#moments that bring me joy

[novelmonger]

Moments That Bring Me Joy: Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

On a whim, I've decided to go through some of my favorite childhood movies and just list all the moments in them that bring me joy. I'm fully aware that many of the stories I loved as a kid are deeply flawed, but I just want to take some time to appreciate what they did well. Just because I'm focusing on the positive doesn't mean I'm unaware of the negative.

Note: I chose the word "joy" deliberately. Not all of the moments that bring me joy bring me (or the characters) happiness. Scenes involving death or pain might not be very fun or cheerful, but I find joy in a good story well told.

And here's the end of Star Wars! This one has always held a special place in my heart, because I do so love a good ending ^_^

Han and Chewie's reunion is the best :') I especially love the way Chewie scoops him into an enormous hug and Han sort of gingerly pats him back.

I love watching Luke's problem-solving during his fight with the rancor.

"I used to live here, you know." "You're gonna die here, you know. Convenient."

"Boba Fett? Boba Fett? Where?" *turns around and smacks Boba Fett's jetpack, making him careen into the sail barge and fall into the sarlacc pit*

Lando's scream as the sarlacc's tentacle grabs him.

"No, wait, I thought you were blind!" "Don't worry, I can see a lot better!"

"When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not, hmm?"

"Many Bothans died to bring us this information." Inside joke: "My emotional state really isn't the greatest."

"Keep your distance, Chewie. But don't look like you're keeping your distance. I don't know. Fly casual."

"I see them. Wait, Leia!"

I love the Ewoks. Everything about them ^_^

"Han, can you reach my lightsaber?" "*extreme frustration* Yeah! Sure!"

"Well, why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this?" "I beg your pardon, General Solo, but that just wouldn't be proper." "Proper?!" "It's against my programming to impersonate a deity."

That one Ewok who just keeps clinging to Han's leg <3

The note of almost-regret in Darth Vader's voice when he says, "It is...too late for me, son."

The Ewok that jumps on the speeder bike and lures all the stormtroopers away, cackling madly! XD

"Your overconfidence is your weakness." "Your faith in your friends is yours."

"It's a trap!"

The Ewoks to the rescue! I love all their different ideas and tactics for fighting the Imperial soldiers--the ones that work as well as the ones that...really don't. And I especially love that, even though the Ewoks are mostly there for comic relief, we still see the toll the battle takes on them, and how some even give their lives in the struggle.

Chewie swinging across to the AT-ST with a Tarzan yell! XD

The Ewok in the AT-ST with Chewie stroking his hair appreciatively as they decimate the stormtroopers.

"I love you." "I know."

The way Luke goes completely ballistic when Darth Vader mentions the possibility of turning Leia to the dark side. Like the protective brotherly instinct that's been there all along just rearing its head with the feral rage of a lion....

Luke clenching his fist--his mechanical fist--and looking over at Darth Vader's mechanical hand he just cut off. The way he makes his choice, straightens up, and tosses his lightsaber aside, standing tall against the Emperor. "I'll never turn to the dark side. You've failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

Possibly my favorite moment in the entire original trilogy is when the Emperor tortures Luke with Force lightning. Maybe that's a weird favorite, but...I just love everything about it. The Emperor's sadistic pleasure in Luke's screams, the way that Luke is completely helpless but calls out to his father--and calls him Father! The way Anakin looks back and forth between the man who has held him captive for so long, and the son that he suddenly realizes he loves, he loves! The way he hauls the Emperor up and throws him down the shaft, to fall and die an ignominious death, crying out pathetically the whole way down. The way Luke looks up with confusion as the lightning dies down around him, showing that even though he was begging Anakin to help him, he didn't really believe he would, he'd given up all hope of surviving, he was ready to die...but his father saved him at the cost of his own life. No matter how many times I watch this movie, this scene never ceases to be so powerful it takes my breath away.

"I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you." "You already have...Luke. You were right.... You were right about me. Tell your sister...you were right...."

That dumb little bit of irony where Han thinks Leia's in love with Luke (somehow, after everything!), but then she tells him that they're siblings....

Everything from Darth Vader's funeral pyre through to the end is just *chef's kiss* Perfect. Utterly perfect way to end the series. The quiet moment for Luke to grieve his father. People all around the galaxy cheering the fall of the Empire. The joyous abandon of the Ewok's celebration, using stormtrooper helmets for drums. The music that plays, oh, that music! Definitely in my top five tracks of the whole series. I want to bottle it up and bathe in the feeling that music gives me for a whole year. And all the Rebels being reunited, hugs all around, and then Luke looks over, and there are the ghosts of the three Jedi he knows and loves, watching over him....

I love Star Wars so much. It's given me so much joy over the years <3

[goblins-riddles-or-frocks]

forever obsessed with dynamics between vampires, specifically that of a maker and fledgling, as a way to explore abuse. the creation of a vampire itself can so easily be a literalization of the lasting impacts of trauma and also much more simply the ways a perpetrator might shape their victim’s very identity. the extremes of isolation in the way that the new vampire, in most narratives, must cut all ties to their mortal life, or else go through an elaborate charade to maintain the facade of humanity, while forever still being removed from it. and the sheer dependence and vulnerability of being in an entirely new state of being, wholly uncertain of what it entails, and relying on another person to define… everything.

[sad-leon]

hi i'm so good at making aus :D

i cannot be stopped

anyways, meet my new son!! his name is yoshi and i care about him very much

When F!Leo went back in time he went back to the day they were mutated and stole the little slider away to raise him as a fighter so he can jump in and prevent disaster from destroying his family in this timeline

Leo names the little slider Yoshi after Splinter and they live in an abandoned farmhouse outside the city. Yoshi is friends with almost all the wildlife and loves taking naps in the woods

[magicalgirlfia]

Apollo Justice Anthology Comic - Fan Translation - The Wright Family

As is tradition, credit for the raw files goes to @turnaboutarchives!

[hellosweetie99]

Hua Cheng rly said ok my man’s hyperfixation is swords so I’ll just get ALL OF THEM so I can listen to him info dump. That’s true love

[lovelbear]

My new favorite thing is when I join chat for lore and Connor says something that gets the whole to just start pointing at Connor.

[linkedin-offficial]

flight rising lorestuffs

[why-the-heck-not]

I have a handle on my procrastination

…. I accessorized Elvis (the sourdough starter)

[aeoris4lovers]

ashton: i wouldn’t touch—

imogen: i just wanted to see— ow.

ashton: go ahead, try it.

imogen: no, it hurt!

ashton: try it! i dare you! i dare you! i dare you!

imogen: i got close enough, i don’t need to!

ashton: DO IT! DO IT!

imogen: i don’t need to anymore I DON’T NEED TO ANYMORE

[weregonnabecoolbeans]

Watching Eman Esfandi practice his little lightsaber twirls makes me so happy

[the-kipsabian]

[novelmonger]

Moments That Bring Me Joy: Air Bud

Because Disney+ finally put up Air Bud, I decided I'd do one of these for one of my favorite childhood movies. I have no idea why this movie in particular grabbed my heart and never let go, amongst all the other dog movies I watched. I mean, come on - this is a movie about basketball, for crying out loud! Why would I, who have never had even a smidge of interest in any sport whatsoever, fall in love with a movie about a basketball-playing pooch?

But I did. I loved it almost from the first glimpse of that beautiful golden retriever face (possibly partly because my aunt and uncle had a golden retriever at the time who was the sweetest dog ever). I cried like a baby the first time I watched it (we had to pause for lunch right after Snively takes Buddy, and I could barely eat). I identified with Josh surprisingly strongly, considering I was a girl who had never had a dog or played basketball or lost my dad or anything this kid goes through. But empathized with him really strongly, and for the next year or so, I got through boring schoolwork by daydreaming highly dramatic scenarios involving me training on various sports teams with my imaginary dog Peter. (Peter was a collie, not a golden retriever, but I can definitely point to Air Bud as being the spark of inspiration for him.) Or I think sometimes I would be training Peter for a dog show or something, and he would successfully jump through a hoop or do a trick each time I answered another question in my workbook XD

But anyway, enough about that! Here are the moments in the movie that still give me joy, all these years later (and remember, joy doesn't necessarily mean happiness):

THE OLD DISNEY LOGO! Oh gosh, the nostalgia! *_* I think I got this movie for my seventh birthday or something. That was such a long time ago....

"Fernfield, Where Everything Is Possible." What a town motto XD

"Hey, kids, it's Happy Slappy Time!"

All of the unimpressed expressions on the audience during the disastrous clown antics XD The extras in this movie are just. The Best.

All the cows watching Buddy through the fence after he falls off the truck. Simple humor, but effective. Love it.

Oh gosh, who does the music in this thing?! ...Brahm Wenger. Never heard of him, but the soundtrack in this movie is incredible. Way better than it needed to be, but we're hardly 8 minutes into the movie and I'm already noticing it. Mr. Wenger, you were wasted on all those Air Buddies movies.

When Josh is walking past the kids playing basketball, running his fingers along the chain-link fence. I can't quite put it into words, and I certainly couldn't then, but I remember sitting in the living room at seven years old, seeing that for the first time and thinking, "That's me." The best I can explain it is it's something about being on the outside looking in.

Just realized the first word we hear Josh say is "sucks" XD

When Josh breaks down the rotten fence and the music swells as we get that gorgeous view of the lake(?)

There's nothing like seeing a sad little boy and a sad little dog bonding and having fun for the first time in forever <3

*right after Buddy has utterly destroyed the living room* Josh: "So...can I keep him?" Mom: 😒

Josh's mom letting him keep Buddy as a Christmas present :')

"Sigmund twins moved to Canada, God knows why." - I don't remember this line at all, but it makes me laugh now XD

That doggy smile Buddy gives Josh the first time he makes a basket ^_^

That "well, crap" look on the coach's face when he realizes he has to put Josh on the team after embarrassing him in front of everybody, because Josh is that good of a player

I just really like the fat referee. He's having the worst night of his life, and I want to give him a hug and tell him it'll be okay XD

I take a vicious sort of joy in the rightness of the first coach getting caught red-handed in the abusive way he punishes Tom for fumbling the ball, and Coach Chaney taking over instead.

Man, the music in this movie! It turns a simple scene of the new middle school mascot doing a trick into a heroic moment of sheer triumph, followed by that montage of them winning games that just makes you want to get up and cheer.

Josh's mom coming out the morning after Snively takes Buddy away, and finding a newspaper on her driveway for the first time...I like the subtle touch.

"I don't want my dog to do beer commercials. I got ethics!" *30 seconds later* "Out of curiosity, how much are we talking for one of those beer commercials?"

Snively's unbelievably terrible truck - and driving XD Plus his pathetic little "No, I needed that!" when the steering wheel falls off :P

The whole scene where Josh lets Buddy go. Yes, that scene brings me joy - and I'm tearing up, even though I can't even count how many times I've seen this movie and know perfectly well that everything will turn out fine very shortly! It's just so perfectly done, showing their bond and providing an opportunity for Josh to explain what he's doing even though there's no one with him except for a dog. And that music, I just...it's in my soul. It's the heart's cry of the little girl I used to be, lonely and wishing I could have a dog that wasn't just in my imagination, because that was the only kind of friend I could imagine having. And that bit where the music is swelling and Buddy is racing after Josh through the brambles and dead bushes...I can point to that moment as the beginning of the many, many daydreams I would have about my imaginary dog Peter as I'd gaze out the window of a moving vehicle.

"Ain't no rule says a dog can't play basketball!"

"Hey, Water Boy...nice shot." - I FORGOT ABOUT THAT!!!! I LOVE THIS!!!! Even Larry has to finally acknowledge Josh is a good player!

The whole trial is so silly, but somehow...lovably so? I'm not sure if that would be the case to someone who's actually a lawyer, though ^^' But it's just so full of fun moments:

"What is that dog doing in the courthouse?" "That's the, uh...child, sir." "That's a pretty ugly kid."

"I will not have my courtroom turned into a circus." *literal clown walks in*

"I'm the plaintiff." "You look like an idiot."

"Who are you, Barnum or Bailey?" "Arthur Chaney, Your Honor."

"Mr. Chaney, during my forty years on the bench, I have heard a lot of lame-brained, cockamamie proposals. But this one...I like."

"Case closed! Thank God."

Oh, interesting! I never noticed before, but in the credits, right under the note about "no animals were harmed," there's a note that says, "No special visual effects were used in the basketball sequences of this Motion Picture."

And again, that soundtrack! I can guarantee you, if seven-year-old me had known soundtracks were a thing, I would have begged and pleaded to get my hands on the Air Bud soundtrack, and I would have worn it out completely as I daydreamed about my adventures with my imaginary dog. You know...I still might see if I can get it, because the music alone brings me so much joy ^_^

[quinloki]

Canon Characters vs OC vs x Reader

Disclaimer: This is just my two cents, and my perspective on things, and I'm not trying to lay down the law for everyone. I needed to just put this to words though, in order to sleep.

I was thinking about this because of a post I saw, and some, we'll say, kind of useless comments associated with the post. Mean-spirited stuff.

Normally, in one ear and out the other, but the vibes just kicked me off down a rabbit hole of sorts an I wanted to try to put some of my thoughts to words.

First, some style vibes:

Canon x Canon Canon/Canon stories are, to me, like reading an episode of that show. I'm sitting down in front of a TV or whatever, and I'm experiencing the story As A Viewer. I like this style because I don't really have to expend much energy and I just kind of roll with whatever's happening. Generally some sort of 3rd person perspective.

OC x canon OC/Canon stories are like being on a carnival ride. I'm sitting in a car on a roller-coaster, and maybe the OC is sitting next me. I'm experiencing the story more deeply than strictly canon stories, but my connection with the OC is no deeper than say, my connection with Katniss Everdeen when I read The Hunger Games. Sometimes 3rd person, sometimes first person.

Reader x canon Reader/Canon (or Reader x/ OC) is like putting on a VR helmet. I don't get much physical input about the "Reader OC" because I'm experiencing the story through their eyes. I don't expect the reader to be me, but there's a bigger feeling of immersion to be had. Some description might happen cause it's relevant to the story, and it's still a type of ride, I can't jump the rails on the roller coaster, after all. (Even with a VN you still follow the tracks). Sometimes first person, sometimes second person (I'm partial to 2nd person perspective, but that's just me).

I love Fan Fiction, I love it. All of it, and man even more than anything, what I love is that I'm going to dislike 80% of it. Because that 80% was written for someone who is not me. (Hell, that number's probably closer to 99% if we're looking at ALL fandoms, but I digress).

Second - The VENT:

What got me the most in the post that prompted this, was someone saying "Bring back the Mary Sue OCs!" and then they went on to describe something more detailed, and I just -

Look, respectfully, fuck you.

The point is, you're not going to be happy no matter what. Whether it's "mary sue" OCs, or x readers, or alternative universes, or a ship you don't like, you're going to find something to be unhappy about.

Cause people have been bitching about all styles of fan fiction since the first "You've Got Mail" chimed in 1991. And until 1998 and ff.net you really had to hunt for it, and until 2007 and Ao3 the idea of tagging a fic for any reason wasn't really a thing. Every click was a surprise! \o/

I just have seen the same song and dance a dozen times. It's exhausting. People become okay with OCs and decide x readers are the enemy, and before that OCs were *all* Mary Sues and cringe and people who made OCs were the enemy, and before OCs people who wrote even a little OOC were the enemy, and people who wrote AUs were the enemy, and you can write fan fic but it HAS to be Canon Compliant, and everyone MUST be in-character at all times - "They would not fucking say that" was the enemy.

Look, just please - please - in any capacity, stop it with the "All X style of story telling is crap" mindset. There's over a dozen different ways to do x readers alone. I know 20 x reader writers and I don't think any of us have the same style, preferences, or vibes.

I've had a lot of comments along the lines of "I thought I hated x readers, but I really loved this." on a few different fics I've written. Sometimes it's not the style of the fic, sometimes it's the style of the writer, and my Brother In Christ - you're going to have to read some awful shit to shuffle through the thousands of writers out there to find the vibes that resonate with you.

Ostracizing entire swathes of fan fic because you need something to be "The Enemy" so you can lift up something else, and then bitching you can't find anything new to read seems like a personal problem.

And I know y'all are scrolling by TONS of posts that don't interest you, every day, as a matter of course. So don't give me that "clogging up the tag" BS, because we deserve to be here same as anyone else in the fandom.

[ohitslen]

“And when I see you smile, the only natural thing for me to do is smile with you”

Dear diary, I think about two men, fictional at that, all day long to a medically concerning degree.

To be more specific, about how happy it makes me to see them being happy around each other’s presence.

I am also delusional.

[foxounderscorecube]

Forming a fan club for the barbegazis in "The Tower of the Swallow" that taunt Geralt for a bit in a cave and apparently never get mentioned again

Also, it's never clearly explained what a barbegazi actually is. They're just described as fluffy lumps with sharp teeth and this is the only official(?) art I can find of them that fits this description

[bryverros]

theyre giving us too many crosshair and omega bonding moments. last time that happened- [gunshot]