#it tried to do something it didn't do it effectively imo and I feel like I am allowed to. not be happy. about that.

[musical-chick-13]

............I think my criticisms of the Barbie movie are. Not the average person's criticisms of the Barbie movie.

[m00ngbin]

So I know we all know that Toichiro doesn't actually care about Serizawa or any of the Super Five, and he makes that clear several times throughout the World Domination arc, but I wanted to look at the specific wording I noticed here:

Oh ok.

For most people, (me included), the first time they watch this scene, they expect Toichiro to say something like, "I think very highly of You." That's the normal thing to say, that's what you would assume he's going to say.

But he doesn't. He specifically chooses to say "your Potential" instead. He's making it very clear that he doesn't actually view Serizawa as a person on the same level as him. He doesn't value his humanity or his presence, he values his Power. Toichiro is Only interested in what Serizawa's powers can do for him and how to make them stronger, and it's obvious to everyone.

Everyone except Serizawa. Serizawa, who was so deep in denial that he had convinced himself that he was working for a company instead of a terrorist cult organization. Serizawa, who devoted every minute of his time to Toichiro from the moment he left his room, until the very end of the organization. Serizawa who truly and wholeheartedly believed that Toichiro did give a damn about him as a person and not just his powers.

Serizawa who, even though he heard Toichiro say that he could lose all of the Super 5 and not feel a thing, still believed that Toichiro would.

Before the panel below happens, Serizawa begs Toichiro to stop what he's doing and tries to insist that he's not betraying him. Obviously that doesn't matter to Toichiro, because Serizawa has expended his usefulness and is actively going against him.

That's part of the reason I think that Studio Bones should have added this scene into the anime, I think it would have made Toichiro outright telling Serizawa that he didn't really care about him more impactful. Not just for Serizawa's character, but for his intentions for all of the Super 5. It helps show just how little he cares for other people and how he only sees them as tools, a means to an end. (Even if that was already clear before, it just drives the point home).

Also also also I think that would have made the one line from, (I think), Hatori stand out more. After Toichiro attempts to blow Serizawa, Shigeo and Reigen up, Hatori says something to the effect of, "so the president finally cast Serizawa aside, huh?" Everyone knew it was coming, everyone knew what Toichiro was after, except for Serizawa.

Tldr: Toichiro wanted Serizawa to become stronger not just because he would be more useful to him, but because there would be more power for him to take if need be, and the spare batteries panel should've been added to the anime because it would've made everything more impactful imo

[aimbutmiss]

I feel like Roger loved both Buggy and Shanks equally, it’s just that he REALLY saw himself in Shanks and less so in Buggy, which made Buggy feel like the less loved child, just because he didn’t quite have the same “Oh wow we are just immediately on the same wavelength” like these two

If you asked Roger though he would have spoken about both of them with equal pride. He may see himself in Shanks but Buggy is … Buggy is just his own entire thing and sometimes Roger is kind of stupefied at this young pirate just putting so much into showmanship and being FLASHY and by god this is a greedy little shit but that just means he is just always going after something.And once he gets it he’s gonna show it off in the flashiest way possible that’s just so infectiously joyful to witness. Also- bombs?! Who taught him that?! Rayleigh did you teach him that? He didn’t teach him that! How’d that boy get so crafty! Hey guys check it out Buggy made a BOMB! Haha, hey may never know quite what’s going on with this brat but what a lad! His little firecracker…

Buggy wasn’t unloved but he was a massive causality of Shanks “chosen one” status (another one of these is Shanks himself imo but that’s getting into theory corner), because in his eyes that didn’t leave him to be anything else.

Yessss I do agree that Roger didn't really have a favourite, just different approaches to the kids. If there was any favouritism it would be unintentional, like I've said before. Because I really don't think Roger was that type of man. He loved those kids, they were basically like his sons.

I also agree that he saw himself in Shanks. And he saw something completely different in Buggy. Not just in the way that he was different from himself and Shanks, but he was different from everyone. Roger has never met someone like Buggy before and that fascinated him. This little kid was so... flashy, as he put in his own terms. And he was a go-getter. Roger was convinced that kid had the potential to flip the world upside down if it would get him what he wanted. And there's something so refreshing about that kind of unending determination. The only thing that stood in the way of that was his inferiority complex. And oh did Roger try to make it better. He tried his best to treat him and Shanks equally. Always told them both they could do anything they put their mind to, and that he loved and cared for them deeply. But it just didn't seem to penetrate through Buggy's thick skull. Him giving his hat to Shanks did NOT help. I think that small action was truly the catalyst for the "chosen one" complex you talked about. I mean the effects of it are still very much present, with Luffy and all...

I don't think Buggy was really a casualty in Shanks and his "chosen one" status (at least not as big of a casualty as Shanks himself) because he didn't let himself get stuck because of it, like Shanks did. He knew he couldn't reach his full potential in his friend's shadow, so he left. He started a new life because he refused to be stagnant. And he had a goal, a dream, that did not match what Shanks wanted. So of course he left, because Buggy always goes after what he wants. He chose to go forward, but Shanks stayed there. He could not move forward. He was destined to be forever that little boy on Oro Jackson, the pirate king's chosen one, and that teen Buggy left in Loguetown. (Taylor Swift - Right where you left me, literally)

On a lighter note... those damn bombs!!! Who taught him???? Literally no one. I'm convinced he just threw shit together. And honestly, Buggy is very smart. He figured how things work very quickly at a young age, and he was always good with his hands. It's another thing Roger always felt proud about him. "His little firecracker..." Anon shut up right now I will cry 😭😭 that's so cute

Thank you for this!! Sorry for replying late, I knew I was gonna write something long so I wanted to do it when I had the time

[weebsinstash]

Is Lucifer capable of topping?

Let’s discuss- 🤔💭

I feel like he's EXTREMELY capable of topping and he's also a switch imo. You can have ur angel OR ur devil. You can scoop him up and he'll be all giddy if you like, be the big spoon or manhandle him or dom him a little, he's all weak in the knees BUT he can also totally do all the same to you, seduce you, hold and cuddle YOU, and like... he IS a grown man, a husband, and a dad 👀 he has all that experience in caregiving and other... husbandly activities

As a side note I've never mentioned this before but Vivzie has mentioned in the past that Lilith and Lucifer have a great marriage and love each other so like, imagine she's up in Heaven as a deal and actually she hates that bullshit and would come back the second she could and she comes down and before she can get 5 words in,, YOU march up, "you've got a lot of explaining to do!! Do you have any idea how many times I've had to watch Charlie leave messages for an answering service and how DEPRESSED Lucifer has been?!?! Look at him, you didn't even CALL?!" And you're super indignant and outraged and ,acting like you might even fight her even though you would lose HORRENDOUSLY, and Lilith just :3 looks to Lucifer "oh my gosh they're so CUTE, who IS this" and just. Turns to you. "Thank you for helping look after my daughter and my silly husband" and leaves a big black lipstick kiss on your cheek, like... honey i'd be gone 😳🥴 catch me later that night helping make Charlie a sibling--

Also. I thought of this once but. Consider: you can't get pregnant as a Sinner but you're trapped in the LiliLuci Hell polycule threesome and they're just like "wait what if... you were like a surrogate using Lilliths eggs or something" and that works so like IT'S KINDA LIKE THEY B O T H GOT YOU PREGNANT RIGHT?

But. I was thinking, oblivious Reader keeps swerving Lucifer every time he tries to come onto you, and eventually he overhears you talking to Angel, something to the effect of "what? Pff, guys don't look at me that way, I'm like, icky! Don't be dumb" And suddenly Lucifer is all but racing across the room, "oh, so THAT'S it? You just don't see yourself as a woman?" and like yes, he's partially correct, but in his head, this is 300% the entire reason you're swerving him at all. he basically just goes into "well in that case :3c" mode and just

Could you imagine he just. Does a little, shall we say, devilry where he just snaps his fingers and suddenly you're in his bedroom just sitting on his bed and you're still like "oh hey dude um what this is weird haha" and he just starts. Disrobing. Just making eye contact with you and taking off his clothing one article at a time and it takes him taking off his shirt and being bare chested before starting on his pants before you're finally like OH UM OH GOSH UM 😳😳😳😳 SIR??? I didnt mean to, to like, lead you on, if, if that's what I did, and--" but like... at this point... he basically just sees you as a blushing bride on her wedding night who's only reluctant because she's scared. He goes from flirting with you to "oh, you're inexperienced and didn't realize my intentions all this time? OK I'll just take full control and just demonstrate for you :)"

People who aren't cowards realize the shape-shifting abilities mean this man could knot you, use tentacles, do just about whatever, and that's the facts. is there a limit on the shape-shifting like a time duration because otherwise why wouldn't he just shape-shift taller.

Lately I've really been on the concept of "what if you wind up sleeping in the same bed with a yandere/they crawl into yours and it turns out they sleep partially or fully naked and are just Doing That Shit, Potentially Even While Cuddling You". Like. You wake up and you're actually suepr warm and cozy which is weird because you usually fall asleep kinda chilly and, you just. Take a second to process that more blankets were thrown over you during sleep, Lucifer is asleep beside you potentially even cuddling into your tummy or aomething, and, oh yeah, you're both down to your underwear. You, understandably, get startled and confused and he's just casually like "well I uh,,,, came in to check on you since you said you sleep kinda poorly and, it was so cold in here ya know, and, you were tossing and turning a lot so I thought, hey, maybe give some company and this is how ->I<- sleep, so". Like he just thinks nothing of it. You could be waking up to see a sea of blonde hair nestled between your titties and he's just like blinking awake and grinning up at you all "good morning ^^" as if he totally wasn't just.... lulled to sleep on your chest listening to the sound of your heartbeat (and was potentially woken up by your pulse changing as you woke up and started freaking out)

I just. I can see him being so goofy and cuddly and then when he needs to put his foot down, it gets put DOWN. He'll get rid of any non-Hotel friends or potential rivals he doesn't approve you spending time with, he'll have word spread that you're under his protection, Hell he may even completely go over your head and do some shit like... remember in the finale where it was showing like the Vees little pinboard of all their enemies and it showed a magazine of Lucifer. Imagine he just slips on an interview having a new fiance or spouse or something and just pulls a photo of you up off his phone or even OUT OF HIS WALLET and you see this shit on TV like WHAT IS HAPPENING

I think... one of the juiciest parts is... the concept and mental battle of never knowing if he's doing certain things to you intentionally or accidentally. Like he may be saying to your face "oh my gosh sweetie I, I had no idea that would upset you 🥺🥺🥺" but then the second he walks away and he's alone he's like having his evil supervillain moment, sitting in a recliner with a wineglass of Beel Juice staring at, basically an ALTAR to you, "yes.... it's all going to plan.... now there's nowhere in the city they can run off to without me knowing... Isnt that right sweetie???" *looks directly at his duck replica of you he made to talk to when you're not around and he gets lonely*

[lemonhemlock]

so, after having a little break and seeing the last two episodes in pretty quick succession of each other, i will have to say that overall i thought they were fair to middling, sometimes decent, sometimes with abysmal plot choices, alternating with nuggets of greatness (welcome back, alyssa targaryen).

i don't think they are going to solve my fundamental problem with this adaptation, in that, with my specific narrative preferences, i just find myself uninspired when presented with a heroic framing vs a villain-adjacent one. this dynamic remains too simplistic for me to be super enjoying the writing. i just find myself weighing out these interactions and coming off dissatisfied.

i'm turning into a broken record, but it's disappointing to see how they just always seem to lean towards showing the greens as supremely disconnected, cynical and cold to each other, disassociated from any kind of positive emotion or bond, except for a couple of very brief, very rare moments (eg. aegon/jaehaerys). i am a little surprised at the reviews suggesting that the blacks stagnate in their boring ways, because, to me, the writing for tb has improved massively since last season. if the children were borderline NPCs in season 1, i thought they did a pretty decent job in fleshing them out this time, making effective use of limited screen time.

jace, baela and rhaena get to be frustrated with their family, confused, struggling, but also get scenes of genuine connection, they seem to like each other, they look like an actual team. people who could fight for each other and who have kinship even if they don't have perfect relationships.

that being said, i was appalled at how they completely reversed the corlys-baela dynamic (that man did everything in his power to prevent baela from inheriting) and had baela say with her own mouth that she wasn't suited to be the heir to driftmark. i maintain that baela & rhaena should have developed resentment for being cheated by rhaenyra (and corlys!) out of their inheritance and will probably die on this hill. they tried doing this a little with rhaenys by highlighting this point of conflict with her husband, but to have baela outright refuse driftmark is nuts. a targaryen dragonrider can't hold a keep of her own? on what grounds? is dragonstone not also an island surrounded by salt water and boats and sailors? rhaena has this storyline of feeling useless and sidelined by her family because she doesn't have a dragon, yet being overlooked for driftmark doesn't make her feel any kind of way?

imo that remains a huge weak point in how they're writing the girls, but at the very least i can appreciate that they are trying to forge a sense of connection between these people, because they still have to explain how they didn't betray each other and go on their merry way. human relationships can be complicated and sometimes the ones you love the most hurt you and disappoint you the most, so there maybe even is a believable story here.

a story that could very well also be applied to the greens, but they are just almost invariably made to act so frigid with one another. it would be something else if it were just one or two characters, but all of them? all the time? while the other side get to be friendly and affectionate? even rhaenyra and mysaria get scenes of sincere camaraderie. whereas whatever the greens get, it's always in this somber negative light. the non-canon additions overwhelmingly carry this nefarious vibe: aemond tries to kill aegon (not canon), aegon is too dumb to speak high valyrian (not canon), killing the ratcatchers is suddenly so upsetting it can damage the war effort (not canon),* the smallfolk are eager to rebel in king's landing (not canon), alicent actively opposes and is distressed at aemond becoming regent (not canon), the smallfolk think slaying meleys (who killed a lot of innocent people during her escape) is an ill-omen (what the hell?), even the not-canon alicole can't just be sexy, it has to be frostily tinged somehow with the guilt of child murder. compare that with the non-canon addition of rhaenyra and jace working together to organize the dragonseeds or the messianic speech she gives him about how he has to pass on aegon's prophecy.

*they even have AEMOND, who, by then, has committed kinslaying twice and has one attempted regicide under his belt, comment on how, yes, the ratcatchers should be absolutely taken down because it is bad form.🤦‍♀️

it would be something else entirely if the greens were in a stand-alone story and this was the characterisation given to them. we would be having a completely different conversation about dysfunctional family relationships. but they are presented IN COMPARISON to another side and thus you cannot analyse them in a vacuum and it is impossible to escape this comparative approach or pretend that it doesn't directly invite the viewer to a pre-determined conclusion.

(even cersei & tyrion or tyrion & tywin had moments when they were just chilling and not at each other's throats)

likewise, they make every decision taken by the greens range from bad to catastrophic. name one thing that otto, alicent, criston, aemond or aegon get to do that the writers chose to paint in a positive light. one success. it's alicent wanting peace because she feels sorry for rhaenyra. meanwhile, tb has ONE character that acts out and on whom everything unsavory can be pinned: daemon. everything unappealing about rhaenyra's war effort can be traced back to daemon. everyone else in her camp is just so earnestly engaged in harm-reduction.

i'm not even getting into how AEGON of all people is the least developed dragonrider in the show, he who was supposed to have the best and purest bond with his dragon🤦‍♀️meanwhile we've seen how many shots of caraxes and syrax by now? even MOONDANCER. i'm sorry, guys, but baela rode her ass just THEE ONE TIME. for fuck's sake. even rhaena is going to have more flying time than aegon by the end of this show.

the way i can explain my dissatisfaction better is like. imagine succession (yes, it always comes back to this, doesn't it). only that, alongside the dysfunctional roys and their hot mess of a family and questionable (atrocious) morals, you would simultaneously be presented with, say, the old-money pierces. only THEY get to be a quirky bunch of honest-to-god people just tryna do their gosh darn best in this wacky late stage capitalism. unironically. maybe they have a couple of flaws, maybe they even fight sometimes and say things they regret, maybe they have an old crazy un-woke uncle that they try to keep under wraps (hey! nobody's perfect!). but with little to no commentary on their misdeeds and heroic framing compared to the roys. also completely ignoring that they, too, have a corruptible media empire of their own. it would be much worse as a show, no?

[princehendir]

Do you want to elaborate about the alice postpartum post 👉👈

Yeah actually. I kinda do!

[cw: mental health issues, emotional abuse, some gaslighting, implied reproductive coercion. Probably some other stuff.]

So. Alice spends most of Shaun's baby-hood feeling like he's Not Real, though she's not really able to articulate what exactly she means by that, as well being kind of generally aware that it's not true, despite the fact that it feels really really true. That's not a real baby, and if it is a real baby it's definitely not her baby. Which she knows isn't rational but can't quite shake.

She also off-and-on feels like she's Not Real, other people Aren't Real, the world isn't Real, etc. which she was already having a problem with during the pregnancy but it got worse after the birth. Lots of depersonalization/derealization issues. Some of it is definitely the hormones but the emotional manipulator husband who Gently Encouraged her to keep a baby she wasn't 100% sure about (among other things) definitely also contributed.

The pregnancy went very well physically though, despite her emotional/mental issues. And the fact that Nate keeps using the term "easy pregnancy" (we're so lucky!) is slowly turning her evil.

She also gets increasingly paranoid about Codsworth the longer he's in the house. Really convinced that he's Up To Something and either talking to the police about her or spying on her for Nate, who she thinks might have bought him for specifically that reason (it's unclear how plausible this actually is).

Paranoid in general also, after the birth. Like, is worried that the neighbors Know Things about her, that the police are coming any minute, that sort of thing. And unfortunately a lot of her paranoia isn't fully without basis. She & Nate are very much living under stolen identities because they have warrants out. And Nate is kind of getting too into/overselling his whole "I'm a veteran" thing (he's not, to be clear) and there's genuine reason to worry that he might get cocky and blow their cover. So this is the stuff that's hardest for her to manage while she's trying to get her stuff together enough to get out.

(If I never mentioned this, part of her whole deal is that the day the bombs dropped was also the day she was planning on leaving him and starting over on the west coast. Like she had this whole thing worked out where she was going to slip out while he was giving his little speech at the Veterans Hall (which again, insane & ill-advised thing to do given that he's not actually a veteran and living under a stolen identity, but we don't need to go into all that rn) and get in her car and just start driving. Shaun was not actually part of this plan until like two days before, when she decided that it felt morally weird to her to abandon a baby even if it still didn't really feel like Her Baby.)

(The paranoia actually ends up fucking this plan up for her. She freaks herself out and tries to leave early because she thinks Nate's onto her (he isn't) and then he catches her packing a bag and finally figures out what's going on. They're actively fighting in the nursery and he's trying to prevent her from leaving when the news alert comes on about the bombs. In a weird irony, the war starting when it did was kind of lucky for her, because we were hitting "this is about to escalate, worried neighbors are calling 911" around that point and I'm not really sure what would've happened otherwise.)

Also, on the subject of Nate, she does start to think about killing him a lot. Which, to be fair, she also thinks about when she's more lucid (normal side effect of Nate exposure imo) but for a while there it definitely falls more on the "violent intrusive thoughts/violent impulses" end of the scale than the "morally bad but rational murder fantasy" one. This is actually what spurs her into working on an exit plan, it was either leaving or murder, and one of those is slightly easier to get away with.

She's doing a lot better during the main part of fo4, which is nice. But the fact that she was unwell & not really able to bond with Shaun when he was a baby really contributes to a lot of how she handles the main plotline. She doesn't feel as strongly about what happened as she thinks* she should, and she's not really sure what to do about that. Lying about how much she misses her baby feels wrong, but being honest feels a lot worse.

*thinks that other people think?

[nocturnalazure]

Cam you elaborate more of Ahn/Laurie? So far I don't see any chemistry between them and it's bothering me (so much I needed to write lol - this is not a critic to you, just my perspective as a reader!). Ahn is so uptight and idealistic, it makes her a good hero but a bad romantic interest imo. Her ideas and fantasies about Laurie (the good and the bad ones) seem too childish, it's hard to connect with her. Laurie doesn't seem too open to romance either, his relationships so far are closer to convenient, hassle-free (Chikage) or outbursts of emotion (Erik), and that's exactly what Ahn isn't.

Hi anon! First of all, your ask is not bothering me at all: it is considerate and well thought out, and it is an honor to have smart and respectful readers like you! Even if as an author, I would instinctively prefer my readers to be onboard with all of my plot elements, I also try to write complex characters whose actions are left for the reader to interpret by themselves. Your comment is therefore a compliment to me, because my characters, whether you're bothered with them or not, brought up such strong feelings that you felt the need to send these messages, and for this, I thank you. <3 I would draw the line at character bashing, but this is not at all what you are doing. <3

On to the actual response! Apologies for the wall of text, I have a lot to say! :D

Your analysis is a shrewd one and if you feel like something's off between Laurie and Anh, you are completely right. Anh is indeed fantasizing over Laurie, and she is herself aware of it. She is stubborn and inhibited, very strict with herself and with others, she clings to her values as a way to make sense of her world, and she is emotionally naive. She attaches way too much importance in the way she's perceived, and is obsessed with appearing strong and unbending. Laurie on the other hand is a master at pretending, and even he has trouble understanding his real feelings. He feels duty and responsibility very strongly, but that leads him to cut himself off from people. You are entirely right in saying that his relationships are "convenient". With Alesha (we will see her again soon), he was looking for something simple and stable, even when he knew he would leave her at some point and when lying to her wore him down. With Erik, he refused to go beyond a single night because he was hoping that by releasing the unresolved sexual tension between them, they would get over their infatuation with each other (and it didn't solve anything, on the contrary: it almost ruined what they have). And with Chikage, their arrangement can barely be called a relationship since they're basically using each other. He acts the same in friendship: Romeo and Omar are not quite friends to him but business partners. For all he tries to be honest in business, Laurie has an issue with being honest with himself.

Despite their massive differences, I see Laurie and Anh as struggling with very similar issues: they are both afraid of emotional connection, yet they are craving for it. They don't want to lose control, and they both wear a mask of unyielding effectiveness that sometimes cracks. They both like intellectual challenges and have similar brain patterns. The trust that Anh mentioned is real, and it is mutual because they recognize deep down that they are made from the same mold, although Laurie may see this more clearly than Anh (who is in a rather confused state of mind right now).

I'm not going to spoil anything about what's going to come, but Laurie and Anh's forced journey together is not over and they will both have the opportunity to further explain their inner thoughts and feelings. I believe that they have a lot to give to each other: Anh needs reassurance on so many levels but doesn't want to admit it, and Laurie needs someone to be vulnerable with and who would force him to face up to what he keeps hidden. And with such thick heads, becoming lovers is the only way for them to fully experience that kind of intimacy. But whether Anh and Laurie are meant to be or not, my intent is not to write perfect matches and ideal relationships. Reality is a lot more subtle, and relationships often simply don't work out for a whole variety of reasons that can't be blamed on anyone in particular. Sometimes it is the right moment, sometimes it's not.

And it's perfectly fine if Anh doesn't come out as relatable to you. I also have readers who find her very relatable, so it really is a matter of perspective and all perspectives are welcome! You are totally allowed not to like a character and to keep reading as long as it doesn't ruin the story for you.

[marzipanandminutiae]

Mind you I've never read LW but i kinda enjoyed the 2019 movie, why did you hate it? (Maybe i just wanna put Timothee Ch on a leash) feel free to go off 🌷

So, the costumes sucked from a historical perspective. Which would be less Objectively Bad and more Just Not My Thing...if the designers hadn't gone ON AND ON AT LENGTH about how ~Authentic~ they tried to make everything.

Didn't claim accuracy and didn't do accuracy: meh, whatever

DID claim accuracy and didn't do accuracy, AND won an Oscar for it: urge to kill rising

the hair design was particularly egregious, with the designer at one point saying they chose [checks notes] insane flyaways and half-up hair on adult women (who would have worn their hair entirely pinned up, for practical reasons and as a cultural marker of adulthood) because that seemed "more authentic than coiffures"

MORE AUTHENTIC

THAN THE WAY ACTUAL WOMEN BACK THEN

WORE THEIR ACTUAL HAIR

AS DEMONSTRATED IN PHOTOGRAPHS- EVEN CANDIDS -AND PORTRAITS

"blee bloo they didn't have hairspray!!!" THEY HAD POMADE. HAVING YOUR HAIR VERY SMOOTH WAS THE STYLE IN THE 1860S, EVEN FOR POOR WOMEN, AND MASSIVE FLYAWAYS ARE HUGELY IMPRACTICAL, AND NOT ALL FIXATIVES ARE HAIRSPRAY YOU ABSOLUTE-

[Marzi.exe has encountered a problem. please hold]

apart from the hair, there were fit issues and at least one case of Trying To Copy the 1994 Movie, But Worse (Amy's black and white dress in Paris).

1994. the pattern is soutache, a kind of applied trim done with flat cord that was very popular throughout the mid-late 19th century

2019. You cannot tell me the choice to have her in a white dress with black floral patterning, in effectively the exact same scene, was a coincidence.

also I'm pretty sure there was one shot with an actress visibly wearing Uggs. (EDIT- thankfully I am informed that this is a set photo and the Uggs were not visible in the finished film. i had forgotten this. good to know! leaving the pic there because STUPID HAIR and HATLESSNESS)

also the Pretty Pastel Princess Dresses (with overly fluffy attempts at bertha collars) and Matching Long Gloves (wrist gloves were popular for evening back then, and they were almost always white) in the Concord ball scene.

is it a Civil War-era ball, or is it a parade of "southern belles" at Cypress Gardens in 1995? leaning towards the latter.

once again, the choice to put Meg in pink for the ball instead of her book-described blue dress is something 1994 did first, and did better IMO

also Meg's 2015 Coachella wedding look, the fact that none of these girls from a poor family seemed to wear each other's old clothes ever, and the lazy choice to dress Jo in half-menswear instead of actually looking into menswear-inspired women's clothing in the era (which was a Thing!). but more than just the costumes pissed me off

they just...didn't seem to understand the era, or want to, or care? it was a bunch of little things that served to make it all more #relatable to modern audiences but ultimately undermined the setting:

Marmee telling a random young man she's never properly met to call her Marmee, because "everyone does." her DAUGHTERS call her that. her ACTUAL CHILDREN. who the hell else would? it's not a derivative of her name; it's a variant of Mama. Laurie can graduate to Marmee when he's an actual family friend

Jo wearing some of Laurie's clothing because "she stole it when they were hanging out in his room," according to an interview. um, NO NO AND NO, they are teenagers and that would distinctly not fly on several levels even in her progressive family. I might actually buy this if it were like "he gave them some clothes for an amateur theatrical and she kept them;" the actual Alcott sisters had a costume trunk for their plays, which is still on display at their house. but these writers clearly think a teenage boy and girl could be in his bedroom together unsupervised, for long periods of time, habitually, in 1860-whatever. which is absolutely incorrect

Jo saying "okay" in refusing Laurie's proposal. this is so tiny, I know, but while that term did already exist, it was a joke phrase only. this would be like saying "lol" while turning down your best friend's proposal today. once again, it's an example of Relatability mattering more than actually understanding the world these characters lived in

there are more, but I've blocked them out. I just really, really hated it on many levels

[modern-inheritance]

Modern Inheritance: Surprise!/Name (Post War)

(A/N: uuuuh, I didn't expect this to reach over 1k words so...I guess it's a fic. I wanted to continue on the babby Fírnen train a little, and officially put down in writing why Islanzadí required Arya to be a crown regent until 2-3 years post war {why Arya and Firnen didn't leave with Eragon and Saphira. I think like a year passes between end of the war and them leaving either way, yeah?}. To put it simply, Iz survived Barst's blow, but it destroyed so much of her arm and shoulder that she lost it at the shoulder joint. Working with Glen helped a lot, but it takes Rhunön a good while to develop, fit and test a prosthetic for her, and it takes Iz a longer time to heal physically and mentally, adapting to this new world as well as her new arm.

But this? This is mostly just cuteness imo. Oh and it's like a sentence, but I'm exploring further effects that use of the Name has. It's not a long term effect but Murtagh, Eragon and Arya all feel/have effects from being in proximity/using it. Cheers!)

~~~

Arya stood outside her mother’s room, staring at the door. It wasn’t without some irony that she was the one there, rather than the other way around. She was sure the scene had played out hundreds of times at her own rooms, Islanzadí waiting for her daughter to shake off whatever effects the war and imprisonment had on her psyche.

She didn’t knock. Just pushed her way in. Shredded the wards the former queen had set to prevent just such a thing from happening with a deft trailing of her fingers. The Name still lingered in her blood, pulsing with each heartbeat. Eragon had reported similar effects, the unintentional reworking of magic at barely a thought. It would have to be studied, but for now…it had uses.

“Go away.” 

Islanzadí’s voice was low and raw. Even from where she sat in the wicker chair with her back to her daughter, Arya could tell she had been crying again. Staring out the hazy half drawn curtains, her remaining hand curled limply in her lap. The blanket around her shoulders hid the new slope her right side ended in, the sudden drop at the end of her collarbone. 

Arya closed the door behind her. “That’s my line.” She couldn’t help the wry tilt to her lips. How odd it was to be on this end of things. “And I know you’ve been asking about where I’ve been.” The grin fell. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have disappeared like that. Especially now.”

Silence hung heavy between them. 

“I’ve been staying at the Crags. Cleaning the place up.” Arya shifted on her feet. It wasn’t exactly true, but it wasn’t a lie either. “I want you to come by and see it.”

“I don’t want to.” Islanzadí’s voice was hollow. “Another time.”

Her daughter sighed. “Glen said you haven’t left your rooms for a week.”

“And you would know that if you ever thought me worthy to speak to.” The sharp barb slapped back. Arya took it without complaint.

Instead she tried a gentle prod. “You need to keep moving. It’ll be worse if you don’t.” The former queen snorted. “Look, mum, I am sorry I didn’t come. There was…something happened. And I wanted to share with you, I did. I still do. But I thought…” The words felt dry on her tongue. “I thought you’d come out. I didn’t think you would need me here. And that was wrong.” 

Islanzadí shifted slightly. It was only to curl in on herself even more than before. “There is nothing out there that I wish to see.”

“You’re being stubborn.”

“Go away, Arya.” 

Arya sighed again. “No. I told you, there is something that I need to share.”

“Go. Away.” There was a growl in the voice this time. Finally. Some kind of emotion. “Leave!”

Despite the anger in her mother’s voice, Arya was smiling. She knelt in the moss and carefully lowered her bag to the floor, shutting the curtains with a word. Islanzadí cursed, but the younger elf paid her no mind as she tugged the drawstring open and helped the bag’s occupant disentangle himself.

‘You’re getting a bit big for this bag, hm?’ A soft pulse of pride at his growth, mirth that he was again being transported as he had when he was inside an egg. ‘Be gentle with her. She’s hurting.’ The nearly two week old hatchling stretched his neck out and bumped his snout against his Rider’s nose.

“Don’t scream.” Was the only warning Arya gave before she let the little dragon clamber all four paws onto her clasped together fists and forearms and helped him launch into the air.

He sailed. Up, over, and promptly folded emerald wings and dropped right into the unsuspecting Islanzadí’s lap.

Islanzadí jolted. Her mouth opened, about to yell a scathing retort at her daughter for being so damn infuriating as to throw something at her, especially when she damn well knew she couldn’t catch anything right then, let alone somethin–

Green. Scales. A set of wings flared out for balance as little talons grasped at her covered knees. Amber eyes, bright, inquisitive, eager, proud, meeting her own.

Dragon. 

That. 

That was a dragon. 

There was a dragon in her lap. 

A small one. A small dragon. A small green dragon. Purring. 

There was a baby dragon in Islanzadí’s lap and her brain was no longer thinking of the feeling of her clenched right hand, her aching shoulder, the new ways her body moved and there was a dragon in her fucking lap and it was flicking the tip of its tail and sniffing her remaining arm and now he was looking straight at her.

A wheeze left the former queen’s chest. 

“What the fuck?” 

The hatchling burbled at her, a big, toothy grin that was somehow oh so familiar. Oh, that was not the first time he had heard that word, no ma’am. 

“Wh…” the words came tumbling out. Elation and shock and even a bit of fear. “Who’re…? Who did you…?��

A pair of hands filled her vision. Just as familiar as that silly little pointy smile. Scuffed, scarred, worked, her daughter’s hands. 

The left palm gleamed with an otherworldly silver mark.

The beaming smile was evident in Arya’s voice. “Surprise!” 

And the emerald hatchling clambered up, careful of her right side, and got nose to nose with his Rider’s mother. 

‘Surprise!’ 

Then, with the proudest puff of his chest, the little hatchling sat back on his haunches. He was getting so good at his words!

‘Fuck!’ 

There was a long silence.

Islanzadí blinked. “Well…that settles any doubt, then.”

“String Bean!” Arya sounded exasperated even through her thoughts. “I told you, you can only say that word when I say that word!”

He looked particularly smug. ‘Fuck.’

Arya dropped her face into a hand. “Fuck.”

“String Bean?” The new Rider peeked from between her fingers. “Please tell me–”

“It’s not permanent.” Arya trailed around the wicker chair and sat with her back braced against the wall below the window. “Actually, it’s part of why we’re here.” She opened her arms slightly in invitation. The dragon dove off her mother’s lap with a chirp and pounced headfirst into the woman’s sternum, eliciting a cough. “He needs a name.”

Islanzadí leaned back and rested her chin on her remaining fist, brows furrowed. “Brom is still here, is he not? Surely he has a wider–”

“We already tried.” Her daughter cut her off. “He didn’t like any of them. The…others. That Eragon left. They didn’t have any he liked either. Ow.” Arya winced at the hatchling’s claws pricking her thigh as he got comfortable. He was certainly growing at a decent pace. 

“Why me, then?” The former queen’s eyes suddenly narrowed. “I cannot allow you to name him after your father.”

“No, no. He’s not got the same…hm, the same presence as he had. He’s different.” Arya rested a hand in the gap of the little one’s spines as he finally settled. “I wanted to ask you before I told him the name of Great Aunt Tenari’s dragon.”

Islanzadí’s eyes brightened at the memory. Her aunt, her father’s sister, had been chosen as a Rider centuries ago. Tenari had been a streak of lightning, a force of nature, in the order’s ranks, driven and more boisterous than many elves dared even during the more freeing time of the golden age’s midpoint. Her dragon had been much the same, a massive teal male with scattered groupings of deep emerald scales that peppered his body like green stars. 

The woman would never forget the feeling of looking into one of his great eyes when she was little. The sunlight that seemed to radiate from their depths, the warmth and booming, rich timbre of his mental voice that felt like laying safe in summer fields of grass and flowers in the Beor mountains, the towering peaks looming above. 

He had been a sight to behold. And even more, he was the perfect companion, the perfect match of energy and light and presence for Tenari. Both so wild and so free, so soaked in the sun and open to the world that they would so eagerly carry on their shoulders if asked.

“I think it would honor them, Tenari and Fírnen both, if this little one wanted to carry on his legacy.” The tilt of Islanzadí’s lips felt almost wistful. If only they could see what had become of their family now, on this very day.

“Fírnen.” Arya tested the name on her tongue, the smile that it brought. How she had yearned to meet him, meet Tenari, after seeing the few fairths that had been saved. She begged Oromis and Glaedr for stories of their adventures and was always disappointed at the meager handful that survived. Tenari and Fírnen, not only Oromis and Glaedr, Brom and his beloved Saphira, had been one of the driving forces for her to take up the fight so young. 

The name felt right. But it was not her decision to make.

“Well?” Arya looked down at the glittering emerald bundle in her lap. “What do you think? Fírnen? As your name?”

The hatchling mulled over it. She could feel him turning the name over in his mind, examining it from different angles. A thread reached out and studied her memories surrounding the name, the fairths she had seen of the teal dragon and her great aunt. 

A soft purr of acceptance vibrated through Arya’s hand draped in the hollow of his spines. The dragon gave a sharp nod, the thoughtful glint still in his eye. ‘Fírnen. Good name. I am Fírnen.’ He nodded again, firm and sure. ‘Good shit.’

“What on earth have you done to him?” Islanzadí’s voice held no anger, just dry amusement.

Arya ignored the comment and lifted Fírnen up, elated. “Fírnen!” She beamed, bright laughter bubbling from her throat. “You have a name now!” Smoke drifted from the sides of her partner’s parted jaws, the same bright beams of sunlight dancing in amber eyes. “Arya and Fírnen! One of the best Dragon and Rider pairs to walk Alagaësia!” Arya laughed again. “No, to Fly! Fírnen, one day we will fly together! That’s incredible! Flying! You and me!” 

Islanzadí couldn’t help her own smile. This. This is what she had wanted to see after so many years. Her daughter, happy. Looking to a future without war. So much had been lost, she had wondered if she would ever see that smile again. 

And even though she could still feel her right hand clenched in an unyielding fist, her elbow bent and shoulder braced against Barst’s blow…Islanzadí knew in that moment, this fleeting piece of time and memory shared with her daughter, her daughter the Rider and the dragon Fírnen. Everything had been gained. 

[wannaeatramyeon]

Honey I've seen how you write for taehoon and I must say that you're really good at doing his characterization.

I personally think that, because he's someone who has quite a hard time expressing himself and with relationships, he would actually not put that much efforts in his relationship with reader. Like not trying to respect others' boundaries and working for the relationship to work, because for him of reader knows he like them and they like him why do anything else ? It'd be a waste of time. That is until reader is fed up because he's doing the bare minimum and wants to break up. As soon as reader says this, he feels something beating and throbbing in his chest. He's scared. In a way he didn't feel since a while. He can't lose them right ? He can do better! He just got to show them! So when reader let him a second and last chance, he becomes the best partner. So much that it's not easy to believe he didn't put any works at first. But it's weird because it actually doesn't really bother him. When he see how reader smile when he just sit next to same and enjoy each other's presence. Did they always smile so brightly ? Now that he've seen how a relationship work he's gonna do his best to not let reader down again.

Hey anon, thanks for reading! It's always pretty fun to see people's differing opinion of the characters so ty for a chance to discuss! I think everyone's Taehoon HC varies a little and my Taehoon probably is a bit more mature and a little less wild.

Some more Seong Taehoon x Reader hc below...

I build a lot of his maturity based on the trauma of losing Dowoon. In my hc, I cannot overstate the impact this has had on him. He's healed somewhat, but it's an ongoing journey and he has learnt a lot from it.

With Taehoon losing someone so close to him (and seems like the only friend he had), he makes the effort to be a little bit kinder to you if you manage to get close.

Kinder is subjective though.

But he's had the experience of pushing someone away, and then it resulting in the worst possible outcome so he's not likely going to repeat that mistake again.

Of course he is an asshole to everyone, you included but he tries.

He's not a complete robot. He's smart and perceptive af. Taehoon knows how other people sees him, the effect he has on people, he just doesn't care.

In a relationship though, he would show he cares. In his own way. He gives you a little bit more leeway, does a bit more for you, tries to make himself a better partner for you.

Note - partner, not person. He's not going to fundamentally change who he is, but he will learn to read you a bit better and if there's something he does that genuinely upsets you and doesn't clash with his morals/principles then he will give it a go.

Honestly, I think if he's doing the bare minimum with you then your relationship is on the way out. He's not going to put in the effort if he doesn't want to be with you.

Then again, Taehoon imo is the kind of person that would just straight up tell you that. He doesn't mince his words.

[vaugarde]

Wait whats your opinion on Pokemon the First Movie and its remake Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution

LOVE the first movie, hate the remake lol. I know people get on it for being a little basic or whatever but idc, it's a really fun time and it's what got me so attached to the mew duo. i think it's by far the most charming pokemon movie because despite what ppl say considering the "entitlement" from the "the first movie" title, it really feels like they put in a lot of effort to make this movie feel like a huge deal. the cinematography (mewtwo in the lab and when its directing the storm) are genuinely really cool and the battles are stunning. it all comes together really well and you also see this in the show itself since they were hyping it up, which isn't something the show ever really tried doing again. It makes the movie feel big and important. Mewtwo's conflict is great and Mew itself is adorable and AUGH it's a great movie and idc what people say.

I despise that remake though. At first I just kinda didn't care for it, but as time goes on I'm actually more insulted at its existence. Instead of a new movie we gotta do nostalgia bait with a movie that's trying to be a remake but bastardizes the presentation so much. I actually can't believe people were making twitter comparisons on "how far technology has come" by comparing the shot for shot remakes, the new film looks hideous when it copies the original directly thanks to the awful character models that don't match the realistic backgrounds, and when it tries to do its own thing, it completely fails to understand what made the original scenes so impactful.

The scenes I mentioned with Mewtwo directing the storm and destroying the lab are such good examples. I can't really find isolated clips unfortunately so bear with me. In the original lab scene, there's a sense of claustrophobia. The scientists stand over Mewtwo in the shot, their faces in darkness as they explain Mewtwo's supposed purpose. In fact, its all dark, its hard to make out the surroundings all the way. There are tubes and lab equipment everywhere surrounding Mewtwo. We get a ton of close up shots where Mewtwo is cramped in the shot- it's kinda basic but it's effective- Mewtwo has just been born but it's essentially a prisoner and it's suffocated by the expectations and purpose forced onto it by Dr. Fuji and his team. When Mewtwo then breaks out, the shot has zoomed out, but he's still surrounded by smoke and such when Giovanni arrives- he's still trapped. Like, there's a point to it all. There's intent in these shots.

In the remake tho we can't have poor lighting because how will we show off our REALISTIC BACKGROUNDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111!!!1! so they removed all the clutter and the lab is all bright so we can see the (ugly) human models bc ohhhhhhhhh technology has come soooo far we swear. so now the claustrophobia so integral to the original scene is gone. I guess you could say the bright light is disorienting for mewtwo??? but it completely fails to match the tone of the original.

There's no reason to watch the new one imo. It's just an inferior version to the original movie to the point it honestly feels insulting to me. It's such a blatant cash grab and idk how ppl dont see that.

[hxdrostorms]

@eternalstarlights has sent: 🌸 = my roleplay petpeeve, 🌵 = a disliked canon character in my fandom,💐 = my favorite part about the fandom, 🌿 = my least favorite part about the fandom

Send me a symbol and I will tell you… [Accepting]

🌸 = my roleplay petpeeve

// Bc this has been happening across several blogs, not just here:

Reblog karma: If you have no plans of sending something back, then the least you should do is reblog them, from the source or look elsewhere in the posts' notes to reblog from.

I'm constantly going back in my prompts tag to delete old reblogs. BUT THERE ARE STILL, complete strangers who dig through it and reblog it from me. Like?????????? That has the same effect as a 'fuck you' in my DMs. It's 10x funnier, if it is one of those blogs with a long ass pinned/rules page. And they still had no qualms in doing this shit. It's not quirky, let me tell you that much.

Notice, I'm not complaining about not receiving asks whenever I reblog something. That's not an issue for me (mutuals/rp partners should only send stuff, when they genuinely feel like doing so, without any obligations). All I'm asking is to not make me feel like, I'm just a RP memes archive type of blog, that's only there to provide writing prompts & nothing else. I may not be the most active RPer, but none of my blogs are abandoned.

This has been a long running peeve I've been having to deal with, for YEARS. And it made a resurface as of lately.

🌵 = a disliked canon character in my fandom

// Hades & his spectres/Judges are overrated as fuck IMO LOL I say as a clown, bc I'm a classic golds dweeb fan. Clearly, I'm not in a position to say what is or isn't overrated.

Jokes aside. It may have been a result of the way I tried watching the classic series (by binge watching the entire thing). BUT when I got to the Hades arc, I got SO mad when I realized they brought back those drawn out battles. Like those were my least enjoyed bits of the early parts of the anime and the Sanctuary arc, meanwhile the Poseidon arc didn't have any of that (which is why I rate the Poseidon arc as my favorite one of the anime adaptation. 15 episodes with NO filler??? HELL YEAH.).

You can say I was already pretty burned, and should have slowed down with the final part of the series. But even then, I don't think that would have changed a thing about my general disinterest towards Hades' servants. Visually speaking to me, they are the messiest and most boring looking characters from the classic series (they only ever wear 1 color and look way too much like a toy, than some form of proper armor).

Rhadama.nthys is the biggest bitch in the club, to me he was the most insufferable. "He is the strongest*tm of all judges." *= only when Hades is straight up cheating and the story feels like unnecessarily drag things out. Reminder that Kanon killed him without any cloth equipped, and he went out the way HE chose to. He literally didn't even have to TRY.

My favorite part of the Hades arc was seeing Kanon wipe the floor, with everyone he crossed paths with. This feels 10x more satisfying, after reading the Destiny & Origins extra chapters.

💐 = my favorite part about the fandom

// I truly mean when I say, this is the chillest community I've been in a long time. Case in point: I haven't felt THIS artiscally inspired in YEARS. I've been doing so many works, I'm literally running an event in the main fandom. I've been brimming with inspiration to do so many things, that goes beyond the RPing aspect. And it has improved my general mental health SO much!

I'm forever thankful for getting into Sts LOL

🌿 = my least favorite part about the fandom

// If you exclusively speak English, you will suffer to find anything or anyone else from this fandom. Which isn't a problem for me at all but, I can see how frustrating or sad it must feel like, you can't get into a community due to a language barrier.

And the community itself isn't exactly the friendliest one towards gringos. Which I mean............ You can't blame us for feeling defensive, when literally every other fandom went down to shit, when things became very American-centered.

Not to start the whole Anti vs proship debate. BUT It is a fact that all antis (ppl who want to be cops/have no qualms with harrassing or policing others/etc.) I've come across are an American, who's way too enthralled in their lil bubble they call world. Then they have a breakdown bc as it turns out, the rest of the world isn't AT ALL like them. And there's genuine pushback/retaliation from the community, against these kinds of whiny bitchass mfers LOL.

Obviously, this doesn't mean the fandom is perfect nor it's an Utopia, where there isn't drama at all. BUT when compared to others, it feels a lot tamer in comparison. Unfortunately, it comes at the cost of coming off as a very closed off fandom, that's centered around overseas things for a change.

[hidingoutbackstage]

so im coming to you, the leading scientist in ashley graham-ology, to say you are SO right. there is literally no difference between ashley in the original and the remakes. they didn't make improve on her characterization, they just gave her scenes that endear her to the player, and even though they're very sweet moments... they don't give us anything new? i mean, it's nice for her to have moments where she can express her feelings, i mean she's been kidnapped and taken to a foreign village so thats going to be at the forefront of her mind, but we get nothing deeper about her. frankly, we get more new characterization from the sorority sticker on her phone and her casual outfit than we do in most of the new scenes. everyone else gets retooled stories, and she is very much the same. and, imo, at best she is a slightly more polished version of her old self (which is not saying much because she was never given a lot to begin with), and at worst she feels like she falls into only being important when it comes to leons development. anyways srry 4 rambling but yes! I agree with you!

You’re right in every way ugh I hate it so much. Like they COULD have expanded upon her in a way that both fit the context and the narrative while still making her a more fleshed out character. Luis got a whole ass backstory and people keep drawing cutesy art of him with his old team of Umbrella researchers who we never knew and don’t matter, but people only talk about Ashley in the context of Leon.

And the problem is that the game does this too! It isn’t just fandom misogyny this time (though that’s obviously at play sometimes) but everything Ashley does is just her being a victim, or relating her to Leon. Even the funny and cute stuff brought over from the og doesn’t get to be about her! Ashley operating the wrecking ball is a setup for Leon to comment on “what they’re teaching kids these days” when in the og it’s unexplained and that kinda implies it’s just something she knows how to do. And it’s funny without context, but in the game the context they give just makes her look stupid for comparing it to driver’s ed.

She helps put out the fire on Leon after his fight with Mendez. See? She’s helpful now! She tries to hit Leon with a candelabra when he shows up instead of cowering in terror like in the og. See? She’s #girlboss now! She doesn’t flirt with him or call him a pervert for acting like a pervert. See? She’s mature now! She says “We can protect the U.S. from all threats!” See? She’s patriotic now! She’s mind controlled and holds a knife up to her throat instead of panicking and running in fear. See? She’s less of a crybaby now! She gets one (1) good outfit (that only came with preordered games) See? She has personality now! (except it’s entirely cosmetic and has no effect on how she is in game) She now has a slimmer face, blue eyes, obvious makeup on, and her hair covers her “dumbo ears.” See? She’s attractive now!

But she doesn’t get a motherfucking personality, when she’s the ONLY character who didn’t get one. Luis gets more backstory, Krauser gets more (incorrect/conflicting) backstory, motherfucking SALAZAR gets more backstory. But not Ashley! Not the g-d damn, entire focal point and center of the entire game, not the main female character, she gets g-d damn nothing!

Here, off the top of my head, here’s little bits of dialogue that could deepen her character yet still fit in the game

A: I can’t wait to see my dad again. I miss him so much.

L: You two close?

A: Yeah. He’s a great dad. He had to be, we’re the only family each other’s got

L: I promise I’ll get you home safe, Ashley.

or, alternatively

A: I’m so nervous to see my dad again. I hope he isn’t mad about the kidnapping

L: Mad? It’s not your fault

A: I know, but…it feels like it is. It feels like I did something wrong. I shouldn’t have been caught.

L: It isn’t your fault, Ashley, and I’m sure your dad won’t be upset. He’ll be happy to see you

A: I hope so

or, again alternatively

A: So, how’d you become an agent anyway? My bodyguards, [name and name] say you’re the best in the business.

L: It’s a long story

A: Tell me when we get back, then?

L: Sure. It’s not very fun, though

A: What’s that supposed to mean?

L: Nothing, don’t worry about it…let’s just say, it involves someone you remind me of

(there so all the fangirls can cry about how emo Leon is while Ashley gets confirmed to have relationships)

or,

A: I can’t believe I went to that party. I didn’t even want to go.

L: Why’d you go, then?

A: My sorority sisters told me to come. I wasn’t gonna turn them down.

L: They good friends?

A: Not really. More like colleagues, I guess

or,

L: They took your jacket

A: Yeah. They can keep it, honestly. I never liked that thing

L: Why wear it, then?

A: Dad says it looks good for public appearances

See? Would it have been that hard?

[intuitive-revelations]

Hey! So watching through The Daleks in Colour now, and thought I'd note down my thoughts, as someone who very much likes advocating for and discussing the idea of colourisation, re-edits etc. Comments not in order, as I'll be popping back and forth between sections with my notes.

The colouring is pretty impressive. There's some tone choices I would have done differently, and I have spotted a couple places where its a bit off (eg. colour not aligning perfectly - see One speaking when they discover the environomental radiation for example, there's a bit of odd yellow colouring around his upper lip - maybe a side effect of the chromatic abberation?).

However overall I think stuff like the faces and hair were done extremely well, which is pretty impresive since that can often be the hardest thing to do. And while I do disagree with some of the environmental colours etc., they do capture the 60s adventure tv aesthetic fairly well. I would just probably have leaned a little more modern/cinematic personally. I do wonder how many of the colours used are taken from colour set photos, as that might explain some of the choices. On the other hand, they're clearly not strictly using those colours, as the TARDIS clearly differs in colour from the set as we've seen it behind the scenes and in AAiSaT.

The lighting was pretty well done too, as is some of the chromatic abberation, though like I said I think it does have some detrimental effects in some places.

Editing feels ok, and keeps the pace up quite well. It does lose some importance bits though. I would probably have gone for a longer runtime, maybe 90 mins, rather than the 75.

I think it could have done with an extra beat when Barbara gets lost within the city, as it makes the others reuniting and searching around feel a bit too quick. Also a little bit of an edit-induced plot hole with Susan remarking how "there WAS someone outsidfe last night" when we completely skipped over that scene. Cutting that scene out does make her seem a bit less 'hysterical' though, which isn't the worse edit-based change in characterisation. That being said, the way they didn't directly show the Doctor sabotaging the fluid link, but left just enough to imply it was pretty clever.

Oh! I realise one reason why they chose to use this story. There's a LOT of cuts they can get away with just by dubbing the Daleks and adding flashing lights. I haven't seen the original serial enough times to notice them all, but I did pick up on the slightly hasty one as they interrogate the Doctor. Interestingly it also sounds to me like they tried to edit/redub the line about "Dalek forefathers" to say "Kaled forefathers" as it sounds different to me from the original, but is quite ambiguous. The subtitles still say Dalek, so maybe I'm just hearing things.

Some of the cross-edits work quite well, but the flashbacks are way too much, especially with a shortened runtime. Feels like some of that time could definitely have been better used giving the pacing some room to breath. Not showing Susan writing the letter is kinda ok, but does make you question why the Daleks are continuing to keep them prisoner. You kind of have to rely on the Dalek giving the plan idea earlier, which kind of just results in breaking 'show don't tell'. Another edit I wouldn't have made: they cut out the cell camera being broken. This one feels kinda major imo, so it's a surprising choice. I definitely would have left it in. Using the Daleks monitoring recordings of the scenes with the Thals for quick cuts is kind of clever again, but does feel too much like a cut-down recap video. There really needs to be a bit more room to breath here. It also makes Ian encouraging the Thals to fight back feel a bit too sudden and his scheme kinda seems insane.

While I liked seeing the classic city reproduced in CGI for that opening shot, doing something so dynamic did feel a little gratuitous. CGI TARDIS shots as it tries to dematerialise were also an odd choice, as they were very blatant, looking more like animation than anything, and I imagine it could be done more convincingly. The zaps (and sound effect) as the Daleks fire is a very good addition though - exactly the sort of added effect that I reckon is justified, given it's quite simple but adds a lot.

As for the music, I think they did a pretty good job overall in keeping the correct tone while expanding on the score. I'm maybe not enough of an expert on the classic soundtracks to comment really. Maybe a tad overactive when the Daleks first appear - it could have quietened down a bit after they tell the Doctor, Ian and Susan to move. Oh my god, I just got to the bit where Dalek!Ian is leading them through the corridors. The music and editing is certainly... a choice. On one hand, it's very fun. On the other hand... wtf...? With Susan guiding them it kind of feels like all those 'memelord' Susan jokes come to life. The whiplash going into them having to leave Ian behind kinda breaks it though.

Speaking about the Ian and Thals scene again, the music is a bit too much. Again it kind of makes it sound like Ian's talk is serious, even though he's just trying to encourage the Thals to defend themselves. Hmm, yeah I think the music was pretty good in the first half, but it's definitely trying a bit too hard in the second. Actually, in general the second half does feel a bit weak compared to the first half, but I suppose that can also be said with regards to the original serial.

Sound effects were well done. Cloister bell sounding as the TARDIS tries to dematerialise is a fun addition. I do feel it's overused a bit nowadays, but it's placement here seems reasonable, if you assume continuing to try and dematerialise would have put the TARDIS in actual danger.

I might have sounded quite negative with some of my nitpicks, but overall I did really quite like this! It feels like a good proof of concept for further re-releases anyway, but there were some odd choices throughout. A less aggressive runtime edit would probably have done wonders for it. As I mentioned above, I do also feel the first half was a lot stronger than the second.

If I had the time (which I definitely don't right now, between work, my PhD/thesis, Class Ongoing, Galliversary contribution, and other secret exciting stuff), I'd love to go through and attempt a re-edit, colourising and sticking some of the shots/scenes I think ought to have been kept, and tweaking some of the colour choices. Maybe attempt a widescreen expansion too, since most of the colour work is already done.

[sudoscience]

Finished The Indigo Disk last night, so time for some more PokéThoughts:

For costing more than half the price of the base game, I feel like the story could have been longer. I'm certainly not done playing the DLC yet (still haven't caught the Loyal Three, for example), but I finished the story in ~2 days. The base game probably took me about a week? To be fair, I did start the DLC with a full team of Lvl 100 Pokémon, so that probably saved me a lot of time.

Similarly, for being called "The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero", you really don't spend that much time in Area Zero. Again, this is likely due to having a late game, high level build. Part of the reason it took longer in the base game is because you don't have Koraidon, so you can't just jump and fly to get where you need. Also, I just immediately used the warp point to get to Research Station 4 instead of walking through all of Area Zero again. I hope I didn't accidentally skip any fun interactions, but with how much Game Freak tries to railroad you into doing the plot how they want you to (see my previous post about the DLC), I feel like if there were any cutscenes there, then you just wouldn't be able to use the warp points for... reasons.

That being said, what time you do spend in Area Zero is just as awesome as the first time you go there in the base game. The new music is great, too.

Speaking of new music: Celestial (Remix by Toby Fox)?! Leave it to Toby to make an Ed Sheeran song actually good, I guess.

Performance wise, it's comparable to the base game, maybe slightly better? Only clipped into a mountain once. Haven't noticed any other glitches so far, but it does occasionally seem to run a bit sluggishly. (And it continues to suffer from a lack of voice acting.)

Koraidon can fly now!!! Wish there was an option to invert the y-axis, but it can fly!!! Also, you can BE your Pokémon now!!!

Spoilers?

I like how they tell you Blueberry Academy is in Unova, but it's not, like, attached to it at all. It's just an island. They could have said any region, and it would have had negligible impact, imo. (But I am saying this as someone who hasn't actually played Gen V, so maybe there were things I missed.)

Well, okay, I think it did have one effect. I haven't played B/W, but I know Unova is supposed to be based on America, so when one of the NPCs mentions "BBQs", I was like, "Oh, that's cool. They have barbecues here instead of picnics." Nope! Stands for Blueberry Quests.

Terapagos being tiny when Kieran first pulls him out was the funniest shit

It broke the fucking Master Ball?! It can do that?!

Still not sure I really understand how the Stellar Tera Type works. I know it's not every type at once. I'm not sure how that would work either. Wouldn't they just cancel each other out?

I don't feel like the game did the best job of communicating how much time had passed. Carmine (and later, Kieran) always being like, "You really kept me waiting". I literally did not??? But also, Kieran saying, "I looked up to [Player] for so long", meanwhile I'm pretty sure that, at most, one in-game week has passed since I first met him. I guess if I had played the first part when it first came out, it would've felt like a longer time. (It was probably supposed to be at least a few months in-game.)

Also makes it a little hard to buy into his motivation being his desire to beat me in battle. Wait, maybe that makes it more believable, actually. "You're still bitter about that?" "Yeah? It was just last week..."

But, again, I would be perfectly happy to let him have Ogerpon. He has a personal connection to it! If I keep it, it's probably just going to stay in one of my boxes. (It is pretty cute, though.)

Despite the lack of hugs, I found the ending acceptable. I do still wish you could have hugged Kieran, though. Or at the very least, when he says, "Can we be friends again?", you should have been able to say something like, "What do you mean 'again'? We're still friends!"

[literaticat]

I feel like you’ve answered this before and I swear I tried searching a few months back but can’t find it so I’m sorry. Why is it not ok to look for another agent while you have one? Seems like a rule set up to hurt writers but I know this was a recent controversy on Twitter.

There are several reasons:

-- 1 -- Generally, your agency agreement will say something to the effect of, any book that is sold or submitted during the period that the agent represents you, they get a commission on. So you can't just fire an agent who is in the midst of working on a deal for you and toss that commish to some random other agent.

(That was a controversy I saw a little of recently, not sure if it's what you are talking about! But allegedly, an agent got a huge offer for a client, then the client just HIRED A DIFFERENT AGENT, leaving the first one screwed because for some reason she DIDN'T have that in her agency agreement -- which is bonkers to me, this is a completely normal thing to be in an agency agreement! If it is Agent A's work and contacts that got you the deal -- THEY GET THE COMMISH ON THE DEAL, you can't just parlay that into getting some "bigger" or "fancier" agent!)

-- 2 -- Because of that, some agency agreements ALSO have something in there that, if there are works still on submission or "outstanding business" that there will be some kind of cooling-off period -- say, 30 days, something like that, after you leave the agency -- so they have the opportunity to wrap any business that hasn't concluded, or withdraw the manuscripts, or whatever the case may be. IDEALLY, you would go to a new agency unencumbered by any previous agency stuff, you'd know exactly what rights for what projects were available free and clear, etc -- and that wouldn't be possible if you got a new agent before you'd even left the last one.

It's just sort of a "best practices for not getting anybody's wires crossed" kind of a thing. If I'm the first agent, I want to be sure that all my business is wrapped up -- if I'm the NEW agent, I want to be sure that any work that I do, it is actually possible for me to get PAID FOR. If I start submitting things and it turns out there are still submissions out there, I might not get my commish, or have to share it. UGH.

-- 3 -- Also, (GOOD) agents are often hyper-vigilant about not poaching clients, or even having the appearance of potentially poaching clients. This is like, the biggest sin for an agent to do to another agent, agents who poach clients are, IMO, absolute pieces of trash and other agents HATE them.

It's kinda like... let's say you are married to somebody. (Not an OPEN MARRIAGE or anything fun like that -- just, regular-married.) If you decide you want to divorce them, OK, that can be tough, but it happens. If you meet and want to marry somebody new afterward, fantastic for you, mazel tov!

But if you do that in a different order -- ie, you just shack up with a new person BEFORE splitting up with your spouse -- well, it wouldn't really be fair to EITHER partner. (There are some words for that, and none of them are particularly nice!)

As an agent who does NOT want to be ostracised from the Good Agent community, I wouldn't be talking to somebody else's client like that. Look, even if I LOVE your work, I can't be having that conversation if you have an agent. Once you are free of any other entanglements, it's anybody's ball game, I'll fight for you -- but it would be trashy to say the least for me to talk smack to an agented author about how their agent sucks, or that they should fire their agent and come to me. I'm no homewrecker!