as filler in a series that is not being adapted from a manga. There was NO filler in the original show. The show was about a journey and they SHOWED that journey in it's entirety. By cutting out the journey and just going to the "important points" you lose time getting to actually know the characters and bonding with them. Then when important stuff DOES happen, its that much more emotional. I felt absolutely nothing watching this first episode except for the occasional mild to severe annoyance.

So ya. The show is already massively flawed and its only episode one. I had a feeling this would be the case from the moment this remake was announced and I find myself once again asking why this was even made. Since... ya know... There is already a show... and the show is arguably one of the best pieces of animated media out there.... so ya..... At least this will once again spur people into watching the original show so that's something.

[airbender-dacyon]

Just some quick personal thoughts on Netflix’s adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender before it premieres tomorrow.

I know I’ve not been as active the last couple years, especially in the Kataang and AtLA fandom, but I started this blog for Kataang and AtLA and it will always be a blog for Kataang and AtLA. And it’s been a while since I’ve talked about my favorite fandom and ultimate OTP.

First and foremost, I think the adaptation is completely unnecessary (same goes for the HTTYD live-action movie that’s currently being filmed). The story has been told in a visual medium already through its original animated series.

That said, I feel this live-action series will be an improvement over the 2010 film, though that is admittedly a very low bar to clear.

Despite that I feel it’s unnecessary, I do intend to watch it after I rewatch the first season of AtLA. I want the first season fresh in my mind because I’m planning to do some level of a review of each episode as I watch it, if anyone’s interested.

My expectations for the show are that it will be… okay. Somewhat good even. Slightly above average.

From the trailers and clips released so far, I have hopes for some aspects of the adaptation and disappointment and irritation with other elements. It seems like they’ve handled some concepts well (set design, costumes, casting, visual effects, some character bonding moments, expanding upon some of the lore and characters, etc.) while it appears they may have failed to grasp the significance of key plot points and character arcs (Aang is a kid, please let him be a kid and have his fun; Sokka needs to grow as a person; Katara needs to relearn how to be a kid and have fun; Ozai scarred Zuko because Zuko refused to fight him during their Agni Kai, so why is there apparently a fully choreographed fight?).

I’m hoping I’m proved wrong on the rumored issues regarding plot points and character arcs.

I understand there are always differences between adaptations, but some of these things do worry me.

All of this said, please do not attack the cast and crew if you dislike the show. Criticism is fair, but do not go after the people who worked on this adaptation, no matter how much you disagree with some (or all) of the decisions.

And I think most importantly, be kind to newcomers to the fandom and if they liked the show, encourage them to watch the original animated series. We have an opportunity to show people that the original series is worthy of its praise and that any adaptation, no matter how well done, won’t be able to recapture the essence and beauty that made the original series so special.

I say this because it was only thanks to the live-action adaptations of One Piece and Percy Jackson that got me interested in the originals. It wasn’t that I never had an interest in them, but I had other shows/books/fandoms/interests that overshadowed them for literal years. Now I’m planning to read the OP manga and the PJO books once I’ve got some free time. And I imagine I’ll enjoy them both more than the live-action adaptations.

Last, but not least, I’m hoping to see some bonding between the main trio and especially hoping the Kataang friendship is strong. I doubt there will be any indications of anything romantic, but if they at least handle Katara and Aang’s friendship well, it will serve as a foundation for any romance in potential future seasons.

So, these are my ramblings.

If anyone is interested in me reviewing the episodes, let me know and I’ll try my best to write them up when I get a chance.

In conclusion, be respectful of the cast and crew, be kind to fandom newcomers (and please do not incite ship wars), be open-minded about the show if you watch it, but also do not be afraid to critique the adaptation.

[lightningfilledsaber]

i have a quastion. what is dungeon meshi like i’ve considered watching the anime since it looks amusing…. i trust you as an authority on this hence why i’m in your asks :3c

Dungeon Meshi is so good!!!

So Ryoko Kui (the author of the manga) is a super super great artist and writer in general, and her knowledge of intimate and expansive worldbuilding, including the cultures of different fantasy races is VERY apparent in dunmesh without being super in your face. It strikes a perfect balance between showing and implying and telling; giving you information when you need it but not holding your hand throughout the process. Ecology and biology of creatures and the places (mostly dungeons but yk) is SUPER important and expanded upon in the story. It scratches my Creature autism SOOO well. And all of the characters are VERY distinct and fun AND THE DESIGNS FUCK SOOO HARD. Dungeon Meshi has become one of my favorite series of all time, because it's so. so fucking profound. There are a LOT of funny moments and gags but there's an equal amount of genuinely serious and emotional moments. The character dynamics. GOD. Cannot recommend it enough.

Also. Dungeon Meshi is super fucking horny. LMAO. Not in a "fanservice-y" way (in fact, there is only ONE character that ever gets upskirt/panty shots and it is Senshi, the bearded dwarf man. He's my fave btw <3). But dunmeshi uses consumption (and to a lesser/technical extent cannibalism as well) as a... metaphor for love and obsession, and frequently eroticizes it. I hesitate to say metaphor because it's honestly VERY obvious lmao. Especially with how genuinely autistic Laios is about monsters and eating them. Then there's also transformation and change that's also VERY eroticized. A lot of the focus of Dungeon Meshi is desire. How people experience it, and just how far people will go for it. Which, again, is super eroticized a LOT. All done in a tasteful(? not sure if this is the right word but yk) way and not in a surface level "LOOK, SEX!!!!!!!!!" way. Not that there's anything inherently WRONG with being horny and not being like profound about it but I'm just trying to make a point lol

Now to specifically talk about the anime since that's what you mentioned wanting to watch (though I REALLY reccommend the manga, it is fucking GORGEOUS and there are so many hilarious panels that haven't been brought over to the anime, despite how well it's been doing with that so far. It just happens with turning a manga into an anime yk?)! It's doing a really good job so far!! The only issues I have are relatively nitpicky (I've gone into detail abt it if you wanna see here) and more of an issue with modern anime overall so! They're doing a really great job of translating over from the page to the screen and the voice acting work (both the original japanese and english dub) is really fucking good. And I don't typically like modern english dubs. The layout of the episodes is really nice so far too, centering around the "dish/es of the day" without feeling too constrictively like your typical "monster of the week" type episodes. It helps that Dungeon Meshi as a media itself strikes a really good balance between that and its storytelling. Though again. Laios is genuinely SO fucking autistic about monsters and eating them lmao and the series focuses on him/his party so! There's so much good in depth discussion about monsters, both their biology (especially in relation to their taste hehe) as well as their natures, and ecology!

I'm also really a fan of netflix releasing the episodes weekly instead of dropping them all at once. It's refreshing coming from netflix specifically considering their... track record.

But anyway yeah! TYSM Marty for coming to me about this and letting me go on an autistic talk about it!! I only apologize for not being more specific, but a lot of my dunmesh posting (reblogs anyway since I'm pretty sure the posts I've MADE about it have been relatively vague??) is already pretty spoilery and I'm a firm believer in a first watch/read being as spoiler free as possible!! It makes subsequent rewatches/rereads all the more fun to me personally <3 Though that's obviously up to you lol

[fedor-bortnik-digital-media-blog]

3. SOURCES - Intertextuality and Transmedia

Intertextuality and transmedia are powerful tools, that allow the consumers to enjoy the same franchise as different mediums. We can not only enjoy the comics about the superman, but also watch the movies about the character, play games as a superhero and so on. This allows us to explore our favourite franchise even further, speculate more with friends about the lore, and generally have more excitement with the franchise. That is what makes transmedia a very interesting and exciting concept.

Henry Jenkins describes transmedia as… “a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience.” (2011) One of the biggest challenges of converting the medium (for example, adapting the movie into a video game), is understanding what made it great in the first medium, and then attempt to make it great in the second one. During the adaptation of the medium, artists must understand that, for example, applying the same rules from movie art to a game art will completely cross out the video game as a medium. 

Andrzej Sapkowski’s (1990) Witcher, as a franchise, is a great example of transmedia - Coming initially from books, then into games, into comics - and then finally into a series. The great fact about Witcher as a transmedia is that no matter which type of medium you choose, you will always get a story-oriented content: No matter if you read, play, or watch a movie - you will always have an opportunity to experience the world that the title is settled in, it’s characters, their level of actions and finally - the setting. Developers of each medium took the Witcher (1990) story as an independent source, ignoring the aspects of the original medium and focusing on the details of a new one. Each medium excitedly experiments with the original Witcher text and its own medium to expand on the existing world from a new perspective, such as an interactive world (video games), deep characters (books), and strong immersion (series). If the consumer did not enjoy one medium from the franchise - they can always try a different one and see if they will like it or not.

When the Witcher TV series (2019) was released, people did not enjoy the fact that the characters did not look familiar as from video games, but I don't think that they had to. Here, I agree with Henry Jenkins one quote where said that “Some have tried to argue that games are a key component of transmedia, but I do not want to prioritize digital media extensions over other kinds of media practices.” (2011), and I agree with this quote, since there are other components of transmedia like books, music, drawings that could also share the transmedia.

My final example of a media, that could support the quote above would be Sonic The Hedgehog (2020) - Coming from the game industry, and being released as a movie - it became extremely popular in the cinemas, claiming the viewer's hearts. What's great about this example is that the viewers do not have to play the game to love the movie. It became popular not because there was a game about the hedgehog or because of a large fan pool from the said game, but because of masterful use of the movie genre, good writing and so on.

Conclusion - Transmedia allows the creators to expand their ideas beyond one medium. With transmedia, people can not only read about their favourite fantasies but also listen to them, play them, and watch them. In other words - enjoy them in the best way they want to. With Transmedia there is only one big challenge -and it is to properly transfer or expand the selected media to a new medium, making sure it will be constructed reasonably and be enjoyed.

References:

Andrzej Sapkowski (1990), Witcher (9 vol.). Poland: SuperNowa.

Sonic The Hedgehog (2020), directed by Jeff Fowler. [Feature film]. Paramount Pictures

The Witcher (TV series), Netflix, December 20, 8:00.

Jenkins, H. (2011) “Transmedia 202: Further Reflection,” Henry Jenkins Pop Junction, 31 July. Available at: http://henryjenkins.org/blog/2011/08/defining_transmedia_further_re.html

[storiesbyjes2g]

Keep it in the family game

A recent conversation came to mind this morning, so I thought I'd share with you my thought process. You may remember me saying The Piersons and Friends is a dramatic interpretation of what happens in my game. I do play in this save, though it happens less and less the more complicated this story gets. Despite how complicated it gets, I still consider it to be a gameplay-based story. More like gameplay assisted lol. But I am a writer. I've been writing stories since I was six years old. I think in stories. I even use stories at work! The temptation to let my imagination go wild and make this story even more cinematic, dramatic, and messy is always lurking around the corner. But there is one thing I do that helps me keep it straight, and that is I keep everything within the realm of the game.

You say, "But, Jess! What's wrong with pulling out all the stops??" Nothing! But in order for me to keep the flame lit and stay in love with this family, I need for it to remain fun. The moment I decide to take this story out of the realm of the game and turn it into the next big Netflix series starts the countdown clock to burnout and frustration. Writing realistic stories with The Sims is SUPER fun. But they are a LOT of work—especially mentally. It's basically like writing AND illustrating a novel. I will write a novel one day, but don't want to continue using my fun time that way anymore.

(details about my process under the cut)

So what does that mean, keeping everything within the realm of the game? Exactly that! If it can't happen in the game (my modded game, that is), it doesn't go in the story...mostly. The Piersons and Friends is more real than aDOLTing, so I let myself have a little more fun there and add non-game things in sometimes (i.e. Yvonne's colorism, the Pierson's marriage counseling, etc.). But the aDOLTing sims are 100% simmish, and there are zero real-life elements in that story; this is why I don't restrict their travel. If you see anything realistic in this story, it comes from mods. Here are a few ways I keep my stories rooted in gameplay.

Personalities

My sims personalities are heavily based on their traits, aspirations, character values, and preferences. I allow myself to be a tiny bit more creative with sims not born in game, but I still stay close. I might expand their histories to the entire Sims franchise for more options, like how Ali's parents are from Monte Vista. But I guess now that we have Tartosa, they could be from there. I don't always do this 100%, especially when I'm making characters with specific backstories, but the game information is definitely at the heart of their personality.

Careers

Their employment is based on the game's mechanisms for making money. For careers, they follow the game's progression. I may expand on their actual roles to make them more interesting (i.e. Emmy & Nadia's jobs). I use the chance cards a LOT for that. I think it's boring to type what they say word for word; I'm writing a story not telling the news. I take a moment to think about how it would play out cinematically and write it into the story vs. it being a random piece of information that does nothing to move the plot along. I don't always put a screenshot of the chance card because either it's a very common one you'd recognized by the way I've worded it. Honestly, the only reason I ever include them in The Piersons and Friends is to remind you this story is still steeped in gameplay. I feel like, because I write this story dramatically and present it cinematically, you guys sometimes have expectations about what should happen next because it's so real to you, and I love that! But the fact is, there are certain directions I have no intention of taking this story no matter how bad you guys want it. That's just how it has to be to protect my peace.

Relationships

Friendships

There is a reason I included Evie as the matron of honor. I remember commenting a long time ago she should have been Mel's childhood BFF, but she met Gabby first; she met Evie in high school. I didn't show it a lot, but they had a more meaningful relationship. Hopefully you got that from the few conversations I did show. I imagine Melany connected with her more because she was more mature than the other girls and Evie was older. In game, Melany gravitates to her more than Gabby, and Evie actually makes an effort to maintain their friendship by coming over from time to time. Gabby has NEVER showed up at Mel's house. Ever. At any point in life. But because of Mel's personality, I couldn't make her throw Gabby away...initially. I also couldn't forget her friendship with Evie although it's not shown much, so I gave her a very important role in the wedding to honor that.

I give this example to show how interactions (and lack there of) also factor into how I portray friendships and also how they factor into character's personalities.

Romance

I follow game mechanics, so unfortunately flirting with someone else is an especially heinous act and was the cause of all the drama between Melany, Nick, and Anissa back in the day. One thing about me is I like to do things the easy way, and taking whatever the game gives me is very easy. It may not make sense in our world, but it follows logic. They drank the tea and became flirty. Titus flirted with Mel, and she reciprocated. Drama ensued, and I ran with it. As long as there is some sort of logic, I'm cool. I leave the stuff that doesn't make sense out of the story because I want my story to be good lol.

I think that's all I wanted to say. For those struggling with this issue, I hope it helped. For those who had certain questions about The Piersons and Friends, I hope this cleared it up for you. If not, you know where I'm at. Drop me an ask. I love talking about my stories.

[pennywaltzy]

The Favourites -- 21, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30

The Dark -- 32, 33

21. Who is/are your favourite character(s) to write? Molly Hooper from my more recent writings, hands down. She's so complex and we fic writers can expand on that and make her a character deserving of ACD canon lore. I also have a soft spot for Don Flack from CSI: NY. He's a blast.

22. Who is/are your favourite pairing(s) to write? I love writing any and all pairings with my Little Black Dress characters throughout various fandoms (Buffy Summers, Spike, Greg Sanders, Calleigh Duquesne, Don Flack, Ichigo Kurosaki, Molly Hooper, Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock Holmes, Jim Kirk, Dean Winchester, Joan Watson). I also REALLY REALLY miss my two main Bleach pairings, Toshiro/Karin and Grimmjow/Neliel.

24. Favourite genre to write and read: Romance in any subgenre you can think of. I tend to, non-fanfic wise, read a lot of supernatural romance, romantasy, chick lit and historical romance with murder mystery plots. I just am a sucker for a good love story, I guess.

28. Favourite side character: Aside from Molly Hooper, who I will love to the end of the earth and back, probably Faith Lehane from the Buffyverse. She's absolutely fucking fascinating as a character to study and write. I also really love Kevin Ryan & Javier Esposito from Castle, though I'm not sure they're really side characters and are more main-adjacent? Whatever. I adore the two of them so fucking much.

29. Favourite villain: Oooooh. Um...Well, I do love both Sherlock's Jim Moriarty and Elementary's Jamie Moriarty a ton. They are both excellent villains, though Jamie is sorely underutilized. In books, Zakath from the Belgariad/Mallorean series is such a fascinating case, because he's a villain in the first series and an (unwilling at first) acquired hero in the second. But I love love love him.

30. Favourite idea you haven’t started on yet: Can I use one I started and have since abandoned until I can rewatch the source material? TMI, I was a victim of sexual assault when I was younger, and stuff with rape/sexual assault is a weird thing for me as a viewer. Sometimes it sets off flashbacks and crap, and other times I can view it in a critical manner and deal with it that way. S1 of Bridgerton rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't like that Daphne resorted to what she did. So I had the idea if, waaaaaaay back during the duel, Simon had been honest about not wanting to have children of his own with Daphne, therefore letting his bloodline die out, how could that have changed everything (but most of all prevented That Scene). I got one chapter done but lost Netflix access for a while so I have left it to rot, but I do eventually want to get back to that and rewrite S1 with a happier ending and less angst for Daphne and Simon.