#love among the stars r1

[softieskywalker]

Since you mentioned it regarding The Mandalorian, Star Wars has always been FULL of cameos.

Granted in the original and prequel films it was limited to cameos from production staff (like Ralph McQuarrie in echo base in ESB, or Ben Burtt playing an imperial officer in ROTJ). But still.

I see no problem with it. (I personally LOVED seeing Lizzo and Jack Black in The Mandalorian, as unexpected as their appearances may have been)

I’d say the celebrity cameos started with the release of The Force Awakens (see Daniel Craig playing a stormtrooper, among MANY others). But the production staff still make appearances too (Rian Johnson is a Death Star technician in Rogue One, Gareth Edwards plays a rebel soldier on the Tantive IV (he pulls a lever!) in R1 and he plays a resistance soldier in TLJ).

I’ve gotten VERY good at spotting them when I have to look. Especially when they’re just extras.

Idk.

I love seeing it myself.

What do you think?

what makes you think that I, a star wars exclusive blog, don't already have all this information.

the criteria is simple, if the cameo is cringe, then it sucks. that's it! the Lizzo and Jack Black cameo sucked because them randomly showing up feels like being forced to watch a cringe SNL skit instead of the escapist sci-fi fantasy that star wars is supposed to be. i don't have anything against Lizzo or Jack Black personally, their appearance on the show just makes the show shittier. hope this helps!

[theglassfloor]

It's 6 years since Rogue One came out, and someone asked me how I'd rank it among the films. I realized, I don't have the easiest time ranking things numerically (also I have nothing resembling good taste), and actually--I know this is a wiener of an answer--any of them could be counted as my "favorite" depending on how I'm feeling that day...well maybe not Solo. Not because it's bad, but because they can't all be favorites.

My thoughts:

TPM - nostalgia

AOTC - visually spectacular, I'm a sucker for the love confession, I'd also like to romp around Naboo with my SO

ROTS - gave us the meme of Palpatine going "No, no no". That's my brain when I tell it we need to stop slacking off and be responsible.

R1 - a great movie, even if it makes me sad.

ANH - the first of its kind. Groundbreaking. Marvelous.

Empire - me watching it for the first time at 12: "He's his father? Wow, it's like one of those soap operas we watch when we're at Grandma's. Neat."

ROTJ - finally a happy ending. Let's hope this one sticks.

TFA - Are Poe and Finn...you know...because they should be.

TLJ - misunderstood

TROS - my husband called it a "masterpiece". And he's not a Star Wars fan. So out of love I'm inclined to agree.

[simmancy]

Black: Ha ha Green, very funny, very dramatic.

Everyone Else: [sobbing]

[star-wars-multishippers]

Get to Know Me(me) - The Members of SW Multishippers!

This was an event hosted on the Discord server to do a sort of re-introduction of both old and new joiners to the server. Everyone who wanted to participate filled out the survey below to share a little about themselves and about their faves in fandom.

Survey (for anyone who wants to join in below in the comments):

Who Am I? - Name, username on other sites, mini bio if you'd like Where do I fit into the SW fandom? - Prequels, Sequels, EU, etc. What do you do? Fic, art, lurking and reblogging? My Top Faves - 2 or 3 max please! My Own Stuff - 1 or 2 max please!

MBlair

Who am I?

MBlair both on Discord and on AO3, maggzblair on Tumblr (MBlair, maggzblair)

Where do I fit into the SW fandom?

Mostly lurker/reblogger/occasional writer, mostly Original Trilogy and Sequel trilogy.

Fics I Love to Rec

Of Queens, Knights, and Pawns (and associated fics) by chancecraz

Hand of Fate by sweetestcondition

My Fics I Love to Rec

Reyuxmas 2019

A Wonderful Winter on Hoth

I’ll Love You ‘Til the Suns Burn Out

feckyeslife

Who Am I?

Feckyeslife#2003 on Discord, firelord65 on AO3

Where do I fit into the SW fandom?

I'm pretty solidly a Sequels fan, but I have a special place in my heart for the Prequels. I'm a fic writer who dabbles mostly in canon universe AUs, what ifs, that sort of stuff. Primarily my fics have Rey with a tendency to focus on the First Order characters and plots.

My Top Faves

A classic Reylo fic from an old friend - Beneath the Facade. It technically has a prologue fic before it in the series, but this piece was the one that I really enjoyed way back in the EARLY days of Reylo.

Because I'm an insufferable Reylux fan, I have to rec at least one. This piece by @every-day-is-star-wars-day  a oneshot that ever so masterfully crushes my heart every time - Thread

My one Original Trilogy rec, this is a beast of a long fic but so, so good - Dark Times

My Own Stuff

Reylux, medieval AU - La Vita Primus - is the first in a small series of this AU

Reylo, TROS Fix-It - Oh but it's a dark future, my star. Oh but it's a soft morning for us soon.

apple-au

Who Am I?

Call me apple. she/her/hers. I’m gold_pen_leaps on dreamwidth, ao3, and pillowfort. @gold_pen_leaps@tenforward.social on mastodon. I am doing my best to boycott tumblr, but I've been known to use a tumblr link embed on pf from time to time. (gold_pen_leaps (DW), gold_pen_leaps (AO3))

Where do I fit into the SW fandom?

I’m mainly into the Sequels and the Mandalorian. I joined the server for Hux/Kylo/Rey and all the combinations of the characters in my ot3. I can edit better than I can write. Sometimes I comment on fics.

My Top Faves

A Dance of Titans by @lucidlucy is a really long reylux fic. The delicious slowburn makes all the flavors combine in an amazing way. Love how they battle the main villain!

My Own Stuff

I helped give feedback on the second part of a series. Does that count? This is knight_of_dance's fic. It's really cool to see writers' takes on Modern AU, and this one has influenced my ideas of what sort of kinks those characters have. :smirk: Switch Up

Mizz

Who Am I?

 hi! tho im much more...a lurker around here im mizz (she/they/he). im badarmada on tumblr, badwrong-gimme on pillowfort, gimmemrss on twitter, badwrongprincess on ao3 (i have so many usernames XD, ive got a dreamwidth, wordpress, and art insta too if youre interested lol)

(@badarmada, gimmemrss (twitter), badwrongprincess (AO3))

Where do I fit into the SW fandom?

i liked the prequels as a kid (still do kinda), rouge one, i do like clone wars tho i havent finished it and the sequels (well tfa and tros tho only one of them is good imo) i reblog stuff mostly and read fanfic, tho i write some stuff too. finn is my fav and pretty much my center character (ie the one i focus on the most) and i like most finn ships (favs being finnhux, finnlo, finnrey)

My Top Faves

the things we do for love by glare is an unfinished finnlohux fanfic that i love a lot

worlds are built for two by synergenic (Losseflame). this is a poefinn fic from finns pov

My Own Stuff

um...im still working on this fic -(Be More Chill, Hux) very slowly this year has been super hard on me writing wise and ive been drawing ocs and for another fandom mostly but I will finish this one day!

Arsanimo - Marion

Who Am I?

Hi, I’m Arsanimo, self taught artist and nerd from Germany that’s mostly lurking. You can find me with this username on tumblr, twitter and instagram. I draw mostly Reylo at the moment. ( @arsanimo, Arsanimo (Twitter), Arsanimo (IG))

Where do I fit into the SW fandom?

I‘m in my thirties and an OT fan since birth, because my dad was obsessed with Star Wars and we watched it a lot as kids - they are the go to christmas movies in our family. Even as a very small kid I loved Vader. I didn’t like the ST quite as much when it came out in cinemas but still watched them multiple times. I’m much more fond of them now. But my love for Star Wars really got renewed with the ST. I really liked TFA and TLJ a lot. Not a great fan of TROS though, but to each their own. I recently started watching TCW, if you haven’t go watch it! The Mandalorian is also great and feels more like the OT for me, which I love. Oh, and R1 was awesome, I loved that one! Solo also was good. I think I will be a lifelong fan because it’s such a rich universe and everybody can pick a favorite. I’m also good at ignoring the parts I don’t like, lol. But I‘m mostly exhausted about all the drama on social media, so at the moment I take a bit of a break from social media and only post from time to time. And I’m of the firm believe to ship and let ship and if the art and fics are good, you can also find me enjoying ships outside of Reylo (honestly, some Kylux art out there, woah... and Finnrey is always so tender but Stormpilot has two hot guys in it... and don’t get me started about Finnrose! You probably get the gist)

My Top Faves

It’s hard to name so few, there are so many good artists out there. But Winter of Her (Twitter) has some outstanding art in her own style. Than I really like the style of Khallion (Twitter), check her out.

My Own Stuff

And last but not least two pieces of mine that turned out pretty good

https://twitter.com/arsanimo/status/1275789997426311173?s=21

https://twitter.com/arsanimo/status/1258757927910989825?s=21

Knight_Of_Cookies

Who am I?

Allo allo, I go by many names but many know me as cookies here. Lol I'm from the US and I've been a lifelong A+, gold star , nerd my whole life. I love writing among 5 million other hobbies. I am on Tumblr and A03. (@knight-of-cookies, Knight_of_Cookies (AO3))

Where do I fit into the SW fandom?

It all started with the prequels which I fell in love with and even wrote my first fan fic on. (I dragged it from fanfic.net to A03 for my own form of personal torture) I dropped out of star wars until I was in Japan and a close group of friends got me to watch Roque One and play a star wars based table top role playing game, which dumped me back into this fandom hardcore. I fell in love with the sequel trilogy and now I'm stuck forever. Lol

I have been writing on A03 for around 2 years now for star wars and it's been the most productive and progressive work I've ever done thanks to ya'll.

Also, hey, I created this multishippers discord, because multishipping rocks and everyone should do it. :P I know I've never active enough but I love this space and the people in it! My fav part about multishipping is how I'm always discovering yet another ship that is awesome. It never ends. ^^

My top favs - (of things no one should be surprised by)

Beastie by @feckyeswriting. It spawned a written series(multiple actually)

Glutton by Witchoil. Just very good dark and wonderful kinky smut. Always go back to this one.

In the house that skywalker built by @aicosu. This story got me into Reylux in a way I'll never recover from.

My own stuff

Nothing but Themselves - This is my favorite beast of a story I've ever written and it will be beautiful when I finish it. One day. Lol

Tanzaku - One of my most polished pieces thanks to the Reylo Anthology. My best combo of: insert culture nerding here and captive Ben as personal tropes.

[lbibliophile-mcu]

Tony Stark Bingo 2019 Masterpost

Masterpost for the @tonystarkbingo

I got a blackout!

And far more fills and fill types than I expected when I started, including trying several new art methods (ie. drawing with tongs - DUM-E’s Drawings).

Overall I did (some fills with two types):

Fanfic - 8

Drabble - 4

Poem - 5

Art /craft - 7

Gifset - 2

Picset - 5  (moodboards and screenshot collections)

Links and details for each of the fills are below the cut.

Thankyou to the organisers/mods for encouraging and spreading so much great content!

Babysitting

S1 - WTF Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Fanfic [500 words] Characters: Obadiah Stane x Tony Stark Tags: Pre-IM1, young Tony Stark, pillow fort, Obadiah Stane’s B+ parenting Summary Obadiah looks at the construction before him and suppresses a sigh. Apparently, it’s going to be one of those days. Carefully ensuring his jocular ‘Uncle Obie’ tone is in place, he approaches.“Hey, Tony, how ya doing in there?”

Everything and Nothing

T1 - Jealousy Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Fanfic - drabble Characters: Tony Stark Tags: Public image, retirement Summary: People think Tony Stark has everything. But their ‘everything’ isn’t what he wants.

Arm Catalogue

A1 - Shopping together Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Image edit for Veto Power Characters: Bucky Barnes x Tony Stark Tags: Bucky Barnes’ metal arm Summary: Tony is maky Bucky a new arm, and has so many ideas for the paintjob. A pity Bucky doesn’t like any of them.

Understanding

R1 - Cannon: MCU (Pre-CA:CW) Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Gifset Characters: Pepper Potts / Tony Stark Tags: Iron Man 3, PTSD Summary: She tries, but she doesn’t understand what it’s like. And that’s good. Because if she understood - truly understood - that would make her as broken as I am.

TON-E’s Valentine [DUM-E’s Drawings]

K1 - Arc Reactor Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Art  Characters: DUM-E x Tony Stark Tags: Tony Stark has a heart, method drawing Summary: DUM-E was learning about Valentines day. He knew that you gave a card to someone you care about. He knew that it was supposed to show a heart. So that’s what he drew.

Aftermath

S2 - Writing format: Unreliable narrator Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Poem and moodboard Tags: Avengers (2012), collateral damage, outside POV Summary: When real life superheroes saved New York, it was like a something out of a story. But then the cleanup began. And continued, and continued... New York, Greenwich, Sokovia, Lagos. Suddenly, superheros are a lot less exciting. Rubble all looks the same, whether it was made by the heroes or the villains.

RUI (Rescued Under the Influence)

T2 - Confessions under the influence Link/s: AO3 Fill type: Fanfic [1300 words] Characters: Bucky Barnes / Tony Stark Tags: First meeting, rescue, non-consensual drug use, drugged confessions Summary: When Bucky entered the base, he expected to find Hydra agents (to be destroyed) and computer files (to be copied if useful, then also destroyed). He was not prepared to find a drugged Tony Stark. Nor was he prepared for Stark's reaction to seeing him. How does he deal with someone being excited to meet him?

Lab-yrinth

A2 - Labyrinth Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Art / Puzzle Characters: DUM-E Tags: Maze, Tony’s workshop Summary: Help DUM-E find way through the lab to get TON-E a smoothie.

Avalanche

R2 - Sharing body heat Link/s: AO3  Fill type: Fanfic [1600 words] Characters: Steve Rogers x Tony Stark Tags: Steve Rogers needs a hug, nightmares, touch-starved Summary: Sometimes, all it takes is little things. A minor annoyance that leads to another and another and another. Until it all comes crashing down and you are helpless to stop it or escape.Waking up in a new century was hard, but Steve thought he was coping. (He wasn’t.)

Befriending a Cat

K2 - Cat!Tony Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Fanfic - drabble sequence  [600 words] Characters: OG6 Avengers team x Tony Stark Tags: 5+1 format, Domestic Avengers, metaphorical cat Summary: Befriending Tony Stark, the Avengers decide, is rather like befriending a cat.

He loves me, he loves me not...

S3 - image [’Proof Tony Stark has a heart’ plaque] Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Art Characters: Pepper Potts / Tony Stark Tags: IM1, pining, arc reactor Summary: Pepper Potts knew she was falling in love with her boss, and tried to find subtle ways to show it. What she didn’t know, was if he liked her back…

Flashbacks

T3 - Sickfic Link/s:  Tumblr Fill type: Poem and moodboard/image edit Characters: Tony Stark Tags: PTSD, mentions of torture and near-death Summary: PTSD flashbacks are never fun, and now his brain has a whole selection of scenes to choose from…

Iron Man themed braid

A3 - Free Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Craft Tags: Iron Man theme, weaving Summary: Tablet woven braid made with crochet cotton. Iron Man colours with pale blue triangular ‘arc reactors’.

Shoot for the Moon

R3 - Galaxy Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Image edit / gifset Characters: Tony Stark Tags: Quote, story arc Summary: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars “

DUM-E’s list of what not to put in a smoothie  [DUM-E’s Drawings]

K3 - Historical Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Art Characters: DUM-E Tags: DUM-E at MIT, method drawing Summary: It took a while for DUM-E to get the hang of the whole making (edible) smoothies, so he left himself notes as a reminder.

Honestly, Pepper

S4 - Writing format: Non-linear Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Fanfic [960 words] Characters: Pepper Potts x Tony Stark, Avengers team  Tags: Dialogue only, non-linear narrative, domestic Avengers, disaster Avengers, crack Summary: Pepper Potts, CEO and sometimes superhero-wrangler, walks out of the elevator onto the Avengers Tower common-floor and stops in shock. How is this even her life? And why is she not surprised?

Cuddle Pile (Whose limbs are these?)

T4 - Puzzle Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Poem and moodboard Characters: OG6 Avengers team (including Pepper Potts and Bucky Barnes) Tags: Avengers family, romantic/platonic OT8, song parody Summary: After a hard day/night/fight, nothing is better than curling up in a pile with all your friends… at least, until someone has to get up

Hey, Remember Me?

A4 - Amnesia Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Fanfic [560 words] Characters: Scott Lang x Avengers team Tags: Based on the Endgame teaser trailers, time travel, post-Snap, amnesia, open ending Summary: The Snap didn’t just kill half of all life, it erased it from existence; first the physical form, then their more intangible presence. For those who remain, it’s hard to maintain the drive to fix things when you don’t remember what you’re missing…

TON-E’s Hero [DUM-E’s Drawings]

R4 - Tony in workshop Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Art Characters: Dum-E x Tony Stark Tags: Tony’s workshop, DUM-E’s fire extinguisher, lab safety, method drawing Summary: TON-E is not very good at remembering about lab safety. That is why DUM-E has to be ready to protect him!

Curse of a Superhero

K4 - Clint Barton / Hawkeye Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Fanfic - drabble Characters: Clint Barton x Tony Stark Tags: Family, angst Summary: Sometimes Tony wonders how Clint did it; managed to be both a father and an Avenger, balance duty to his family with duty to the world.

No Shit, There I Was, Undercover at a Gay Bar...

S5 - Undercover in a gay bar Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Fanfic [1200 words] Characters: Clint Barton / Tony Stark Tags: Pre-slash, identity porn, undercover as gay Summary: No shit there I was, undercover in a gay bar... and you'll never guess who I ran into and how.

Legacy

T5 - Confessions in desperate situations Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Poem and moodboard Characters: Pepper Potts / Tony Stark, James Rhodes x Tony Stark Tags: palladium poisoning Summary: Tony is dying. It's an inescapable fact; the clock ticking down with every burnt-out reactor core. He tries to tell them, but the words won't come. He can only give them pieces of his legacy, and hope they forgive him.

I Came Out to Have a Good Time...

A5 - image [bruised Tony in the F1 racing suit] Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Gifset Characters: Vanko x Tony Stark Tags: Iron Man 2, Monaco race, car crash Summary: Tony is Done with villains interrupting his days off.

Status Report

R5 - Last chance Link/s: AO3 Tumblr Fill type: Fanfic [1300 words] Characters: JARVIS x Tony Stark, OG6 Avengers team Tags: Dialogue-only, Major character death, heavy angst, self-sacrifice, AVALON protocol Summary: Iron Man is a superhero, but Tony Stark is only human. And sometimes, what is asked of a superhero is more than a human can give. So Tony makes contingency plans. He makes the AVALON protocol. He makes sure that Iron Man is able to help the Avengers even when human Tony Stark… can’t.

Faith, Against all Logic

K5 - Robots Link/s: Tumblr Fill type: Poem - drabble Characters: FRIDAY x DUM-E x U, Tony Stark Tags: Post-IW, bot feels Summary: Tony is lost in space, and Friday doesn’t know what to do. Her big brothers give her some advice.

[gffa]

mochibuni replied:

I'm really annoyed if all they took from RO was being "edgier" and darker~ (I mean we still got an Alan Tudyk robot, soooo) You know I love that movie, but it only worked because it was a spinoff and ultimately it was a story about hope. Even when they were down, Jyn was still giving an uplifting speech and they were still believing that they were part of something bigger and better. RAAAH.

This is why Rogue One ultimately worked for me and why I’m willing to overlook the things that frustrated me (not enough alien-looking worlds or even just recognizable aliens in the Rebellion being chief among them) and be more charitable, because it was a movie that was a gap filler and was ultimately about hope.  Going after the Death Star plans and getting them to the Rebellion and leading right up into A New Hope, it was always in service of believing in something, in people who do good.  Who really believe in something.  Who are fighting against an enemy who, not for one single solitary second, should you think is anything but the bad guys and this side is fighting for what’s right.  It can be more complicated than that, especially with the addition of the Partisans, but ultimately there’s no question that they are all better than the Empire.  That belief in something better is a good thing. Jyn started out as being neutral and in the gray spaces, but the whole point of her character was that she was just waiting for something to spark her back to life, to give her a reason to believe in something bigger again, to have hope again.  Cassian opened up because he desperately wanted hope.  Bodhi risked everything because he wanted to do the right thing, because he had hope.  Baze and Chirrut were already fighting in their own way for a better Jedha, against the Empire, and absolutely were ready to join.  There might be some grumbling about it along the way, but all five of those people were ready to go, ready to do something that would bring their hope to the rest of the galaxy, when it was most needed. And I only have speculation that that’s not what they’re taking from R1, but I fear that they just see edgier and darker and go YES LET’S HAVE MORE OF THAT because that’s what’s popular. But, man, I really did like Rogue One and it gave me so much hope about the future of Star Wars movies, especially the anthology ones, where they would fit into the storyline really well and get what Star Wars was about, that they could be a little experimental (giving us what was basically a war movie) while still keeping to the themes of Star Wars.  I want to hope that Solo will do the same thing, that Ron Howard and Lawrence Kasdan can give me something that fits with Star Wars, that it can be heist movie AND a Star Wars movie.  I fear that it won’t fit with Star Wars, but I’m trying to wait to see.

[tonystarkbingo]

Week 26 Roundup!

Title: I fall in love (everyday with someone new) - Chapter 23: Phobia (A2) Collaborator: scriptatur Link: AO3 Square Filled: A2 - phobia Ship: Stuckony Rating: Gen Major Tags: polyamory, Endgame fix-it Summary: "Waking was- surprising. He woke up slowly, like drifting through mist or sirup or- something. He was kind of confused, if he is being perfectly honest. Confused about his own metaphor, a bit, but mainly confused by the fact that he was, well, waking up. That was not something he’d expected to do, after all." When Tony Stark wakes up after the final battle against Thanos, he decides that there will be nothing more that stands between himself and happiness. He goes home with Pepper and Morgan and it doesn't take long for Steve and Bucky (and other (ex-)avengers) to follow. Basically, this is the fix-it that I needed. It's very self indulgent and mostly fluff. Word Count: 15,629

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Title: kneel for you Collaborator: Areiton Link: AO3 Square Filled: T3 - Kink: Dom/Sub Ship: WinterIron Rating: Explicit Major Tags: sexual content, BDSM, second person POV, fluff and smut Summary: You forgot. What it felt like, to feel like this. To be happy. Word Count: 638

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Title: Cuddles Required Collaborator: deathofthestars Link: AO3 Square Filled: K5 - Asexuality Ship: Bruce & Tony Rating: Gen Major Tags: asexuality, Science Bros friendship Summary: Bruce is trying to talk to Tony, but he just wont listen! Word Count: 527

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Title: A Curse on Both Your Houses - Chapter 5: Aging Up Collaborator: 27dragons Link: AO3 Square Filled: K1 - Aging Up Ship: WinterIron Rating: Explicit Major Tags: explicit sexual content, sex pollen, curses, trush spells, shapeshifting, Midas touch Summary: Tony appreciates his werewolf boyfriend in both his human and lupine shapes. What he doesn’t appreciate is a visit from Bucky’s old boss, Nick Fury, with a mysterious (and likely magical) device he wants them to investigate. He ought to say no and throw Nick out -- but the thing is strangely compelling. Maybe if he’d read a few more fairy tales, he’d have seen that for the warning sign that it was. Now, he’s cursed, and the race is on to find the owner of the thing, or some other way to break the curse, before it results in something not only unpleasant but unrecoverable. Word Count: 16,235

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Title: How To Save A Life (It Just Might Be Yours) - Chapter 6: I'll Keep You Safe Collaborator: rebelmeg Link: AO3 Square Filled: K2 – action/adventure Ship: Bucky & Tony Rating: Teen Major Tags: non-graphic violence, implied/referenced brainwashing, accidental baby acquisition, childcare shenanigans, recovered memories, found family, nightmares, implied/referenced torture, hurt/comfort Summary: James should have expected that Hydra would never let their Asset go so easily. Word Count: 11,472

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Title: built on the bones of man Collaborator: sleepoverwork Link: AO3 Square Filled: A5 - Natasha Romanoff Ship: Tony & Bucky Rating: Teen Major Tags: fem!Tony, Tony needs a hug, recovering Bucky, Tony & Nat friendship, family feels, magical elements, found family Summary: Aka Tony builds a bridge out of the ruins of a crappy childhood and thrives. When Edwin Jarvis is killed, 16-years-old Tony throws away the drugs, the spoiled party girl image, the money, her old "family", and anything associated with Natasha Antonia Stark. She quietly finishes her bachelor's and lives, for the most part, by herself in a small cabin, owned by the late Jarvises, taking it one day at a time. Four years later, after she inherits everything with the untimely deaths of Howard and Maria Stark, Tony really just wants to be left alone with her four friends: Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and JARVIS. It all starts when she complains to Rhodey that she has no idea what to do with the money, and he states that if Tony really wants to take a shit on the Stark name (in addition to continuing existing, but that's Tony's words not Rhodey's). She should take Stark Mansion and invite all and any supernatural creatures to help her destroy it, or even better, to make their home there. Tony, because she's Tony, latches onto the idea and by the end of it, creates a family. Word Count: 3433

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Title: Out in the open Collaborator: journeythroughtherain Link: AO3 Square Filled: T2 - Identity Porn Ship: WinterIron Rating: Gen Major Tags: secret identity, misunderstandings, love confessions, getting together, pining Summary: Being in love with two people at once is not easy, just ask Bucky Barnes. Luckily for him, the two people he's in love with have a bit more in common than he first thought. Word Count: 755

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Title: I know you (and I love you just the same) Collaborator: sleepoverwork Link: AO3 Square Filled: S1 - Workshop Troubles  Ship: WinterIron Rating: Gen Major Tags: college AU, roommates AU, fluffy, sassy boys Summary: James Barnes and Tony Stark meet on through a mutual friend with questionable life choices... It's Steve, they meet through Steve being a self-proclaimed defender of all that is good and just. They fall in love, they move in together, and they haven't gotten sick of each other yet. Word Count: 871

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Title: New beginnings Collaborator: journeythroughtherain Link: AO3 Square Filled: A3 - Free Square Ship: Tony & Bucky Rating: Gen Major Tags: friendship, healing, forgiveness Summary: Because sometimes, recovery takes more than time. Word Count: 962

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Title: We Never Failed to Fail Collaborator: Politzania Link: AO3 Square Filled: T5 - [Image: Steve & Tony sitting a table at a restaurant & Steve looks uncomfortable] Ship: Tony & Steve Rating: Gen Major Tags: canon divergence, Steve chooses poorly, background pining Summary: Before going to Lagos, a tired and sick-at-heart Steve meets with Tony to share intel. Word Count: 1789

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Title: Your Idiot White Boy Collaborator: rebelmeg Link: AO3 Square Filled: A1 - Sam Wilson/Falcon Ship: Sam & Rhodey Rating: Gen Major Tags: Avengers family, For Science!, shenanigans and hijinks, humor Summary: Sam and Rhodey are amused and exasperated with the idiot white boys in their lives. Word Count: 1422

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Title: robbin' you Collaborator: sleepoverwork Link: AO3 Square Filled: T2 - Mutual Appreciation Society Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: no powers AU, meet ugly, minor violence, over drinking and possible underage drinking, happy ending Summary: James goes out for a night of light shopping at his favorite bar, The Gambit, for shits and giggles. He hasn't gotten the change to go back to his roots and his pickpocketing skills are a little rusty. What is a sure good night surrounded by the moneybags of New York City taking a walk on the shiftier side of town, turns into James playing hero and ending up with his very own damsel in distress. A.K.A James Barnes is a lot of things, a liar, an asshole, a thief, etc. but he isn't heartless. Word Count: 1709

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Title: A Helping Hand Collaborator: cami-chats Link: AO3 Square Filled: R5 - On the Run Ship: Tony Stark/Winter Soldier Rating: Teen Major Tags: Bucky & Winter are different personalities, young Tony, kidnapped Tony, soulmates, getting together, canon-typical violence Summary: Winter's on what is basically a filler mission, and he helps the random guy that just escaped a kidnapping. Word Count: 1045

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Title: Art for pain and sorrow (won’t ruin tomorrow) by the-kitteh Collaborator: feignedsobriquet Link: AO3 Square Filled: T2 - always Ship: WinterIron Rating: Gen Major Tags: art  Summary: art of Tony holding Bucky in his lap

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Title: a Letter to Natalie Collaborator: cvdmus Link: AO3 Square Filled: R1 - always Ship: IronWidow Rating: Gen Major Tags: letter, epistolary, post-Endgame, drinking, Tony is alive Summary: Tony Stark writes a letter to his beloved Natasha Romanoff after her death. Word Count: 1000

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Collaborator: lbibliophile-mcu Link: Tumblr Square Filled: R3 - Galaxy Ship: none Rating: Gen Major Tags: moodboard Summary: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” - Norman Vincent Peale

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Title: Trial and Error - Chapter 2 Collaborator: martianwahtney Link: AO3 Square Filled: R5 - Harley Keener Ship: IronHusbands Rating: Gen Major Tags: getting together, Dad Tony, protective Tony and Rhodey, manipulative Nick Fury Summary: Harley and Tony adjust to each other, Rhodes is soft Word Count: 1360

[adigeon]

for the ask meme: 1, 2, 9, 18, 19, 28, 37? i hope its not too many!

:^D !!!!!!

1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.Until recently, all of my fic was first-time related, usually with a healthy dash of mutual pining. I think i wrote established relationship fic for the first time for Goody/Billy, and only drabble-length stuff. Comfort zone is still heartily first-time stuff, sarcastic characters, characters who would win the gold medal for attempting to repress serious issues, and loaded conversations that are clearly about so much more than what’s actually being discussed. I_live_for_drama.jpeg

2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?Fake relationship fic!!! I kind of outlined one for Goody/Billy once but the beats didn’t feel in character at all, so I dropped it – usually I just have trouble figuring out why the characters in question would end up in this bind where they need to pretend to be dating instead of finding a more sensible solution to the problem. However, I have just now realized that one of my new favorite pairings, Xander/Xiang, is two dumb lunkheads who could feasibly actually accidentally end up having to pretend to be in a relationship holy shit

9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?/glares at the new chapter of RecurrenceRecurrence is (a) the longest thing I’ve ever actually written and (b) *incredibly* close to home. So sometimes it writes itself, and sometimes it’s kind of…terrifying to work on, honestly. I 100% promise I will eventually finish it, I actually have the last chapter written and it’s just like two chapters before that soooo

18. Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?I should more than I do – I outline longer fic in a vague way, but tbh what that usually looks like is just writing brief moments of important scenes in a different part of the word document, and keeping them in sequential order so that I kind of have guidepost moments to aim towards. I have no idea if this makes any sense at all. I hope it does.

19. Stephen King once said that his muse is a man who lives in the basement. Do you have a muse?Mental illness and intrusive thoughts? More seriously, I tend to hyper-fixate on one character at a time – for Mag7 it was Goody, for R1 it’s Baze, and annoyingly I’m currently fixated on Xiang. (I don’t know how I ended up writing this much for X/X, it was honestly not my intent, this is all @roguewen’s fault. and that gun fic. mostly sarah though). And that character ends up driving most of the writing I do for that fandom, even if I’m not writing from their POV. What I’m saying is, blame everything I’ve written in the past week on Xiang

28. Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.limiting this to people i’m not in frequent contact with!

@megajubbly writes AUs so, so gorgeously – check out Fiction is a lie that tells the truth for the minor miracle of making Goody and Billy 100% perfectly in character in the Harry Potter ‘verse. “Goody’s audience usually eats it up. Everyone likes a story about lifelong friends, Goody says, everyone likes to think that you can hold on to the same people you knew when you were twelve and haul them into the future with you, one step at a time.” absofuckinglutely stunning

@no-gorms/scaramouche has very clear and striking prose and lets events happen at just the right pace, which is something i really struggle with – every beat of A Single Monk feels perfectly unhurried but also doesn’t linger too long (something i have sooo much trouble with). scaramouche is also really good with compressing time gracefully: “The Kyber Temple is large enough that there’s no question of Baze keeping track of every single new arrival they receive. That said, he is made aware of the day that Chirrut Îmwe joins their ranks, thanks to Teela Jehsop’s telling him: “There’s a blind one among the new fellows.”” how gorgeously efficient is that???

@greymichaela has this lovely way of using small but incredibly vivid sensory details to evoke so much at once – in echoes, afterimages, “He could smell fried noodles and wet permacrete and diesel oil wafting in the door that opened and closed with customers passing through.” what a perfect sentence?? in Star in Orbit, “back curving like a heron in flight”. perfect

37. Talk about your current WIPs.currently:- wrestling with the new chapter of Recurrence - a xander/xiang super specific prompt fic which i’m enjoying the hell out of - bite the hand, i.e. the urban fantasy trapped-as-a-dog fic- i’m also working on – though a little stalled – a piece where chirrut ends up with a lightsaber after the events of scarif and enormously reluctant to actually wield it for reasons pertaining to the guardian-jedi relationship and chirrut’s view of what the force should be used for. i’m really excited about what it could be, but i think i need to rework chirrut’s attitude towards jedi for it to really work, which is gonna require a substantial amount of editing. so that’ll probably happen, just…idk when

[simmancy]

Love Among the Stars…. Round One

featuring sims by @siminycricket, @simblrinterests @berrysweetboutique @aliengirl @gussini @bumblingbunny​ and my friend Ash who doesn’t have a simblr anymore but is still an icon ( @summerplumbob​) 

READ ON FOR... THE RULES

Welcome to the SHIP. You are all crewmates, working to make sure things are running smoothly, and perhaps flirting with White... And then... Suddenly... Something starts going wrong. Is someone trying to make sure only THEY can be with White? It’s up to YOU (not you the sims, YOU THE PERSON READING THIS) to find out!

is your sim not here? DON’T WORRY! I’m going to be doing a second round!! I thought it’d be easier to test everything in two separate groups, since this is my first MMBC, and the first time I’m staging a bunch of murders.

Is this a murder mystery bc? A game of mafia in the sims? Who knows, but I’m excited to test it out.

every day, contestants go about their tasks. It’s very exciting, doing little tiny spaceship things

they talk with and perhaps even mingle with the single (White). White is the only sim who is truly controlled in this challenge--a sim that is free to perform 3 positive interactions + 1-2 flirt interactions a day with each contestant, to build things up.

occasionally there will be Special Tasks (competitions) where the winner can earn immunity!

as night falls.... so does a contestant on the ship

it is up to the Viewers to try to suss out who is sus, who is the killer

once voting is completed (usually after 48 hours), the player voted Most Sus will take a relationship hit with White

the contestant with the lowest relationship will then go home

The Imposter was randomly chosen, as are any Sims killed. We love random.org!

[runridedive]

Marvel magic for Vodacom Super Rugby in 2019

South African rugby is entering a whole new universe in 2019 as SA Rugby, SuperSport, Vodacom and Marvel team up to bring Super Heroes to life and create an all-conquering, planet-shifting, villain-busting “Superpowered” Vodacom Super Rugby competition.

Some of Marvel’s most iconic Super Heroes will join forces with South Africa’s most powerful rugby stars to turn every one of the South African derbies in the 2019 Vodacom Super Rugby season into an action-packed adventure in and outside the stadiums.

In a ground-breaking collaboration between SA Rugby, SuperSport, Vodacom and Marvel, each of the South African Vodacom Super Rugby teams will be assigned a Marvel Super Hero as their look for the home derbies next season.

The Vodacom Bulls kit will be emblazoned with the colours of Captain America, the Emirates Lions will channel their inner-Spider-Man, the Cell C Sharks’ kit will be inspired by Black Panther and the DHL Stormers will be wearing Thor’s colours. The kit designs will be revealed at a later stage.

“Marvel Super Heroes are among the most loved and recognisable characters in the world, very much like local Vodacom Super Rugby players and clubs,” said Luke Roberts, Retail Director for The Walt Disney Company Africa.

“Whether it’s Spider-Man’s genius and agility, Thor’s strength and endurance, Captain America’s honour and strategy or Black Panther’s speed and stamina, we are thrilled to collaborate with clubs in this year’s South African Conference in Vodacom Super Rugby, aligning these character attributes with our own iconic teams.”

Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby, said this is one of the most exciting developments to the local Vodacom Super Rugby scene in many years.

“Vodacom Super Rugby has always been about entertainment and providing supporters with something new, and in 2019 we will definitely achieve that with this exciting endeavour with Marvel,” said Roux.

“The global rugby landscape is changing and teams across all continents are trying new things to further raise the interest of fans. We envisage reaching new audiences and gaining new supporters for our franchises and the game as a whole in South Africa.”

Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO, said: “These are great times in sport with innovation pivotal to success, which is why SuperSport is thrilled to support the Super Heroes initiative.”

The true impact of next season will be felt when the real-life super heroes take over the story off the pitch.

With great power comes great responsibility, and the heroes of South African rugby are ready to unleash this as they use their power for good and tackle cancer in a partnership with the CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation.

Michelle van Eyden, Vodacom’s Executive Head of Sponsorship, echoed the excitement for the forthcoming Vodacom Super Rugby season and highlighted the importance of giving back.

“Besides the innovation and excitement we will be seeing during Vodacom Super Rugby in 2019, Vodacom is also extremely proud to be associating itself with CHOC,” said Van Eyden.

“Every Super Rugby season, Vodacom partners with an organisation that is in need of support, and with the Marvel partnership, we feel there is a perfect fit between between the rugby super heroes we’ll see doing battle every weekend on the field and the little super heroes of CHOC who fight a far larger battle every day.”

For every tackle made by a South African player during the 2019 Vodacom Super Rugby competition, Vodacom and SuperSport will each donate R50 to CHOC through the #TacklingCancer campaign, with the goal of raising R1 million by the end of the season.

And if heroes give us hope, this will be a season in which every fan can also be a hero as they join forces to keep the hope alive for those who need it most.

Vodacom Super Rugby fans can also expect the best in-stadium entertainment and activations that are going to inject rugby into a new “Superpowered” era in a fresh and exciting way. This is Vodacom Super Rugby “Superpowered”, with Real. Live. Super Heroes.

The post Marvel magic for Vodacom Super Rugby in 2019 appeared first on Run Ride Dive.

from WordPress https://www.runridedive.com/marvel-magic-for-vodacom-super-rugby-in-2019/

[ges-sa]

New Post has been published on https://ges-sa.com/marvel-magic-makes-vodacom-super-rugby-superpowered-in-2019/

Marvel magic makes Vodacom Super Rugby “Superpowered” in 2019

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]South African rugby is entering a whole new universe in 2019 as SA Rugby, SuperSport, Vodacom and Marvel team up to bring Super Heroes to life and create an all-conquering, planet-shifting, villain-busting “Superpowered” Vodacom Super Rugby competition.

Some of Marvel’s most iconic Super Heroes will join forces with South Africa’s most powerful rugby stars to turn every one of the South African derbies in the 2019 Vodacom Super Rugby season into an action-packed adventure in and outside the stadiums.

In a ground-breaking collaboration between SA Rugby, SuperSport, Vodacom and Marvel, each of the South African Vodacom Super Rugby teams will be assigned a Marvel Super Hero as their look for the home derbies next season.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Vodacom Bulls kit will be emblazoned with the colours of Captain America, the Emirates Lions will channel their inner-Spider-Man, the Cell C Sharks’ kit will be inspired by Black Panther and the DHL Stormers will be wearing Thor’s colours. The kit designs will be revealed at a later stage.

“Marvel Super Heroes are among the most loved and recognisable characters in the world, very much like local Vodacom Super Rugby players and clubs,” said Luke Roberts, Retail Director for The Walt Disney Company Africa.

“Whether it’s Spider-Man’s genius and agility, Thor’s strength and endurance, Captain America’s honour and strategy or Black Panther’s speed and stamina, we are thrilled to collaborate with clubs in this year’s South African Conference in Vodacom Super Rugby, aligning these character attributes with our own iconic teams.”

Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby, said this is one of the most exciting developments to the local Vodacom Super Rugby scene in many years.

“Vodacom Super Rugby has always been about entertainment and providing supporters with something new, and in 2019 we will definitely achieve that with this exciting endeavour with Marvel,” said Roux.

“The global rugby landscape is changing and teams across all continents are trying new things to further raise the interest of fans. We envisage reaching new audiences and gaining new supporters for our franchises and the game as a whole in South Africa.”

Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO, said: “These are great times in sport with innovation pivotal to success, which is why SuperSport is thrilled to support the Super Heroes initiative.”

The true impact of next season will be felt when the real-life super heroes take over the story off the pitch.

With great power comes great responsibility, and the heroes of South African rugby are ready to unleash this as they use their power for good and tackle cancer in a partnership with the CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation.

Michelle van Eyden, Vodacom’s Executive Head of Sponsorship, echoed the excitement for the forthcoming Vodacom Super Rugby season and highlighted the importance of giving back.

“Besides the innovation and excitement we will be seeing during Vodacom Super Rugby in 2019, Vodacom is also extremely proud to be associating itself with CHOC,” said Van Eyden.

“Every Super Rugby season, Vodacom partners with an organisation that is in need of support, and with the Marvel partnership, we feel there is a perfect fit between between the rugby super heroes we’ll see doing battle every weekend on the field and the little super heroes of CHOC who fight a far larger battle every day.”

For every tackle made by a South African player during the 2019 Vodacom Super Rugby competition, Vodacom and SuperSport will each donate R50 to CHOC through the #TacklingCancer campaign, with the goal of raising R1 million by the end of the season.

And if heroes give us hope, this will be a season in which every fan can also be a hero as they join forces to keep the hope alive for those who need it most.

Vodacom Super Rugby fans can also expect the best in-stadium entertainment and activations that are going to inject rugby into a new “Superpowered” era in a fresh and exciting way.

This is Vodacom Super Rugby “Superpowered”, with Real. Live. Super Heroes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column]

[mcnaughton]

Abandoning Hope -- Some Thoughts on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

*NOTE: I wrote this the day after seeing Rogue One at the cinema. I don't do FB, so I posted it to my neglected G+ and linked to Twitter ( twitter.com/drewmcnaughton ). Every few years I remember I have a Tumblr, so I'm sharing it here 6 months later. Also, to correct the opening sentence, I did not see R1 again in theaters, making it the first live action Star Wars movie I've ever only seen once on the big screen. Enjoy....... Original Post 12/16/16 ( https://plus.google.com/108163877778963936170/posts/TUqccQPVkzf ) I will see Rogue One again while it is still at the cinema. That isn't really saying much since I saw Phantom Menace five times during the summer of 1999, back when I had way more time on my hands and George Lucas was only in his first phase of ruining my childhood. Today at work, I told people who knew I saw it last night that if they like Star Wars, then Rogue One is worth seeing, and if they had seen all of them, then they had already seen worse Star Wars movies as well as much better ones (among which I would include The Force Awakens). I did not really know what to expect walking into Rogue One as I had read no spoilers other than there would be no opening crawl (real spoilers will follow below). While I was looking forward to seeing it, it was the least excited I had ever been for a new Star Wars movie (I was 4 years old when Jedi premiered, and the Emperor's force lightning torture of Luke was too much for my little mind to handle). I identified at least two reasons for my lack of enthusiasm: it would not move the saga forward nor would it likely answer long pondered questions since in at least a general sense we already know what happens because it is literally spelled out for us in the opening title crawl of the original Star Wars. Also, we just got a new Star Wars a year ago. I probably will be much more excited for Episode VIII next year, but it is also possible that the House of Mouse Star Wars saturation is already taking its toll. ***Spoilers below, you've been warned*** I walked away from Rogue One with mixed feelings. I did not enjoy it as much as I did last year's The Force Awakens. This is largely due to Rogue One’s paper thin characters. I don’t dislike Jyn or the Captain guy. The blind Jedi inspired warrior and his brick shithouse companion are fun. I especially got a huge kick out of blind Chirrut (I had to Google his name because I honestly could not remember it) saying "May the Force of Others Be With You" and his reference to the Whills, both of which are ancient relics of the earliest drafts of The Star Wars by Lucas (I highly recommend The Star Wars comic book miniseries that brings the rough draft to life; it isn't exactly what I'd characterize as a good story, but it is a fascinating look at from what Star Wars evolved, as well as how certain elements emerged decades later in the prequels, for better or worse). But the only character I really cared about was the droid K-2S0. He dies. They all die. That was fairly predictable. But only K-2S0's sacrifice made me even somewhat emotional. The Captain is a one note character, and while I embrace the diversity on display in these new Star Wars films, I honestly had a difficult time understanding some of his dialogue due at least in part to the character’s (or actor’s) accent. Then there is Jyn, who goes from not really caring about the Rebellion (or anything for that matter) to preaching about "hope" to Mon Mothma almost immediately after her father is killed, seemingly turning on a dime in terms of her character’s motivation. This character’s shift is less convincing than Anakin's turn to the Dark Side. I cared less about Jyn after 2+ hours than I did about Rey in her first couple of minutes on screen in The Force Awakens while scavenging the crashed Star Destroyer, hocking her goods, and making her portion of space bread. Maybe it was a difference in the quality of the acting, the script writing, or both. The absense of characters in whom I am emotionally invested is a big problem I have in fully embracing Rogue One. Not caring about the characters is largely what sank the prequels, especially The Phantom Menace (though to be fair, I really liked Ewan McGregor’s performance in Attack of the Clones because he seemed to be having fun with the role, and even Hayden Christensen had a few shining moments about midway through Revenge of the Sith where I actually felt his inner turmoil). Speaking of which, Darth Vader is in Rogue One and it is pretty awesome. We see his lava planet castle, based on old conceptual art for Empire Strikes Back, I believe. Most of the planets in Rogue One are identified by title cards. This one is not, though I assumed it was Mustafar and I'm sure that will be confirmed or denied through some official Star Wars sanctioned means if it hasn't already. I absolutely love the planet Jedha, with the relics of the last remaining Jedi temple and fallen statues that are very much in the spirit of the Lord of the Rings films (think The Argonath from Fellowship of the Ring). Pretty much everything that happens on this planet are my favorite parts of the movie. I'm getting slightly ahead of myself here though. The film opens with a somewhat cliched scene of young Jyn seeing the murder of her mother and abduction of her father by the Imperial bad guy who needs help finishing the construction of the Death Star. It is notable that the mother is wearing clothing very similar to the Jedi robes in the prequels that were also worn by common Tatooine folks in A New Hope and Return of the Jedi. She also is the bearer of a Kyber Crystal, which have long been known to be the power element for both Jedi/Sith lightsabers as well as the Death Star's main weapon, though never acknowledged on film until now. We then flash forward to Jyn in an imperial jail. It is at this point that I really started to worry about Rogue One because in the next 10 minutes, we visit at least 4 different planets, and I started to wonder if the film was heading into a narrative nightmare not witnessed since David Lynch's Dune (which, in full disclosure, I absolutely love, though I'd never try to convince anyone that it is actually a good movie). Fortunately it does not (although perhaps Rogue One would be far more memorable if it was a complete disaster of a film rather than one that is just somewhat off its mark). As I write this, it has been about 24 hours since I saw Rogue One, and that brief, messy stretch of the film is mostly a blur in my mind, but at its outset, Jyn is going to help the Rebels find Saw Gerrera played by Ghost Dog himself Forest Whitaker because plot reasons.. That leads to the terrific sequences on Jedha. The film is worth seeing for these alone. In The Force Awakens, Han Solo stated that Luke Skywalker went in search of the last Jedi temple. Perhaps what we see on Jedha will come into play in next year's Episode VIII, or perhaps not. There was no teaser for Episode VIII before or after Rogue One. Then a bunch of stuff happens: Jyn's dad dies, we see Tarkin which is cool, and we see some other OT characters, some of whom's cameos are clever, while others are shameless fan service and pandering. And then we get to the film's third act, which has been what most people who have seen and enjoyed Rogue One have pointed to as its highlight. Frankly, I was underwhelmed. Again, I got a little emotional when the droid K-2S0 is killed protecting Jyn and Captain guy. Many of the more iconic images from the film's trailers didn't even make into the final cut of this sequence (which calls into question the apparent validity of the rumors of the production being troubled). I did not hate this extended sequence, but this is the first time in any Star Wars movie where I was not fully engaged in the epic battle. Yes, that includes the ones in the prequels. I did really like when Darth Vader's Star Destroyer popped up to thwart any sense of pure victory the Rebels may have felt after capturing the Death Star plans. Then we see Princess Leia, obviously a special effect, and she lightspeeds away on the Tantave IV into the opening shot of Episode IV. This all calls into question why The House of Mouse felt compelled to make this movie. Well, the answer is simple, to continue to make "a shitload of money" (to quote Lone Star from Spaceballs) off of their $4 billion investment. But why this story? My guess is that the powers that be recognized that Revenge of the Sith’s attempt to tie directly into the beginning of A New Hope failed miserably, largely because of the 20 year gap in the saga timeline between the two films. This is probably why they went with Princess Leia at the end of Rogue One and not Artoo and Threepio, since we already saw them on the Tantave IV in one of the last shots in Episode III. There's a lot of unaccounted for events on the Star Wars timeline, especially in light of the abandonment of the Extended Universe (which was fine by me because most of those novels and comic books were really dumb) and the introduction of new characters, concepts and entities in The Force Awakens. Maybe years from now (or much sooner) we'll get to see the Battle of Jaku on the big screen in another standalone film. I would have preferred that to what we get in Rogue One. Some of my specific nitpicks, such as how can the X- and U-Wings destroy the AT-ATs when in Empire Strikes Back their "armor is too strong for blasters", I've already found answers to -- according to Den Of Geek, these are actually AT-ACTs, designed for cargo, not combat ( http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/star-wars/260771/star-wars-rogue-one-easter-eggs-and-reference-guide ). My brother picked up on some other nitpicks, particularly how the end of Rogue One and the beginning of A New Hope don't exactly match up ( https://t.co/q881t4Jr5e ). I'm sure more of those will occur to the collective Star Wars community as time goes by and second, third and perhaps fourth theatrical viewings occur. *****END SPOILERS**** Look, when new Star Wars (and also Star Trek) movies are released, I am tense when I see them the first time because I am anxiously waiting for them to start sucking. There is an unfortunate precedent for that for these two franchises. In the last year, I enjoyed both The Force Awakens and Star Trek Beyond way more on subsequent viewings than I did the first times. In the case of Rogue One, it stumbles out of the gate, then thrives during the Jedha sequences, and finally settles in as a B-/C+ grade Star Wars film. There is a chance I might like it even less when I see it again, but I might also find more to appreciate. I've seen the worst Star Wars and Star Trek films at least several dozen times each, and the best ones hundreds if not thousands of times (no exaggeration…. I wore out my VHS copies of Star Wars, Empire, Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock and The Voyage Home as a kid). I'll see Rogue One again. I even look forward to it. I just HOPE I find something more to like about it. 

[artsvark]

R60-million worth of SA art goes under the hammer

R60m worth of modern and contemporary art will be auctioned in Cape Town today, March 6, by Strauss & Co is South Africa’s premier auction house.

Lot 516, Irma Stern, Young Arab, R 12 000 000 – 16 000 000

Four major paintings by Irma Stern with a pre-sale total of over R22 million are among the highlights of the sale. Stern, one of the ten most expensive women artists sold at auction globally between 2005 and 2015, remains the gold standard. The highlight of the sale is a 1942 oil Young Arab (estimate R12 000 000 – R16 000 000). This gestural portrait of a young man was produced during the artist’s visit to Congo in 1942. It was exhibited at the Gainsborough Gallery, Johannesburg, in December of the same year where it was sold for £40.

Strauss & Co art specialist Wilhelm van Rensburg, who in 2003 curated a survey of Stern’s work at the Standard Bank Gallery, says of Young Arab: “As an essay in the exploration of shared human experience it is rarely matched in Stern’s oeuvre.”

Last year, Strauss & Co sold Stern’s Still Life with Lilies, a colour-drenched 1947 botanical study of orange tiger lilies and a Buddha figure, for R10 572 240. It was the highest price paid locally for a single artwork at auction in 2016. The forthcoming sale includes another exceptional Stern botanical, Flowers and Fruit (estimate R5 000 000 – R7 000 000). Proceeds from this exceptional work will benefit the CPOA. Produced in 1937, this lavish oil has been described by art historian Marion Arnold as a particularly fine example of the artist’s use of the “expressive power of colour and her knowledge of its inherent optical capacity to create the illusion of space on a flat surface”. The March sale also includes Stern’s Still Life with Figs (estimate R1 800 000 – R2 400 000), a symphony of contrasting greens, and A Small Canal, Venice (estimate R1 – R2 million), produced during a 1948 visit to Venice.

Important South African and International Art, Decorative Arts and JewelleryMonday 6 March, 2017

Venue: The Vineyard Hotel, Newlands, Cape Town

Enquiries and Catalogues:

021 683 6560

078 044 8185

www.straussart.co.za

Maggie Laubser, who like Stern spent time in Berlin, played an important part in modernising the language of South African painting. Strauss & Co is offering a number of works by Laubser, including Shepherd Seated with his Flock (estimate R2 – R2.5 million). The work was painted during the artist’s retreat to her family farm, Oortmanspoort, and was acquired by its original owner at the 1936 Empire Exhibition in Johannesburg.

Strauss & Co’s sale also includes a fine selection of works by J.H. Pierneef. Painted in 1956, Bushveld Landscape (estimate R1.5 – R2 million) features Pierneef’s beloved acacias as central subject with dramatic clouds on the horizon. The work was originally exhibited on the Pierneef Festival held in Johannesburg in 1964. McGregor (estimate R1 000 – R1 500 000) is an appealing description of Western Cape farmlands.

Other notable landscapes on offer include The Mountain behind Groote Schuur (estimate R800 000 – R1 200 000) by Cape impressionist Hugo Naudé. Strauss & Co art specialist Alastair Meredith singles out the “dewy luxury” and “atmospheric light” of this Cape Town picture as part of its “sheer delight”. Erik Laubscher’s 1989 oil Drought, Namibia (R500 000 – 700 000) is a transformative study of Namibia’s arid geological landscape.

While Peter Clarke’s Morning at Bo Plaas, Teslaarsdal, Caledon District, C.P. (estimate R700 000 – 900 000) includes landscape elements, the work is important for its place in this much-loved Cape Town artist’s early biography. “Tesselaarsdal is Clarke’s Pont-Aven or Le Pouldo,” notes literary scholar Hein Willemse, referring to the Breton villages where Gauguin lived before his first visit to Tahiti in 1891. It was at Tesselaarsdal that Clarke in the late 1940s learnt the ways of small-scale farmers and their families. The March sale also includes The Fence (R600 000–R800 000), a work of social commentary with an important place in Clarke’s visual language.

Robert Hodgins, whose star has risen at auction in recent years, has three noteworthy works on offer. The Old Boxer (estimate R600 000 – 800 000) depicts a subject first observed by the artists during his London youth in the 1930s, while Naked in Solitary (estimate R500 000 – 700 000) is powerful portrait marked by what art critic Ivor Powell describes as “formal dysfunction”. An Old Couple (estimate R300 000 – 500 000) is vintage Hodgins, a satire of domestic strife grounded in what Powell describes as the “felicities of colour, texture and brushstroke”.

Strauss & Co continues to achieve notable results for a range of established living artists, including Norman Catherine and William Kentridge, both represented on the March sale. Untitled (Drawing for Felix in Exile) (estimate R800 000 – R1.2 million) is a charcoal drawing of an East Rand landscape from Kentridge’s fifth stop-animation film, Felix in Exile (1994). The nearly nine-minute film was made between September 1993 and February 1994.

Photography collectors will be able to acquire an important early work by Mikhael Subotzky, Preacher, Dwarsrivier Prison (0053) (estimate R80 000 – R120 000), a panoramic study of a Sunday church service in an outlying Cape prison. Also on offer is a 2012 charcoal drawing by acclaimed sculptor Wim Botha, A Thousand Things part 45 (estimate R50 000 – R70 000).

“Strauss & Co’s sales are not just auctions but much anticipated social and artistic events,” says veteran British auctioneer Dendy Easton, who will handle the evening sale.

  R60-million worth of SA art goes under the hammer was originally published on Artsvark

[simmancy]

RIP VERONIKA JEWELL ( @aliengirl )

The previous defacto Leader for White’s attentions.... Now taken from us FAR TOO SOON, crushed under the weight of some giant metal thing... Or as I like to call it, the competition.

Was it rigged to fall then? Was there someone in the room with her? Almost everyone SEEMS to have an alibi but Purple... But then why would they call the Emergency Meeting if they did it? It’s still anyone’s game and it’s up to you to decide...

Who Killed Veronika?

[simmancy]

Farewell to Remi Mills (@bumblingbunny​)

A Face Reveal & Scores under the cut... More to come tomorrow.

First, I am sad that Remi is gone because

DANG what a CUTIE.

SCORES

Pink: 24.5

Cyan: 23

Black: 19.5

Purple: 16

Blue: 12.5

Yellow: 9.5=(24.5-15)

SO YES. Remi was actually in the lead but couldn’t overcome the -15 hit that being accused of murder takes. A shame you got it wrong this time.

[simmancy]

White: Green pls... You’re standing on my foot.

Green: SORRY!