#i value jakes opinions just as much as she does

[be-the-glenn-to-my-maggie]

Avatar fandom on TikTok is scaring me so I am going to teach you all media literacy if it kills me. 

I steadfastly believe that the Neytiri/Quaritch/Spider trio is the most interesting and layered character development JC has going for him rn. Ya’ll not having the basic human empathy to understand Spider or Neytiri’s povs is freaking me out. 

First, Neytiri. Neytiri is someone who has lost half her family, half her clan, and the only home she’s ever known to an oppressive colonizing force. Quaritch is the physical representation of all that pain and loss. He had not only killed countless Na’vi, killed Grace, tried to destroy their connection to all of their ancestors, and is the person who destroyed her home and killed her father, he is also the person who almost killed Jake. He also in a way, represents Jake’s betrayal. We forget, but Jake did betray Neytiri. He stayed with the Omaticaya knowing what Quaritch and Parker Selfridge had planned for them, feeding them information about their home and their strengths, and she forgave him, but Na’vi mate for life and he didn’t disclose that vital information beforehand. Jake was working and spying directly for Quaritch. He represents that hurt. For her, Spider is like a ticking time bomb. He is around her kids and she can’t ever feel safe with this child, this human child of her worst enemy who has caused all of the worst things in her life, in her life and with her family. She tolerates him for her kids but that’s it. I think her mindset totally makes sense, and I really hope she’s able to see past his parentage and accept him! 

Spider is a child. He is not responsible for the actions of his parents, obviously. He has spent his entire life being raised by people that really don’t want anything to do with him. He has been basically a burden his entire life. The scientists were forced to keep him because he was too young to send to Earth, and the Sully’s were not equipped (and did not really try) to take on a human child. They are basically his family, but they don’t treat him as such. Everything that happens with Quaritch is Stockholm syndrome times 10000. And the opposite for Quaritch, which is Lima syndrome. This kid has never had an adult show him care or affection, and now he’s getting it from a weird reanimated clone of his father in a kidapping/hostage situation. Quaritch’s first move is to take Spider from torture. He says you can come with me or you can be tortured. He conditions him from the get go, that’s bad stuff here is good stuff. Even more importantly, in Spider’s eyes he saves his life from Neytiri. I would LOVE to know later if she intended to kill him (pls check out my post on my opinion on the significance of the cut on his chest) but regardless, Spider thinks she did and that Quaritch saved him. Regardless of his motives and how bad of a person he is (irredeemably sorry Quaritch girlies), Spider can’t leave him to die. It’s such a hard decision for him, but he’s a kid and a good person. One who values life like all Na’vi are taught to. And he still leaves him to go back to the Sully’s, who have not bothered to even try to be concerned about him outside of the kids. 

I’m not even gonna get too far into Quaritch, because I know there’s a lot of Quaritch stans out there now which does boggle my mind. But, as awful of a person as he is, he is a super super interesting character in this movie. In the first movie, he is a blatant representation of racism and colonialism in the worst sense, in a way that makes him a great villain but not a very layered character. He is a foil for Jake, showing us the worst of Jake in an outside antagonist. It’s easy to forget by AWOW that Jake used to have a similar mindset to Quaritch. Placing Quaritch in the body of those he fears and hates the most I think is a very fun twist. But what I really loved was his fear of Neytiri and how much that is highlighted in the film. The way he looks at her arrows is just spine chilling, and I can’t wait to see her kill him again because I can’t see it culminating any other way. 

The other thing relating to this is Spider’s fear of Neytiri. Her mistrust and fear of him had been a block in his life basically since birth. Her kids love and accept him as a brother easily, and Jake keeps him at arms length for Neytiri (which is a whole Jake issue but we can get into Jake another time). Neytiri stands between Spider and the family he’s always wanted, and him seeing her fight and just backing up in fear before she grabs him is so good, just a great culmination of all events. What I’d love to see from it is Neytiri and Spider having to come to terms with their fear of the other in order to move on and create a family unit. A son for a son, right, Quaritch gets Neteyam killed so Neytiri, Quaritch’s biggest fear, gets what he wants right now, which is Spider. 

[the-carlos-cow-eyes]

Okay, so I've been thinking about this for a while, so here are my death predictions for Season 3B of Chucky

Caroline ~ As much as I hate to say It, she's at the top of my list because they'd want to fuck with Lexy some more

James ~ It seems like I'm already right just by the new episode, but that one's a given because Devon Sawa gets a new character every single season and then he dies every single season JUST so he can get a new character

Grant ~ I HATE TO SAY IT EVEN THOUGH I LOVE HIM. I'm just being completely honest on this one because they LOVE to torture the Core Three and If they can kill Junior after being In one season, then they can kill him

And....as much as It hurts me to say It....I think they might kill one of the Core Three In the finale, so here are my thoughts on the possibilities of each of their deaths

Jake ~ I really don't think It'll be him because he's like the MAIN main character. The show started with him and I really think It'll end with him and he'll either go onto the next season (If there Is one) and then maybe even go Into the new movie that was announced. I'd be very surprised and very devastated If Jake died because he's my favorite out of the Core Three, but I think his death, especially THIS early In the show (three seasons In), would be unlikely

Devon ~ Okay, I think he's definitely a canidate for the chopping block. I love the Core Three, but I feel like they'd kill Devon just to fuck with Jake (And Lexy too of course, but especially Jake). They'd probably do this just for shock value because killing any of the Core Three seems really pointless right now, but Devon Is just a guess

Lexy ~ And finally, out of all of the Core Three and If It's not Devon or Caroline, then I think It's gonna be Lexy. Her death would honestly be the most probable one In my opinion as much as I really love her now and love her growth over the past couple of seasons. And honestly? I feel like Chucky won't be the one to kill her If she DOES die. I honestly really feel like Caroline will kill her. YEAH, I SAID IT. Lexy will probably try to reason with Caroline and It'll look like she'll try to go over to her and hug her AND THEN Caroline will stab her In the back or In the stomach

[local-redhead-bookworm]

I just got back from seeing Avatar: Way of Water and I���m about to make it everyone’s problem.

First off, the movie was absolutely visually stunning. The planet, the locations, the animals, all of it was gorgeous. Some of the most gorgeous shots I’ve ever seen.

I loved the Metkayina designs. They were clearly designed with water life in mind—the wider tails, wider arms to allow for better swimming. I also noticed inspiration drawn from Māori tattoos for their facial markings.

I loved all the kids, but Spider is definitely my favorite. It just makes me so sad that this kid has grown up never fitting in with the humans or the Na’vi and has been barely tolerated by most adults in his life. I have a lot of thoughts on Spider, but that’s a whole separate post. Basically I love him, I want him to be safe, and he’s a kind kid with a big heart and I’ll defend him to my dying day.

Kiri is a close second favorite. I was literally thinking “are there autistic Na’vi?” Before watching this and I kind of got my answer. Yes, i do 100% see Kiri as autistic. Also she’s canonically epileptic, which I thought was interesting. I just want more disabled characters that are interesting and contribute to the story, and she delivers. I also think it’s so cool that they gave her such a close connection with Eywa (no I don’t have religious trauma leave me alone). My only complaint is that Sigourney Weaver’s voice doesn’t…sound like a teenager’s voice to me. She plays the part very well, but her voice throws me off a bit.

I think it’s very interesting what they’ve done with Quaritch’s character. By making him a clone, you basically start over. He’s got all the memories but basically only a year or so of life experience and a lot of that influences how he interacts with the world, especially Pandora since he’s experiencing it from a new angle. He also noticeably softens toward Spider and while it may have started as manipulative, I do think he genuinely cares for Spider by the end. He reminds me a bit of early-show Zuko, and I can see him getting redeemed through his bond with Spider. I really want to see him link with a Spirit Tree, the existential crisis it would cause would make for great writing.

I don’t feel that Jake has been super poorly written, but I feel that we’re seeing him acting in survival mode so I don’t know what his relationship with his kids is usually like. I understand why he would revert to military training in a time of crisis.

I do feel like Jake has forgotten what it was like to be human in some ways, like he’s forgotten that he wasn’t always Na’vi. He does great his boys like they’re soldiers under his command, and I feel like his treatment of Spider shows just how much he’s forgotten what it was like to be human. What it was like to live in a world that wasn’t compatible with his body.

I also feel like Jake doesn’t have a full grasp of Na’vi culture still, and he sometimes overrides Neytiri when he should listen to her experience. Again, I understand the reasoning, it just annoys me.

Neytiri got shoved to the side a bit, in my opinion. She was in character, and I understand all of her responses, but I felt that Jake didn’t always treat her as an equal or value her knowledge enough. I don’t quite have words for how her emotions impact her character, but they’re all very impressed words. Just wow.

The tulkun are so cool to me. It started out as just kind of a whaling story, but you realize that these creatures are sentient, they’re capable of thought, they’re deeply intelligent beings. They’re people, plain and simple. And seeing the whaling analogy paired with the fact that these creatures are people, it made me nearly cry. Seeing them being murdered and their bodies desecrated for a tiny bit of profit had me cringing in my seat and made me so angry.

Random thoughts in no particular order:

Tsireya is so pretty I love her. She reminds me of a fantasy Elf for some reason.

Quaritch attempting the “death by thighs” move was unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome. I’m used to seeing femme fatale characters use that move, and I’m pretty sure I was blushing.

All of the Sully boys have daddy issues now, and Spider also has mommy issues

The “why so blue?” dad joke and Spider getting the one “fuck” of the movie made me laugh

[spacedhead]

homestuck reread #11: act 6 p2

aranea first appearance!!! shes so beautifullll hi girl

okay so i think i misremembered this specific comversation. in a previous conversation with roxy, roxy accidentally IMPLIED that jane might have feelings for him. but then jake was like yeah i already know that she has a thing for me but then since he knows roxy isnt supposed to talk about it he agrees to drop it. then here he is like hey jane do you like me? be honest. just come out and say it. do you? and she is like clearly not ready to be honest yet so shes like uh no i dont

so then hes like oh you dont well thats crazy i thought you did. but then hes like . are you sure? and she is like... haha i guess not... GAHHH THIS IS SO PAINFUL TO READ. but the problem im finding is that i feel like jake is in the wrong here but like i dont know i might do the same thing. if i suspected someone liked me and then got soft confirmation from their best friend i might also approach the situation by asking for confirmation rather than being like I KNOW YOU LIKE ME. but maybe the real thing i would do is wait for them to tell me... i honestly dont know what the right answer is... like what was his best option here because what he did felt so wrong. and jane. poor jane. she is suffering with the weight of liking this FREAK . its just hard cause i wanted her to be honest but i also get why she wasnt

i dont even want to show this next part but jake after this is telling jane about how he thinks dirk wants to date him (which he does) and jane is just. suffering . but she keeps telling him to like go for it? like why are you sabotaging yourself like this?? i get shes trying to be a good friend but like at what cost girl your sanity?? and how is he this socially unaware when he has proven that he can pick up on the hints that jane liked him even BEFORE roxy accidentally implied it?? but now he cant tell that jane is OBVIOUSLY not happy with the situation. i actually cant tell if hes being a cruel person and deliberately ignoring her feelings or if hes just suddenly unable to pick up on her feelings. i GUESS in his defense there has been this ongoing theme of his friends saying that he has a tendency to believe people at face value and believe IN people. get it. because hope. but that is dumb and in my opinion a weak defense

to be fair. he is glasses

what heaven looks like (without the dead cat)

AHHHHH JUMPSCARE

god damn you. tumut

this is really cool

me every time i get mad and my friends call me delusional

this section of dirk giving jake the Lore is cool. look at alpha dave he is so awesome

holy balls look at rose too

HELL YEAH

Sadge

DO YOU OR DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT JANE HAS A THING FOR YOU....... WHAT IS HAPPENING

hee hee look at lil seb

this baller ass panel. hes so cool he has a fucking SWORD

look at him go!!!!

AHHH I LOVE THIS PANEL EVERYONE IS SO SILLY!!!!!!

me when im the dumbest boy in paradox space

wait this makes sense to me. the seer of mind can see brain ghost dirk. that is so cool

I AM CRESTFALLEN. (also jane and roxy just died so that is very sad too. but they have dreamselves.) shit is kind of hitting the fan when all the alpha kids are trying to enter. also calliope just got name and appearance revealed so... hey

this is funny

HUHHHHH

ok so i watched s dirk synhcronize. really good flash! some things i noticed. 1. there is that tumblr post that is like dirk just high fives meenah without even knowing who she is or what a troll is. that is wrong he DOES know what a troll is and had already briefly met her like right before the high five happened . 2 its crazy that he has no fear or hesitation when he puts his own head in the transportalizer. like bro really just was willing to kill himself for his friends. i know that he lives bc of his dreamself but still to have ZERO hesitation shows how much he loves them all. 3 in the beginning of homestuck john needed a sledge hammer to open his cruxtruder and throughout the comic most of the characters have needed to drop something heavy on the lid to pop it open but dirk just fucking kicks it open with little effort . actual baller

based hal

this goofy ass scene look at roxys face its so me

fuuuuuck i just watched caliborn enter... lord english destroyed the dream bubble with the john who died and a couple dead daves... (and a bunch of alternate trolls) man i fucking HATE that guy....

shes real or somefin

dude. not cool

i fuckin love his hashtags

LOOK AT THEM

gender envy

im out of image space but ........ to be continued. this is definitely... like... i feel like after cascade the comic came to an abrupt stop. and it is taking a while for things to get going again. maybe once they arrive at the new session

[onlyjaeyun]

We are getting to the good part, like that moment when you know some of what's gonna go down since you sent the ideas for it in. Like it's going down, everyone was asking for angst, and like it's on it's way.

Also guess who spent $250 on albums because they were buy 2 get 1 free; I have 4 Dark Blood, 4 Orange Blood, 2 &Team, and 2 Dreamcatcher album coming. I'm hoping I pull anyone but Jake for Dark Blood, since I already got the Jake version, and hopefully I don't get repeats in any of the other albums, but knowing my luck watch me get nothing but repeats.

Also enjoy some SB!Jay thoughts:

Jay values y/n's opinion so much, once official, he would ask her opinion before anyone else's, even his board of directors. Like someone would approach his company to work, and he'd explain it all to her and be all should we do it, and if she says yes but his board says no, he does it anyways, or if she says no but the board says yes, he doesn't do it.

He would purposely get meetings scheduled out of Korea often, that way he can take her on minivacations without having to explicitly say they are going on vacation, since he knows she'd say no. Instead he'd extend whatever hotel stay she made for them, and be all 'oh they messed up the reservations, I guess we need to stay a week longer than planned'.

He buys them matching items, but they aren't gaudy matching items, like his and her watches. He also absolutely buy her a locket that on the inside has his initials. He would also love buying her Cartier bracelets, he would also definitely carry around the screwdriver for it at all times, since I could just see him loving to help her take them off and put them back on.

I recall you mentioning Jay is a cigarette guy, if he smoked, he would absolutely quit cold turkey if y/n one day was just like 'I don't like the smell of cigarette smoke' or if she just asked him too. He would all of a sudden be like 'cigarettes? I don't smoke', while throwing all his packs away.

Y/n definitely makes a playlist of songs she likes and that she thinks Jay would like to play when they are in the car together, Jay knows absolutely none of them, but doesn't let her know that and instead just says she knows exactly what he likes, since he likes seeing how excited she got to share the playlist. He also definitely listens to the playlist when he's alone, so he can learn the songs a bit, so she doesn't catch on that he didn't know the songs.

After a long day at work, the two of them would unwind by cooking dinner and baking dessert together. Like I just imagine the softest kitchen scene ever. Like y/n resting her head on Jay's back while hugging him from behind as he does something like cut up the vegetables for the dish they are making. Jay definitely does the same, resting his head on her shoulder, arms around her waist, fingers finding their way under the hem of her shirt, watching as she perfectly frosts their cake. They would then enjoy dinner before relaxing on the sofa in each other's arms.

One of Jay's love languages is definitely gift giving. He is the type to constantly get and leave y/n little gifts, like he was buying coffee and saw these little trinkets and thought they would look nice on her desk, or like he was shopping for himself a new suit and saw this dress he thought would look nice on her.

Normal relationships get a drawer at the other's apartment or house, but instead Jay offers y/n a whole entire room, a whole damn closet, she however has only put a few items into it, almost everything else in that closet was bought by Jay for her. Like Jay would spoil her, buy all these luxury shoes and clothing items for her, despite the fact she's all I don't need any of this, he insist.

THE ANGST IS ON ITS WAAYYYYY 🤒 and honestly as heartbreaking as it will be im super excited ??? and im glad to know you guys are too 🤭🤭

also OMG AS YOU SHOULD???? that was a deal you couldn't have said no to like genuinely PLS TELL ME ALL YOJR PULLS THIS IS SO EXCITINGGGGG im so happy for you bb!!!!!🥺💞

and may i say that i love love love reading your thoughts and ideas and hcs like they just make me so happy 🥺 especially the little domestic ones like i just love how we all love jongyn and can indulge in them all so well 🥺

and that particular kitchen scene is SO gonna be included because i'd be an idiot to let rhag opportunity go and omg if i had the time and capacity i'd indulge in all of these bc they're so good and i love and appreciate you so much 🥺💞

[miss-jaffacake]

So I watched Avatar 2 at the cinema last night and now Im gonna drain you with my boring stories and opinions (I will marry whoever understood that reference) SPOILERS FOR BOTH FLIMS AHEAD READ WITH CAUTION

Anyway.

Avatar was a good movie not because of the story or characters; in fact, the plot was very much an exact copy of the Hero's Journey, and the characters were annoyingly bland, even if they were fun to watch. Jake's character in particular had no personality whatsoever, and he was more of a blank slate for the audience to project on. The real issue with the entire franchise is that they created an amazing, detailed, immersive world and made the movies with the purpose of showing it off, not with the purpose of creating an interesting storyline or characters.

All that aside, Avatar 1 was an incredible experience, and the effects were, without a doubt, absolutely worth the hype. The story was predictable, and there wasnt anything else to particularly distinguish it other than the worldbuilding and stunning effects, but Id still recommend it simply for how wonderful of a viewing experience it was.

Avatar The Way of The Water, though.... *wince*

Jake's lack of personality, values or morals were, in my opinion, what ruined the movie (and the numerous subplots, none of which were tied into the main plot). The whole "running away" thing was completely ridiculous; it went against every one of Neytiri's values, and it broke the idea that Jake is a powerful force, which was a prominent message in Avatar 1. After establishing his strength and making a big deal out of him, so to speak, he ran away???? It was more than infuriating, but since Jake had no values in the first movie either, it was easy to mould him into a completely new character. It felt jarring that his new motivation was to protect his family, even it was at the cost of his own people whom he so sought to protect in the prequel. He literally did a 180 degree flip. (and dont give me any bullshit about how being a parent alters your brain chemistry or whatever)

It was embarrassing to watch Neytiri and Jake ask for sanctuary when they were so powerful and respected in their community, and it was a poor way of introducing the idea of other tribes. There were a million other ways to do it; maybe the Omatikaya kidnapped his children as leverage because they wanted Jake on their side, maybe there was a debt to be repaid, maybe they asked for help in fighting the war, maybe the heartbeat Kiri heard was leading them there, maybe Grace got pregnant from one of the Omatikaya and Kiri wanted to find her real father, maybe Lo'ak ran away there after being berated one too many times,,,, you get my point. We couldve seen our main characters interact with the Omatikaya in a way that didnt completely demolish the ideas established in the first movie: that Jake had earned his place among the forest people and was a force to be reckoned with and that Neytiri had promised to never abandon her people.

So, we reach the Omatikaya, and Jake has to relearn how to be a part of a clan all over again, but this time with the rest of his family. I LOVE the premise of doing it all over again but this time with a family by his side, I really do. I like the nods towards Jake and Neytiri's dynamic reflected in Lo'ak and Tsireya, and it felt fitting that Jake's character arc had to take another turn.

Now onto each of the characters' respective, screwed up subplots and back stories. It very much felt like Jake took a backseat in the movie, and his children were now in the spotlight. Which isnt necessarily a bad thing, it just wasnt very well executed and I was hoping we'd see Jake wrestle with the implications of having lived two lives at once and maybe have an identity crisis idk.

Kiri's backstory is interesting, but i was beyond pissed that we didnt get any sort of explanation for how Grace's avatar got pregnant. Also, how does that tie into the fact she has different abilities than the rest of them??? The whole scene where she made the bond with the spirit tree was confusing and unnecessary; it didnt advance the plot, but merely opened yet another door that we didnt venture through. Im assuming she will be the "seed bearer" in the third movie. Her character had potential, as did all the others, but it was untapped throughout the whole movie, and we didnt get any explanation for why she was so different than the others, and what her biological family had to do with the fact she could "hear Eywa's heartbeat". It was made to seem like a deciding plot device in the trailer when really it took us nowhere.

Neteyam and Tuk had no personality; they existed for the character development of everyone else and to be a hindrance, respectively.

Lo'ak was the most thought-out character by far. One might even go so far as to say that this was his movie. Bonding with an outcast tukun was great, loved seeing his character projected back at him, and the cruel irony of Jake making his son feel how he felt when trying to join the N'avi was also pretty cool (Lo'ak has a severe case of middle child syndrome) Jake was the asshole dad to him for almost the entirety of the movie (hypocrite), cementing the idea that he was now a side character.

And Spider. Man i hate that kid. Not a terrible idea for a character, but i cant believe that "a son for a son" at the end of the movie. "Im so devastated my son is dead to the point im gonna replace him with the little shit that saved the guy who killed him". That was a gross storyline. Also, how come the only human kid speaks more N'avi than the actual N'avi??? Like,,,,, what??? Why do the have an accent??? It kinda ruined the immersion factor. HE WASNT EVEN YOUR FATHER, DUMBASS. HES A LITERAL CLONE GROW TF UP

So yeah, it was immensely rude of them to use Quaritch as the villain again. That was bad enough, but letting him survive??? Recycling a villain twice??? Wheres your dignity??? Have you no class??? And I understand that it was done so there could be a betrayal subplot in the third film, but that does not make it acceptable by any means. Also, none of the characters went through any development whatsoever. They literally killed Neteyam to give Lo'ak some kinda growth but it was for nothing. NOTHING!!! No one changed from the beginning of the movie to the end, and the only one who was true to their character from the first movie to the end of the second was Neytiri.

So, basically:

The subplots werent properly tied in, no character development, they ruined Jake, we have the same villain as last time, and the storyline is veryyyyy similar to the first.

Watch it anyway, the graphics are stunning and honestly almost make it worth the 3.5 hours. Almost.

[rotationalsymmetry]

Animorphs/Discworld/ATLA who things what about which.

Ok. I already did how the Animorphs feel about the Discworld books. (Caveat it's been a while since I've read most of the Discworld books and I haven't actually finished Animorphs.) So, how the Animorphs would feel about ATLA if that was on TV while the books were happening or when they were a bit younger.

First thing that jumps out at me is Aang's pacifism, which presumably Cassie would vibe with, but which the others might have very little patience with. Perhaps especially Marco. These people killed his entire people! How can Aang care about the life of Firelord, the grandson of the person who was responsible for his people's genocide, unless he doesn't value their lives?

I think probably all of them would love the elemental combat magic, I mean, who wouldn't like that sort of thing?

I just said (prev post) that Rachel would love Karara, but on second thought I think she'd REALLY love Toph. Life goals. Toph doesn't care what anyone thinks and she can beat guys twice her height. And she's capable of following social rules but won't do it when she doesn't want to. Epic. 10/10 would go on a crime spree with.

On the subject of Cassie liking that everyone in the Discworld books is a person, well, so is everyone in ATLA. Even scenery characters with one or two lines. The show's especially careful to humanize people in the Fire Nation -- members of the royal family, ordinary soldiers, civilians -- and she'd love that. And you know she's watched Appa's Lost Days over. And over. And over. If Cassie got to be a bender she'd want to be an airbender. And of course she's a huge fan of Zuko's redemption arc. People can change!

Marco doesn't like the show. I hate to say it but it's true. Because it makes it too hard to not think about his mom. I mean. He kind of likes it. But it also gives him lots of feels and he's not going to TALK about it ok? He certainly doesn't want anyone else to think about his mom and maybe feel sorry for him. He also thinks Toph is Life Goals.

Ax's favorite episode is the northern air temple one. He's fascinated at the idea of humans flying. Imagine, humans flying! They can barely even jump!

Ax also sympathizes with Sokka on the "supposed to be a warrior but was left behind when the fighting happened" front. He's glad Sokka eventually gets one of those hand held substitute tail blades humans use. Probably thinks the human Animorphs should get some of those too, just in case they ever have to fight out of morph. (He also sympathizes with Zuko about being a long way from home and maybe never going to get to go back. He's not going to talk about that though, much like Marco isn't going to talk about missing his mother.)

Tobias also likes the northern air temple episode, for some reason. He ships Aang and Katara. He wants to be like Sokka. He'd be an airbender because airbending is the coolest bending. And because of flying. He likes the great divide episode because there's a park ranger. I'm not sure what his opinions on the messenger hawks are, but I'm sure they're very strong opinions.

Jake. Hmm, Jake. Jake likes Azula. I mean, she's a villain, so it's not like he thinks she's a good person -- and a lot of what he's picking up from her on the how to be a leader front is how NOT to do things -- but she's a good character. And, well, sometimes he needs to think about someone who understands how much pressure he's under. Azula understands that. (Sokka understands that too, and he does pick up some "how to be a leader when your group only kinda sorta does leaders" from him. Jake is super different from Sokka though. Sokka is a planner. Jake is an improviser. His plans tend to suck, but when they fall through he can pivot ok.) (ah shit now I also have to do Leverage.)

[myqueenmarceline]

Siren Song Chapter 23: No More Time

Summary: Bonnibel meets with her supervisor, and learns that she will have even less time than she had anticipated.

Warnings: none

Thank you to @nebula-gaster for beta reading!

Read it on ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18990040/chapters/119148982

Read it from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18990040/chapters/45092713

“I’m sorry,” Bonnibel said, watching the traffic around them roll past. “I tried to leave a note, I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Finn sighed, gripping the steering wheel tighter with his good hand. “I don’t understand you, Bonnibel. Aren’t you worried about yourself? You didn’t even know what was wrong with you until you went to the doctor. Why in the hell would you go back out into the ocean?”

She hesitated. She was concerned for herself on some level, she was just far more concerned for Marceline. She couldn’t tell that to Finn, though. “Probably not to the degree you are. It’s a character flaw I am aware of. It’s usually a benefit in my field; continuing to work no matter how bad I’m feeling gets me ahead of others.”

On the bright side, she had gone with Finn to see a doctor this morning. The doctor had found that if she did have a concussion, it was too mild to be detected by their equipment. She had some bruises, but those could simply be treated with ice and over-the-counter medicine. Her headache was likely due to dehydration, and she had picked up a package of electrolyte drinks and extra water from the store next to the doctor’s office. The only other recommendation was bed rest, and she would try her best to follow that once she was able to drop anchor back where she was supposed to be.

Finn scoffed, and she shrank back in her seat. She wasn’t sure if she would consider him a friend, but he was a good person. She valued his opinion, and he clearly held a negative one of her right now.

“Well you have to start looking out for yourself sometime, man. At least Jake and I keep an eye on each other. You don’t have anyone to tell you when to rest or slow down. I’ve seen guys like you work, and they always burn out by 30.”

She nodded. There were several fundamental differences between a hard labour industry like fishing and academia, but she could appreciate the point being made.

“I will try my best to find someone who can keep me in check.” Bonnibel glanced down at her phone, and saw she had an email notification.

“We’re going back out tomorrow. We’ll come with you,” Finn said, then leaned on the horn as someone drove through the intersection ahead of them. “Hey, that was a red fucking light!”

She didn’t look up. She had opened her email. She stared at the message, reading it over and over.

We need to meet today. This is non-negotiable. I have cleared my schedule at 3pm your time. If this does not work, get back to me immediately.

The message had been sent more than two hours ago, just before Bonnibel had stepped into the doctor’s office. She had less than 30 minutes to log on for their meeting. Louisa didn’t do casual meetings, but the tone of this email was even more urgent than usual, so it must really be a crisis.

She looked up, suddenly very aware that they were at least 10 minutes away from the docks. They had only been planning to load up her boat, but having the meeting in the relative privacy of the cabin would be much better than waiting until she was back at Finn and Jake’s apartment.

“My supervisor needs to meet with me, it’s urgent.” Her voice was a bit stiff, and she hoped Finn didn’t ask her about it.

It seemed that Finn had the patience of a saint. “Okay, sure. Do you want me to load the stuff from the trunk while you do that?”

She wasn’t used to feeling so guilty, and she only felt worse now. “No, that’s too much. I can do it after the meeting. I just need to do this first. I’m sorry, you can go run some other errands if you need to.”

“It’s fine, you’re supposed to rest. I’ll load everything into the hull and then wait for you in here,” Finn said. He turned on the radio, and rock music blared out loudly for a moment before he quickly lowered the volume. “Sorry. This is really good though.” He began bobbing his head, humming along as he weaved through two lanes of traffic in a way that had her clutching her seatbelt.

When her heart felt like it wasn’t about to stop, she replied. “No, you don’t have to wait. I can find my own way back. I don’t know how long this meeting will be. I’ve already inconvenienced you enough.”

"It's no trouble, Bonnibel." Finn patted her with his prosthetic, then quickly moved his hand back to the gearshift. "I've waited longer for Jake before. I'll be fine."

She wanted to fight back, but she could tell that would only cause more tension between them. Maybe it was better to just give in. “Thank you, Finn.”

Instead she looked out of the window, keeping her eyes on the road. They finally got to the docks, and she leaped out of the truck. She almost collided directly with a dockhand, and she apologized over her shoulder as she hurried to her boat.

She headed into her cabin and closed the door. After a moment of thought, she locked it. Finn could access the storage hold from the deck, and she wanted to have some privacy, though it was possible Finn could still hear her through the walls.

With two minutes to spare, she opened Skype. She checked everything over once, then took a deep breath. The request popped up, and she quickly accepted it.

“Hello?” Bonnibel asked, moving a bit closer to her desk.

Louisa sat in her office, and she was actually glaring at Bonnibel. She had only ever seen that stormy expression directed at other students when they did something really wrong. “Bonnibel. I know you’ve been lying to me.”

Her heart dropped, but she tried to keep a neutral expression. “I’m sorry?”

Louisa sighed. She didn’t like repeating herself. “Your email was a lie. I was called when they found your boat. I know you weren’t on it, and you came ashore some time later. What happened?”

Bonnibel hesitated. Would it look better or worse if she said she willingly went on to someone else’s boat? She hadn’t prepared any excuses, and she couldn’t think of one that sounded better than falling off of the boat.

“Tell me the truth,” Louisa ordered.

Well, Bonnibel could give her the version of the truth she’d given to Finn. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think it was worth explaining. I fell off the stern, and wasn’t able to get back on the boat. I drifted for a bit, then was picked up. I wasn’t able to land in the town I normally dock in, so it took me an extra day to get back to the boat. I wasn’t in the water for long.”

Louisa was stunned. That wasn’t a good sign. “You fell off? How?”

She looked away and winced, rubbing her shoulder and the back of her neck. “I slipped. I wasn’t paying attention. I hit my shoulder, and I wasn’t able to swim fast enough to grab the railing and pull myself up again.”

“Have you seen a doctor?”

Bonnibel nodded, dropping her hand back down to her lap again. “Yes, there’s nothing broken or sprained. I’m just a bit dehydrated.”

“Do you have a copy of that diagnosis? You’ll need to submit your records to the board of ethics, and to the insurance to be compensated.”

She shook her head. “I just have a small note. I don’t need compensation though, the visit was quite cheap.”

Louisa sighed. “Well, you still need to register the accident. I’ll send over the forms you need to fill out. You can submit three copies directly to the department once you’re back.”

Bonnibel nodded, but she felt like she was missing something.

“Let me know what the flights look like. There’s a few hundred extra dollars of funding available, so even if a direct flight costs more, I can cover the price. Tomorrow’s flight will be full, but I’m sure you can find something in the next couple of days. I’ll speak to my colleagues working on the Cherry Barb project, and we’ll find someone to come in and replace you soon.”

Bonnibel jerked in her seat, nearly jumping out of it. “Replace me? Why? This—this is just a temporary setback! I’m fine! I had one bad day, and I’m feeling much better now.”

“No. Bubblegum, I need you to listen to what I am saying.” Louisa said firmly, glaring at Bonnibel. “You are getting too wrapped up in this project. It’s only a summer internship. You haven’t mentioned anything about your research progress for your thesis in more than a month, and you didn’t even make it to the last group research meeting. You were distracted during our last one-on-one. You’re alone on that boat, aren’t you? I am not risking your health over this, and I won’t let you make any stupid decisions. You’ve only got one year left to finish your thesis, there’s no dropping out now.”

She tried to protest, but Louisa cut her off. “I don’t care if I have to come down there and drag you back myself. My word on this is final.” Louisa attempted to look sympathetic, which was somehow even worse. “You put in a good effort, Bonnibel, but it’s time to let go. I’ll make sure your contribution is recognized, and you can even get a say in the final paper. But I’m telling you, you’ve got to come back.”

Bonnibel looked down, grabbing the edges of her lab coat and squeezing it as hard as she could. She knew that she couldn’t fight Louisa on this. She was strict, and she would make Bonnibel’s life hell if she kept fighting back. Usually Louisa’s strong opinions gave her much-needed direction in her research, but today they only gave Bonnibel a bitter taste in her mouth.

“I understand. I’ll start looking into flights tonight.”

Louisa smiled. “Thank you, Bonnibel. You’re a good student. I’ll see you soon.”

“Goodbye.” Bonnibel’s hand was shaking as she clicked the button to end the call.

She covered her mouth, raising her legs up and hugging them to her chest. One of the tears that had been welling in her eyes ran down her cheek. She stifled a cry, not wanting to draw Finn’s attention if he was still outside. She had no time left, she really had to leave Marceline now. It was one of the worst things she had ever felt, and Bonnibel just wanted to curl into herself and disappear.

[familydeath-blog]

( @yasperalta )

       ❛ hi there officer, i know you’re busy harassing this store manager about a robbery or something serious but... i need to know. what do you think would look better: the blue or the green ? ❜  she’s holding up two dresses.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

okay, I want to hear about your thoughts on Renesmee wanting to eat Edward?? What's up with that. Also would love to hear about your opinion on this child in general. All the people in her life are hardcore projecting on her, what's the alien child's perspective on all this shit. Thanks for all the twilight meta its wild.

Thank you, glad you enjoy my rambling, strange, thoughts.

What’s Up With Renesmee Devouring Her Enemies?

So, this one’s actually a bit of headcanon on my end, not really supported by anything directly. We’re going way into left field with this.

But I do have this. Renesmee is a highly efficient predator, perhaps in a way more so than the vampire (although she is weaker and slower than vampires) and Renesmee is... not human, for whatever that means.

Everything we see of Renesmee’s early biological development, and what we see happening in Nahuel and his sisters, makes a lot of sense from a biological standpoint.

The mother is turned essentially into a hybrid incubator, such that even if she wanted to abort she likely would not be able to or would not survive it. The child grows at a rapid rate in the room and has to eat itself out, at which point it has a starter meal of the human mother. The child then grows absurdly rapidly to the point where, mentally and physically, it can survive on its own. Growth then slows and then stops when sexual maturity is reached, presumably for reproductive purposes.

Vampires cannot do a few things. They are a half-sterile race, only able to reproduce through humans and the previously male half of the human species. They also need external help to kill a fellow vampire. In other words, they have to light a fire.

Until you burn the pieces, the enemy vampire isn’t dead. Now, using fire as a tool is to date something only the human species has figured out. It is not intuitive and an odd coincidence that vampires had this prerequisite knowledge (I have thoughts on what vampirism even is and where it comes from). 

I imagine, just as Renesmee presumably has reproductive capabilities that vampires lack, she also a has a toolset that vampires lack: the ability to kill a vampire without the need for fire. 

Given that Renesmee’s able to eat human food, this implies she has a digestive that is able to break down nutrients. The reason vampires can’t eat other vampires is they lack this. Edward swallows pizza, he’s vomiting that shit back up three hours later and it’s going to be very solid and very gross. Whatever venom did to his innards, most of his vital human organs aren’t working anymore.

Given that Renesmee’s this mix of venom and who knows what kinds of fluids I believe her stomach is capable of breaking down and digesting vampire flesh. This seems to me the most obvious way to eliminate an enemy vampire when no tools are otherwise available.

Hence, instinctively, if Renesmee wants to murder Edward she will eat him.

(Also, as you can tell, the image is just horrifyingly delightful to me, and so it’s my go to response.)

As for why she would want to eat him, see here and here.

The Family and Renesmee

As you note, everyone in Renesmee’s life projects someone else onto her.

Not so much Carlisle, he just seems very bewildered and overwhelmed by everything at first, and one of the few who openly notes how not human Renesmee is and the implications of this (given the chromosome experiment, I’m sure Carlisle was expecting a squid).

Even in the early stages though we see Edward, Bella, Alice, and Rosalie as primary offenders. (I’d list Esme except Esme is... being Esme about it, so, she’s just floating through Renesmee’s life like her Cullen ghost self and not even at the point where she can project anything onto her. Besides, that’s what Edward’s for.)

Edward sees the best of both himself and Bella in Renesmee, a little intellectual who reads War and Peace at a few weeks old when she has no understanding of the concepts of War, Napoleon, Russia, or Peace. As Edward always does, he so obliviously projects onto her, that I imagine it doesn’t matter what Renesmee says or does around him and she quickly figures that out.

Bella’s left the planet. Renesmee’s this beautiful thing, that looks like Edward, that is her daughter. Bella has no idea what parenting is. She’s floating through life preparing herself to become Esme 2.0. It’s not so much that she projects onto Renesmee but that she... completely fails to connect her to reality. Renesmee is a concept to Bella. Renesmee might figure this out, but given her feelings for her mother, I imagine she’s far more conflicted about it. She probably wishes things could be different between them, and often tries to find ways to make it so, it just never works.

Alice treats Renesmee much as she treated Bella, as her little doll that she can dress in cute clothing. Beyond that, Renesmee is a nuisance who messes with Alice’s gift. Oh, Alice likes her well enough, but I don’t see them having an actual meaningful conversation or connection.

Rosalie’s probably the wort offender in the projection domain. She is absolutely projecting the ideal human child she never had onto Renesmee. When Renesmee inevitibly fails to live up to these perfect standards, which even a human child wouldn’t, I imagine Rosalie will get increasingly upset. Acknowledging Renesmee isn’t what she wanted either would probably break Rosalie, so she’s not going to do that, and instead try to get Renesmee to behave correctly. For however much she cares about Renesmee, I imagine Renesmee sours on her growing up, as she knows she will never be what Rosalie wishes she was. Grateful that Rosalie helped keep her alive, of course, but... she would also probably wonder, as fandom does, just how much Rosalie was hoping Bella would die in birth (for the record, I think this might have been an idle fantasy of Rosalie’s, but I don’t think she’d go this far.)

Then of course, there’s Jake. Woof, Jake. As I linked above, I think Renesmee will slowly become more and more disenchanted with Jake. She’ll either learn about or suspect her own gift, have no interest in having a romantic relationship with him, or learn about his checkered past with her mother. More Jake is...

Imprinting, at a very large distance, sounds nice but imagine what that means. You have this person who is utterly dependent on you, who will do whatever you want and be whatever you wish them to be. In other words, you have this codependent person you can never get rid of who is never authentic. They will never say no to you, will always do what you wish, and if you dare to tell them you want a little time to yourself they will probably combust into flames.

That’s not a good relationship for anyone: imprinter or imprintee.

Jake, in a sense, ceases to be a real person when it comes to Renesmee. Renesmee will figure that out and then... why should she live her life just to make this miserable man who once tried to murder her happy?

What Does This Do to Renesmee?

I imagine Renesmee grows up feeling very isolated.

She doesn’t really belong in the Cullens, for all that they’re the best fit she has. She certainly doesn’t belong with other imprintees in the tribe (and whatever occasional function she goes to with the Quileutes is probably a complete disaster), and she’s not human either.

I imagine her strongest relationships are Charlie Swan (who beyond the surrealness of his life I imagine takes Renesmee at very face value), Carlisle Cullen (who also seems to not project onto Renesmee and takes her at face value), and Bella (who she desperately wants a stronger relationship with but Bella’s not listening).

Well, Charlie at some point will die. He will not choose immortality. I imagine Renesmee never quite understands why he was allowed to choose death or what the purpose of the human species even is. To her, they are caterpillars who never went into the chrysalis. Given to Renesmee the Cullen diet is the norm, to her it would seem obvious that, yes, everyone in the world can turn into a vampire and if they ration animal resources correctly there’s no problem. Or, if not everyone, then certainly her grandfather need not die.

I’m sure Charlie tries to talk to Renesmee about this but given that he’s one of her few strong relationships in this world the talk of “I’m going to die some day, sorry kiddo” doesn’t go well.

So, I’m sure it takes Renesmee a very long time to recover from that blow, if, in fact, she ever really does. I’m sure a part of her will always grieve Charlie.

In time, I think she’ll leave the coven to go on a journey of self discovery. The coven will just be too damn suffocating and she needs to find out who she truly is. Now, if that’s before or after the inevitable collapse of the Volturi and destruction of human society is hard to say.

I will say that whatever the future holds for Renesmee, just like everyone else’s, it is unbearably bleak.

[deans-haunted-baby]

Okay I see there are those who are confused as to why most of us are pissed about 15x19 I will gladly explain in depth:

Let’s start off with our boys Adam Milligan & Michael. These characters have not been seen for 10 fucking years. During that time there were Adam stans like myself campaigning like mad to have him and the infamous archangel return for some much needed closure. We had to content ourselves with headcanons, fanfictions and metas based on what we briefly knew of Adam and Michael as people while they unfairly sat in Hell. You might have seen the “Adam’s Still in Hell” memes that circulated. WE WAITED OVER A DECADE FOR THIS. And finally SPN answers our prayers and returns these boys back into the story for the final season. None of us anticipated what their arc and dynamic would look like. Before we could only imagine who these two characters were/are after having been trapped in a cage so long; what their personalities would be like and if they’d be antagonistic to TFW. 15x08 was a surprise because not only were Adam and Michael likable right out of the gate but the writing for them and their dynamic was damn near flawless! And Jake fucking stole the show he killed it as these two. It’s a crime they were not featured in more episodes because the chemistry between these characters is amazing and they’re played by the same dude.

We were given so much background into both Adam and Michael’s psyches in just a short period of time. Their motivations, interests and how they viewed those that wronged them (like the Winchesters); how Hell affected/changed them both and how they viewed their families. We got to see them banter, cooperate with one another and most importantly their different personalities. With Jake Abel appearing in only a handful of SPN episodes, he still fleshed out Michael and Adam beautifully; giving them layers and complexities that most side-characters (who’ve appeared more times than they have) didn’t. The way Jake played Adam’s anger and resentment towards his brothers was brilliant because it’s more under the surface compared to his angsty teenage self in 5x18. He’d become somewhat restrained, laid-back, gentler and wiser which works because Adam displays traits similar to Sam and Dean. He’s kinder and has a sense of humor but none of that distracts from rational thought as he’s quick to analyze and dissect situations. Man, he would’ve made a great hunter/Men of Letters recruit. We know right off the bat Adam’s pissed at his brothers for abandoning him in a thousand-year-prison-sentence and didn’t lift a finger BUT that ironically doesn’t compromise his willingness to help them unlike his past self in 5x18. Jake gets the point across with this character without saying much and that’s what made him so compelling to watch in this episode.

Now Michael was even more of a mystery onion since he wasn’t onscreen as much as Adam had been in past episodes so Jake got to really build on top of this character. Going from the uptight, cold-blooded merciless celestial warrior/dutiful son of God we saw in 5x22 to someone whom despite his arrogance and regal princely demeanor was very human, intelligent, fair, mindful and compassionate. He trusted Adam and respected his opinions even if he didn’t agree 100%. Whereas most angels take over the vessel completely from their original occupant; Michael chooses to share his vessel with Adam as a mutual agreement which says a lot about who he is. He’s fascinated with humanity and wanted to explore it instead of returning to his throne in the clouds. We know that Michael was created specifically to be Humanity’s protector and guardian of Heaven and Earth so these quirks he’d demonstrated in 15x08 aren’t too far off. He holds a lot of pain inside from his abandonment issues with his father whom he loves to a fault and grief over the death of his brothers. On the surface there’s very much an abused child syndrome thing going on with him though he masks it with a domineering presence. And above all this we saw that he was capable of forgiveness. Whether or not Michael always had these traits inside to begin with, its very evident that his friendship with Adam influenced the person he became post-Hell. And that was someone who, like Castiel, chose to rebel for the sake of free will by aligning himself with the Winchesters after witnessing the evil his father had committed. He actually cared about saving the world. This is what we call character development.

What does 15x19 do? It shits all over that. We don’t get to see Adam and Michael’s dynamic at all; and this was perhaps one of (if not the first) most healthy portrayal of a relationship between an angel and its original vessel occupant in the history of Supernatural. Adam is just killed off-screen Thanos style without so much as one last word and Michael barely reacts like he gives a crap. It was just established to us in 15x08 that he’d developed an emotional bond with Adam through years of inhabiting the same body. He protected Adam while they were trapped together in Hell. They were each other’s only friend and source of comfort. They’d developed a certain co-dependency on each other while respecting one another’s space. They’d both made peace with their joint situation. All they had was each other and the writing in 15x19 basically tells us their relationship meant absolutely NOTHING to Michael based on his OOC actions in this episode. He shows up much darker and shadier now that Adam is gone and its like all those years of friendship, things like that independence, newfound strength and humility he’d gained from living with a human for so long are erased. Michael just reverts back to Chuck’s 5x22 bitchboy persona in the most ridiculous 180 shift I’ve ever seen in my whole damn life. And all because his little brother called him mean names. Pitiful. Just when he lectures Lucifer about standing up for what’s right; he betrays his own words, his allies and the rest of humanity in T-minus 2 minutes. That is total character assassination. Nothing about this motivation makes any sense.

There’s no build up to it, no foreshadowing in 15x08 or throughout 15x19 until they get to the lake. He’s completely deconstructed as a character in this episode and rendered weak. It’s like 15x08 never happened. Stripped of all his development for lousy shock value. Instead utilizing all of what he’d learned through Adam and sticking it to Lucifer by proving he could be more than what Chuck tried to mold him into; Michael becomes just another NPC in the story forfeiting the hero he was. And his reasons for siding with Chuck are never specified. Was it about about saving Adam? Was it about proving something to Lucifer (whom he’d already killed in anti-climatic fashion)? Was it all an act that he was in on with the Winchesters; cause there’s absolutely NO FUCKING WAY they could’ve predicted he’d flip on them like that for their magical plan to work. Not after everything Chuck’s done, killing Adam and Jack and leaving Michael to rot in Hell for eternity. And why would he suddenly go along with destroying the Earth when defeating Chuck would probably get Adam back (if that was his goal) which IT DID not to mention its his sworn duty to freaking protect humanity, hello? So his betrayal meant jack shit in the end as it got him killed by his fucking dad!! He’s brought back into the show only to be ruined forever and killed off in the stupidest fashion.

Moving on.

Jack Kline & Castiel. This iron-clad relationship has been in development for 4 in 1/2 years since before Jack was even born. And next to Adam & Michael its the other most healthy relationship on the show. Castiel, a million year old celestial being, spent the first 9 years of his arc on Supernatural following around the Winchesters, being torn between his loyalty to them and to Heaven. He rebelled when he was supposed to be a straight-by-the-book warrior of God. And he defied every rule in the process even when the odds were stacked against him. There was an endless rinse and repeat cycle of love, loss, betrayal and redemption when it came to his relationship with Sam and Dean. It made his character complex, interesting and layered but it still didn’t give him an arc that was his own. Castiel started out moreso being written as just the Winchester’s angel BFF/side-kick. Until Lucifer got Kelly Kline pregnant in 12x08 then things really took off. Before this, Castiel was a lost soul. His faith was broken, he was depressed, lonely, battered and rundown from years of being conflicted over the other angels and Sam & Dean. He felt he’d lost a sense of self and meaning in his life. And didn’t have a mission. Once he turned on Heaven’s orders, Castiel was a rebel angel without a cause so to speak. But like I said this changes the moment he meets Kelly.

Originally Castiel was suppose to kill Kelly in 12x19 because she was carrying the child of the devil and Nephilim are considered forbidden abominations. Told that if Lucifer’s kid was born he could unleash even more evil into the world. But instead of doing what he thought he should, Castiel decides to runaway with her. Choosing to protect her from all threats (Lucifer, demons, other angels, princes of Hell); this especially included the Winchesters. During this short time-frame the angel develops a strong, emotional bond with Kelly and her unborn son that stretches all the way to the S12 finale; to the point where it actually gave him a power-boost. From the womb, Jack appoints Castiel to be his father and protector and he’s given a glimpse into the child’s destiny that he’ll bring paradise to the world. A prophecy that the writers establish head on. This is an unusual circumstance because right here is where Castiel’s solo arc apart from the Sam & Dean takes shape. The journey of becoming a first time parent and guardian. Its a new kind of independence that for the first time has nothing to do with his friends or his family members/colleagues in the sky. Its his own personal mission that he willingly accepts, the second he connects with Jack from inside Kelly. Castiel immediately falls in love with him, before they even see each other; and adopts the boy devoting himself to keeping him safe. Making a promise to Kelly that would later become a vital plot-point in the seasons to come.  

Castiel literally risks everything (Heaven and Earth) to ensure Jack’s birth and ends up dead by 12x23′s startling conclusion. Leaving the newborn infant Nephilim alone in the care of the Winchesters going into season 13; scared, confused and aged into a seemingly 18 year old boy for his own protection. And Alexander Calvert who is a fantastic addition to the cast really brings something wonderful to this role; he’s like a breath of fresh air and a bright light in the middle of a dark room. Jack’s naïve, innocent and curious about his surroundings but also as Castiel once put it “remarkably intuitive”. Right when he’s introduced his arc is intentionally paralleled with Castiel’s. Their alien-fish-out-of-water beginning is practically identical as is their adorable stoic facial expressions. Like father like son. And this helps because while the angel is currently dead in the beginning of season 13, there’s an empty void he’s left behind. So Jack is kind of his temporary stand-in. Odd enough this type of switcharoo would’ve been considered very controversial but it’s handled quite well. Alex is so likable and charming I almost wish Supernatural had introduced him sooner. I mean I really thought I was looking at Castiel’s actual mini-me and not the son of Satan. But I digress Jack’s story in the first half of this season is pretty much about discovery and reuniting with Castiel. He’s a baby so everything is new to him but he’s also one of the most powerful beings in the universe destined for greatness which makes the Winchesters very nervous.

Jack remembers choosing Castiel as his dad which is why he already feels strongly connected to him. Its a bond so powerful that it actually resurrects Castiel out of the Empty the first time. Something Chuck himself was unable to do (that was until the mess that is 15x19). When they’re finally reunited the payoff comes so naturally. Misha and Alex have such a phenomenal onscreen chemistry starting with that first hug; they really play off one another so well that it doesn’t feel like two angels interacting but a genuine father and son duo. So much of what makes Jack and Castiel’s relationship so relatable, deep and endearing is because of what the actors bring to it. But they’re not just a fascinating relationship, they’re compelling on their own too. Both trying to find their way in the world and within the Winchesters’ lives. Death is no stranger to either of them (tragic being that Jack is only a toddler). They’ve each experienced their own personal pain, traumas, life lessons, mistakes and decisions. The biggest for Castiel would be his deal with the Empty to save Jack in 14x08. While for Jack it was the consequences of said deal that would lose his soul causing him to accidently kill Sam and Dean’s mom in 14x18 as a result (something that Jack struggles with immensely to the brink of depression from so much guilt and regret that he’d rather die). Repercussions that would follow into the shows final season. What’s interesting about this deal though is that Castiel made it on parental instinct alone not as a promise to Kelly. He chose to sacrifice himself for the sake of his son as a selfless act of love and kept it a secret from Sam & Dean until his death in 15x18. That’s the extent how much this child meant to him. The other great thing about their family dynamic is that it parallels nicely with the Winchesters. Castiel and Jack share this unconditional love that can never be broken. its even greater than their ties to the Winchesters themselves just as Sam & Dean’s love for each other is greater than any of their other relationships. They would do anything for each other. Castiel would go to the ends of the earth for the little nougat baby because that’s his son.  

Each time these characters were faced with danger or died, Castiel and Jack were overcome with extreme devastation and distress. That said its not just pain that binds these two its happiness. Jack is the best thing that ever happened to Castiel. Literally becoming a father to that child saved him. It brought him back to life, restored his faith and gave him a sense of self-worth and hope he’d long since abandoned. And for Jack, Castiel is the best dad he’ll ever have! He gave this baby comfort, wisdom, nurturing, strength. Was always there when he needed him whether it was to talk or to have his back. No other person in Jack’s life has ever made such an important impact nor made him feel more safe and loved than Castiel. Even when Jack had done such a horrible thing to Mary alienating himself from his family; it was Castiel’s unyielding devotion to Jack that ended up being his salvation. This was huge because once again he’d chosen over the Winchesters proving that no matter what (whether it be the world ending) his son comes first. So when Castiel’s pact with the Empty finally comes due in 15x18 you’d think it’d have an earth-shattering affect on Jack in 15x19. I mean for the first bit it does...until he becomes God. Then its like to hell with that relationship. Castiel is a complete afterthought to Jack and the rest of TFW in this episode. JACK DOESN’T EVEN GET TO GRIEVE HIM PROPERLY. And he just lost his dad because of a deal he’d made a year ago for him. A DEAL JACK HAS BEEN FUCKING DREADING WHILE HE WAS SOULLESS MIND YOU. And when he finally has the power to bring him back, he doesn’t? Jack just walks around with a conceited smirk on his face, bids Sam and Dean adieu and fucks off. I mean who gives a shit right, its only your dad that you love more than anything. This was extremely OOC given that time in 14x14 Jack nearly lost his shit when Castiel got infected with gorgon poison; the anti-venom wasn’t working so Jack resorts to using his powers putting his soul at risk.

I mean if he was so limited to helping Castiel in the Empty AT LEAST FREAKING CLARIFIY THIS TO THE AUDIENCE. This is not about shipping a certain pairing btw. Jack becoming God is not the issue its his characterization after the fact. His first instinct would’ve been to save his dad above getting in touch with the Earth. Yes we knew this transformation was coming it was foreshowed way back in Season 12. Does that justify bad writing or character assassination?? HELL NO.

This is what I’m talking about, episode 15x19 deliberately butchers these characters and their relationships. It shat all over them. No one is behaving like themselves. The pacing is wonky and inconstant. The script feels like it underwent several rewrites and I swear there were scenes cut out. The acting is off too and maybe the pandemic could be blamed for these things but it ultimately falls on the writer. Buckleming screwed up by showing us they don’t know who the hell these characters are, their motivations nor do they give a rat’s ass. And its noticeable on screen. I’ve known better fanfiction writers for SPN than these guys. It’s like they all came back to work but just didn’t care to put the effort into it. That’s why people like me are upset and we have every freaking right to be. Some of us have been with this series for the entire 15 year run. I at least expect these characters to be handled better and for things to make sense. 15x19 doesn’t and its not satisfying its just a cruel joke. The writers and Dabb should be embarrassed to have put this out there thinking we’d just swallow it and shut up. But far as I’m concerned the only thing this episode serves is to disrespect and ruin everybody while angering long-time fans.

MICHAEL. ADAM MILLIGAN. JACK KLINE AND CASTIEL DESERVED BETTER. And that’s the tea.

[theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin]

Thoughts on the ship Rosalie/Bella?

While it’s a nice thought, sadly, I don’t think either Rosalie or Bella are what the other would ever seek in a partner.

Indeed, I think the other would be too close of a reminder to what they see in the worst of themselves. So, even in better circumstances, I don’t think they’d choose each other.

Let’s break that down.

What is Rosalie Looking For?

Rosalie’s past is one filled with brutal trauma, betrayal, and heartbreak. She has been violated by men in the worst of ways, betrayed by the man she thought would be her husband, and then has the surreal experience of being turned into something that, while alive, is not human.

She romanticizes the human life she could have had, clinging to it, never acknowledging that circumstances were such that she never would have had it.

Rosalie never was going to get that simple future of being a humble, good, simple man’s wife with beautiful children and a comfortable life. She was raised in society, uncommonly beautiful and charming, and was set to marry the wealthiest man she could. It might not have been Royce, she could have married a good man, but she would have married into this wealthy world and not ended up with someone like Emmett.

I think this is very telling.

For very understandable reasons, Rosalie has never confronted nor truly gotten over her trauma. Oh, she murdered her rapists and murderers, and put their deaths behind her, she married Emmett and has a (fairly) good relationship with him, but she hasn’t taken her full final steps to recovery.

I think this in part shows in her ending up with a guy like Emmett.

Emmett’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, but it’s very telling in what he loves of Rosalie and that Rosalie loves him for it.

He worships her beauty above all other things and is described as a very simple but pleasant and laidback guy. I think Rosalie is at the point where she wants to be worshipped, especially for the quality that was most valued in her human life, her beauty.

She wants to be with someone safe, someone who loves her, and that someone is definitely Emmett.

I think in the short run this works out very well for the pair of them and perhaps even in the long run. I think both could have chosen a better partner.

Rosalie is complicated, she’s not the shallow vain bitch Edward complains she is nor is she what Emmett seems to see her as. Emmett doesn’t really get his wife, or defend her all that much, he’s in love with her beautiful cheerleader persona. Rosalie, similarly, is in love with this man whose greatest attribute is his love of her. I’m sure there are moments she finds Emmett rather boorish and slow on the uptake.

What Do I Think Rosalie Needs?

To be honest, of all the characters where I raise my eyebrow at Meyer putting them with someone of the opposite gender, Rosalie’s one of the ones where they raise the highest.

Even Carlisle, when Rosalie drags in this man’s bleeding carcass, goes, “Oh, is this your cousin?” And has a “Him?!” moment when Rosalie explains this is her new husband.

I always would have expected, especially after her experiences, for Rosalie to be with a woman. That said, I do think her society’s prejudices and expectations would be a huge barrier for her and she’d have to do a lot of character growth before this would ever be possible. And I mean a lot of character growth, as in, Rosalie hasn’t reached this point even post Twilight saga.

Right, regardless of gender, I think Rosalie needs a partner who a) understands her b) does not value her looks c) accepts the good and the bad parts of her.

Like all of us, Rosalie is flawed. She’s a very impressive, down right intimidating, woman who has an iron clad will and gets what she wants. She has a deep love for her family and a great capacity for compassion. However, there are times when she’s the sixteen-year-old girl who has very much not escaped her society’s mindset. She fully advocates Bella Swan’s murder so the family won’t have to move, not realizing until Carlisle points it out that this is a heinous thing to do. Rosalie says vicious, racist, things to Jake likely never realizing exactly what it is she’s saying. She’s stubborn, proud, and as Edward put it a bit pig-headed.

Emmett tends to just go “Yeah, she’s a bitch, but she’s my bitch”. Which... great, thanks Emmett, that’s very helpful.

Bella Swan is Not That Person

Bella per the start of the series is a seventeen-year-old girl with cripplingly low self-esteem, huge parental issues, and a dangerous inclination towards depression.

Bella shows serious interest in women sexually (her relationship with Alice has some serious homoerotic undertones) but she’s also very intimidated by them. Rosalie, especially, makes Bella evaluate and feel worse about herself as she knows she will never be as beautiful as this teenage blonde goddess.

In other words, this Bella is not in a position to be the kind of person Rosalie needs. She’s too caught up in figuring out who she herself is, cares very much about Rosalie’s appearance and using it to compare against her own, and isn’t stable enough to be what Rosalie needs.

And by the end of canon... Well... Bella’s left the planet and will soon join Esme in being a hauntingly strange person entirely divorced from reality.

What if we’re in a slightly AU world?

Well, we’re banking on a lot of character development for Bella that I don’t believe can happen with Edward around. Either Bella shows interest in Edward or, well, he eats her. (No, seriously, this is canon, both Alice and Edward confirm as much.) 

And if the family packs up and leaves during New Moon and never comes back... Well, of all the people Bella might end up with after that, I think Rosalie might just be the least likely (not to mention Rosalie would not be down for hanging around Edward’s stupid human girlfriend).

What is Bella Looking For?

Bella’s looking for validation of her very self. She wants to be loved, more than that, she wants to be worth something.

Bella has such a low opinion of herself that, at this point in her life, she needs this feeling to come from elsewhere. She finds this in both Edward and Jacob.

And it doesn’t matter how scary they are (and both are, indeed, very scary towards her), it doesn’t matter what it is they value, just that they both seem to want her even though she’s a foolish, clumsy, pale, ugly, human, nobody, loser. 

That’s all Bella wants.

Edward’s a perfect storm in that he’s inhumanly perfect, beautiful beyond all comprehension, and completely obsessed with her. In Edward’s eyes, Bella is not just perfect, she’s fascinating.

And then, of course, she’s not and it utterly destroys her. 

Basically, Bella’s is a very sad life.

What Does Bella Need?

Bella needs time to grow up and find out who she is and how to value that.

Bella is your very typical teenage girl. She’s precocious, has a lot of issues growing up with her mom, but she has a lot of issues many teenage girls do have.

I think, before Bella can find a truly good partner, she needs to learn how to value herself.

This will be painful and take a lot of time. In New Moon, I think Jake actually sets her back as she uses him to find value in herself for her (essentially replacing Edward).

Only after Bella discovers who she is, reaffirms why she is important and worthy of love, can she find someone.

What does that person look like?

Well, it sure as fuck isn’t Vampire Patrick Bateman, otherwise known as Edward Cullen. Nor is it Jake Black who sexually assaults her, tells her to kiss him or he’ll kill himself, then tells her that her dying is pointless as it means he and Edward fought over nothing. 

It also isn’t Alice, who treats Bella a lot like she would a life-sized Barbie Doll rather than a friend and a human being.

I’m not sure who it is, to be honest.

Someone who recognizes who Bella is, certainly, the good and the bad. Someone who is able to... reconcile her with the world she truly lives in. Maybe, circumstances changing around a bit, it’s Carlisle Cullen? (Though that would certainly be a dumpster fire of divorce and despair with Edward and Esme) Maybe it’s Jasper (also a dumpster fire of divorce and despair with Edward and Alice)? 

I really have no idea here. Unlike Rosalie, I can’t even tell you what this person would need to be like.

What I do know is...

Rosalie is Not That Person

Just as Bella views Rosalie as a threat, as something to measure herself against and feel unworthy of in every way, Rosalie does the same.

Bella is a pretty human woman who captures Edward’s attention in a way she never can. Rosalie, at the time we start canon, for all her accomplishments and all she’s done is still insecure enough that she needs to be the prettiest woman in the room. 

Just as Bella’s not secure enough to be what Rosalie needs, Rosalie is not secure enough to be what Bella needs.

Rosalie also doesn’t see Bella for what she is. Rosalie sees, at first, a normal boring human teenager and dismisses her. She falls into the typical Cullen trap (for all but Carlisle) that they forget humans are people too. Later, Bella discounts Rosalie’s very earnest advice and Rosalie never forgives her for it. This is understandable, Rosalie lays her soul bare, but she forgets Bella’s a teenage girl and more can’t see what Bella herself is battling with.

Bella thinks being human is worthless because Bella thinks being Bella is worthless. Children and a human future mean nothing to her.

It would take a lot, A LOT, of character development for Rosalie to be someone that Bella needs in this situation and even then... Well, they’d have to deal with the horrifying shit show that is Edward. Because if Edward/Bella isn’t happening...

It’s lunch time.

TL;DR

I’d say pin your hopes on Alice/Bella, except that one’s not happening either for all that they do have their very homoerotic friendship.

[ultrahpfan5blog]

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 5 Retrospective

Finished season 5 rewatch a few days ago. Season 5 was an eventful year for the show, on and off the screen. Off screen the show got cancelled on Fox, had a huge public outcry over the cancellation which included several celebrities, and then got picked up by NBC all in 48 hours. It was an exhilarating time as a B99 fan. Lot of stuff happened on screen as well, Jake and Rosa were in prison, team got them out, Jake and Amy got engaged, Rosa came out as bisexual to the precinct and her parents, Holt was in the running to be NYPD Commissioner, Amy became a Sergeant, and then Jake and Amy got married. Eventful season to say the least. Its also my favorite season of the show.

Honestly, this season is about as close to perfection I felt with a season. In other seasons there are at least an episode or two which I felt were meh or problematic. Season 5 is near flawless. I think Return to Skyfire is the weakest of the episodes but its still pretty fun. There are several episodes of season 5 that all rank in the top 10 B99 episodes in my opinion. The show also takes some risks with a couple of experimental episodes. There are episodes with a lot of heart, there are episodes that absolutely hilarious, there are ensemble episodes, there are two hander episode. some excellent new guest stars, and many great recurring stars.

I think the two prison episodes are pretty interesting. Tim Meadows as Caleb is absolutely amazing. He is so likable and low key hilarious that the fact that he's a cannibal who eats children always feels like a dark surprise. He and Andy Samberg make for a fun duo. The first of the two episodes is particularly fun. The show doesn't hesitate to show the danger of Jake being in the prison, especially the situation he finds himself by the end of the premiere. The show does connect one story to the next pretty seamlessly with the end of the Melanie Hawkins story connecting the the Seamus Murphy story which then connected to the Holt commissioner story. There are also a couple of really good experiments in experiments and story with The Box and Show Me Going. The Box is B99 at its most confident. Apart from Gina very briefly at the beginning and Boyle very briefly at the end, the entire episode really hinges on only three characters. Jake, Holt, and Sterling K. Brown's Dr. Davidson. Its a brilliant showcase for all three actors and all three characters. I believe Brown got a Guest Actor Emmy nomination for his performance and he's brilliant as the smarmy Dentist who really is in control for majority of the episode. Braugher and Samberg were old pros with their dynamic at this point and this is fantastic Jake and Holt episode because you completely get why Jake wants so badly to prove that he's right in front of Holt why being cast as the screw up and the idiot in the interrogation frustrates him so much because we know how much Holt's approval means to him. We also see why Terry call Jake his best detective back in season 1 because of how he riles up Davidson to get the confession at the end and getting the approval of Holt that he wanted. Its an incredibly satisfying episode and one of the show's best imo. Then there is also 'Show me Going' which is a surprisingly tense episode in which nothing tense actually happens on screen. The episode does a great job working with the fact that the only knowledge the squad has is that Rosa is on the scene of an active shooter situation. Basically we are in the same situation as the characters. Since all the characters are on edge, so are we. The show does a nice job balancing humor and recognize the danger of the situation.

The season has probably my favorite B99 episode and definitely by fav B99 Halloween episode with HalloVeen. Whereas the last three Halloween episodes were predictable or spoiled from the promos, this one actually threw a genuine surprise. I knew Jake and Amy would get engaged some point in the season, but I expected it to be on the much hyped 99th episode. Instead it can much earlier with HallowVeen and its a delight from start to finish. Its great to rewatch the episode because you pick up little signs that Jake was a bit more desperate to win than usual. First when he says that planning for the heist is what got him through prison time, and then when he says to Boyle that he has to win this time and this heist is way too important. On first watch, these details just slip by as regular overzealous Jake but they have additional poignancy on repeat. The actual proposal moment is handled beautifully in a very peraltiago way where it is both funny and romantic, with Charles' reaction being the cherry on top. There are quite a few strong related episodes that follow. The Venue being a fun return with the Vulture, Two Turkeys being a TWW reunion with Smits and Whitford returning as Amy and Jake's fathers. Its a better Thanksgiving episode than the previous season Smits appearance. Bachelor/ette party is another glorious episode with wild, fun shenanigans with Reginald VelJohnson appearing as himself. Jake & Amy is a very typical wedding episode where everything goes wrong but its perfect in all the right ways. Its heartwarming and sweet. You get more examples of how Jake and Amy are perfect for each other with Jake knowing the inside and outs of how Amy stresses out, and then ending on a wonderful B99 wedding with Fred Armisen returning to make a cameo appearance as Mlep(clay)nos. The episode was designed to work as a series finale since the potential for cancellation was there and while it leaves the season on a cliffhanger about Holt's job, its the sort of cliffhanger that we could have interpreted positively if the show hadn't gotten picked up by NBC.

The 99th and 100th episode of the show were also memorable. The creators chose to acknowledge the 99th episode in a way that most shows acknowledge the 100th episode, in true 99 style. Its a full ensemble episode barring the absence of Chelsea who would return on the 100th episode. Its a typical road trip episode which kickstarts the Holt commissioner storyline. It also is the episode where Rosa comes out as Bi to Charles. This was obviously a big story for Stephanie since she is bi as well and she championed this story. It gets explored in further depth next episode, but Stephanie Beatriz gets to do some of her best work in these two episodes, showing her vulnerability without losing her toughness. Game Night honestly feels very true to not just coming out as Bi to your parents but true to any child who has to confess something that would be against their conservatives parents' values. I think Game Night is a fantastically bittersweet episode and Danny Trejo is brilliantly cast as Rosa's father. The episode positions him as the parent whose reaction Rosa is most worried about and I love how they show that while its difficult for him to grasp the concept bisexuality, he comes around to accepting it and accepting Rosa. But the episode is still bittersweet with Rosa's mom not having come to terms with it. Its also an excellent Rosa and Jake episode where we see Jake endure incredibly uncomfortable situations to help Rosa. Its a characteristic that helps make Jake so endearing that he's willing to cross all limits for his friends.

There are lots of fun and hilarious episodes in between. Craig Robinson shows up as Doug Judy in The Negotiations which is another fun ep. Kevin and Jake get a great episode dealing with their dynamic in Safe House. Rosa and Amy have some fun in White Whale as the Sleuth Sisters. Pimento returns in Gray Star Mutual for some more crazy shenanigans. Gray Star Mutual also has my favorite cold open of all time with Jake leading a suspect lineup in a rendition of 'I got it that way', totally forgetting the crime that he's got the lineup for. Its pitch perfect and I've lost count of how many times I've seen that cold open on youtube. It basically has its own fanbase and introduced so many people to B99. We also get to see Naseem Pedrad as Jake's sister Katie and the end up having a cute dynamic. David Fumero shows up in The Puzzle Master. There are also pretty funny episodes dealing with some serious subject matter such Jake dealing with his own doubts in his ability to do his job after Prison in Kicks and Holt dealing with gambling addiction in Bad Beat. All handled very sensitively.

All in all, this was a fantastic season for the show. I had a blast rewatching it and it ended the Fox era in spectacular note. A 9.5/10. Now on to season 6.

'

[hereyoucantseeme]

The Host, cogitations about ethics and morals.

The Host has always been my favourite book and the truth is that nobody understands why. They always say "How can it be your favourite book? You're 21 years old, study science and that book is a love novel for teenagers" (I think that is not reason enough not to be, but anyway) I have decided to explain here why, in my opinion, people underestimate this book.

When you have this book on your hands for the first time, on the back cover you can read that the book is about a love story. And that is right, but people are closed to the love of a romantic relationship for teenagers (which too) judging by the section of the bookstore from which they have taken this book and they read with that preconceived idea in their heads which, unfortunately, does not let them see the deep interior that this story has.

WARNING, SPOILERS.

I think the part of the book that we can learn the most from is (more or less) when Wanda decides to stop at Picacho Peak, since this point, it is a mere introduction. Melanie gets Wanda to reach a somewhat more objective point of view since she "forces" her to empathize with her situation. During the book cogitations are made on what good and evil implies and on what is good or bad that, although it defies logic, are not always linked.

The author exposes two realities, one is the society of souls, in which everyone is kind, empathetic and helps each other. We could say that they are doing good, right? In the same way, souls speak of an enemy, the Vultures. But would not the role of souls on earth be the same as that of Vultures on the first planets where souls settled after The Orgin? They say that their enemies were really bad with the inhabitants of these planets but they "fixed" it. On the other side are humans, who act violently against souls but, although the latter refuse to realize it, they behaved with humans like Vultures on other planets. I don't mean to say that the end justifies the means, but in this case, don't humans have the right to claim what is theirs? In this case, although violence is associated with evil, these people fight for the only thing left in the world, their lives and the lives of the people they love and that could be understood as something that is right. How do you get away from the reality that you have been taught to see and learn to be objective? It is something really difficult since each point of view supposes a different reality (yes, I think I'm more or less quoting Qui Gon Jinn), but I think that being objective means assuming the point of view that generates more benefits and less damage without take into account our personal situation. This book teaches us this very well.

Another point to discuss about the book is trust, how can we learn to trust the unknown? I don't want to say "trust an enemy" because I just don't see it that way. As Ian says, Wanda would be nothing more than a private under the misdeeds of her commander, she would not be explicitly the enemy, if not an unknown. 

This world has taught us not to trust, (I personally don't usually trust anyone, I only trust three people and two of them are my parents, and if I don't trust them turn off and let's go*) but if someone shows us that their intentions are good in all its fullness, why does it still cost us so much? Doc exposes himself to us as someone with the ability to understand and make people understand and he acts with kindness as one would expect from a doctor [I must say that he is my favorite character in the book (yes, obviously Ian goes  after him, Ian is lovely, let no one suffer) but, seriously, what were they thinking about in the casting of the movie? THAT'S NOT DOC, it should have been Jake Abel. Well, almost no character fits but we better not go there], he does not hesitate to distrust the medicines that Wanda takes to save Jamie. In this case, this lack of confidence may be due to pride, it hurts him as a doctor not to be able to heal someone he loves and that, instead, someone comes with a magic potion and heals him as if it were a miracle. But Doc deep down understands that Jamie's health is above anything else. However, what about the other characters? What about, for example, Sharon? (What was Doc doing with Sharon? Ehh, no, I mean, they don't even glue, sorry, Doc deserves someone better). Sharon, by not trusting Wanda mired in her stubbornness, was capable of letting her little cousin die. And she also left Doc, who was supposedly the love of her life, because he trusted in something that, to human eyes, was strange. It could also be about envy but I don't want to extend this too much since envy is something that we usually perceive easily without anyone having to show it. Finally I would like to highlight the case of Jared, it seems to me that it was the most difficult for him to trust and he was the one who did it with more strength and security. Maybe it was because he had nothing else left to hold on to but, if anything, he had faith in Wanda when it was more difficult for him to trust her (Jeb had a great judgment because of his age and, moreover, it was his niece's body, which did not interfere sentimentally, and Jamie played with the benefit of the innocence of children, for whom it is easier to trust and believe). He had to put his prejudices and feelings behind him to keep a cold head and act objectively and I think that's commendable.

We are also taught to forgive. Not only in the most obvious moment, when Kyle apologizes for trying to kill Wanda (Kyle, I must admit, is a character that seems somewhat comical to me, perhaps because, in a less violent way, he reminds me of close people. We all know a Kyle), I mean more hidden moments in the book. When Jamie approaches Wanda for the first time after she was released from her makeshift prison (the second time he has seen her in history), it is understood that he has forgiven her, he has forgiven her taking away her sister, the closest thing that he had to a mother. Although Wanda apologized later, by that time he had already forgiven her. Melanie, by allying with Wanda, makes it clear that she has been forgiven since her intentions were not really bad. In the same way, all the characters forgive through Wanda all the evils that souls have done to them. It is not easy to know how to forgive and even less in certain circumstances, but this book shows us that it is possible, but we must want to forgive.

Finally, The Host teaches us to love. Not the love that Wanda feels for Jared, in fact that is an example of the only meaning that today they usually give to love someone. Love implies sacrificing for another person, doing everything possible to make the other feel happy. She loves Melanie because she knows that she is a friend whom, after all they have lived together, she can trust. She loves Jamie because she knows that in the child there is only kindness and sincerity. She loves Doc because she knows he is a man of his word and that he would not harm anyone, not like many other people in this world. When Wanda saves Kyle from falling into the water, she does it, mainly because of her affection for Ian, she doesn't want him to suffer for losing his brother. I believe that to know how to love others you have to get rid of any desire for evil towards the other and learn to appreciate their virtues and defects, because each person is unique, otherwise we would be like the souls that, lacking defects, are identical and incapable of loving.

Ultimately, it seems to me that the book shows us Wanda as an allegory of the hidden virtues in each person that, perhaps out of fear, we are unable to show others. I hope you now understand why this is my favorite book. And these are things that are very difficult to find in other stories, so it seems to me that it has a very special value and that almost no one, unfortunately, is able to appreciate.

I'm sorry if there is any mistake or some quote or reference that may be wrong, I'm Spanish and I have read the book in my native language. Thank you for reading!

*Spanish expression that means there is nothing left to do

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

Writing Advice #3: Read your drafts out loud.

This is the best editing tip I’ve ever heard, and I always do my best to use it.  Reading out loud will do wonders for your word choice, sentence structure, and scene cadence.  And I do mean read out loud.  Don’t whisper your story, don’t murmur it to yourself.  Read it exactly as you’d have a podficcer or audiobook narrator do it.  As you do so, circle everything that doesn’t work, and then rework it.  The reworking might be as simple as changing a word or two, and might be as complex as ditching an entire passage that doesn’t match the tone you’re going for.

As an example of how this has worked for me, I’ll use my ficlet Ladybird, Ladybird.  In the first draft, there was a passage that said:

Jake sets the chunk of metal on the mantelpiece and walks away.  It’s a Medal of Honor.

I read it out loud, and hated it.  The words “metal” and “Medal” don’t look the same on the page, but they sound the same, and it made the whole paragraph clunky.  I was breaking Mark Twain’s rule against using the same uncommon word twice in one paragraph, even if technically I was using two different words.

So I circled that bit and went back to rewrite it.  “Medal of Honor” is a proper noun, so that couldn’t be rephrased, and anyway I liked how the proper name came after the description.  The phrase “sets the chunk of metal”, on the other hand, could be rewritten.  Should be rewritten, especially given how similar “metal” and “mantle” and “Medal” all sound.

I’m a firm believer in using clear everyday language.  (Any book that says you should substitute “said” with “exclaimed” or “decried” deserves to be fed to a wood chipper.)  Ergo, I wasn’t going to just substitute in words like [hastily looks up synonyms]:

Jake unloads a deposit of refined ore...

which phrasing is frickin hilarious, because now it sounds like Jake took a shit on the mantlepiece.  But the point is, “hilarious” is not the mood I’m going for.  I’m trying to convey that my narrator Jean is contemptuous of Jake’s military honors, because she doesn’t think he deserves them.  Having the readers go “he what a what onto the mantlepiece? Oh god, who’s going to clean that up?” does not get that mood across.

Bearing the goal of that scene in mind, I did some googling.  Specifically, I looked up what metal goes into a Medal of Honor.  Turns out, they’re gold.  That was no good — calling something “gold” usually means that it’s rare and precious.  I wanted Jean’s reaction to be “ugh,” not “you are gold, baby, solid gold.”  I briefly considered:

Jake sets a fish scale of gold on the mantlepiece...

because fish scales are A) approximately the same shape as Medals of Honor and B) associated with coldness and bad smells.  But “fish scale” is clunky to say out loud, and it’s confusing if you miss the metaphor and take it literally.

Inspiration finally struck when I found out on some military history site that Medals of Honor aren’t made of pure gold.  If they were, they’d be way too soft and way too heavy to be worn, much less passed down through generations.  The military therefore forges them with a (stronger, lighter) aluminum core, and uses bronze for external support.  That way the Medal can be worn for military ceremonies without either deforming one’s uniform cloth or being deformed by its own weight.

Turns out, Medals of Honor aren’t 100% gold.  In fact, you could (uncharitably) call them “gilded,” which literally means “covered in gold” and figuratively means “pretty on the surface and worthless underneath.”  In fact, you could (extremely uncharitably) call them “gilded aluminum”, thereby contrasting the high dollar-value of gold to the low dollar-value of aluminum to imply that this thing is incredibly tacky.  You could even go so far as to call it “a scrap of gilded aluminum,” which is both literally correct (if misleading) in that ���scrap” can be any small and thin piece of metal, and metaphorically incorrect in that “scrap” is usually used to refer to discarded metal.

With my most heartfelt apologies to the U.S. service-members who have actually received the honor in question, the final phrase is thus:

Jake sets the scrap of gilded aluminum on the mantlepiece and walks away.  It’s a Medal of Honor.

Which is technically an accurate description of a Medal of Honor, one that nevertheless implies someone pulled crappy food-wrapper metal out of a trash heap and then put a veneer of gold onto it to try and make it look special.  Unlike the “fish scale” nonsense, it works on a literal level.  Unlike the “deposit of ore” thing, it conveys Jean’s opinion on the subject.  Unlike the original phrase, it doesn’t awkwardly echo sounds.  Maybe not the most beautiful piece of prose in the English language, but it now it does what I want it to do.

[ezpezlemonsquez]

My top 10 relationships from Brooklyn Nine-Nine in random order:

CAREFUL: SPOILERS ALERT

Jake Peralta & Amy Santiago — that's an obvious one, I mean, who doesn't love Peraltiago? I personally adore how their relationship evolves from distracting childish rivalry to distracting childish courtship, finally to distracting childish marriage (and parenting!). Their chemistry is visible basically since pilot. They're always there for each other, taking one another's sides no matter what, they help each other grow. Not only are they lovers but also best friends and I think it's such an amazing thing. They care about each other and make each other feel good about the world and their place in it. Their relationship is not toxic nor abusive in any way, they embrace their best traits, not undermine them. They're so different but they don't try to change each other — they eventually do so but it's due to their loving relationship and it's change for the better. In summary: such a power couple.

Jake Peralta & Rosa Diaz — I guess what I love most in this relationship is that it doesn't evolve in ANY romantic direction. This is extremely rare in TV shows but GUESS WHAT, man-woman friendship exists y'all and these two are the perfect example of that. They trust each other, they're there for each other when they need it, I mean when Jake helped Rosa with her coming out or when Rosa was talking to him about Amy and always gave him advice, you can't tell me you didn't melt inside. I did. They're the best partners, Jake knows her badge number by heart and I BET Rosa knows his as well. They worry about each other but they know what the other is capable of and they can be proud of one another. They're best friends and they know each other extremely well (even if at first it appears Jake knows nothing about Rosa's life). Just, thousand push-ups.

Rosa Diaz & Amy Santiago — definitely Latina's power, they got each other's backs and they trust one another. They know they can tell each other everything, they work together well and they even have their own cool handshake ok. They know they can count on each other no matter what and they'll do anything for one another. Just a little reminder that Rosa said I love you to Amy, so it's gotta mean something. I don't know what else to say, they're just the best The Sleuth Sisters ever.

Jake Peralta & Gina Linetti — it's just so cute they're friends since primary school both on-screen and irl, it gives them such amazing chemistry. I personally love how Jake calls Gina 'man' and Gina calls Jake 'girl', a perfect summary of their relationship and I'm here for that. They grew up together, they help out each other in all kinds of situations and they care about each other. They can be funny and they can be serious for a moment, they value each other's advice and the fact that their friendship lasts since childhood makes their scenes 100 times more adorable (just think of the forehead kiss!).

Gina Linetti & Raymond Holt — from an annoying assistant who never gets her job done (not that this has ever changed) to a dear friend who teaches captain Holt trashtalk and is on first name terms with his husband. Their scenes are just super hilarious and I love how Holt just can't imagine having as his assistant anyone but Gina. His Gina Moment is just amazing and he's really proud of his friend, even though he worries about her. I love how Gina takes his side and doesn't want Jake to ruin his career when Wuntch transfers him to PR. She teaches him, as well as he teaches her, they help each other, they appreciate each other when some can't, they know each other's talents and value each other's opinions. And you can tell Holt is extremely bummed when Gina decides to leave the Nine-Nine, because who will give him diction exercises before important events now? Gina Linetti Spaghetti Confetti.

Terry Jeffords & basically everyone (INCLUDING Sharon!) — I'm gonna start from Sharon because imo their relationship is SO underrated while it's such a great marriage. Remember when Sharon said she would always worry about him but he should get his ass back in the field if he was ready? Now that's the support. They love each other so much and, what's more, they let each other know that. The same goes for the kids — Terry always makes sure they know he loves them very much. And except his real family, he also has his other family with his stupid grown up kids. Because he treats squad like a family and it's the cutest thing ever. He loves Jake, he loves Amy, he loves Rosa, he loves Gina, he loves Charles, he loves every single one of them, values every single one of them, cares about every single one of them and lets them know that. They know they can count on him and ask him for help or advice and even when he's super busy, he's gonna find some time for them. The same goes for Holt, they're amazing friends and basically dads of the squad but Terry isn't afraid to tell captain off if he gives the squad too hard time. In summary, don't annoy proud mama hen of the Nine-Nine or you're gonna regret it and that's confirmed.

Raymond Holt & Rosa Diaz — both Amy and Rosa are so similar to Holt but in such different ways. I love how they talk about emotions and help each other acknowledge them. They have so much respect for one another which is growing stronger and stronger throughout the series. Rosa understands Holt's standards and contrariwise. Their friendship is restrained but yet powerful and based on mutual respect. But feelings? Ew.

Raymond Holt & Jake Peralta — this most obviously had to be here, because it's impossible not to love this duo. Their relationship evolves so beautifully and it's very clearly shown how Holt's opinion and appreciation matter much more than his actual father's. Not only does Ray have an impact on Jake, but also Jake teaches captain a few things, remember hot tub scene? They value each other's opinions, they literally make each other better people. And their father-son relationship is simply amazing and when Holt plays along with it it's just... daaamn, son.

Raymond Holt & Madeline Wuntch — when they're together, I'm like Rosa: this is amazing. I literally want to make popcorn and watch this beautiful drama and those insults OMG, I'm here for them so much. That's basically it, I love their chemistry of arch-nemesis and I love how they perform it and chapeaux bas to Andre Braugher and Kyra Sedgwick for not cracking up during those scenes. Who's guarding Hades or tickets to Wicked? Raymond, Raymond, Raymond...

Norm Scully & Michael Hitchcock — this is a perfect example of how true friendship can last over the years. These guys do everything together and they simply don't care about what others say about them (cake for gay wedding has come to mind). As Hitchcock says, everyone knows they come in package and they both watch it'll be so, so neither of them would be left out. They're dorky but they appreciate each other for the little things (which to them are quite big things but let's leave it), they comfort each other and even when they fight they can't stay mad at one another for long. They seem so friendly and harmless but just wait until someone touches their food...

That's it from me but feel free to add some relationships from your top list or just add some thoughts on that!