#ideally a world where every character is just. Totally bonkers.

[shitpostingkats]

I’m sure this will come as no surprise to anyone who follows me, but I love it when a story lets its characters just be off-the-wall weird.

Give me characters who go off onto tangents about the exotic fur trade without prompting. Give me characters don’t step on cracks in the sidewalk or refuse to eat foods beginning with the letter T. Give me characters who tell incomprehensible funny jokes that no one else seems to get but makes them double over in laughter. Give me characters who are suspicious of alley cats. Give me characters who decide their drink order by the position of Jupiter relative to the zodiacal horizon.

And, (this is the important part) no one remarks on it. Oh yeah, that’s Nine-lives Nelly, she shrieks whenever she feels left out of a conversation, or when she sees a red balloon. Yup, she’s our best weapons specialist. We’re truly lucky to have her on the team.

Give me a world where characters are allowed to be weird, in a world where “weird” is a foreign concept.

[oneatlatime]

Season 1 Zuko & Iroh Thoughts

Zuko

zuko is a villain when he's trying, an asshole when he's not. He's not even very effective! He's bad at being a bad guy, and when he isn't actively being a bad guy, he's just an unpleasant person. -Do I have enormous sympathy for him? Yes, especially after The Storm's backstory revelation. -Is he in an enormously awful situation? Yes, although he's not the only character in an enormously awful situation, and others in situations as bad are doing far better. -Do I like who he is as a person? Nope. Not at all. He's an unpleasant scoundrel. He's an ass. He does have some useful and arguably good qualities - he's driven, has (some) planning ability, is bonkers at swords, and occasionally remembers not to be a dick to his uncle or his crew.

I don't deny that a lot of what I dislike about him is caused by the difficult extenuating circumstances that apply to him. But, even if all those difficulties disappeared, I feel like I wouldn't find his base personality appealing either. That being said, I don't know if I've glimpsed the "real" Zuko yet. I don't think there has been an episode yet where he doesn't have a reason to be on high alert. But in episodes when he's not actively pursuing the Gaang, he's yelling at his crew or his uncle.

He does seem to have a (deeply buried) inner core of decency and lines he won't cross, unlike Zhao. After Sokka and Katara helped Aang escape Zuko's ship back in episode 2, he didn't go back and destroy the southern water tribe. Zhao would have. Zhao never would have accepted Aang's deal to protect the tribe in the first place. But rather than making Zuko an appealing character, this inner core of decency just makes him a less effective villain. It's too small to make him someone to root for; it's just big enough to have enough of a restraining effect on his villainy to make him seem pathetic compared to other Fire Nation villains.

At the end of season 1, my question regarding Zuko is this: why does any fan like him? You can't root for him as a villain, because he's not callous or suave enough to be a badass, crazy enough to be entertaining, or competent enough to be a threat. You can't admire him when he's not actively in villain mode, because he's a disrespectful shouty little butt. My very limited knowledge of this show before I watched it did include the tidbit that Zuko had a big fanbase. Why tho?

Iroh

Iroh obviously has something deeper going on. Which I find confusing. He obviously doesn't have the same 'burn the world' zeal as Zhao, and in fact is more interested in defending the world as a whole than advancing Fire Nation interests when the chips are down (see him defending the moon fish). I think he still supports the Fire Nation cause; I think he would be more actively discouraging Zuko's Avatar hunting if he didn't still support/believe it.

It was Zuko's ship they were on, so Iroh doesn't have command over or responsibility for Zuko, which means that he can't just tell Zuko what to do. But he's shown himself to be someone capable of subtlety (at least the amount of subtlety required to get something past Zuko). And he's shown himself to be capable of teenager wrangling. So I'm forced to conclude that the 'something deeper' that is going on with Iroh is the fact that he is either currently on the fence about, or slowly drifting away from, Fire Nation ideals. He can't actually disapprove of what the Fire Nation is doing, otherwise he would have taken advantage of the last three years of totally uninterrupted contact with his nephew to start steering him in an anti-war direction.

So either Iroh has only the slightest anti-war leanings at the moment, or it took literally every second of Zuko's last three years at sea to recover from getting half his face blown off. While I can believe that the injury was slow to heal (especially the psychological side), one of the first lines that Iroh says in episode one is cautioning Zuko against getting his hopes up about having found the Avatar because there had been countless red herrings previously. Which implies that they've been actively Avatar hunting for a while.

So my question is this: if, as I am being led to believe, Iroh does not fully support the Fire Nation war, why has he not, at any point over the last three years at sea, attempted to sway Zuko into thinking the same? I could understand not wanting to rip the rug out from under Zuko if they were a few months into their banishment, but after three whole years, is it not borderline irresponsible of a guardian-ish figure to allow their charge to keep believing in something they suspect may be untrue? Surely in the three years since banishment, Zuko has seen enough destruction caused by the Fire Nation for him to start putting the pieces together himself?

That being said...

I'm meh on Iroh; I actively dislike Zuko. But Zuko + Iroh? That's good stuff. Their dynamic is exponentially more than the sum of its parts. Their interactions are believable and entertaining. Of the first ten episodes, my favourite is The Winter Solstice Part 1: The Spirit World, in part because of their odd couple dynamic. Zuko is only tolerable when he's bouncing off Iroh. Iroh is at his best when he's in Zuko wrangling mode. I forget that I dislike Zuko when he's having a non-shouty interaction with Iroh. And then he goes and talks to shouts at someone else and I remember why I dislike him.

I do think Zuko is an ass on a very fundamental level, but I also wonder if he plays that up when he's around people he's not comfortable with. Take Zuko and Iroh's interactions when Zuko is stowing away on Zhao's ship to the North Pole. Quiet, controlled, genuine, almost as much left unsaid as is spoken aloud. They obviously have a deep understanding of each other. And they have mutual respect, although Zuko would never admit it. Now compare that to Zuko and Katara interacting in the Spirit Oasis when Zuko is trying to kidnap Aang. The jerk tendencies are turned up to 11. Which wasn't actually necessary, and probably detrimental since Zuko's one liner announced his presence and took away the element of surprise.

So maybe Zuko isn't that much of a jerk deep down. But since Zuko is not the main character of this show, we're pretty much guaranteed to only see Zuko in the context of interacting with others in the cast, where he will be a jerk. So whether or not he is as much of a jerk as he appears will be irrelevant, because we'll only see him in contexts where he is at maximum jerkiness, if that makes sense?

Honestly I don't even know if Zuko and Iroh will be in season 2. Zuko is on the box art for my season 3 DVD, so I guess he comes back at some point, but by the end of season 1 he and Iroh are no one and have nothing. The days of them being a threat, even a nuisance, to the Gaang are over. What can the writers even do with these characters now? Where can they possibly go?

[asknarashikari]

opinions on the Geats cast now and what are your hopes for the endgame.

This will be a long post so putting things under a cut

Opinions on Geats Cast (Main 4 + Tsumuri)

Ace- definitely one of the better written protagonists of recent years, and the most nuanced out of the three Yuya Takahashi has done so far. He's come far in my eyes especially considering he made a bad first impression on me.

Keiwa- Still the best boy, and I enjoyed how he still keeps his sense of optimism and his ideals even though he really shouldn't have with all the shit thrown his way. I just hope he doesn't go down the Daiji route

Neon- Definitely got the short end of the stick where her backstory is concerned. I like how she's still the heart of the Riders even though she has every reason to be cynical now. Although I'm not sure what her wish means for her character moving forward.

Azuma- Everything I thought about the guy's good parts were utterly dashed by the previous arc. I don't think he should be redeemed and even though I fully expect him to be redeemed I don't think he deserves it one bit. And it's too late for him to convince me he does.

Tsumuri- I think I like how they're going with her character these last few episodes. She's no longer content being a bystander, she's grown attached to this world and its people. It's comparable to Izu gaining Singularity, and it's quite lovely :))

Hopes for the endgame

Tsumuri + Mitsume end the DGP and restore whatever lives they could

Main trio gets to fight the final villain and deal the final blow together, ala Saber

Azuma gets the shit kicked out of him but he doesn't get retired so he has to live with the memory of being defeated and knowing he's a shitty person no one likes

Neon and Keiwa endgame <- totally unrealistic but a girl can dream

Tsumuri and Ace become real siblings with Mitsume as their mom

Bonus: Expectations for the endgame

The DGP is ended but Mitsume/Tsumuri/Ace has to sacrifice themselves to do it

Alternatively: The world is restored but the Riders lose their memories of the DGP and each other while Ace is "unpersoned"

Azuma's shittiness doesn't get mentioned after a certain point

Keiwa goes bonkers and has to be beaten to get his head straight again

Ace's final form is totally broken, Keiwa's slightly less so, Neon may get one but it's only seen once or twice

[agl03]

Daisy's behaviour this episode really bothered me. The whole "kill freddy to prevent hydra's foundation" thing, kind of brought back the s5 "kill one persone to save many" debate (like when yoyo killed ruby) but, while back then she was firmly against yoyo actions, she doesn't even esitate now in front of the possibility of killing someone in cold blood. Not to mention that she asked deke to do it, openly against mack's orders and everyone elses opinion. I hope this is addressed at some point

Hey Everyone!

Well.   Daisy was a pretty hot topic after the episode last night so I decided to combine them all into one mega ask response as to not totally spam your dashes more than I already do because many of these questions all pull off of each other.

I was very surprised by Daisy’s actions last night but in retrospect I shouldn’t have when you sit and really look back at her actions.  Her doing something like that in the first few eps of the season is even a given pretty much at this point.  This was a case of me wanting to see evidence for a theory start to show up and instead said theory was pretty much blown to bits.

Where she goes from here is going to come down to what Mack does, IE does he punish her for trying to completely alter the history of the world, bench one of their strongest assets.  Or does he just look the other way like Coulson did for so many years.  Even if Daisy had been Director, killing Freddie was the wrong call.  Even worse was how she tried to make it happen via an inexperienced and confused Deke.

So starting with the OG ask above.  I have struggled with Daisy’s impulsive decisions for the entire series.  It happens every season where she ignores orders, does what she wants, and even betrayed the team.  Those decisions have serious consequences for the team, some worse than others.  Season 5 was one of the worst for me, drove me bonkers with her double standards, with how she treated Fitz and Elena yet talked to Hale about recruiting and training Ruby fresh off Ruby cutting off Elena’s arms, Torturing Talbot, and going for the destroyer machine while torturing Fitzsimmons in the process.  Also had she listened to Fitz about the target in the first place they would have been there long before the Superior was stopping the loop there without losing anyone.

But its never been really formally addressed  by her superiors with the exception of Season 1 when they put that computer blocker on her wrist for Running to the Rising Tide.  Mack needs to do something about it and do something now, before it gets worse.  This was only the first test and she failed.  Disregarding everyone else and history and throwing out the butterfly effect that she saw full force in the Framework with just May’s regret did and AIDA warped it even more.  

Ideally Mack would sit her down, have it out, and pretty much put her on a time out until  he can trust and she can prove she can handle the mission again.  The issue here is with May.....questionable right now though she is in protect my team mode, and I suspect that Elena has lost her powers, Daisy is one of their biggest assets and they will need her in a fight.

Anonymous said:

Who would you see becoming director of shield if Mack dies and knowing that Daisy is clearly not ready? I would have said May but after this episode not anymore and LMD Coulson is happy being a agent and I don’t think he wants to be director again so except Simmons I don’t see anyone being ready to take over if necessary.

I agree that Daisy isn’t remotely close to being ready and I don’t know if they have the real estate to get her there in 11 episodes now.  Not with knowing some of her biggest tests are yet to come (Afterlife).  I mean if the writers really want to get her there they will but its going to take some massive leaps and even will feel unearned to me after how last night went down.

I think we could see May heal and get better as the season progresses.  She’s got a lot to process right now and needs to have Jemma properly look her over and then have it out with who she needs to have it out with over Robo Coulson.  I can see her staying on if Mack falls out of a sense of duty but it would be a band aid kind of thing, only until someone else can be found and vetted.  

I don’t see Fitzsimmons as an option, I’m pretty sure they are out either in another time or just out for their Scottage.

Elena and Deke won’t have enough experience or overall Shield knowledge to do it.

The get rid of the DIrector thing all together and start leading with some sort of Council?

Maria Hill comes in out of freaking no where.

So I’m going to throw out a very very out there option.   Enoch.  Last night he established himself with Koenig, he’s going to be with Shield now as it grows.  I’ll bet that Koenig’s bar is the one above the Playground.  And not only does he have ample knowledge of Shield history but earths history and a lot of the baddies that are lurking out there in the Universe as well.  Because he is a Chronicom he’s calm and level headed....and it would be one heck of a twist there at the end.

Getting long so under the thing.

Anonymous said:

They just completely throw Daisy character development trough the window this episode. Like if they really wanted her to become director at the end of the season they wouldn’t have done that. I feel like she is going to keep going against the other and the mission and she is going to put someone from the team in danger or something

Unpopular opinion here.  No, they didn’t throw away any development with Daisy.  She does something like that every single season.   There is a situation where she doesn’t agree with the higher ups and forges ahead with what she feels is the best coarse of action.  And yes people do get hurt.  

While we are a year removed from the Season 6 finale for the team its like hours.  Hours from she and May going against the others, trusting that Coulson was somewhere in Sarge, and took him right to where he needed to be.  Then he killed May, Elena almost died and has possibly lost her powers, and the evil Zombie Army nearly took over the world.  

Just hours after that she’s ready to totally take out Hydra and do who knows what to the timeline.  Even worse she tried to get Deke to do it by not giving him the whole story.  

I think what scares me and many others is that this was mission one and she was ready to make a tidal wave.   And next time she’s ready to screw history I want to fix this we don’t know who gets caught in the collateral damage.

Anonymous said:

It was unnerving to see Daisy almost make it happen for the Chronicoms just because of her personal issues with Malicks. After all Gideon was the one who brought Hive back and it led to death of Lincoln and Malicks were involved in helping Whitehall which destroyed her family. It was too personal and she doesn’t deal with that well. This is why Mack is the Director.

Yes, Daisy realized in Season 5 that her emotions were getting the better of her and handed it off to Mack.  However, it only works if she follows his orders now that she has.

Yes, Malick hurt Daisy a lot, no question.  But he also did a number of Fitzsimmons with the whole 4722 hours on a deserted hell planet thanks to his monolith then being kidnapped and tortured to force Fitz to take Ward over to pick up Hive, Fitz the sacrifice to him.  Because of Malick Rosalind died and set off that lovely Darth Coulson arc.  May lost Lashdrew.  The team lost Bobbi and Hunter.  So she wasn’t the only one hurt by him but she was the only one who was ready to change history about it.

Anonymous said:

This episode proves that Daisy is still not ready to become director

See Above.

Anonymous said:

Daisy is definitely going to continue to want to do whatever she/they can to stop HYDRA. She’s got a big personal stake there; and I don’t think she cares about their present all that much.

Unfortunately I do agree but its not just Hydra.  We know Afterlife is in play and there is an insanely good chance that they come across her mother there and that is on massive emotional can of worms and one of the biggest temptations to fix.   To try to tell herself that what all would it hurt if I did.......

I do think what will finally stop her is she is going to make too big of a wave and it is going to have some serious repercussions and have major fallout.  Be it we see history changed or someone dies as a result of her actions.  

[nerdismyhobby]

Dan I'm new to LOTR should I read the books now that I've seen the movies and been blown away

Hoo boy. Ok. One, you’re welcome to come off anon and message me if you want, I’ll keep the conversation between us.

Two, i was going to do some creative writing and work on a play tonight but I have a feeling this is going to replace it. 

Here we go- I will say, right off the bat, my love for Lord of the Rings comes from the movies first and foremost. I experienced them before reading the books and I latched onto the epic story of it, the acting, the music, the visuals.... It was such a complete package that it formed my identity and still is into my late 20s. It will continue to be for a while I’m sure. 

That being said, I’ve read the books probably I wanna say three full times. I firmly believe that everyone should read the books at least once in their life. I don’t care if you do it all at once, read just one a year, read just one of them every five years, whatever. Read the Hobbit. Read  all of Lord of the Rings. Even if it’s only to say you did it. Do it anyway. 

However.... Be prepared for a slog at times. There, I said it. 

The books can be A LOT at times. Almost too much. 

One- There are a lot of differences. The films did a very good job distilling as MUCH as they could into three movies. But they still couldn’t get everything. There’s the obvious Tom Bombadil omission and everything contained therein (the Old Forest, the barrows, etc) . There’s the hill people between Rohan and Gondor that help out. Who the fuck is Glorfindel. Saruman with his gay rainbow/many colors robe. Who the fuck is Erkenbrand. The Scouring of the Shire. Where is Arwen? On the one hand, it’s exciting to read and see the differences. On the other hand, the movies are already twelve hours total as the extended editions and you STILL had to omit stuff? Do you know how bonkers that is? There’s already so many details in the movies and now you want to add MORE?? Are you goddamn nuts????? 

Two- I don’t have a lot of evidence for this, but I’m not sure if Tolkien expected to ever actually have his other notes and books published, such as the Silmarillion, book of Lost tales, etc. Yes, I know he wrote and composed the Silmarillion before Lord of the Rings, but i’m not sure if publication was ever expected. So all of a sudden, you have this epic three part book series (or six books, or one book split into three volumes with two books each, as Tolkien prefers) with a rich history that no one knows ANYTHING about, apart from the Hobbit, which was a bed time story Tolkien made up to get his kids to finally go the fuck to sleep and then he happened to publish. Because of this, you get a lot of tangential history woven in. Which is fascinating at times, but also REALLY slows the story down. So often you get stuff like this (paraphrasing here): “Off to the side of the road there was a copse of trees. Strong sturdy trees, like the ones sung about in the songs, that Earendil used to carve his magical flying boat out of and used to strike down the terrible dragon known as Ancalagon the Black, whose ruin he smote upon the earth and destroyed a mountain range, before Earendil himself perished only to be lifted up to the stars”.  Seriously. You get history tangents like that at least once a chapter. Which back in the day was helpful. But now? it’s not as necessary when you can literally just look all this stuff up on a tolkien wikipedia. It puffs up your word count sure, but this isn’t your dissertation. This is an epic fantasy novel. You’re here for the action and the fights and the character development and the twists and turns and stunning reveals and the gay bromance between Legolas and Gimli (seriously, I don’t necessarily “ship” them, but in no universe are those two straight). I don’t care as much about the trees and the terrain when there are orcs that Aragorn could be cleaving in two and Legolas and Gimli could be flirting/not flirting. 

Now, I know this makes it seem like I don’t like the books. Which isn’t necessarily true. It’s just the way that books are written just aren’t necessarily for me. I’m a very modern minded person, in that a lot of the media I tend to enjoy (be it plays or movies or books) are all more modern or contemporary (think like, post 1990. Yes, I’m serious). With the way my brain works in consuming media, things written and released in the 40s don’t necessarily appeal as much to me. I’m not a big fan of classic novels in general due to the writing style. I can think of maybe two or three I like, when I have all of the classics we read to high school to choose from. The style just isn’t for me. Reading any of them can be a chore for me, or like it takes a lot more effort for me to get through them. 

That being said- the books are still magical. It gets bogged down by history at times, but that’s only because Tolkien did such a fantastic job of world building that you can’t help but be taken in by it. Some of the omissions from the movies are actually very exciting parts of the books, and it’s fascinating to see the differences. And if nothing else, the movies did such an A+ job of casting that honestly? I don’t feel bad visualizing the actors as the actual characters when reading the book. I know some people try not to. But I genuinely find it difficult to differentiate. It’s so much fun to read along and follow along with the plot of such an epic movie series and see the inspiration for it. 

So yes. Read the books. But don’t be surprised if it’s difficult. If it’s frustrating. If it takes a while. If you kinda roll your eyes and go “yes yes, get on with it” at times. Cause I did. But the world building. The characters. The friendships. The action. The battles. The hobbit people and how they are living the ideal life. It’s all worth it at least once.

Pace yourself. 

You got this. 

But most importantly, have fun with it and appreciate it for what it is. For its messages of friendship and finding the good in the world, even when so much bad has happened. It is still Lord of the Rings, after all. 

Enjoy :) 

And thanks for the question! I really appreciate getting to talk at length about my favorite thing in the world. 

[mykedrop]

Persona 5 Royal Thoughts

     Alright so there’s a lot I want to talk about here. Fair warning, this write up is actually like, really damn long. Also like HUGE spoiler warning below the cut! I played the original when it came out, bought a PS4 practically only to play Persona 5 not even knowing if I’d like it. But I did! I loved it, loved all of it. Beat the game in just over 100 hours I think. Easily became my second favorite game ever. So now here comes Persona 5 Royal, adds a bunch of new stuff, a lot of little stuff and some pretty huge additions and reworks, includes all the dlc from P5 which is nice. It’s a strictly better version of the game I already thought was amazing enough.

     I remember being a little wary of going for it and reading a non-spoiler list of all the changes, which are actually A LOT when you list them out. Then I thought about how much I loved playing the original, and figured I’m not doing much else right now, so I got it. And BOY that game just checks all the boxes for me. It’s the same game, but better now. There’s a little more depth to playing the game and more stuff!

   One of the biggest additions and probably my favorite addition is Maruki’s story and confidant. Everything involving him I thought was incredible. First of all the man is a dreamboat. Secondly great voice actor. Thirdly the story built around him was really awesome to play through. Every time some new story beats came through while playing through the first parts of the game I always thought how great it all fit in. It made sense, it kind of opened up the world of the game a little more narrative-wise and it all felt right. And the SONG (Ideal and the Real) that plays in Maruki’s office is so GOOD. That song plays in my head 24/7 and I love it. He’s got such a great personality and story and it was a great time getting to rank him up. The song ALONE made me want to hang out with him as much as possible. It’s an angle I wasn’t expecting, his story I mean, and while the “right” choice was pretty clear, it still made me think about what he was trying to accomplish. And they drove the point home real hard during the final stretch of the game before you figure out what’s going. It’s so hard to look at your friends having such a good life and go, “yeah no I don’t think so.” But that’s a whole different  discussion. It felt sort of morally ambiguous, which was really cool. And I also like that Maruki gives you a choice, not only once but twice. Which again, gives you pause, even if only a short one.

    So that brings me to another one of the biggest additions: the new palace. BOY I love this palace. From the way it’s first introduced so early on, to how you keep peeking in every once in a while making a little progress here and there. Until finally you’re able to just go wild at the end. This palace feels like the team designing this was told go all out. The aesthetic, the mechanics, the layout. Going through this I had a big ol smile on my face the entire time at how different it felt compared to those in the original game. Those are good too, don’t get me wrong. I don’t have any palaces I dislike. But I can easily imagine some ideas and how incredible some palaces would be with the level of detail and complexity of Maruki’s palace. It’d be kind of ridiculous and extremely difficult no doubt, maybe even a little too much to ask for I think. Anyway, seeing the garden section of the palace for the first time was INCREDIBLE. They went so crazy with making almost every part of that palace look amazing! And that last area was easily my favorite of the palaces in terms of looks and theme. They did a good job of conveying the scale of that giant tree where the treasure is at with those stairs. Plus it’s another great moment to show of the smaller details of the palace like some flowers, the lighting, some other really neat effects. It was great! And the whole boss fight at the end was so fantastic to watch! I’ll say that even at the hardest difficulty, my SO (who is a turn-based combat FIEND) didn’t have too much of a difficult time with the fight. But the mechanics of it were so interesting! I loved the ideas they went with. Again it felt like they really gave it their all with this palace. The story beats during the fight were incredible as well, and they gave me one of my favorite moments back that used to be in the Yaldabaoth fight: Press X to Fire! The fight with Maruki at the end was also pretty novel too, and so dramatic! The snow falling at the end, the glass platforms collapsing, it all looked so GOOD. One of my favorite things in any game like this (remake/remaster/GOTY version/etc.) is getting to listen to NEW MUSIC. And this palace KILLED IT with music, as did the rest of the game as usual. There’s no feeling that compares to being right at the edge of beating a Persona game. And this palace was a hell of an out of the park home run. After 170 hours, it was so bittersweet to beat the final boss and move on towards the rest of the story. I loved playing through that palace and it’s a shame I’ll never get to experience it for the first time again.

    On to one of the more advertised additions: Yoshizawa! My first thought when I saw her way back when when they first revealed her is I thought she’d be a female protagonist. Which I thought would be INCREDIBLE. Even if it’s not exactly my preference, I would’ve been so HYPE to romance one of the guys. I didn’t really think about it from a gameplay standpoint, as there are way more girl confidants than guys, but still I thought it’d be fun to potentially explore that! Obviously that wasn’t the case, but now on to what I think of the new confidant! I love her! Like absolutely 100% love her so much! Let me tell you just how those concept meetings went down when they were making Yoshizawa: Cute girl, in cute clothes, who has a cute personality. Done, the perfect character. Of course she’s much more than that, but on the surface level it’s easy to see where they were going with this character. Playing the game I had zero idea about her eventual involvement in the final section of the game, so seeing her only have 5 confidant levels I was a little disappointed! Maxed her out as fast as possible and waited... Seeing her story woven through the original narrative was also super fun. Like Maruki, I really liked seeing her in places where she wasn’t before, and adding new scenes and such around to flesh out her character throughout the first two semesters. Then came the new part of the game after the holy grail fight. I was absolutely not expecting that twist with Yoshizawa. I had no idea that they would go somewhere like THAT in this game! It totally caught me off guard and I LOVED IT. What an incredible story all around. And like super fucked! The whole reveal moment was FANTASTIC! Had my jaw on the floor and everything! Her entire confidant was fun, using her in combat was fun, and her romance path was extremely fun! There’s nothing I don’t like about her really. She had such a wild story and such an amazing arc that I can’t not love her! She’s not my favorite confidant, but still adding in a new character like her into such a tight-knit group like the phantom thieves that i already loved as is is such a risky move! It’s so hard to improve upon a dynamic like theirs I think, but they made it work when they needed to! Anyway I love her character a lot and her story and all that. Beautiful.

    Speaking of adding new characters to a dynamic, this might be my favorite addition/rework in the entire game: Akechi. Holy crap I can’t tell you how much I LOVED HEARING AKECHI JUST GO OFF EVERY BATTLE, or while we went riding through mementos, or just all his new dialogue and confidant level ups. Akechi very quickly and easily became one of my favorite parts about the new part of the game. His character was such a HUGE CLASH with every other character in the party, especially Yoshizawa! Which I have to imagine isn’t an accident. He is fuckin CRAZY. Unlocking his Showtime attack was BONKERS. That whole sequence with Yoshizawa and Akechi in Maruki’s palace was so GOOD. Having Akechi be part of the team was an amazing breath of fresh of air. Trust me when I say I have ZERO problem or complaint with the overly positive nature of the party. But MAN it is FUN to see Akechi just be an ABSOLUTE ASSHOLE. Every new interaction with Akechi was a TREASURE. Dropping the “detective prince” act was 100000% the right move. Even more fun was seeing Haru and Akechi’s interactions in mementos. The way every character acted towards him was pretty good, but something about Haru’s overbearing positivity towards him was really fun to watch. I can’t stress enough how much Akechi added to the experience of the final act of the game. His persona? Badass. His personality? Absolutely cutthroat and also badass. His hair? Still incredible. Also the only character in the game who will only play 701 in darts. That threw me for a fuckin LOOP the first time I invited him out for darts. Dude is a STUD in like every way. Love Akechi A LOT. He singlehandedly brought the experience up from an 11/10 to a 12/10. This game is so much better with Akechi being able to go batshit crazy. One of my favorite interactions is during battle: when you heal the whole party, with Akechi and Ryuji being two of the active members, depending on their order, you’ll have Akechi say “No time for thanks” right before you hear Ryuji say “Thanks!” Just thought that really exemplified how much of an ass he is, and how much I love him for it. He is THE badass asshole character this game didn’t know it needed but absolutely deserved. How much of a bad ass do you have to be to able to look at your inevitable death in the face and say “this is how it has to be.” One of the coolest parts of the whole game is him not only accepting his eventual fate, but actively driving you towards making that decision.

     Next up I suppose I’ll talk about Maruki as a character. Love the way he was included, and liked all his interactions with all the characters during the first part of the game. He’s just so likable and honestly very relatable for me. Helping people through counseling has always been a personal goal of mine, so it’s always interesting to see how characters doing the same are portrayed. And while his overarching plan is something I don’t agree with, wanting to help people drives you to do crazy things sometimes. I felt for the guy. I enjoyed all the hangouts with him, and felt like I really understood his goals. The way his entire story was crafted did an incredible job of divulging all the right information at the right time. Before Akechi 2.0 came around, he was my favorite part of the game! I love the confidants and the stories they tell and interacting with them and all that. I looked forward to ranking up Maruki and trying to see what he was all about. The more I learned the more I liked him. Before, during, and after the palace my feelings about him didn’t change much. The man went crazy sure, but I still couldn’t bring myself to hate him or even dislike him. I love the man! My SO had no mercy for the man during the boss fight, but I felt bad seeing her kick his ass! I thought they did a good job mixing up the motivations for Maruki as a villain. Making him a confidant made it so much more difficult to picture him as the big bad evil guy. Plus he has like one of the best songs tied to him in Ideal and the Real. I’ll mention that as much as I feel is necessary.

      So now I’ll go through all of the smaller details that I really liked in no particular order. Kichijoji was a great destination, gave me a lot to do over the course of the game. The phone calls after you hang out with a confidant are a very welcome addition! It’s a way to fit in more dialogue which I always love, and gives you a chance to rank up the confidant a lot quicker. There’s the fact that Morgana no longer forces you to sleep nearly as often, letting you at least mess around in LeBlanc, which helps rank up your social stats. I LOVE THE DARTS MINI GAME. And I’m so glad it also gave you an upgrade for your baton passes. I did not play enough darts. The jazz club was also MY JAM. Again more dialogue, great music, and a fun way to give your confidants new skills or stat boosts. One thing that I find really funny is the way they handled Valentine’s Day. They CHANGED IT. I know they added a lot of new stuff to them for new story reasons. but they CHANGED THE CONTEXT OF THE DATES. For example, in the original P5, Kawakami makes it VERY CLEAR what’s going down later. Ann too! But in P5R, that context is GONE LMAO they really went and changed the dialogue to be less sexual. It’s strange, but mostly I found it funny considering Takemi’s max rank conversation is untouched, among plenty of other ones. Anyway White Day was a GREAT addition! The final part of the date overlooking the city is AMAZING. That reveal made my jaw drop. Speaking of things that changed, the Christmas date also changed, and I like the change a lot! Watching the snow fall from the window on the bed was a great touch. The changes to boss battles and some parts of palaces because of the grappling hook were very welcome. The grappling hook itself was also extremely handy. The thieves den is an incredible addition that adds SO MUCH NEW DIALOGUE AND CONTEXT THAT IT’S A CRIME THAT IT’S HIDDEN IN THE DEN! Anyway. I’ll never say no to new personas. The showtime attacks are a GEM. The new music in this game is AWESOME. I can’t stop listening to the soundtrack. I really enjoyed getting to see a little bit of the dynamic between Sojiro, Futaba and Wakaba. I never knew just how much I wanted to see that until I saw the bit of it in the late part of the game. I don’t remember if it was in the original game, but I LOVE that one of Yusuke’s battle lines is “How do you want to do this?” LOVE IT. Oh Chihaya’s confidant boosting fortune reading was SUPER CLUTCH. Extremely good quality of life right there. I love the extra little bit they added to the warden’s confidant, getting to take them out of the velvet room and show them around. Super cute. Iwai’s gun customization was pretty sweet. Adding Jose to mementos was strange, but very welcome! It made going around much more interesting. Oh speaking of, buffing Ryuji’s instant kill was a GREAT idea. Haha Morgana go vroom vroom. The alarm in the velvet room was also awesome and made making the perfect persona a million times easier.

     It’s been a few weeks now since I’ve finished the game, and it’s unfortunate that I can’t remember more of the little things. This whole write up has been an on and off thing since I finished P5R. Still I love the game and don’t really have any complaints. Well maybe one: LET ME FEED YUSUKE. Someone please feed that man. I forgot how much I loved playing the original game, and going through it again with all the new stuff was a total pleasure! And obviously the 3rd semester was an incredible experience. If you like the original a lot, and it’s been a while since you played it, get P5R. If you never played the original but were interested in it, get P5R. Anyway that’s all I got to say about it.

[doodlebugsandbumblebees]

You are straight-up a very sweet Hufflepuff whom I would be delighted to know any and everything about, so is it alright if I go ahead and ask EVERY question for the question meme?

Awww, wow!!  That really means a lot, thank you so much!

Alright here we go then!  We’re going to get to know me a whole lot better lol because these questions are pretty fun.  Obviously this will be a pretty long post so I’m putting it all under the read more

weird asks that say a lot

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

Coffee mugs I think.  I have a pretty big collection of those.

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

This one is hard!  Probably chocolate bars though.

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

Cotton candy 100%.

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

Hmmmm, I think hardworking and sweet came up a lot?  I was very much a teacher’s pet and the perfectionist anxiety set in early lol so I was a busy, over-achieving bee.

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

I prefer soda bottles.  Glass bottles especially.

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

It really depends?  But I guess I’m more tomboy style than anything else.

7. earbuds or headphones?

Earbuds because I like to have one in and one out so I can still hear what’s going around me.

8. movies or tv shows?

TV shows because I like having more time to get to know the characters (and domestic/casual situations for overpowered or zany characters are way more likely to happen in a show than a movie and I live for those lol).

9. favorite smell in the summer?

Rain on pavement because it just storms and storms in the summer and it’s so nice.

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

Hmmm I was good at anything that involved running?  And games that involved those wheely board things you sat on and scooted around on were always fun.

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

It varies?  Bagels or toast most often I guess.

12. name of your favorite playlist?

Sick beats.

13. lanyard or key ring?

Key ring with a little stuffed animal on it.  Right now mine has a bee on it and I love it.

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

Jolly ranchers.

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

Tuesdays with Morrie was pretty good.

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

Criss-cross.

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

My plain white sneakers.  They’re not real pretty or anything but they’re very comfy and I don’t have to think about whether they match things.

18. ideal weather?

Partially cloudy all day, storm in the afternoon, cool in the evening.

19. sleeping position?

Always on one of my sides.

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

Notes on my phone or on my laptop with my typewriter keyboard.

21. obsession from childhood?

The Lion King and anything related to it.

22. role model?

Jane Goodall has been at least one of my role models since I was ten, but my mom is a big one too.

23. strange habits?

I’m still getting over periodically chewing my fingers?  Does that count?  I also have a quirk when it comes to touching certain metal things but especially coins so when someone hands me change I do everything I can to avoid touching it and hold it in the bills if I can.

24. favorite crystal?

Kinds of crystals I presume?  I’ve always liked rose quartzes and amethysts (especially amethyst geodes since I have a couple of those).

25. first song you remember hearing?

Probably something from Tarzan or Mary Poppins since those were my childhood movies.  So Stepping Time from Mary Poppins would be a good guess.

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

Swimming.

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

Walking around in it because it’s hardly ever truly cold here and I like to savor it.

28. five songs to describe you?

I change music taste every five minutes so I’m going to say songs that describe me right now are brand new by ben rector, just a quail by louie zong, turning out by ajr, everything stays by olivia olson, and hooked on a feeling by blue swede.

29. best way to bond with you?

It’s all in the time.  I get attached to people pretty easy as long as they’re nice and we can goof around, have fun, and talk about whatever.  So putting time in to hang out means a lot to me.

30. places that you find sacred?

Hmmm, being deep in forests feels sacred to me so there are certain waterfall hikes in the smokey mountains and along the blue ridge parkway and in Hawaii that seem very special to me.  And then disney world and disneyland will always have a sacredness to them for me because they’ve meant so much to me and the happiness it brings people is pretty magical.

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

My comfy jean shorts and either my yellowish flannel or my guardians of the galaxy shirt with my rebel jacket. 

32. top five favorite vines?

Caterpillar Rave

I Smell Like Beef

I Could’ve Dropped My Croissant

Michael with a B

This Is The Comedy Police

Honorable Mention: FR E S H A VOCA DO

33. most used phrase in your phone?

Probably “okay cool” because I say that a lot.

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

We are farmers, bum bud um bum bum bum bum.

35. average time you fall asleep?

1 AM.

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

Oh gosh the first one… probably one of those vines up there.  It might have been fre shavocado.  This was a long time ago though.

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

Suitcase.

38. lemonade or tea?

Tea because I can’t drink citrus without it setting my mouth on fire lol.

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

Lemon cake but I don’t have it often for the reason listed above.

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

Some kids in elementary did something weird in the trees behind our school because the teachers weren’t watching them (I never knew exactly what it was but it was Bad tm) but the teachers didn’t know exactly who it was so they punished the whole grade and we were forced to only play kickball during recess for like 7 months and it was the worst.  It’s not exactly weird per say but I always found it wild that the only conceivable thing they could think to do to solve this problem was force a bunch of scrawny, socially awkward, miserable children to play ground baseball with a permanently half-deflated rubber ball.

41. last person you texted?

My brother.

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

Pants pockets but only because I don’t get to use jacket pockets as often as I would like to.

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

I’m completely tied between hoodies and bomber jackets.

44. favorite scent for soap?

Ocean.

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

These are my three faves, not fair!!  Sigh, probably superhero because even with sci-fi and fantasy my faves tend to be my faves because they have superhero elements.  The colors, the Drama, the angst, the powers??  What’s not to love.

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

Baggy t-shirt and athletic shorts.

47. favorite type of cheese?

Smoked gouda.

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

Watermelon.

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

“Keep moving forward.” from Meet the Robinsons most, but I also like “The bottom line is if you take a chance in life sometimes good things happen, sometimes bad things happen but, honey, if you don’t take a chance nothing happens.” from Dorothy in Golden Girls.

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

I don’t know about the hardest I ever have (because I am very lucky and have a very funny family so I laugh a lot) but watching vine compilations for the very first time with my siblings made me laugh really hard.

51. current stresses?

Fitting everything in.  Days just don’t feel long enough and social situations plus school stuff always get to me but I’m doing okay.

52. favorite font?

I do like times new roman even if it’s used a lot but I’ve been using the font yananeska for calligraphy stuff lately and it’s a cool one.

53. what is the current state of your hands?

They’re always a bit dry and on the warmish side but they’re pretty good.

54. what did you learn from your first job?

Have never had a job job but I volunteered in a library for like three years and it taught me to enjoy the details, slow down and enjoy the quiet, simple tasks, appreciate really excited kids, and try to help people whenever I can.

55. favorite fairy tale?

Aladdin or beauty and the beast I suppose?  I like that there’s multiple ways to interpret those stories and that they can be played with in some fun ways because they’re such interesting concepts by themselves.

56. favorite tradition?

How cities all over the world string up lights on things in the winter.  It means something different to everyone and some do it and some don’t which is totally fine, but this idea of lighting up the world during the bleakest month, and how some people go all out with colors and patterns and synced to music, and how everyone does it a bit different, and how entire cities are just smothered in lights means a lot to me.  I think it’s a very cool and very human thing to do.

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

The tough year before my family moved, getting through my really intense anxiety years where I couldn’t travel in cars for more than fifteen minutes without throwing up, and my month away at art school.

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

Hmmm, I guess I’m pretty proud of my writing ability, my singing voice, my art skills, and my ability to talk to anyone.

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

Probably something goofy like “YEET” or some variation of “That’s bonkers” because I do say those a lot.

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

Superhero.

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

“That’s all it is, a leap of faith.” from Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse is still pretty special to me.  As is “I never thought I could do any of this stuff, but I can.” same movie.

62. seven characters you relate to?

Aaaaaaaa another hard one.  Whoo boy, right now my gut instinct is probably: Judy Hopps (Zootopia), Miles Morales (Into the Spiderverse), Raph (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Spiderham (Into the Spiderverse), Hagrid (Harry Potter), the firbolg (the adventure zone), and Sam-I-Am (Green Eggs and Ham).

63. five songs that would play in your club?

At the moment I would want you make my dreams by hall & oates, cantina band by John Williams, the bones by maren morris and hozier, hooked on a feeling by blue swede, and backflip by rivers cuomo to play.

64. favorite website from your childhood?

Coolmathgames.

65. any permanent scars?

I have a round scar on my elbow from when I skidded across the ground after crashing my bicycle.

66. favorite flower(s)?

I like lotus flowers, gardenias, and plumerias.

67. good luck charms?

My DnD dice, rocks (like my obsidian, sodalites, and amethysts), and my ten little lucky owl statues in different colors.

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

Beverly soda is the worst but a specific flavor I really don’t like is pickles.

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

Mantis shrimps punch so fast that the water around their punch boils.  Also they have seventeen color receptors compared to our 3.

70. left or right handed?

Right handed.

71. least favorite pattern?

I’m not quite sure?  I’m not crazy about optical illusions that look sort of smeared and are all black and white because they hurt my eyes so probably those.

72. worst subject?

I’m not great with math or sports, but I’ve gotten a handle on math as of late.

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

I’m not sure if they’re weird but I’m willing to try a lot so ketchup and mayonnaise is great, barbecue sauce and cheez-its is very good, and apples dipped in nacho cheese or salsa is not bad.

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

I think 4.

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

I think I was five?  Not sure.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

Baked potatoes but fries are very close.

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

Aloe plants.

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

I don’t eat sushi so coffee from a gas station.

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

School id photo.

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

Jewel tones.

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

Lightning bugs.

82. pc or console?

Console.

83. writing or drawing?

Probably writing because it’s more straightforward to me but it depends.

84. podcasts or talk radio?

Podcasts.

84. barbie or polly pocket?

Barbie.

85. fairy tales or mythology?

Mythology because it gets wild so fast and cracks me up sometimes.

86. cookies or cupcakes?

Cupcakes.

87. your greatest fear?

Being annoying or mean without realizing it and driving people away.  I’m constantly scared I’m going to mess everything up which I need to work on because it’s hard to live that way.

88. your greatest wish?

Going to get a bit cheesy but to someday be a zoologist with some fun hobbies, travel often, feel satisfied with my life, and spend my days with someone I truly love and have a lot of fun with.

89. who would you put before everyone else?

Anyone in my family because we’re really close and they would do that for me.

90. luckiest mistake?

Probably going to an up-ity art school for a month a few years ago because while I was extremely depressed, homesick, and felt like a big failure the whole time, if I hadn’t done that and had my dreams crushed by some mean professors I might have gone there for a whole semester and spent a bajillion dollars to learn the same thing.  And it inevitably put me at the school I’m at now which I’m very very happy with and suits me so much better.

91. boxes or bags?

I like boxes.

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

Fairy lights because I’m a sucker for colors.

93. nicknames?

Doodlebug is the biggest one.

94. favorite season?

Fall.  Colors, halloween, thanksgiving, cooler weather, I love it ALL.

95. favorite app on your phone?

Spotify.

96. desktop background?

A painting of a whale shark from the Georgia aquarium because going there was a big deal for me and it’s very pretty.

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

Maybe 3?  I don’t have to memorize them much anymore lol.

98. favorite historical era?

I kind of like the 1920s aesthetic these days but I love very scattered things about history so picking one era is tough.

[scuttleboat]

510 reactions

INDRA IS THE BEST OMG lol I love her so much. If she had a morning alarm app it would be "Rise and face the day. You will die, but proudly, and that is good." *beep*

Gaia was an fun surprise this episode and I loved pretty much every scene she had with Indra. The fight was great.

I loved the assassination attempt and I loved Octavia's reaction to it? That was the one really unpredictable moment in the episode for me and I thought the suspense > to > diffusion of tension by throwing back the spear was just... wonderful. In an episode with some great dialogue and some painfully creaky dialogue, that little screenwriting moment was a delight. It was the most #powermove thing that Bloodreina could do in that moment and that speaks in interesting ways to how she's become so sensitive to politics and drama while becoming so desensitized to the people around her.

The Blake stuff was all the drama I could ever want and I think Bob and Marie showed off their wonderful screen chemistry. But I admit I'm a little unsure what this means for Bellamy's character? This feels like it should have been a turning point for him. His insistence not to fight felt genuine up to the moment, and then he did fight, like I was expecting. I guess I wanted more out of that moment? Like, that should feel like a huge thing--his choice to survive over waiting for Octavia to save him--but somehow, it didn't? Nor did it feel like a switch that really indicates him in person conflict over his near- pacifism stuff. I think it was the fact that Monty arrived and saved the day, there preventing Bellamy from actually having to hurt someone he considers an ally in order to survive. So he skates by on being Soft Bellamy still, in the episode where I was hoping he'd be a little bit more of Rough Bellamy. I've been thinking that he has a building up of internal conflict this season wrt "can I be the new me or the old me?" and I was hoping we'd see that reach a major point this episode. Now I'm not quite sure if that's what they're doing with him. I'll have to wait to see. If Bellamy's major conflict really is just about his sibling and his childhood this season, that would feel like a missed opportunity. I want some meaty self-examination!

The other sibling got a solid WHOLE EPISODE of self-examination, lol. Marie was splendid. It veered between powerful and heavily melodramatic. The whole mirror thing was WAY over the top cliche. Come on, t100. Come on, HIC. You can be a little better than that! And "You can't save someone who's already dead." Really? Okay then. I guess it's not t100 if there aren't at least two lines per episode that make me roll my eyes. Even the good episodes! Which this was, to be fair. For about 90% of it I was quite entertained, although I think it's too dark to have a fun rewatch factor. Snarkiness aside though, I did enjoy seeing the dark workings of the soul of a female character being given such deliberation on screen. Octavia Blake genuinely is a unique character in television, and is allowed to go places female characters rarely are. I feel like my read on Octavia this season has been dead on correct: to her, Bloodreina = Wonkru and Wonkru = Bloodreina. Octavia doesn't see herself as a person anymore, just as the figurehead of this system. She is also terrified of everything and Bloodreina is her only way of facing world she created so that her people could survive. She can't give up being Bloodreina, therefore she can't give Wonkru to someone else because if Wonkru and Bloodreina can exist separately, that flies in the face of "all of me for all of us", which is the only thing that kept her and everyone else sane (mostly) in the bunker. If that's structure falls apart or if Octavia loses it, then all she has is the memories of the terrible things she did. And even if she did it to save them all, to lead them to the next day and the next, without Wonkru she would have to bear those memories alone, and she cannot.

Hmm what else? 

The flashbacks to their childhood on the Ark was very moving. I liked getting more details of their life. I liked the balance between the weight & pain Bellamy endured to protect Octavia and the weight & terror Octavia endured being raised as the source of fear for her family. It was clear that the trauma of the Ark was terrible for them both, infecting even happy the memories.

Monty telling Octavia no was a classic Monty moment. I liked his scene a lot, but tbh I was hoping for something a little more creative or complex in how they used him? One of the drawbacks of this episode's slower, more character-based tone is that it seemed fairly predictable what was going to happen from scene to scene. That's why I like the moment when she threw back the spear, because I genuinely didn't know how that scene was going to go. Monty saving the day with flowers though was not exactly shocking when it came around. I feel like a reaction video to this episode will just be a consecutive sequence of "hmmm" and "HMMMM" and "ooh nice" and "okay then if you must", none of it rising above conversational tone.

I liked the bunker departure scene because we got to see everyone in the open sunlight. That was nice. Octavia's blood makeup was so ~artistic walking out of that bunker, you know she had to apply it and wash it and re-apply it 2 times at least. I've been there, girl.

The farm burning means the bunker society idea is torched and I'm sighing a little over that. Do we REALLY need to write out EVERY possible solution with salt-the-earth finality? Where is this series gonna end, with 11 people on a life raft floating out to sea? If there is a sea, still. This show is so bonkers.

The stuff with the chip is still firmly in my zone of "but really DO WE HAVE TO BE DOING THIS?" but it could have been worse. I was confused at one moment when Madi said "I just put it back in." Maybe I need to re-watch it, but I honestly don't understand that line. Was that the A.I. talking through Madi, claiming her as a host? Or was that Madi saying she'd taken it out and in again?

The Lexa stuff was just.. can we not. Give the child. Memories of her mom's dead lover. That's so skeevy on so many levels, and that's skeevy BEFORE even getting into the 'lover' part of Clarke's past with Lexa.

So... Becca was burned alive as a witch by Cadogan? Or whoever. That seems really weird to me. Like, super out of place for the show. I don't understand how that fits into t100 at all, since the people burning her were like, people from future-modern New England and shit. Even if I started living in a Mad Max Society tomorrow, I don't think 4 years of apocalypse would be enough to convert me to the idea that "Yeah, you know what humanity's real problem is? SPACE WITCHERY. Let's just BURN HER." How does that even come up? I totally get it if they blamed her for killing the world, and if the mob executed her for it. I also get it if they distrust the A.I. she brought down. But come on, they'd just shoot her! That's what you do with rich people when the end comes and everybody's backs are against the wall. They wouldn't waste firewood for a witch burning; that's ridiculous.

I have a feeling like they're gonna leave the chip in Madi. I hope not. My best case scenario for this unnecessary plot they forced us into is that by experiencing the memories, Madi retrieves some vital piece of new information that will help save everyone. Maybe she finds out what is going on with the other Elegius mission, since Becca worked on that stuff. Hopefully then Madi can take it out? But honestly, the fact that it seems like the show is going to decide "well we'll leave it in if she says she wants it" is really uncomfortable for me. If she couldn't consent to getting it last episode, she can't consent to keeping it this episode. The same problems with the situation exist regardless of whether Madi thinks she's getting something valuable out of it, or if it makes her feel powerful in a world where she is otherwise powerless. Letting a child use dangerous mind altering substances to help them feel more powerful and safe is NOT the same thing as actually keeping that child safe or empowered. It's the opposite of that. Of course, Clarke can't really do much about that right now without re-traumatizing Madi on top for the trauma she's already experiencing. But the longer they leave it in, the harder it will be to remove without psychological damage if Madi's developing brain becomes dependant on it. Because, you know, SHE'S ELEVEN. Maybe twelve? But her brain is literally growing, as children's brains do, and right this second it's growing with a cyber-parasite shaping it. That seems profoundly wrong and gross to me. ...Ideally they give it to Gaia or Indra. Just let them have it.

Oh that's a bit of a down note to end on? I am not sure where this takes us, but I think the episode was good. I'm not sure it was actually the episode they needed it to be though. It seemed to accomplish several things, but I'm not sure the particular things that it accomplished were the best choices. Vinson finally eating people was lulzy. I just wish the stuff that Abby was doing in that scene wasn't filmed and directed in such an amateur looking way. But finally, SOME CANNIBALISM! Now we wait til next week to see what else comes out.

[starrdaley51-blog]

Microsoft Area 2 Leading Apps.

Is actually the main real-time channel of the Tennis Globe Alliance (BWF), where we give you live, catch-up and also postponed streaming of the major activities on our calendar such as the MetLife BWF Globe Superseries and the BWF Globe Championships. Where 1984 was urled to the 'hazard' from Communism however, Brave New Globe is actually Fordism taken to its own very most harsh degree together with the concepts of Freud. I failed to must. This book summarizes the ending from the previous book well enough to ensure that I didn't possess any kind of issue being reimmersed right into the World After. But don't fret - if you agree to cope with reduced functionality for now (points are actually enhancing a virtually regular basis) you may still receive Linux put up as well as operating in a functional setup using a Gulf Trail-based tablet. In the custom home window dimension you'll decide on the output settlement; if you are actually using 4:3 you'll take the elevation of your monitor as a reference to try to find an indigenous settlement. Whether this is actually new ventures hoping to satisfy Bitcoin aficionados, or already-existing businesses conforming to the marketplace, there is actually no deficiency from genuine spots for you to devote your Bitcoins. Possibly one of one of the most necessary actions to have when buying a made use of iPad is actually to in fact learn if it's a taken unit or not. Going out the back door I'm captured unsuspecting through Montgomery hissing for me from the that leads out right into the outdated dirt section of the frontage roadway which loopholes over to the outdated rec center. A bonus offer novella, The Unfortunate Planet," a 125-page prequel to that collection, may be discovered at the end of Absolutely no Planet. His association to the globe without had been actually entirely transformed with the growth from his advisers. Android has a riches from products readily available for every budget, each contending for an area in the Android globe. You can see where producer Wargaming is visiting get some cash off World from Containers fanatics. In purchasing innovation including a photocopier, you run the risk of obsolescence; there could be limited re-sale worth from your copier. Character Operate is rather a great endless distance runner along with significant graphics and perfect controls. Considering that everybody acquires irritated up as well as the capturing may begin, he will not review them regional headlines. The intro of innovations like Wii games has acquired a substantial market portion. One can easily go through Lawrence Durrell and notice exactly what Alexandria was like when he composed, but one can easily certainly not necessarily read John Wyndham as well as recognize what world he blogs about coming from his actual writing. Road is actually a social App that featured a limited variety of fans that you selected instead of attempting to focus on having the globe follow you. I expect maybe one more mental incident, apart from the final opportunity I went bonkers I was hallucinating some distorted model of Alice in Paradise and also playing around shrieking burn the monster. You still acquire pre-order bonuses featuring FIVE HUNDRED Telephone call from Task Points if you buy at a retail store as well as 1,000 if you buy electronically as well as you receive a code for a future provide (the beta). The moment you have actually gone through the games tutorial, look for the My Nintendo/Nintendo Account bubble in the top-right section from your world. Yes, Alice purchased the house without seeing this. Gulp, if you inquire me. http://vousmontreraumonde.info did get in touch with the area regarding achievable charges as well as other due income taxes, yet your home was crystal clear. He had increased a little bit of dull, given that he was actually imposing aside just that total up to get a gun and also handle themselves to a little bit of shooting next summertime on the plain from Nanterre, with many friends who mosted likely to fire larks down certainly there from a Sunday. The ARM versions of FreeBSD sustains Raspberry Private eye as well as Raspberry Private detective 2, and also the photos of its own most current model (10.2) may be written on to 512 MEGABYTES SD memory card. You can use these Starving Shark Planet ideas to find out just how you can easily most ideal use the Blacktip, the XS shark that you start with. The summaries and merely the graphic design of Fifty percent Planet is sturdy, exciting, and also instead terrifying. You'll must create camping ground or make use of unique things to recover, which implies that you'll need to use less energy and salary attention while battling teams from tough foes back to back. Certainly this's possible to directly log in to the root profile and also operate terminal orders from there. Penryn drives by means of the roads from Sa Within this part two to the successful imagination thriller, Angelfall, the survivors from the angel armageddon begin to scratch back together what remains of the present day planet. When Melanie's mommy is actually expectant with Melanie, she escapes to the World from Physical nature (aka, human realm; The planet). Globe After selections up directly where Angelfall ends, at the peak from disorder and catastrophe. Below is actually http://vousmontreraumonde.info out where you could purchase the Verizon iPhone 7 on arrangement, on remittances and with other possibilities. With all the numerous years he had managed to manage this Agency he had somehow managed to stay alive, while a lot of others had not. You can easily consider photographes, readily available online, of the last result of 3D ink-jet printers before buying. Third party Apple Check out bands start under $20, yet if you desire to purchase the Apple Watch bands from Apple you reside in for a higher cost. Another superior function of World Of Diamond is its personalization option. Now, there is actually no justification to sign in to your profile and take every character - coming from Ana to Zenyatta - for a trial run in Overwatch today. I mean, let's face it ... Ty and also Zane have a tendency to bring in blasts ... Just how could possibly this set NOT head out wi No blows took in the ultimate book of the Cut & Operate series! Her other publications are truly splendid and you 'd be actually cheating yourself if you allow Run maintain you off of all of them. Um, okay I assume our experts can do that." Velma mentions equally a midlife guy along with a hairless mind comes inching right into the area through the back door, he is actually dealt with in what seems gun grain along with melt marks in his pants, he isn't really looking too delighted since this very minute. Some distance runners take deeper breathes for most their run and also button to high-chest breathing when they sprint. Recently, they had 4 products listed in stock however merely actually possessed one - and really went ahead and charged my card for all of all of them as well as right now are reimbursing the unwanted.

[avani008]

More Top Fives...

@ratnananda requested top 5 Tamil/Telugu/Malayalam movies, Bottom 5 Tamil Movies, Top 5 Mani Ratnam Movies, Top 5 Kandukondain Kandukondain moments, and Top 5 Nidhana-verse Amarsena Moments.

(below the cut, because long.)

top 5 tamil/ malayalam/ telugu movies

(not counting Baahubali and KK because you guys already know about that)

1. Mahanati -- Such a wonderfully shot and acted movie, and so full of brilliant Easter eggs that yield it to repeat viewings. Also, both couples are amazing and shippable (well, until Dulquer! Gemini has his breakdown, but he’s still very compelling in the first half)

2. 24 -- This is a totally bonkers movie, but I love the aesthetic, and I love how unapologetically OTT it is--our hero has a time machine! He looks exactly like his uncle who looks exactly like his twin brother/the hero’s dad! At given moment, one of the three main male characters is pretending to be one or more of the others! HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE SUCH A THING.

3. Thaana Sernda Kootham-- Cons with hearts of gold! A really fun and catchy musical score! Ramya Krishnan having a great time!

4. Urumi -- Oh, this is such a flawed movie, but still! I love it for the cameos alone: at any given moment, any famous actor could pop up. Also, it’s by Santhosh Sivan, so very very pretty to look at.

5. Dumm Dumm Dumm -- second favorite Tamil rom-com of my soul. *weeps*

(EDIT: How could I have forgotten Size Zero??? Most charming rom-com heroine I can remember in a long time bottom 5 tamil movies

1. Iraandam Ulagam-- you will be tempted to watch, because Anushka Shetty has a sword, and Arya is prancing around looking heroic and tragic. DO NOT. Rage inducing “ all women just need a man” and “literally rapist hero” abound.

2. Kochaidaiyaan -- the terrible CGI scares me, and I often have reasonable tolerance for that sort of thing. I think I lost it when the dolphin showed up in teh fight scene.  

3. Dashavataram-- “Oh, okay, Kamal is playing a priest in the flashback and a scientist now, and wait, why is he a random white dude, and a grandmother, and a Punjabi singer whose throat cancer gets cured by a bullet, what the hell, and --WHY IS KAMAL HASSAN PLAYING GEORGE W. BUSH???”

4. Kandasaamy -- ....Who decides they want to be a CHICKEN-themed superhero? I mean--I understand the religious references, but the man is still...a CHICKEN-THEMED SUPERHERO. Also, the “Mambo Maamiya” song makes me laugh myself to the point of tears, and not in a good way. 

5.Enthiran -- Look, you lost me when the female lead turned out to be a ditz (who CHEATED! on her EXAMS!), when the narrative actually excused honor suicides, and when the whole thing turned into a bizarro Ramayana ripoff that....was not good. 

top 5 mani ratnam movies

1. Alai Payuthey -- Can one really grow up listening to/watching “Pachchai Nirame” and not consider it the height of romance? Also I love Shalini’s prickly, passionate Shakti (one of my favorite Ratnam heroines), and also young Madhavan, OMG. What’s not to love?

2. Thalapathy-- The one sympathetic-to-Karna take that gets me (because it doesn’t gloss over the bad stuff the Karna- and Duryodhana- equivalent do, while getting rid of the very worst things wrt Draupadi. Also it doesn’t demonize Arjuna & Kunti, either.) So brilliant--and why Raavanan was so disappointing for me.

3. Roja -- I always wondered why I liked this movie, despite the chest-thumping patriotism and the kind of skeevy reluctant arranged marriage -- the gorgeous visuals and Rahman’s music could only do so much, you know. And then I read an article somewhere that pointed out it was actually a modern day take on Savitri and Satyavan, and then it all made sense, you guys. 

4. OK Kanmani -- Dulquer and Nithya just might be the most adorable couple in all creation; and this is such a lovely, frothy, lowkey romance that I can’t help but root for!

5. Yuva/Aayutha Ezhuthu-- is this cheesy? Probably. But I love idealism, and people coming together to become better, and my goodness, does this movie deliver. Also I really appreciate that the heroines are just as diverse--and usually have their own lives going on, separate from the heroes’ stuff--which is a nice change from the usual movie plotline. 

top 5 amarsena  (nidhana verse ) moments

(FWIW, this is mostly from the what was fun to write from my standpoint, and might not coincide with what anyone actually thought...)

1. Devasena’s rant in Chapter 3--I am on “team I can see why Devasena wanted to set Amarendra on fire in that scene where he’s refusing to acknowledge her feelings of confusion and betrayal” so I really wanted to write a scene where he does better, and, if not exactly agreeing with her, at least doesn’t just...sort of laugh it off?

2. The beginning of Chapter 6? It’s honestly as close to anything ~scandalous~ as we ever get, so....

3. The little conversation on the arrival in Kuntala that goes way over Mahendra’s head. This is largely because Mahendra’s confusion at and misinterpretation of pretty much everything he hears is the heart of “Nidhana” *nods gravely, collapses into giggles.*

4. The outright argument right before the battle? Because I actually really like it when couples can manage to have an argument and it’s not the end of the world--even Mahendra is upset but not, say, terrified that his folks are splitting up, and I wanted to show that they’d managed to model healthy relationships for him, as well. 

5. ...And pretty much all the domestic fluff in Chapter 1. If you haven’t noticed, domestic fluff and established relationships are some of my favorite things to write, and especially in that chapter, I felt free to let myself go wild and write all the cuteness I wanted. 

top 5 kandukondein kandukondein moments

(this is difficult! because 90% of this movie just makes me happy, and it is probably my one great comfort watch. But offhand:)

1. Konjam Minnakale is a delight, and never fails to put me in a good mood. Not only is the cinematography beautiful, but the music makes me feel as though I, too, could frolic in fields with perfect choreography while looking AMAZINGi.

2. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it “North Indian actresses are the worst” joke at the very beginning, because yes, Tabu and Aish are both technically South Indian by birth but obviously also required dubbing, etc. 

3. THE CAT WEDDING. So random; so funny. 

4. Manohar and Soumya’s first meeting. Starts off with a classic misunderstanding where both parties are having two different conversations, but then manages also to get across Soumya’s very real guilt and grief, as well as Manohar’s automatic sympathy and feelings for her.

5. Manohar and Soumya meeting again in Madras. In part I love it because Elinor and Edward actually don’t get very much relationship development in Austen (we’re told they like each other by the narrator, and the rest of the time they’re together, it’s pretty much just angst and pining), but Tabu and Ajith sell me on their chemistry--but moreover, how much do I love Soumya just....ignoring Manohar in favor of doing her job? (and, even when just working as secretary, being very good at it. I would mention the part where she gets prompted due to sheer awesomeness, but it’s not really....one scene....but I still adore it and her so much.)

Bonus. EVERY TIME NANDINI VARMA IS ON SCREEN. FAVORITE LUCY STEELE EVER. 

[portugesepalindrome-blog]

Love & Hate and the Conundrum of What is “Real”

The last interaction (where he was “Mike”) was fucking bonkers and all over the place. It went on for literally weeks. She saved all the dialogue even after they both deleted their blogs, because obviously something totally fucked up was going on. At the onset of the correspondence “Mike” was nice, he then became  aggressively inquisitive, then transitioned to insulting and degrading and then somehow flipped it into sexting? Whaaaaaaaat? 

After the sexting "Mike” continued on with degradation and humiliation. She rode the waves and followed his lead. All the while, when he turned violent, she made sure to reiterate, “I am not trying to hurt you. Why are you trying to hurt me?” She had no clue why he (them?) seemed to want to make her suffer. She didn’t even know him. Why did he even care? Again, whoever was writing this knew very intimate details about her life… her star sign, how clean she kept her apartment, private things about her social media accounts, even calling out specific posts she had up and their captions. She wanted to uncover more information, so she went along with whatever it was he had in mind, observing his direction and reactions.

She’s becoming acutely aware that he is indeed suffering from mental illness. Well, I mean, duh. Well-balanced people don’t just get online and dedicate themselves to terrorizing other people. She found more and more of his blogs talking about a constant desire to commit suicide, incessant manic depression, a lack of faith in the strength of his relationships and accounts of early childhood abuse, possibly molestation.

Her heart was breaking for him. Despite what he has been putting her through she still has been “getting to know” him in this weird way. She felt she understood why he was acting out like this… building an online fantasy life to escape the pressures of his real life where he’s a quiet and shy guy that just wants to be left alone to make music but he’s constantly recognized and hounded by everyone. He often talks of feeling used and not seen for who he really is in his relationships and because of being molested as a child he struggles with constant feelings of rage, shame and unworthiness, so he hates being idealized by his fans. In fact he hates his fans with a vengeance. They don’t know who he is at all and he’s tired of them all talking about him as if they own a part of him, speculating about his personal life and sexuality. It’s none of their fucking business and they make him want to quit music for good and disappear.

It’s killing her inside to be reading all this stuff, knowing he wants to die, knowing he feels alone. He’s sucked her into this world center stage but won’t allow her far enough in to actually try to make any difference. Every time she tries to offer support he slices her apart. He tells her she’s a muse being used, he’s just mining her life for material to write about, as he does from all his pathetic “fans” and she is not fucking special. In fact she’s the antithesis of special. She is ordinary, dull, untalented and ignorant. That’s why he enjoys fucking with her so much. He plays out this dynamic in little dramas he creates for his characters on his catfish blogs...

He posts links to the forms of control that sociopaths and narcissists use to manipulate their victims, letting her know she’s been had. He writes chapters and chapters of violent poetry exemplifying her idiocy and rubbing it in her face, mocking her for being so stupid as to think she could ever help him. 

She continues to bear witness to his mental illness, spinning out anonymously on the internet, unable to help in any way and terrified that sooner than later he will find the courage to finally kill himself or get caught so deeply in his delusions that he decides to make real his violent fantasies about her and act them out in real life.

[i-am-very-very-tired]

// Google search Lainey Gossip The Best Films of the Decade (2010s): Part II December 20, 2019 at 8:46 PM by Sarah Popstar: Never Stop Stopping and Moonlight movie posters 352741 For Part 1 of The Best Films of the Decade, please click here. The final half of the best films of the decade. As always, this list is alphabetical, not ranked. The Love Witch (2016) A film of singular artistic vision, The Love Witch is produced, written, directed, edited, AND scored by Anna Biller. Done in the style of early 1960s Technicolor films, and with nods to everything from exploitation cinema to Hitchcock, The Love Witch is critical examination of gender roles and the femme fatale trope. It is absolutely DIVINE to look at, but it will leave you with something to think about, too. The Lure (2015) The Eighties synth-pop cannibal mermaid musical you didn’t know you needed, The Lure reimagines The Little Mermaid as a cautionary tale for a world that preys on women, exploiting talent and sexuality for commercial gain. Honestly, this is the only live-action Little Mermaid we really need. MacGruber (2010) Will Forte (along with his writing partner John Solomon, and Jorma Taccone) turns his SNL character into an absurdist takedown of toxic masculinity, lampooning the kind of hyper-masculine patriotism and macho-worship that defined the conflict-ridden aughts. As America tired of endless war and bad men in the 2010s, though, MacGruber gained a devoted following, turning one of the decade’s biggest bombs into one of its biggest cult films. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) One of the few things we can all agree on this decade is that Fury Road is AWESOME. One of the best crafted and executed films of the decade, with some of the coolest and most bonkers stunts, Fury Road is also a rare sequel that rethinks its own universe and updates its lore in meaningful, resonant ways. A beautiful action film, and a harrowing survival tale, Fury Road remains unsurpassed in its ambition and accomplishment. Moonlight (2016) A coming of age and coming out story, Moonlight is a sensitive portrait of queer black manhood that resonates with affection, romance, disappointment, joy, and an almost unbearably fragile feeling of hope. This film is so emotionally evocative it is almost impossible to describe, because it will touch every viewer in different ways, and hold such personal meaning for those who embrace Barry Jenkins’ multi-faceted storytelling style. Moonlight is one of the most powerfully affecting films of the decade. The Nice Guys (2016) A period piece that does not revel in nostalgia for its era, a buddy comedy about two guys who don’t really get along, and a father-daughter tale in which the daughter is more paternal than her dad, The Nice Guys is full of contradictions and escalating tension. Pound for pound one of the funniest films of the decade, it’s also a refreshing sleuth story where no one is a super genius Sherlock type. It’s just a good old-fashioned mystery with wit to spare. Paddington/Paddington 2 (2014/2017) The kindest, sweetest, most earnestly sincere family films of the decade, the Paddington films are also the only sequel pair so quality and thematically consistent they effectively register as one film. Paddington and Paddington 2 are also notable for their tremendous style and great comedy villains, particularly Hugh Grant’s definitive performance as Phoenix Buchanan. Parasite (2019) It feels like all of Bong Joon-ho’s work this decade built to Parasite, a complex class parable that considers how impossible it really is to climb the socio-economic ladder. In turns a horror, comedy, thriller, and family drama, Parasite is one of the most unique visions of the decade from a master filmmaker. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016) Like MacGruber, Popstar bombed upon release, only to immediately develop a cult following. A pitch-perfect satire of contemporary pop music and the music industry itself, Popstar is This Is Spinal Tap for a new generation. It also doesn’t hurt that all of the original songs are signature Lonely Islands bops, equal parts funny and catchy. Style Boyz for life! The Raid (2011) This is the reason every action movie and TV show this decade has a hallway fight. Arguably the most influential action movie of the decade, with direct influence on some of the decade’s biggest movies, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, John Wick, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Raid is single-handedly responsible for bringing back practical, hand-to-hand combat stunts in American action cinema. Shin Godzilla (2016) In the same decade that Hollywood struggled to understand Godzilla, Japan’s legendary Toho production house reinvented the kaiju for a new era of nuclear catastrophe. This Godzilla secretes radioactive waste and moves through cities like a tsunami wave, a clear allusion to the 2011 tsunami and ensuing Fukushima Daiichi reactor meltdown. Shin Godzilla also lampoons burdensome bureaucracy that is ill-equipped for fast-moving disaster, making it a sharp political satire as well. The Social Network (2010) David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin combine power to craft this loquacious but chilly drama about the founding of Facebook, one of the decade’s most influential media companies. This film stands the test of time less as a portrait of Mark Zuckerberg and more as a dire prediction for our future, in which social interactions happen online and a social media platform has the power to threaten democracy itself. The Social Network was originally dinged for inaccuracies about Zuckerberg, but it was scarily prescient about how Facebook would come to shape our world, for the worse. Sorry to Bother You (2018) Boots Riley blew the doors down with his debut film, crafting a scathing socio-political satire of racism and classism that is simultaneously funny and deeply upsetting. Riley pulls no punches in his multi-directional critique of corporate America, particularly how it exploits black excellence to maintain white supremacist ideals. This is a gonzo, bizarre, unforgettable film from one of the boldest new voices in America cinema this decade. Under the Skin (2013) A lonely film about what it is to be human, to be vulnerable, and the inherent unknowable nature of humanity, Under the Skin is film that evolves and shifts as we each apply our own understanding of ourselves to its blank-faced protagonist (a decade-best Scarlett Johansson). Chilly, abstract, and impenetrable, Jonathan Glazer gives us one of the most unique sci-fi visions of the decade. What We Do in the Shadows (2014) Just when you thought the mockumentary trend was dead, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement deliver a mockumentary about the undead so perfectly constructed it accounts for the endangerment of the cameramen. This is one of the funniest comedies of the decade, but it also sneaks in a poignant love story and is a rare celebration of healthy male friendship. Also, it is stuffed to the brim with jokes, every one of which works. There isn’t a bad line in this entire film. Young Adult (2011) Young Adult unspools like a sour jaw breaker, both bitter in taste and difficult to digest as Mavis (Charlize Theron as one the decade’s great anti-heroines) rampages through the lives of her former classmates, trying to relive her high school glory days. Equal parts funny and challenging, Young Adult examines the challenge and necessity of growing up and letting go.  Tags: Movie Reviews and Previews , Top Reads Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys attend the Premiere of Disney's "Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker" on December 16, 2019 in Hollywood, California 352731 Outfits of the Week: Keri Russell Keri Russell wore the first Outfit of the Week we started doing almost two years ago. And since then December 20, 2019 at 7:53 PM by Lainey Zach Braff out in LA, December 18, 2019 352742 Celebrity Social Media, December 20, 2019 Jia Tolentino’s The Age of the Instagram Face is only a few weeks old, but it’s already a reference December 20, 2019 at 9:40 PM by Maria Related on LaineyGossip No Related Articles Need a Distraction? by TaboolaSponsored LinksYou May Like Bushmans River Mouth Woman Was Playing on This Free Slot Machine App, When All Of A Sudden She Won Big Download on the App Store | Neverland Casino South Africans Are Making A Fortune With Online Trading. Read How ThinkBig How South Africans Make A Fortune With Online Trading in 2019. Read Now homefinancetoday 4 Reasons To Invest Online! Convert Trading into Constant Income. Vici Marketing The Cost of Apartments for Sale in Dubai Might Totally Surprise You Apartments for Sale | Search Ads King Price Car Insurance Decreases Your Premium Each Month As Your Car Loses Value King Price Car Insurance Quotes Check Out How Much Stair Lifts Actually Cost Stair Lift | Search Ads Here's What Auto Insurance Should Cost in Bushmans River Mouth Auto Insurance | Search Ads ContactTermsPrivacyCookiesArchivesFAQsPressPartnersView Desktop SiteCookie Settings © Copyright 2004-2020, Lainey Gossip Entertainment Inc.

[entergamingxp]

Ian’s top ten best PSVR games of 2019 • Eurogamer.net

Welcome one and all to this year’s exciting instalment of the Ian’s VR Corner Top Ten list where I’ll be going over my ten favourite PSVR games of 2019. As per usual, the following list is completely my opinion and it only features games that I myself have played, so if I’ve missed out one of your favourites, chances are it’s either because I thought it was a bit bobbins, or that I just didn’t have time to give it a go. Either way, please do share the love for your favourite PSVR games of 2019 in the comments below and hopefully, together, we can inspire others to try them out too.

You can check out the video version of this list just below these words where you can watch footage of each game featured or, if reading is more your thing, you’ll find my entire top ten list just under that.

10 – Ghost Giant

Anyone who has watched the Ghost Giant episode of Ian’s VR Corner will know that I had a fair few issues with the game’s motion controls, or more specifically, the fiddliness of picking things up that were just a little too far out of reach. Thankfully, there’s a lot more to Ghost Giant than just its control scheme and I was able to push past those faults and appreciate the emotionally charged story at its core.

In terms of production values, Ghost Giant is way up there and it actually shares a lot of similarities with Moss, one of my favourite games of 2018. The level of detail in Ghost Giant is incredible and the paper-craft dioramas that make up the levels look stunning in VR. It almost feels like you’re sat, centre stage in your very own Tim Burton movie, able to reach in and touch and interact with every inch of the world.

I didn’t just enjoy playing around and exploring these ultra detailed, model villages though, I was also enthralled by the life and personality of the characters that were expertly animated and voice acted. If you can look past the unwieldy interactions caused by the less than accurate Move controllers you’ll find a beating heart which is full of sweetness and sadness and there lies a story that will stick with you for a long, long time.

9 – Everybody’s Golf VR

Someone famous once said that golf is a good walk spoiled, so it’s probably a good job then that Everybody’s Golf VR is a completely stationary experience. By cutting out all those boring strolls it means the game and its players can concentrate on pure, unadulterated virtual golfing across three gorgeous, 18 hole courses.

As the name would suggest, Everybody’s Golf is indeed for everybody. That means seasoned golfers will instantly be able to enjoy batting their balls around while newcomers can make use of an incredibly intuitive in-game interface to practice swings and judge the power and angle of each shot before going all in for a hole in one. The tracking of the Move controller is pretty much spot on with Everybody’s Golf VR and I didn’t notice any kind of drift or inaccuracy at all. Holding a single Move controller with two hands like you would the grip on a club feels just like you’re holding the real thing and this adds a lovely sense of immersion to the already relaxed vibe of the game.

While Everybody’s Golf VR is slightly watered down compared to other games from the series, especially when it comes to the lack of multiplayer, it does feel like a perfect fit for PSVR and it’s an ideal starting point for any golf enthusiasts out there who may be nervous about trying VR for the first time.

8 – Falcon Age

It’s hard not to fall in love with Falcon Age after mere minutes of playing it and a lot of that has to do with your cute as hell companion, whom I decided to name, Pudding. Pudding is a falcon that you raise from a squeaking ball of feathers into a fully grown, mech murdering bird of prey and it’s pretty safe to say that caring for Pudding is probably the closest I’ve probably come to treating a VR animal as if it were a real-life living being.

Falcon Age is a rather compact open-world affair in which you stick it to awful robotic industrialists one act of sabotage and rebellion at a time. You head out into this world with a neat whip-baton thing in one hand and Pudding on your other, and you can send pudding to attack things, collect things, yank things about and then hold them up while you give them a good shoeing.

Just having Pudding there on your fist makes you think about it on a very emotional level. Seeing Pudding get hungry was enough to make me want to learn the rudiments of the cooking system, but pulling spikes out of her after a fight genuinely made me furious in a way a dog owner might be if someone mistreated their beloved pooch while they were out on a walk. This is a game about nurturing, about trust, about friendship and loyalty and about having an awesome Falcon friend who’ll do your bidding and smash evil robots for you. I love you, Pudding.

7 – Sairento VR

You know that bit in The Matrix when Keanu Reeves goes, “I know Kung Fu!”? Well I had a few moments of realisation just like that during my first hands-on session with the PSVR port of Sairento VR. Don’t go into Sairento VR expecting to be a badass from the off though. There’s an incredibly steep learning curve here and there’s a lot of things you’ll need to learn in order to feel comfortable when navigating the levels.

In fact, this game should definitely be thought of as being on the extreme end of the comfort scale because it expects you to do double jumps, bounce off or run along walls and scale great heights. All whilst swinging swords, shooting guns and triggering super cool slow mo super powers. The first couple of levels really ease you into things, but by the third, the action is relentless and enemies come at you rapidly, shooting and hitting you from all angles.

This onslaught can be terribly frustrating at first but it forces you to learn quickly and it won’t be long before you’re chaining leaps and bounds together with slow-motion headshots and slick slide kills where you split opponents in two with your blade. When everything does start to click, the combat becomes so absorbing that it’s easy to forget about the normal world that exists outside of your headset. That’s why it’s well worth putting in the hours to practice your skills because when everything is going your way and you’re flowing through the levels, Sairento VR is one hell of an experience.

6 – Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion HD Renovation

Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion HD Renovation is the first game in the world to have ever made me swear at a piece of toast and for that it instantly gets a thumbs up from me.

This VR remake of the cult classic PC horror game sees you trapped inside an ever changing maze comprised of 1000 different rooms, each one potentially home to a jump scare or two. Despite the budget look to the graphics and a rather slow start, I was surprised by just how scary Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion could be. Being stalked through the rooms by some of the games more unsettling specimens would honestly be bad enough in the flat version of the game, but in VR it’s panic inducing as you can almost feel their physical presence gaining on you as you try to escape.

That feeling of being chased never gets old either, as the rooms, locations and your pursuers keep changing in unexpected and unpredictable ways. Basically it’s like dropping acid and going to a Halloween Horror Fright Night even at Thorpe Park, except you won’t need to drop acid and there won’t be a massive queue to get in. Now hurry up and release this in the EU please, Albino Moose Games!

5 – Trover Saves the Universe

If you didn’t already know, Trover Saves the Universe is made by Squanch Games, a development studio run by Justin Roiland of Rick and Morty fame. So, if that kind of wacky, sweary, tasteless and self-referential sci-fi humour is your bag, Trover Saves the Universe will have you covered. In spit and poop, mainly…

Playing a bit like an Astrobot for adults, Trover Saves the Universe sees you galavanting around the galaxy, intruding on the often disgusting inhabitants of Alien worlds, all whilst trying to rescue your two pet dogs from the eye sockets of the evil Glorkon who is hell bent on destroying life as we know it.

There’s a fairly big game here and it basically includes everything you’d expect from a standard 3D platformer like combat, jumping, bounce pads, puzzles and item collecting. Everything in Trover has this dark and disgusting Roiland twist to it though and this leaves you constantly surprised and occasionally sickened by the events that occur. The bonkers scenarios and the imaginative characters that live within them are often either comically creepy or absurdly annoying and as such, fans of Rick and Morty are bound to be in VR heaven with Trover. For some, this constant barrage of weird humour may be a little too overwhelming and that’s totally understandable, but I played it through twice because I’m also super weird.

4 – Borderlands 2 VR

Technically Borderlands 2 VR came out in 2018, but it appeared on the Playstation store so late in December that my Top Ten list for that year had already been published. In fact, I didn’t even feature it on Ian’s VR Corner until January when I came back from my Christmas holidays so its inclusion on this list totally counts. Totally.

Far from being a short spin-off experience, Borderlands 2 VR is a complete conversion of the flat game, featuring the full 25+ hour campaign. Plus, after the release of the free Bad Ass MegaFun DLC pack in September of this year, it also includes the four add on story missions and a bunch of upgrade packs too. That’s a lotta bang for your buck indeed!

I had a lot of fun when Borderlands 2 VR first came out, but when Aim controller support was added in another update, the game just got better. Being able to hold, admire and shoot any of the bazillion guns that are available to you in VR while holding the aim controller just adds to the immersion and it makes shooting all those Bullymongs and bandits feel super satisfying. Borderlands 2 VR is an incredibly well produced title that looks beautiful in 3D so it’s well worth revisiting if you’ve played the game before in flat version. If this is your first trip to Pandora however, this is a must buy that’ll keep you busy for ages. WUB, WUB, WUB!

3 – Ace Combat 7

I’m absolutely terrified of flying in real life but flying in VR? Well that is a completely different story, especially when it comes to Ace Combat 7’s VR levels. There may only be three unique missions available in the VR portion of the game but when they’re this gorgeous, this exhilarating and this immersive, you’ll find plenty of excuses to replay them. I mean, I certainly did!

There’s just so much to love here, from the ultra detailed, interactive inheritors of the cockpits and the adrenaline pumping intensity of the VR dog-fights, through to the way that water droplets roll across your aircraft’s canopy as you leave thick cloud cover and burst out into the sunlight and thunder your way towards yours foes.

The sense of speed, power and of just ‘being there in the moment’ is truly exceptional here, so it’s a damn shame that Ace Combat 7’s biggest fault is that only a small portion of the game is playable in VR. Please, Bandai Namco, give us a full VR campaign and I promise you, I’ll buy it twice! Ace Combat 7 may have come out right at the start of 2019 but I still think about its VR missions regularly and I pull out my HOTAS and strap myself into my jumpseat whenever I get the chance.

2 – No Man’s Sky Beyond

No Man’s Sky Beyond is almost the perfect VR game. It’s infinite, it’s incredibly immersive and if it wasn’t for the low resolution of the visuals, I could quite easily spend a large portion of my life just pootling around the galaxy digging through planets for valuable minerals like some kind of space age mole man.

The experience of exploring the universe in No Man’s Sky in VR is every bit as jaw dropping and massive as you could have hoped for but the ever present blur does kill the magnificence a bit. All those stunning vistas and the mysterious alien flora and fauna that you may remember from the flat version now look like indistinct smudges on the horizon and this works towards dampening that awesome sense of discovery that made the exploration so compelling.

Get past that though as you’ll find that the rest of the game is an absolute joy to play. The sense of scale in VR is amazing and the ability to fly around from planet to planet and galaxy to galaxy while being encased in the game is incomparable to anything else I’ve played in VR. This is a straight up, never-ending VR adventure and depending on your patience for the survival genre, you could easily end up spending countless hours exploring brand new world after brand new world. No Man’s Sky Beyond is an amazing achievement and I’d recommend it to anyone with a VR headset, if only to get a taste of what VR adventures could be like in the future, if the platform continues to grow and expand.

1 – Blood and Truth

Right now, at the point of writing this feature, everyone in the world is getting excited about a brand new James Bond trailer. Everyone that is except me, because this year, thanks to Blood and Truth, I was James Bond.

The beauty of Blood and Truth though is that I wasn’t just James Bond, I was actually loads of things. I was a soldier in a warzone, a cockney gangster literally riding shotgun in a sports car and I was even some kind of parkour hitman, dodging machine gun fire from a helicopter as I legged it across the floors of a barely built block of flats before throwing myself through some plate glass windows as I shot enemies in the face during some glorious scenes of slow-motion gun-fu.

In Blood and Truth you are the star of your very own action movie, no more passively watching the action unfold on a flat screen, oh no. Here you’re right there in the thick of it, catching and throwing back live grenades, dual wielding pistols and generally living out all of those action movie fantasies that you never thought would come true. There’s an excellent supporting cast who’re brought to life by some top notch voice acting and motion capture and this serves to give you a real connection to the characters in some of the slower paced scenes, while each action set piece is just varied enough to make you constantly gasp out loud with the thrill of it all.

The gunplay is excellent too and while the on rails nature of the gameplay could be seen as a turn off for some, it keeps the pace rattling along and allows the developers to do some really clever and unexpected things with VR. If you own a PSVR you need this game and that’s the bloody truth of it.

And that, my lovely friends, is that! Hopefully you enjoyed this look back at my favourite PSVR games of 2019 but if I did miss any of your favourites out, do remember to tell us about them in the comments! Before I wander off to snaffle some pre-Christmas mince pies, I’d just like to say a big thank you to each and everyone of you for the continued support you’ve been giving my VR coverage. Can you believe Ian’s VR Corner has been going for over a year and a half now? Crazy!

Here’s hoping things get even more exciting for VR in 2020, whether that’s for PSVR or for the wider range of headsets, because if 2019 has proven anything at all, it’s that VR just keeps getting bigger and better and it’s definitely not going to go away any time soon! If this list is the first you’ve seen of my VR coverage by the way, Ian’s VR Corner happens every Sunday on this channel so do pop on over and subscribe for more VR videos whenever they’re uploaded. Oh and of course, do have a lovely Christmas and a wonderful new year!

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2019/12/ians-top-ten-best-psvr-games-of-2019-%e2%80%a2-eurogamer-net/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ians-top-ten-best-psvr-games-of-2019-%25e2%2580%25a2-eurogamer-net

[badaikrohit9-blog]

Brilliant Tips to Boost Engagement on Your Social Media Pages

Before you diagram your next post, begin utilizing these essential engagement tips to set your pages ablaze!

Read on for our most loved social engagement thoughts to help everything from page likes, post likes, remarks, shares, supporters, to unmitigated bonkers fans!

1) Instagram - Boost Engagement and Conversions

half of Instagram clients take after no shy of what one business, the application has kept making in prominence since being picked up by Facebook in 2012. Impacting Insta to perfect for passing on your photo's message utilizing visual substance - however posting pimped up pictures is just a single piece of the condition. On the off chance that it's engagement you're after (and it is... ), it's fundamental to pimp up the subtitles that continue running with those magnificent pics!

I've curated the basic hints underneath; if you're after the valid stray pieces see Aaron's full article at Social Media Today.

Shape With an Authentic Tone of Voice - Instagram clients aren't expecting a certifiable method for talking - they're everything considered utilizing the application in their extra chance to take a gander at cool visuals and be secured.

Wire a CTA (Call To Action) - 65% of best performing brands post on Instagram fuse things. Especially getting ready individuals to look at your thing or effect a buy to can work marvelously on this stage.

Use Hashtags - Instagram posts with no short of what one hashtag make 12.6% more engagement than those without. In addition, I get a kick out of the chance to utilize this speedy affiliation shortener instrument for posts on the fly!

Breaker Emojis - Almost half of subtitles and remarks on Instagram contain no shy of what one emoticon. While there's a degree of emoticons available to you, the most comprehended one is the heart.

Decide Other Instagram Users - It's fundamental to recollect that Instagram is an easygoing gathering. Brands that perseveringly self-raise with little respects to total never do well.

Place Important Content toward the Beginning - In a client's Instagram bolster, inscriptions are cut off after the basic couple of lines. To see the whole post, they need to tap the "View More" catch - which they won't if the basic couple of lines are unappealing.

2) Facebook - Boost Engagement, Leads and Sales

Analyze 11 of the best systems for engaging your Facebook Followers to get excited about your page and begin drawing in slants, remarks, and offers with their dearest partners. Facebook is the ideal stage for independent sets out to gather an association with their clients and many are beating their giant spending rivals by utilizing a changed electronic frameworks organization approach.

I've curated the essential clues of Andrea's sensible examinations underneath; if you're after the true blue stray pieces visit Social Media Examiner for her full article:

Move Your Audience to Action - Litographs thought of a fun thought to make brief tattoos of sentences from Alice in Wonderland. They welcomed 5,000 individuals to join the world's longest tattoo chain. This sort of thought is a heavenly approach to manage set up your social affair of observers and effect them to some piece of something fascinating.

Host a Facebook Party - Mamavation is a site that shows steady success and support and champions sans gmo sustenance and things. They have some awesome conditions Facebook social events to give away blessing statements and discounts to individuals who related with each post.

Show Personality - Through a Dog's Ear is a little 7-year-old affiliation that makes music to help quiet tense mutts. Their Facebook page is stacked with particular photographs of the originator and her mutts.

Join Humor - Cool Mom Picks is a site that ministers favors, apparatus, tech, and assets for mothers. They have exceptional video instructional exercises and they join enchanting finds in blog sections. They also utilize fascinating thing and display some identity in their posts.

Have a tremendous measure of fun - consider utilizing Facebook as it was at first proposed: a social site where you let individuals understand what you're doing. Creator Erica Spindler impacts an extraordinary showing up worried to of getting individual and having a great time. Offer things that you discover fascinating or you feel are major for individuals to know.

Be Responsive - Make it a propensity to react to remarks and your partition inbox rapidly.

Make a Facebook Event - If you have occasions on Facebook, re-share them, show in the occasions on get more noticeable perceivable quality and urge individuals to oblige them.

Post to Your Page and Profile - David Newman of Do It Marketing utilizes his Facebook page and individual profile to advance his business, which enables speakers to get more open gateways. He's connected with different speakers after a short time, so it searches bravo to get additional adjust by posting about his business in solitude profile. On the off chance that you every so often offer your business page posts on your profile, you can broaden your augmentation.

Place resources into Videos - Videos are goliath on Facebook and Learn Cake Decorating Online uses them attractively on their page. They have an included video and unsurprising fast records that get piles of perspectives and engagement. The relationship in like way utilizes the 22Social application to give away a free video class to create the email rundown and after that offer a selection to individuals who join.

Give Great Local Content Realtors sporadically discover Facebook a testing spot to display. Posting pictures of houses is mind blowing, however Realty Austin offers remarkable neighborhood content, too.

Go Behind the Scenes - Getting individual on Facebook is an astounding procedure, yet so is giving your social affair a sneak look at something nobody else can see. The Celtic band Barra MacNeils really takes individuals off camera amidst their shows.

3) Twitter - Boost Engagement and Attract Followers

Social Engagement on Twitter delivers and reinforce a relationship among you and other industry accomplices and experts. Hearting, retweeting and remarking on each other's quality posts produce peer affiliations and industry road cred for your private meander. Taps on content you post can drive improvement especially to your site, expanding leads, guests, and courses of action.

I've curated the rule tips underneath; in the occasion that you're after the certifiable stray pieces visit Adesspresso for Ana's full article:

Pull in with Other Users Content - If you require particular clients to interface with your substance, an unprecedented approach to manage begin is to dependably take part with their first. Like, react to, and retweet your clients content when you can, and tailing them can in like way offer assistance.

Retweet Other Users' Tweets - You need to do this early and once in a while. I'm singling out retweeting as engagement since this is the thing that most clients respect the most; not exclusively are you loving their substance enough to demand it, in any case you respect it enough to share it.

Keep Your Tweets Brief - We are all around obliged to keep our tweets sensibly minimal typically, with Twitter restricting our presents on 140 characters. This is adequately attempting as it is all in all, however binding our posts just genuinely more can really create engagement.

Offer a Variety of Links - If you need to get snaps to your site, the most ideal approach to manage do in that limit is to place interfaces in your Tweets. Moreover, I get a kick out of the chance to utilize this brisk affiliation shortener instrument for posts on the fly!

React When Someone Tweets to You - This is especially making progress toward enormous brands or brands that have a lot of engagement (paying little regard to the probability that it's exactly when real substance goes live), however doing your best to react by some methods when a client tweets to you can go far.

Know Your Peak Hours - Just like with Facebook, there will ensure states of the day or days of the week when a more noticeable measure of your clients will be dynamic on the site or more inclined to draw in with your substance. By being able to discover those zenith hours and posting them, you'll get more perspectives and you'll undoubtedly broaden engagement and taps on your post.

Utilize Twitter Ads - When you're needing to best engagement rapidly, Twitter Ads are a traditional approach to manage do hence, particularly on the off chance that you don't have a ton of supporters or adherents that a great part of the time pull in with your substance. Get more information about business then you can always consider Buy Instagram Followers.Twitter Ads do cost cash (and are more extravagant than Facebook Ads), yet they can even now help increment engagement when you require it. Pushed tweets work best subsequently.

Determinedly Provide Value - Social media, for a couple, has changed into a space where different clients will share each felt that flies into their heads. While non-stamp clients can escape with allowing the world to comprehend that they can't pick in the event that they require a coke or a lemonade, checks certainly can't.

Endlessly Use Hashtags - Hashtags are an essential piece of Twitter use; fundamentally like with Instagram, you fundamentally expect that a Tweet will run with no shy of what one hashtag related with it. Not exclusively do hashtags offer the upside of helping an enormous social event of people discover you when they look through the hashtag you're utilizing, regardless they can in like way fabricate engagement.

Offer Images - Images are an essential piece of online frameworks organization; this is especially veritable when we're obliged to 140 characters.