#mia - episode 5

[hotasfahrenheit]

This is what looks like a long one about the push and pull of Sand and Ray inviting each other into their lives in episode 5, sorry not sorry, but it's actually mainly because there's lots of pretty gifs? (because First and Khao are pretty obviously) here we go!

Ray spent this episode involving himself in every moment of Sand's day, dipping fully into Sand's world. Learning about Sand, following him around, being fed by Sand, letting Sand dress him up and choose his clothing, listening to Sand's music, going the places Sand wants or needs to be, meeting Sand's mom, finding out more about why Sand is who he is. Learning about how Sand takes care of other people, how Sand is always doing things for other people.

Getting up on a stage and singing a song to the boy who is used to being on a stage, singing for others.

Ray is taking steps in the right direction- towards Sand, away from Mew. Learning how to care for, and about, another person, who actually cares for, and about, him as well.

Sand is letting him in, but Sand is also not putting in the effort to learn about Ray and Ray's life at the same time. He's letting himself get swept away by Ray's charm and light but not trying to see what's going on in Ray's life that's driving him to seek solace in Sand's life.

The simplest representation of it is right here. Sand doesn't want to go in Ray's car; he doesn't trust Ray or his driving, he won't let Ray take him in his car. Ray can come with him, he WANTS Ray to come with him, but he won't enter Ray's space.

(that cute satisfied smile, how dare you First Kanaphan)

Sand is aware that Ray has something holding him back from being serious about a relationship, from being more than friends, but he doesn't try to find out what it is. He asks for one piece of Ray's truth in this episode, by asking what happened to Ray's mom- but he's asking about Ray's past, not about Ray's present.

Of all the things holding Ray back he clearly didn't expect it to be another person, but he also doesn't want to hear any kind of explanations or excuses from Ray after he finds out about Mew from Boston in the messiest way possible short of Boston sending him the make out video. He's been so focused on pulling Ray into his world that he wasn't prepared to get hit with this kind of information and immediately shuts down and closes himself off from Ray.

Ray tries, in the most direct way that he's done so far, to invite Sand in, to ask questions, to find out the truth, to find out about him.

But Sand still won't let this go both ways, he won't take the step to involve himself directly in Ray's life.

Turning over closes himself off physically from Ray and pushes him back out, and that's that. He's done, without really starting.

Could and should Ray have been more upfront that he had feelings for someone else when he started getting involved with Sand? Absolutely, especially as soon as he started pushing for more of Sand's time and attention. Ray isn't innocent here, though I have a lot of opinions about how genuine Ray's being in love with Mew is even by episode one, and definitely by this point.

It can also be really hard to process leaving behind old feelings for new ones, especially when you're dealing with people from what are or what feel like VERY SEPARATE parts of your life. Ray is a King of Compartmentalization, and his school life/friend circle/feelings for Mew have been kept almost entirely away from his time with Sand outside of the bar space that they all occupy, the overlap in the Venn diagram of Ray's life; alone at his place or Sand's, making out in his car at Sand's house after the party but barely directly interacting AT the party in front of Ray's circle, at the record store, at the concert, at Sand's mom's club, are all away from the rest of Ray's life. It can be much easier to keep the aspects of your life that make you miserable away from what makes you happy rather than deal with bridging the gaps between them, and Ray is honestly incredibly relatable for wanting to keep them apart even though it isn't the healthiest or best way for him to be dealing with things, for him or for Sand.

Nick is the first person to actually intrude on Ray and Sand's existence in tandem to each other, and he then brings Boston into their orbit and all hell breaks loose. This is probably exactly what Ray was afraid of happening- the two halves of his life coming together, in a way he absolutely cannot control; the bitter and unhappy side meeting the shining and wonderfully hopeful half, and an explosion that leaves everything in tatters.

Normally when Sand tells him no, Ray is able to use his puppy dog eyes on Sand to bring him around, but that's not going to work this time. Sand needs to be willing to go further into Ray's life to have Ray in his, and Ray needs to be open and honest about everything instead of only offering tidbits when directly asked or pressed into honesty by circumstance. Hopefully whatever it is that does work is something that involves them both being healthier, happier versions of themselves! But that's not what this show is about so we'll see how it goes.

[quillandrapier]

Uhhh my ghosts thoughts

Spoilers under the cut but

TLDR: I enjoyed parts of it but was underwhelmed as a whole. It was a nice episode but fails to reach the heights of season 3

First I will say, I was happy while watching the episode I enjoyed lots of things.

Seeing the ghosts, Mike and Alison with the baby was wonderful. Really lovely. Mia is a lovely name and they really are great parents.

I would have liked more ghosts backseat parenting as a whole. Might have driven home the need for Alison to get away from them, rather than lady button needing to let Alison breathe. That or there being a bigger B-plot. Robin as the character who doesn't feel Christmassy feels eh, if there wasn't a bigger pay off than a speech about them moving on then maybe.

Kitty should have been the character. It would have been a lovely period of growth, and almost like a growing up type thing. Kitty grew up enough that she is ready to let Alison go.

They really missed the jokes in this episode. I maybe had two big laughs. Season 5 as a whole felt a lot less funny (other than En Francis.) like in the exorcism scene, when they realised they were going to be okay and it didn't work they should have made a joke.

I dont know if id ask for more ghosts in the episode. The show is Alison's and Mike's story. It's the Ghosts who are the supporting their story. They are the foundation and the last episode has to focus on them.

Finally the ending. Im fine with it. I think it's the right ending for the show. I don't know how else they could have ended it without making a massive swing or left it open ended (which would have been less complete)

Yes things are different and that's okay but they really should have constructed season 5 as a whole to support the ending. Yes it makes sense now the baby is here things are so different but my point is why then even make last resort? Why not make the episode end with the Julian reveal and speech still but don't introduce the idea of selling it in that episode. Maybe a line in A Christmas Gift about an offer to sell the house that Alison blows off saying "I don't think I could ever leave, I don't think the Ghosts would even let me" but as the episode builds we realise the ghosts have grown enough that they can face an afterlife without Alison always being a shout away. That like family it was time for her to leave the nest and grow as her own new family that still visits the old one.

It's my biggest issue with the episode. Also I really dislike the reaction fans are having to each other having differing opinions. Like don't directly sent hate to the creators (or even joke hate wtf) but also... Let people dislike it. Let people like it.

Anyway, a nice episode but as a final bow felt more of a whimper that turns into a yell rather than a standing ovation.

[pikefied]

Traditional (Sacred) Charades...

I love it how in "Sacred Charades" words also have "sacred syllables" and that "ear" is a sacred Vulcan word. So many layers of hilarity...

[chvoswxtch]

oh, and second! i’d also love a glass of wine: what’s your drink of choice? i’m having a rum phase myself, but my go-to has always been riesling 💝

and i love this bar themed celebration you’re having! it’s such a unique and fun twist to the typical milestone sleepover. what a great idea! 🌷

my marvelous mia! 💚

i'm so happy you came off anon!!

okay so I am very much a tequila gal, but if we're talking wine, it depends on my mood.

I do like a good red every now and then (I don't know how to explain it, but drinking red wine makes me feel sophisticated) and my favorite would probably have to be a bourbon barrel aged cabernet sauvignon by josh. it's got a nice lil spicy flavor to it (& it's cheap at target).

my go to for wine is usually white wine and there is an AMAZING one at trader joe's called kidia (I call it my pedro pascal wine bc it's from chile) & it's a delicious sauvignon blanc (also cheap as hell).

what's your favorite rum you've tried?? do you like wine??

[sugarfortia]

Just finished watching BSD (screams contained in the tags)

[poguelandias]

kinda wishing…. Big John had stayed dead? Anyone else?

[elbiotipo]

you know what they say, you can't have Succession without the Succ

[beautifulfaces-icons-and-gifs]

Lisa Ambalavanar on The A List Season 1

as Mia on The A List [S1|E5]

Information on beautifulfaces

Like or reblog.

[htub]

Lex (and me too): what happened to Lana?

[bunnyshideawayy]

a rumored bastard and a proven, disinherited, legally illegitimate recognized bastard are not the same.

Rhaenyra’s sons are rumored bastards, i know the show has a lot of team green stans feeling bold but just as in the books, they are never legally considered bastards in the show either. they are speculated to be via their physical features and Laenor’s apparent sexuality, but since Laenor and the KING (btw Westeros is a absolute monarchy, meaning the king IS law) both claim all three boys as legitimate heirs, unless someone demands a medieval dna test, those kids are legally Laenor’s true sons.

this is apparently a very hard concept to understand for some, hell even Alicent in the show says something like “we can all tell” which fair point, but that is not proof enough. looks, accusations, and rumor are not the same as actual proof of adultery or bastardy.

someone i was having a “discussion” with used Joffrey as an example to point out a flaw in my logic, but ultimately proved my point. Joffrey was a rumored bastard. Ned himself had no more proof than Alicent does, just hair color and a hunch, so Joffrey was never legally disinherited from the line of succession. I hate to defend either of these men but King Robert never publicly disowned him and called him bastard, which is why Joffrey ascended to the Iron Throne. now the rumors did hurt, and caused huge political issues leading to the War of 5 Kings, which is exactly why Alicent and Team Green is so insistent that Rhaenyra’s children are illegitimate, they know they cannot legally or physically prove her children are bastards, especially when Laenor and the King are claiming them are true born, but they can spread the rumor and call into question Rhaenyra’s honesty and morality. think episode 8 when team green takes their chance with Vaemond to attempt a coup of sorts for the Driftmark Throne, why would the succession of Driftmark need to be settled if Rhaenyra’s sons are true born? why would Alicent / Otto need to make this decision in place of the sick king and mia lord of tides who both had already been stating Luke would inherit for years. it’s all apart of the scheme to tarnish Rhaenyra’s reputation as Vaemond has no other proof either, and promptly loses his head (both metaphorically and literally) by calling the recognized heir to the throne a whore and her children bastards with no proof in front of the whole court.

it is a political scheme on both sides, Alicent cannot prove anything, and Rhaenyra cannot disprove the rumors no matter how many times they are claimed as true born sons. Rhaenyra has to live in the comfort the law gives her, as legally her sons are seen as legitimate, and thus legally they are protected. and from an unbiased pov with both in universe and historical references, those kids might be bastards in actually but not legally.

Rhaenyra goes through hell to keep her children legally protected, not only for their sake but for hers because should the truth come out both her and Laenor would be seriously punished, i wouldn’t go as far as executed but that would depend on if Viserys was old and bed ridden or dead. which is why im making this incredibly long post repeating myself in every point. you can argue all day about Rhaenyra’s children and their parentage but i am making this to make it clear that her children are not *legally* bastards by Westeros law. in order for Jace, Luke, and Joffrey to be illegitimate bastards Laenor, Rhaenyra, Harwin, and/or Viserys would have to publicly acknowledge them as such and disinherit them. no, Laenor and Viserys dying do not magically make Rhaenyra’s children legal bastards either. they would, again, need to be claimed and proven as such and disinherited.

and at the end of it all, true or not true, the rumors made a lasting impact on the story. so much so this fandom is still debating this topic, and frankly i am dreading the season 2 release when all the bad takes and bad faith arguments start up again.

anyway other famous rumored bastards are in Targ history are:

Maegor

Daeron II

[lilyginnyblackv2]

What are Kazuki and Rei’s Options? - Buddy Daddies - Episode 10 - SPOILERS!

In Japan, same-sex couples cannot adopt children:

Text:  Adoption and parenting Same-sex couples are not allowed to legally adopt in Japan. Lesbian couples and single women are unable to access IVF and artificial insemination.

(From the Wikipedia page on LGBT rights in Japan, which will be linked in the comments.)

However, fostering children is currently an option for same-sex couples:

Now, in another sign of increasing acceptance of the LGBT+ community, it’s come to light that the city of Osaka has awarded foster care of a child to a same-sex male couple. While city administrators confirmed the couple’s foster parent status on April 5, 2017, the pair, consisting of one man in his 30s and another in his 40s, were approved as foster parents back in December of last year. Foster parent certification falls under the jurisdiction of local authorities, but Japan’s central Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare says that it has no previous record of a same-sex couple being awarded foster parent status, so the decision by Osaka appears to be the first of its kind in Japan. The Ministry also confirmed that its guidelines regarding foster parent selection make no specifications barring or giving preferential treatment to same-sex couples.

(Source: All About Japan - “Same-Sex Couples Can Now Be Foster Parents,” full article will be linked below in the comments.)

This is basically what we see Kazuki and Rei do, as of right now, with Miri. They foster her for a year, and she has returned back to her birth mother.

Now, what will happen next is unknown. There are options like Miri never returning to them/staying with her mom, one or both of them dying, etc. etc., but we aren’t going to be looking at those possibilities right now. Let’s look at ones where Miri is a part of their lives.

If they want Miri back in their lives then Kazuki and Rei will have to take care of the Organization and their connection to it, and then find alternative jobs to support themselves. Buddy Daddies takes place in modern day Japan, that is the setting, and they are treating the situations as functioning within the framework of what can and cannot be done in modern day Japan, in regards to childrearing, childcare, and so forth.

Unless they go the route of having Kazuki forge paperwork to be her birth father, since they look very similar:

Of course, this option would be a bit more convoluted. He couldn’t take on Miri’s birth father’s actual identity because he was a mafia boss and is currently, very much so, dead. But, they might be able to change it so that Miri would be Kazuki’s daughter. Then, Kazuki and Rei would be able to raise her, since she would be Kazuki’s birth child. 

But, unless Misaki were to pass away due to her cancer (which is a possibility, especially since she mentioned that it was spreading), the end result would still be a blended family situation:

Because even if Misaki had given Miri up for adoption or had abandoned her, the birth mother is still the legal guardian of their child. Unless the birth mother dies or goes completely MIA or the child isn’t put into the system at all (essentially just living on the streets), then there isn’t a way, in current Japanese society, for a birth mother to be completely divorced from their child.

That being said, blended families do exist in Japan, especially in the modern day when divorce, remarrying, and same-sex relationships being recognized are all becoming more common place. But, we rarely see blended families being portrayed in anime (specifically, I’m sure there is some exploration of this found in manga), and certainly not at a central level of any kind (like with what we have been seeing with Buddy Daddies and how it has been centralizing its focus on childcare and childrearing).

An blended family ending would still be just as queer and progressive as before. This sort of family dynamic would exist outside of the norm, and outside of the nuclear family expectation. The framing has been interesting too, because Miri’s mother is the one that essentially has to prove herself to both Kazuki and Rei and to Miri. She was brought back into the picture because it was the safer option for Miri at this moment, not just because she is Miri’s birth mother.

So I feel like, if a blended family situation does end up happening in the end, they won’t approach it in quite that way. Though, I also think that would be a point of contention at times (especially between Misaki and Kazuki) that wouldn’t be that uncommon for a blended family situation. Navigating issues like that is very common, I see my friends who are step-mothers and step-fathers have to navigate those waters often. If it were depicted in anime, even if it were for a brief bit (or in more depth if there were a second season and this is the route the series ultimately goes down), then that would be pretty neat.

Something else to note is that when Misaki states: “If you consider yourselves her parents as well,” she uses the word “parents,” 親 (oya), not guardians, 保護者 (hogosha) or other similar/related words. 保護者 (hogosha) does mean parent, but in a more inclusive way that is also referencing legal guardians as well. But she is acknowledging them as parents, the same as her.

Of course, there are some who are weary and skeptical of the integrity of Misaki. I think she is talking honestly and sincerely here, along with the rest of the episode, but if she’s not, then what will happen to Miri is that she will likely go to live with her grandparents or, like I mentioned before, the series goes a bit more of a convoluted and complex route with making Kazuki’s Miri’s “birth” father through forgery and the like. Or, they break the more realistic boundaries they’ve been working within so far, and make it so that Kazuki and Rei can just magically adopt Miri, but given the “realistic” mentions in a lot of the interviews with Uchiyama and Toyonaga, I don’t think that is likely.

If the series does go the route of having Miri go to live with her grandparents or mother and Kazuki and Rei aren’t brought into the family in a blended family way, but more so kept out (maybe with only the occasional visit or something). Then another possibility, especially if they do end up leaving the Oraganization and kind of “starting over” with new jobs and the like, is them becoming foster parents in general. 

Miri would be the first and the most precious one to them, but then they find a “normal happiness” with each other and become foster parents to other kids in the future. It would be a nice way to really show them changing right, in the sense of, instead of taking human lives, they would be caring for and fostering children - the future, and hopefully helping them turn out to be good people. That’s always a possibility, especially if there is some kind of large time skip in the last episode. 

Of course, the series could instead go in the direction of criticizing the cruelty that same-sex couples cannot adopt and therefore are basically only left with the option of fostering, unless they have a blood-related child through natural means of birth. That is always a possibility as well, and is something that I feel they do kind of hit on a bit in Episode 10, especially with Rei’s line here:

(Rei: “To say that after we’re all attached...it’s cruel.”)

But yeah, thinking about it, when it comes to positive outcomes, in the sense of Kazuki, Rei, and Miri living and Kazuki and Rei being able to escape the Organization, then I think the ending options are going to be one of the above. Everything in this post is pure speculation, since the series is anime original, we don’t know for sure what direction it will ultimately go in.

But these options here are the ones sticking out the most to me at the moment (once again, if we only look at potentially happy endings, rather than any potential overly tragic/bad end ones). It’s also possible that they may be critical of something (like with Rei’s words on the cruelty of it all), while also still painting an option, like Kazuki and Rei deciding to become foster parents, as something that is still an overall good and positive change for them, specifically. 

I like there is a potential messiness to the situation and overall premise that is presented in Buddy Daddies, because it makes it feel like the series is properly exploring the realities of the situation and the options that are open and available to Kazuki and Rei. It’s bleak in some ways, hopeful in others, and I am intrigued by what direction they will ultimately go in.

As always, feel free to add your thoughts to this as well! :D I always love reading them! <3

[ailendolin]

I know MotA isn't perfect and has its issues but personally, I think the biggest missed opportunity was not having an episode from Ken Lemmons and the ground crew's POV.

Episode 6 of Band of Brothers - Bastogne - is rightfully one of the standout episodes of that series because of the different perspective it provides, and Masters of the Air could have achieved the same thing if it had focused on the ground crew for one episode. While we got glimpses of the effects the war had on them (most notably in Parts 5 and 6), imagine how much more of an impact it would have had if the miniseries had actually taken the time to really show us the trauma they experienced - the endless, exhausting hours of fixing the planes, the anxious waiting for the crews to come back, the quiet breakdowns when they don't, the earth-shattering guilt because maybe it's their fault, maybe they messed up somehow, the emotional distancing from the replacement crews so it won't hurt as much when they'll inevitably get shot down as well. And then the overwhelming relief when someone presumed MIA or KIA makes it back - like Quinn, or Rosie after he gets shot down over France. The slow realisation that there is hope, after all, that not all is lost, that sometimes, miracles do happen. Finding the strength to smile again.

I think MotA would have benefited hugely from an episode like that. And while I'm grateful they chose to devote time to the ground crews at all, I just think they could have done more - should have, really, given that they didn't even include Lemmons in the "What happened after the war" coda at the end.

[matchalovertrait]

So many people, so many different thoughts and opinions!

Previous / Next (Transcript under the cut)

Transcript:

(1.) [Andrea] You have 30 minutes to make an appetizer using all four of the basket ingredients. The timer starts... Now!

(2.) [Alex] I'm making a raclette with an assortment of merguez sausage, vegetable flatbread, pea shoots, and a side of shakshuka sauce. I think everything will go nicely with the melted cheese.

(3.) [Alex] I'll add ham, salami, steamed potatoes, and olives. I'm kind of playing it safe, but I hope the variety of flavors work out for me. It's all part of my strategy to at least get to the second round.

(4.) [Lewis] I've calmed down now. I decided to make a salad with pea shoots, crumbled sausage, flatbread croutons, and a shakshuka vinaigrette.

(5.) [Lewis] It's a salad. I can't possibly mess this up.... right?

(6.) [Dulce] I went with pizza wedges with a flatbread crust. They'll have shakshuka sauce, pea shoots, and merguez sausage. Of course, I'll be adding some mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

(7.) [Dulce] The pizza wedges are going to be soooo cute and fun. I'll also put some bacon bits and garlic. I can't put too many things, though. The wedges aren't going to be that big.

(8.) [Rubiya] I'm making spaghetti with merguez sausage meatballs, shakshuka sauce, and pea shoots. I'll add the vegetables from the flatbread to my sauce and use the rest of the flatbread to make garlic bread.

(9.) [Rubiya] Could I have made shakshuka? Yes, but that's rather predictable. Also, as someone from a Middle Eastern family, I refuse to use premade shakshuka sauce. I must make it from scratch.

(10.) [Andrea] It's time to introduce the two judges here today who are joining Michelin-Starred Chef, Mia D'Angelo-Ramirez.

(11.) [Mia] Thank you, Andrea. I'm always accompanied by amazing people, but I think the viewers and contestants will find today's lineup quite astounding.

(12.) [Dulce] Wow, it's actually her... I look up to Chef Mia a lot as another Mexican-Italian. I don't have Italian blood like her, but I was born here. I want to be on her level someday.

(13.) [Lewis] Oh my gosh..... I know Chef Mia is in every episode, but I still got nervous again when I saw her at the judges' table. She is so beautiful and talented.

(14.) [Carlo] Mia, you flatter me.

[Andrea] Chef Mia is right, though! Folks, here we have Executive Chef and Food Entrepreneur, Carlo Mancini.

(15.) [Alex] Chef Carlo Mancini??? He's the real deal. It's too late to change my appetizer now, so I have to impress him with my raclette.

(16.) [Rubiya] Chef Carlo Mancini. This will be fun.

(17.) [Andrea] And here's Grammy Award winner, Sofia Bjergsen!

[Sofia] Thank you so much. I've already been having a blast here. Not many people know this, but I was actually in culinary school for a bit before I decided to pursue music full-time.

(18.) [Dulce] THE Sofia Bjergsen??? I have all of her vinyl records! My favorite song by her is My Love Knows. I know the entire choreography for that song... here, I'll show you!

(19.) *My Love Knows by Sofia Bjergsen starts playing*

(20.) *My Love Knows by Sofia Bjergsen starts playing*

(21.) [Alex] Okay, I'll admit that I'm a fan, but what is she doing here? Isn't she on a world tour right now?

(22.) [Andrea] We are overjoyed to have the three of you as judges. Please, talk amongst yourselves while I check on the chefs.

[tossawary]

Okay, I haven't finished "Episode 5: Rise From The Ashes" of "Ace Attorney" and I'm not very far into it, so please, no one spoil it for me. (I want to try and worldbuild out of this with the information that I have.) But Lana Skye being the Chief Prosecutor is... weird to me. (As is Miles Edgeworth being the "High Prosecutor", honestly, whatever that means exactly.)

I had been under the impression that the Chief Prosecutor was corrupt, due to an interaction with Redd White in "Turnabout Sisters". I'll put the relevant dialogue from that episode under a cut. It's not clearly stated, but I think it's heavily implied that Redd White has something on the Chief Prosecutor. Maybe it'll be revealed that Lana Skye is corrupt and/or was being blackmailed by Redd White, or something like that? That would be fine. I'm not against it turning out that Lana Skye was actually committing crimes.

I mainly think that Lana Skye is... WAY too young for this position. Like, this is breaking my suspension of disbelief a little. Miles being a fearsome prosecutor at 24 is already pushing it, but I'm familiar with the Teenage Genius trope, so I'll go with it. But a CHIEF PROSECUTOR at, what, 26?! No. Lana Skye could be 36 and I would still think that she's pretty young for her position. Even if Lana Skye finished law school at 20, on a similar timeline as Miles Edgeworth, she would have less than 10 years of experience, and she's been put in charge of the entire department?!

I'll believe that Lana Skye might be incredibly intelligent, hard-working, and ambitious. Maybe because of the whole "absurdly accelerated court timelines" element, she's already worked an impressive amount of cases. (But her seniors would have also done this?) But this still stands out to me as a premature promotion and I think it can be connected to the previous case with Redd White.

My current headcanon is that there was a different Chief Prosecutor during the Mia Fey murder case, who was being blackmailed by Redd White, and that Redd White's trial underearthed evidence of corruption that caused several scandals for both the prosecution office and the police. That Chief Prosecutor and several others were forcibly retired or even arrested, reducing the number of more senior prosecutors, causing both Miles Edgeworth and Lana Skye to be promoted beyond their years and their management experience. Possibly even because someone else is setting Lana Skye up for a glass cliff fall here when further corruption comes to light. In this scenario, she's only been the Chief Prosecutor for a few months at most, and it's not unreasonable that Phoenix Wright wouldn't recognize her.

Alternatively, perhaps Redd White arranged for the early retirement of some senior prosecutors and Lana Skye was promoted out of that mess, and she was (recently, because she's in her damn 20s) the Chief Prosecutor at the time of Mia Fey's murder. Maybe Redd White provided Lana with (fabricated?) information to win some past cases, in order to create some dirt that he could hold over her, and now Lana is at the very least stuck with the guilt of having accepted help from a man who later murdered Mia Fey, if she wasn't actively being blackmailed. Maybe Mia Fey only started investigating Redd White in the first place because she noticed something was wrong / off with Lana!

Alternatively again, maybe Redd White didn't have dirt on Lana Skye at all, but simply knew how badly she wanted the Mia Fey murder case solved, because as an information broker, he was aware of the past connection between Lana and Mia. Or maybe Lana has no significant connection to Redd White and this is just a minor continuity error (in my opinion / interpretation) on the game's part. Which is fine, I guess. I'll just think it's a lost opportunity on the game's part not to try to tie everything together in an emotionally compelling way.

To reiterate: no spoilers on what the actual situation with Lana Skye is, please. I'll get there when I get there.

Dialogue from "Turnabout Sisters" in which Redd White has a phone conversation with the then-unknown Chief Prosecutor:

White: We won't be needing an escort for Mr. Wrong. Instead, please connect me to the public prosecutor's office.

Interphone [Of course, sir. One moment please…] … [White? That you? What are you doing calling me at a time like this!?]

White: Hello. Chief Prosecutor? I've changed my mind. I want to testify tomorrow.

Interphone: [What's this about?]

White: The Mia Fey case. I witnessed the murder, you see. And, thus, as a very important witness, I would like to testify.

Interphone: [What? Why now? I thought you said you didn't want to go to court?]

White: Quietude…! I told you I changed my mind, didn't I? Oh, and one other thing. Send the police over here right away. The man is standing right in front of me. He looks dazed but could be violent!

Interphone: [What? What man?]

White: Are you even listening? The executioner! The hatchet-man! The liquidator… The killer, man!

Phoenix: What!?

Interphone: [Mr. White… this isn't another one of those…]

White: Chief Prosecutor. I do not believe you are in a position to freely offer your opinions to me, correct? I'm telling you to send the police, now!

[raayllum]

I just finished Book 5, and do you think that Ezra’s arc will have him learn that words aren’t enough? Some fans do think that he’s the least emphasized of the Dragang

I don't think Ezran is going to learn that words aren't enough (they have been, often times in his life, and trying non violent routes are important) but I do think he's going to be presented with more and more situations where it is, as he acknowledges, "Not that simple" (4x03).

In Arc 1, you had the transformative trio of characters (Callum, Rayla, Soren) who were rapidly changing as people versus the more "circumstances change and drag out certain personality traits either more or less" stagnated trio (Ezran, Viren, Claudia). In Arc 2 thus far, it seems that Soren, Claudia, and Ezran are the 'stagnant' ones and Viren, Callum, and Rayla are the transformative ones. That being said, I do think S5 focused on Ezran as much as S4 focused on Rayla, so it's not surprising there's a bit of a trade off (especially with Janai very much being a Main Character in arc 2) with Callum (always our main Main protagonist) getting a decent amount every season. There's definitely a lack of Ezran in the first four episodes (he gets about one scene a-piece) but I do think it's over quality > quantity, in some ways. (Bow from She-Ra for example is in every single episode of that series, but gets very little by way of arcs or conflict or interiority, y'know?)

That said:

I talked about this a bit more in a podcast review I did for the season / this meta, but I think Soren and Ezran are having slowburn arcs that will come to fruition in S6. Soren, after all, hasn't really changed as a character since the end of S3 - he's on team good guy, he's reaffirming his choices and love for his friends, he still cares for Claudia and still views his father as a cruel villain (which, Viren is/can be).

Ezran, likewise, is dealing with his own well, slowburn of problems. In a lot of ways, Ezran has to hold it together when everyone else is falling apart (Rayla is MIA, Callum is a mess; staying level headed even when they're arguing; being the main negotiator seemingly between the Pentarchy and the dragons of Xadia; and ruling is own kingdom). He takes his duties seriously and wants to broker peace further, if maybe a tad faster than people are ready for. Like Janai says, I think, his priorities have changed since becoming king. His duty first and foremost is to his kingdom/the world. (Not that it wasn't his mindset before, but it wasn't his responsibility before pre-series, y'know?) Which is very Rayla of him, I think ("I let them all down" in 3x04 / "I just feel like I'm letting everybody down" for Ez in 3x03).

And we see how much this weighs on Ezran based on how heavily he takes responsibility for his perceived and or literal mistakes. Whether it's speeding things up too fast / not giving enough room for his people's, or his own anger...

E: I had a speech planned for today. It was about peace and love and hope. But I think I left something out. I ignored something that was true. I denied something that is undeniable.

or in doing the right thing in saving the Baitlings, but putting his friends in danger.

And Soren acknowledges that this isn't really fair for Ezran, either:

Soren: This is all too heavy. It's not fair you have to struggle through this alone. You deserve time to do kid stuff. If you spend all your time doing adult stuff now, you'll grow up weird, like your brother and Rayla.

Now, on the certain level, Ezran is alone because he's like - he's the King, and that's its own unique position. However, if you look at how close Viren and Harrow, and Harrow and Sarai were, in their decision making, they did everything together. In spite of being a single dad, Harrow was never alone in what he did as king (for better or for worse): "I accept that tonight I may pay the price for our mistakes."

So I think it's interesting this emphasis on loneliness/alone in the same season we have Amaya and Rayla's conversation about it too:

A: My big sister Sarai was the smartest, strongest, bravest person I knew. When she died, I felt lost and weak without her.

I hated feeling that way, so I learned to be strong alone. Stoic, strong, and lonely. [...] To have that kind of strength, it is not enough to love someone. You have to trust them to share the burdens you're carrying.

So who does Ezran depend on to carry that burden with him? Because Ezran isn't supposed to be alone as king, and Harrow spelled it out for us:

When I am gone your brother Ezran will become king, and you will be his partner, his defender, and his closest advisor.

So the question is... has Callum really fulfilled his role for his brother? Callum isn't crownguard, so actually protecting Ezran is primarily in Soren and Corvus' hands, exemplified by Soren being the one to get angry over the ruined painting in 4x03, to run to Ezran in 4x09, and for Callum to be absent from the Dragon mission in S5. And when Callum is there to have a duty to fulfil:

Then we see the brothers - not Ezran and Rayla - disagree on how to proceed forward with Aaravos, getting momentarily a little heated before they both turn to Rayla (and remember those Rayla parallels I mentioned earlier?):

Now, it's not surprising that Ezran wants to take the diplomatic / least violent route. He's the one primarily appealing to Akiyu rather than barrelling onwards, and expresses great concern for her (even after she tried to kill them). Claudia thinks she can appeal to him in 5x09 because of his empathy. A more compassionate, reasonable route is what he's always done, trying to reason evenly with Finnegrin and with Rex Igneous, even if it doesn't precisely work out... simply because they, like his brother, don't exactly Value the same things Ezran does.

Alright, so the broyals disagreed once, and Callum is a little flighty as a High Mage. So what? Well: Callum now knows, and has already committed himself, to helping Rayla free her parents from the coins, including Runaan.

And Ezran's short story going into S5 hints that this may not exactly be something he's happy about:

Ezran gripped the arrow tight. The thing in his hands was a terrible letter, the ribbon its message: the king of Katolis was dead. King Harrow. His father. Something cold lurched inside him. He fought against it. He’d fought it before, that same hurt, years ago—when he’d found out what really happened that night in Katolis. Still, it haunted him. He couldn’t help but imagine the scene, all of it playing out like grim theater before him, as though he’d been there, as though he’d stood by and watched it happen. That Moonshadow elf upon the castle ramparts, skulking toward his father’s chambers. 

It stared up at him. Ezran felt a coldness twist its way around his heart. It took his lungs, too, and for a long moment he could not breathe, could not feel anything but an unfamiliar anger so potent it seized the whole of him, inside and out. Ezran stepped towards the arrow— —and stomped down on it as hard as he could. He wished he were bigger, stronger, he wished his boots were made of iron and not something soft. Still, it was enough. When he pulled his foot away, Ezran glared down at the arrow’s hawkish head, flattened and broken. Its ruby eye slipped from its socket, its black metal bent like frayed feathers. He left it there in the dark.

Full short story here.

So Ezran is going to find out, or possibly feel, that Callum and Rayla are keeping a secret from him (again, just like S2, which didn't make him happy then, either). Callum is going to side with Rayla over him if he mandates that Runaan shouldn't or can't be freed, giving into his anger and grief much the same way his father did. He may pull rank - and Callum is going to disregard it. A very similar fallout repeating itself...

Ezran being increasingly isolated (especially if Callum and Rayla are working, or leaving, to find the Starscraper), his disapproval and grief, trying to manage the possible fallout of Zubeia being injured/MIA, feeling undervalued and disregarded by his brother... There's little doubt in my mind that Callum and Ezran (and Rayla) will reconcile and find their way back to one another, healing their hurts, but Ezran has a lot of potential anger and angst to express and a lot on his upcoming plate, steadily added to and set up by the previous seasons.

Which in a lot of ways, makes sense. Ezran as king and Callum as high mage, and as brothers, have to prove they won't fall apart the same way that King Harrow and Viren did, more necessary than ever now that Callum has done dark magic again. Ezran was there to pick up the pieces after Rayla left, but he may still have anger over that and their joint secret keeping from him / feeling like they're treating him 'unfairly' like a child. We've also never really seen Ezran have this type of conflict before, nevermind for the trio as a whole (most of the time it's been Callum and Rayla disagreeing, a couple brief instances of Ez and Rayla, and Callum and Ez a few times in S1 / 5x05) so for Ezran to be what starts falling apart would really rattle all three of him, and seems to be where he's headed, character wise.

And I for one cannot wait to see it.

TLDR; Ezran's slow burn arc, much like Soren's, is being steadily set up and is going to likely be a big focus in the next two seasons, pushing him and other characters in brand new directions and with some really emotional, powerful storytelling to upstage our previously held status quo in all the ways.

[dwreader]

A Meal to Remember by @iwtvfanevents

Part 2: I am suddenly Megan Ellison, a wealthy lesbian, my father is a billionaire who has allowed me to start my own production company to make films I want to see. Money is no object. Here are the fics I would adapt and who I would hire (bully into) directing.

1. Reformation by verseau - first of all, I would pay $1 billion to acquire the rights outcompeting Amazon, Netflix and Apple and I would make Betsy adapt the screenplay. I maintain this must be cinematic because Ldpdl’s hole needs to be experienced in 70mm imax AND I would not allow any countries to censor like they did to Florence’s boobs. This would be like an Eternal Sunshine/Blue Valentine/Two for the Road type romantic dramedy that jumps back and forth in time to show the couple’s struggles and progression, and the non-linear storytelling means it automatically becomes an Oscar frontrunner. I would try to hire Barry Jenkins first but he is occupied with The Lion King 2 at Disney so then I would go to Mia Hansen-Love to direct. Beyoncé does the soundtrack. I didn’t even have to ask her she just wanted to.

2. Part of Your World by weathermood - I will imprison Mr. Monsterfucker himself Guillermo Del Toro until he agrees to direct this film like I am Kathy Bates in Misery. He will read it and then be like okay I agree you don’t need to kidnap me I will make this movie. We are going full Avatar 2 level budget to make sure underwater scenes are believable cause I won’t tolerate bad Aquaman CGI. The budget balloons to $400m but that’s okay cause it makes $2.7b worldwide and there’s 2 sequels greenlit immediately cause the world wants to see Louis get pregnant.

3. A Potentiality for Corruption by vampdf - Guillermo is occupied with Part of Your World and its sequels now so I turn to Robert Eggers to help bring to life this gothic horror romance. It’s 3 hours long. Parts of it are in black and white and there’s aspect ratio changes that confuse and unsettle the audience. We debut at Cannes. We get a 47 minute standing ovation but also some walkouts and fainting in the crowd because some vanilla viewers couldn’t handle the ending, which is controversial but has everyone talking.

4. Cord of Communion by themasterletters- this has now become a #1 nyt best selling novel so we have a built in audience and they want it to be a tv show cause of its length and we can’t skip out on any important points. Every streamer wants it but I choose HBO cause of the prestige factor and I’m an Emmy whore. It becomes Sunday night essential viewing replacing Succession it’s like if The Idol was actually good. I hire many talented directors such as Raine Allen Miller (Rye Lane), Francis Lee (God’s Own Country), Gina Prince Bythewood (Beyond the Lights) and I make Rolin Jones be my showrunner. We sweep the Emmys. The episode where Lestat fires Louis becomes the new Red Wedding traumatizing millions.

5. Pieta by baberainbow - When iwtv the amc show ends, I hire Paul Verhoeven to direct a standalone sequel film based on this fic. It’s as insane as you could ever imagine. The Catholic Church is mad at us. It’s condemned by the Vatican and the anti-feminization police. They’re protesting outside our premiere like they did to Benedetta. It doesn’t matter cause it just makes the film an even bigger hit.

6. Hand to God by boltcutters - first I pay Ziska $1 billion to finish writing this. Then I go back in time to 1933 first to make Hollywood not adopt the Hays Code so we can have gay and interracial stuff in movies and then to 1946 so Howard Hawks can direct this Danlou version of The Big Sleep.

PSA: some of my links aren’t working cause I’m on my phone (on vaca) so please forgive me but y’all know where these fics are don’t lie!!!