#lead to him attacking the other riders and destroying the drivers

[t-u-i-t-c]

Proof of Determination! This is... Japan's No. 1 Busybody!

[toku-explained]

Overtime

Regulos: Regulos is still mourning his friends when he hears the sounds of devastation from the village, where a group of Magma Seijin are attacking, aiming to sell the Cosmo Beast Fighters as they have the people of L77. They are confronted by Lightning White Tiger Fist Phoros, Leaping Spirit Crane Fist Albeo, Phantom Water Snake Fist Pharood and Rapid Frozen Panther Fist Spica. 2 elites, Yurub and Lava order the rest forward, but the advantage is the Cosmo Beast Fighters even as Dias joins them. Magma Invasion Army leader Volcan beams down, noting the Fighter's strength and beats down Dias as Regulos arrives. Regulos attacks Volcan, but can't penetrate the replica Empera Seijin armour he wears, but Alude arrives and decimates the fleet with the legendary Juggernaut Charging Buffalo Strike, and holds his own against Volcan. Lava attempts to get Alude from behind, Alude blocks but is hit by Volcan's poison strike before the Magma Seijin retreat. Spica informs the trainees that Alude will live, but his cannot use Cosmo Beast Fist anymore, Dias showing interest in his Cosmo Beast. Phoros instructs continuing with training, but Regulos, in anger wants to strike first, Phoros warns the path of revenge will lead to expulsion, as it did to a once promising Cosmo Beast Fighter. Regulos flies off in a rage, and unfocused collides with a wall, falling into an unknown cavern, and is attacked by Gue-Basser until and unknown Cosmo Beast Fighter drives it off, and Regulos begins to make a request of him.

New Generation Stars: Geed reflects on his time with Zero, and manages to activate the Dimensionizer's data on Zero Beyond. He then thinks about his father, activating the data on Belial.

Geats: Beroba is forced to decide to return the Vision Drivers, but first her and Kekera go to the Goddess again with a wish each. Sara and Michinaga both found 33 ID Cores, and in overtime will have an hour to steal from others. Sara agrees with Keiwa they need to restore the DGP victims. Neon is wishing her fans would forget her, when Kyuun approaches, telling her continuing is pointless, her wish won't be granted. As the battle resumes, Neon relates this info to the others before Buffa attacks, he soon has Hakubi overpowered, Na-Go jumps to protect her and both are defeated. He hesitates on destroying the ID Cores when they protest they still have so much to do, but does so, Tycoon grabs the bag is Codes and keeps struggling. Ziin presents the Vision Drivers to Niram, but throws one to Ace until he explains about Mitsume, Ace uses it to go to the Goddess, Niram pursuing. Hareruya is trying to find out how Mitsume had Ace, as Tsumuri notes, the future people lack the capacity to bear children. Suel claims to Ace in the goddess chamber that she has no will of her own, attempting to prove it by presenting a wish of "A world without Ukiyo Ace", but she rejects it, though Suel blames this on her power waning, meaning she shall be disposed of in the Grand End, then tosses Ace to the battleground, where Beroba and Kekera are watching Tycoon and Buffa fight. Hareruya and Tsumuri discover that a player was erased from history for some crime, and a rule added against intimacy between a player and navigator, this was also right when the prize changed from the coin to an ideal world. Buffa grabs Tycoon's core, but Keiwa refuses to give up, still blaming the Goddess. Before Buffa can crush the core, Punkjack interferes, declaring overtime over. Gathering the 4 remaining Riders, Hareruya relates how Mitsume prayed after falling in love with a man from the past, and was miraculously granted a child. Her power to change the world was not based on despair, nor on sacrifice. Is the tool to blame, or those that use it? Suel commences the Grand End, and the crumbling Goddess is lowered in chains into the world, Suel informing Niram they already have a successor for the Goddess. Ace confronts them, and Niram is ordered to eliminate him. Gazer and Geats Laser Boost clash, but Geats starts losing after witnessing the goddess start to crumble, and is overpowered. As a large fragment from her face lands near him, he reaches over to it, and recalls her saying to forget her, something he could never do. By sheer will and rage, he causes a new Raise Buckle to appear, which transforms him to Geats Boos Mk-III, which atomised one of Gazer's drones.

Kingohger: Yanma and Shiokara are trying to interrogate Jeramie on where his Royal Arms came from. Jeremie appears to the still angry Deathnarok and Kamejin, plotting to use the Greater Guardians' bodies and hands over God Hopper's soul, they make a plot using Gerojim. Gira wants to look for the trio of Shugods, as he can't communicate with Sasorin, Himeno has him disguised as Sebastian. Shiokara and Yanma show Jeremie the factory that is the heart of N'Kosopa, after hearing how Yanma built it up thanks to mentoring from Gin, Jeramie allows Yanma to study the Venomix Shooter. Racles contacts Yanma demanding Jeramie, Yanma considers humiliating him, but his whole inner circle onows that is a bad idea, Shiokara then bumps into Gerojim. Yanma brings Jeramie to Racles, Jeramie asking if, as Shugoddom was the first kingdom, if Racles knows of what came before the King-Ohger legend. The others, Gira as Sebastian, arrive in Shugoddom, Gira can hear Sarorin, and Bugnarok attack. Yanma's attempt to humiliate Racles goes as wrong as it can, and Shiokara now turns out to be a disguised Gerojim. Yanma decides to shift blame to the Bugnarok, while Jeramie is angry that Yanma betrayed the trust he showed by using the Venomix Shooter for this, and winds up fighting and defeating all 5 Kings, taking back Scorpi's soul and the Ohger Calibers. His intent in sharing out the Guardian Souls was to establish a peace, but nobody understood his intentions again because he didn't say anything. As Gerojim grows, Jeramie is angry again about continuing to fight, and summons the unknown God Tarantula, which controls Guardian Pede and Guardian Cicada, which Himeno recognises, and snatches God Hopper's soul back, before piloting God Tarantula to defeat the Bugnarok, including controlling the Greater Guardians, once Gerojim is defeated he leaves, Gira hears the trio say they'll follow Jeramie, but Himeno is sure they're being controlled, as inside God Tarantula, it's shown Jeramie actually saved Gerojim, seeing a kindred spirit, who decides he thinks Jeramie should be king.

Metropolis: Some of the jailed AHK members play with the Dogengers sofubi, while Yuz-Yuz plays with I-Doll, but Shaberryman and the rest tell her to leave, possibly concerned about Rookie, and send Hatena out with her. Tanaka is absolutely furious about I-Doll, and rushes out, Akuta is still unwell, but Shiraishi follows, not quite understanding why Tanaka cares so much. Hatena seems a little more on the serious side, a contrast with Yuz-Yuz. The two pairs run into eachother, and Tanaka asks for I-Doll's return, but Yuz-Yuz wants to keep them, and so Rookie starts fighting her and the Toyin, as Hyakutoban fights Hatena. Hatena has a wide variety of weapons in his briefcase, a sword, a whip, a hammer, a polearm, a gun, and even a signal jammer to block Akuta's advice, overpowering Hyakutoban. Rookie defeats the Toyin, but Yuz-Yuz, still wanting the toys, gets serious, overpowering him, but he won't give up, fighting as Tanaka and refusing even after she beats him down, rushing her. Shaberryman interrupts to discuss the way things are going, before we return to Tanaka charging at Yuz-Yuz, when in a flash of light, Insurgent and Doll appear. Tanaka breaks down, hugging them and apologising for letting them get taken, but they forgive him. Yuz-Yuz now really doesn't get it, as all three fight/play until she gets annoyed and leaves. As the three rush to help the beaten Hyakutoban, Hatena sees the tide changing and flees by smoke bomb, Hyakutoban insists he will pursue, telling Rookie to enjoy the reunion. The trio talk together while Akuta regains contact with Shiraishi, who merely says he has failed as a hero and a police officer, and Akuta's not sure his Ohga book has any good advice for this.

[multiversecarnavep]

Howard's first appearance in comics is when he is abruptly abducted from his home planet by an unseen force and randomly dropped into the Florida Everglades by the demon-lord Thog the Nether-Spawn. He meets the Man-Thing, who had been attacked by Korrek of Katharta, and the three of them are confronted by warriors of the Congress of Realities.[22] He then meets Dakimh the Enchanter and Dakimh banishes the warriors and transports Howard, Man-Thing, and Korrek to his castle, where they are joined by Jennifer Kale. They then travel to the realm of Therea and destroy Thog the Nether-Spawn. Howard then accidentally falls off the inter-dimensional stepping stones that the group were traveling on[23] and materializes in Cleveland, Ohio, where he battles Garko the Man-Frog.[24] Howard is arrested at this time for disturbing the peace and is mistaken for a mutant during a strip search, but is released because the police fear he has mutant abilities. Howard also briefly encounters and kills a vampiric cow named Bessie the Hellcow.[25]

Howard makes friends with an artists' model named Beverly Switzler and a bizarre series of encounters follow. He battles Pro-Rata, the cosmic accountant, then meets Spider-Man at the end of the battle.[26][27] He battles Turnip-Man and the Kidney Lady,[28] who would become a semi-recurring character over the years,[citation needed] then learns the fictional martial art of "Quack-Fu".[29] Howard then encounters the Winky Man, who is actually the sleepwalking alter-ego of Beverly's artist friend, Paul Same,[30] who would become a series regular and later become the pair's roommate.[citation needed] Howard also briefly becomes a wrestler.[31]

Howard and Beverly hit the road, seeking shelter in a gothic mansion where they battle a girl named Patsy and her giant, animated-to-life gingerbread man.[32][33] They eventually end up in New York City, where Howard is nominated for President of the United States by the All-Night Party[33] and he later battles the Band of the Bland, alongside the Defenders.[34] A doctored-photo scandal leads him to Canada where he defeats a supervillain, the Beaver, who caused the scandal. The Beaver falls to his death in a battle with Howard.[35] Howard then suffers a nervous breakdown and flees Bev and their situation on a bus. Unfortunately, the bus' passengers are all believers in various weird cults, and try to interest Howard in them. His seatmates are Winda Wester and the Kidney Lady, a woman who believes that the soul of a person lives in their kidneys and attempts to stop anything she sees as "anti-kidney health." After the bus crashes, Howard and Winda are sent to a mental institution. There he meets Daimon Hellstrom, and is briefly possessed by Hellstrom's demonic soul, becoming the new Son of Satan.[36] Beverly and Paul manage to get them both back to Cleveland. Later, while on the S. S. Damned, a cruise ship returning from scenic Bagmom, Howard and Beverly are taken captive by Lester Verde. Verde had known Beverly in college and had a crush on her and had assumed the identity of the supervillain Doctor Bong,[37] who illegally marries Beverly against her will and transforms Howard into a human.[38][39]

After escaping back to New York and being restored to his natural form, Howard is hired as a dishwasher by Beverly's uncle, Lee Switzler. Howard is later reunited with Dakihm the Enchanter, the Man-Thing, Korrek and Jennifer Kale, and they all battle the demon Bzzk'Joh. Korrek pilots the ship the Epoch Weasel and drops Howard back off at Cleveland before he and their allies fly away.[40][41] Howard finally meets up with the cruise ship that rescued Paul and Winda from Doctor Bong, and finds that Paul and Winda have befriended socialite Iris Raritan.

Howard is later kidnapped by the Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime. Winda is abandoned by Paul and Iris and Paul is shot and left in a coma.[42][43] After defeating the Circus of Crime, Howard is plagued by pessimistic dreams and goes his way alone, just as he had at the series' beginning.[44]

Writer Bill Mantlo, beginning with issue #30, returned the series to its former status quo, bringing Beverly back into the picture and having her divorce Doctor Bong. Howard's creator Steve Gerber, who left the series after issue #27, originally intended for Beverly and Bong's marriage to be lasting and for Beverly to be written out of the series from that point on. Howard and Beverly's friend Paul, who had ended up in a coma after he had previously been shot by the Ringmaster, awakens from his coma and is released from the hospital. Beverly's uncle Lee brings everyone back to Cleveland and employs Howard as a cab driver, while Paul, back to being a somnambulist after his release from the hospital, becomes Winda's boyfriend. Howard dons a suit of "Iron Duck" armor made by Claude Starkowitz, a man who has delusions of being related to Tony Stark and dreams of being the personal armorer to Iron Man, and battles Doctor Bong in the final issue of the original 70s Howard the Duck series (issue #31).[45][46] Howard later encounters Dracula[47] and even once returns to Duckworld.[48] At the end of the nine-issue magazine series, Howard leaves Beverly (at her request) and is later offered a genetically-constructed female duck mate, whom he does not take to.[49]

On a later occasion, She-Hulk accidentally pulls Howard though a cosmic wormhole along with theoretical physicist Brent Wilcox and they are able to prevent other universes from crowding out Earth-616. During this time, Howard meets a character called the Critic, travels to a dimension known as the Baloneyverse and again battles a group called the Band of the Bland, whom he had previously battled with the Defenders.[50][51][52]

In an encounter with Peter Parker and Ben Reilly (the then-current Spider-Man), Howard gets a rematch with the Circus of Crime and the Circus is defeated. During the fight, Howard and Beverly get stuck in a warehouse full of anthropomorphic ducks, briefly meeting the Savage Dragon and Destroyer Duck. Parker and Reilly leave the warehouse believing that they have the correct versions of Howard and Beverly with them. However, in the Savage Dragon/Destroyer Duck companion story that takes place simultaneously and that was written by Gerber, it is explained that the version of Howard and Beverly that left the warehouse with Parker and Reilly are simply clones taken by mistake and that the real Howard and Beverly actually left the scene with Savage Dragon and Destroyer Duck .[53]

The sorceress Jennifer Kale, in a weekly attempt to return Howard to his home world, inadvertently teleports Devil Dinosaur and Moon-Boy into her New York apartment. The disoriented dinosaur attempts to eat Howard, but spits him out when shot with John Blaze's hellfire gun. Devil Dinosaur and Moon-Boy then rampage through the city before being subdued by Ghost Rider (Daniel Ketch). Howard says that he relates to the pair being trapped in a world they never made before wandering off.[54][55]

Heroes RebornEdit

After a brief series of adventures with Generation X,[56] Howard gets a job as a department store Santa Claus, which gets him dragged to the North Pole where the real Santa Claus has sold out to HYDRA.[57] Howard goes through several dimensions, apparently through the power of Man-Thing, who can now talk but does not understand this new, unknown ability, and lands on a version of Duckworld where his parents are essentially Ward and June Cleaver, he has a sister named Princess, and he is regarded as a hero because his activities on Earth-616 were recognized by Duckworld's version of Reed Richards. This origin traces the source of these dimensions to be projections from Franklin's mind. Throughout the course of the adventure, Howard has a romance with Tana Nile, culminating in a kiss, after which he apologizes and tells her of his attachment to Beverly.[58][59][60] When Franklin understands that he has shaped all of these worlds, the group finds themselves back in the Man-Thing's swamp. While Man-Thing becomes a self-appointed guardian to Franklin Richards, Howard goes off on his own and is captured by the Cult of Entropy, who wrap him in swaddling clothes.[61] Although last seen in the swamp, Howard states that he was thrown into baggage and transported on a plane. The cult wants Howard because he has part of the Nexus of All Realities, which shattered during Heroes Reborn, inside of him. Man-Thing then enters Howard's mouth, and Howard vomits him back out with the fragment, but Man-Thing is left desiccated and practically dead.[62] Howard then encounters Namor, who thought he had slain Man-Thing, but Howard explains that he would not be lugging his friend's body around if that were the case. Howard sets the Man-Thing down in the water, and he revives during Howard's conversation with Namor. Once he sees that the Man-Thing is alive and well, he bids Namor farewell and says that he is returning to Cleveland.[63]

Years later, back with Beverly, he undergoes further shapeshifting experiences after an accident at a chemical facility of Doctor Bong's. Beverly is hired by Bong's Globally Branded Content Corporation, which manufactures boy bands from protein vats based on the sexual arousal of a focus group of gay men. Attempting to destroy an escapee whom Beverly has taken in, Bong inadvertently knocks Howard into a vat, which changes him, unstably, into a rat.[64] When Howard later showers, he changes his form multiple times before again permanently returning to the form of the giant rat. Verde then goes to the press and claims that his building was attacked by Osama el-Barka ("Osama the Duck" in Arabic). Howard and Beverly are sent back on the road after the junkyard office where they are living is destroyed by a S.W.A.T. team.[65] Denied admittance to every possible shelter due to lack of funds, the pair and their dog find a sign for the Boarding House of Mystery, but are taken to the police station for questioning and strip searches by Suzy Pazuzu, with whom Beverly had attended high school. One of the officers on the case is the same beat cop who mistook Howard for a mutant many years before. Suzy is the inheritor of the doucheblade, which starts to take her over when she wears an enchanted bracelet. In a skirmish, the bracelet is caught by Howard causing him to be the wielder of the doucheblade. The doucheblade causes its holder to grow enormous bare breasts and armor in a parody of Witchblade, and, possessed by this, Howard kills the male lover of a businessman who works with Verde as he and Verde break into Suzy's house.[66]

Arriving at the Boarding House of Mystery, Howard and Beverly encounter Cain and Abel, the latter with a rock stuck in his head that allows him only moments of lucidity. There, they are granted their every wish, including Howard's return to his true form, and Beverly never being poor again, and meet parodies of John Constantine, Wesley Dodds, the Endless, Spider Jerusalem, and Gerber's own Nevada (called Utah), all characters from DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. The downside to the House is that everyone staying there gets their every wish; so Che Guevara can have his revolution, but someone else can easily slaughter him.[67] One tenant, a writer named Mr. Gommorah (a parody of Spider Jerusalem), later takes Beverly and Howard to be on the Iprah show with the topic "Why Women Give It to Men Who Don't Get It", guest starring Dr. Phlip.

Upon leaving the House of Mystery, Howard is once again transformed into an anthropomorphic mouse. It is revealed that Iprah has been merged with an experiment by the Angel Gabriel called Deuteronomy, intended to replace God, because God has been spending all his time in a bar in Hell since 1938. Deuteronomy is a creature half-id and half-superego, while Iprah is an all-ego promoter of self-indulgent pop psychology. Considering her dangerous, Gabriel sends the cherub Thrasher to resurrect Sigmund Freud, whose cigar blasts out half of Thrasher's brains (being immortal, this just makes him act drunk). Iprah destroys Freud, but Howard blasts her with the cigar, separating her from Deuteronomy. Puffing on the cigar, Howard disintegrates and arrives in Hell.[68] He is eventually freed by Yah, a being who claims to be "God".[69]

Civil WarEdit

Sometime later, Howard attempts to register under the Superhero Registration Act during the superhero Civil War, but learns his socially disrupted life has created so many bureaucratic headaches that the government's official policy is that Howard does not exist. This lack of government oversight delights him: "For the rest of my life, no more parking tickets, or taxes, or jury duty. Heck, I couldn't even vote if I wanted to!" In this story, Howard says he was pressured to give up his cigars.[70]

After he defeats the supervillain M.O.D.O.T.’s (Mobile Organism Designed Only for Talking) scheme to control the public through mass media, his attorney, Jennifer Walters, successfully restores his citizenship, including all relevant responsibilities.[71]

Secret InvasionEdit

Howard the Duck is briefly seen as part of the superpowered army gathered to battle invading Skrull forces.[72] He is seen armed with a pistol and wearing a Skrull's hand around his neck.[73] He is later seen kicking a Skrull during interrogation after the invasion.[74] Brian Michael Bendis has commented when asked of Howard: "That character has shown up in six issues I've done, and I've never typed the words Howard the Duck."[75]

Marvel Zombies 5Edit

Main article: Marvel Zombies 5

In Marvel Zombies 5, Howard the Duck of Earth-616 teams up with Machine Man to travel across the multiverse fighting zombies.[76]

Fear ItselfEdit

During the Fear Itself storyline, Howard forms a team called the Fearsome Four with She-Hulk, Frankenstein's Monster and Nighthawk to stop the Man-Thing when he goes on a rampage in Manhattan, due to the fear and chaos he senses on the citizens. They later discover a plot by Psycho-Man to use the Man-Thing's volatile empathy to create a weapon.[77]

Spider-Man: Back in QuackEdit

Howard and Beverly are brainwashed and forced to work for Save Our Offspring From Indecency (S.O.O.F.I.) as Cynical Duck and Swizzle. They promote S.O.O.F.I. at a public speech held for them by J. Jonah Jameson. Spider-Man later interrupts a S.O.O.F.I. indoctrination at the New York Public Library, and Beverly and the other S.O.O.F.I.s see Spidey as a semi-demonic figure and attack him. Spidey escapes with Howard and breaks his brainwashing when Beverly is threatened. Howard quickly explains S.O.O.F.I.'s goals to Spider-Man. As Spider-Man publicly announces his long-standing support for S.O.O.F.I., Howard confronts Bev as she stands beside the Supreme S.O.O.F.I. Howard is able to break through to Beverly, reminding her of their past together. The Supreme S.O.O.F.I. orders the S.O.O.F.I.s to throw the pair into the special Blanditron at Guantanamo Bay, but Beverly keeps them at bay with a whip. Spidey attacks the S.O.O.F.I.s and unmasks the Supreme S.O.O.F.I., while the others escape through their teleporter. Howard states that he believes S.O.O.F.I. will lay low for a while after such a defeat and he also hopes that the group's Florida Everglades base might lead them to meet up with the Man-Thing.[78]

The Ducky DozenEdit

Because of his experience with zombie-infested worlds and his leadership of Machine Man, Howard is chosen as the leader of, as he dubs them, the Ducky Dozen. The team is composed of him, several Golden Age heroes, Dum-Dum Dugan, and Battlestar, who is also a veteran of a zombie incident. Upon entering Earth-12591, the Ducky Dozen fight hordes of zombie Nazis and Asgardians, but suffer grave losses as the team's members are either killed or zombified during the battle. After successfully accomplishing their mission, Howard, Dugan, Taxi Taylor and Battlestar are the only members to survive and return to Earth-616 along with the Riveter, the only survivor of Earth-12591's resistance team, the Suffragists.[79][80]

Wolverine and the X-MenEdit

Howard later teams up with his friend Doop to battle the Robo-Barbarians in Dimension ZZZ. They beat the horde back with nothing but a broken sword, a rubber chicken with nails in it and a gun that shoots bees.[81]

Original SinEdit

After the death of Uatu the Watcher and the activation of the secrets buried in his eye, Howard discovers that he has the potential to be the most intelligent being in Duckworld. After evading a squirrel while driving, he is thrown flying from his vehicle but uses his intellect to calculate a way to land safely in a nearby dumpster.[82]

Back to New YorkEdit

Howard returns to his business as a private eye, working in the same building as She-Hulk, in Brooklyn. One of his first new clients is Jonathan Richards, who hires Howard to retrieve a necklace stolen by the Black Cat. With the help of Tara Tam, his new friend and assistant, Howard manages to recover the necklace. However, on his way to give it back to Richards, he finds himself kidnapped by the Collector and allied with the Guardians of the Galaxy to escape the villain, who was attempting to add Howard to his collection of rare space objects and entities. Upon returning to Earth, Howard is robbed by May Parker, Spider-Man's aunt, and later re-encounters the Ringmaster, who is revealed to have brainwashed the elderly into committing robberies. After recovering the necklace for a third time, Howard is approached by Richards in the middle of his fight against the Ringmaster and Richards reveals himself to be Talos the Untamed, who reveals that the necklace was part of a marginally powerful item known as the Abundant Glove. With help from Doctor Strange, Howard and Tara locate the final piece of the Abundant Glove, but are unable to put it back together when Talos grabs it and proceeds to use it to wreak havoc on the city. Talos is confronted by numerous heroes while Howard and Tara take cover. Howard is able to point out that Tara, who is revealed to possess shapeshifting powers similar to that of a Skrull, could help him defeat Talos. Tara used her powers to impersonate Skrull Emperor Kl'rt (the Super-Skrull), distracting Talos long enough for Howard to snatch the Abundant Glove from his hand. Talos is later apprehended by the Fantastic Four and everything returns to normal.[83]

Afterwards, with the help of new arrival Gwenpool, Howard prevented HYDRA from infecting the world with a deadly virus.[84] He also has a crossover event with The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.[85] Howard the Duck is shown to be living in the She-Hulk's apartment building when Patsy Walker moved out.[86]

Civil War IIEdit

During the Civil War II storyline, Howard the Duck is among the building tenants that learn from Patsy Walker what happened to She-Hulk following the fight against Thanos.[87]

War of the RealmsEdit

Howards last name, Duckson, is revealed in War of the Realms: War Scrolls #1.

Young biochemist Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis, a native of Omaha, Nebraska,[28] is working in the Everglades as part of Dr. Wilma Calvin's Project: Gladiator team, which includes Dr. Barbara Morse and her fiancé Dr. Paul Allen, and an assistant named Jim. A Dr. Wendell is later cited as being on the staff after Dr. Calvin is shot.[29] The group is attempting to recreate the Super-Soldier Serum that had created Captain America.[30] Web of Spider-Man (vol. 2) #6 revealed that Sallis at one point treated and worked alongside Dr. Curtis Connors shortly after Connors' arm was amputated, driving the research that would eventually transform Connors into the Lizard.

Though warned that the technological terrorist group Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.) has been operating in the area, Sallis breaches security by bringing with him his lover, Ellen Brandt (referred to here as "Miss Brandt", but later retconned to be his wife). He destroys his notes to his formula, which he has memorized. Later, he is ambushed by two thugs and learns that Brandt has betrayed him. Fleeing with the only sample of his serum, he injects himself with it in hopes of saving himself. However, he crashes his car into the swamp where scientific and, as Man-Thing #1 later explained, magical forces combine to instantly transform him into a slow-moving plant-matter creature with large, solid red eyes.[31] Unable to speak, and with dim memories, he attacks the ambushers and Brandt, burning and scarring part of her face with an acid that he now secretes in the presence of negative emotions. The Man-Thing then wanders away into the swamp.[32]

Sallis' mind was apparently extinguished, although on rare occasions he could briefly return to consciousness within his monstrous form, as in Doctor Strange (vol. 2) #41 (June 1980), The Defenders (vol 1) #98 (August 1981), and Peter Parker: Spider-Man Annual '99, and even to his human form, as in Adventure into Fear #13 (April 1973), Marvel Two-in-One #1 (January 1974), Marvel Comics Presents #164 (October 1994), and Man-Thing (vol. 3) #5 and 7-8 (April 1998, June–July 1998).

Under writer Steve Gerber, the Man-Thing encounters the sorceress Jennifer Kale, with whom he briefly shared a psychic link and who knew his true identity, in a story arc in Fear #11-13 – the final issue of which established that the swamp had mystical properties as the Nexus of Realities. Through an interdimensional portal in Fear #19, he meets Howard the Duck, who becomes stranded in this reality. The Man-Thing became the guardian of the Nexus, and found himself facing demons, ghosts and time-traveling warriors, while continuing to encounter such non-supernatural antagonists as rapacious land developers, fascist vigilantes and common criminals. He formed a bond with young radio DJ Richard Rory and nurse Ruth Hart. Issue #12's "Song-Cry of the Living Dead Man", about an crazed writer named Brian Lazarus, spawned Gerber's posthumously published 2012 sequel, "The Screenplay of the Living Dead Man", in the three-issue miniseries The Infernal Man-Thing.

In Man-Thing (vol. 2) #1-11 (November 1979 – July 1981), writer Chris Claremont introduced himself as a character in the final issue, as Gerber had in the finale of the first series. Additionally, Claremont temporarily became the Man-Thing after being stabbed to death. His and other characters' deaths were later resolved with the intervention of the War Is Hell series lead, John Kowalski, now an aspect of Marvel Comics' manifestation of Death. In Man-Thing (vol. 3) #1-8 (December 1997 – July 1998), Ellen Brandt Sallis returns to the Citrusville area and encounters a little boy, Job Burke, who is actually the Sallises' son, who had been put up for adoption. Following this series, the story continued in Strange Tales (vol. 4) #1-2, and was projected to continue in the unpublished issues #3-4. Summaries based on DeMatteis' unillustrated scripts appear on the K'Ad-mon and Ellen Brandt pages in Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe.[21][22]

During the "Civil War" storyline, two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents unsuccessfully attempt to register the Man-Thing under the Superhuman Registration Act.[33]

The Man-Thing later appears as a member of the Legion of Monsters alongside Morbius, the Living Vampire, the Werewolf by Night, the Manphibian, and N'Kantu, the Living Mummy.[34] He later gains the ability to speak comprehensibly through the use of the "Universal Language".[35] Phil Coulson subsequently recruits the Man-Thing for his incarnation of the Howling Commandos.[36]

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel branding, the Man-Thing appears as a member of S.T.A.K.E.'s Howling Commandos.[37]

During the "Empyre" storyline, Man-Thing falls under the control of the Cotati led by Ventri that were operating in the Savage Land.[38] Doctor Voodoo takes control of Man-Thing to free Matthew and Black Knight. As Matthew and Black Knight fight the Cotati, a Doctor Voodoo-controlled Man-Thing fights the Cotati's control and defeats Ventri.[39] As Doctor Voodoo exits Man-Thing to assist Scarlet Witch after Ka-Zar was stabbed by a Cotati using Black Knight's Ebony Blade, Man-Thing continued the fight against the Cotati. When the Cotati were defeated, Man-Thing takes his leave after being thanked by Black Knight. Ventri claims that what they learned from Man-Thing's energy has been sent to Quoi to fuel the Cotati's invasion.[40]

[sb-sratss-obsession]

SRaTSS Episode Transcript: Ep. 1 - Star Sheriff Round-up

This is a tentative transcription of the dialogues of the first episode of “Saber Rider and The Star Sheriffs”. If you spot mistakes feel free to warn me about it, I would love to make it perfect!

Episode: 1 - Star Sheriff Round-up

Transmitted: September 14, 1987

Japanese version: 1 - "The Space Adventurers" (宇宙の冒険野郎 ‘Uchū no bōken yarō’)

OPENING THEME

Saber Rider... Saber Rider, and the Star Sheriffs Saber Rider, and the Star Sheriffs, In the sky!

Can you feel the thunder inside? Saber Rider! Make the lightning crack as you ride! Saber Rider!

(guitar solo)

Saber Rider...

Saber Rider... Saber Rider, and the Star Sheriffs Saber Rider, and the Star Sheriffs, In the sky!

EP. 1

STAR SHERIFF ROUND-UP

by Marc Handler

Saber Rider: “It was not so long ago that we, Star Sheriffs, first assembled our Special Freedom Fighting Unit. We nicknamed him Ramrod, a peacekeeping vehicle shaped like a huge cowboy. We used him to protect the settlers out here on the New Frontier. We needed the Ramrod vehicle to help stop the lightning attacks of the Outrider bandits. They were evil creatures who crossed into our dimension and raided our Cavalry Outposts. They used battalions of Dimension Jumpers and Vapor Beings who moved freely from their world to ours. We thought that Ramrod was our only chance to stop them, but in the end it was not the Ramrod vehicle but the human Star Sheriffs themselves, who really made the difference. I should know, I'm their leader. I remember when it all began; my orders were to find Vanquo, an Outrider with ghostly eyes and a long pale face. I knew they were bounty hunters seeking him so I alerted the head of operation Ramrod, a very special operative named April. Her father was the leader of the Western Sector of Cavalry Command.

Commander Eagle: What's your report, April?

April: Bad news, daddy. We think the Outriders found out about Ramrod.

Commander Eagle: Ah! But how?

April: A spy named Vanquo. I'll have to go to Planet Yuma at once.

Commander Eagle: Good luck, April.

Saber Rider: “April arrived on planet Yuma at the same time I did. Neither of us realized that we had come in the middle of their most celebrated auto race, the Yuma Grand Prix. A young driver nicknamed Fireball was leading the way in his Red Fury Racer.”

Fireball: The biggest race on planet Yuma and it’s in the bag. The other cars are so far behind I get close to the finish line smooth as a supercharged skateboard. Hey, what's that shadow? That fool! What's he doing? He's coming back around! And he set straight at me! Oh! Ah!

Colt: He's not the one I’m after.

Fireball: What’s the matter with you? You crazy?

Colt: Sorry, pardner. Afraid I got you mixed up with somebody else.

Fireball: Oh-oh. Here come the other turbochargers.

Colt: So, Vanquo sent me off on a wild goose chase. Well, that Outrider just double-crossed the wrong fella. There's a price on his head and the reward is gonna be mine.

Fireball: I had this race iced. Now I’m gonna have to fight for it.

Speaker: Ladies and gentlemen, we can see two turbochargers approaching the finish line and they’re neck and neck. Here he comes, ladies and gentlemen. He’s done it! In 23:18, a new speed record for the Red Fury Racer! What an incredible race! The crowd is going wild for Fireball, the youngest champion of all times!

Fireball: Oh, yeah, thanks!

Guy: Look out! Get those bandits!

Woman: No, stop!

Airport guard: Hold your fire!

Man: What a shoot!

Man: Get him!

Woman: They saved my little girl!

Man: But who did the fancy shooting?

Woman: It could only be one person.

Man: It has to be the legendary…

Everyone: Saber Rider!

Saber Rider: If you would be so kind, please give him a lube job. Oh, and a lump of sugar. I'd like a suite, please, overlooking the lobby if possible.

Desk Clerk: Sorry, all our rooms are full. Lots of people here to see the race, you know.

Saber Rider: Race? What race?

Desk Clerk: Why, the Grand Prix, of course. There's the winner right now.

Fireball: Hey, thank you. Thanks a lot!

Saber Rider: Where is he staying?

Desk Clerk: Way up on the 25th floor. Quite the guy, huh?

Man: Hey, Fireball, can I get your picture?

Woman: He's giving away his wreath!

Saber Rider: I’m afraid I must take his room. My mission here is urgent!

Desk Clerk: But he's got a reservation, I can't give his room away!

Fireball: Excuse me, can I have my key, please?

Desk clerk: Of course, Mr. Fireball, your room is all ready… and congratulations!

Saber Rider: Hold it right there. I'm afraid I must have this key.

Fireball: Huh? Hey, what's your trip?

Saber Rider: I'm on a mission of utmost importance!

Fireball: What? That's your problem, bud!

Saber Rider: I'm afraid it's your problem now. Let go of this key.

Fireball: Ah!

Saber Rider: Eh?

Fireball: Give me back that key!

Colt: No dice, kemosabe.

Fireball: Hey, I know who you are! You're that cowboy who almost made me lose the race!

Colt: Sorry about that, dude, but I'm on a big hunt, savvy?

Fireball: You wanna hunt? Try the jungle, savvy? And don't bother coming back.

Colt: Afraid I'm not hunting tigers, race boy. I'm looking for an Outrider with ghostly eyes and a long pale face.

Bonnie May: Colt? Has anyone seen a cowboy around here? Oh!

Colt: What?

Bonnie May: Colt! He found out about the square dance!

Colt: Who?

Bonnie May: My father, who else?

Colt: Father? You didn't tell me you had a father!

Bonnie May’s father: Don't move an inch, you slippery poisoning carpetbagging bandido.

Colt: It was just a square dance, honest!

Bonnie May’s father: You like to dance? Then you can dance the Winchester waltz. You stay away from my little Bonnie May or else.

Colt: I think I’ve used this disguise enough. Time for a change.

Bonnie May’s father: And you stay clear of bounty hunters!

Bonnie May: But daddy!

Bonnie May’s father: No buts, now come on!

Fireball: Well, so much for the fearless cowboy.

Saber Rider: I thought I might have to take a few shots to him myself, just to get his attention.

Fireball: Hmm. Yeah, sure, whatever you say.

Saber Rider: Listen, chum, I don't really want to force you out of your room.

Fireball: You don’t, uh? Well, hey, you're a sport.

Saber Rider: Look, I have an idea.

Fireball: Why do I feel like you're gonna tell me this whether I want to hear it or not?

Saber Rider: It's simple: why don't we just share the room?

Fireball: Cuz it's my room!

Saber Rider: Just a gentle suggestion.

Fireball: I think everyone around here is trigger-happy.

Saber Rider: Do we have a deal or don't we?

Fireball: You can sleep on the floor, that's it!

Saber Rider: Fine, let's shake on it.

Fireball: Huh. I'm going along with this but I don't have to like it.

Saber Rider: Incidentally, chum, about the Outrider that cowboy mentioned, if you run into him, let me know, won't you? I'm afraid if I don't find him soon this planet will probably be blown to bits.

Fireball: Are you serious?

Saber Rider: Do I sound like I'm joking?

Colt: Good thing I was wearing that sombrero and drifter outfit. The Bounty Hunter's got to have a lot of tricks and disguises, and a good disguise can come in mighty handy. Now I better get down to business; track down that Outrider. That bushwhacker gotta be around here somewhere. I just gotta make sure I find him before he finds me.

Vanquo: Let me talk to Nemesis! Oh, I know. Yes, I discovered where this Ramrod contraption is hidden; it's a sitting duck.

Colt: So are you, hombre.

Vanquo: It’s at the Frontier Outpost , just right for plucking.

Colt: Alright, dude, from vapor you came and to vapor you shall return.

Vanquo: Ah!

Saber Rider: It’s him! Vanquo!

Vanquo: I’ll be back!

Saber & Fireball: Oh!

Fireball: That Outrider just turned into vapor!

Colt: Yes, that’s what they're made out of. Nasty, aren't they?

Saber Rider: You sent him back to his own dimension, which means I can't get the information I need.

Fireball: What information? Who was he?

Saber Rider: A spy who knew about a secret defense system called Ramrod.

Colt: Right, he said something about that Ramrod. Said it was at the Frontier Outpost, like a sitting duck.

Saber Rider: Are you planning to go out there and investigate?

Colt: You kidding? I'm a bounty hunter, pardner, I got a reward to claim.

Fireball: Strange guy, huh?

Saber Rider: Totally undisciplined, no sense of etiquette whatsoever.

Fireball: Cowboys!

Saber Rider: Well, I guess I'll go and take a little rest.

Fireball: Yeah, I think I'll go for a walk, just to clear my head, you know?

Saber Rider: Alright.

Fireball: See you later. I'm going out to that Frontier Base fast!

Saber Rider: I got to get out to that Frontier Base quickly. Steed! There you are! Let’s go, boy! Up, into the sky!

Fireball: Red Fury Turbo on! Somebody's gotta warn those settlers and nobody can get out there quicker than I can!

Desk Clerk: I can't get a hold of the Outpost.

Colt: What?

Desk Clerk: I’m sorry, sir, it seems to be some sort of emergency.

Colt: I’d better head out there!

Fireball: Ah! Oh, no! The attack is already underway!

Outrider: Find the Ramrod Equalizer Unit and destroy it!

Soldier: We can’t hold them out much longer! Here they come again! We need help!

Saber Rider: You've got it, chum!

Soldier: It’s Saber Rider!

Saber Rider: Right up here, mate!

Fireball: Well, look at who’s here! Those guys aren't playing around. I’ll better get out the artillery! Ah! I can’t escape now!

Colt: Look like you need a little help there, hey, race boy?

Fireball: There are two more straight ahead!

Colt: Not anymore!

Fireball: That must be Ramrod!

April: Over here! Hurry! Did the Star Sheriffs send you?

Fireball: Star Sheriffs? Who are they?

April: Never mind. If you can drive a racecar you can help with Ramrod. It's an experimental frontier fighter system. I'm afraid it's never been tested but it's the only chance we've got.

Fireball: Hop in!

April: Right.

Colt: Hey, don't forget about me!

April: Look out! You got them! This is it, the Ramrod Equalizer Vehicle.

Fireball: Wow!

Saber Rider: I'll take charge from here!

Fireball: The lady invited me.

Colt: That's cause she didn't know I was here.

April: There's no time to argue, I'll need all three of you when we go to challenge phase.

Colt: Challenge phase, that's fancy! How fast does this puppy go?

April: Fast enough. Come on, this way to the control room. Hurry!

Fireball: It's cool!

Colt: I bet this baby packs a lot of horsepower!

April: You better believe it. These three saddle units are interactive, but the center is especially for land operations. Since you're a race car driver, well…

Fireball: They call me Fireball!

April: All right, Fireball, you take the reins!

Fireball: Right!

April: That one is for the quick draw control.

Colt: That's gotta be mine, yeah.

Fireball: Now we know what two of the systems are for. What about the third one?

Saber Rider: Maverick flight dynamics. I was already briefed back a Cavalry Command.

Fireball: Cavalry Command? What's that?

April: Headquarters of the Star Sheriffs. I'll ride shotgun over here. You'll all have to listen up. Hey, wait a minute, there's something coming at us. It's big! The Outriders have built another Renegade. We are finished if it catches us here, we've got to take off and we've got to do it fast!

Fireball: Okay, hang on your seats. We’re moving out!

Colt: It’s working!

Saber Rider: We’re accelerating to mach 4 and closing!

Colt: Yahoo! We’re out of there!

Fireball: What's that?

April: It's a Renegade Desperado Unit!

Fireball: Watch out for that claw!

April: Oh!

Fireball: You all right, April?

April: Yes, keep moving!

Colt: Well, we know that he can dish it out. Now let’s see if he can take it.

April: Look out!

Fireball: It’s following us!

April: We got to go into challenge phase.

Fireball: What's that?

April: There's no time to explain! Activate the rods above your key compartment, hurry!

Fireball: Okay, let's see what happens!

April: When the rods are clear, hit the flashing red light. Saber Rider, you give the signal.

Saber: Okay. Get ready. Not yet. Hold it. Now!

April: All right. Ramrod will now take navigational control.

Ramrod: Acknowledge, April. Navigational control on, Ramrod challenge phase, one. Head ‘em up, move ‘em out. Power stride, and ready to ride.

April: Here he comes!

Colt: Block!

Fireball: Look out! It’s doubled back!

April: Duck!

Colt: Alright, boys, let’s laser rope this Renegade dupe. If you liked the left, you’ll love the right.

Saber Rider: Nice move, cowboy. Now shall we follow up with a soccer kick?

Colt: Take it away!

Everyone: On target!

Fireball: Let's vaporize this viper!

Colt: Good thinking, pard. I'd like the feel of this shooter.

Saber Rider: We may only have one shot so let's use all the firepower we have.

Colt: All right, amigo. You want firepower? You got it.

Saber Rider: Ready? Aim. Blast them!

Colt: Well, it looks like those Outriders have seen their last round-up.

Fireball: Yeah, but what if they come back?

Colt: After that little lesson? No way.

Saber Rider: You're wrong about that. They'll definitely return

Colt: How do you know so much about it? You got an inside line on this thing, pardner?

April: He knows because he's one of us. A special agent of the secret Star Sheriffs. With these Outriders still on the loose we could use your help too, if you want to join us.

Colt: Star Sheriffs, huh? I always wanted one of those shiny silver stars.

April: Afraid we don't have many badges left since the Outriders took over the silver mines but we use these E.B.U., electronic badge units.

Saber Rider: It usually takes years to train a Star Sheriff but this is an emergency. We'll have to issue your E.B.U. right away.

Colt: No badge? I don't know, pard.

Fireball: I'm not sure about this either. What about my racing career?

April: You'll have to quit for a while but remember: Ramrod is faster than any racecar you'll ever see.

Fireball: Yeah, you've got a point there!

April: And about those badges… I'll see if I can special-order some from headquarters. What do you say, boys?

Colt: Can you picture it, pard? Riding high, fighting out with the Outriders! Paw!

Saber Rider: “And that’s how all began. The bounty hunter, a racecar driver and a beautiful girl from Cavalry Command. Together we've made a commitment to the spirit of the frontier freedom fighters. Wherever danger leads us, wherever the people need us, that's where you'll find… the Star Sheriffs!”

ENDING THEME

Saber Rider... Your destiny will lead you, To wherever people need you, Though danger may have found you, You have your friends around you now, Now! Now! Now! Saber Rider, and the Star Sheriffs! Saber Rider, and the Star Sheriffs, In the sky!

Saber Rider!

[fantasyinvader]

Kamen Rider Saber: Finale and Series Review

Okay, before I start disemboweling this series I want to give the finale two points of props.

It was nice to see the main trio fight the big bad together rather than it just being the lead Rider.

The ending really feels nostalgic for me. It's like one of those old games or anime that tried to do something like Evangelion, mostly Star Ocean 3 comes to mind.

I was going to add another point: how the ending didn't have to rely on a cosmic retcon to turn things into a happy ending like Build or Zi-o did, leaving those who died dead and having some level of maturity. I was going to give the show that point, even if it felt like it was leading into Touma essentially becoming God, but then the show did it and...I'm going to be honest here, I was saying fuck you at the screen. Multiple times, kinda like when Doctor Who's 50th anniversary where it turns out Gallifrey wasn't destroyed, the Doctor sealed it away and just couldn't remember it. Like, that is the level of bullshit I was calling out, and with Doctor Who I only said it as an “oh fuck you” rather than just “fuck you fuck you fuck you” until I noticed I was doing this and stopped myself.

Got it? Good. Now let's put Kamen Rider Saber on the examination table, rip it open, and see what went wrong with it.

Oh my god, where to begin with this series?

You ever see a show or movie that tries to do too much for it's runtime? Maybe a book that has some ultimately good ideas, but it never fleshed them out properly? That's my biggest feeling with Saber. Individual parts of the story, some arcs and characters are good on paper. Not to mention, Touma has two incredibly sexy upgrades (the Ryuki-inspired Draconic Knight and the berserker Primitive Dragon). But there is just so much in here that, given the proper focus could have carried the show if properly developed. It's a case of quantity over quality.

But the main problem comes to it's central McGufffin, the Omniscient Tome. This book is supposed to have all knowledge and later on all stories contained within it. It's what powers Wonderworld and the Wonder Ridebooks that are the main collectable trinket of the season. But when you stop and think about it, Saber is a world where there is no free will and the antagonists are all rebelling against this in their own way. Kento's dad (former Kamen Rider Calibur) went rogue in the backstory because he was given a vision of the future through his sword, and it led to the former Saber taking up the role of Calibur and going rogue in order to learn the truth. When the other riders are turned against Touma, the argument is over how he's destined to become more powerful, making Touma seem like he's seeking power and could be a future threat. When Kento returns from the dead, he's haunted by visions of the world ending in multiple variations, leading to him trying to seal the Sacred Blades in order to stop it. But then Master Logos is revealed to be buttfucking insane, wanting to rebel against his position in the world. Then it turns out the monster faction's leader, was a former poet who lost hope when he learned that all his creations were already in the Omniscient Tome, so he decided he would end the world his way rather than the predetermined ending. And even then, the world still ended the way it was always fated to end, even with Touma disappearing to nu-Wonderworld if only for a year.

The world wasn't saved, it was destroyed and then rebuilt because Mei wrote an online post that encouraged people to share their stories, which they did in oblivion even though these guys shouldn't have seen the post at all and instead just heard her voice.

Like, maybe the nu-World has free will. I'd buy that. But when applied to the 47 episodes I've spent the last year watching (alongside the Zenkaiger crossover episode), it felt pointless because it ended the way it was foretold in the Omniscient Tome. It didn't matter that Storious was defeated, fate was not averted. It's like, the complaints people have about the MCU post-Loki. It doesn't matter that Tony decided to sacrifice himself, because he didn't have free will. He was always going to sacrifice himself. Thanos was always going to snap away half the universe, and it would always be undone because choices didn't matter before Loki's ending.

And that's not even going into how they final arc reveals that Touma can somehow create stories not present in the Omniscient Tome. That he can somehow, because the personification of Wonderworld choose him as a child, that for some reason he's the only writer in history that can do this. His catchphrase is about how he'll be the one who'll decide how the story ends, but with the idea that everything was set into stone? It's laughable.

Like, my problem with Zero One's ending was the last scene. Aruto had learned a lot about the Humagears and was an advocate for them finding their own dreams as they became self-aware AI. So him trying to treat a new humagear as just an amnesiac Is  and try to help her “remember”? That felt like a betrayal of the character and what he stood for. But the post-series movie revealed that Is left a copy of herself in the Zero Two driver, and merged with the non-self aware nu-Is who the movie kept reminding us wasn't the Is we knew. Aruto even had a sobbing scene about what he was doing, lowkey acknowledging what he was doing but without overtly calling him out. It fixed Zero One for me after that last scene left me with a bad taste in my mouth that overshadowed an otherwise excellent show.

You can't fix Saber with a single movie, that's what I'm getting at here.

So, with that out of the way let's go into my thoughts on each character.

Touma: Is one of the blandest main riders in the franchise. His sense of style is probably one of the worst I've ever seen though. Like I know they like to try and give the main riders their own look rather than having them dress like normal people, like Aruto wearing a hoodie under his suit jacket alongside with his very bright shoes, but this wasn't a W or even something like Ghost (where honestly I really liked Takeru's robe-like shirts). What they eventually settled on with Touma was a stupid hat, really baggy pants, and shirts that look like they came out of a stern librarian's closest. You know, the type with her hair in a bun and their horned-framed glasses on a chain.

Rintaro:Is one of those cases where he's meant to be the secondary Rider of the series, but is overshadowed because the writer likes to use someone else more. The idea of him having to turn against the organization that raised him (like a child soldier) could have worked really well if the series had a more free will-direction. But alas.

Kento: Kento's the one character I found I could really like. His arc was more interesting during the first quarter, his return as Calibur, but then he returned to being Espada and, as much as I love that suit, he just became Touma's main cheerleader. Really, I felt like towards the end it was a waste of him, especially since he doesn't get any power ups like Rintaro did to solidify him as one of the main three. He definitely feels like a victim of rewrites or just the writer not knowing what he was doing.

Mei: The female lead. Honestly, I just found her annoying most of the time. A womanchild to match Touma's more manchild moments, with a potential romance with Rintaro thrown in to only be confirmed in a future movie. Really, she should have taken over as Espada after Kento disappeared early on (especially since she's one of the three in the Ending dance while Kento isn't).

Daishinji: I'd say best boy, but he became a background character pretty quick.

Ogami: An older Kamen Rider who is also a father to a young child? Cool, and could even have worked in contrast to Rintaro's raising as essentially a child soldier. But alas, it was not to be.

Ren: OMG. A somewhat psycho younger Rider, idolizing Kento, and his social Darwinist beliefs on strength leading to conflict as Touma gets more powerful, leading to him abandoning the team to train with an enemy monster? HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT NOT WORK! I swear, Ren should have been the secondary Rider of the series, with his changes in beliefs being used more effectively.

Yuri: One of the most competantly written characters in the entire show. One of the original swordsman who became his sword, returning after 2000 years and not only feeling the culture clash of then and now but even how the idea of what makes a hero has changed? Good boy. Also loved him using a shadow body early on during fights.

Sophia: Why are you even here?

Reika: Oh boy, the swordswoman who leads the rest to distrust Touma under the orders of Master Logos, and doesn't sway from this until he's proven to be batshit insane? And even then, reluctant to join the others? Could have been better, especially if her relationship with her brother didn't come across as incesty. Though, could we please return her to Magine in Zenkaiger? Reika hugging her was really cute, in a socially awkward type of way.

Ryoga: Reika's brother. With his powers being something out of Jojo, time manipulation powers which are a bit hard to explain. He starts them and to his opponents things seem like the fight is continuing as normal, but he really exists outside of that and then can attack from a blindspot? Could have been really good with if the series had gone Team Free Will is all I'm saying.

Master Logos: What I mentioned above, but his Rider suit is one I'm in lust with. Just laughs like a madman and you're wondering why Reika and Ryoga don't rebel against him earlier.

The Megid: Two are a waste who I never bothered to learn their names. Fall out of focus for a bit and only return to be beaten, with the sad fact that they were once human. Storious is the exception, but even then I felt he was a little too late to save the series.

Tassel: Bon Lecture! I still hate you you weirdo, even if your death scene made me feel a little sad. The fact that you treated the early parts of the show as a story you were reading? Have you seen my other complaints?

As for the message of what the show tried to say? I don't really mind it. It's encouraging people to love stories, even if they are copies (considering the controversy of Time Paradox Ghostwriter and Cheat Slayer within recent memory, I'm trying not to make jokes about Saber encouraging plagiarism). And I don't think that's a bad thing in itself. Hell, how many stories take stuff from older stories and just tweak elements to make them their own? I love the Elric saga, but that was based on old legends and meant to subvert the likes of Conan the Barbarian, and some other stories I've liked have borrowed elements from it as well. The idea that stories can be used to pass on our hopes, thoughts and dreams to others is pretty nice as well, rather than writing being a form of masturbation on the author's part.

But in the shadow of the Omniscient Tome and it's implications, I really feel the story should have taken another route.

A lot of Riders start of weak, having to introduce the plot as well as the main release of whatever trinket they want kids to gorge themselves on this year. But they usually start getting better towards the end of the first quarter, while maybe stalling a bit towards the end of the second/third. Saber was a series that I felt never really found it's legs. Too many bareboned plot threads on the go, dropping some for a while only to pick them up again after they've been forgotten about. This is not a good series, to be honest I think Zi-O and even Ghost were better, and really feel it would have been better handled in the hands of someone who could actually write. 

Not to mention, this gave me flashbacks of Power Rangers Megaforce over how much this series relied on fight scenes. Throw in greenscreen everywhere, lack of civilians...oh god, it is Kamen Rider Megaforce. And it felt like Saber was trying to have a story, unlike Megaforce, but it has the same “it’s a kid’s show, we don’t have to try that hard” energy.

[thiswasinevitableid]

7 with indruck?

7: I’m assigned to write a piece rounding up all the bad press that you, a famous celebrity, have been getting and you show up in my office and demand me to write a retraction and get the ‘real’ story”. I went SFW

“Dude! You can’t go in there! Hey, wait, dude, hold on!”

Jake’s voice jars Indrid from staring miserably at his computer screen. But it does nothing to prepare him for the stack of papers that slams into his desk. 

“Where the fuck do you get off man?” 

Staring him down is a man with dark hair, mis-matched eyes, a scar down his right cheek, and an extremely pissed-off expression. Indrid recognizes him instantly, both from T.V and his last assignment.

“Mr. Newton?” 

“Yeah, that’s me, the guy you been draggin through the goddam mud!” 

“I-”

“Where are you even gettin this stuff? Substance abuse, bad break-ups, the split between me and my team, who the fuck told you that bullshit?”

“I am not going to reveal my sources.”

“Oh now you get some fuckin ethics?”

“I was just reporting what people told me. I was assigned to round up the press around you now that you’re relaunching your show, and this is what I got. I’m sorry if that upsets you.”

“Upsets me?” Mr. Newton plants his hands on the desk, leaning into Indrid’s space, “buddy, I ain’t even on the same planet as upset right now. I’m actually feelin pretty damn calm, because I know who the fuck is to blame.”

“It’s not my fault” Inrid snaps back, “I got assigned it at random, so if you have issues kindly take them up with Woodbridge.”

“Sir, if you insist on raising a fuss in my office-”

“This him?” Mr. Newton points to Woodbridge as the editor appears from his office. 

“Yes.” Indrid glares at Woodbridge through his glasses; he told him these kind of stories would lead to trouble, and it wasn’t even his usual beat.

He braces for Mr. Newton continuing to escalate, but instead the stocky man takes a deep breath , holding his hands up apologetically.

“Look, I’m real sorry, shouldn’t have come in guns blazin like that, and I know you fellas gotta make a livin same as anyone but this kind of stuff-” he whacks the papers into Indrid’s lap, “y’all gotta remember there’s a human on the other end of it.”

“That’s a very fair point, Mr. Newton-” Woodbridge gestures towards the door.

“A human with a damn good lawyer.”

“Mr.Newton, free speech”

“Protects you from the government, not from the Duck. I don’t mind the break-up nonsense, that happened plenty during the first show. Leo, Minerva, and I have been through every relationship configuration known to man, accordin to papers like yours. But the shit about me drinkin? That could damage my career. So could the reasons your ‘sources’ gave for why the show ended. You tellin me you’d hire a fella who apparently yelled at his co-hosts day in and day out and ‘couldn't hack’ bein’ outdoors?” This last question he directs at Indrid, who shakes his head. 

“Mr. Newton, retracting the story would look very bad for us. However, we’d be more than willing to publish your side of the story.”

“Close, but my word ain’t enough to counter those claims about me bein’ incompetent. I’m goin’ on a month and a half tour to location scout and shoot the first two episodes. I want one of your writers to come with. Specifically, I want him.” He points to Indrid.

“Wait, why me? I’m not a travel writer, and I have a photography assignment due next week.”

“Because you’re the one who caused this mess, slim.”

Indrid starts to protest when Woodbridge turns to with a smirk.

“Start transferring your assignments, Indrid; you’re going on a roadtrip.”

----------------------------------------

Indrid grumbles to himself as he waits on the curb with his bag. Duck, as Mr. Newton has said to call him, told him to pack only one bag, and to bring his camera (“saw your shots when I was researchin you; you might like shootin out on the road”).

A motorcycle pulls up to the curb as he checks the time on this phone. He doesn’t give the vehicle a second look until the rider speaks to him.

“Glad you’re on time.” The helmet comes off, revealing Duck looking much calmer than the last time he saw him, “let’s get your gear on the bike and get goin’.”

Indrid stares at him in disbelief, “were you at any point going to warm me that I’d be doing this whole trip on a death machine?”

“Didn’t think I had to. Figured you knew this was how I traveled now, given all your, uh, thorough research.” Duck fixes him with a shit-eating grin as he straps his bag onto the bike, then hands him a helmet.

Indrid groans, jams the helmet on and awkwardly climbs onto the back of the bike.

“Gonna have to hang onto me, slim.” Duck’s voice crackles through his helmet, “don’t worry, I ain’t gonna bite you, even if I still kinda feel like it.”

“How encouraging.” He loops his arms around the T.V star, winces as the bike pulls out into traffic. There’s a laugh as he tightens his grip in fear, Duck’s body suddenly the only safe thing in the world. 

They zoom onto the freeway, and promptly come to a dead stop in traffic.

“Truly invigorating.” Indrid mutters. 

“Ain’t gonna be much fun until we’re outta the city. And I ain’t about to go zippin’ between lanes to cut ahead; great way to get us both killed.”

As they inch along, Indrid starting to sweat from the heat of the pavement, Duck asks, “did you ever watch the show?”

“Is there anyone who didn’t? Wild World was on every day. I’m fairly certain it’s still all Animal Planet plays some days.”

“Yeah but, uh, did you actually watch it on purpose?” 

“I did, now and then. I found Minerva’s tendency to try more extreme forms of exploration stressful, but I generally enjoyed what I saw. I’m not surprised you’re the one who picked the show back up; you were always oddly compelling on camera, and it was clear it was a passion project for you.”

“Yeah, it really was. Is. Feels weird to be doin’ it without them. Can’t blame ‘em for havin’ their own lives and goals though. Leo was ready to retire after the Gila Monster incident, and Minerva’s wanted to run an adventure bootcamp for years.”

“You know, if you hurry and explain everything in the next ten minutes, you can just pull off there and drop me at the edge of town.”

A chuckle, “Nice try, Indrid. You ain’t gettin outta roughin’ it that easy.”

“It was worth a try. Alaska was the last episode run, right?”

Duck’s posture shifts so subtly that, were he not holding him, Indrid wouldn’t have noticed it. 

“Yeah. Yeah it was. Nothin’ like gettin attacked by a wolf and takin a bunch of rabies shots to the gut to put you off filmin’.” 

“It really was a wolf? Everything I read said-”

“I’d misidentified what attacked us? Yeah, I know. American wolves never really go after humans, that’s why we were so fuckin’ screwed when this one did. Poor fella. He was sick. We coulda proved what happened except I told Leo to destroy the footage and we had a knock down, drag out fight over it until he did.”

“Why on earth would you do that?”

“Because I didn’t want my pain, Minerva’s pain, and the wolf’s pain to become some goddamn viral sensation!” Duck snaps. 

Indrid decides to drop it, feels Duck sag in the drivers seat. In spite of dragging him out into the wilderness, Indrid doesn’t bear Duck any bad feeling. And he doesn’t like seeing him sad. 

“I, ah, I always liked the episodes where you showcased moths and butterflies. Moths are my favorite creatures, they’re so varied but so overlooked.”

Nothing but the traffic around them, then, “I once saw a Luna Moth bigger’n my hand. Didn’t get it on camera but damn was it a stunner.”

“Where did you see it?”

“Now there’s a story…”

By the time Duck finishes the cars are finally moving, and Duck changes them into the lane leading towards the exit for a single lane, county highway. 

“Fuckin’ finally. Alright Indrid, hold tight.”

What follows is simultaneously the most thrilling and most terrifying four hours of Indrid’s life as Duck speeds down the road, win whipping around them and the world going by in a blur that’s much more alarming when not behind metal and glass. They find a rest stop, where Indrid shotguns an entire bag of skittles under Duck’s amused gaze, and get back on the road for an only slightly less terrifying four hours more. 

They stop for the night at a KOA (“you’re lucky, slim, I got us a cabin to ease you into things”). Whereupon Indrid is treated to the sight of Duck stripping off his road gear, back muscular and sporting several scars.

“How are you likin’ life on the road?” Duck asks, not turning but starting to undo his pants. Indrid doesn’t look away until he’s down to his boxers.

“You know, it’s growing on me.”

They make their first shooting destination the next afternoon, setting up camp in a mostly-empty campground before hiking off into the woods. Duck shoots B-roll while Indrid photographs, the pair working in near total silence before meeting up with their contact near a jumble of boulders.

“Nice to see you again, Thacker.” Duck shakes the man’s hand, and gets a pat on the back.

“Good to you too, sport. Who’s the new fella?”

“My biographer.”  Duck deadpans.

Duck spends the rest of the day filming as Thacker helps him find nest and burrows and creatures to shoot and narrate over. In spite of the show being done on a single camera, Duck is compelling as always when he talks about the natural world. 

Indrid just wishes he’d sprung for better hiking boots.

“Ooof.” He mutters, face down on his sleeping bag.

“Not surprised, we did about ten miles all told today.”

“I repeat. Oof.”

A kind, sympathetic laugh, “C’mon, you’ll feel better after some dinner.”

Later that night, as he’s climbing into his sleeping bag, Duck pokes his head into the tent.

“Psst, Indrid, come look.” 

Indrid follows him out, kneels by a clump of flowers when he waves him down. 

“See, look, riiight there” Duck points, “it’s a Hummingbird Moth.”

Indrid gasps, delighted, and watches the pollinator flit from blossom to blossom. Duck sits beside him, answering his questions when he asks them, until it’s too dark for either of them to see.

--------------------------------

Duck never thought he’d have a travel companion again. Not after Alaska, not after the attack and what came in the nights to follow. 

He certainly never assumed the wiry, silvery haired writer who’d nearl fucked everything up would turn out to be that person. But Indrid, for all his initial skepticism, has become an excellent partner. He’s easy going, eccentric enough that Duck’s own quirks don’t phase him, quiet;y awkward, and a damn good photographer. The fact his alienly handsome face has become a bit windburnt and his pale hair a little longer only adds to his charm.

Christ, Duck wants to rip those red glasses off and kiss him until he’s breathless. 

Currently, he’s missing the feeling of long arms around his waist, as he left Indrid back with a family whose jeep had run out of gas. They’re in one of the long, monotonous stretches of desert highway where passersby are few and cell phone service is unreliable, so Duck volunteered to ride ahead to the next gas station and bring some back. As the Jeep comes into view, he sees the family waving. Indrid is leaning against the car, smiling as if Duck is the greatest thing he’s ever seen. 

That settles it; when they make Santa Fe, he’s calling The Weekly Rounds and asking Woodbridge to extend Indrid’s assignment. And if the old man refuses, well, Animal Planet is thrilled to have him back, and made it clear they’d be happy to pay for an additional camera man.

------------------------------

This time they’re the only ones in the campground, and Indrid suspects it might technically be closed. Indrid could do this forever. He wants to stay like this, with Duck, day in and day out, have their evenings be like this. Duck makes a fire, keeping it small to be safe, and the evening progresses like normal, the two of them swapping stories and munching on the dinner they whipped up from leftovers from the last gas station. Then the moon rises, two days from full, and Duck doubles over with a groan. 

“Fuck, fuckfuckfuck.”

“What’s wrong?” Indrid moves to help him, but Duck raises his hand to stop him.

“Fuck, I’m so sorry, ‘Drid, fuck, I thought I had another day, thought we could make it somewhere I could keep you safe.”

“Safe from what? Duck, please, you’re hurt, I can call for help, just hold on.”

“No” Duck snarls, still hunched over, “you ain’t callin anyone. What you’re gonna do is run, far and as fast as you can, away from me. Find a tree, find a cave, flag down a car if you can find one. Go, please, fuck.” He falls off the stump he’s sitting on, and in spite of his instructions Indrid tries to help him up.

“Go!” It’s a growl now, and when Duck looks up at him his face is changing shape. Duck drags himself away from the fire, into the shadows, and Indrid turns, starting to run. There’s howl of pain and he stops. He can’t leave Duck like this. He won’t.

Resolute, he turns back to the camp and immediately regrets his decisions. Whatever is in the shadows isn’t human, not anymore. It’s growling low and labored, as it rises onto two feet and howls. 

“Oh fuck me.” Indrid doesn’t dare turn his back, tries to slowly creep away and trips on a stray piece of firewood. The monster lowers to all fours, padding into the firelight across from him. It’s fur is dark and shaggy, it’s hands sport claws and when it opens it’s mouth to grin at him it’s teeth glitter like rows of knives. 

He has to keep the fire between him and it, even if he has to spend his night running in some Scooby-Doo style circle around the fire pit. It’s his only chance.

In one, large leap, the werewolf clears the fire and lands in front of him, front paws bracketing his body when he tries to crawl back.

“Told you to run, slim.” 

“I, I can’t.”

“Didn’t think you were stubborn to the point of dyin’.” 

“Y-you told me not to run from predators, and I c-cannot drive the bike. And, and I didn’t, I couldn’t leave you.”

“Ain’t that sweet.” Duck grins again, “but why do you think I told Leo and Minerva I wasn’t safe to be around no more? Because a werewolf don’t know friend from foe.”

“That’s, that’s a lie. Y-you clearly know me, you know your past, you’re not some mindless killer ahgod.” He whimpers as a muzzle finds the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply before sending hot, hungry breath across his skin. 

“Mmmmm, you smell good, sugar.”

“You’re not going to eat me.” Indrid says, eyes shut.

“You seem real sure about that.” Another snuffle, tongue dragging along his throat.

“You’re not because you are still Duck, just very large and covered with fur and with a mouth full of unnecessarily sharp teeth, and even though you seem convinced you’ve become bloodthirsty you are still you.” It comes out in a rush and he holds his breath as a clawed hand cups the back of his head. Duck tugs his head back, nosing along his exposed neck. He stares at the stares, praying they’re not the last thing he sees. 

“I could rip your goddamn throat out.” Duck says matter-of-factly. 

“Do you want to?” He whispers, hands coming up instinctively to protect his vital organs.

A long growl, and then Duck’s face blots out the night sky, “No. I don’t.”

“Ohthankgoodness.”

Duck rumbles out a laugh, “that’s puttin it mildly, slim. No one ever stuck around long enough to see what I’d do because I always hid myself or they had the goddamn good sense to run when I said too. Always assumed as soon as I was all the way changed, I’d wanna hurt people, even if they were people I loved.” He plucks Indrid’s glasses off, setting them carefully on the picnic table before using the pad of his thumb to wipe away a tear he hadn’t realized was there.

“What do you want to do instead?”

“In general, or to you?” 

“Both?” Indrid is puzzled by his phrasing. 

“Kinda amped up, like I wanna go for a run. Transformin’ basically releases a shit ton of adrenaline so your body just doesn’t collapse from the pain. But as far as you’re concerned…” the muzzle his back, snuffling at his face and chest, “dunno, mostly just wanna keep you close. Protect you. Some part of the wolf-brain is kinda just screamin ‘mine’ over and over again.”

“Oh. Ah. That’s, that’s good.” It’s also painfully arousing, but he’s not quite ready to admit that aloud yet.

“Probably helps that you’re wearing my shirt, since it means my scent is all over you already.”

“You let me borrow it AHHEY, gahthattickles” Indrid cackles as licks and nuzzles his face.

“Aww, didn’t know you were ticklish, sugar.” Duck grabs him, begins mercilessly rubbing his face on any exposed skin he can find.

“I’m not you are just very AHhehe hairy!” In retaliation Indrid reaches between them and scritches his fingers against Ducks chest and belly.

ThwupThwup

They both look at Duck’s tail with surprise. Indrid rubs his belly again.

ThwupThwup

“Didn’t know it did that. I mean, guess makes sense on account of bein’ kinda canine, but I guess I ain’t ever been really happy when I been like this before.”

“Should I keep doing that?”

“Fuck yeah. Hold on, here.” Duck adjusts so he’s on his back with Indrid more or less on top of him. Indrid resumes petting him, Duck making little happy whines as he does.

“Damn, that feels good sugar, ooh right.” 

“Why do you keep calling me that? It’s a pet name.”

“I, uh, fuck, um, fuck, I didn’t, meant to say, uh, fuck.” A deep breath as Indrid sits up to meet his eyes, “I’m real fuckin into you, ‘Drid. I, I didn’t wanna say nothin until we were somewhere you could bail out easily if you needed to. But I ain’t felt this way about anyone in years.”

“Is that wolf-you talking or you-you talking?” Indrid asks, toying with a patch of fur.

“Both. I wanna be with you, and wanna keep travelin with you as my partner, as my, uh, my boyfriend. As my mate. Okay, that last bit was definitely the wolf talking.”

“I...I would like that as well, Duck. I didn’t know how to say it, I was afraid that what happened with your friends meant you didn’t want to be close to anyone. Including me.”

Duck sighs, “I wish I’d known then what we figured out tonight. Maybe things woulda ended a little better between us three. I just, I couldn’t face the idea of bein’ out on a shoot with ‘em and havin this exact thing happen.”

“I must admit, the lack of a full moon is rather confusing.”

“It ain’t just the full moon. It’s a few days after and before too, and I thought I had one more before it hit. Plan was to sneak out of the hotel in Santa Fe and hole myself up in a cave somewhere.”

Indrid strokes his cheek, the fur a little coarser there, “That was what attacked you three, I take it.”

“Uh huh. We were trackin it, thinkin’ it was some kind of huge predator we might be able to film.  It jumped Minerva first, but she’s a tough one, managed to hold her own and only got scratched up. I pulled it off her and it bit me. I, uh, I shot it point blank while it was doin’ that. Turned into a man as it fell in the dirt. Leo and Minerva said I did what I had to but I...well, let’s just say I still see that fellas face a lot in my dreams.”

“No wonder you wanted the footage destroyed.” Indrid murmurs.

Duck nods, waves one hand in front of his face, “damn skeeters, c’mon, let’s get in the tent.”

The tent is a tight fit, but Indrid couldn’t be happier. He crawls onto Duck’s chest, nestling against his fur with a sigh. 

“Now if you have bad dreams when you’re like this, you have someone to to hold.”

Duck kisses the top of his head, “Thanks, sugar.”

Indrid falls asleep atop a giant wolfman, and wakes up to the morning sun and much smaller, human man sprawled beneath him, who he wakes with a flurry of kisses. 

They make Santa Fe by noon, riding in feeling freer then either of them has in a long time. When they ride out the next morning, Indrid has a new job and Duck has a new cameraman. But all either can think about at the moment is his new boyfriend, and the future spreading out ahead of them beneath the rising sun. 

[venus-says]

Kamen Rider Movie Wars #1-#6

So... what is all this stuff?

When I decided on starting my Kamen Rider watch I was determined to watch as much as I could, everything seemed okay but there was always a huge problem: the movies.

I didn't know where to look at for information so most of my research was done in the Wikia and if you visit the Kamen Rider Wikia you'll see that the way they list the movies IS CONFUSING AS HELL so I set my mind in watching only the stand-alone movies and any extra released after the show ended that wasn't part of any crossover project.

I decided to do this way to try to avoid spoilers of the previous series that I haven't watched, not necessarily because I didn't want to know what exactly happened in those series, but because I didn't want to have a certain impression of a Rider before I could watch their own show and don't be so judgemental about it before actually knowing that character and the set of extras that'll orbit around it.

But then we cut to 4 months later and I'm watching a video on youtube about W and they comment about how in the crossover movie they explain the events of Beginning Night and I go "shit, these movies DO have necessary information, I think I'll need to watch them orz", so here I am.

Before I go talking about these movies let me just say I think they're all pretty stupid. Like, even calling them movies is a low move, they're extended episodes of each series that converge on an awful CGI battle scene at the end, it's not a lot of fun considering the thing that sells the movie usually don't last longer than 30 minutes. I think the thing that just really pisses me off is how they aren't very considerate of people who didn't watch these movies and they'll usually bring up in the show events that only happened in the movie to the show itself, don't explain them, and expect that the audience will already know what the things they're referencing means. I know it seems like a dumb complain since I'm watching these seasons after they aired so I can watch the movies in the proper time if I want to, the thing is I shouldn't need to watch a movie to understand a thing that happened in the show, the movies should be extra material. And I'm not saying these movies shouldn't be canon, but they shouldn't be integrated with the main continuity in a way that would exclude people who didn't get the opportunity to watch said movies to understand them.

But that's enough for my rant let's get to these movies.

Movie War 2010

So, for the original Movie Wars, I watched only the W's portion, I didn't watch either the Decade part or the conclusion because of the reasons I mentioned up there.

This movie was more or less just a huge flashback, this is also the movie that pisses me off the most because it introduced Skull and the Lost Driver that are things that would become key elements not just for the show but also for their movie and well I already made a huge paragraph about this issue so I won't repeat myself.

I honestly don't remember much about it, but as many problems as I have with this whole set up, I enjoyed this movie. Huge part of it was because Skull was there and he's cool as heck, I'll admit, but I had fun. Though nothing will change my mind that this should've happened in the show not isolated in a movie.

Movie War Core

The next one in line is Movie War Core, I had more fun with this one but this was still pretty bad.

W's portion of it was pretty decent, seeing more of Skull was great, and it was also nice seeing what would lead up to the events in the Accel movie. My biggest problem here is that Akiko never seemed so against the Kamen Rider before so it seemed a little off that she would freak out like that only now, but oh well, it was still nice seeing Skull, I wish we had a movie exclusive to him he's so cool he deserves it (I know it's probably late for me to ask for this, just let me leave XD).

Sadly from that moment on the movie got really boring. I wasn't interested in the attempt of reviving Nobunaga plot, I feel like things were happening way too fast in that, and also Kamen Rider Core was just awful as a final villain, I hated that.

Movie War Megamax

The Fourze x OOO movie is probably my least favorite of the bunch. I really didn't buy that thing of a Kamen Rider from the future coming out of a black hole after meteors were falling, the implication that the medals weren't destroyed in OOO's final battle kinda weakens the ending of the series and the fact they didn't explain Ankh being back just shows how this plot wasn't very well thought. Also, the Kamen Rider from the future coming back at the end just to give OOO the Super TaToBa medals was very dumb, that form also doesn't look good either.

And the Fourze portion was awful because they decide to "give" Gentarou a "girlfriend" and that was just the most stupid plot EVER. They gave the girl a rider form but even that they screwed up, it still baffles me they made the girl attack with her butt. I know this is a show that has primarily boys in mind but you don't have to make every female character like that, especially in a live-action where real people have to act that with their bodies.

Gosh, I hate this movie so much.

Movie War Ultimatum

The next movie wasn't as bad, it was just way longer than it should've been. I watched the director's cut and that is almost two hours, that's absurdly long for a movie where not a whole lot happens. This movie was also pretty weird to watch because they did a whole bunch of homages to older tokusatsu, and while having those didn't make the movie any less good or bad it was still off, you could tell those weren't creatures that originated in this world/franchise. I also wasn't really here for this time travel concept, especially in here it was done in a very messy way, it wasn't cute.

But you know, for the part while I was still paying attention I enjoyed it. The Fourze cast is way more bearable when they're not stupid teenagers, seeing them as adults was quite fun, I like how it started like an actual action movie with Ryusei and that girl from the Fourze movie doing some spy work, and I also like to see that he and the goth girl still have their thing. Gentarou as a teacher looked like a mess, but I like that they put him to be a teacher, it makes a good amount of sense for his character. The students were also a bit interesting so watching Fourze was actually fun for me for the first time! But once again Fourze was there being nasty and doing a whole bunch of close-ups in the girls' tights during the fighting while one of those two was supposed to be a teenager in school and that's just gross. Nadeshiko also comes back for this afterward and ew the butt attacks came back, she even jumped at a monster once where it looked like she was reverse cowgirling him and that was very uncomfortable to watch.

The Wizard portion was quite decent as well, I like the concept of the "farm of monsters", I wish they had used more of these smart ideas in the actual show, Poitrine was fun and I like the reveal that in the end, she was actually the Donut Shop keeper, but I think this portion was longer than it needed to be, especially considering they don't do much. But I guess this is the best way to describe this movie. The joint part was pretty bland, but I like that they had a good amount of out of suit fighting, that kept my attention for a while.

Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle

This was an odd one, kinda like Core this one had a decent first portion and a meh one for the current season but overall it was still pretty bland. It was good seeing an actual epilogue for Wizard, I wanna complain about jetpacking in this plot because Haruto was in Brazil for some reason and then in the next scene he was in Japan again, but he has a teleport spell so I can't call them out. But it sure was funny to see they randomly put a Rider on Brazil for the second time in this movie series. The thing of using a 3D pen to make another Koyomi and make her the villain was a fun twist, but I feel like it wasn't used at its fullest.

The Gaim portion was just awful, I didn't care for this parallel world where they revived a Sengoku battle, I feel like this is one of the things that works better with people who actually have knowledge of Japanese History, but I believe that even if you have knowledge this would still such because we're in those Gaim early days where the characters aren't very likable yet so it's really not enjoyable to watch.

This movie also introduced crossover power-ups and Holy Jesus, this is probably one of the worst ideas this franchise has ever made because none of them look good. And speaking of things that don't look good, they ruined a very good design Bujin Gaim had going on for it in order to make him this weird CGI flower thing that doesn't look good, neither intimidating, it was just awful.

Movie War Full Throttle

Last in the list is the Gaim x Drive movie and while this isn't the movie I disliked the most, this is the movie I less cared about, this is the movie I less remember about, which is weird because I watched it twice. I think my problem comes from the villains for this movie, I didn't buy the idea of this apparently alien race defeating an actual space god and capturing another one, I also didn't care for their designs they were pretty bland. But this movie gave Gaim an actual closure so I guess it wasn't so bad. The Drive portion was weird because it seemed very disconnected from the plot. I like this story and I like Lupin's design, but this should've been, if not an actual episode, a TV special, especially considering they give Krim's backstory about how he ended up being in the belt and nothing can change my mind that this should've been explained in the actual show.

Ironically enough, the part of the movie I remember the most is when Gaim and Drive use each other's powers and they get in those awful crossover forms. Again, this idea was a mistake, Drive's hat looks like a fucking trash can lid, it's awful.

Just like these movies. I had fun at moments, but I'm not gonna lie, I wish I could have those hours back, these movies aren't good, they completely drained my energy. I think I'm gonna wrap up for now, what are your thoughts on the movie wars, let me know in the comments. I'm gonna try to be happy again now. I'll see you guys tomorrow for the second Drive review.

[sailor-cresselia]

Zi-O 23: Better late than - OH NO WHAT WAS THAT ARGH~

BlackWoz’s Storytime Vault has a copy of the Zi-O II armor in it… that is so extra. And stalkery.

“Sougo’s a little dumb school-wise, so he’s risking not graduating.” … Low INT high WIS. Oh my gaim.

...aaaand never mind, it’s more high charisma, not high wisdom. Silly Sougo, didn’t you learn from the ‘Tsukasa wiping out the Ghost Watch’ incident? No sequence breaking for you.

I mean, really, trying to look up the answers to a test with your new future vision skills. That’s just silly.

One page of math is enough to put Sougo out for the count. Wow.

Rest of the ep under the cut!

Hm. Uncle Tokiwa finds an old robot with ‘Will be the king’ scrawled on it, in English, no less. The phrasing implies it was Sougo’s, and then the dream about 2121 gives him a candy stall that he remembers from when he was little.

So, we’ve got androids trying to find humans to destroy them – clearly there aren’t supposed to be humans anymore, and the candy stall was a trap. But Kikai seems to have turned against his fellow machines, and is protecting humans.

…

Chase would be proud.

Having the phone’s vibration appear in a dream as an earthquake is super clever of them, I like it.

Huh. The twisted aesthetic of the Another Rider this time is interesting. Kikai is incredible mechanical in his design, which makes complete sense. The area he lives in looks ‘old timey’ rural – wooden paneling, those bamboo mat walls, and the like. Another Kikai… ‘he’ draws from that look. He’s bundles of wood tied together, a training dummy.

There’s no human inside. That’s weird… And Sougo suspects something. The year, from the angle he saw it, looked like 212, and he definitely recognized it’s kick as being Kikai’s. So he’s got some conflicting ideas on this one.

And he doesn’t say that yet… just runs off to study. Geiz is well aware that he’s hiding something, but goes off after anywa-

OH GOD WHAT THE HELHEIM IS THAT! MURDER BEETLE? MURDER BEETLE?! THE FACE WAS THE HOST ABORT MISSION CALL EVERYTHING OFF!

AAHHHHH NO WONDER THE ANOTHER RIDER LOOKS LIKE BUNDLES OF WOOD IT’S LITERALLY A BEETLE PARASITING ITSELF ONTO A TREE AGGGHH! BURN IT KILL IT ALL WITH FIRE WE’RE DONE HERE!

Oh that’s just wonderful. Not only does Another Kikai creep me out, it creeps Hora out, and it wasn’t made by one of our current Time Jackers.

Swartz either doesn’t know or doesn’t want to say who made it, and I don’t know which possibility is worse.

“All right, this time I’m gonna study – I’m gonna… i’m… gonna sleep...”

Rento – Kikai – oh no I really like him. He’s protecting a small fleet of children, and they adore him!

The older looking boy, with the radio, looks worried about him using too much energy, that’s the sweetest thing.

Ohhhh that wide shot of the Earth is eerie, I don’t like that at all. I don’t like this future one bit.

And there’s the proper form of the ice attack that Another Kikai used… which is what definitively proves who the Another Rider is playing from.

Apparently these time-travel dreams are realistic enough that not only can Kikai tell that Sougo’s basically astral projecting 102 years into the future, but when he wakes up he’s moving from the attack he was hit by.

Oh, HEY, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen Geiz’s Faiz Armor!

But, because the Faiz finisher is exclusively a kick that lands far behind the target, the beetle can make it’s exit before Geiz gets the chance to turn around.

Ohhh concern abounds here!

Geiz is worried that Sougo’s slacking off on his studying, which is adorable. (we knew you were friends!) But then. Tsukuyomi and WhiteWoz. Together.

She wants to know why Geiz is still with Sougo. Implying that she’s left 9-to-5 this time.

Oh, and even more concerning, WhiteWoz doesn’t seem to be the one who created Another Kikai. His knowledge doesn’t go that far – implying he might stop at 2068, the year that Geiz and Tsukuyomi, as well as presumably the Time Jackers and BlackWoz, are from.

Tsukuyomi wants to take Oma Zi-O – to take Sougo down. Geiz doesn’t reply.

So, Geiz tries to get Sougo back to sleep, because they need more information. But looks like this isn’t information that they’re going to like.

I think Rento’s running out of charge capacity. He’s only just been in that fight, and was decidedly lower on power than after the first one. But when he tries to recharge… the satellite attacks him, and forces him into his transformation. Sougo’s panic wakes him up.

Tsukyomi is definitely siding with WhiteWoz now… but Geiz isn’t.

And this is the first time we’ve heard the Zi-O II activation sound with both the watch and Sougo on screen, confirming for me that it’s got two voices saying ‘Zi-O’ when he separates it – the deep driver voice, and Sougo’s. The rest of the transformation sounds for this form are the two normal driver voices – the deep one and the middle tone one. (The BeyonDriver is now known as both ‘the high one’ and ‘the confused one’.)

As Zi-O II, Sougo fights with a lot less movement than he uses as regular Zi-O. This is largely the type of fighting style he used when he and Geiz were fighting in OOO and Genm pt 1, letting the attacks come to him before eventually going on a brutal offensive.

Ohhh I think I see where some of this fight is going. The other fights against Another Kikai were in open light, and he was able to escape in bug form. But right now, Sougo’s fighting him in the shadows.

Rento is solar powered.

Ohhh no that’s a bad future sighting…

So the bug itself is the catalyst for the Another Rider… wait stop Swartz NO LEAVE UHR ALONE.

No no nonoNO.

… ah. Right. Of course he wouldn’t listen. How could I forget?

Swartz doesn’t take no for an answer.

Hora’s not okay with this.

Nobody is okay with this.

Geiz is far more reluctant to go with WhiteWoz than Tsukuyomi.

BlackWoz, why… that’s the shadow effect from your vault – and you brought it into the regular world before going to the Storytime Vault.

“That loneliness will lead you to greater power.” Like helheim it will. Overcoming it, maybe. But not being alone. Not for Sougo.

Ah. Seeing Rento get forced into his transformation isn’t what woke Sougo up, is it?

It’s seeing Rento’s programming being overwritten to that of the Humanoiz – the attack machines.

Oh, look at that, I’m crying over Chase memories again.

The preview:

Rento appears to be in 2019, judging by those cars behind him.

Uhr’s scared and in pain, because Swartz is the worst.

Tsukuyomi’s just. Standing there. As explosions go off around her. Honey, no.

Hora wants help… and looks like she’s willing to work with whoever will help her.

… could ‘Best Friend 2121’ refer to her and Uhr as much as it might Sougo and Geiz? Or whoever the teamup is? (I haven’t seen 24 raw yet, shut up, I’m waiting until, idk, tomorrow or something.)

I just want to protect these dumb teenagers is that so much to ask?

[rex-the-ok]

So long buildy boys

It’s been an interesting year with Build, it’s had ups and downs, but on the whole, it was pretty good

i’ll give my extended thoughts under the cut, so if you’r not interested just enjoy my Stalk hoodie 

build went with a strong start, great characters and a excellent plot with a good “corrupt government” mystery. but there are 4 major problems i has with it:

1. plot lost traction

i loved the plot, the waring factions made for a decent excuse for rider on rider fights. but after the war ended it just felt like it was Evolt delaying the inevitable.

2. Evolt was kind of boring

Evolt was an ok puppet master villain but as we learned more about him and his goal, be became a basic earth destroying alien.

3. wasted potential

there are 3 things that felt very wasted that could be greatly improved: 1. Build Geniuse was said to have the power of all 60 full bottles, but was only fast and strong(and i think it used diamond once). 2. the Sclash Driver was such a cool Driver, but became a standard dead end driver. 3. both of the female leads where strong, but where never given any forms to reflect that.

4. a lackluster toyline

the main problem i have is every toy was very inclusive and didn’t do much interaction with other toys in the line and even then, on there own they had little play ability outside of a transformation jingel and an attack.

[dfroza]

the temptation of this world is to disagree with Love’s sacred and eternal truth

because people want to live according to however they feel and so they choose to ignore or even stand up against what has been revealed by our Creator in Light of the Son. some think of this message as foolishness, but it is actually the True path to eternal life.

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 1st chapter of the Letter of First Corinthians:

From Paul, divinely appointed according to the plan of God, to be an apostle of the Anointed One, Jesus. Our fellow believer Sosthenes joins me in writing you this letter addressed to the community of God throughout the city of Corinth. For you have been made pure, set apart in the Anointed One, Jesus. And God has invited you to be his devoted and holy people, and not only you, but everyone everywhere who calls on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord, and ours also.

May joyous grace and endless peace be yours continually from our Father God and from our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!

I am always thanking my God for you because he has given you such free and open access to his grace through your union with Jesus, the Messiah. In him you have been made extravagantly rich in every way. You have been endowed with a wealth of inspired utterance and the riches that come from your intimate knowledge of him. For the reality of the truth of Christ is seen among you and strengthened through your experience of him. So now you aren’t lacking any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the unveiling of the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. He will keep you steady and strong to the very end, making your character mature so that you will be found innocent on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is forever faithful and can be trusted to do this in you, for he has invited you to co-share the life of his Son, Jesus, the Anointed One, our King!

I urge you, my brothers and sisters, for the sake of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree to live in unity with one another and put to rest any division that attempts to tear you apart. Be restored as one united body living in perfect harmony. Form a consistent choreography among yourselves, having a common perspective with shared values.

My dear brothers and sisters, I have a serious concern I need to bring up with you, for I have been informed by those of Chloe’s house church that you have been destructively arguing among yourselves. And I need to bring this up because each of you is claiming loyalty to different preachers. Some are saying, “I am a disciple of Paul,” or, “I follow Apollos,” or, “I am a disciple of Peter the Rock,” and some, “I belong only to Christ.” But let me ask you, is Christ divided up into groups? Did I die on the cross for you? At your baptism did you pledge yourselves to follow Paul?

Thank God I only baptized two from Corinth—Crispus and Gaius! So now no one can say that in my name I baptized others. (Yes, I also baptized Stephanus and his family. Other than that, I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) For the Anointed One has sent me on a mission, not to see how many I could baptize, but to proclaim the good news. And I declare this message stripped of all philosophical arguments that empty the cross of its true power. For I trust in the all-sufficient cross of Christ alone.

To preach the message of the cross seems like sheer nonsense to those who are on their way to destruction, but to us who are being saved, it is the mighty power of God released within us. For it is written:

I will dismantle the wisdom of the wise

and I will invalidate the intelligence of the scholars.

So where is the wise philosopher who understands? Where is the expert scholar who comprehends? And where is the skilled debater of our time who could win a debate with God? Hasn’t God demonstrated that the wisdom of this world system is utter foolishness?

For in his wisdom, God designed that all the world’s wisdom would be insufficient to lead people to the discovery of himself. He took great delight in baffling the wisdom of the world by using the simplicity of preaching the story of the cross in order to save those who believe it. For the Jews constantly demand to see miraculous signs, while those who are not Jews constantly cling to the world’s wisdom, but we preach the crucified Messiah. The Jews stumble over him and the rest of the world sees him as foolishness. But for those who have been chosen to follow him, both Jews and Greeks, he is God’s mighty power, God’s true wisdom, and our Messiah. For the “foolish” things of God have proven to be wiser than human wisdom. And the “feeble” things of God have proven to be far more powerful than any human ability.

Brothers and sisters, consider who you were when God called you to salvation. Not many of you were wise scholars by human standards, nor were many of you in positions of power. Not many of you were considered the elite when you answered God’s call. But God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty. He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God’s presence. For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now he is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption. And this fulfills what is written:

If anyone boasts, let him only boast

in all that the Lord has done!

The Letter of 1st Corinthians, Chapter 1 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 36th chapter of the book (scroll) of Isaiah that documents a refusal to respond to a threat from an opposing force:

After Hezekiah had been Judah’s king for 14 years, King Sennacherib of Assyria launched an attack against Judah’s fortified cities and conquered them. Sennacherib sent his right-hand man (whom they call the Rabshakeh) to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem along with an army to intimidate him. The Rabshakeh came from Lachish, formerly a great Judean city, and stationed himself along the highway that skirts the field where they launder the cloth, near the aqueduct for the upper pool. Three men from Hezekiah’s court came down from the palace to meet him there. They were Hilkiah’s son Eliakim, the palace administrator; Shebna, the royal secretary; and Asaph’s son Joah, the recorder.

The Rabshakeh told them to relay to Hezekiah these words of Sennacherib, the great king of Assyria.

Rabshakeh: How come you’re so sure of yourself? Your strategy and strength for war seem to be limited to diplomacy and empty words. Now that you have rebelled against me, who are you really relying on? Take a look! Are you really counting on the help of a crushed reed, Egypt, against me? Relying on Egypt is like leaning on a splintering stick that ends up jabbing you through the palm. That’s the way Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is to everyone who relies on him. Or maybe you’ll tell me, “We are putting our trust in the Eternal One our God.” Hah! I don’t think so. Don’t forget that Hezekiah went around destroying all His altars and wrecking His places of worship, insisting that Judah and Jerusalem must worship before the one altar in Jerusalem.

Come on now. Make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria: I’ll give you 2,000 horses if you can do your part and deliver the same number of riders. How can you repel even the weakest unit in my master’s army when you have to look to Egypt for chariots and drivers? And just in case you think that I’m attacking you of my own volition, you should know that I am not. Your God, the Eternal, sent me. Your God said to me, “Rise up against that land (namely you Judeans), and destroy it.”

Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah appealed to the Rabshakeh.

Hezekiah’s Men: Please speak to us, your servants, in a language we understand—Aramaic—not in Judah’s common language, so that the people on the wall who are trying to listen in can’t understand.

Rabshakeh: My, my, my! Do you think that my king sent me here to speak only to your king and to you when those people stand just as much to lose as you? Don’t you think that these people along the wall should have a chance to hear our negotiations? After all, they’ll be reduced with you to eating their own feces and drinking their own urine.

So the Rabshakeh stood up and spoke even louder in the Judean language so all could hear and understand.

Rabshakeh: Hear the words of Great King Sennacherib, king of Assyria, dominator of the world!

“Don’t listen to Hezekiah’s lies. Your king won’t be able to save you. Don’t let him convince you to trust the Eternal by saying, ‘The Eternal will surely save us; God will spare Jerusalem from the king of Assyria.’ Don’t believe it for a minute.”

My king, Sennacherib, says, “Make your peace with me. Don’t fight it, but come on out and join me. Then each of you will be able to enjoy your home and garden, eat your own grapes and figs, and drink the water from your own cistern until I come and bring you back to my place. Oh, it’s like yours, to be sure. It has grain for bread and vineyards for new wine. Be careful or Hezekiah will deceive you with his empty claim: ‘The Eternal One will surely save us.’ Look around. We’ve defeated everyone we’ve fought—every capital of every country. And did their gods save them? No. Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad, Sepharvaim, or even your sibling to the north, Samaria? All of these are fallen—not a god in sight to save them. Do you really think you’re so different? Why should the Eternal save Jerusalem from me?”

To their credit, the people didn’t say anything. Hezekiah had commanded them not to answer the Rabshakeh, and indeed they just sat there silently. Then the three men who had gone for Hezekiah—Hilkiah’s son Eliakim, the palace administrator; Shebna, the royal secretary; and Asaph’s son Joah, the recorder—returned to their king. In great distress, they tore their clothes and told him everything the Rabshakeh said.

The Book (Scroll) of Isaiah, Chapter 36 (The Voice)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Wednesday, july 14 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons that deals with shame:

Just before Moses began his reproof of Israel, he declared his love and faith in the people. “The LORD your God has multiplied you until you are today as numerous as the stars in the sky (כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם). May the LORD, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times more as you are (כָּכֶם), and bless you, as He promised you” (Deut. 1:10-11). Moses first brought up God’s love for the Jews before he began his admonition. Notice he used the word kachem (כָּכֶם, “as you are”) in this blessing. May the LORD multiply you - as you are - a thousand times! You are beloved; you are worthy: may the LORD bless you a thousand times over! (How different is this picture of Moses than the typical cartoon made of him by many in Christianity, who envision him smashing the tablets as if that were his “last word” on the subject of the Torah to Israel!)

Were the people perfect then? Obviously not, as would be clear through Moses’ later admonition to them. Nonetheless, Moses used a “good eye” to see their potential as God’s chosen people. Here was this ragtag group of of desert wanderers, descendants of slaves from the “house of slavery,” whom the LORD God Almighty personally redeemed to be His own treasured possession. Despite their failures in the past and all that went before, Moses reminded them that they were esteemed as mamlechet kohanim v’goy kadosh (מַמְלֶכֶת כּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹש), a “kingdom of priests and a holy people” (Exod. 19:6).

Moses’ approach gives us insight about how we might correct the people we truly love. Often people become defensive when they are criticized and stop listening. Adding sincere praise and encouragement helps them open up to our message, since it is grounded in a sense of respect and value for their well-being. God thinks highly of the Jewish people, and that is the very first thing to be heard. God greatly esteems us, too. Despite the fact that we are sinners, God truly loves us. He considers us worthy to be saved. Again, why else did Yeshua suffer and die on the cross if God did not value our lives so much?

Shame is never the goal of the Torah. As King David prayed: Elohai bekha vatachti; al-avoshah (אֱלהַי בְּךָ בָטַחְתִּי אַל־אֵבוֹשָׁה): "My God, I trust in you; let me not be ashamed" (Psalm 25:2). Some people use the idea of God’s “law” as a sort of club to hammer a sense of guilt upon the soul. They insist that man is “totally depraved” and under God’s death sentence. Such people then hope to explain the good news of the gospel to escape God’s righteous wrath for sin. These people, perhaps well-meaning, forget that the LORD is "near" - karov- to the brokenhearted. This adverb means “close enough to touch.” The same root is used for the word korban (קָרְבָּן), an offering that draws us near to God, as well as karov (קָרוֹב), a near kinsman. In other words, God’s desire has always been for people to draw near to Him, and He has always provided a way for people to do so -- even those who lived under the terms of the Sinai Covenant.

Guilt (אַשְׁמָה) is an objective state of being sinful that may or may not be accompanied by feelings of remorse, but shame (בּוּשָׁה), at least in its toxic sense, is a state of soul that regards itself as fundamentally flawed, inadequate, and essentially unlovable. God does not want us to grovel in self-disgust or live in constant fear of His judgment. He does not want us to hate ourselves or to regard ourselves as unlovable. As His creation, He loves us and finds us of value and worth. Why else would he have given His Son up to ransom us from sin and death? Like a parent who loves his child but wants to correct him by saying, “this doesn’t become you,” so God wants us to remember who we really are. He wants us to “walk in love” as His “dear children of light” (Eph. 5:8). God’s correction is meant to form His character within us, and this first must begin with our assurance of our value, dignity, and worth in His eyes.

We are commanded to judge with tzedakah, with love as our underlying assumption. If God so commands us, surely we can trust that He likewise judges us this way. God’s love is his essence - “God is love” (ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν) - and He regards you as worthy to receive His love and blessing. He loves you b’ahavat olam - with “an everlasting love” (אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם), and therefore in chesed he draws you to Himself (Jer. 31:3). Why else would Yeshua die on the cross unless He expressed God’s desire to judge others favorably?

Be encouraged, chaverim. You are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and you have a future and a hope in the world to come (Jer. 29:11). “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18). Keep hope. God’s love never fails (1 Cor. 13:8). [Hebrew for Christians]

7.14.21 • Facebook

from an email by Glenn Jackson:

July 14th

THE NEED OF ETERNAL LIFE

[part 1 of 7]

* THE subject of Eternal Life can well be called another lost truth. The Church has never majored Eternal Life, and yet it was the reason for Christ's coming. John 10:10: "I came that they may have Life, and may have it abundantly." The word, "Life," used here is from the Greek word, "Zoe." It is the word used in connection with Eternal Life. The other word, "psuche," means natural life and all other forms of life. Man is Spiritually Dead.

Eph. 2:1: "And you did He make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins." Spiritual Death is the nature of the adversary. When Adam sinned in the garden, he became a partaker of Satanic nature. This nature has been the cause of all the sin, misery, and sickness of the human race. It has given to man an inferiority complex, a sense of unworthiness, a sense of sin. It has given him hatred and jealousy and bitterness. All the crimes and miseries of the ages are the result of this nature that man possesses. The reason that man cannot stand right with God is that his nature is enmity against God.

Romans 8:7 tells us that "it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be."

This nature must be taken out of man, and a New Nature must be given to him.

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

July 14, 2021

His Kingdom Is Forever

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The final verse of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” describes our tools and comportment while in the battle, and the final victory.

That word above all earthly powers,

No thanks to them, abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours

Thro’ Him who with us sideth:

Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also;

The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,

His kingdom is forever.

As the King’s soldiers, we have God-given abilities and possessions, most notably the indwelling God’s Spirit and empowering gifts. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9). “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4). We should “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28) and focus on Him, “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts” (even goods and kindred [Luke 9:60-62] if need be). “We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13).

As of yet the battle continues. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:21), “and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). JDM

[multiverseforger]

Howard's first appearance in comics is when he is abruptly abducted from his home planet by an unseen force and randomly dropped into the Florida Everglades by the demon-lord Thog the Nether-Spawn. He meets the Man-Thing, who had been attacked by Korrek of Katharta, and the three of them are confronted by warriors of the Congress of Realities.[22] He then meets Dakimh the Enchanter and Dakimh banishes the warriors and transports Howard, Man-Thing, and Korrek to his castle, where they are joined by Jennifer Kale. They then travel to the realm of Therea and destroy Thog the Nether-Spawn. Howard then accidentally falls off the inter-dimensional stepping stones that the group were traveling on[23] and materializes in Cleveland, Ohio, where he battles Garko the Man-Frog.[24] Howard is arrested at this time for disturbing the peace and is mistaken for a mutant during a strip search, but is released because the police fear he has mutant abilities. Howard also briefly encounters and kills a vampiric cow named Bessie the Hellcow.[25]

Howard makes friends with an artists' model named Beverly Switzler and a bizarre series of encounters follow. He battles Pro-Rata, the cosmic accountant, then meets Spider-Man at the end of the battle.[26][27] He battles Turnip-Man and the Kidney Lady,[28] who would become a semi-recurring character over the years,[citation needed] then learns the fictional martial art of "Quack-Fu".[29] Howard then encounters the Winky Man, who is actually the sleepwalking alter-ego of Beverly's artist friend, Paul Same,[30] who would become a series regular and later become the pair's roommate.[citation needed] Howard also briefly becomes a wrestler.[31]

Howard and Beverly hit the road, seeking shelter in a gothic mansion where they battle a girl named Patsy and her giant, animated-to-life gingerbread man.[32][33] They eventually end up in New York City, where Howard is nominated for President of the United States by the All-Night Party[33] and he later battles the Band of the Bland, alongside the Defenders.[34] A doctored-photo scandal leads him to Canada where he defeats a supervillain, the Beaver, who caused the scandal. The Beaver falls to his death in a battle with Howard.[35] Howard then suffers a nervous breakdown and flees Bev and their situation on a bus. Unfortunately, the bus' passengers are all believers in various weird cults, and try to interest Howard in them. His seatmates are Winda Wester and the Kidney Lady, a woman who believes that the soul of a person lives in their kidneys and attempts to stop anything she sees as "anti-kidney health." After the bus crashes, Howard and Winda are sent to a mental institution. There he meets Daimon Hellstrom, and is briefly possessed by Hellstrom's demonic soul, becoming the new Son of Satan.[36] Beverly and Paul manage to get them both back to Cleveland. Later, while on the S. S. Damned, a cruise ship returning from scenic Bagmom, Howard and Beverly are taken captive by Lester Verde. Verde had known Beverly in college and had a crush on her and had assumed the identity of the supervillain Doctor Bong,[37] who illegally marries Beverly against her will and transforms Howard into a human.[38][39]

After escaping back to New York and being restored to his natural form, Howard is hired as a dishwasher by Beverly's uncle, Lee Switzler. Howard is later reunited with Dakihm the Enchanter, the Man-Thing, Korrek and Jennifer Kale, and they all battle the demon Bzzk'Joh. Korrek pilots the ship the Epoch Weasel and drops Howard back off at Cleveland before he and their allies fly away.[40][41] Howard finally meets up with the cruise ship that rescued Paul and Winda from Doctor Bong, and finds that Paul and Winda have befriended socialite Iris Raritan.

Howard is later kidnapped by the Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime. Winda is abandoned by Paul and Iris and Paul is shot and left in a coma.[42][43] After defeating the Circus of Crime, Howard is plagued by pessimistic dreams and goes his way alone, just as he had at the series' beginning.[44]

Writer Bill Mantlo, beginning with issue #30, returned the series to its former status quo, bringing Beverly back into the picture and having her divorce Doctor Bong. Howard's creator Steve Gerber, who left the series after issue #27, originally intended for Beverly and Bong's marriage to be lasting and for Beverly to be written out of the series from that point on. Howard and Beverly's friend Paul, who had ended up in a coma after he had previously been shot by the Ringmaster, awakens from his coma and is released from the hospital. Beverly's uncle Lee brings everyone back to Cleveland and employs Howard as a cab driver, while Paul, back to being a somnambulist after his release from the hospital, becomes Winda's boyfriend. Howard dons a suit of "Iron Duck" armor made by Claude Starkowitz, a man who has delusions of being related to Tony Stark and dreams of being the personal armorer to Iron Man, and battles Doctor Bong in the final issue of the original 70s Howard the Duck series (issue #31).[45][46] Howard later encounters Dracula[47] and even once returns to Duckworld.[48] At the end of the nine-issue magazine series, Howard leaves Beverly (at her request) and is later offered a genetically-constructed female duck mate, whom he does not take to.[49]

On a later occasion, She-Hulk accidentally pulls Howard though a cosmic wormhole along with theoretical physicist Brent Wilcox and they are able to prevent other universes from crowding out Earth-616. During this time, Howard meets a character called the Critic, travels to a dimension known as the Baloneyverse and again battles a group called the Band of the Bland, whom he had previously battled with the Defenders.[50][51][52]

In an encounter with Peter Parker and Ben Reilly (the then-current Spider-Man), Howard gets a rematch with the Circus of Crime and the Circus is defeated. During the fight, Howard and Beverly get stuck in a warehouse full of anthropomorphic ducks, briefly meeting the Savage Dragon and Destroyer Duck. Parker and Reilly leave the warehouse believing that they have the correct versions of Howard and Beverly with them. However, in the Savage Dragon/Destroyer Duck companion story that takes place simultaneously and that was written by Gerber, it is explained that the version of Howard and Beverly that left the warehouse with Parker and Reilly are simply clones taken by mistake and that the real Howard and Beverly actually left the scene with Savage Dragon and Destroyer Duck .[53]

The sorceress Jennifer Kale, in a weekly attempt to return Howard to his home world, inadvertently teleports Devil Dinosaur and Moon-Boy into her New York apartment. The disoriented dinosaur attempts to eat Howard, but spits him out when shot with John Blaze's hellfire gun. Devil Dinosaur and Moon-Boy then rampage through the city before being subdued by Ghost Rider (Daniel Ketch). Howard says that he relates to the pair being trapped in a world they never made before wandering off.[54][55]

[stuffandsundry]

Arc 1: The Beat Riders

Premise

Most of the early episodes don't need to change all that much, compared to later--

Ah. Shit. I forgot to address my beef with Kaito. ok gimme a sec uhh. Ok. Okokok so here we go. I'm not gonna do this for all the characters because mostly, character introductions are fffffairly okay. Some are better than others but like, they're all at least workable… except. HIM. Kaito, the most out of all the gaim characters, makes zero sense so im gonna throw EVERYTHING out and try to extrapolate something based off of backstory given from Gaiden and canon and a little bit of real riders. Hope it makes sense. So, recap of backstory: Kaito's family used to be decently middle class and he played near the shrine tree, until Yggdrasil came in and bought them out. Kaito's dad didn't really know what to do after losing his purpose in life and turns to drinking/gambling, and they rapidly lose whatever money they had gotten from the corporation, dad becomes abusive, parents kill themselves and Kaito is left at an orphanage and grows up bitter and vaguely traumatized. Gets into a lot of fights at school, is a history nerd, etc. Cool, that's workable. Extrapolation from that for this scenario (oh yeah also, I did say girl now, it's Keiko now)

Keiko rreally hates Yggdrasil. If they had never moved in, maybe her family could have stayed together.

She's always looking for something to challenge her- she saw her family "give up" early on, and she doesn't want to end up like them. Struggle as proof that she's alive? No sympathy for people who've given up fighting, in her eyes.

Related to Point 2. Believes in a fair fight. There's no use in beating down someone clearly weaker than you, and anyone who does that is a coward and a bully. And if you need to lie to someone to beat them, then that doesn’t count as an actual victory. Wants to be acknowledged as the best by her own power.

A lot of pride. Doesn't like accepting help or depending on others/seeming weak. Talks big but also has a lot of like. Self-worth issues, thinks that people have to be "worth" something to be allowed to live, which comes from being abandoned by family so young.

Listen I know that this is a Very Standard anime rival lone wolf archetype but it didn't get to be a standard because it /Didn't/ Work, also I got really attached to Keiko halfway through typing this just let me have this please, I rarely if ever see it applied to girls,

Actually, the soccer episode also gave me the idea that Keiko would be the type of person that just. Rolls with things, no matter how vaguely ludicrous they are. Re: canon soccer episode. What are you gonna do when you get punched in the gut, sending you to an alternate dimension where the city wasn't destroyed and everyone uses the power of the drivers to play soccer? Clearly, become the best damn armored soccer player ever. That's such a funny trait I'm keeping it. It would be such a good source of deadpan comedy. Example: in high school Keiko was a delinquent who got into fights, how did she end up captain of a dance team? Nobody knows. (Most likely: somebody tried to insult her by saying that she couldn't dance for shit and she decided that the best way to rise to this challenge was to… take over a dance team and make them teach her.) Simultaneously zero chill and weirdly chill. Chill about all the wrong things.

Okay, back to plot. Only minor changes for the first 14 episodes, which I'm collecting into an arc--

Instead of Micchy becoming Ryugen, I wanna say that Micchy shows the rest of the Beat Riders the driver he got from Sid ahead of time and Mai sees her chance and asks him to give it to her. Because on one hand, Mai's grateful that Kouta's staying behind because Yuuya's gone missing and Mai isn't sure that she can handle being the final word of authority in Gaim, but on the other, Mai's kinda annoyed that Kouta stayed behind because it's like he doesn't trust her to be able to protect the team. Just because she's doubting herself doesn't mean that he should! She wants to stand on equal level with Kouta, so the driver. Micchy does give Mai the driver, because he cares a lot about Mai.  However, subconsciously or not, he was looking forwards to being the one of the people that the team relied on, so a seed of resentment is also planted here. This colors his decisions in favor of keeping things secret from the rest of the team moving forwards as well.

Within the team, Mai and Micchy more-or-less switch roles, except that Micchy is also finding out a lot of Yggdrasil's-- and his sister's-- secrets in the meantime, so he's still extremely relevant. This way, there's a character arc set up for both Mai and Micchy-- Mai needs to learn that Gaim will follow her (like they did when Yuuya was around) not for her fighting ability or anything, but because she cared about people and wanted to make them happy. Mai realizes that she didn't need to change in order to become a strong leader, because she was already a strong leader and she just needed to trust in herself. On the other hand, Micchy's going to eventually realize that staying quiet about things that upset him is actively working to make his life worse because his friends and family aren't mind readers and they can't tell if they did something to upset him if he doesn't verbalize it. And if his friends and family really, truly care about him, then they'd be upset at THEMSELVES about hurting him, not at him. His secretive martyrdom is a ticking time bomb for everyone.

Ah yeah, one plot change I have to mention here: Keiko doesn't want the other teams to be her vassals because what's the fucking point, Team Baron is the best anyways. (That entire thing was a little. Hm. Idk how much sense it made, man. And it only lasted like two episodes so there was no point to it except to show that Kaito was an asshole even???) So in this 'verse, the reason that she gives Hase and Jo more powerful lockseeds in the first place is because. Gaim is the only real challenger to Baron, which means that theres only one person that she can fight meaningfully and that’s boring as shit. Raid Wild and Invitto still want to fight, they're just lacking the means. The only real surprise is that they come after her with drivers, which she didn't know they had. She has mixed feelings about the sneak attack. On one hand, maybe Hase and Jo are stronger than she thought they were! On the other, those motherfucking SNAKES,

Oh wow I just realized that having Keiko instead of Kaito makes that scene where Mai goes into the forest alone and Baron finds her… really gay. Mai bandaging Keiko's arm and they talk about their childhoods together… Mai remembers that Keiko would always watch her dance and Keiko tells her she was too shy to go up and say hi… Mai's deal wanting to protect those that she holds dear and all that jazz, while Keiko's a cynical SOB. ( By the by, Kouta's not super concerned with Mai being in there until he remembers ah. Mai doesn't have a Lock Vehicle so she can't get out, and the white armored rider is in there, which is when he rushes in like a fool. Except he's on his own while Mai is with Keiko, so it ends up being Kouta who has to get rescued, etc, etc. a lot of early stuff goes this way tbh. Small changes, but overall plot stays same so im not gonna outline it all.)

Takako's thing is a lot more. Okay. Bear with me here. I feel she'd def be far more defensive than Takatora was, because she's got a lot more to prove, and she's pretty isolated-- again, handing out the drivers wasn't her idea, and she's not getting the respect someone else might get at her job level, it's really stressful but Takako's kept going because the people around her-- Ryumi and the other scientists-- say that this is all going to work. Enter Akira. (YEAH. YOU HEARD ME. KAZURABA AKIRA DESERVES A BIGGER ROLE FUCK YALL)

Akira works for Yggdrasil-- she used to be part of a subsidiary, but her last project just got wrapped up, and she was reassigned to Takako's division as junior project manag-- what the fuck. Oh my god?? Is THIS what Yggdrasil's doing? WAIT THAT'S HER LITTLE BROTHER, SHE RECOGNIZES THAT SUIT. If you have Akira and Takako working together I feel that a lot more is viable here, you could compare and contrast Akira's ideals and Takako's. You can def. challenge Takako's ideology that a little risk and loss now is worth the gains that studying Helheim will grant in the future. Akira can act as audience substitute, basically. She's here to yell "SUPERVISOR KURESHIMA, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WHAT THE HELL" as takako eventually realizes that… possibly… maybe Akira has a point. She's spent so long chasing the company's bottom line she forgot things like, you know, empathy. The problem is, does she realize this too slowly to do any good? Also, what does Ryumi think about Takako's convictions wavering?

So while we're getting introduced to the main players of the Yggdrasil corporation through Akira, the Beat Rider side asks the questions: Who made these drivers, and why give them out to us? And whats with the strange forest? Which eventually leads us into the Christmas game, and the Yggdrasil base camp incident. Kouta learns considerably less than he did (seriously, how did those scientists not get suspicious) but he does learn: this forest is called Helheim, the scientists here work for yggdrasil, and that the Sengoku is the scientist in charge of this project. And then they realize that kouta isn't a yggdrasil employee and raise the alarm except oh no, that’s the moment that the inves attack and suddenly they have more to worry about. Again, minor changes. Kouta sees his sister at the Yggdrasil base but doesn't get the chance to talk to her, everything else can basically go as it did… incluuuding Hase.

Okay. Hase.

Here's how this works. His driver gets broken, okay, fine. Jo doesn't abandon him right away. Even if he's kind of an aggressive musclehead, they've still been working together for a while. But she's not enough to fight alone, and Hase can see that it's really only a matter of time before Jo's goodwill runs out. So he eats the fruit! And does not turn into a monster right away. Instead, it gives him the power that he was looking for this entire time-- he is able to fight on even level as the rest of the armored riders, even though his belt is broken, and it looks like everything is okay. With this, some of the other Beat Riders are considering eating the fruit too. Why's everyone so worried anyways? Besides, they look delicious… however, Micchy points out that Yggdrasil handles the fruits with the utmost caution, and that just because there are no visible harmful effects doesn't mean that they aren't dangerous, etc.

Kouta and Akira also sit down to have a talk about the driver over dinner one night-- they've both been kind of keeping secrets from each other. Akira tries to convince Kouta to stop using the driver because she knows that it's dangerous but isn't sure if Kouta knows that (remember, last time she saw Kouta using the driver in person was Episode 2 shenanigans) -> Kouta shows his sister that yeah, he knows that this isn't a joke, but he wants to help people like she raised him to do. Right now, they need the drivers to fight. Akira relents because he's right, but promises him that after the immediate crisis is over, they're going to have to have another talk about this. Kouta plans to bring his sister to the Gaim garage so that she can brief everyone on everything she's overheard in her the short time she's been working as Takako's assistant, but that'll have to wait until the weekend when she's free. Meanwhile, important stuff is going on in the rest of the city. Show that the beat riders have been losing their audience because of a sudden string of disappearances in Zawame (caused by ppl eating the fruits), and the police are encouraging most people to stay home. Not a lot of people are willing to go outside anymore-- they're scared, and rightfully so. Inves attacks are growing more frequent.

This is pretty frustrating for most of the Beat Riders, especially because people are telling them to break it up and just go home too. More and more Inves are showing up, too… And then some official or something shows up one day and says that until ZPD solves the mystery of the disappearances, the stages are going to be closed. And this is when Hase snaps. See, Hase has been using the belt for a while, so he's built up some immunity to the Helheim fruit's effects. (He doesn't lose it immediately like Yuuya did) But it's still not enough. He'd been acting erratically. More aggressive, recently. And today's the last straw. Hase gets into an argument with the official, it starts getting ugly, Jo steps in between them and…. Hase transforms into an Inves. People are taking pictures of it and everything-- even though the Beat Riders Hotline shuts down the live camera feed quickly, its not fast enough. And Hase goes after Jo. Kouta and Mai run over to pull him off of her and he runs off and everyones going???????

Hase holes up in a warehouse somewhere and mostly transforms back except for hand and he's terrified, he doesn't know what's going on. Jo finds him first and yells at him HEY WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, DUDE which, while totally understandable, does nothing for Hase's stress levels. He transforms into an Inves and runs out onto the street, where the others, still searching for Hase, stumble onto him. They end up fighting near Charmant and Oren comes out to see what the fuss was all about, he ends up joining the fight. Hase's lashing out in fear and pain but also he's putting civilians at risk, so the Beat Riders are forced to fight him even though they're well-aware that they can't just like, do a murder. Meanwhile, Keiko gets cornered in Helheim by Youko and Takako, and she is captured. Takako leaves halfway into the battle because she gets word that they've tracked down a Beat Rider that became an Inves and she has to take care of it ASAP. Kouta, Mai, and Jo are still fighting Hase (and also Oren, who doesn't really know what's going on and is trying to kill the inves) without actually trying to fight Hase when Takako shows up. She tells them that that Inves is no longer human and tries to put an arrow right through him, with intent to kill. When the smoke clears…

Jo falls to her knees, because she protected Hase. In the shocked silence afterwards, Jo tells Hase to run. She doesn't know whats going on! And maybe Hase can be kind of a jerk sometimes, and really annoying, he's still her friend, and she doesn't want to see him die. Hase regains some degree of control over his transformation and he backs away, runs off. Takako tries to go after him but is blocked by Kouta, who tells them to get Jo out of there and he'll handle the white armored rider. Spoiler alert: he can't handle the white armored rider, but he bought enough time for the rest of them to get out. Kouta is taken in by Yggdrasil.

I think this is a good place to stop for now, so I'll do more later. Okay, see you around!

[toku-explained]

Mission II: Jama Ball

Decker: The Sphere Obelisks gather power, inside Terraphaser, Agams is in a bad way. At Kanata's bedside, Ryumon confirms Hanejiro knew, when Kanata wakes up he rushes out, then notices Sphere scarring on his body. With 3 hours until the barrier contracts, a plan is made to destroy the Sphere Obelisks. The Nursedessei is immobilised, but can fire on the central pillar, but they need to destroy one of the others in the firing line, so GUTS-Select leads teams of TPU troops to plant Mega-Earth powered bombs to tear it down, contending with Soldiers and Terraphaser. The Nurse Cannon destroys half the pillar, but before it can fire again Terraphaser hits Nursedessei bad, and then gets a direct hit on Kaizaki. Decker Dynamic fights Terraphaser, struggling with his infection and trying to both remind Agams of what Laelia would want and recognising he's punishing himself as much as humanity. In a beam clash, Decker overcomes Terraphaser as Agams sees a vision of Laelia and remembers her desire to make friends across the universe. Low on energy, Decker prepares to attack the restored Obelisk, when Terraphaser appears behind him...and fires the TR Mega Buster at the Obelisk. Decker joins the attack, and together they destroy it, and the barrier, and contact is restored with Mars, Agams picks Kanata up, and thanks him for helping him remember what's important. And then Ultraman Trigger comes falling from the sky, a portent to the appearance of Mother Spheresaurus. In a swift battle, Mother Spheresaurus grabs Terraphaser and drains all of it's Sphere power, blasts Trigger, revealing Kengo's identity to Ryumon and Ichika, and then blasts Decker, who is relatively unscathed, at the cost of the Shield Calibur. Terraphaser takes the next blast for Decker, Agams proclaiming he can see the future Laelia and hoped for coming, before they are destroyed, and Decker reverts to Kanata, as his friends find him, the infection is spreading through his body.

Geats: This round is going to have the players vote who they think is the Desastar, the voted player will be eliminated regardless of if this is true or not. Archimedel plans to send Rook out this time. Keiwa has his own supporter now, Kekera. As Keiwa is visiting a youth centre he sometimes volunteers at, the kids get sealed in a Jama Area, the Riders are to make a team against the Jamato, consisting of Jamato Riders lead by Rook and score the most points in essentially basketball. Keiwa freezes up when he hears Rook use Shirowe's words, and at half time the Jyamato have a two point lead. Ace is asked by Jean about his quest for Mitsume, since he's found records of Ace's mother being an Ukiyo Mika, but receives no answer. Daichi questions Keiwa on his hesitation, and doesn't seem to disbelieve him, but advises keeping quiet, and Sae trains Neon and advises she work to achieve her goal. In a meeting, Daichi accuses Keiwa of being the Desastar, denying the previous conversation happened, and Keiwa currently has 3 votes, Kekera decides to prepare a secret mission for him. In the greenhouse, Michinaga stumbles on his old ID Core, taking it and a Desire Driver, barely able to transform when confronted by a Jamato Rider, he defeats it barely, confronted by two more he risks using the Jama Buckle, which causes massive pain and on it's own sends out vines that kill the Jamato. In the next round, with more Jamato and two balls, Keiwa gets a Twin Command Buckle for protecting the kids, and starts doing well fighting Rook, until it shows him it's human form, which freaks him out enough he knocks down Nadge-Sparrow when he tries to kill Rook, further convincing Lopo in particular that he's the Desastar.

Donbrothers: Sonoi discovers he's learnt to actually create beautiful art. Sonoza laughs genuinely at Haruka's latest work. Kijino wants Miho to stay home, but she goes back to work. Knowing Inuzaka was replaced by a Juto, the others ask him about it, but as he doesn't know who they are he tells them not to get involved, but relates what Sononi told him, Taro noting the difference with what Miho said. Jiro is planning to head home again to see Rumi and Terasaki, Taro decides to accompany him, when Jiro shows a photo of himself and Rumi to Kijino, Kijino only sees Jiro. A man who feels unappreciated at work is being possessed by ChouDenshiKi. Inuzaka wants to try just saving Natsumii rather than cutting down Miho, but Sononi tells him the odds of getting back to the forest are near impossible. Inuzaka confront Miho, Sononi arriving to watch, after InuBrother gets a few hits Miho assumes Juto form, which makes it easier for Inuzaka to strike with Murasame, Sononi recalling Inuzaka's words of love to Natsumii. After one blow from Murasame, Miho is incapacitated, and Inuzaka swings. When he opens his eyes, Miho has been pushed aside, and Sononi is wounded in front of him from Murasame's blade. As he tries to get Sononi to talk, Miho stumbles away, Taro finds her, seeking confirmation what she said was true, and she stresses she understands humanity better than him. He tries to help her, but she refuses, despising the Don Clan. ChouDenshiKi rampages. Kijino returns home to find Miho injured. Sononi admits she lied to Inuzaka, but can't explain her reasons before Sonoi and Sonoza arrive and make him leave, telling her they have to execute her. Miho tells Kijino Inuzaka attacked her. Sonoi knows any Noto who sides with humans must be executed like the Don Clan, but neither of them can do it, because they both know they're exactly the same. Sononi leaves to continue what she must. Kijino calls out Inuzaka, refuses to hear that Miho is a Juto, and attacks as KijiBrother, forcing Inuzaka to become InuBrother too, in his rage KijiBrother gets the advantage, but Sononi takes the killing shot, which stuns Kijino enough to stop. Sononi is still alive, but ChouDenshiKi arrives, both men trying to protect Sononi from it until the others arrive. For the first time all 6 Donbrothers transform together, and swiftly defeat the Hitotsu-ki. Inuzaka finds a dying or dead Sononi, and Kaito approaches. Subsequently, InuBrother, who has by far the most Kibi Points, has all but 2 spent, and Sononi awakens. Inuzaka let's go of her hand, and pushes her away, telling her he never wants to see her again. Haruka only realises she's learnt InuBrother's identity in the middle of the night.

[theultrablog]

Table Stories #1: Paranoia, Grenades

I started this blog because I have a 6+ year archive of games I’ve written up here. Expect them every Wednesday around noon PST. So this week* (in 2012), I decided to run a Paranoia adventure. I pre-generated sheets, bought some d20s, and thought up a few adventure hooks. I also created secret mission objectives. The ostensible mission was to test drive Andy-Roid, the Stealth Car. 2 of the six players were (secretly) tasked with stealing it, two with protecting it, and two with destroying it. Our players were Jean Jeany (Happiness Officer) Melvin (Loyalty Officer, first timer and player of the game. Female.) Frgh (also Loyalty) not his first time playing Paranoia) Name-Not-Found (Team leader, devious nuclear engineer & MF'er) Lee (Equipment, faded into background) Patron (Team Leader, Hygiene, master of disguise). Now, because I was having trouble gathering 6 people, I had to rewrite the secret missions. Everyone had to kill at least one other player and protect one other. All I had really planned out was "A loop-de-Loop, and general Test-Track style shenanigans." I also scribbled down "commies on horses." That was it.

Tips for future Paranoia GMs:

Give your players grenades. They may not use mutant powers, they may not get their character sheets at first, but God-damn if they don't appreciate how to use a grenade. Put them on the spot. It works for debriefing, but it also works for R&D. I decided I wanted to have an old fashioned net-gun in the party. I asked someone for an adjective, then another one for an adjective. I got "Boring" and "red hot". I then gave the equipment officer a burning, hole-creating net gun. Because of the constant switching of # of players, I got some odd situations: For example, N-N-F has to kill Mel, who is trying to protect him. Once the players got to the car, I asked them where they wanted to sit. Everyone fought for shotgun, leading to two people playing grenade hot potato. They both lost, and their next clones fought over the seat, hand to hand. Melvin had the special skill "Spit & Duct Tape", which she used to duct tape herself to the bumper of Andy-Roid. N-N-F immediately threw the car into reverse, smashing it against the back wall of the garage and nearly killing Mel. This infuriated the car, who used his ejection seat, sending N-N-F into the roof of the garage.

(This led to the start of a feud that lasted all session; who's actually driving the self-driving car?)

Jean-Jeany, obsessed with pills, took the seat. He peeled away, leaving N-N-F on the roof and Mel on the bumper. Before the Loop-De-Loop, NNF jumped off and tackled Mel. They both slid off, injuring each other further, before J-J looped around...and tried to run them both over. This was only fueled by Mel using empathy. In an amazing bit of roleplaying, she appealed to the better nature of a speeding automobile. This led to Andy-Roid ejecting Jean Jeany. The second test for the car was the Heat Room. What's a pleasant heat test to an automobile, though, is searingly hot death to troubleshooters. They surprised me by: *Turning on the air conditioning *Fighting over where the vents are And then *Using a mutant EMP blast to disable the car. Unfortunately for the EMP blaster (N-N-F), it also disabled the heat lamps, and everyone survived. Eventually, they were able to jump-start the car and move on to the second test, the winding desert canyons. This is when things started to go off the rails and become classic Paranoia. Figh decides to take a grenade, take out the pin, and leave it in the car. He exits. N-N-F escapes the car, and shoots it with a boring red-hot net gun, doing some severe damage. Lee tries to kick it, but fails. Patron is able to kick it. The car is safe (for now). The group is then attacked by Commie Mutants on horses! The driver sideswipes a horse. The riders decide it'll be much easier to attack the people on foot. Frgh steals a horse. The other two are slain by cattlemen. After the canyon, the group approaches a shady neighborhood. (Frgh, trying to catch up to them on a horse, while getting ragged on by the population, was an awesome scene). They all turn on each other, try and frag each other, and Andy Roid has had enough. He's looking for a chop shop. The group make it to the chop shop and immediately start fucking around. One imitates a mechanic (in order to pay for the repairs). NNF hacks the ATM. Mel hacks the ATM, only to find out it's empty! NNF keeps the receipt and later tries to frame Mel. For the time being, he found a vat of radioactive waste and poured it, gatorade style, on Mel. The group was able to pay off the mechanic, and fled in the car. One teleported in, and the rest stole motorcycles. (One disguised himself as another mechanic, then used his touch-of-death mutation to keep the entire thing a secret). Andy-Roid then went to the drive through, where Mel tried to poison Figh with an arsenic laced milkshake. Unfortunately, Lee requested the milkshake, drank it, and died. Someone (probably Figh) planted a second grenade in the car, killing everyone but himself, and thoroughly wounding himself. He had succeeded in stealing the car, and drove himself to the hospital. Andy Roid demanded to be taken to the DMV, since he forgot to self-register. Later on, Mel was sneaking into the DMV, and N-N-F followed her to the bathroom. He used outdoor life to create a vine-trap, which Mel fell for. Unfortunately, she was so slippery from the toxic waste that she slipped out, N-N-F tried to spit into her eyes. I decided to do something I've never done before: Get others involved in PC stakes. Specifically, by "blind betting." I said that Mel and N-N-F were in a contest, and who was spending for whom? I think I got 20 perversity points, with a net -2 going to N-N-F, making him fail. When Mel refused to shoot him point blank, I declared her Morally Superior and refused to let N-N-F continue attacking her in that instance. Meanwhile, Patron dressed as a DMV worker to expedite paperwork. At the hospital, Frgh was getting himself patched up when the rest of the team blundered in. Frgh hid under a sheet. Mel disguised herself as a nurse and gave Frgh a poison injection, soon smothering him with a pillow. N-N-F created a bomb out of medical waste, hid it in the ER, and called all nurses in before detonating it. One of the best kills of the game. Figh's next clone stole the car, with Patron as an accomplice. I wrapped up the mission with them headed toward a checkered finish line...that was above their clearance. Figh activated stealth mode, and got it to work. At debriefing, everyone turned on everyone. People planted evidence and N-N-F, who had done very well, put his foot in his mouth enough for two executions. Everyone revealed their skullduggery and Mel was voted player of the game. I converted four non-RPG players to the game and am gonna run something again next week.

[sasuhinasno1fan]

Doing the right thing- Klance Week 2020 Day 6

I don’t know if @klanceweek will even reblog this but I wanted to actually finish this event, so here we are. I decided to go with a Motorcity au. Idk if anyone remembers Motorcity, it was on Disney XD and then it got cancelled. I liked it though, it was good. I decided to do one of those ‘Julie goes to Motorcity for the first time’ type fics but with Lance as everyone favourite secret agent. I also went with Lance and Lotor being siblings since it’s usually so easy to make Lotor the enemy. Anyway, enjoy Motorcycle, Hover bike, Race

Lance loved his brother, really. He took over their parents’ work of creating robots and making their state a safer place and became the leader for the whole state. With everywhere else becoming a wasteland, it felt like they could become a utopia. Too bad that utopia was built right on top of an existing state. Lance thought his brother wouldn’t do anything to those who didn’t come up to the new city. He was wrong. Day after day, he’d appear on his screen safe up in his tower, telling them that they would drive the scum that lived under their city. Either they joined his city or they perished. Nothing Lance said, no matter how much he tried did anything. Then the best and youngest cadet went rouge, ran off his brother said. Lance did some snooping of his own. Turns out, that cadet’s first mission was demolition in what they called Motorcity, on a building with people still inside. He quit and helped save the people inside, becoming Motorcity’s protector.

He was a thorn in Lotor’s side, giving with how many robots he sent down there that never returned, or returned ripped apart by lasers. Lance was supposed to stay safe in the tower, but he needed to see this Motorcity himself. What was it really like? Did they really deserve what his brother did to them or not?

So here he was, while all the buildings were undocked, he left a hologram of himself in his pod and went through one of those entrances to reach the underground city. It was loud. People and music and engines, everything clamoured together to create a symphony of noise. It should have bothered him, made him flinch, but it didn’t. he loved it. Everyone was happy, even in the mismatch of everything down here. No one gave him weird looks for his Galra Empire mandatory suit he was wearing, a few people nodded at him, like they were trying to tell him something. Like they knew why he was here.

Defectors came here. They were clearly more common than his brother would love. That explained the influx of patrols. He heard the sound of engines grow louder and saw car, actual cars being driven around, going faster than he’d ever seen anything. Then he saw a hoverbike. Almost like the ones cadets used in the city but this one was made for life down in Motorcity. The driver revved the engine more, going faster and faster, cutting off the car they’d been racing. People around him started to cheer, chanting a name as the two modes of transport reached closer to a parking lot of a pizza place.

“KEITH! KEITH! KEITH!”

Keith. He knew that name. how did he know that name? the hoverbike rider easily slid into a spot long before their opponent reached, causing the crowd around him the cheer, some going over to the bike. Lance watched the rider pull off their helmet, shaking their hair out.

Keith. Keith Kogane. Youngest Cadet to be promoted to a Sargent and his brother’s pride, until he turned his back on Lotor to help people in Motorcity. He’d seen his photo more than enough times when his brother would talk about him. It seemed he became more popular even after defecting on his first day on the job. If Keith had still been here, clearly this was a place worth saving. It had only taken Keith to see people about to lose their homes for him to turn his back on Lotor and the Galra Empire. That meant something. It meant Lance had to protect this place too.

                                     __________________________

He came to Motorcity more and more, eventually telling his only friend Romelle what he was doing.

“But your brother says those people are crazy and out to get us.”

“He’s wrong. They’re normal people who keep getting attacked just because they didn’t choose my brother. I can’t just sit here and be ok with that. Others might be fine with it, but I’m not.”

He hadn’t seen Keith again until he met up with someone else. He’d been down in Motorcity, trading Galra Empire stuff for cash and his stomach started to growl.

“Closet place with food would be Verpit Sal’s but it’s a long walk away.” The guy behind the desk said handing Lance his money, which he tucked into a few different places. He learned that theft was rare but did still happen in Motorcity. “Of course, there is Coran’s food truck, but I don’t know how much you want to risk it.”

“Wait, did you say Coran?”

Coran had worked with his parents, then his brother when he took over. When Lotor started taking his own agenda, Coran left, telling Lance he’d always be there if he needed him. Turns out, he wasn’t just saying that. When he arrived in front of the truck, Coran’s eyes seemed to bug out and he pulled him into the truck, shutting all the doors and windows.

“What are you doing here? Does your brother know you’re here?”

“No, he’s too busy finding new ways to try and destroy this place.”

Coran looked worried. “You’re not helping him, are you?”

“No! Coran, I can’t just let him get away with trying to destroy this place. Every time I come down here, part of me feels like I’m home. These people live like this because they want to, they have freedom and aren’t force-fed lies about how life is perfect under Galra Empire cause it’s not.”

Coran looked at him before shaking his head and patting Lance’s shoulder. “Every bit your parents. You want to help? There’s a team whose main focus is to bring your brother down and help both Motorcity and our fair city above. I’m their main guy who helps them out. They trust me even though I worked with Lotor. I can get them to trust you too.”

Lance agreed. If he could help, just a little bit, he’d do whatever he could. The driving in the car should have been terrifying. They were taught that cars were horrible machines that were death traps. He’d seen how fast cars could go in Motorcity but those behind the wheels seemed to know what they were doing, easily dodging any possible crashes. Driving in the car with Coran, built up a desire in him. He wanted to get behind the wheel, maybe just once to see what it was like.

They arrived at a gate shaped like a lion’s head with a V like shape spray painted on the teeth that opened once Coran brought up his holoscreen and hit something. The building in front of him had a small lot of cars and a very familiar hoverbike. What looked like a bar top was brightly illuminated as the front of the building.

“You’re back early.” A short girl, with shoulder length honey brown hair and large circular glasses came down the long ramp, followed by a bot the Lance had seen flying around the Galra Empire building. Seeing how the usual purple colour was replaced with a grey and blue paint job and the same marking that had been outside, he guessed it had been reprogramed. “Who’s this?”

“All will be revealed. Come, is everyone else inside?”

“Yeah, I need your help with attaching the new laser to Keith’s bike.”

Keith? Keith Kogane was here?

“Everyone, come here please!” 3 other guys appeared from different places and Lance instantly recognised one of them. he was actually here, Keith Kogane. “I’d like you all to meet Lance, my nephew. He’s a defector from up top.”

“The clothes really gave it away.” One of the taller guys said. His prosthetic was Galra made but Lance knew better than to ask questions. “I’m Shiro. This is Keith, that’s Hunk and this is Pidge.”

Pidge, the girl pointed to the robot floating next to her. “And this is Rover.”

Hunk, almost as tall as Shiro and seemed to have the aura of a teddy bear opened his arms. “Welcome to the Paladins’ Den.”

“The Paladins? You guys have been making a bit of a name for yourself up top.”

“You can mostly thank Keith for that.” Pidge said.

“What can I say? I’ve got a score to settle with Lotor. He must feel the same with how often he sends his robots after us.”

“Well, if you want, I could get you information about his bots and plans? I work at Galra Empire as an intern but I work pretty high up.”

“Wait really? You’d do that?”

His brother was doing nothing but causing them harm and giving them trouble and all, he wanted was for his brother to realise what he was doing to their parents’ memory and if that meant having to betray him just a bit, so be it.

“It’s the right thing to do.”

“Sweet! This is awesome! I deal with all the tech stuff, like hacking and stuff like that. Let’s talk.” Pidge started.

“Wait a moment. First things first. Lance, would you like to learn how to drive? It would help with going back and forth.” Coran pointed out.

“I would, but I don’t even know where to start.”

“How about a ride to get a taste of what it’s like down here?” Keith suggested, nodding to where his hoverbike rested, its wings tucked into the main body like a bird.

Lance looked at Coran who nodded. “Keith’ll take care of you.”

“yeah, if you don’t go flying off with how fast he insists on going.” Shiro muttered.

“Oh, like I don’t have to deal with your screaming, you big baby. Come on.” Keith said, leading the way to the ramp.

He followed Keith to his bike and took the helmet he was passed. He let Keith give him a hand on getting on the bike and as the bike turned on and the wings spread out, he gingerly wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist.

“Just so you know,” Keith voice came through the helmet, “Shiro wasn’t lying when he said I like to go fast, so hold on tight. He revved the engine and they took off.

Speed for Lance was the fastest his pod could go. This, this was flying. Even if it had been in a car, it still would have felt the same. Keith pulled off onto one of the ramps, driving with ease with all the twists and turns. Lance did let out a yelp of fear when they flew of the edge of one but some manner of messing with the controls allowed the wings to slow their descent and land onto a ramp below. Even after that, Lance wanted more.

Eventually they ended up in a large unoccupied space, staring up at the lights that acted as stars.

“Back when the city was first built on top of this one, a few astronomers and technicians decided to put the lights up so we’d never forget the stars, or so the story goes. I still think these are better than the stars above.” Keith said as he and Lance looked up, lying on the wings, the heat from the engine warming their backs.

“With all the lights, you can barely see them anyway.” Lance said. “You know when you defected, it was all anyone could talk about, even with the threat of arrest. My…brother has the knowledge of the cadets. A lot of people didn’t understand why you left.”

It was silent and Lance almost took back his word when Keith spoke.

“I’m an orphan. One day my mom just disappeared and my dad died in a factory accident before everything was fully automated. More than anything, I wanted to prove I could be just more. So, I joined the cadets with the hope of going Elite after. I worked hard to move through the ranks and be recognised by Lotor. He did recognise me, talked to me. When he made me Sargent, I promised myself I’d prove just how right he was to give me that spot. Then when I was about to give the order, I saw a kid in the window, looking like he was about to lose his whole world. I had the whole world so what did it matter if that kid lost his. It mattered because I know that kid could have been me. I thought we were trying to make Motorcity a better place, not crush it into the ground. The fact that Lotor couldn’t even comprehend that, that he only saw them as less, I couldn’t stay. When I rode the hoverbike up there, I always thought nothing would ever stop me. So that’s why I use it here, so Lotor can never forget that nothing will stop me until he falls.”

That should have scared Lance, but how could he be when the stars above spoke of nothing but freedom.

“So how quick can you teach me to drive?”

“Can you multitask? Pidge really wants to talk hacking with you.”

“Guess you’ll have to be a good teacher then.”

[lukejmcgrath]

When You Comin’ Back Range Rider? (S02,E05&06)

In which the team meet a new adversary and embrace a western world. 

Three jeeps chase a herd of wild horses across the Arizona plains, trying to capture them. As they get close, a Native American on horseback charges towards them, spooking the herd to safety. Turning their attention to the rider, the jeeps speed after him with one of course flipping over in the process. 

As the lead car gets near, they manage to lasso the rider and pull him to the ground. The drivers call their boss, Bus Carter, and drag the Native American away along the ground from the jeep.

Elsewhere, we’re introduced to the A-Team’s new arch enemy, Colonel Roderick Decker. The army has had enough of Lynch’s failures and we get an interesting insight into the reasoning behind the pursuit. Chasing down the team is described as a “ridiculous vendetta” and their conviction down to “political pressure”. There’s a clear message that perhaps not even the US army believes the team is guilty, even if they do, they would have preferred to forget the whole matter. Only Lynch’s actions, which have made the team’s status an embarrassment to the army, have kept the chase alive.

As we’re in a two-parter that needs some padding to reach runtime, we get a trip down memory lane. We re-live three of Lynch’s failures, twice where the team stole a jet and once when several MP cars are destroyed. As a final kicker, it turns out Decker is disgraced for his methods and has been side-lined – catching the A-Team is his chance at redemption and getting his career back. The Colonel issues an ominous warning: “I’ll play by their rules, which mean there are none”.

Over to the team and the rider from the opening, Daniel Running Bear, meets Hannibal who’s in disguise as an elderly hotdog seller. Having already met Mr Lee, he’s sent to his third meeting – 2 am the following morning. BA arrives to confirm Daniel (who I’ll call DRB for ease) wasn’t followed.

We cut to Face, who’s now a producer, at a film premiere where Decker and his MPs are lying in wait. A server puts a gun to Face’s back and ushers him into the back, revealing it’s Hannibal in his second disguise already. Hannibal isn’t happy to see Face featured on the front page of Variety but is softened when offered a new monster role.

Their plans are interrupted by Decker and men, with Hannibal leaping through a window to escape. Stealing a car from a valet, Hannibal drives through the city with the army on his tail, evading them by parking on a car transporter.

That night, Hannibal now dressed as a police officer meets DRB, arresting him then revealing his identity. Across town, Face and BA spring Murdock who’s adopted the identity of a TV western character, the Range Rider. Though they’re successful, one of Decker’s men plants a homing device on the van.

The rest of the team meet DRB in a warehouse and we get a call-back to Amy’s first meeting when Hannibal realises their client can’t pay. It turns out Bus Carter is stealing wild horses from the range and shipping them to Mexico to be slaughtered. BA isn’t keen to “save a bunch of horses” but the team accept the mission.

Before they can begin, Decker has assembled a team of his own outside the warehouse and has them penned in. Foolishly giving them two minutes, he watches the van burst through the door and straight off a pier into the river. It’s a ruse of course, with only Hannibal driving and the others escaping the back way in Amy’s car. In a record-breaking fourth disguise, the Colonel mingles with fishermen to sneak away.

Over in Arizona, after some DRB and Amy flirting, we’re introduced to DRB’s nephew who’s quite handy with a bow and arrow. The team decide to dress as cowboys for the adventure, while Amy and DRB head to the reservation. They don’t get far when Carter’s men stop them, leading to a fight in the street with the rest of the team that’s easily won by our heroes.

Back at Bus Carter’s ranch, he’s watching his niece riding one of the horses he actually owns. He warns his right-hand man Stryker that she can’t learn about the horse rustling as she won’t agree with it. Stryker warns his boss about the team out to get him.

The same team are chasing down a train filled with horses and heading for the border, with Hannibal and Face succeeding in releasing the cargo back to the wild. Hannibal decides to celebrate by breaking into Carter’s office and threatening him, but he’s interrupted by henchmen with guns. The Colonel grabs Carter’s niece to stop the shooting and makes his escape.

At their temporary camp, Carter’s niece learns the truth about her Uncle and decides to help the team by telling them the next train shipment is due to leave in the morning. We enjoy a short montage of the team creating a fortress from a handcart before the train is diverted onto another line and the attack begins. While Amy shoots arrows of dynamite at the carriages, the team run their cart alongside the carriages and fire at the smugglers. 

The gang surrender and begin to release the horses but are stopped when Carter’s reinforcements arrive and destroy the team’s makeshift vehicle. “I love it when a plan comes together”, Hannibal comments dryly. What a wag. 

Murdock, Amy and DRB evade capture, with Murdock heading after the captured team and the others going for help. Carter’s niece helps again by creating a distraction while Murdock frees Hannibal. Face and BA are tied up in the train by Stryker and will be killed over the border. Forcing Carter into his helicopter, the two chase after the train and Hannibal leaps onto the roof. 

Stryker is defeated and BA manages to stop the train before it crosses the border. There’s no time to celebrate though as Decker arrives with Amy and DRB. Face hits BA over the head with a plank and the three join Murdock in a chopper escape. Decker’s not happy but makes do with arresting Carter and his gang for federal crimes (despite not being a police officer).

The team don’t go far, returning to DRB’s reservation to say their goodbyes. Face has his arm around Carter’s niece and DRB seems happy with Amy staying. She says it’s because Decker will be on her tale, but we all know better.

Let’s wrap up with a few key questions.

Does Hannibal wear a disguise?

Yes. First, a hotdog vendor to meet DRB, then a waiter at Face’s premier, then a police officer to meet DRB and finally a fisherman to escape Decker. We also hear of Mr Lee and Hannibal really embraces Arizona life with a full-on cowboy outfit.

Does BA get on a plane?

No, but he is knocked out for a helicopter ride.

Should someone be dead?

Yes, there’s an open-top jeep flip and the attached on the train with dynamite and guns should have been lethal.

When You Comin’ Back Range Rider? is perhaps the best episode of the A-Team yet. It benefits from the space of a two-parter, though we do get some filler in the first half with a brief clip show. Colonel Decker is an improvement on Lynch, with a more developed backstory and real energy from actor Lance LeGault. You get the sense he’s going to revel in his new assignment. 

The team’s efforts to break up a horse rustling scheme are set against a grand Arizona backdrop, with a double act of Carter and his top henchman Stryker acting as worthy adversaries. It’s almost cinematic in scale with a range of fistfights, car chases and even a horseback attack on a train.

Let me know what you think by joining the conversation on Twitter.

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