#it's a really bad night for missing my source material

[misskirisame]

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[catboymoses]

Maybe a basic one but I'd love to hear your thoughts/analysis on Whizzer Going Down (in trousers)

I'd love to share it!! I usually focus more on Marvin's relationship with the ladies than Whizzer in In Trousers, so tell me what I missed in the notes guys. Using my '85 script bc it is designed to be easier to follow and has more detail.

Starting as always with what William Finn has to say:

Whizzer Going Down is the song that rekindles Marvin's giddiness, which the ladies tell us he hasn't experienced in a long time. The last scene he was in was on his wedding day, the day of his "death," so presumably his giddiness was the part of him that died that day and has now been restored.

The first verse tells us how little he thinks of Trina, acting as if she's no more important than Whizzer's cooking. Food represents love and Marvin says that love isn't sex, so I think these first lines also mean that they have great sex but that Whizzer doesn't give him the type of love he craves. This verse also establishes the push and pull in their relationship--for every positive there's a drawback, and that's part of the fun.

(Side note- imo Whizzer doesn't really hate Trina, he's hates Marvin's life choices and family charades. Marvin can't tell the difference bc he thinks of Trina as a lifestyle, not a person.)

Slipping out at night every now and then is easier for Marvin than properly dealing with his situation, and their setup is easy for Whizzer too- he's scared of emotional intimacy and commitment, so some casual fun (or so he tells himself) is as easy as it gets. "I care" contrasts all of this, because caring is the antithesis of ease.

Sweating, nail biting, and smoking are all nervous tells--they are both anxious, but for different reasons. I think "and then he takes me in his arms, and then he lights another cigarette" is Whizzer being anxious about starting to fall for Marvin, esp considering he doesn't usually smoke and the intimate touches that precede it. (+ ofc the cigarette innuendo I didn't forget lol)

Not sure what lying flat like a bad idea or the colors of his surroundings signify (pls tell me in the notes!!) but fighting is certainly a theme for them. Both fighting and giddiness are described as forms of passion in the source material.

"I think I'll die, die, die," reminds me of Marvin's first death in The Wedding Song, but this time it's a 'little death' that marks the beginning of his new life.

The scat break is when the ladies fully interrupt Marvin's activities, I think this is Marvin's guilt preventing him from moving on. It also explains his earlier line "I'd like so much to whizz without them there."

Ok I think this is all I have to say about whizzer going down!! Ty so much for the ask :):)

[yunaloona]

Aonung x Sully!reader

reader is an amazing weaver And it’s Aonung’s of age ceremony and he asks Y/N for help with his ceremonial clothing cause he waited too long to make it and they stay up all night together making it…

~~~

It was late at night, you were drifting in and out of sleep in your separate marui because you finished your off age ceremony weeks ago, and you were finally getting used to being by yourself.

Obviously you missed you family, but it’s not like you won’t see them everyday. Lo’ak and Neteyam left months ago and that left you Kiri and Tuk.. well now just Kiri and Tuk.

Spending time in the Metkayina you got aquatinted to many of the people, a lot of them knowing you due to your amazing craftsmanship and skill in weaving.

Your mother calls it a gift from Eywa due to how diligent and fast you can get even the most difficult patterns down.

~~~

Being half way asleep you hear steps outside of your mauri. Ears perking up to the sound you grumble a bit.

Someone knocks on the outside whispering your name

“Y/N..? Hey wake up”

You groan recognizing the source of the voice.

“Go away Aonung, I’m trying to sleep.”

The boy rolled his eyes and let out a huff.

“Listen, I really need your help right now, so can you please get up?”

The genuine sound in his tone took you aback, maybe he really was in trouble and could use some help.

You raise up to see him standing in the middle of your Mauri, rubbing your eyes you yawn

“So what do you need help with?”

He seemed to liven up a bit at your willingness to assist him.

“Well.. tomorrow is my coming of age ceremony and.. I waited to long to make my ceremonial clothing.”

You deadpanned turning to lay back down

“Wait wait! Y/N I really need you to do this for me, it would be a dishonor to have not made them, I just need this one favor then I’ll leave you alone for like a week, promise”

You let out an exasperated grumble, but him not bothering you for that long sounded like heaven, plus you were lonely in your pod. Having company when you were already struggling to sleep doesn’t sound too bad.

“..mm fine”

He put on a pleased smile and set the materials next to you.

“We’re going to make an armband, a necklace, and a loincloth” he looked pleased with himself and the materials he gathered.

“Alright. Let’s get started”

You take the material

“I’ll make the jewelry pieces, you work on the loincloth.”

He nodded in agreement

~~~

It’s been hours. You both were dying of exhaustion. Weaving the materials was a lot more difficult in this state. Things that you could make easily in 30 minutes are now taking an hour do. Aonung wasn’t much help either, he didn’t really know what he was doing. You have had to stop and help him multiple times. Though you can be too hard on him, there is a lot that goes into these pieces, you were just upset he started so late.

“Why did you not start until today? Why wait so long?” You brought it up and we’re met with his eyes, he looked embarrassed to admit the reason.

“I thought this would be the easy part, I needed to gather the materials which seemed harder, I thought I could finish in a day, but… as you can see” he smirked at you pointing out the situation you both were in.

You rolled your eyes, going back working on the pieces.

~~~

You were finally done. Your fingers stung and your head throbbed. Aonung finished an hour ago and passed out on the floor, he tried helping but he ended up not being able to make it, which left it up to you.

You looked down at him, seeing how peaceful he looked, and warm.

You were used to cuddling with Tuk when you slept, she used to get scared at night so she’s always come to you for reassurance, and it became a habit of her to fall alseep in your arms.

The thought of being next to him made your heart race, but you quickly disregarded the thought,

How could you think of something like that. Especially with him. He was rude, cocky, mean, well you did like his smile, and his hair was nice, his body was very toned….

You sighed knowing that it was your tired drunken state making you think like this. You lay down closing your eye drifting away.

~~~~

30 minutes after you feel asleep, it wasn’t a good sleep though. You felt restless and anxious, something wasn’t right, you missed having your family around you, having someone close. Suddenly you feel something or rather someone against your backside and swing their arm around you.

In your state of tiredness you couldn’t comprehend what was happening but it was something that you were used to when you lived at home, you assumed it was Tuk not realizing she wasn’t there.

You drifted off again.

~~

Waking up you noticed a rather large hand covering your torso

You freeze realizing who it is and start to panic. Slowly turning you see that he is still asleep

You let out a relived sigh, but he opens his eyes, your mouth slightly agape when you see this.

“You move a lot in your sleep, you looked really uncomfortable. But you slept just fine in my arms hm?” He was smirking down at you

You lightly pushed him back sitting up.

“Don’t Aonung.” You were embarrassed, but in all honesty that was the best sleep you had since you got here.

“Well, say that it’s me repaying you for your help.. if you ever need me back here I’ll do this little sleep thing with you.” He sounded kinda genuine, you didn’t know how to feel. The guy that was kinda a pain in your side but also very protective, confident, amazing on the eyes… your mind trailed off again while staring down at him.

“Like what you see?” He was of course looking back at you, but his comment made you snap out of the trance.

You roll your eyes

“Whatever.. go get ready for your Ceremony. You have a big day today, so go.”

Your words were not harsh and you didn’t shoot down his idea, so he took that as a maybe to his suggestion.

~~~

Him leaving the mauri he wave and thanked you again “Thank you yawne” with that he left leaving you speechless.

The Olo’eyktan’s son called you yawne.

You, not even originally from this village, pretty average.. you thought there was plenty of other women in this village that could suite the requirements of his mate… but you? Obviously you’ve thought of the possibility, but your relationship with him was kinda off. Seeing him almost daily when you talked to each other it was like bickering, your friends like to say you both sound like an old married couple. You’d always find him catching glimpses of you, when you did he’d always smirk or pretend like he wasn’t. You did the same though, mapping out his features, memorizing the patterns on his skin… but that doesn’t mean you like each other.. right?

~~~~

-mini time skip-

The ceremony was amazing, the pieces you made suited him very well and they looked great on him, and he got quite the few compliments from them.

After there was a party to celebrate. You were by kiri, talking to her about ewya knows what when a guy from the village comes up to you.

“Hello Y/N” You know him as Nash’vi, recently he has been trying to talk to you more and more but in the past Kiri has said that he’d pick on and never apologized and makes her uncomfortable

“Hello..?” You’re used to him coming up to you from time to time but unless he apologized or owned up to his mistake, you would keep conversation short.

“I was wondering if you wanted to dance?” At this point Kiri had left, leaving the two of you alone

“Oh I don’t know I’m not really-“ you were cut off by someone wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

“Sorry but she already agreed to dance with me.” It was Aonung, your saving grace. You gave him a thankful look and Nash’vi walked away.

“Tsk” he looked aggravated at the boy walking away. You squeezed his hand catching his attention.

“So, we’re dancing now?” You gave him a smug look that he’s usually give you.

Now it’s his turn to roll his eyes

“Yeah, you know you want to.” You sighed smiling.

“Maybe I do?” With that he took your hand and lead you to the dance circle.

You both danced till you were tired and your feet burned. By the end of the party you could barley walk.

~~~

Going back to your mauri, Aonung offered to take you back, which you agreed.

You were leaning against him while he semi-held you up.

“Are we even now” he broke the comfortable silence. “Hm? What do you mean?” You looked up at him and he paused for a second, getting caught in them.

He thought about it for a second “..never mind I’d spend my whole life repaying you if I had the chance.” Again his words got you and your face started heating up.

“Y/N… may I court you?” Your skin was a light purple hue and you didn’t know what to say to his forwardness. He really did liked you.

You think about his request for a second.

“No” instantly he looked disheartened, but you weren’t finished. “No courting Ma’Aonung I’d love be your mate for life.. I see you.”

Now his face was heated, looking down at you he put his forehead to yours

“I see you Y/N”

With that you leaned into each other closing the space, and kissed.

[em0-alpaca]

after like over half a year or smth i finally finished him

meet Dante, the master of light!!! [srry for the bad english, i dont think ive ever written lore for any of my ocs lol]

HIS LORE IS STILL A WIP SO SOME THINGS MIGHT NOT WORK WITH CANON!! [i might miss some details, but thats because i dont wanna write too much]

plus in my au, Wu met Morro when the Elemental Alliance was created already and before Acronix and Krux betrayed them. [if.. thats not already canon lol, i dont keep up with when anything happened]

_____________________________________________

THE PAST:

[12-16 y.o.]

- He was one of the most determined and challenging teenagers, training hard.

- Dante has been the youngest member of the Elemental Alliance, making him the main interest as every single elemental master trained him. [his parents went to a journey, leaving him with Wu ans Garmadon at the monastery and they never came back. no one knows what happened to them, although, that didnt effected him much as he was often left with Wu.]

- when Dante was 16 years old, Morro was taken in under the blonde man wings. At first he didnt like it, but after some time he grew warmer to the jet-black haired boy, taking him for a younger brother and training with him. He mightve gotten more protective over him.

- Dante, too, believed that Morro was the green ninja after Wu talked about it, encouraging him and and lifting his hopes up subconsiously. the rest of the story is obvious.. this was one of the moments that really affected him.

- as he watched the EA fall apart, he craved for more power to fight against evil and find his little brother. he was told his whole life that he should never take his power for granted as its one of the strongest elements, especially with him being exposed to the main source of light very often. Dante, on the other hand, couldnt really deal with others leaving.

HIS ABILITIES:

- can bend and materialize light into weapons [his weapon of choice were mostly his light blades, but anything dual wielded was fine for him].

- he could move at the speed of light, often did it to attack his enemies from suprise [not a stealthy ability as he leaves glowing bright lights behind him when using it].

- can flashbang others by either throwing a small light ball at their eyes or snapping his fingers.

- as hes pretty strong during sunny days, at night and on cloudy days he usually uses weapons from Wu. [that doesnt mean he cant use his elemental power, but during his youth his power wasnt so strong with absence of the sun. it only changed what weapons he uses though]

[18- 27y.o.?]

- one night after sneaking out to clear his mind, a strange figure approached him. it was a tall one, hidden under the black cloak. everyone knew who Dante was, so with no beating around the bush, the mysterious man gave him an offer in joining him. green haired boy declined his offer immediately, but after what he heard he was shocked.. the mysterious man told him that he would help him find his so-called younger brother.

- after making him believe he can erase the evil from all of the ninjago he joined the cult. They burned the mark on his face to officialy take him as their member, making him their leader. the longer he stayed with them, the more corrupted and brainwashed he was, turning him into their weapon. they formed a plan, making an elemental burst and trying to erase "the evil".

- one day, he started his journey to look for Morro, going for days and days into every part of Ninjago, only to find his cold body in the Cave of Despair. he grieved him for a good few hours before finding a field to bury him and let him rest in peace.

- his desire for ubspeakable strenght grew bigger, forcing him into trying to create artificial element of light and mixing it with his own. this, unfortunalety, worked horribly with his mental state and making him more of a villain. when he attacked the city once, Wu was devastated and tried to help him. this lead them to have a fight with Wu desparately trying to convince him and change his mind. Wu after that meeting tried to talk with other elemental masters to stop Dante.

- when the city got under Dantes control after the cult betrayed him and he fought with the new-built Elemental Alliance, he used the Elemental burst. unfortunately, his light element mixed with the artificial one made him fail to destroy anything other the city. this, made him half-blind and left him scarred on his limbs, losing his power.

- after that he finally snapped out of his sinister desires and managed to ran away unnoticed from the city somewhere far away.

PRESENT [WIP]:

[30↑]

- he lives far far away from the town and anyone else in a small cottage house out of shame.

- if necessary, he comes out of the house in disguise to buy some food. hes had various jobs already, but his bad eyesight [no glasses helped with his vision] he couldnt work in too many for too long.

- his elemental power was slowly recovering, but due to the fact that it was corrupted and mixed with the artificial one, it was infecting his body, making it age slower and weakening him over time.

- after so many years he started recieving money in his mail.. perhaps from someone with a kind heart?

- he tries to stay away from anyone with elements and people who couldve been a part of a terror he caused, especially away from Wu.

_____________________________________________

ive been thinking of making another oc [his child] so for now im not planning on adding too much!!

im not really sure what to add to him in present Dante, but im up for any ideas. :) also i was too lazy to draw more doodles lol!

[terrathetulpa]

I would like to bash the Minecraft movie teaser immediately. Because we need to bully the studio into getting rid of it or changing it like we did to Sonic. It is the most egregiously hideous abomination of Minecraft I have ever had to look at through these poor shared bloodshot eyes. The animals look like fucking horseshit supreme! Like someone was fucking around with some fur shaders for the first time and went "What if I pulled in a model of a sheep from Minecraft?" That llama is gonna be in my nightmares and I'm gonna lucid dream for the first time in months just so I can banish it to the wretched cursed CG hell plane that it came from. But first I'm gonna bash it's hideous skull in so it doesn't come back!

I am so unimpressed by your wide angle shot of a landscape that is supposed to be Minecraft, and doesn't even pass for modded Minecraft! It doesn't look like the game at all! It looks like someone tried to do a 4k voxel style remake of genshin impact and then someone else photo-shopped random ass stock photos into it. And when is someone gonna tell the movie execs that we don't wanna look at Jason Momoa anymore!? I hate his stupid bearded face!

The only snowball's chance in hell that this thing has of being watchable at all is Jack Black, and even he looks scuffed as shit! You bought that man a blue T-shirt from the GAP SEVEN MINUTES before filming- didn't even check to make sure that shit fit him! LOOK AT THIS!!!

I love you Jack Black, but you are not Steve!!! YOU ARE NOT STEVE!!! Did anyone bother to like- LOOK at the source material for more than 0 seconds!? Do you realize what this movie COULD HAVE BEEN!? I CAN'T EVEN SIT HERE AND DESCRIBE TO YOU HOW BAD THIS MISS IS FOR ME, WE WOULD BE HERE ALL NIGHT!!!

GOD!!! AT LEAST GET HIM A PROPER SHIT FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!! FUCK!!! FUCKING FUCK!!! FUUUUUCCCKKK!!!!

MOTHER FUCKING DAMNIT! BITCHES IN HELL!!! FUCK THIS MOVIE! PLEASE KILL THIS MOVIE!! BOMB THIS FUCKING MOVIE!!! I need all of you internet haters to pretend this thing is Morbius! When this comes out in theatres, if they haven't at least tried to fix it. Every time you see it just pretend it's Morbius. It is not worth your time. Do not see it. Even if you really like Jack Black. Do not.

You know what fuck it- I can write a long ass post.

Listen, you have to understand that I love Minecraft. I love Minecraft so much. I love running around, making things and exploiting villagers. Roaming vast landscapes of blocks and tricking the skeletons into shooting each other. The greatest burden of my childhood is that I couldn't convince my friends to continue playing Minecraft with me. If Minecraft were a beautiful woman, I would marry her. We would host lavish dinner parties and all of the guests would compete to build the coolest Minecraft build, and I would always win because Minecraft is my wife! Now I will proceed to spend several minutes resisting the urge to describe even the most intimate aspects of this theoretical marriage I would have to Minecraft in excruciating and graphic detail. (The fuck was I saying?)

This movie could have been LITERALLY ANYTHING! Because if it has ever happened, it has happened in Minecraft. This could've been a thriller, a murder mystery, an action movie, they could have remade literally anything and gotten away with it because "It's Minecraft, it's different" They could have made INFINITE MINECRAFT MOVIES!!! But more painful to lose, and more painful to see missing from the discourse about this film is that it could have told stories that nothing else could have told. This could have been a base wars movie, this could have been about conflicting factions competing for land, with complex politics, interesting heroes and villains, doing goofy ass shit like building sheep everywhere or making chicken bombs as much as they actually genuinely fight with TNT cannons and crazy ass ANIMATED PVP sequences. This movie could have been FUCKING SICK!!!

This could have been a retelling of an anarchy server's history, or a long romantic love letter to the game itself in movie form, or a playful exciting romp through someone's LAN game but from the perspective of those in game characters- AND NO ONE PLAYS AS STEVE HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE!!! Where is our community's representation??? I don't trust this studio to show us massive sprawling builds that represent years of work, the fortresses, the cathedrals, the giant nether mansions. We're not going to see seasoned players strike down the ender dragon with 5 beds and a wooden axe. We're not getting elytra courses, SMP stories, redstone computers, massive pixel art, giant sculptures, hidden signs in peoples bases, pastoral communities farming by the river, villager outposts, torn up server spawns, that one guy who built a 150 block tall wheat farm overnight, the absolutely massive expanse of mods for this thing, the elaborate RP plots, the full on cities constructed by dozens of people, adventure maps, survival challenges, that one fucking log by the door that you keep stripping on accident- THE ACTUAL ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT MINECRAFT IS FOR ANYONE!?!?

NO!!! NOOOOO!!! None of that for you! You know what you get instead!?!?

You get JACK FUCKING BLACK trying to lug this 150-million dollar 6000 pound TURD through the box office BY HIMSELF!!! In a shitty blue T-shirt that some poor underpaid intern bought for him for 9$, 7 minutes before they started filming!!!

and I don't think he can do it!

There's no band-aid big enough to make this better.

Not even Jack Black!

[night-shadowblood-writes2]

bridge the gap with me

noa x human reader

2k words ugh lol not proofread, so if there are mistakes, I'm sorry. I hope it's well received, though 😁

chapter 2: new area's to explore

When I woke up I wondered if I should lay in for a bit longer or get a move on with my day before I could even get in a better comfy position my stomache grumbled and I wondered if feeling hungry was worth getting up. "alright (y/n) its time to get up your hungry and and you don't know the area... yes (y/n) I know that you dumbass but i want to lay in bed right now it's super comfy and my feet ache" i said speaking to myself trying to motivate myself.

i sigh grab my water bottle and pack up its better to always be ready to be on the move lets I want to go through the trouble of scavenging for new supplies which isnt ideal. Once I found a river I was able to get a pot boiling to have clean water and I had my spear which really is just a long stick poised ready to attempt to catch fish if this didn't work I'd have to go back and remake my weird fish trap basket but it kept being destroyed. after an hour I cought three but my spear tip was damaged from smacking it into the rocks. "damn it (y/n) okay okay i'll try again with the stupid trap." I grumble to myself I used the knife to remove the scales and remove the insides. I then went around looking for any vegetables or herbs to add.

"Hell yeah!" I cheered I found a good find and thought 'huh this place is pretty good nothing has come to attack or claim territory so far maybe I can settle here for bit.' "first things first find good shealter prefebly near a good water source then I can make a garden with all the seeds I found so far. maybe building a house if I go back to the library and find something on how to step by step.." I sigh went back to my camp and get ready to make breakfast.

afterwards I begin to look around the river going upstream 'I wonder if I can make a tree house' "I always wanted one maybe I can and it would keep me away from predators too" I then made up my mind "well looks like I found the place for me." I smirk lost in a world not my own I was going to thrive not die.

It took months to get everything ready and even longer to find a sturdy tree and make the materal I needed good thing I arrived in early spring I could handle the heat but I had to be ready for the winter I struggles and many times gave up but now a months later a decently sized tree house and I was thinking of making another that connected by a bridge for food storage. My hands were calloused and a it cut my gloves worn down a good amount. I had a lot of times hit my head. "Primative tool but they worked for a reason" I say as I tug on the roap ladder making sure it was sturdy before climbing up it was about 15 ft up I had to be sure no accidents happened I'm so glad I made railings. it was a decent side only one room and a side building for using the restroom I though of building it on the ground but if I had to go at night I didn't want to chance fallingi just use a roap the take the bucket down and use it a fertilizer.

I looked at my little garden and I hope to expand it soon after watering and taking care of that I decided to start on the wooden bridge. After a few hours I wasn't even halfway done but I strectched my back the cracking was perfectly satisfying," Man and I thought my back was bad before now I'm sure I will hate myself in the future," I looked up and lay back "but damn did I do a good job..." I let my eyes close and drift to sleep unconsciously thinking of my family and friends what were they doing how are they did they miss me?

When winter hit I made sure to stock up scavenging for blankets or material to make blankets and bedding. It was my first winter here it was harsh and unforgiving I would have froze if I wasn't so diligent.

I was halfway through making the storage areas foundation so the vegetables and fruits I had had to be stored with me though they didn't last long. Meat and fish I had to dry them out like jerky or eat it then and there. "I wonder where I am and how close I can get to the ocean or maybe I can somehow use salt water from the lake to make salt it would sure make this food taste better." I sigh and decided to try it out I brought my pot my successfully made fish trap (after many many MANY trial and errors) and decide to find a salt lake or river maybe with my hunting knives on I ventured out it was a ways away I don't know how long I'd be gone but I have memorized the area of my home rather well this time I would explore a new area.

With a hop skip and step I made sure to be on the look out new area means new danger. I was careful but nothing was too bad in the year I have been here I have yet to run into any apes and honestly I didn't know what I would do if I did. It was one thing to see them on a screen but to be here where if I cross the wrong ape I could be beaten to death or worse it was frightening.

I know they are more evolved now with human intellect but that made them even scarier in real life but like any species there are good and bad in every group. where there was bad people or apes there had to be good and I full heartedly believe that but I'm no fool its my life on the line I had to get smarter stronger and adaptive reactive I wanted to live. I began humming another song it was from epic the musical 'thunderbringer' it was catchy I had to admit the whole musical was.

In the distance I heard a horse I tensed did I want to go see it to confirm would curiosity kill the cat? I don't know but I was moving anyways a river separated me from who I saw. Apes a few actually they were slim a few children played around them the elder ones looked to be chastising them not to get too close to the water. I remember reading this some apes couldn't swim due to muscle mass, body structure, low body fat percentage and other factors. The babies were really cute though I decided to leave them to themselves. I saw a few male apes watching fishing or petting birds acting as gaurds. I noticed a few of the same type bird in trees flying around or on the chimps.

as I walked away I heard a commotion which prompted me to hide did they see me?! I was scared but no the noises started going down wind. "Lets go I should go I could be in trouble if I'm caught." I went back like an idiot I saw why there was so much panic a baby had fell in and the river swept them down river the apes ran after it the males riding on horse trying to keep up. I saw a few gather around a female she was in panic that was her baby. I could tell the others were trying to calm her.

I knew the baby would drown the river was getting too violent the males couldn't swim out to it. It broke my heart but that was life if you're not careful life could be taken from you or a loved one.

Splash!

'What am I doing? Idiot youre dead!' 'I know I know but its a baby and the mother was crying' I thought to myself as swam. pushing myself to kick harder swim faster I saw it it was close I reached out it went under and I dove after it. I wrapped my arms around the baby forcing us up the river pushing at us but I made damn sure the baby got air before we went under again. the water was strong but I kept the little ones head above water as much as possible. I opened my eyes and I felt my heart drop into my stomach drop a waterfall I looked around we weren't to far from the edge I saw the males calling to us and I desperately kicked trying to get to their side it was hard swimming with one hand holding the baby in the other trying to keep it alive.

When we got close enough I slipped and went under but a large strong hand gripped my wrist and pulled. and my back hit the ground hard coughing out water and gasping for air I rolled on my side the baby in hand also coughing out water. I rubbed and patted it's back I ignored the sound of hooves and ape calls. "c'mon c'mon there you go let it all out breathe little one breathe" I mutter encouragingly. I also heard the other apes arrive most likely the others that were upstream . Once its breathing got regulated I sighed in relief before straightening up not looking at them too scared too silently punishing myself for being so stupid but I didn't regret it a life was saved today.

The mother or who I assumed to be the mother came close desperate to get her young but too scared on how I'd react. I smiled made sure no teeth were shown and held out the baby "I'd recommend getting this one home and dried up"I said, she reached out quick to take its young but not roughly the baby was handled with care the female looked young maybe her first born possibly. she made a gesture I don't know sign language but I knew that it was a thank you one.

They didn't know how to act I could see that I remember seeing these movies around 7 times EACH I wasn't supposed to speak humans were called echos mimicing apes at lesser intelligence. The apes were cautious a female came forward she was familiar. "you..can speak?" she said slowly breathlessly but smoothly. I nodded slowly my body tensing looking around to see if I could make an escape. "I am Soona.. come with me echo " she gestured for me to stand then signed to the other and the began heading in a random direction.

a male signed to her but she shook her head I wonder what he said. It was a bit of a walk but then we came to a large home wide field large structures and many apes. they watched us shocked some cautious keeping their distance Soona led me to a large structure with two other males she led me up it was a long way up "Noa!" she hooted and gestured for me to not move the males watched my every move. I felt as if I just shackled myself and I was going to drown under their gazes. Movement came towards us the footsteps were strong with purpose and hesitated to look up knowing who I would see. "This echo speaks?" his voice was strong yet young "yes.. we all heard her. "She saved meadow's son..he fell in the river..almost drowned" Soona says. "what is your name?"he directed to me. With a silent gulp I steeled my nerves and looked into his green eyes he was (taller than, smaller than, eye to eye with) me "My name is (y/n)."

[skateboardtotheheart]

in every fandom, I see a lot of posts that are always like "if you don't like this character you're wrong" or "you just don't understand them" and seeing those kinds of posts just makes me so frustrated???

most recently I've seen a lot of those posts about the cat king from dead boy detectives (just because it's my latest hyperfixation), and frankly, yeah, I don't really understand. and I will read your entire long post explaining why he's got all these little nuances or subtle tones or genuineness that I missed and I can grow a little more understanding about him. but hey- when I'm done reading your post? unfortunately I still do not like him. I can appreciate him and what he brings to the show, but I just don't like him. it's not because I think he's creepy or gets in the way of a ship or anything most people automatically assume - he's just not my vibe. he simply doesn't fit in the scope of characters I enjoy.

and why is that wrong?? why do I need to be lectured at because of that?? when did fandoms get to a point that people aren't allowed to have differing opinions on a character or dislike a character just because? yes, a lot of the time it is, but it doesn't always need to be deeper than that.

YOU relate to that character on a deeper level, YOU understand their intrinsic motivations, or at least what you perceive them to be, and YOU love that character. fantastic!! I'm happy for you!! enjoying media in a way where you can do that is how it is meant to be!! but in absolutely no universe will everyone ever have the exact same interpretations of a character or piece of media. we all see different aspects of people and relate to things/characters differently. I've been on both sides of things! sometimes my favorite character in a show is someone that everyone else hates or doesn't care for, but I'm okay with that! if they disagree with me, then they disagree with me. I've done the deep dives into why I think the character acts the way they do and taken time to devote myself to better understanding them.

but some people just don't do that. you can be a fan of something without doing that with a character. hell, you can be a fan of something by only ever consuming the source material at its surface level and NEVER going deeper if you do not want to do so. it's allowed.

maybe while you're interpreting a character to have a deeper trauma that results in them acting the way they do, they're reminding someone else of trauma they went through and that character makes them feel bad. maybe you see someone trying to help, but someone else sees it as manipulation. maybe you see someone cold and bitter while someone else sees the kindest person with years of walls built up around them. maybe what someone else interprets as funny, you have never laughed at.

((if we're keeping with the dbd example, think about when the Night Nurse watched Charles' death. what she saw was the quick and utter devotion that Charles developed for Edwin and how deeply he cares for him; she's seeing that Charles will truly not give up in getting Edwin back from hell. what Charles saw was the pure kindness Edwin had done for him even after all those decades in the worst place imaginable; he's seeing who Edwin is on a deeper level. neither interpretations of the memory are incorrect. but after watching the exact same thing, they are thinking in two entirely different directions))

so why does everything seem to start off with "you're wrong" and "I'm sad for you because you just don't get it"? we should be HAPPY that there are people out there who take different approaches and have different interpretations. that is how media is meant to be consumed. and I'm not saying that you shouldn't make your long posts explaining why you love a character- by all means do that!! you understand something that others don't and that should be put out in the world!! but if you're going to do that you also need to understand that there are a lot of people who you WILL persuade, and there are a lot of people who you will NOT. don't be upset about that and certainly do not put down or lecture anyone who doesn't agree with you. it's OKAY. it is not the end of the world just because someone doesn't like a character you like.

everyone interprets media differently. and that's amazing.

[snowblack-charcoalwhite]

I used to scratch my head when some people (mostly TB fans) compared Aemond to Ramsay (once I read that he was a combination of Jon Snow and Ramsay, believe it or not) and Rhaenyra to Daenerys. However, it seems that Condal and the rest of those clowns think the same because the way they write Aemond this season is atrocious. I wouldn't be surprised if he flayed someone alive at this point. And Rhaenyra is more rational and less cruel than Daenerys so she is actually an upgrade, according to them. It's such a shitshow atp. And to think that i used to wake up at 3 am (when the show airs in my country) just to watch it since it was an old habit of mine since the got era. All that excitement is lost now and it just makes me sad. Idk, I really hate this season not only for the butchering of the characters I liked, but also for many inconsistencies, plotholes, rushed plots, cheap and badly executed callbacks to GoT with zero logic and respect for the lore (e.g. the whole food riot suplot). It's too much. But I guess the fandom is easy to please because they talk the most about Seasmoke "adorably" chasing Addam or Rhaenyra and Mysaria's kiss after this episode. And many of them were yapping about horrible season 8 of GoT and its writing decisions. Hot take: I really miss Game of Thrones because it was in general a really good adaptation and the problems started when they ran out of the source material and with the shortened seasons (they obviously didn't learn that lesson and we got another shortened season which is, surprise, surprise, bad) . Still, i enjoyed the last seasons of GoT far more than I enjoy s2 of hotd. Controversial or not, this is the truth.

Good day/night to you!

Actually, I don't think that believing GoT, even taking into account the flop that were seasons 7 and 8, to be way superior to HotD is such a hot take anymore. A lot of things went wrong by the end of the original series but ultimately, at the very least, the audience (myself included) came to care deeply for the characters by having been on a very long journey with them - and because the characters were well established. In HotD though... Well, after watching 6 episodes of season 2 I look at the characters and feel that without the actors' input (I mean amazing acting as well as them sharing their takes on their characters in interviews), the sourse material and, in some cases, good foundations laid in season 1 I wouldn't really care about them.

As for unwillingness of HotD writers and showrunners to cut the proverbial apron strings tethering them to GoT, it is both ridiculous and sad. Ridiculous - because of the amount of references and attempted copy-pastes (with some adapting twists). Sad - because sometimes it feels like in part this lack of originality stems not only from the desire to play the nostalgia card but also from the lack of belief in their own ability to tell a compelling new story. And I say "attempted" because at the end of the day the parallels don't work. Rhaenyra is no Daenerys - she is but a shadow of her, bland, passive and boring. Aegon is no Joffrey (and never was - not even when the writers unashamedly pushed this parallel after season 1) - he is way too sensitive and cares too much to be like him. Even after what the writers have done to Aemond, he is still no effing Ramsay Bolton - whatever he did or does next will not produce the same impression Ramsay's atrocities made at least because of rushed and fumbled execution - and because Ewan doesn't play him that way. And for sure Viserys "if I ignore the problems piling up around me maybe they'll just disappear" Targaryen is no Ned Stark.

As for Aegon and Aemond, writers themselves keep saying contradictory things about these characters. They keep low-key (in Aegon's case even not so low-key, at least in the past) pushing for these Joffrey/Ramsay parallels - but in the same breath are waxing poetic about the complexities of Aegon and Aemond's nature and are trying for nuance in the narrative as well. What game are they playing?

All in all, my take on it is that GoT became iconic (even the atrocious ending - which also became legendary in its own ironic way) while HotD as a TV series for now mostly feels shallow and forgettable. Like you said, it's s damn shame HBO hired incompetent amateurs to build the project meant to atone for the sins of the last seasons of GoT - and these amateurs ended up making something that turned out to be even worse.

[jack-kellys]

west end question: i obviously love my brooklyn girls and would die for them all, but is it bad that it’s taken away the sprace dynamic for me? like i’m still 100% on board with a nowhere near canon ship and it shouldn’t affect me they’ve decided to have spot be a girl, but it lowkey has? and i feel kinda guilty about it? idk i love my proshot boys. but i am 100% here for all the uk newsies cast they are amazing and so talented and it’s definitely my favourite production by far!! idk if i’m making sense

ok part of me feels a litle baited actually because like. i feel like... im vocal abt mlm musical sprace not being a big vibe for me in the first place. so im a funny person to ask if you were looking for relief lmao. anyway here's my thesis below.

wait also if ur a white newsie fan a read-thru+rb of this would be much appreciated thank youuu (also yall have been eating up my character analyses anyway sooooo!)

TL;DR THESIS: if you're feeling genuinely let down that your ship did not see the light of day and a black girlsie spot conlon got to instead, then yes, you should reevaluate that.

followers, if you've been with me long enough, you know that i have quite strong opinions about how this show gets treated when it comes to interpretations and fandom/fanon. mostly, this is because i literally work in theater, and it's extremely backwards in my brain personally when shows get treated more like a movie or tv show than a performance piece.

im also one of the only ppl in this fandom that ever seems to dare speak on race (not the damn character smh). and anon, buddy, kiddo, this does have to do with race, gender, and sexuality.

firstly, what i think needs to be understood about newsies, is that it is theater, which means it is meant to be mutable. there is no one way. there should never be one way. it does not exist. secondly, theater does not exist in a fandom vacuum. its live every night, conceptually. theater is a live performance art.

interpretations change- it's the nature of theater. so i think asks like these really do illuminate the difference between fans of the show's content or fans of... i guess the show's culture's content.

this is a culture content ask.

one thing i really, truly, deeply need you all to understand: from an objective, script- and staging-based perspective, proshot sprace does not exist. they do not speak. they barely see each other. race does not even volunteer to go to brooklyn. the ship originates from the 1992 movie, where they do actually interact, which is why the ship has prevailed through the 90s to today. they're from the movie, not the musical.

of course, this doesn't bash the ship- it has history, and naturally fans want to create new history when they get a new source material (the musical). it's true for like every newsie ship lowkey (but also not lowkey because all the manhattan newsies do interact and sprace literally does not but thats a different post!!), which is something i do admire about the fandom- we do a lot of our own legwork here, we invent relationships and backgrounds from one-liners that could be given to tbh any frickin newsie. i respect the 30 years we have invented ships.

however.

when a huge, publicized, consistently sold out production comes along with spot conlon as not only a woman, but a woman of color (specifically black rn!) as the leader of the most feared group on stage, there becomes something much more important than a "sprace dynamic", which does not canonically exist in the musical anyway bro. you can't miss something that isn't there imo. often the story and casting within a story comes first, and goddamn if this isn't one of those times. lillie-pearl's spot brings bravado, swagger, confidence, and intimidation that is literally....fine maybe i'm being personal but it is slash gen incredible to see in technically a period piece! a black woman in leadership with that kind of assuredness! in such a popular musical! how is that not– automatically surpassing an often obsessed-over (yes i am. hinting at something here, straight girl fans) mlm ship?

and while i'm on the topic of the over-obsessiveness of mlm musical sprace, let me talk about uksies sprace. because what's also wack abt this ask is that sprace is not a hopeless case in this production- it literally has about as much 'evidence' as the proshot imo!!!!!

i got to hop over to 2nd row brooklyn seating for act 2 so i saw once and for all really close up, right. there's a moment when race is upstage letting the newsies in/down from the stairs. spot comes down and she does, in fact, share a look with him. race gives spot a nod and she keeps moving.

and like im gonna see the show again (every day i am counting my mf blessings fr), so if i'm wrong or they don't do it every time i'll correct myself, but that's what i saw with my own dang eyes on saturday. they do acknowledge each other in uksies.

and since they do, i really like. i have to ask. what is bothersome/unpopular abt uksies sprace, other than oh idk.... its not white/white mlm with a twink/manly bf trope? why can't race still love who spot is as a character, this strong and fearless ruler of brooklyn, in uksies? because tbh josh's racer...nahhhh because. this is such a side note now but they'd be so good together oh jesus am i gonna ship uk sprace. and it's not like they're 'taking away' from a queer ship because a) you can headcanon spot as a queer girl and race being trans is consistently popular and b) newsies has ten billion gayass ships bro we've been eatin for literal decades.

anon, i'm sure you didn't mean harm by this ask. i'm sure, honestly, that a lot of fans are feeling the same way as you and weren't quite sure how to put it in words. but, i'm also not surprised you sent an ask like this on anonymous specifically.

should you feel guilty about it? i don't think guilt is the right word. but i believe you should think more about how newsies is not.....static. it does not exist in one form, and it never will. if you're feeling genuinely let down that your ship did not see the light of day and a black girlsie spot conlon got to instead, then yes, you should reevaluate that. in theater, you should always question why something impacted you the way it did- a major point of theater is to discuss and think about it when you leave! i know this because ive spent three years literally studying it, to back up my thesis credentials.

thank you for reading this, newsies fandom. i do honestly say all this with love, and i hope it made u think !! ♥️

[kroosluvr]

My entire life I have been so bad at reading manga or comic books or anything like that, because I just want to read the text and I never stop to appreciate the art. Then I saw one of your VioletFox comics, the one they're walking on a bridge discussing their pursuits of gymnastics and painting. I remember getting absorbed in Yusuke's wall of dialogue, and then the beat panel of Sumi silently crying hit me like a gut punch. That one image affected me more deeply than the whole moving block of text I had just read. I went back and reread the comic, and I saw that every facial expression, even the panel layout, was telling a whole complex emotional story underneath the text bubbles.

Now every time I see one of your comics I end up reading it twice, once for the text and once just to look at the artwork. The dialogue you write gives the characters so much more depth than they ever got in the source material, and your art style is so evocative and fills every scene with more emotion than the words can convey by themselves. And I've started doing this with other comics I like as well. It's stunning to see how much I've been missing, but my enjoyment of them is so much greater now.

I dunno, this feels like one of those things that's obvious to everybody else and I'm only just now figuring out because I'm autistic. But I've been reading comics online for at least fifteen years, and yours are the ones that finally made me look at the artwork as more than a backdrop for the story being told in the dialogue. Thank you for using your art to feed my Persona brainrot, and thank you for making me better at appreciating comics as an art form.

oh my god thank you so so much for such a lovely comment ;--; this is the first thing i read after waking up and I WAS CLOSE TO TEARS UUAUHHH im so amazed and so honored that my art could have this sort of impact on anyone,, ;o; <3333 LIKE IM SERIOUSLY SPEECHLESS IM SO FREAKING FLATTERED TO RECEIVE THIS LEVEL OF PRAISE FOR MY WORK!!!!!!! my latest persona comics and stuff is straight from the heart so when people also connect with it or resonate on a deep level i feel so so happy....

the violetfox..!!! AHHH that comic carries such a deep weight in my heart........ sumi and yusuke carry such complicated feelings abt their passions and they had no one to talk to abt it (before akira) (but i want them to talk to each other and share notes ehehe...) im so happy that one could resonate with you... //w// i really like drawing facial expressions!!!!! that one is kind of old so now i look at it like TCH.. I COULD DO BETTER..... but art is all abt improving every day amiright ehhewhe

im so SO happy you enjoy my dialogue too!!! ////w//// not a writer by any means..... but it really does come straight from the heart eheh.... so if the shoe fits amiright //w//

but seriously im so happy to hear this, thank you so much for telling me LIKE IM GONNA THINK ABT THIS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE IM SO SERIOUS. im so so amazed and happy that my art could help you also enjoy other art/comics/works.... i didn't know i could have this sort of impact ;w; thank you again so much!!!! I WILL KEEP DRAWING FOREVER (AND PERSONA FOR A LONG TIME IM SURE!!!!) thank you again for your lovely comments waaaah my heart so warm... please have a good day/night!!! //w//

(sorry my reply is so not eloquent compared to yours IM CRYINGGSJDFSD AAA

[sublimegentlemanalpaca]

Where’s Feste? Rambling about Twelfth Knight

So a week or so ago I finished reading Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth. It’s a retelling of Twelfth Night by everyone’s favorite builder of bridges of ziggurats William Shakespeare. Takes Twelfth Night to a High School. Orsino is Jack Orsino, star running back and Student body President who gets a bad injury. Viola is now Viola or Vi Reyes…fan of Ttrpgs, Ren Faire and not Game of Thrones stand in War of Thornes (which disappointingly is not just a historical drama of the Lesser Henriad…dang) she plays as Cesario online to avoid misogynistic assholes. There’s a lot great about this. How both navigate fandom, and social circles besides. The fact they two know eachother, don’t get along, then later do (it’s a retelling of Twelfth Night of course it’ll be romance). The fact that Orsino is asking irl Viola to help figure out why his girlfriend is wanting a break….and like…dude isn’t a creep about it. He’s just…wanting to know? This is a very likable Orsino. There’s a lot more but there that question in the title. Where’s Feste?

To those unaware, Feste is the Fool in Twelfth Night. Noted as Clown in stage directions, he’s in my opinion one of if not the best Fool in the Cannon. At the very least the best of the Armin performed Fools of the middle to later plays. The Kemp clowns of earlier works…that’s a matter of debate. But Feste is my favorite so….the best. This retelling streamlines stuff. Cuts out the Malvolio subplot (probably for the best in this instance), Maria is seemingly non existent. No Dead brother for Olivia…but Feste though! On the one hand…it might be that Sebastian’Bash’ Reyes stands in for Feste.? Given he’s a dramatic Thespian who ‘loves to make people laugh’ and ends up forming a supportive relationship with Olivia (not romantic mind you as opposed to the play with Sebastian) and there’s a really good scene between him and Vi in the tail end of the book….but regardless of that. There are two instances it seemed there was a Feste shaped specter….

First of all, both Jack and Vi but especially Vi thinking to herself of wishing she could just voice her opinions without people being assholes about it…calling her bitch and other such things. Would have been a neat time to think on the Fool’s License I thought. While yes that in and of itself is a can of worms…given historical views of Folly….but could somewhat avoid that given Feste as fool is an allowed an ‘artificial’ fool. Don’t know. Just think it would be neat. Second…hm…to my recollection there wasn’t a point at which Vi reflected in a ‘he’s wise enough to play the fool’ bit. But…thinking on it now this is not a retelling bound to the text, and all better for it at times. I don’t know if this is in the same ball park of Ten Things I hate about you, where the retelling I find far better than the source material. However it is alongside Ten Things as one of my favorite retellings of Shakespeare ever. Heck, I think I’ll even take another shot if that Atlas Six book I enjoyed Twelfth Knight so much. Love this book…though still miss an overt Feste. Kept thinking this Pastor character would be Feste given ‘Sir Topas the Currate’ but not quite. Extra kudos to the level of restraint in not being up the ‘Means of Greatness’ bit. Anyway…think I’ve rambled away from whatever point I had. Do highly recommend you read Twelfth Knight be you a Shakespeare nerd specifically, or some other sort. Excellent book, funny and heartfelt. Even with the lack of overt Feste.

Make of this what you will,

Al, the Chronographing Cottager and Prince of Naming

[ceruleanmusings]

hey! i’m loving Inconsolable! I just have one question: What made you make Squid diabetic? Is there any lines in the source text? (I haven’t read the book in years.) I don’t mean this negatively, I’m just very interested in how fic writers make these decisions and what leads them to it! (:

hi there! thanks for reading my fanfic! it came at a good time, i'm working on getting the next chapter up this week!

there isn't any source material in the books about squid being diabetic, that's to say in canon he is not diabetic, and that's partially why i made the choice to make him diabetic.

compared to the other characters, we know next to nothing about him except for him being x-ray's right hand man/being seen as the "tough guy in d-tent", being upset about something (most likely that he doesn't have a loving mom like stanley) to the point he cried one night, and having shit parents. at the end he asks stanley to tell his mom that he, alan, was sorry for something. this was changed to armpit in the movie and it bugged me because it stripped us of the smallest glimpse into squid's life pre cgl.

squid is basically a blank slate. he has a missing dad, an alcoholic mom, and, as per the movie and it's deleted scenes, kind of dumb but also seen as tough. that's all we get. the fact that stanley yelnats' guide to surviving camp green lake stated he was arrested for breaking into homes to steal loose change and soda cans made me think "that's a very small reason to be arrested and put to labor" (ignoring the breaking in part). though if he was stealing that i thought "if he's stealing soda cans it must be because he's selling them for money." and then i thought "if he's selling it for money, he most likely is poor." and then i thought "if he's that poor then it's either because of his mom spending all his money on booze (which may account for potentially not holding down a job?) or there's another factor that's making them be short on money." so then i wondered what could make someone constantly short on money? medication. what medication is expensive (especially now)? insulin.

i then dove into hundreds and hundreds of YT videos, blog posts, reddit posts, and medical journals talking about insulin and it's history, how it was handled in the 90s, the effects if it's not taken properly, personal stories about how they manage it, and i had one reviewer on FFN give me some extra details to fix any mistakes i made in my portrayal.

it just made sense to me and how i see squid in my head. he's angry a lot because he has next to no control over his life. that's all he wants, that's his goal, control and agency. to live his life his way. not to have society telling him where he's supposed to be and where he's supposed to stay because of his (lack) of money, because of his alcoholic mom, because of his missing dad, because of his bad grades, because of his (terrible) friends (excluding mickey.) the biggest blow was being chained to life-saving medicine that he (technically) can't control either. it has control over him. (plus, it shows extra audacity for cgl to sometimes purposefully withholding squid's insulin as a form of punishment. especially from pendanski.)

once he finally reaches a point where he realizes that he can control how he reacts to those things and the outcomes, he'll grow and be headed in the right direction. it's taking him some time but he's getting there.

thanks for asking! i love when people ask me questions like this! i don't really ever get a chance to discuss my thought process and the choices i make for my fics, the behind the scenes as it were, so this was fun! if you (or anyone else), have any questions please feel free to ask!

[frostyreturns]

Frosty Ruins The Lord Of The Rings (1978)

This will be my first time ever watching this version of Lord Of The Rings, I didn't even know it existed until fairly recently. So this review is based on total first impressions.

To start with it opens like an old film serial and looks kind of janky. You could tell it was from a time where a lot of people probably didn't even know what Lord Of The Rings was, back when it was a far less mainstream property, back in the days where Robert Plant could slip plot details from the book into a song and expect that nobody would really take notice.

I'm not sure if the opening is live action or is rotoscoped like parts of the rest of the movie but it looks like they just filmed actors but did them all in shadow so they didn't have to design quality costumes. The voice over is classic 70's and is vaguely the same as the opening of Jacksons Fellowship Of The Ring, which becomes a theme.

The movie differs from the books and the Peter Jackson movies because it puts the scene of Smeagle murdering for the ring in with the introduction. However you can also see that Jackson obviously took a lot of inspiration from this version rather than just using the books as source material.

You can also see the ways that Jackson made it better, there are elements of the storytelling that to me are missing in this version. For example in this version as the nature of the ring is being revealed by Gandalf, he knows coming in what the ring is and begins the conversation by saying it is evil. Whereas in the movie there was some additional tension added by Gandalfs uncertainty, and there was a bit of a fake out and a moment of false relief. There's also the way Frodo just casually slips in the line about wishing this wasn't happening in his time…but it hasn't yet been established just how dire the situation is so the line falls flat.

As the animated portion of the movie takes off, you kind of see also that originally the story was marketted more exclusively to kids. The art style is a lot more cartoonish than I would have guessed, it's like studio ghibli crossed with an 80's cartoon like He-man. The voice over also sounds cartooney and is done in that same 80's cartoon manner. While I don't enjoy it as much as the live action which to me was near perfect…it's not terrible. The character design isn't my favourite but the art style is still very good even though the realistic live action animation rotoscoping doesn't mesh well with the cartoonish simpler animation or look all that great, but it is interesting, very well composed. The backgrounds look like they would all make good paintings that I would frame and hang around the house. The movie looks like it's a product of its time so I can see there being a dedicated fanbase for this version but I can also see people saying it's cheesy and dorky.

Speaking of bad character design. I hate what they did to most every character especially Sam, they made him look and sound like a little effeminate homunculus. Saruman the white they for some reason depicted in a red cloak. The Nazgul looked less intimidating and more zombielike, they had the movement of lurchy hunchbacks that would have been reminiscent of old 30's horror movies. Aaragorn also looked so frumpy and plain, almost native american looking. Elrond looked so plain and looked more like Kevin Nealon than the animated Kevin Nealon from 8 Crazy Nights where he played the mayor. The orcs and trolls looked like smudgy incoherent blobs, the only reason you can tell it's supposed to be a creature is the glowing eyes. Even the balrog looked weird and less intimidating…and they didn't really build it up in the Moria scenes like the books and other movies do. Although one interesting thing about the characters is I thought the voice actor for Frodo was excellent and actually sounded a lot like Elijah Wood, to the point I wonder if that effected his casting at all.

There are moments compositionally that seem amateurish, for example they introduce Merry And Pippin by having them simply walking behind the main characters without introduction, and then they threw in dialogue about them agreeing to follow them as far as Bree…but the audio sounded different and it sounded like the voice actor rushed the line to make it fit into the scene before it changed. Seems like they made a last minute change because they had to cut the scene where they introduced the characters or because they realized they forgot to explain who they were. Then it cuts to a shot of them doing a weird little dance and then the scene changed again…very strange and makes the whole thing looks less professional.

One other complaint I have is that the visual depictions of magic use are not well done at all, and if I did not already know what was happening I would have no clue what I was looking at. The duel between Gandalf and Saruman was just flashing lights, and there was a prolonged scene with the black riders where the background kept shifting in and out and it looked like they were in the sky one second and on land the next. And they just held out their hands and Frodo just seemed to stand there watching them point at him for no reason at all. Knowing the story I know what is happening but without the context of the books or the Jackson movies this scene would have been very confusing.

The action is also underwhelming. The way they swing their swords makes them look like less effective weapons than a twig, they hit enemies with a sword like they're using a blunt object, it's hard to describe what I mean but it just looks wrong.

The other main issue I have with the movie is that because it squeezes the whole story into one two hour movie a lot is missing, a lot is glossed over and many of the scene changes seem abrupt. For example they talk about going through Lothlorien and then cut immediately to talking with Galadriel. The biggest problem with this version is that so much is missing. It's only half the story with Return Of The King completely missing because of a cancelled sequel. But even much of the parts they did show were greatly cut down and much was ommitted.

One thing i liked about this version is that they never really explain in the Jackson movies how Frodo kept gollum in line. The idea that he could threaten to use the ring to command him as a thrall was never in the movie but it was in the books. So for all my complaints I can't say it wasn't a faithful adaptation. It was an interesting one time watch and for parts of it I did enjoy it, it is still Lord Of The Rings so it can't be totally bad. I'd certainly rather watch this than anything Amazon shits out. Overall though it wasn't good and it's enjoyablity depends on how much you enjoy anachronistic cartoons about classic fantasy literature.

[shunshuntaiga]

Okay so, thoughts on Half Bad: the Bastard son and the Devil Himself as a book fan.

Mind you, it's been years since I read the books so the details are a little foggy through my goldfish memory. This will contain spoilers.

Overall, enjoyable. It's so different from the source material that it's hard to compare the two properly, because even the characters are different from how they are in the books. I hope they continue into a season 2 because I'd like to see where they take the book two story of Nathan learning to control his powers (please please please, give me the shared trance sequence with Gabriel god yes please)

Nathan:

In the books his mental health is a very important part of the story, he's depressed, he's been abused his whole life, and it affected how he interacted with the world as a whole. In the show he's still the Nathan from the books, but as if he'd grown up happy with no mental health problems.

They really toned down this aspect of the show. Giving him a loving grandmother, and friends, and a life outside of being a blood witch.

It made his relationship with Annalise in the books more dependent on her, because he'd never *had* someone who cared.

BTW Annalise? HATED HER. In the books at least, they really did a 180 on her personality in the show. They made her defend him which I appreciated, because in the books she never once fought for him (at least that I can remember) and he still adored her even when she was actively letting her brother(s) abuse him.

I don't believe her gift was Undoing as well. I think is was akin to mind control of some kind? (As I said, foggy on details. But I noticed they changed A LOT of people's powers for the sake of excitement)

She also didn't join him after his escape in the books. That was all Nathan and Gabriel for the longest time, and she only reappeared when her family wanted her to go manipulate him.

Gabriel:

A difficult one. His personality is so different from the books he's basically a different character all together. I still like him, but I miss my soft spoken boy who was more than willing to sit with Nathan's volatile moods.

I do like how Annalise and Gabriel start out hating each other (they hate each other in the books, Gabriel with good reason to) but the fact that they become friends, united in their love for Nathan is really nice.

Also I don't know how they managed to make a show that feels like I'm being queer baited SO HARD with their relationship, seeing as Nathan distinctly chooses Gabriel in the books, but hats off netflix you've done it.

SPOILER

As much as I like an Ot3, I'm not sure how I feel about the Nathan/Annalise/Gabriel thrupple deal they've got working. It feels like they're going to ignore Annalise's emotional manipulation and betrayal of Nathan because they afraid to make the main character "fully gay" (I know he's bi, but he does fall out of love with Annalise and in love with Gabriel and I'm sentimental about that because it was the first queer MAIN character I had ever seen.)

BIG POTENTIAL SPOILER

I have hope for the show NOT killing Gabriel because in the finale *they did his death sequence*. In the book he gets shot while trying to escape hunters with Nathan, and it's slightly Nathan's fault (due to gifts that I don't remember exactly) and Nathan becomes so depressed by his death that nothing matters to him, even after they win the war, that he becomes a hermit in the wild and eventually, using the transformation powers he inherets from his father, turns into a tree, which is irreversible.

He can't lice without his lover and it's the saddest thing.

SLEEPING OUTSIDE:

Okay, so slightly disappointed they changed this bit, but in the books blood witches are categorized by their fear of being trapped indoors at night time. So they sleep outside in the open air.

I understand they changed this because it would have been more difficult to film and it's unimportant. But CELIA DIDNT JUST PUT HIM OUTSIDE IN A CAGE TO BE NEEDLESSLY CRUEL. Yes. The cage is cruel, they glossed over many details of his actual time in her care because it was honestly awful, but being outside was for his own safety because blood witches trapped indoors at night loose their minds.

I also kind of wish they spent less time focusing on his sister and built up the relationship between Celia and Nathan. Because they had a special, weird bond in the books.

I did enjoy the show as a whole, and if they make more, I will watch more. But yeah, I have a lot of thoughts because I really loved these books when I read them.

[janspar]

Behind the Barricades

Mother,

I have written to you before now, but it was said it could not be certain that any letter would reach you, and less certain by far that any letter in return would reach me; forgive me if I repeat myself from previous letters, but if, as I fear, you have not received my previous messages, I must give an account of what has occurred here in Lansk these past months. I am, as you no doubt feared, behind the barricades.

Life has not been so bad, despite what you may have heard. I was at work when the assault transpired, and thus avoided being caught up in any of the violence. When we knew what was occurring outside the yard, the greater part of the uprising was already over. The barricades were in place by the end of the day, and for the most part those of us with our homes and our workplaces situated within the neighbourhood continued as normal. I have maintained my boarding from before; the other tenants too remain, save for Kastin who was a staunch opponent of all agitation and mutiny. He, to the extent any of us know, stole away on the second night of the barricade and has not been heard from since, and has not been sorely missed, for though his company was generally agreeable we know it should have become unbearable in the current affair. We have given his bed to a young Otvevi – his accent suggests Otvev, but his name and his appearance suggest an admixture of other blood in his veins. This fellow, Ahaethe, is a dock worker, who had lodgings on the other side of the city and was unable to return home across the barricades, but he has made himself comfortable here and is a happy addition to our band.

Not knowing what else to do, I continued to go to the yard and work for a long period after the barricades placed us in isolation. Many of my colleagues did the same, nearly all those who did not flee the ward entirely. Of course, we could not continue forever as there is no one to purchase the completed dvinti or to deliver fresh materials for new constructions, and so the foreman has written us letters acknowledging our continued labours, freeing us from obligation to his yard for the duration of this affair, ensuring us work should it be possible once more, and finally he promised us the sum of our wages for the time worked, as there has been a lack of currency hereabouts. I do not feel aggrieved at the lack of labour nor pay; my last pay-day was shortly before the uprising, and I have saved diligently as you taught me. Really I have no great need for money presently; our landlord has not been present to collect her due, and I have eaten much from communal kitchens and traded labour for meals. There is no great variety of food – much of our supplies come from the Erthani, and the hard biscuit and salty fare they favour grows dull without a relish or a fruit to soften them – and there is no great excess, but there is enough for most of us on most days. We in the lodgings have pooled what little extra we can, and feast together when we there is a sufficiency; there is a general shortage of brandy but Irasha, being unable to attend her work outside the barricades, joined a committee and was assigned to sourcing provisions, where she is betimes able to take home a bottle or two recovered from some wealthy citizen's stores.

With my time so free from the yard I have not been idle. Committees have been established for necessary tasks – while Irasha finds food, I am often assigned monitoring the barricades here, or watching out for company vessels or columns of bailiffs, neither of which I have seen, you will be relieved to hear. On other days I have worked at unloading barges, repairing neglected buildings, or clearing refuse. Of my other fellow lodgers, Alsech is able to work at his trade relatively unconcerned with the whole affair, as shoes must yet be repaired even in the midst of mutiny; Ahaethe likewise is working to unload the barges and maintain the docks; Irasha I have told you; Grigana is entirely unable to attend to her trade and so she has volunteered for a safety committee and spends her days ensuring peaceable conditions in the ward, adjudicating disputes and quelling brawls and directing such energies instead to the protection of the district.

I am well, Mother, and affairs are peaceful enough hereabouts, despite the upheaval. I cannot say when I will see you again – once this affair has been concluded I hope to hear from you and return to visit as soon as work allows it. I have not asked of the family, though I miss you all heartily, as I know you will have no means of transmitting such news; give them all my sincere love and reassure them of my safety.

Your loyal and loving daughter,

Ulne

[lettersfromthelevant]

And, this is just to expand on the issue, absolutely not to argue because we have a lot in common and I like your takes in general. We as fic writers don’t get paid. If someone wants to read something exactly as they like but can’t do it themselves? There are people you can pay to do it as commissions but fandom sees them as vultures whereas paying for fanart is normalised. I can’t write on demand and I definitely couldn’t do comms. But I know people who do. They just can’t advertise. This is a fandom issue. People will report writers who do comms but fandom and a lot of the original content creator companies support fanart. It leaves us in a lurch. I’ve gotten comments that people don’t like my stories. Well. They didn’t have to read them. They could have exited out. They definitely didn’t need to dump on me. People unfortunately do this to fanart creators who also don’t follow fanon norms as well. It’s become a crime, it feels like, to interpret the source material in a way the herd doesn’t and it’s incredibly frustrating as a creator. So my reaction was as a creator who has been pushed out of her own fandom for seeing the characters as multi-faceted and not one-dimensional. Anyway, I hope this all clears the air. Have a good night!

i get where you're coming from, but i think you missed the point of that person's post, which wasn't really aimed at anyone nor was it telling people that they had to write a specific way. they were just writing up a vent on their bad luck finding fics they enjoy. but i don't think anything productive is gonna come out of this debate, so i'll just say that i do wholeheartedly agree with you on it being entitled when people act like they can dictate how you write characters in your fandom. it happens to me all the time, with people taking fanon characterizations and trying to force them on me, so I can sympathize. it sucks that it happens at all and i feel like that has caused so much unnecessary conflict in fandom, with people from all sides just being awful to each other. it makes me miss og fandom days (although they had their own issues...) air is cleared, lol. Hope you have a goodnight as well <3