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cherrytea556 · 1 year

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'It Ends With Us' and its missed opportunity of using Plant symbolism

[The screenshot of text being: 'I shrugged. "For loving my plants the right way. Plants reward you based on the amount of love you show them. If your cruel to them or neglect them, they give you nothing. But if you care for them and love them the right way, they reward you with gifts in the form of vegetables or fruits or flowers." I looked down at the weed I was tearing apart with my hands and their was barely an inch left of it. I wadded it up between my fingers and flicked it']

Okay so far I'm reading it ends with us by colleen from my plan on doing an iceberg where i review all of colleens books from most popular to the least/lesser known and see what similarities they all have and what it says about them. Having a read through 'it ends with us' (though not finished yet though I have seen a video from rachel oates who read it and described the events in detail), I already have issues with how its made from atlas, its queer representation, its poorly aged pop culture reference (that being Ellen de generous), how out of pocket privileged the characters are (with the main character already having a florist shop at 23 and having a rich lady come to her store and randomly decides to help her), how the story has no trigger warnings for a book on domestic violence and even sa at some point etc...Though what i will give it credit for is this line.

This line is of lily describing how plants function. You love them right, they grow to love you, if you don't live them right, you'll get nothing. This line in particular can be looked at in many ways like relationships humans have like when you love someone properly, they'll love you back, Whereas if you don't love them properly, they wouldn't feel the same way. The plants in question can also be a symbol for mental health in relationships as they give you 'rewards' that benefit both of you; Trust, honesty, authenticity etc. However, when if you don't love them the right way or neglect them, you will not get any of that trust, honesty or authenticity etc.

Plants also represent growth/balance, loving the plant the right way needs to be in moderation; meaning that you cant overlove (giving them too much water) nor underlove them (not watering them). Both of these can represent the toxic traits of a relationship, overlove being possessiveness, neediness, insecurity, trapping, lovebombing etc....while underlove being neglect, ghosting, non communication, silent treatment etc. Balance in a relationship requires communication, trust, honesty and viewing each others needs (as both overlove and underlove never view the others needs, only their one in oppose forms). This is also where growth comes in as when plants are loved in a balanced form, it grows to become a healthy plant till they grow old to die (symbol of healthy relationships/persons mental health) however, when their being loved in an unbalanced way (either overlove or underlove), then they die faster (both a symbol for relationship and persons mental health as the relationship progresses), although the plant may be dead, that doesnt mean it goes extinct as theirs plenty of more plants to grow by, representing healing from an unhealthy relationship.

I just wish their was more plant symbolism in the book especially with how its a major motif in the book (The main characters name, her career, her coping with anger by destroying tearing apart weed, the book covers being of flowers etc). Imagine her tearing apart weeds at the beginning to establish her emotions towards her father as ryle notices as he kicks a chair, both bonding over their coping mechanism with anger and the events that went through with their lives, making us see how lily fell for ryle (because i honestly couldn't see why she would besides his looks) from how he seems to understand and even empathize/support her even when it foreshadows his domestic violence towards her in the book. Imagine instead of letters for ellen, their letters for her plants as she views these plants as her safe space, being open to telling them about her life and issues than her parents (from her parents themselves (specifically the father) having an abusive relationship) and would read or summarize her letters to them, maybe even keeping them vague in case either her parents or people who might tell on her to her parents of what she says to them. This can establish on her being a vulnerable teenager relying on plants as her support system at home, seeing how it makes her exploitable to atlas (because if he still exist and the age gap is still gonna be there, you might as well paint it for what it truly is; creepy and predatory) and see how it all carries to her into adulthood (maybe her thinking how these big age gaps are okay or how she falls the trick these guys use of supporting her vulnerability when their actually doing it to use her). Imagine instead of the flower shop being this 'deathly, cool anti flower shop', it was a regular flower shop from the get go until her relationship with ryle, seeing how the flower shop slowly resemble her mental health, this generic but cozy shop turned into a more depressed, muted and an all around shadow of itself, representing her mental health decreasing and her identity slowly being lost the more shes with ryle from his abuse. And imagine towards the end where she leaves ryle for good, she takes away the dead plants as she waters the new ones (alone, with a support system or her daughter) in the right amount, symbolizing of her on a journey to healing. With a support network, you can have them talking about their experiences as the plants start to slowly grow or her with her daughter, using the dialogue of how plants function before as a metaphor to teach her daughter that she should both be loved the right amount and to love people the right amount. All of these would show the cycle breaking in favor of healing from the pain that comes within it.

Plant symbolism could've helped the book convey a powerful message of breaking the cycle of abuse in both a technical and/or (at least) in an artistic standpoint, but it doesn't which is really a shame.

#colleen hoover slander #tw abuse #tw domestic violence #tw sa mention #symbolism #flowers #plants #plant symbolism #flower symbolism #books #tumblr books #it ends with us

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dinitride-art · 2 years

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Lighting and Mike and Will & El and Max - Full Analysis (Pt. 24)

Hello, Max nice to see you- is that another fucking disco ball?

S4:E9 - Finding Max (Pt.2) “The Snowball”

“The light” is Max’s entire plan. This shot of Lucas and the emphasis of the flashlight and the light glowing over him is important. Max isn’t narrating this scene, but we’re still being shown that Lucas’ lighting has romantic implications.

Max, while in the Creel house, finds herself confronted with Billy in the sauna. This is another point of light, but it’s possible that it was a trick (of the light) and she was lead there.

Max’s goes ahead with her plan and heads into the light; the Snow Ball. A few things about the setting.

One, the Snow Ball’s lighting is blue. It’s similar to the lighting inside the Creel house which may foreshadow the plan failing. It’s pretty dark in this setting, the disco ball seemingly being the main source of light.

Two; Rink O’ Mania. There was another disco ball this season.

Back when Mike, Will and El went to Rink O’ Mania, a disco ball seemed to hover behind Will’s head. This was what showed us that Mike’s focus was on Will.

Now, it’s directly above Max’s head.

This shot of Max shows what she normally looks like in this setting. Lighting wise, she’s pretty normal. Nothing is implying anything yet.

A few points about the Creel house before I move on. First of all, one of Robin’s Molotov cocktails is red. Primary colours are important.

Second, this stain glass window is important. They break it to get into the house the first time, which could be referring to something else within the show. The breaking of the rose, and the breaking of a window, and that window being stained glass are all saying something. El’s shirt has red and yellow roses on it, and we know that El’s colour could be red. Roses are also common symbols of romantic love, so to break it means more than just breaking a window.

But breaking a window could also mean something. This window specifically is opaque. So, breaking it could mean something along the lines of, “your dominos are gonna fall” or being able to see something that we previously could not. A major theme this season is secrets, so seeing hidden things is in line with the breaking of this stained glass window.

Last thing here, are the two yellow flower lamps hanging on either side of the door. Flowers have been brought up quite a few times: Mike’s flowers to El at the airport, El’s current shirt, the stained glass window, and now here. Flowers meanings are kind of complicated.

So, I’m going to assume that the flowers are connected to the current season; Spring. In that case they’d probably represent something like growth and renewal and other Spring things.

Back to El and the skaters, we can see another skater dressed in primary colours.

El is also in the same light that she’s been in since she arrived in Max’s memory.

This skater walks by little Max. He’s not dressed in primary colours unlike the others. This is our first view of Max. Her face is in the light.

We zoom in on little Max and can see her outfit a bit better. Red sweater with blue and green and rainbow. This isn’t the first time that rainbows have been associated and placed around Max. Her shirt in season three had rainbow sleeves and so did her sheets that we saw when her and El had a sleepover.

Despite how interesting the rainbows that surround Max are, I want to look a little more into the green zipper. Red and green have an interesting relationship in Stranger Things. It’s not overly out there to suggest that green is used in place of red/to cover up romantic feelings.

El sees Max, and we can see a green skater in the background. We can also see the setting more clearly, the green grass and trees behind her head.

Max skates off, and a green skater passes though the screen. This skater is also wearing red knee pads.

We see the skater do a loop around El, continuing to stay in frame and in our sights.

The light on El’s face also carefully stays mostly shaded, the angle she’s at not allowing her to fully enter the light.

And the skater appears again when we look back to Max. The green shirt and red knee pads are very recognizable in the right hand side of the shot.

El explains the situation and then we find ourselves at this shot of Will. He’s still in his soft light, because of Mike, but we’re looking at him from over Jonathan’s shoulder. Actually, we’re looking at Will and Mike from over Jonathan’s shoulder. Jonathan is on the same page as us, he’s seeing the same things as we are. But ultimately this is Mike’s narration, unless there is another reason for Will to be in this type of light while everyone else isn’t.

Also worth looking at are the yellow and blue cans beside Will’s head. Because we have and OTS shot from Jonathan, this could be saying that he knows something about whats going on with Mike and Will.

We can tell that this is still Mike’s narration, despite Jonathan’s OTS shot and shots that don’t directly show what Mike sees or what he’s shown to be reacting to or looking at, because of how Will continues to be lit in this scene.

It’s also not Will’s narration because we can see that with El, her face is shaded when narrating, just like Mike’s had been.

Back to El, this is where she spots the snow ball table on the walkway overhead. Her face still shaded, though now allowing some light to creep in.

Will’s lighting changes here. His face is now shaded, only with a small glint of light shining on his nose. The other times we saw Will were when we was speaking we saw Mike looking at him. We don’t see Mike looking at Will in this shot. They’re all focused on El.

But Will still is taking up half of the shot.

An establishing shot, very similar to Rink O’ Mania, of the disco ball.

We see Max half lit and sitting down at one of the blue tables. The red of the bow and the punch in the cups stands out against all the blue in this setting.

Vecna makes his presence known and we end up with this shot of Max. Again she’s under the disco ball and positioned in a way that she’s in the middle of the frame and the setting (the red circle on the gym floor). The red basketball hoop also is placed over her head.

We see in this shot the record player and the record playing the song, ‘Every Breath You Take’ by The Police. The album cover is three stripes of colour; red, yellow and blue.

We zoom in even further on to the record. The light on it is blue and yellow.

As El makes her was to the table, we can see it’s surrounded by green.

And so is El.

But as she gets closer to Max, the shadow on her face lessens.

Unlike when we were shown Max focusing on the record table, we can see both the records playing.

We switch over to Max’s perspective and see again, a singular record player.

Then red begins to seep through all of the blue of the Snow Ball.

And again we are directed to the contrast of the red and the blue.

We then loose the little light we had, and are submerged fully into the blue.

Once again, we zoom out from Max, disco ball and “Snow Ball” in frame.

The disco ball in this scene parallels the one at Rink O’ Mania. The disco ball directs our attention to a character that another is looking at/for. It’s also interesting that the setting is the snow ball considering that scene from season two. The first and second times El would’ve seen Max were in the school gym. First when she was talking to Mike and second at the Snow Ball.

Another interesting thing with the Snow Ball is that it parallels the situation at Rink O’ Mania. But instead of Mike and El leaving Will behind, it’s Will and a girl that asked him to dance. We see Mike as the one left behind, moping. Until El arrives and they dance together, at least.

There are quite a few romantic implications about the Snow Ball, between Max and Lucas, and Mike and Will, and now with how everything is being set up,

Between El and Max as well.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 (To be edited)

#byler #elmax #the lights #stranger things #max mayfield #eleven hopper #thought i was free #but the disco ball came right back didnt it

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inamindfarfaraway · 3 years

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I really like how Tangled: The Series uses outfit changes to reflect the main character’s development. WARNING: OVERANALYSIS AHEAD.

Cassandra’s initial outfit (which will go here because Raps and Eugene’s starting clothes are established in the movie) is plain, subdued and practical, setting her apart from the other Coronans and the country’s bright and cheery aesthetics, while also showing her down-to-earth and reliable nature. The dagger on her belt and hidden one in her boot show that she is inclined to violence in her protectiveness of her loved ones, country and ideals and is a capable fighter who likes to be extremely prepared and self-reliant. The most dominant colour being dark red subtly foreshadows her connection to Gothel. But red is also the colour of the royal guards. Her own style is in all respects at odds with her pastel blue, flowing, lacy, demure handmaiden dress, showing us that she really isn't meant for or thriving in her job. Cass the handmaiden is not Cass, but merely a front, a box she’s been forced into.

Rapunzel’s Season Two outfit is sturdier and more practical than her previous more stereotypically ‘princess-y’ dress and has some darker and more muted colours, even outright black. This shows this season’s more adventurous and serious tone and Raps’s personal increase in courage and confidence, and loss of innocence. The flower in her hair is replaced with a bird pin; she’s traded the symbolism of flowers, growth and renewal, from the renewal of her life as and growth into the princess of Corona for that of birds, freedom and daring. This brings to mind the bird imagery in “Set Yourself Free” and the birds that flew past her way back when she first escaped the tower.

Eugene’s Season Two outfit is likewise more… swashbuckling. It’s the vibes, you know what I mean! The shoulder pad indicates that he’ll be doing dangerous, athletic activities, for example. The blue jacket is more similar to his most-of-Season Three one than it is to the old waistcoat. I’ll get to that in a bit, but basically what I say about that applies here but less so and minus the sun stuff. It’s kind of the proto-Season Three jacket.

Cassandra is the only lead not to get any new clothes in the second season opening. Yes, obviously she’s changed a lot since Rapunzel came along (before that her father was the only positive relationship she'd ever had in her whole life, as far as we know), but in some very important ways, especially to her, she remains stagnant: she’s still in service to Rapunzel. Her existence is still legally considered inherently subordinate to Raps’s. She goes on the journey to begin with to protect Rapunzel, after all. Her outfit hasn’t changed because, handmaiden vs 'bodyguard' technicalities and Raps genuinely considering her an equal and friend aside… her role as ‘gal pal side character’ and servant in the heroine’s story is exactly the same, and Cass becomes increasingly attuned to this fact. And she isn’t happy about it.

Cassandra’s armour between “Rapunzel and the Great Tree” and “Destinies Collide” represents her reinforced emotional walls, her desire to protect herself from further harm and betrayal by anyone, but specifically her own friends, and most of all Rapunzel, who has just permanently crippled and traumatized her. She finally gets new clothes, the better part of a season late. Just like Rapunzel gets everything first, while she’s left waiting until she can scavage some armour from a random, forgotten knight, exactly who she wants to avoid being. Cold steel physically cuts her off from human warmth and affection. The deep red cape continues that link to Gothel. I think her new disability is important to this outfit. It’s firmer to limit her withered arm’s movement and provides it with better protection and insulation, possibly acting as an improvised brace, thereby giving us an impression of how painful and inconvenient the injury must be.

All of that applies tenfold to Cass’s black rock armour. It is literally indestructible, the way her toxic coping mechanisms are intended to make her, but that only highlights her emotional vulnerability in contrast. The blue right gauntlet draws attention to her formerly crippled arm, a sharp reminder of the pain that drove her to this point. Her skin turns ashen, implying that though the Moonstone cures her arm, it is (unsurprisingly for a power of death and decay) causing biological damage to parallel its toll on her mental health. Her theme colour besides black abruptly switches from red to blue, its near opposite. Her dark hair and eyes that connoted how grounded, sincere and trustworthy she was are turned a naturally impossible luminous blue, more intense than her handmaiden dress’s pale blue. Her villainy is unnatural and wrong for her as her suppression then was, but far worse for herself and everyone else. (“Waiting in the Wings”, which spells out Cass’s insecurities that lead to her defection, occurs in a dark shadowy setting lit with blue moonlight, an early glimpse of Moonstone Cass’s black and blue colour scheme.)

Rapunzel’s Season Three outfit has elements brought back from her old dresses, like the puffy upper sleeves of the Season One princess dress and layered skirt combo with the front parting from Season Two, but it’s more elegant and refined than both of them. In a word, it’s regal. The colour gold is present for the first time in the cuffs, belt buckle and embrodered sun, connoting power and success and nicely complementing her purple. And of course, it matches her blonde hair that glows gold when she uses the Sundrop's magic, which she truly masters from now on. This look befits at first her role of acting queen, and throughout the season her development into a true leader to her people, increased responsibility and general maturity. The sun symbol’s placement on her chest mirrors Cass’s Moonstone, contributing to the parallels between them that this season is brimming with. It also foreshadows the solid Sundrop’s manifestation there in “Plus Est En Vous”.

Eugene’s pre-promotion Season Three outfit is similarly more mature and he proudly wears the crest of the land he used to be an outlaw in on his shoulders, a display of commitment to Corona’s people and wellbeing and his own belonging there. Despite now knowing himself to be the heir to the Dark Kingdom, his home is and always will be Corona. That’s a significant step forward after his identity crisis in “Destinies Collide”. The knee pads are a continuation of his last outfit’s shoulder pad. There being two pads this time contributes to the outfit’s symmetry and adds to the professional feel. Like Cass used to, he wears a dagger, illustrating his defensive role in his relationships and to his country (maybe royal guard foreshadowing?).

Eugene’s promotion to the captain of the guard brings his character arc full circle. The broken, lonely man who cared only for himself and mocked justice clad in cool blue has become a happy, loving and loved man who fights for justice and the greater good clad in warm red. Again, there’s the Coronan sun.

Cassandra’s ranger outfit combines various aspects of all her previous outfits to show the unification of her fractured personality and acceptance of all her past experiences and actions, the good with the bad: the overall structure highly reminiscent of her original independent outfit, right down to the belt with a small blue pouch on one side; her maid's veil tied around her arm; a cape with an asymmetrical oval clasp like in the original armour; a specialized glove on her withered arm like in the black rock armour, perhaps representing her making peace with and accommodating for her disability; and Varian’s cassandrium crystal necklace to remind her of her friends in Corona. The primary colour is green, the true opposite of both Gothel and that miserable, bitter handmaiden’s red, the colour of the growth and life Cass is leaving to engage in. Green is what she wore when she was a tenderhearted little girl, that very shade in fact. She may not be able to restore her innocence, but she can still see the world through new, more caring eyes. This is Cass.

#tangled the series #rapunzel's tangled adventure #tts #rta #tts analysis #rta analysis #tts rapunzel #rta rapunzel #tts eugene #rta eugene #tts cassandra #rta cassandra

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to-know-how-it-ends · 2 years

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Hadestown Thoughts

- .Hello fellow humans (and intelligent cats) of tumblr! I saw Hadestown on Broadway exactly 12 days ago and I have some thoughts. It was my first Broadway musical in my entire life and it was absolutely the most amazing thing I’ve ever witnessed/heard since... December last year when I saw Wicked on tour. Let’s go song by song to show just how much of a masterpiece this is.

Road to Hell:

- All of the actors just burst from the entrance door thingies and the wings! wowww. It felt so casual but so awesome

- T. Oliver Reid was Hermes and he had such a remarkable stage presence, like gosh, that’s good.

- I was a bit confused about the setup because it kind of looked to me like Hermes was a teacher and the chorus and Eurydice (Eva!!!!) were high school students. Maybe it’s just me. But then it all made sense.

- Hermes stops at every member of the chorus, doing handshakes, fistbumps, etc., and then he stops at Eurydice and puts his hand on her shoulder, and lingers for a moment, as if he’s regretful for the story having to happen yet again

- then he faces the audience, does that little lapel thing, unbuttons his suit (really shiny and i want it), puts his hands on his hips, and goes “alright!” to the chorus and then to the audience who repeats it back. Instantly drew us in, the fourth wall has officially been obliterated. I know Andre de Shields did an “aight” as opposed to “alright”, but it still had the same effect

- T. Oliver Reid’s mustache.

- the trombone player is a gift to this world

- It’s a sad song -- in the jumpiest tune ever

- this is really random but I really liked the yellow dress that the violin player was wearing

- when Hermes calls Orpheus and he misses his cue because he’s so focused on that red shmata and then he gives that cute little wave

- when Reeve and Eva pause in front of one another and Orpheus just has plain heart eyes

Any Way the Wind Blows

- the fates! the harmonies! my god. They were fantastic! Soara-Joye Ross was Atropos, and she had such a beautiful low voice. Jessie Shelton played Laechesis (hope i’m not totally butchering the spelling) and she had such an interesting mixture of joy and haunting. She had this huge taunting smile, and she seemed to love it whenever she could manipulate people. Literally amazing. Kay Trinidad (nothing like the OBC) was Clotho, and I feel like she brought the group together. She was mystical and creepy. And also seemingly very cold.

- Eva Noblezada is a blessing unto this earth. I mean it. And her voice! Ahhhh! From the literal heavens.

- I don’t know why this part always sticks out to me and some people might not notice it, but there are 3 notes in the word “blows”, and when Eva sings it they all flow together seamlessly, like pouring water into a glass. She could be a disney princess and outshine all of them. She can do amazing belts and also go very low and high. She can do anything. In case you couldn’t tell, I’m just a little bit in love with her.

- also if you look really close, on the candle that Eurydice lights there are flower designs -- my inner English teacher says good symbolism and also foreshadowing

- also, (wow i say that a lot) the acting in this (and the rest of the show) is incredible. I’ve seen a bunch of musicals in person before this (never on Broadway though), and while, granted, the acting is good, they act the relationships well, it’s very clearly acting. I don’t know what makes this so different but here it feels real, not fake. Maybe because Reeve and Eva are actually dating lol.

- ooooooh.

Come Home With Me

- Orpheus is a sweetheart. I’m also a little bit in love with him too. You know that a musical is good when you’re in love with both of the leads.

- I didn’t think I’d like him originally, but (like Eurydice) I fell in love in spite of myself

- Orpheus is adorable

- You can sense Hermes’ admiration of him, even if Orpheus is always like this

- when the chorus starts singing behind Orpheus. Someone said this in another review, and it’s very true: (i’m paraphrasing) It’s cool to see the balance of how awkward Orpheus is alongside how he commands attention with every note he sings

- also another thing -- in ancient greek epics, it was common for a chorus to sing behind the hero so I liked that symbolism

- That little scooch across the table Eva does when she’s like “oh, he’s craaazy”

Wedding Song

- I love the balance between Eurydice’s teasing and Orpheus’ earnestness and naivete

- Have I mentioned how adorable Orpheus is?

- when Eurydice is like “you wanna take me home?” and pulls down her coat to show her shoulder. tee hee. and orpheus totally misses the innuendo and is like Yes!

- He’s such a sweetie

- Reeve’s falsetto! I swear everyone in the cast has a voice straight from the heavens.

- La la la la la la la...

- When the chorus moves the tables for Orpheus to walk on in his ethereal state as Eurydice just looks on in awe

- I’ve watched a bunch of slime tutorials by now (only 12 days wow), and I know that the flower comes out of his hand, but I have to admit that when I was watching it I must have not been paying good enough attention because at first there was nothing in his hand, and then I blinked and there was

- that flower is beautiful by the way. I was recently visiting my grandparents and my Zaidy (grandfather) has a beautiful garden. I asked him if next year he could plant carnations but he wrinkled his nose and said that carnations were tacky flowers that don’t have a smell and that if you gave them to somebody it would be like an insult. But my mother likes them so I’ll get them for her. They will always be beautiful to me.

- And then at the end Eurydice’s face when she looks at him like, “Maybe he is everything he’s all cracked up to be. And even if he’s not, it’s kinda cute.”

Epic I

- I don’t have a lot of notes on this one except Reeve’s gift-from-god voice

- and also the sweet Orpheus/Hermes father/son relationship

- another difference i noticed from the soundtrack and seeing it live is that a lot of the words blend together when he’s singing in falsetto. Like when he says “And he fell in love with a beautiful lady” It sounds kind of like “beautifalady” but I actually prefer that because to me it sounds more raw, like it’s coming entirely out of him and not a songbook

Livin’ It Up On Top

- Jewelle Blackman as Persephone is a force to be reckoned with. I’m not going to compare versions as to which one is better but I will say that the way Amber Gray and Jewelle play Persephone differ greatly

- Jewelle used to play Atropos, so you know she has a MUCH deeper voice than Amber’s, but she does the same gritty things with her voice during certain lines like Amber.

- Eurydice’s reluctance to dance and then her getting right in the middle of it

- Persephone instantly clinging to Eurydice and giving her some alcohol from her flask, and then Eurydice’s surprised gasp lol

- The way Persephone lovingly touches Orpheus every time he passes her

- The way Eurydice looked at Orpheus when he gave her and Persephone cups, like “Oh, he’s so thoughtful...”

All I’ve Ever Known

- The mother of all love songs except perhaps As Long As You’re Mine. Actually no. This one is better

- The way they hold one another! Ahhhh my heart

- Like they simply can’t stay apart from one another, they live for the other

- that violin solo and the love ballet

Way Down Hadestown

- I knew this song was in the musical before I saw it because it’s in all the ads but I had no idea of the context

- How Orpheus and Eurydice are lying on the ground and holding one another for half the song and then the other half just hugging and making out because they’re totally oblivious to the change

- Basically singing that everything’s going wrong to the tune of sesame street

- the umbrella

- Jewelle’s forced smile when she says “you’re early”

- When Hades says “I missed ya” in his crazily low voice. It’s even lower now, probably because Patrick Page has aged. hehehe that rhymed

- When Eurydice says “Kinda makes you wonder how it feels” and then Hades lowers his shades and turns to her, and then Orpheus literally jumps in front of her

skipping a gathering storm because it’s like three seconds long and it’s usually always the same except Eurydice sounds more understanding and trusting in this than she does in the soundtrack and slime tutorials

Epic II

- when I tell you how much this song broke my heart

- And Orpheus’ empathy my gosh. How he’s able to empathize with Hades who is so different from him. It sounds like he’s the only one who truly understands how Hades is feeling

- La la la la la la la

- la la la la la la la

- that’s it

Chant

- by far the best song in the musical

- highlights every single perspective:

Persephone -- in shock of how much has changed in the underworld and how unnatural all this manufactured light and heat is so she’s trying to numb herself from it with wine, she cannot believe that this is what has become of the man she once fell in love with “I don’t know you anymore”

Hades -- the fact that he’s doing this all out of love for Persephone, to mimic the sunlight on earth so that she’ll want to stay, but he’s so blinded that he’s allowing himself to go down a very dark and dare I say evil (but somewhat i don’t want to say understandable but like you see why) path and he’s sort of jealous of her devotion to the people on earth

Orpheus -- trying desperately to finish the song, all he wants is to protect Eurydice with it, all he wants is for her to be safe and have everything he promised her because he feels she deserves it so much that he himself has also blinded into oblivion and can’t get the focus off the song. What he doesn’t realize is that they need food and shelter and fire now, but he’s just so swept up. Was that wrong? Yes, but he’s not to blame though he will blame himself. If I hear any hate for Orpheus I have an orange belt in Tai Shin Do -- that’s all I’m saying

Eurydice -- Orpheus showed her the way the world could be and she’s trying in spite of her gut to see that, to trust that Orpheus is going to “shelter us”, but she knows how the world is. She’s more cynical, but also more reasonable, and Orpheus isn’t helping to provide because he’s so stuck on his song which leaves her as the main provider until his song is done. She’s losing everything, and as the wind grows, her hope lessens and she becomes more desperate, and as everyone knows, desperate times call for desperate measures...

Hermes -- trying to get Orpheus out of his head, perhaps I can change the direction of the story, maybe it can go right this time, but I feel like by the time Orpheus has the a-ha moment and says “The gods have forgotten the song of their love”, and Hermes turns away, he knows that Orpheus has lost himself completely and there’s nothing he can do

The Fates -- acting as the doubt in Eurydice’s head and the wind, taking away everything she and Orpheus has, and you feel awful as they pull off Eurydice’s coat

The Workers -- Their chant is so ominous “Keep your head low” and that fact that the reason they are working is because of how much Hades has been changed because of his blindness and jealousy because of his love for Persephone

- I just love that all the parts blend together. Visually, it’s a masterpiece, with all the turntables being used and the thingy that brings people up and down in the middle

- eva’s pure desperation

- the way it seems like orpheus is really trying to get the sound right, he’s repeating himself and scrunching up his face desperately

Hey, Little Songbird

- Oh man, Patrick Page’s voice is like a massage on your brain

- But it is so, so creepy

- as is the song which is kinda the point

- It makes it look like he’s trying to seduce Eurydice

- You really get a sense of Eva’s range in this song. In four lines, she basically uses all of it, and I feel like that’s sort of the symbolism for Eurydice giving everything she has if you think about it but that could just be me.

- Like the low part in “Wasn’t it gonna be the two of us?” and then the high “weren’t” in “Weren’t we birds of a feather”

- I love all the bird analogies in it, like of course with the songbird thing, but then “I wanna fly down and feed at his hand, I want a nice soft place to land”

- The pure grief and desperation (i use this word a lot) in her voice

- “songbird vs. rattlesnake” kinda interesting when you think about it that the reason Eurydice went down to the Underworld in the original myth was because she was bitten by a snake on her wedding day and now she’s being lured down by a metaphorical “snake”, Hades

- “see how the vipers and vultures surround you” - this song is very reminiscent to me of Eicha (איכה) where it basically uses metaphors like this to describe the exile of the Jewish people

- Hades is also doing this as a kind of petty way to get back at Persephone

- God, Hades is so creepy

When The Chips Are Down

- there is so much I love about this song

- the vocals! Ahhhh! they were perfect! PERFECT and so spicy!

- the taunting, ooh. You never know whether or not to love or hate the Fates in this, but it still stands that they have the best harmonies in the show

- When they say “You got a knife in the back”, and then Eurydice acts like she’s literally been stabbed in the back. You can actually see the pain and tears on her face and feel it in your chest. Or, at least I could.

- “you can have your principles when you’ve got a belly full” -- there was an interview with the cast where reeve was saying something like “The point of the show is not that people say, oh that’s what she would do, that’s what they would do in hadestown, but can you honestly say that you would?” Someone said this somewhere, can’t remember, but if the choice is between x and survival, it’s not really a choice. What they’re really saying in this song and actually throughout the entire show is they’re using the characters as a vessel to challenge you, would you really have been able to do it any differently, honestly? Can you say that you’d be better?

Gone, I’m Gone

- not many notes, just the single tear that fell onto the stage. Like gosh. That’s not acting, that’s real

- Hermes wears glasses

Wait For Me

- I knew this song from the ads but, like Way Down Hadestown, I didn’t know the context.

- Visually a work of art

- the swinging lanterns! Oh my gosh.

- Hermes gets very stern in this. It’s almost like he’s mocking Orpheus a little bit, idrk what to think. Because like after he does that, he’s immediately helping him.

- i wonder what it tastes like to have your mouth stuffed with cotton

- orpheus’ desperate “noooo” when hermes is like, “But I guess you weren’t listening”

- The flower and how lovingly and desperately (there I go again with desperate but it seems like the main word of the musical) orpheus holds it out, like that’s his piece of Eurydice and he needs to be back together with her, he can’t bear to be without her

- The fates starting to also be a part of Orpheus’ story, acting as his doubt “who are you? where do you think you’re going? who are you to think that you can walk a road that no one’s ever walked before” and he’s like screw you, anything for my love

- the lights start swelling as Orpheus sings la la la la la la la

- when the stage opens up... the whole audience collectively gasped

- the last verse and everything about it -- “I’m coming!”

- I was a bit confused why this wasn’t the end of act 1 because it was a showstopper, and I still am a little bit confused, but I think the next song is worth it for the last song of act 1 and i will tell you why.

Why We Build The Wall

- what I think is so funny is that this song was written in 2006

- and it’s a kind of political musical. How did anais kind of prophesize Trump?

- that low voice, holy cow

- the fact that Hades refers to his workers as his children

- and the fact that the thing they are building to keep out poverty is the same thing they think that poverty wants

- But. I want to repeat something that Reeve Carney once said in an interview (he says the most meaningful things): “Oftentimes, physical walls are merely manifestations of emotional walls within oneself”

Carney: “Walls that we build against intimacy, togetherness, unity, all those things. I mean, there's so many walls you can build that prevent you from feeling something. That's where I think it starts. And our show deals those themes. I mean ... love, fear, hope, trust, doubt." and then Patrick Page: "And the world now is so complex and moving so fast and so scary, that it's not surprising to me that people would want to think, 'Oh, well there's a solution. We will simply build this barrier and will keep all of the good people inside and we'll put all of the bad people on the outside and we'll be safe.' That's what Hades is appealing to.”

I don’t think I can add any more, what they said is so perfectly true.

Wait one more Patrick quote:

"Any time you have someone who's trying to hold onto power, which is what my character is doing, he's trying at that moment to build up his own sense of himself, his own sense of power, because his relationship is threatened. Political things come from personal things, so he's feeling threatened in his personal life. He goes out and holds a rally in which he gets everyone to chant about building a wall."

- oh and this is why it’s a good ending - we set the scene for act 2 and Persephone gets to say “Anybody want a drink?” before intermission

end act 1

Our Lady of the Underground

- Jewelle and the vocals! wowww!!!!

- there’s a CRACK IN THE WAaaALLLllLlL!

- I wonder if Hades knew anything about this. Like there’s no way he’d allow his wife to run a speakeasy for his workers

Way Down Hadestown (Reprise)

- we see Eurydice in her worker’s uniform, but she doesn’t have the head-cover-goggly-thing that the other workers do.

- Eurydice doesn’t understand why they’re working -- she introduces herself to the workers and is like what are you doing, we’re free?

- then the Fates reveal what Hadestown really is -- freedom to spend eternity as basically a slave

- “your eyes will look like that someday” -- and Eurydice is like i have to go back and then the Fates mock her for already losing her memories of the past

- the fact that they sang this already but they sing it slower and then Eurydice understands -- no hate to Eurydice of course, but it’s kind of like when you say something slower so a younger person can understand. it’s sort of meant to be played as taunting and condescending

Flowers

- gut-wrenching

- my god

- so so so sad

- and the one thing she remembers is flowers and the fact that she has a lover. the symbolism!!!!!

Come Home With Me (Reprise)

- Literally two seconds after Eurydice sings her grief ballad and says come and find me, Orpheus runs through the audience and goes up to the stage and comes and finds her. I was in the mezzanine, so I didn’t see him run through but that must have been a treat for the people in orchestra seats

- I love the repetition, and of course the “It’s you,” “It’s me,” “Orpheus,” “Eurydice!” and then they rush into an embrace, they have longed to hold each other for so long and now they can’t let go.

- “You heard me?”

“...no.”

- Orpheus thinks he can get her out and is so confused why they can’t just leave

Papers

- The look of complete betrayal and fear and grief when he says it isn’t true and then Eurydice confirms that she belongs to Hades

- Orpheus still presses on, and immediately asks to take her home

- Hades’ laugh. An evil laugh if I ever heard one. But I started laughing too. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I don’t know why.

- Persephone’s trying to defend him but to no avail

- Everybody beats up poor Orpheus! noooo. Also, during the beatup scene, were they like smearing red makeup on his face that we couldn’t see? Because I am pretty certain he has more cuts and bruises after the fight and he doesn’t leave the stage once during that whole encounter

Nothing Changes

- the fates and their vocals can never be topped

- they are always taunting everyone. They’re like the murphy’s law voice in your head -- anything that can go wrong will go wrong, why try to fight it

If It’s True

- I’m pretty sure this is what you call the 11 ‘o clock number. Like No Good Deed in Wicked. Even if it’s not, it has the same effect.

- so incredibly inspiring.

- sweet little orpheus has seen how the world is but still he clings to the hope that things can change and unintentionally starts a strike

- a song of hope, resistance, and resilience

- reeve’s voice, ahhh like powerful magic

How Long

- This is the song I repeat the most because it’s pretty much the only female song I feel comfortable singing with the voice that I have

- with jewelle how long is very very very low and it sounds amazing

- It’s so beautiful

- The metaphors!

All of his sorrow won’t fit in his chest - figurative

It just burns like a fire in the pit of his chest - simile

And his heart is a bird on a spit in his chest - metaphor

How long, how long, how long

- I also love the repetition of chest chest chest, bed bed bed, and sky sky sky

- and how they duet at the end

- “The sun must go on rising” and the riff on rising is another brain massage

- shows how they both feel about their relationship and also as a parallel to orpheus and eurydice’s

Chant (Reprise)

- is almost as good as the first chant and is still amazing

- I wish they still kept Persephone’s part in it though so she could add to Eurydice’s parallel

- the worker’s singing

- you can’t really detect that much of a tune from Hades’ voice live, probably because Patrick Page aged, but still it sounds awesome

- “I CONDUCT THE ELECTRIC CITY!!!!”

- Hades is very scary

Epic III

- the best of the epics in my opinion

- you get the whole finished la la la song with all the parts come together, and with reeve’s voice and the entire company singing backup it is vocal gold.

- talk about killing them with kindness.

- like how a poor, young, beaten up boy in love manages to break down the shell of a mighty king simply by empathizing with him. he really did have a gift to give.

- and the parallel “It was like you were holding the world when you held her” to “suddenly I’m holding the world in my arms” and just the two love stories coming together

- when Hermes says, “and brother, you know what they did” the way t. oliver reid says it, it sounds like an innuendo. the audience cracked up.

- the cello and violin during Hades and Persephone’s dance and Orpheus accompanying them

- when the flower appears for Hades

Promises

- orpheus - “now what do i do?”

- re-affirming their love for one another

- Orpheus immediately doubting that Eurydice would want to stay with him after he wasn’t able to keep the promises he made in the Wedding Song and All I’ve Ever Known, asking are you sure you want to come back, I wasn’t able to provide for you -- “take me home”

- Eurydice immediately reassuring him

- the fact that it’s to the same tune as “say that you’ll hold me forever” in all I’ve ever known

- Hades and Persephone hugging and dancing the entire time

Word To the Wise

- Hades faces a dilemma here -- if I don’t let them go, i’ll be seen as a heartless man and my workers will view him as a martyr for their cause and will continue to fight, and if i do let them go, I’ll never get my workers in line again and will be considered spineless

- also, orpheus’ song touched him so much that it rebuilt his relationship with Persephone, so of course he feels pity for him and wants to let them go, but how can he do so without letting a revolution happen?

- fates vocals are of course top notch

- It’s kind of funny that word to the wise only has that line in it once and that doesn’t really have anything to do with the song

His Kiss, the Riot

- Hades makes his decision -- he will let them go but make it a journey that he doesn’t believe a even a god could ever face -- it’s a very difficult challenge, but it can still be beat with the right amount of trust

- interesting tidbit - the tune to “Who lays all the best laid plans” is the same tune that acts as sort of a theme whenever Hades comes in instrumentally.

Wait For Me (Reprise)

- I really love the line that Hermes says “the dog you really gotta dread, is the one that howls inside your head, it’s him who’s howling drives men mad, and a mind to its undoing”. He is, of course, referring to doubt, and how one can get stuck inside their head. This is fOrEsHaDoWiNggg....

- Orpheus and Eurydice holding each other for as long as they can until they have to let go.

- All the workers following Orpheus

- Persephone and Hades -- “Wait for me?” “I will.” We see their story end on a hopeful note, which I really like.

- and then everyone sings WAIT FOR ME and my god the emotion

- eva’s belt!

Doubt Comes In

- originally, when the fates start making him question himself, that’s just how it is but now when orpheus sings them out loud it shows he’s giving voice to these thoughts

- like what if this is a trick. I can’t see or hear or feel the presence of eurydice and the workers? What if Hades took them all back without me knowing, why would he, the king of the underworld, willingly let them go for a poor boys song. we know from greek mythology that the gods are not above tricking mere mortals, they’ve done it plenty of times for this to be a valid doubt. It could also be, why would eurydice even want to follow me? I wasn’t able to provide for her, why would she want me anymore, he blames himself for her going down to hadestown in the first place

- eurydice’s calls to him sound so beautiful, clear, and reassuring, and really highlight eva’s voice in all the best ways, but can orpheus actually hear her? i don’t know if that’s actually ever specified.

- when orpheus says “is this a trap that’s being played on me,” the vocals are so so good, another brain massage

- and when he says “I used to see the way the world could be, but now the way it is is all i see” he’s lost all hope, his experience has broken him, he can’t be naive or hopeful anymore, he feels so compelled that he must...

- he looks back and the audible gasp from the audience as the ground beneath eurydice starts sinking once more, and their final words to each other “it’s you” “it’s me. orpheus!” “eurydice...”

- gut punch. I’m dead, I’m crying, they’re crying, Eurydice is gone and Orpheus is knelt to the ground where she sank.

Road to Hell (Reprise)

- It’s a sad song.

- It’s a sad tale.

- It’s a tragedy.

- But we sing it anyway. (gaaaahhh the tears)

- Cause here’s the thing.

To know how it ends

And still begin to sing it again

As if it might turn out this time

I learned that from a friend of mine

- I liked how they started it again - Eurydice comes back in and asks for a match. It feels very full circle - which is the point.

- He could make you see how the world could be

In spite of the way that it is

Can you see it? (the trombone here, beginning, swelling, signifying hope and new beginnings)

Can you hear it? (more trombone -- everybody bless the trombone guy)

Can you feel it! (the way T. Oliver Reid says this -- kind of like Andre, but also with a lot more vigor)

Like a train... Is it coming?

Is it coming this way?

- and then we see that orpheus has indeed brought spring back -- just as he promised, and the chorus are back on stage in their normal clothes -- not as workers, as people starting once more

- and persephone comes back.

- It’s a love song

- orpheus and eurydice have the repeat of their bump into one another at the beginning

- and everything begins once more

- and we’re gonna sing it

We’re gonna sing it again.

And that’s just the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I can’t get it out of my system and I don’t want to. If you’ve stuck long enough to read this entire thing, bravo. I worked two days on this, so I appreciate it.

#hadestown #orpheus hadestown #eurydice hadestown #orphydice #hermes hadestown #hades hadestown #persephone hadestown #fates hadestown #reeve carney #eva noblezada #jewelle blackman #t. oliver reid #patrick page #soara-joye ross #jessie shelton #kay trinidad

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lilblueorchid · 3 years

Photo

Thought process and easter egg on the Digimon Anniversary Illustration!

Hello everyone, today I feel like explaining some stuff over my Digimon Illustration, mostly why I drew thing this way or point out some little details and easter eggs you might have missed. ;)

Click on read more if you want a LENGTHLY explanation with a lot of rambling from me, or if not you can just enjoy the process gif. <3

The Digimon illustration was a special one for me for different reasons. Firstly, obviously, Digimon! It was a show I grew up with, and I find it quite fitting that after a tough year of graduation movie under a pandemic, in which I really experienced the pain of growing up, I ended up finding back Digimon.

Secondly, as a child, I remember spending HOURS looking for fanarts online! I would save all the ones I found pretty and keep them preciously, i still have the folders actually haha. While pursuing art, I always had in mind thatI wanted one day to make a fanart my child self would have gone crazy over! And, i think I achieved that with that one haha.

Anyway LET’S START! Shall we?

First off : the illustration process

When I do an illustration I always do a quick draft first, and most of the time, in colors. I think I’m more of a “color” person than a “line” person, I tend to need to see colors quickly in order to see if it’s ok.

For this one, I’ve always had in mind it would be a double illustration, with the older Tai’s silhouette acting as a frame for the children illustration. It was a bit tricky, I had to make the children illustration fit nicely into his silhouette, it was hassle around the neck area, that’s why I made little Taichi stand up haha. Also used Mimi’s hat to balance the picture : the bottom part is very heavy and there’s only sky in the upper part, adding the hat helps making it more balanced.

The character were the longest and the most challenging part by far. As you can see I had 3 different steps : super rough, they’re almost like stickmen and smiley face, a more detailled one in which I figure out their actual pose and anatomy, then a last one in which I fix some proportion, add details and clean. Fun fact I don’t clean over a new layer... i just erase the unwanted part of my sketch. :’D

I did a quick pass over the BG after that, then I colored the characters in flat colors before rendering them. It was a back and forth between the BG and the characters to make sure everything was working together nicely.

Now was the time to render the BG, I did the tramway first, the flower field after. Fun fact, I did my flower field study in order to know how to approach the flowers in this illustration! If your have the time, i totally recommend finding a photograph close to the kind of BG you wanna do, and make a study of it so you can try your hand at it first and go into your own BG later with an idea of how to approach this.

Adjust colors, add flower petals and butterflies and emotional text, slap over a paper texture, and THERE. You have it! On to the next part now...

The meaningful details and easter eggs

Be aware there will be spoilers for Digimon Adventure 01 (but I assume you already know it), but also for Digimon Adventure : Last evolution Kizuna, which is the conclusion of the first serie. So read at your own risk!

The tramway is obviously a reference to the end of Digimon Adventure 01. The kids used it to go back to their world, so It was their goodbye to their Digimon at this moment. In Kizuna, Tai and Matt find the tramway trapped in crystal in Menoa’s fake memory world. Hinting that had they been caught by her, their memories would have brought them back here.

Tailmon has Kari’s whistle! At the end of Digimon Adventure 01, Kari gives it to her as a memento.

When I drew Sora, I had in mind how she was in Kizuna, very stressed out by her mom’s expectation, which led her to neglect Piyomon. She realized it too late, and after that she refused to fight because she wanted to keep Piyomon with her as long as possible. Tragically, she was the first one to lose her Digimon. Here I tried to convey a softness and a kind of “I won’t forget to appreciate you” vibe in the way she holds Piyomon’s hand. As for Mimi and Palmon, in Digimon adventure 01 Palmon was very emotionally affected by Mimi’s departure, so, a hug was fitting. :’)

The screens on the Tramway display DA for Digimon Adventure, and also 01.08.1999 which is the date of the children’s journey’s beginning. :)

The little drawings also show the 8 crests.

There are butterflies flying over the illustration, it’s a reference to Butter-fly, the first Digimon opening, by the late Koji Wada.

"I'll become a happy butterfly, and ride on the glittering wind, I'll come and see you soon. “

Now, let’s the see the counterpart of the illustration. The one with the grown up Tai from Kizuna.

I made him wear the hoodie he had in his very last adventure with Agumon.... but truthfully the reason is that I think hoodies are cool lol. And the hood’s volume gave me more space in the silhouette, which made it easier for me to do the other illustration inside.

You don’t see it clearly, but he is holding his Digivice, albeit the darkened version once his partner bond with Agumon is broken. The Tai in this illustration has already lost Agumon. (Yes it was painful for me to go fetch the screenshots)

He is also holding his dear signature google he used to wear as a child. Fun fact, I rewatched the older movies, and as a kid he even used to sleep with it, how cute haha.

Also yes, the crest of Courage over his hand, which is his own. I’m so dumb I realize I should have made the time counter from the movie instead of the crest for a maximum emotional hurt impact.

And the quote is from one of the trailer for Kizuna, I think.....................

But then you go : Oh that illustration is so depressing then! Well. Yes. But no. but yes. But not really.

One of my favorite shot of the movie is this one : this is after Tai and Agumon learn their time together is limited. Agumon asks him if they will have to go separate ways once Tai is all grown up. Tai doesn’t answer, and takes him to eat something instead, as Agumon was hungry. In this shot Agumon eats to his heart content next to Tai, who’s not eating at all and just watches him fondly. I love that the framing doesnt show agumon. It’s a foreshadowing of their unavoidable separation.

At the very end of the movie, Tai write in his thesis about Human and Digimon’s relationship that Agumon was like a part of himself.

In a way, Agumon symbolizes childhood, the carefree days we would spend as a kid, with our big dreams and hopes. When you grow up, you tend to forget those simple emotions because you get swallowed into the stress of studies, figuring out your carreer, your life path. Just like us, Tai forgot this part of himself. In the madness of growing up, he lost Agumon.

However, it’s not the end. He will pick himself back up. He will move forward in life despite his worries and incertainities, and he will find himself again. Therefore, he will find Agumon again. The kids in the illustration are waving goodbye, but it’s not goodbye, it’s a see you later. In the meantime, Tai is holding on to these precious memories, until they meet again.

#Digimon #Digimon adventure #Yagami Taichi #Digimon adventure : last evolution kizuna #illustration process #kinda analysis #listen im actually writing this for myself #I spend 4 days on that illu with a lot of feels and I need to write them down #This is basically what my close friends have to endure each time I get an obsession

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bebepac · 3 years

Text

Falling For You

I am participating in @wackydrabbles Prompt # 94 courtesy of @rookie-ramsey “I’m giving you one last chance.” which will appear in bold.

This is also chapter 4 of The Meet: To catch up on what you’ve been missing, please click: The Meet

The Book: TRR

Pairing: Liam x Jilian (Liam x F!OC) / Leo x Bebe? (Leo x F!OC)

Warnings: profanity, I think. Fluff. I really think Drama Whore is locked in a basement somewhere.

Leo, Liam and Maddy belong to pixelberry. Jilian belongs to my friend @queenjilian , and all others are my own characters to help support our story.

Summary: Jilian and Liam celebrate their six month anniversary. Leo shows up to Bebe’s apartment unannounced.

A/N: This took a different turn than originally anticipated. Thank you @dcbbw for giving me an idea to rework a section, and @queenjilian as I feel we talk about this series daily.

This keeps taking a turn on me guys. I’m sorry I don’t outline. But I guess that is part of the magic here too.

Word Count: 1496

ORIGINAL POST DATE: 05/11/21 at 12:15PM EST.

He couldn't help but stare. She was so beautiful, even while she was sleeping.

"Liam, don't be creepy."

Jilian opened her eyes looking at him.

Liam’s mannerisms turned incredibly bashful.

"I can't help it. You're a vision. I am completely enamored by you, Jilian Winchester. Happy six month anniversary. I have something for you.”

Jili gasped. Her work schedule the past few weeks had been so hectic she had totally forgotten the date. That night was the first time in several weeks they had actually been able to see each other.

Jili was panicked.

“What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t realize the date.. Work has been so crazy. I know that’s not an excuse.”

He held out his gift for her. She felt guilty.

“I don’t have anything for you Liam. I’m sorry.”

“That’s not the reason you give a gift to someone Jili."

He pulled the small perfectly wrapped jewelry sized box out of the dresser.

Jili sat up in bed, the covers drifting a bit revealing bare skin, to which Liam's eyes quickly fell upon.

"Jili, your body is present enough for me. You are absolute perfection."

She opened the box. Inside was an adorable charm bracelet.

The charms on the bracelet were all medical inspired. There was a medical bag, a stethoscope, a little ambulance, and she took particular time with the caduceus.

“This is a beautiful gift.”

“I see you’re staring at the Caduceus. Did you know….”

“It’s Greek. The symbol goes back to Greco-Egyptian mythology.”

Liam’s eyes flashed in interest.

“Greece has always been on my bucket list, Liam. I’m going to make it to Santorini someday. What I’ve seen of it in movies and in books, I have to see that in real life.”

“And you will. Maybe I’ll make it there with you.”

“Maybe. Thank you for the beautiful gift.”

“Anytime love.”

His lips met hers again in a sultry kiss. Jili melted in his arms, falling back into the pillows.

She could be late for work once.

Liam at dinner that night couldn’t be more sweet and romantic. The flowers, the music and the dancing. He just made her feel like she was the only woman in the world when he looked at her the way he was at that moment.

“How do you do it Liam?”

“Do what?” He questioned her.

“Make me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world?”

“That’s easy Jili. You are.”

Liam paid for the check and Jili booked the rideshare back to her place. While Liam was in the restroom she got a text from the driver saying they had arrived.

“Shit!” Jili ran out of the restaurant, texting Liam “Silver Honda accord “

She jumped into the honda.

“I’m sorry! My boyfriend will be out in a second.”

“Jaiden Brooks?”

“No.”

Jili glanced at her phone.

“I was sure it said silver honda accord.”

“It is.. But there’s also one behind us.”

“And you’re not Chloe.”

The man chuckled. “I’ve been called a lot of names in my life, Chloe is not one of them.”

Jili jumped out of the vehicle barreling head first into a guy.

“Whoa, moonlighting as an offensive lineman?”

“It’s how I went pro.” Jili flexed her muscles.

He laughed, his soft brown eyes twinkled.

“You take it easy now.”

“Likewise.”

She smiled as she walked to the second Silver Honda Accord.

Still in earshot she heard a woman come up next to him.

“Are you serious Jai?”

“What?” He seemed genuinely confused.

“You’re flirting and looking at some random chick right in front of me?”

Jaiden looked exasperated. “Carmen, I wasn’t looking at her!!!!! She ran into me, I was polite to her, that’s all.”

“You would say that now that you’ve been caught.”

She pointed her manicured finger at him.

“I’m giving you one last chance.”

“I WASN’T LOOKING AT HER!!!! Carmen, you're my girlfriend!!!!”

They climbed into the car, and Jili was sure their argument was far from over.

Liam joined her a few moments later, pulling her into his arms.

“I’m glad we have such a healthy relationship.”

“What brought this on?”

“I just saw this couple. I ran into the guy by accident. The girl immediately accused him of cheating.”

“Well…. Maybe he gave her a reason to, in their past.”

“He really didn’t seem like the type. He cracked a corny joke. Seemed really kind.”

“We’ll never know Jili.”

Author’s note: Ohhhh But we will. We’ll know all about Jaiden Brooks at a later date…

Bebe was out in the bar with Leo. Something they did from time to time. They have been a wing man/woman for each other several times now. That night she had been a wing woman for him. He was chatting up a cute blonde. Things looked to be going well for him. He gave Bebe a wink.

She gave him a thumbs up, studying the two continuing to flirt. The girl was cute and petite, and appeared to be hanging on Leo’s every word. He seemed interested, and they looked cute together.

Her stomach grumbled. Was it the foreshadowing of her monthly monster coming to wreak havoc on her life for the better part of the week rearing its ugly head early?

Bebe winced at the pair. Tears filled her eyes.

What was that feeling? She didn’t like it. Had to be the cramps. She shrugged it off.

Her work was done for the night. Leo had settled her tab, and would be leaving shortly with Ms. Blondie.

Bebe headed for home herself, the weird feeling still tugging at her heart, her stomach still feeling a mess.

She didn’t hear from Leo for a few days.

Until he texted her late that afternoon.

‘Sup Girl?’

‘Nothin’ much.’

‘Can I come over?’

‘Not in the mood.’

‘I didn’t ask for that. You know we have emojis for that.’

She laughed.

‘Not tonight Leo.’

Thirty minutes later there was a knock on her door. Bebe dragged herself off the couch.

Leo had two bags of goodies.

“I got you your favorite. Mint chocolate chip, some chocolate syrup, and your white chocolate kit kats you love, and there’s a meat lovers pizza on the way, and I got root beer and Funjuns.”

“Leo?”

“How did I know? As much as I’m around, I kind of know when you go M.I.A, and why. So can I come in?”

Bebe glanced down at herself. She was in a pair of dark gray sweatpants and a Hartfeld Heels tee shirt.

“You look fine, now let me in! This ice cream is going to melt.”

It was the first time Leo had been over to her place, not for sex.

“So what are we watching?”

“The Time Traveler’s Wife.”

“Ahhh chick flicks. Bring it on. I’m going to put this in the freezer unless you want it now?”

Bebe took the mint chocolate chip ice cream, and syrup away from him.

“We’re doing dessert first, I can dig it. So am I.”

Leo liked butter pecan and had brought himself a carton as well. He put the rest of the items on the table until the pizza arrived.

“I’m getting comfortable then alright?”

“That’s fine.” Bebe shouted when he walked into her bedroom.

Leo came back after a minute in her pink leopard print robe.

She shook her head at Leo.

“What?!?!?! I see why you bought it. I like the way it feels on my skin.”

Leo was truly something else.

“That’s probably the pizza.” He went to the door in the robe zero fucks given. Bebe roared in laughter. Leo just didn’t give a damn about anything.

Bebe found herself fishing for details. “So I thought you’d be hanging out with Miss blondie.”

“Meh. Maddy was alright. But she really didn’t have much of a personality. I won’t be seeing her again. Why were you jealous?”

Bebe shrugged it off in a nonchalant way. “No. Not at all.”

“Trying to keep Mr. not all of him is fun sized for your own personal enjoyment?”

She hit him laughing. She nudged his shoulder.

“Thanks for coming over and hanging out with me.”

He nudged her back. “Anytime.”

He put his arm around Bebe and both focused on the movie. Later she relaxed to resting her head in his lap. He softly played in her hair.

She heard Leo sniffling towards the end of the movie.

She glanced up at him.

“Leo, are you crying?”

“No.” He quickly wiped his eyes.

"The tin man really does have a heart."

"It's a sad story okay. Why couldn't they just live happily ever after?"

"That's not the way life is."

"It should be. You should be able to be with the one you want. That wants you."

She sat up looking at Leo.

Bebe giggled. "When did you become such a hopeless romantic?"

Leo softly stroked her cheek.

Bebe stopped giggling abruptly as she gazed into his eyes.

There was so much fire and passion in Leo’s eyes, that Bebe gasped.

Leo’s signature smirk crossed his face, as he leaned in and claimed Bebe’s lips that were in a seductive pucker for his own.

Tags in the comments!

#bebepac writes #short leo #the meet #before the greek meat #trr au #trr fanfic #trr fandom #no royals #trr liam #trr leo #trr jilian #trr bebe #trr madeleine #wacky drabbles #choices fic writers creations

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canary3d-obsessed · 4 years

Text

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed Episode 08 first part

(Masterpost) (Other Canary goodness)

Warning: Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

Rabbits

The Jiang kids have some quality time with the rabbits. Initially Jiang Cheng says it’s wrong for gentlemen to hold rabbits, which is definitely in no way related to gay-rabbit-god symbolism, but changes his mind when he discovers how fun men rabbits are to cuddle.

Jiang Yanli says, in a moment with zero foreshadowing, that if they take one rabbit away from the others, it will miss its family and be lonely. Also if a rabbit were to watch from the rooftop while a mean enemy rabbit poured wine on the corpses of its parents, that would be extra upsetting. For a rabbit. So let’s leave all the rabbits where they are. Check.

Speaking of cute fluffy creatures that are upset, we see this distressed look on Wei Wuxian’s face kinda often when he’s talking with Jiang Cheng.

There are some sibilng relationships where you will always do anything to help each other because you survived a shitty childhood together, but as adults you find you don’t actually share values, and that your interactions are kinda toxic -- for both of you. This seems like one of those.

Even though he’s younger, Jiang Cheng is in the role of the elder sibling who is being abused by the parents, and is handing the abuse on down the line to the “younger” sibling, in the form of constant criticism and casual hittings. Wei Wuxian isn’t actually younger, but he is lower ranked because he’s not a blood relation, and he gets plenty of parental abuse as well. It’s...not a healthy family.

(more after the cut!)

Lan Wangji has been lurking nearby during this conversation, and after the Jiangs leave, he looks at the rabbits and says farewell. He clearly means farewell to Wei Wuxian, or else he has a really unhealthy level of yearning being directed toward the rabbits. At least, for a vegetarian.

Uninvited Gusu Guest

Lan Xichen is meditating, and because the Director of Photography loves us, we get a bunch of nice closeups of his exquisite face. He hears a noise thing and tells Wen Chao to come in, which results in a dire bird scream and Wen Chao’s muddy feet intruding on his day. Why did Wen Chao bring the bird with him? He’s trying to be sneaky, right? So...ok whatever.

Wen Chao acts like a dirtbag and menacingly reminds Lan Xichen that his didi just hit the road all by himself. Lan Xichen gets so upset he curls his fingers slightly. His beautiful, beautiful fingers.

Is it slapping time yet?

Road Tripping

Fortunately for the Lan brothers, Lan Wangji isn’t going to be alone for long. Wei Wuxian is determined to follow him, and where friend-maker Wei Wuxian goes, an assortment of other helpful cultivators will soon follow.

Wei Wuxian leaves a note to say “I’m running away from home with the hot boy I met in summer school” and signs it with a smiley face, the dork. Jiang Cheng is angry, as usual; Yanli has confidence in Wei Wuxian, as usual, and Jiang Fengmian is autocratic and doesn’t explain what he’s thinking, as usual. JF is aware of the Yin Iron, however, so he may understand that WWX will be useful in protecting it on the road.

Lan Wangji has changed his hair, upgraded his crown, and put on the most absurdly beautiful outfit of the entire show to go on a solo road trip totally without any hot infuriating boys.

Quick, Lan Wangji, catch this callback to that time you rejected my advances back in Gusu! This time Lan Wangji catches the offered fruit and keeps it, presumably to consume furtively when he wakes in the dead of night, restless with unslaked thirst for Wei Ying. Or, you know, to have with his lunch while they’re riding on the boat.

This is a level of synchronized walking-with-shoulder-contact that would make the Guardian boys proud. Lan Wangji is all touchy feely now that he’s out from under the eyes at Cloud Recesses.

He also has upped his troll game, actually smirking after he says “boring” to Wei Wuxian’s declaration of I’m-gonna-come-along-you-can’t-stop-me.

He also...doesn’t seem angry? Like, he is still seriously on edge, but it feels like he left the boiling rage at home. Lan Xichen is right; having a friend IS good for Lan Wangji. And for whatever reason, Lan Wangji is ready, now, to accept Wei Wuxian’s friendship.

We Rate Birds

Wen Chao has the weirdest fucking pet. This bird has a resentful energy problem, obvs, but it also seems to be invisible except for resentful energy, but it leaves random feathers behind at places, and then when Wei Wuxian kills it, it’s a regular bird corpse with a little smoke. “Imbued with Yin Iron energy” seems to be the explanation. But Nie Huaisang said they see a lot of these in their neck of the woods. Did he mean “just a regular bird” and didn’t notice the billowing black visual FX? Either way I want to see a nest full of baby dire Yin birds, I bet they’re hideous cute.

Wen Qing has a new outfit and an elegant fiery golden crown. There’s probably some plot stuff happening here. Wen blah blah Yin Iron blah blah. She’s so pretty. I love her ears and her cool double hair parting. The girls’ hairlines are always nice and soft, presumably because they get to wear their own front hair instead of a lacefront like the boys are glued to stuck with.

I Call it Bondage

After the fun they had in the ice cave, it’s only fair that Wei Wuxian gets to have a turn tying up Lan Wangji.

One of the fun things in clipping The Untamed is that the show’s editors generally didn't drop any frames when they intercut the various scenes, meaning that some longer shots can be spliced back together by removing the other camera portions, as with these two string-pulling bits.

Lan Wangji totally lets Wei Wuxian put a leash on him, quickly declaring it boring and taking control of it, pulling Wei Wuxian along behind him.

Incidentally, at this stage about half of Wei Wuxian’s talisman’s are blue. After he loses his core, they are 100% red, but nobody notices that. Well, maybe Nie Huaisang does because he notices a LOT, but nobody says anything.

After they play around in the field for a bit, Lan Wangji’s magic bag of plot advancement goes off, sending them to Flower Town.

He’s Leaving Home Bye Bye

Meanwhile, at Lotus Pier, we get a nice view of the rooftops. I’d hate to be the guy whose job it is to hang up bells and tassels at any of these places.

Jiang Cheng sneaks out to go join his brother’s road trip. He gets caught, because his idea of sneaking is to walk out the front door in broad daylight and leave the door open behind him.

Jiang Yanli tells him to go ahead, though and he scampers off to have...the last carefree fun of his entire life, actually. Sigh.

Flower Town

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji go to Tanzhou and immediately run into Nie Huaisang, because sure, why not. China’s not very big.

Lan Wangji’s startle response

Wei Wuxian’s startle response

Nie-Xiong and Wei-Xiong are delighted to see each other, once Wei Wuxian explains that Lan Wangji isn’t there to bust them.

While Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang squee over each other, Lan Wangji ...tries to deal with that. His reaction is probably a mix of jealousy and social anxiety. This town has got to be overwhelming for him after the order and quiet of Cloud Recesses; he even admits--aloud!--that it’s too crowded for him at one point. Add in his boyfriend’s travel partner’s number one enabler, and it’s not a comfortable situation.

Oh great now they’re going to want me to get high and make out with them, ugh

However, with Lan Wangji in the mix, the Nie-Wei dynamic shifts away from mischief making, and they very quickly become a friend trio sharing a serious purpose. When Wei Wuxian, in his second life, refers to NHS as “that old friend of ours” when talking to LWJ, he’s not wrong. Nie Huaisang and Lan Wangji become friends during this trip, and arguably remain friends, within the limits of Nie Huaisang’s revenge remit.

From one point of view, Nie Huaisang is grown-up Lan Wangji’s very best friend (not counting his eventual husband). Everyone in the cultivation world knows what Lan Wangji’s heart desires most, after Nightless City, and Nie Huaisang gives it to him. By, uh, manipulating a crazy guy into ritual suicide. Hey, no gift is perfect.

Continued in Next Post! Soon!

#fytheuntamed #the untamed #the untamed gifs #wangxian #nie huaisang #chen qing ling #the untamed memes #the untamed spoilers #restless rewatch the untamed #canary3d-original

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sepedarodatiga · 3 years

Text

The Snow Queen fairytale as a motif used in GoT/ASOIAF

First of all, how many fairytales and myths can GRRM fit into this story, seriously?? I know many have written well thought and well informed meta of various fairytale motives fit with ASOIAF/GoT, and I am just here adding into an already huge pile, but it bothers me, okay. I have to get it out there into the tumblr void. And this is not really a well thought and well informed meta (I’m not a folklore/literature expert, not to mention European folklore/literature), I’m just pointing my fingers into the patterns I saw fit. Also, I can’t count myself as ASOIAF book reader, I just watch the show. What I know about the books, I read it here in tumblr.

But anyway, you might be surprised as to which character I saw fit as The Snow Queen in GoT

It’s Daenerys Targaryen.

I know I know... whaat? The Mother of Dragons, Bride of Fire as The Snow Queen? Get out of here, right...

But it’s a pun. It’s not The Snow Queen, it’s Jon Snow’s Queen, get it? Remember how Jon repeatedly saying “you’re my queen” to Dany during season 8? Yeah. Oh and Jon is Kay, while Sansa is Gerda.

What made me realize that Dany is The Snow Queen is when I was reading my son the fairytale. In the version retold by Kate Friend, it describes The Snow Queen as beautiful and terrible. And I was like, huh, just like Dany, especially with the white hair and the all white costume in season 8.

Daenerys Targaryen, beautiful and terrible.

And then of course the story went on describing how Kay becomes her prisoner and then I was like, well that’s like Jon Snow during season 8 too.... And then in Disney’s adaptation Frozen, Elsa has white hair with purple eyeshadow, while Anna (Gerda) has....red hair....which is like... Sansa Stark. Then I also remember the illustration on my son’s book which is by John Patience, that reminded me of the Iron Throne.

The Snow Queen illustration by John Patience. See how much alike this setting is with the Red Keep? Especially in Dany’s vision in HoTU when snow was falling.

So I went investigating, and shit... I mean obviously the sequencing was moved around, GRRM likes to subvert things, but my God!

Before we get into Jon Snow and his queen, I have to start with the other characters first. And I will be taking excerpt of the story from The Hans Christian Andersen Center website which I assume would be the most original one.

Gerda = Sansa Stark

Here is a description of Gerda’s power: “No power that I could give could be as great as that which she already has. Don't you see how men and beasts are compelled to serve her, and how far she has come in the wide world since she started out in her naked feet? We mustn't tell her about this power. Strength lies in her heart, because she is such a sweet, innocent child.”

Furthermore, her connection with Kay are through roses (they have a window box full of roses) and a song that goes like this: "Where roses bloom so sweetly in the vale, There shall you find the Christ Child, without fail." Another variation of the song is: “The rose in the valley has flowers so sweet, and angels come down there the children to greet.” She saved Kay with her prayers, hugs, kisses, tears and her song and their reunion literally ended winter and brings spring. If that’s not Sansa Stark (and the jonsa reunion), then I don’t know what is.

Gerda made a journey to the North to find Kay and bring him back together with her to their home. Sansa did not meant to make a journey North to find Jon and bring him back home, but this is what happened anyway. The story even stressed on the fact that when they came back to their homes, they were no longer children but grown ups. On her quest Gerda offered her red shoes to the river to get information about Kay’s whereabouts but the red shoes were given back to her the first time. But she did it once again and the river set her on the path to find Kay. I’m not really sure but for Sansa it could be her betrothal to Joffrey that was then canceled but then she got married to Tyrion Lannister. Her red shoes is her name and her claim to the North.

Gerda then met an old woman who wanted to keep her and made her forget about Kay by keeping all the roses underground. The old woman’s place was beautiful. Here is an excerpt: “Then Gerda was led into the flower garden. How fragrant and lovely it was! Every known flower of every season was there in full bloom. No picture book was ever so pretty and gay. Gerda jumped for joy, and played in the garden until the sun went down behind the tall cherry trees. Then she was tucked into a beautiful bed, under a red silk coverlet quilted with blue violets. There she slept, and there she dreamed as gloriously as any queen on her wedding day.” But then she saw a rose on the old woman’s hat and finally remembers her purpose of finding Kay. I would say that the old woman is Cersei Lannister who tried to make Sansa forget about her home and her innocence. Sansa was also saved from her clutch by roses (The Tyrells).

Then Gerda with information from a crow, met a Princess and Prince. She thought that the Prince might be Kay, but it turns out he was not. This might be Sansa’s vale arc and the Prince is either Petyr Baelish or Harry Hardyng. The Prince and Princess also gave provisions for Gerda’s journey to the North, so this may be that the KoTV helps Sansa getting Winterfell back. The crow, has a ladylove, another crow and they finally get married and live in the Princess’s castle though unfortunately the crow then died. The crow was a wild forest crow while his ladylove is a tame crow. These two crows could be genderbent into Sam Tarly and Gilly. Remember that Sam is mock as Jon’s ladylove by Alliser Thorne?

Next Gerda met a robber girl who sleeps with a knife and have plenty of pigeons. Yep, of course that is very much like Arya Stark (who sometimes is being referred to as “a girl”)

The pigeons told Gerda about Kay and The Snow Queen. The robber girl finally gave Gerda her reindeer called Bae for her journey to the North. The girl likes to tickle the reindeer’s neck with her knife. At the end of the story it is told that the robber girl then decided to leave her place and find adventure in the world. Very much like Arya’s ending.

Now about that reindeer Bae who helped Gerda to reach to Kay in The Snow Queen’s palace in the far North. In ASOIAF/GoT, we can connect Bae to Baelish. Make sense. Petyr Baelish helps Sansa get to North and Arya’s knife did end up in his neck. But also we can connect it to two foreshadowing of Sansa bearing Jon’s child. The first is more well-known: Bael the Bard. The second one I think is more hidden and I made a post about it quite long ago: Baelor. Is this far fetched? Maybe, but I’ll take it.

Kay = Jon (+ The Night King)

Kay and Gerda are neighbours and they share a garden (particularly a flower box full of roses). Their relationship, in the words of Hans Christian Andersen himself are: “These children were not brother and sister, but they loved each other just as much as if they had been.” So they are NOT brother and sister but love each other as such. While Jon and Sansa are also NOT brother and sister but was raised as such.

Then Kay got splinters of magic mirror stuck to his eyes and his heart. The mirror “made everything great and good that was reflected in it appear small and ugly, but which magnified all evil things until each blemish loomed large”. It made Kay hated all the roses, they look ugly now to his eyes and also made Kay loved the snow and the cold. Jon Snow at the beginning of the story was a cynical little boy because he was raised as a bastard. He wanted to leave Winterfell and sneered at the idea of having a family of his own because he felt that he can’t have them. So he went to the coldest place there is.

In the story, Kay plays with his sled, and then The Snow Queen came with her sled and Kay hooked his sled to hers. The Snow Queen first, covers Kay in a bearskin rug and gave Kay kisses. The first kiss “was colder than ice. He felt it right down to his heart, half of which was already an icy lump. He felt as if he were dying, but only for a moment. Then he felt quite comfortable, and no longer noticed the cold”. The second kiss makes Kay forgets about Gerda and their homes. The third kiss, The Snow Queen does not give him because it would be the kiss of death.

I argue that GRRM subvert this story. I think Jon Snow was already saved by Sansa before he met Dany. The splinters in his eyes and heart was already gone when he faced The Snow Queen. The reunion happened before he met Dany. The first two kisses also already happened: Jon Snow had died and came alive again, and he also forced to forget about his home and family while he was at the Night’s Watch. The bearskin rug which The Snow Queen used to cover Kay can allude to Jeor Mormont and/or Longclaw.

Then Jon Snow met his queen finally, but instead of a hooking sleds.... it’s dragons. Jon Snow’s sled was his dragon Rhaegal which are hooked to Dany’s sled Drogon. But his eyes wasn’t blinded by the splinter and his heart were already warm. He knowingly and willingly follow the dragon to save his family.

And the third kiss of death that wasn’t given by The Snow Queen? Jon Snow will give it to his queen instead.

Now let’s go back a little bit. Kay was also given a puzzle from ice by The Snow Queen, and if he can solve it then he is free. He was supposed to spell the word “eternity” but he couldn’t figure it out with the shard in his eyes and heart. In GoT we know exactly who has got an shard in his heart.

The Night King. And so that is why he plays with puzzle in ice. He is struggling to form the one symbol that would set him free.

Bonuses

Other than those patterns, there are several interesting tidbits from the story that fits with ASOIAF. There is this one blog said that The Snow Queen story was inspired by another story called “East of the Sun and West of the Moon” which if you read it, it is essentially “The Bear and the Maiden Fair” (the bear is a white bear, by the way)

More bonuses here. When Gerda finally remembers to find Kay during her time in the old woman’s home because of the rose, different flowers gave her different stories even though none tells her about Kay.

This is the story from tiger lily:

"Do you hear the drum? Boom, boom! It was only two notes, always boom, boom! Hear the women wail. Hear the priests chant. The Hindoo woman in her long red robe stands on the funeral pyre. The flames rise around her and her dead husband, but the Hindoo woman is thinking of that living man in the crowd around them. She is thinking of him whose eyes are burning hotter than the flames-of him whose fiery glances have pierced her heart more deeply than these flames that soon will burn her body to ashes. Can the flame of the heart die in the flame of the funeral pyre?"

So GRRM didn’t take the sati ritual for Dany’s rites of passage as mother of dragons from just anywhere, but it is from this story.

Also, hear this story from hyacinth

"There were three sisters, quite transparent and very fair. One wore a red dress, the second wore a blue one, and the third went all in white. Hand in hand they danced in the clear moonlight, beside a calm lake. They were not elfin folk. They were human beings. The air was sweet, and the sisters disappeared into the forest. The fragrance of the air grew sweeter. Three coffins, in which lie the three sisters, glide out of the forest and across the lake. The fireflies hover about them like little flickering lights. Are the dancing sisters sleeping or are they dead? The fragrance of the flowers says they are dead, and the evening bell tolls for their funeral."

Of course this immediately bring to memory the quote of Jon Snow with Val: “The light of the half-moon turned Val’s honey-blond hair a pale silver and left her cheeks as white as snow. She took a deep breath. “The air tastes sweet.”” Well then, according to Hans Christian Andersen, that means death. There are three sisters here which could allude to the three queens at the almost end of GoT: Cersei Lannister (red), Sansa Stark (blue) and Daenerys Targaryen (white).

So those are my stab at it. I would be interested to hear if anyone’s take on it.

#jonsa #anti jonerys #anti daenerys targaryen #sansa stark #jon snow #the snow queen

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cheesy09 · 4 years

Note

What are your top 5 Kiro dates? No pressure, my dear friend😆😘

@keliosyfan You cannot send me something like this and expect me to keep quiet 😆 Thank you so much for this delicious, finger-licking ask, friend!! But do I really got to choose??? 🥺 I LOVE ALL HIS DATES!!

Keeping my thoughts/analysis under the cut because this one's going to be a long one. Also, am not ranking them because they're each special to me in their own way. Plus, am only going to concentrate on the dates in EN so far.

Anyway, without further ado, Kiro Date spoilers ahead!

✨Light Pursuit Date

There’s a simple reason why I love this date so so much. It literally contains EVERYTHING I love about their relationship, plus it’s in line with the main story.

“You’re the light I’ve spent my whole life chasing” is such a strong and powerful message to use for a couple, especially since it aligns perfectly with message that this game’s story is trying to deliver. The imagery of light pursuing being used to represent their relationship puts it on an almost spiritual/cosmic level which is just so powerful to me.

The mutual pining: Both MC and Kiro long for each other so strongly throughout this whole date and it’s so obvious to see. MC gets desperate enough to see him that she even starts dreaming about him. And no matter what Helios said on that date, we know why he really invited her to that party.

The undeniable chemistry: The attraction, the thick innuendo, the electricity that is just crackling between them; it’s so tangible, you can cut it with a knife. Talk about delectable... yum!

The angst: As heartbreaking as the angst is, the drama involved between Kiro and MC is juicy as heck, which is another reason why I love their relationship so much. It makes their relationship feel very very real. The angst is what gives birth to the high strung emotions and passion between them. Realities they’re trying to fight, and the feelings they can’t possibly deny.

TWIN-FLAME ENERGY EVERYWHERE: As I said before, Kiro and MC just cannot deny the way they are drawn to each other, and this plays big in the twin-flame theme they have going for them. This is especially obvious in MC’s case. She knows Helios is supposed to be close to a stranger to her, and yet her body can’t help but react to him the way it would react to Kiro despite the danger that radiates from him; like her very soul knows exactly who it is behind the silver hair and cold eyes. I mean we even get this scene:

MC: Aren’t you a member of Black Swan? Why did you approach me?

I closed my eyes and finally asked the question.

Helios quivered inconspicuously under my palm, and soon he spoke in a low and sneering voice.

Helios: Why are you under that misconception?

MC: Because...

Because I thought you were familiar, because my soul quivered involuntarily when being close to you, and because... of a ridiculous assumption.

These words are just so powerful in so many ways because what MC is saying is that she finds Helios familiar because her soul resonates with him, like it happened with someone else before...

In relation to the twin flame concept, this date is a huge representation of stage five and six in the relationship; “the test” and “the chase.” By this point, Kiro and MC’s relationship is being put the test and MC’s chase for Kiro finally begins.

✨Stardust Date

Another date that goes hand in hand with Light Pursuit Date, except with Kiro this time instead of Helios. Plus points that this too is in line with the main story.

MORE YEARNING. And what’s so great about this is that you can actually feel what MC feels. That’s how strongly Kiro can make you pine after him.

That steamy confession of love: It wasn’t just the passionate words that Kiro kept whispering to her, but also the tremendous amount of longing and desire in his voice that belied those very words.

Kiro’s sexiness: Please, you cannot tell me you didn’t find Kiro downright seductive in that outfit. I absolutely love his fashion sense and this one really showed off the lean yet firm build of his body, and that scorching blue-eyed gaze was just- pheeew!!

The danger he radiates: After MC catches him on that phone call, the feeling of oppression that Kiro gives off does intimidate you, but also excites and thrills you at the same time. The duality with this man is just so well-written.

The build up: From the fiery confession, to the obvious yearning and attraction, to the flirting and teasing, and the angst, I’d say this date had one of the best buildups to a kiss overall.

THE KISS: After all that glorious build-up, the execution of the kiss was absolutely brilliant, with Kiro’s statement of “the reward I want more right now... is you” being the breaking point. All the yearning and desire that had built up over the course of the date had been let loose in that one sexy kiss. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED, LOVED the way the desire went both ways. MC pulling him closer and demanding for more from him and him responding just as passionately, was HOT.

Extra thoughts: The necklace that he gives to her on this date is an item that hasn’t been brought up on other dates, which I find a bit weird since they mentioned how important it seemed to Kiro. Another reason why I need this date to be referenced in the future.

What I find interesting about him giving her a necklace is that even though it’s a symbol of love and affection, it’s not as powerful as a ring would be, showing that he wasn’t ready to take the next stage in the relationship. This is important foreshadowing because he knew what exactly could happen to them in the future.

✨Treasure Date

A personal favourite of mine because it shows just how stubborn, delicate and insecure Kiro can actually be.

MC’s unexpected confession of love: Kiro’s not the only whose been pouring out his heart to her. (I’m assuming) Before the events of Chapter 14, MC has done her own fair share of confessing to him on a number of dates; the one in Treasure Date being the most notable. I held my breath when she said “I will... always be crazily in love with you” to him, because it had been the first time I’d seen her outright declare her love to a love interest so earnestly.

The supportiveness: MC just being there for him and comforting him when he was at his weakest is just so heartwarming and satisfying to see.

THE TENDERNESS AND LOVE THEY RADIATE FOR EACH OTHER :’D

BLUSHY KIRO: (Can you tell why I chose to put in that CG?) I don’t know about you, but I feel my soul ascend to heaven every time I see Kiro blush. It’s the most adorable thing on the planet!

THE BIG BABY VIBES HE RADIATES ON THIS DATE MAKE ME WANT TO CUDDLE WITH HIM FOREVER UGH!!!

The pirate and treasure theme: This is a theme that is brought up often in Kiro and MC’s story. Dates as well as the main story. It also goes hand in hand with the light pursuit theme. MC’s determination to turn into a pirate in search of her treasure (Kiro) exactly mirrors the way Kiro referred to himself as a pirate in search of his hidden treasure (MC) before his reunion with her at the convenience store, in his 3rd Anniversary Interview. It really goes to show just how much they desire and treasure each other.

✨Prayer Date

Another hot, steamy date? Yes, ma’am! Kiro’s got a whole arsenal full of these kind of dates.

It is seriously cute how the two of them are always wishing for a “forever” with each other, and how they’re willing to go as far as to rely on superstitions for it HAHA.

Ahem. That visually appealing shower scene. Need I say more?

The date offered me another reason to label Kiro a hopeless romantic. Hello? A candlelit beach??? SWOON~!

The dash of angst: The foreshadowing. Over the course of the date, MC’s numerous failed attempts at doing something to ensure their “forever” had accumulated, and this was the first date we got to see her insecurity in regards to her relationship with Kiro. Again, these high strung emotions is what evoked some passionate desire for him in her.

This date was full of firsts. Not only was it the first time we got to see MC’s insecurity in regards to her relationship with Kiro, but it was also the first time we got to see just how... intense Kiro can be in showing his affection. Also, am I wrong in assuming that this was the first time they got so... physical with each other?

Another excellent date with excellent build-up to the end: From the pleasant start to the date, with MC being full of hope, to the unexpected encounter in the showers just to wet your appetite for this boy (pun intended haha), to the consecutive disappointments and emotional buildup made for a fabulous recipe for the delicious result we were served by the end of the date. Mmm, a spicy one at that.

✨Flowers Date

Honestly, this was the date that made me fall for him super-super hard. It was just full of innocence and the purest of love, no questions asked.

Kiro’s charm is on full blast in this date.

The symbolism brought out by flowers in showing how similar Kiro and MC are, is really strong on this date. They both decide to each get a gift for the other that is supposed to remind them of each other and then split up. When they came back to reveal what they each had gotten each other, they both ended up getting the same thing: a bouquet of daisies (a symbol of purity and innocence).

Kiro’s wholesome love for the simplest things in life (like flower fields) is once again brought out.

THIS DATE WAS SO ROMANTIC. He takes her to the flower field on a bicycle! And they even take off running down the hill together, hand-in-hand, and he spins her around like some kind of princess in the middle of it!

MC did daisy divination, and what was the result she got? *whispers loudly* HE LOVES ME.

Kiro being a parallel to sleeping beauty is ingenious as well as romantic in so many ways. (Plus MC being tempted enough by his sleeping appearance, that she kissed his eyelids had me grinning like a mad fool).

Kiro says some of the most romantic things on this date in the most affectionate and tender of voices:

Notable line 1:

Kiro: Well, MC, maybe you really are my “prince charming.” Because only you can awaken me from darkness, no matter when.

Notable line 2:

Kiro: There was only you in my eyes, wasn’t there?

Notable line 3:

Kiro: Because... You are the whole world in my eyes. Nothing else can compare. My spring... is you.

✨Honorable mention: Miracle Date

This is another fun and wholesome date that always seems to put a smile on my face, but also comes with some strong and sad foreshadowing.

Kiro and MC are just so uplifting of each other in this date and you just love to see it.

THE INTIMACY WHEN HE WRAPPED HER IN HIS ARMS FROM BEHIND AND LACED THEIR FINGERS TOGETHER!!!

Dude, they’re so in sync with each other, it’s not even funny!

I really loved how this date works in a bit of self-introspection for the both of them (actually, a lot of his dates do). We know that Kiro and MC both push each other to become better, and this date really showcased that.

Another date with another strong message.

I melted at the way he says that her very existence is a miracle to him. Like, just the fact that she exists in this world is enough of a blessing for him.

THE LONGING IN HIS VOICE: Kiro so fervently wishing that their time together would slow down because he knew what was to come, was just so heartachingly beautiful, it made me tear up a bit.

#mr love queen's choice #mr love queen's choice kiro #mr love #mr love kiro #mlqc #mlqc kiro #keliosyfan asks #cheesy replies

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twdmusicboxmystery · 4 years

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10x19: One More - Analysis

Okay, what did everyone think of 10x19? I really liked it a lot. I’m still trying to get a handle on what everything meant, and I think there’s a lot more to be had than what we see on the surface, but it was a really tragic and moving episode. I got lots of messages from people who watched it early and immediately noticed the Bethyl callbacks.

So, I’m going to do something slightly different this week. Today, I’m going to focus on those—all the obvious callbacks—and tomorrow I’ll do more of a forecasting post about what I think this episode means for the future and where I think it’s going.

***As always, spoilers abound below for 10x19. Don’t read until you’ve watched!!!***

I kind of figured from the description that this would be a case of Gabe and Aaron = Beth and Daryl. And that’s definitely true. I’m going to call this a mixture between Still callbacks and Consumed.

Still, because of all the callbacks I’m sure you noticed at least a few of. And Consumed because it’s two friends out looking for something. Actually, the first thing that made me think of Consumed is that they kept showing really sad things accompanied by really sad music, which reminded me of Consumed. I know for most people in our fandom, that’s not our favorite episode because it’s a Daryl/Carol episode, but just for the imagery and music and sadness of the dystopian world, I really love it. And this episode was similar to that.

So, it starts by showing some—both white and yellow. This flower

Is an Easter Lily. Yeah, not kidding. EASTER Lily.

Of course there are both white and yellow flowers. The yellow ones are reminiscent of the ones we saw in the cemetery in Alone.

Then we see Aaron and Gabe surrounded by walkers. When they start killing the walkers, its shows blood hitting all the flowers in a really kind of graphic way. I was like, “ew.” But at one point, they also hit a green grasshopper.

So, I was thinking that blood hitting the flowers and the grasshopper could possibly represent Beth being shot. And there are plenty of blond walkers to be had in this episode.

Aaron and Gabe arrive at a particular house. On Maggie’s map, it says this should be a two-story house with a root cellar, and she wants them to check the cellar for supplies. But when they get there, all that’s left is a doorframe with a swinging door and the chimney. The rest has been burnt, and by the looks of it, fairly recently. This is where they see the three charred skeletons with the pink flowers growing around them.

Couple of things. 1) This is a foreshadow for later in the episode. It has to do with the 2 stories, and I’ll get to it at the end. 2) The charred skeletons are a bit like what Daryl saw in 6x06, which was chalk full of Beth symbolism. 3) The pink flowers. (Pink Theory.)

In terms of foreshadows, this really screams the CRM to me, because of the burnt skeletons and the ties to 6x06, and remember that in 5x09, the radio voice (Andy) talked about the republic and a group that was setting people on fire. It’s like that’s one of their tactics.

One thing I didn’t realize from the trailer is that these are not three adult skeletons. It’s two adults and a child, all with their arms wrapped around each other. There’s a huge theme in this episode of families dying and specifically children dying. (Which is actually another tie to Consumed; remember the mother and child walker they find, and Daryl burns? Well, here we have two parents and a child, all who’ve been burnt. Yeah, not a coincidence, folks.)

We have two or three representations of families or children dying in this episode. I was thinking about the family in the gas station in 4a. I don’t think any of theme were children, but Daryl said something about them holding hands and taking themselves out Kumbaya style. And a lot of the skeletons we see here seem to be either taken out by their family members, or else they’ve committed suicide. There’s the child walker Carol and Daryl saw in 5x06. There was the creepy nursery near Denise just before she died. Etc. And it’s really very dark, ominous symbolism. Very sad.

Then Gabe pulls out an egg timer (another one of those), sets it for 5 seconds, and lobs it into the field. When it rings, tons of walkers spring up. So, it’s their way of checking before walking into tall grass. In this case, it shows the dial turning as the timer counts down. It definitely feels like a symbolic countdown to something big.

There’s also huge bullet theme. And usually single bullets. Mays makes them play Russian Roulette, which is all about one single bullet in the chamber. But there are tons of times when they pick up single bullet casings, or we see bullet holes in cars or walls or cans. Just a huge theme.

Okay, let’s get specific. They come upon a line of cars, which is really important. But just before that, Gabriel sees basically two piles of bones. I could tell not all of them were human. Some were too big. And I thought they might be horse bones. @bluesandbeth told me she thought they were two horses with their riders still on top. And she’s right. I couldn’t tell when I first looked at them. But once she said it, I could see it. It’s like a horse lying on it’s side, with the rider still straddling the horse, also lying on his side. And they died that way.

Now, other than knowing that we’ve definitely seen horses in the show before—think Buttons—I wasn’t sure what to make of it. Until @wdway said something interesting. You know the two horseback riders we see in the opening credits? Me and my fellow theorists are always going back and forth about who they are. I originally thought Rick and Michonne, which is the obvious conclusion. But @wdway told me she thinks this is actually Rick and Beth.

And you know, that makes a lot of sense since we didn’t see these new opening credits until Rick disappeared into the CRM. So, they could represent the two missing sheriffs.

And that makes a lot of sense with these bones. Because this scene with the cars has about 20 callbacks to Beth and what we think happened during the missing 17 days. So the bones represent the two riders from the opening credits, which represent the two missing sheriffs.

Now, onto the cars. One has the trunk open (Still) one has the side door hanging open (5x09). And there’s a van where Aaron sees a female walker in the front seat, which is kind of like what we saw in 5x09. Gabe finds a can of food, but there’s a bullet in it, which probably means the food either leaked out or spoiled.

But the really interesting thing is that him opening this trunk and looking in is very reminiscent of Maggie opening the trunk and finding the Beth walker in 5x10. So if we can equate those two things, both times, it represents opening the trunk and Beth being inside. In 5x10, she was represented by the walker. Here, by the can of food with a bullet hole in it, just like Beth got shot in the head.

Another thing I was reminded of was in 6x04, when Morgan sees the man and woman and she puts down a can of food and a bullet on top and says, “Thank you.” I think this symbolism may be related to that.

Then they go to the MiniMart. On the outside, it feels like the Big Spot or else maybe the gas station where Rick and Daryl met Jesus. In fact, much like in 6x10, there is a post for cigarettes with a price of $4.30.

When it pans out, there’s a coffee pot lying on its side (important because it’s something that water runs through, and we’ve seen a coffee theme as well) a walker with a bullet hole in its forehead, a bright yellow magazine rack by the door, etc. And this was a place you could play the lottery, so there was a poker theme going on.

Okay, the ARM symbolism is alive and well. My fellow theorists and I have been obsessing about what the arm symbolism points to ever since Leah threw the walker arm at Daryl. In this episode, a walker sticks both hands out of the door, and Gabe hacks them both off, around the forearm/elbow area.

Then, another walker gets its head and torso out and Aaron stabs it in the head. He and Gabe both grab an arm to try and yank it out of the way so they can get by, but the arms (really the hands because it separates at the forearms) just come off. And really, it’s just the skin, not the bones that comes off, but still. (Ew.)

This is where Gabriel goes up on the roof and we get the scene from the promo.

Okay, so when I first saw the promo, I immediately said this was a Grady callback. The “SAVE US” is something that could only be seen from the sky. Like…from a helicopter? Plus there were some important scenes on the roof of Grady. There’s a walker that’s handcuffed. So it’s an imprisonment theme. And Grady was all about imprisonment. And finally, we have what looks to be two lovers, dead, but entwined together on a mattress. I was thinking that if this is meant to represent Grady, that might represent Beth and Daryl. The love that never happened because Beth “died” and the relationship died with her. Or something equally tragic.

But there are other things we can connect this to as well. First off, what you don’t see in this shot is that there are two other walkers also tied to a second pole, but neither of them are animated. They’re just corpses. So we have a grand total of three prisoners here. If you look closely, the man lying on the mattress has a gun in his hand. Which suggests this might have been a murder/suicide situation.

It’s reminiscent of Merle being handcuffed on the roof in season 1, which was just before he went missing. It also reminded me of the strange, unexplained handcuffs Daryl found in 8x02 in that office building. Those were never explained. But the point is, it’s a handcuffs/imprisonment theme.

A big part of this is a foreshadow for the end of this episode and what happens with Mays. But given that he and his bro are one-off characters only appearing in this episode, I think this must foreshadow more than that, too.

We don’t actually see the inside of this place because Gabe goes to the roof, takes the ladder down (Ladder Theory) and then comes out the front door, but tells Aaron there’s nothing they can use in there.

Then they talk about going home. Aaron and Gabe been out for 2 weeks, which is definitely a Heath/Tara thing. In S6, they’d been out scouting for supplies for 2 weeks, and that was just before Heath disappeared into the CRM. Just saying.

Okay, then Gabe falls in the mud. Here’s the thing: we really thought Gabriel might die in this episode. Obviously not. But I do see some fairly clear death omens for him here. Of course I can’t be sure of anything, but I still think his death is probably close.

First is the fact that he trips at all. Anytime anyone really faceplants on the show, it sort of shows a coming catastrophe for them, which is often death. Beth face-planted in the elevator shaft in 5x04. Spencer fell off the zipline in S6, and died less than a season later. You get the idea. When, when Aaron lifts the walker off him, it leaves some intestines (ew) on his stomach, and the camera focuses on them for a moment. Just felt like a death omen to me.

I will say, however, that anyone who’s read the comics knows that this feels a lot like they might do exactly what they did there for his death. And they don’t usually do that. They almost always remix it in some way. So this could also just be a nod to his comic book death. We’ll have to see where they go with it.

But this scene is super interesting. It feels like EXACTLY the same thing we saw in 10x18. We have Gabriel’s map being ruined, and then a huge storm that immediately follows. And there’s Beth symbolism (talk of a water tower, etc). So I thought it was interesting that we saw it twice, in two subsequent episodes. Also, for most of the episode they’re kinda sorta trying to get to the water tower. As though water tower is end game or something.

Then they get to a warehouse that wasn’t on the map. Gabe finds the bibles inside. I’m still forming a theory about the passage he opens up to, but we all know they use biblical symbolism in this show a lot, and especially around Beth. But remember they found a bible in the barn in Alone. Later, Mays says the pages are torn because he uses them for toilet paper. (Toilet Paper Theory.)

Then we get to the really good Bethyl callbacks. Aaron and Gabriel eat pork, drink alcohol, play poker (not exactly the same as Beth and Daryl’s drinking game, but it’s a game), Aaron has a “bullshit” line, Gabriel shows an 8 and a 2 card, Aaron says he needs to “take a piss,” etc.

I did notice something while watching, but wasn’t sure what to make of it until AK was talking at the end of the episode. It shows one hand of poker and Aaron folds, which means Gabe wins. This is where he shows a 2 and an 8, which isn’t anything in poker. So, he won the hand on a bluff. And I went, huh. Wonder what that means. But it was a foreshadow of what happens with Mays. I’ll get to that.

Gabe has an “I’m serious” mention. In one of the bigger parallels, the dialogue is not the same, but the meaning is. So, different words, same meaning. Gabriel says his line from the promo about how evil people aren’t the exception, they are the rule. That really disturbs Aaron and he says, “okay, now I’m sober.” It’s the equivalent of “you ain’t a happy drunk at all.” And then he drives it home by saying, “I’m going to go up to the room and pitch myself off head first.”

And THEN—get this—he picks up a golf club and smacks a golf ball at FG, hitting him in the foot. Gabe says, “ow.” So not only a golf/Still reference, but I think it specifically ties back to when Daryl uses the club to kill the walker and hits Beth with the gore.

They say in TTD that they actually did an extended golf sequence where Aaron and Gabe set up this huge mini-golf course thing, but most of it got cut from the episode for time. So there was originally a massive golf theme in this episode.

Of course Mays shows up to take them captive. He shows Gabriel Aaron’s metal arm. So, more arm symbolism.

Without going into tons of detail here, let’s just recognize that the entire theme of this episode is whether or not there are good people in the world still. (Beth line.) Mays thinks all people are evil but Gabe and Aaron prove him wrong by refusing to the point the gun at one another during the Russian Roulette game. There’s a line where Gabriels screams at him that he needs to remember who he was. (“who you were.”) Which is a direct parallel to Beth telling Daryl to stay who he is. Which is a good person. So it’s a similar theme being explored here.

At one point, Mays says, “there’s nothing left in this world but thieves and murderers.” It’s not the same line Glenn says in 5x02, but the wording of the first part is exactly the same. “There’s nothing left in this world that isn’t hidden.”

We also definitely get an “illusion/hallucination” reference here. I noticed Gabriel said (and I’m paraphrasing; didn’t write down the exact words) that Mays was so bitter, and had so convinced himself that everyone in the world was evil, that he’d blinded himself to the truth and couldn’t see that he was about to kill two very decent guys (Gabe and Aaron). So, it just struck me as a you-can’t-see-the-truth-that’s-right-in-front-of-you theme. Plus, maybe a see no evil theme?

Another theme that jumped out at me is whether or not they are the same as him. At one point, he says, “you’re so close,” and I think he means to becoming a villain, like he is. During their fight, he says they’re the same and Gabriel rebukes him, saying they aren’t like him.

We’ve seen that theme a lot before. It’s like a theme of the bad guys trying to make the good guys like them, and the good guys have to prove they’re better than that. So, Crazy Tattoo Guy at Terminus came running out of his train car yelling, “we’re the same,” before he died. Joe Claimer tried hard to convince Daryl that he was like them and one of them, even though he wasn’t. And we could even tie this to Beth saying, “I’m not like you or them, but I made it.” Slightly different meaning in that case, but the verbiage is similar.

(BTW, notice in the pic above, Aaron has a head wound, bleeding from exactly the spot Beth was shot.)

And surprisingly, they actually manage to convince Mays that they’re right and he puts away the gun and unties Aaron, looking as if he’ll let them go. He unties Aaron…and then Gabe kills him. Pretty brutally.

So this is the second reason I think this might be a death knell for Gabe. And it also ties to the bluff in the poker game. AK said that everything Gabe said to Mays about him still believing in God and the bible was a bluff. So we’re left wondering if it was a complete lie, and Gabe has entirely lost his faith. Now, a crisis of faith does line up with Daryl in Inmates/Still, but at the very least, Gabe is in a really dark place. But he hides it well. It doesn’t look that way to others. But I feel like he’s spiraling and being super self-destructive, and this might soon lead to his death.

Remember when he killed Dante? It’s a lot like that. And at one point, Aaron says that Gabe doesn’t mean that (all the negative stuff he says) because his mind is just really full of the Whisperers still, but not all people are like the Whisperers. So, I think the idea is that dealing with the Whisperers really messed Gabe up.

But of course they go upstairs, or up a level and find Mays’ twin brother. And the thing is, Gabe wasn’t entirely wrong to kill him. I mean, in terms of Gabe’s inner arc, obviously he was being really, disturbingly brutal. But Mays was keeping his twin brother a prisoner upstairs. We see two bodies—that of a woman and child—each with a bullet hole in their foreheads. Which is obviously reminiscent of Beth. But the brother also says Mays “made him play.” Which means he did the Russian Roulette thing, but unlike Gabe and Aaron, he didn’t shoot himself but rather turned the gun on his wife and child and eventually shot both of them.

So neither of these guys was exactly Alexandria material. Then the brother gets ahold of Gabe’s gun and shoots himself. Aaron and Gabe leave. On their way out, it shows a photograph of the two brothers laughing together, clearly before the apocalypse.

Okay, let’s talk about this scene. This is what I meant was foreshadowed by Maggie’s two-story building description. Gabe and Aaron found a 2-story building where a family died together. You could say the same thing here of Mays and his brother.

I’m still not entirely sure what to make of the evil twin/evil sibling symbols. I think it must foreshadow something, and we just don’t understand what it points to yet. We saw it with Lizzie/Mica, with Noah’s twin brothers (and the picture of Mays and his brother is very reminiscent of that) and now here. So it’s really fascinating to me, and I’ve talked about it before, but it’s obviously symbolism that’s still in play and that we don’t entirely understand. For more on this, see the 5x09 Post I recently wrote.

But here’s the other thing about this scene. It was this scene in particular that reminded me of the handcuffs Daryl found in S8.

Because Mays’ bro was handcuffed in the same way. Near those cuffs in S8, there was also what might have been a dogfood sandwich, which is exactly what Daryl was fed at the Sanctuary in 7x03. So you see what I mean? It’s a whole imprisonment theme, with similar symbols around it. And dog symbol always = Sirius = Beth, which is why I think it has to have something to do with her. Then, I saw this:

Guys, this is the exact same brand of dog food we saw with Daryl at the Sanctuary. It’s called A-OK.

And what does it mean? I’m not sure, but consider this: even in 4x01, Beth had a lot of imprisonment symbols in her cell. A bird cage, a no exit sign, a garden gnome. And if Grady was tied to the CRM, and was absorbed by them, then Beth may have been a prisoner of the CRM for like 8 years, now. And even putting her aside, Rick has been their prisoner for 6 years. That much is confirmed in the show. So I think this points to the CRM in one way or another. It’s about a long imprisonment term, but is tied to Sirius and the return.

In the last scene, Gabe and Aaron walk through a field and they are coming up on the water tower, though it’s still in the distance. One of them says it’s the last place on the map. And I think that’s significant. So, I had a few different thoughts about how we could interpret this.

So, as I already said, Beth = water = endgame. But we also know the CRM is purifying water. So CRM = endgame. What I mean is, maybe it’s saying that the CRM is the last huge battle they’ll have to fight, and maybe then they’ll get the world back. And we’ve kind of thought that for a while. That they’ve been hinting at this group and this war, since season 1 when Rick saw the helicopter in Atlanta. And Beth will be a big part of it.

I also think we may be getting lots of hints of them losing Alexandria here. So it might be a matter of losing one more home or finding one more home. Something like that. If the CRM is the “one more” in the title… well, at first, Gabe says, “two more,” and then eventually “one more.” So I’m thinking two more big arcs. The first is the Commonwealth. The second “one more” is the CRM. But I think that will last for several seasons.

It also occurred to me that the “one more” could also be a death omen for Gabriel. One more place. One more battle. One more episode? And then he’s done. But all of this is just conjecture. Me brainstorming ideas.

One other thing I wrote down is that AK said the bullet in the gun in the Russian Roulette game represented one last trial, and would this be the bullet that will break them? I thought that was interesting, especially in terms of Beth’s loss breaking Daryl.

Okay, lets go back to what I said at the beginning. Obvious callbacks to Bethyl and Still, and lots of things suggesting her imminent return. Since the water tower = Beth and Gabe and Aaron were kind of searching for it the whole episode, you can see how that parallels 5x06, Consumed. But I also think it foreshadows the spinoff with Carol and Daryl leaving together to go search for Beth, even if they don’t know it initially. The fact that Aaron and Gabe were originally searching for something else (food/supplies) but sort of ended up aiming for the water tower here is probably purposeful.

Bottom line? This still points toward Beth being very close. I’ll do more general forecasting tomorrow. Thoughts?

#beth greene #beth greene lives #beth is alive #beth is coming #td theory #td theories #team delusional #team defiance #beth is almost here #bethyl

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ayamturd · 3 years

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okay, to the person that requested a fic based on the story “Flowers from 1970” by astr0nomika on wattpad, i both love and despise you /j /lh

rant warning below lol

the symbolisms, the tension, the growth and natural development of the characters?? bruuuh

forgive me as i give my rant of the day but this story is just *chef kiss*

from the build of the characters relationship with one another to the way the scenes fold into the next seamlessly with no pause, my gosh i just can’t.

also sorry, if anyone is confused as to what i’m talking about, an anon sent in a request modeled after this dreamnotfound story called “Flowers from 1970″ and i’m hyperfixating

i love interpreting stories and themes in literature, and no matter what anyone will say about fan fiction in the broad scheme of things, this was an amazing story that i’ve had the pleasure of analyzing. astronomika is a master at planning her story ahead; she’s able to write smoothly and is mindful of foreshadowing future events that are essential to certain scenes once you understand them.

overall establishing her ability to tell a story so well and show a huge skill/enthusiasm for writing, the story itself is so raw. i think dnf is a fun and cute concept on its own, but astronomika takes it to another level when creating three dimensional characters that actually feel and show realistic perspectives despite the fact that its an extra work of fiction alone. it’s stories like these that exemplify why i like specifically writing fan fiction beyond what others would assume is ‘self-indulgent.’

to be able to take an already established character, whether real or fictional, and use the limitations of what that character feels and believes in, takes so much talent and patience since it involves understanding those flaws and characteristics by itself before writing a scenario revolving around them.

if ever doubting yourself as a fan fiction writer, let me tell you now that i have so much respect for you and what you have to write; you are able to interpret a character and make it your own while continuously maintaining the idealistic traits they are meant to show, and if that isn’t a reason to say you are critically talented and driven, i don't know what is.

also hi, if you don’t know me, my name’s yams and i love angst. i love my angst and this one, THIS ONE I TELL YOU, HIT IT SO HARD

i’m honestly so scared to write something based off of this masterpiece because astronomika is such a beautiful writer with incredible attention to detail and amazing story telling abilities. this is not me trying to say the sorry-ass compliment like “you’re so much better than me, i could never-” no. not at all. it’s me saying i respect the people in this writing community for deciding to gift us with their talents and characterizations which are just so unique and creative on their own.

i’m just so lost in thought right now and can honestly keep going on and on if the night let me lol.

if you’re still here, congrats! you survived the way, but let me just make a final note as a special shout out to all the fan fiction works i’ve read and all the amazing people on this platform (there are so many gifted people on other platforms like wattpad and ao3, but i’m only referring to tumblr now since it’s where i write and interact with others). i’m such a mess right now but it genuinely is so astonishing to me that there are real people, with real talent and skill, writing on the same platform as me here on tumblr and have so much to tell and give from their own imagination.

that’s crazy man.

idk guys, i’m hazy and have slept 5 hours for the past three days, but i genuinely love you all and appreciate your existences <3 /p

pls give a read to “Flowers from 1970” by astr0nomika on wattpad if you can or would like, i highly recommend it since the story was recently just completed and has the ability to make you cry lol

also, if you couldn’t tell, i love reading + talking about things i’ve read, so pls feel free to randomly chat with me whenever :)

also also, i don't want to spam tag people for a dumb rant, but pls check out these nice and beautiful people if you have the time or want a good read (it’s doubtful you haven’t seen their works, but if in case)-

@/basilly @/mitzimania @/sleepysoupi @/sleepyteddies @/inniterhq @/burntcilantro @/dysfunctionalcrab @/cr0wbonezz-wr1ting-inc @/sapdaddynotfound @/bunnyloo @/losingvienna @/bugthegremlin @/llvyu @/chubbity @/youtubesthings @/kutozume @/dreamsfoot @/mayasimagines @/acidtabletz @/cakie-chu @/salinesoot @/quackisinnit @/quackiseok @/lvers @/rae-writes @/ray-ray-writings @/gh0st1esbl0g @/sallysoot @/lin-nin @/teddy06writes @/dreamerstreamer + if i could put everyone down i would

huge warning that more than half of that list don’t know of me, but i genuinely want to share their amazingness so just let me rant about my favorite writers in secret hehe

#yam rant #thank you for coming to my ted talk

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reneehearts · 3 years

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1: Top 3 ice cream flavors - mocha, cookie dough, s’mores

2: Top 3 Disney Movies - the lion king, frozen, 101 Dalmatians

3: Top 3 vacation destinations - key west, San Antonio, Germany

4: Top 3 places to shop - target, Victoria’s Secret, Etsy

5: Top 3 subjects of study/classes to take - English lit, memoirs, child development/social work

6: Top 3 make up products - glitter eye shadow, brown eye liner, mascara

7: Top 3 music artists - pierce the veil, jonas brothers, Taylor swift

8: Top 3 spices/herbs - cinnamon, garlic, salt

9: Top 3 drinks - coffee, iced tea, water

10: Top 3 apps to use - tumblr, Instagram, Snapchat

11: Top 3 months of the year - December, august, November

12: Top 3 clothing items - leggings, sweatshirts, bralette

13: Top 3 binge perfect tv shows - new girl, himym, friends

14: Top 3 romantic dates - intimate dinner/drinks, beach at night, hot tub

15: Top 3 kinds of flower - lilac, sunflower, tulip

16: Top 3 christmas movies - the Santa clause, the grinch, Christmas with the kranks

17: Top 3 OTPs - nick and Jess, Winston and ally, Ted and Tracey

18: Top 3 quotes to describe your life - spread kindness like confetti, and idk

19: Top 3 characteristics you love about yourself - friendly, kind, caring

20: Top 3 kinds of candy - dark chocolate nonpareils, Milky Way, maple cream

21: Top 3 ways to exercise/ be active - abs, dance, walking my dog

22: Top 3 spirit animals - monkeys, bailey, lion

23: Top 3 petnames - babe, boo, my love

24: Top 3 books read outside of school - water for elephants, the likeness, gone girl

25: Top 3 most used websites - gmail, google, target

26: Top 3 people you last texted - Jamal, Christian, chris

27: Top 3 hashtags you use - I really don’t

28: Top 3 instagram accounts you follow - Aussiesdoingthings, xomissdanielle, sophieturner

29: Top 3 guilty pleasures - old school Selena Gomez music, beets, asparagus

30: Top 3 summer activities - walking bailey, driving with the windows down, beach

31: Top 3 things to draw/doodle - hearts, flowers, stars

32: Top 3 aesthetics - pastel, rainbow/bright, princess

33: Top 3 things you'd buy if you gained three million dollars - house, private jet, pay off student debt

34: Top 3 ways to treat yourself - shopping at target, new underwear, Starbucks

35: Top 3 celebrity crushes - chris evans, ryan gosling, Aaron judge

36: Top 3 books from your childhood babysitters club, baby sitters little sister, Disney girls

37: Top 3 accents to hear - British, Australian, italian

38: Top 3 scents - pine trees/Christmas trees, lilacs, apple candle

39: Top 3 "Friends" quotes - PIVOT, they don’t know that we know that they know, soup I mean noodle soup, I mean soup!!!!

40: Top 3 cupcake flavors - yellow, chocolate, funfetti

41: Top 3 fruits - banana, strawberry, raspberry

42: Top 3 places you've had amazing pizza from - little Vincent’s, rosa’s in penn, Timothy’s

43: Top 3 sports teams to watch - Yankees, Yankees, Yankees

44: Top 3 crayola colors - I only really remember one specifically, razzledazzle, the pink one!

45: Top 3 things you hope to accomplish in college

46: Top 3 fanfictions you've read

47: Top 3 people you miss right now - Nick, Tony, Emily

48: Top 3 fears - burning alive, house fire, heights

49: Top 3 favorite literary devices - foreshadowing, symbolism, irony

50: Top 3 pet peeves - ppl who don’t use their blinkers, bad grammar/spelling (two, too, to etc.) ppl being late

51: Top 3 physical things you find attractive - abs, calves, smile

52: Top 3 bad habits - ED behaviors, over drinking when out, getting too attached

53: Top 3 pets you've had/wish to have - more Aussies, a monkey, lion

54: Top 3 types of foreign food - Italian, German, French

55: Top 3 things you want to say to someone in your lifetime - I just want to be able to talk to NG again 😔

56: Top 3 dog breeds - Australian shepherd, yorkie, German shepherd

57: Top 3 cheesy romance movies - pretty woman, the notebook, the last song

58: Top 3 languages you speak/wish to speak - Italian, French, Spanish

59: Top 3 series (book, movie, television) - friends, new girl, svu

60: Top 3 pizza toppings - just cheese please

61: Top 3 youtubers you're subscribed to

62: Top 3 tattoo / piercing ideas - astrology/Leo tattoo, finger tattoo, peacock feather

63: Top 3 awards you want to win - I don’t really need an award lol

64: Top 3 emojis - 😂🙈😍

65: Top 3 cars you dream of owning - pickup truck, Dodge Charger and 🤷🏼‍♀️

66: Top 3 authors - Tana French, Gillian Flynn, Sara gruen

67: Top 3 historical figures - MLK JR., Abraham Lincoln, Rosa parks

68: Top 3 baby names - hazel, violet, Ella

69: Top 3 DIYs - 🤷🏼‍♀️

70: Top 3 smoothie combos/flavors - peach, pineapple, strawberry banana

71: Top 3 songs of this month - mr. Perfectly fine, shake it out, dark horse

72: Top 3 questions of this post you want to be asked

73: Top 3 villains - scar, hades and 🤷🏼‍♀️

74: Top 3 Cities you want to see - Berlin/Munich, Sydney, Montreal

75: Top 3 recipes you want to try

76: Top 3 dream jobs - ice cream/candy store owner, school social worker, stay at home dog mom

77: Top 3 lucky items - my dog, my rings, my pop pop’s pocket watch

78: Top 3 traditions you have - Christmas Eve matching pjs with sister, reindeer food, and gingerbread cookies

79: Top 3 things you miss about being a kid - carefree, no bills, no responsibility

80: Top 3 harry potter characters

81: Top 3 lies you were told - only teenagers have acne, adults know what they’re doing/have it figured out, you can achieve anything you want with hard work

82: Top 3 pictures in your camera roll right now

83: Top 3 turn ons - hot body, nice smile, good sense of humor

84: Top 3 turn offs - disrespectful, rude, inconsistency

85: Top 3 magazines/news papers/ journals to read

86: Top 3 things you wish you had known earlier - what I wanted to study in undergrad, how bad heartbreak hurts, how complicated life/relationships can be

87: Top 3 spongebob episodes

88: Top 3 places to be in the world - northport, key west, Bahamas

89: Top 3 things you'd do differently - look more into options besides college, go to grad school right after AmeriCorps, have “the talk” with Nick

90: Top 3 TV shows from your childhood - Lizzie McGuire, Hannah Montana, Gullah Gullah island

91: Top 3 meals you love - ice cream, acai bowl, fries

92: Top 3 kinds of tea - just black please

93: Top 3 embarrassing moments - putting my foot in the muddy tree, getting sick from drinking while out, car accident

94: Top 3 holidays to celebrate - Christmas, New Year’s Eve, thanksgiving

95: Top 3 things to do in the rain - read, watch tv, snuggle with my dog

96: Top 3 things to do in the snow - stay inside and read, have hot chocolate, watch tv

97: Top 3 items you can't leave the house w/o - phone, ID, keys

98: Top 3 movies you'd like to see - last Christmas, hot tub time machine, zoolander

99: Top 3 art mediums - dance, watercolor, singing

100: Top 3 museums you've been to - museum of natural history DC, MOMA, Alamo

101: Top 3 school memories - leaving lmao

102: Top 3 things you don't/Won't miss - I’m not really sure

103: Top 3 pick up lines

104: Top 3 sports to watch - baseball, basketball, hockey

105: Top 3 taylor swift songs - mr. Perfectly fine, happiness, august

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