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awesome-cookies-and-cream · 3 years

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Reki and Langa’s dynamic

It’s speculation at my part and a shameless rant on what i like about sk8 just to get it off my chest I’ve been so fixated help

it’s 5am I’m at uni and i have a shit ton to do, am I really gonna make an essay about sk8 instead? yes abso-fucking-lutely. strap on to your metaphorical skateboards kids. this is going to be long ride

this isn’t to call out anyone lol so in case you get that impression I’m sorry. I understand everyone is out to interpret media in whatever they like and that’s fine, but sometimes i feel like either some missed some points of the story? anyway here are my thoughts tho

alright so what i absolutely love about sk8 is how they didn’t make anyone into a genius.Genius is a mockery of the hardships everyone does to attain that level of skills. And no Langa is not a genius or a prodigy which I will explain later. I’ve seen enough shounen animes back in the day and usually it’s ‘annoying heart of gold beginner vs. calm and collected genius’ they usually hate each other’s guts and bicker all the time though secretly, deep down care for each other but would rather die than admit it dynamic. While I’m glad we’re moving past that, I really thought Reki and Langa would be like that so....

imagine my surprise when Langa was the ‘beginner’ in skating. He has the potential to be a second sasuke here lol. (blue, handsome, cool) but no he isn’t. he’s an adorable idiot, an airhead, head empty only skating dude and i love it.

Reki as well. He could have been the usual protagonist. (sucks at his sport, loud, hardworking, and by the power of friendship he suddenly beats everyone else which i think is pretty overused at this point, don’t you think?) some people complain how Reki despite being the MC isn’t given screentime and hasn’t won a single beef. (and sure that’s true. he should have won some and langa lose some but we only have 12 eps so lol) but he’s not the usual protagonist you know? and sk8 isn’t about winning. if it was, I think they would have focused on the techniques. the hows and the what to do.

Idk if you noticed, but sports anime with winning in its goal would often explain in detail certain techniques. (see haikyuu) but shows like Free and Yuri on Ice isn’t exactly talking about how to win that seriously as Haikyuu did. It’s more focusing on the feelings and how their lives are affected with their passion for this sport. it’s about the character development!!! and i think SK8 is something like that too. It explores the character’s feelings rather than sport. (like what i tell my sister, they use the sport as a character device if that makes sense?)

this was literally in the opening lol. it’s really about the feelings you know?

so anyway it’s been pointed out several times that Reki was already feeling insecure about his skills in skating since ep 1 way before Langa came. But he still likes to skate and despite feeling never enough, he still enjoyed it. (some also pointed out that Reki’s reason of going into a beef against Shadow has been because he insulted his way of skating not because he wanted to be the best) so the show from the get go was already hinting at his self esteem issues.

this also implies that Reki has always been feeling like this in a while, added with his tendencies to bottle things up, it makes sense that he’ll blow up at some point and he’ll need to release all of those feelings. (so yeah i think this is just the right amount of eps for their fall out. i see some people complaining shush. otherwise it would also feel too rushed. this is years weighing him)

and i guess it’s also implied in here he’s had days like these too in the past! seriously it’s an ongoing problem he’s been carrying. i think 3 eps is pretty good enough pace to internalize it

so point: Reki was already down way before Langa came. langa just added to that. And don’t go blaming Langa cause the boy did nothing wrong.

Consider that Langa just lost his dad (i think we need more backstory on this though. please sdsjkdksl i need little Langa and his dad interactions) he just moved countries, and the only connection to his dad (snowboarding) is gone cause it doesn’t snow in OKinawa

though one also argues that Langa hasn’t been snowboarding since his dad was gone.

so for Langa, Reki introducing skating to him was revolutionary. You’re someone grieving over the death of what is probably the most important person in your life, the thing you love the most no longer gives you joy (as was shown in the flashbacks and basically Langa going ‘it’s the same’) and you’re in a new country with a language you barely are fluent. you can’t even read or write, and you barely have friends granted you don’t have much back in the day. it’s horrible.

and then this guy you barely know talks to you, befriends you, helps you get a job, and teaches you something you thought you’ve lost and through that you made more friends??

yeah you see why Langa likes Reki. You also see why he’s obsessed with skating. It’s kind of like a coping, a fixation. plus he’s bad with social cues i guess? the interview says he’s likely to get dumped for being too inattentive lmao and that’s what makes him interesting!

also the thing that really surprised me when they first interacted was how supportive Reki is to Langa. it also got to me with how much Langa thinks highly of Reki. Again a deviation to the ‘i say i hate you but deep down i care for you’ trope. they’re full on supportive and protective. i like that. it’s fresh to me. I thought Reki was going to the tsundere ‘hmph that’s not a big deal’ route at the start of ep 2 but he’s really amazed. (kinda also says he’s been very desperate for someone to share skating with but that’s another topic)

so Reki teaches Langa how to skate. and Langa sucks. Which was interesting to me because I thought Langa would be some flawless prince-like character. But nah. He trips and faints at his own blood lol. He’s so uncool and i love it.

Some people say Langa is over powered with a thick ass plot armor which gets him to win (which is why i see people saying he should have won against Joe and I actually agree that Langa should lose some beefs but again only 12 eps, so little time)

but I still wanna talk about it anyway so it’s revealed Langa was snowboarding since 2. That’s 15 years. I think that should be around the same time Joe and Cherry should be skating. and i think if you start earlier as a kid, your body develops differently. (should Langa, “an amateur” win against Joe a pro? the question falls more on whether you can classify Langa as an amateur) i think it’s like Langa being very used to motorcycle tricks from age 2 then suddenly he’s using a regular bicycle, and sure the feeling is mostly the same but there’s just something off. Your body doesn’t easily forget what you know, especially if it did it for 15 years. and so Reki customizes a board for Langa so it’ll feel exactly like snowboarding

So Langa has a customized board that he needed to get used to before he went pro. He really sucked the first few eps lmao. but that’s more of him getting used to the new rules. he pretty much told Reki in ep 2 that he can’t do a skateboard ollie, but he can do a snowboard one bec it’s attached to his feet.

(i may just want to add that one thing i also like about sk8 is that it really doesn’t care what you need for accommodation? if that’s how you do it best, then go for it. When Langa says to Reki he can’t do the ollie without the board attached to his feet, Reki immediately goes his way to accommodate him. usually people in real life might say ‘it’s not real skateboarding if you need a modification etc. but look at Cherry with a freaking AI board and people are like yeah whatever do what you want man. whatever rolls your board.)

so anyway Langa vs. Joe with Langa winning despite being an amateur? if you can even call him an amateur that is. Plus all his tricks are snowboarding tricks lol. everything he’s done is testament to his 15 years of snowboarding?? We don’t even know how good Langa is in snowboarding. Someone make a post about how difficult the snowboarding equivalent of those tricks Langa has done just to show people it means he’s pretty pro (I’ll even argue maybe Langa’s real talent is his creative ways of going around things which kind of why Adam is highkey obsessed, and calls Cherry who calculates everything to the last second boring but that’s a different can of worms I’m opening later) plus Langa barely won against Joe so there’s not much difference in level i think. Should Langa have lost though?

I think some have missed the point of that beef in Reki’s pov. and if the Renga reconciliation is done well, it would be worth it.

that beef got Reki to realize he what he really wants! that it’ll kill him if he can’t skate anymore! that he doesn’t wanna only cheer on for others and be a support! THAT HE WANTS TO SKATE BY LANGA’S SIDE WHICH IS THE REASON FOR ALL THIS INSECURITIES if Langa lost, that cathartic realization might not have happened. He might have gone to Langa and cheered him up, brushed off his insecurities and, made up with Langa halfheartedly without addressing his problems

I’m going to go back to Reki’s insecurities. In ep 6 he’s been afraid of being left behind, and sure Langa came back for him but he still forgot until midway. (will that parallel how Langa got too excited with the idea of skating, the same feeling he thought he lost forever. The same thing that he thinks connects him with his dad, and might have left Reki behind, but later remembers and goes back to chase him? hopefully) in ep 4 it’s obvious he’s afraid of the near death experience Adam gave him, and he’s just realized how different their skills were. in ep 5 he worries about Langa, enough to get nightmares about it. mixed with his friend getting hurt. it’s obvious the feelings are very very muddled there.

So he begs Langa not to skate with Adam.

And what did Langa do? say that he wanted to skate with Adam. (again he’s not the most attentive. he probably thinks he’s just skating with his best friend, all is good then boom. Reki leaves. as a person shit with dealing with other people, i don’t blame him at all) he’s trying to fix it though, but his bond with Reki primarily revolves around skating! how else was he going to warm up with Reki? He also doesn’t know that Reki has self esteem issues that’s always been there since the beginning. He probably doesn’t understand it too because he holds Reki up highly. in ep 6 when Reki was going over his board, Langa thinks he’s pretty cool. he didn’t hear what other said to Reki. He’s earnestly having fun with his friend

We should also note that Reki was never angry at Langa’s skills, he wasn’t resentful that Langa was far ahead. Again he’s been nothing but supportive. He doesn’t want to pull Langa down. He wasn’t like Miya’s friends that lashed out at Miya for being better. in ep 7 he tries his best to follow Langa

it feels like he’s mostly regretful that he can’t catch up. he doesn’t want Langa to slow down, he wants to go faster and meet him where he was. So it makes the realization that all he wants to do was be in equal with Langa more frustrating because he thinks he can’t keep up. (and this only ever started when he heard he’s like Langa’s plus one. there’s that daunting feeling about being pulled around. not being his equal)

if you need further proof, when Langa and Joe were having a beef, he wasn’t aggressively hoping Langa would lose. in fact he encouraged him. He worries deeply He calls him out when he was doing badly. Still very supportive as ever. So really the frustration isn’t to Langa, again, it’s all internal. He wants to be better

so he’s feeling shit and Langa goes to him in the middle of the rain, bless langa for trying, thinking talking about skating (what he thinks Reki loves and would probably cheer him up, not knowing that’s exactly his problem) tells him

which is probably the worst he could say.

THAT’S what got Reki mad, not really Reki being insecure though that’s part of it, that’s what they’re fighting about, Reki is angry he’s breaking his promise. He thinks Langa doesn’t care about Reki, that he’ll easily break a promise between them that Reki obviously cares about just so he can go skate with Adam who is way better than him. It blows to the self esteem. Reki probably also think that if only he was better, langa wouldn’t bother skating with someone that dangerous. it doesn’t help at all.

but langa doesn’t know this. he doesn’t see all this. Langa might have been too up the high of skating like in ep 6, he sorta left Reki behind again.

it kinda makes Langa’s mom’s words hit harder though

and he did just that. he got too engrossed.

It parallels adam, cherry and joe’s friendship then probably tadahsi’s too but who knows? reki and langa, and tadashi and adam might parallel too, the master and the student thingy Adam might have gotten too obsessed. So Joe trying his best to make sure Reki and Langa won’t end up like them hits a little harder in my chest ;’)

but Langa won’t be to engrossed i think

because unlike Adam who’s aggressively looking for his ‘equal’, Langa is just looking for someone who makes his heart beat, to make him feel like he’s skating with his dad again, someone he loves dearly. (there’s a parallel about loves here too between Adam’s and Langa’s. but I can’t write it now) and he probably already thinks Reki is his equal anyway. He just wants to have fun. he doesn’t think much about the skills.

maybe at first he does. that’s why he’s drawn to Adam but from ep 9, it was pretty much shown that skills really doesn’t matter from when he skated against Joe

if Adam easily discarded his friends because he think they’re boring (which was why the whole skateboard to the face thing with Cherry), langa doesn’t think like that

if anything Reki is important to Langa because he only has fun skating with Reki, who taught him how to skate and made his board. (his board that was customized to fit his style btw, and arguably the only reason he could skate that well. without it, he might as well be a beginner once again.) so without reki, langa is left with nothing. especially with his broken board

no fun in skating, no way of skating. He’s only manage to get this far because of Reki and he knows that now. All of it would be pointless if he doesn’t have Reki (and either he gets so obsessed in chasing that feeling again, or he stops completely) but in case you haven’t noticed it, Langa’s motivation revolves around having fun with skating no matter the skill or place. And he’s having most fun with Reki.

But Reki obviously doesn't know Langa’s feelings. He thinks Langa was forever looking for someone better. So he’s still caught up in the idea that Langa won’t want to skate with him (even though Langa has never shown this) and he left S entirely, thinking what he wants is impossible. fucking just talk you two motherfucker

(I also wanna point out that Reki has always been shown from episode one to be good at making boards. And that’s amazing? We need some support recognition and appreciation, seriously) I think maybe most who find problem with Reki not winning beefs like the usual shounen protags aren’t used to the nuance and perspective of being someone ‘ordinary’. Reki’s character is relatable because most of us feel ordinary, never enough, surrounded by geniuses, ‘inferior’. And if we’re being realistic since a lot are saying joe should have won because langa winning is unrealistic and you want realism so bad no I’m not salty at all there will always be someone better than you. ALWAYS. but what’s important is for you to have fun in what you love! in what makes you happy! AND even if you’re not good at one thing (in Reki’s part, skating) he’s also good at other things (making boards) so does he need to stop one for the other? no. He’s shown to enjoy skating with Langa, he doesn’t wanna stop it hurts him so much he quit. But he can also hone his skills in making boards as well as skate. He’s equal with Langa in a way he doesn’t even notice when he made that board for Langa, but even Reki’s presence alone makes Langa enjoy skating the way Reki also wants Langa by his side.

So I think the next ep is the best time to confront all these feelings. And how it happens might be what’s tricky. Like romantic or not, i personally can read it both ways though i prefer if they do become canon. (idk if it’s queerbaiting. i guess friends can care as deeply as that but ngl, these shounen bestfriends having deep connections that are written off as friends while also giving us bland af hetero love interests who did nothing but exist and be straight really is messing with my perception of romantic and platonic love irl) anyway their talk better be done really well, or else all those episodes of tension would be for nothing

It’s a nice perspective to give a shounen protagonist this time. It’s new, it’s fresh. How many incarnations of underdog turned the best at their craft can you take? variety is nice! and if you don’t like it, there are always a dozen other animes like that for you to turn to. to conclude, IT ALL GOES BACK TO THE START: WHAT IS YOUR HAPPINESS???! AND FOR THEM IT’S THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP BUT IN A VERY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. FRIENDSHIP DOESN’T SUDDENLY GET YOU TO LEVEL 100000000000 TO DEFEAT THE FINAL BOSS. FRIENDSHIP IS WHAT MAKES DEFEATING THE FINAL BOSS WORTHWHILE

Anyway tldr; maybe the real Eve is the friends we made along the way :D and idk if I’m making sense but obviously I’m head empty only sk8. Renga needs to talk, i can’t believe they have the audacity to make a recap episode as if i wasn’t head empty only sk8 since february, and if there’s more emotional edging to come, i will burn some of the palm trees outside my house

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sepdet · 7 years

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Star Trek Discovery

Ep1 liveblog (edited)

TL;DR: It feels like Star Trek.

I didn't watch any previews, behind-the-scenes or promotional material whatsoever, because I hate spoilers.

Putting liveblog/reactions behind a cut.

ETA: I didn’t post this Sunday bc I was on iPad and current Tumblr app has no way to make break. Watched ep 2 on Tuesday night, which has somewhat tempered my excitement and unqualified endorsement of this show.

Opening scenario feels like a good thing for Federation vessel to do: discreetly save a large population and slip away, without making a big deal about it.

So nice to hear Number One used for a woman again who does sound a little like original Number One: cool and logical. Are her ears round or not? *squints*

FX are beautiful without being intrusive, characters and story in foreground. This may work. I love FX but I hate it when show relies on FX to entertain and keep audience off-balance, adrenaline pumped— using spectacle to substitute for good story and character.

Clever captain is clever. Already in love.

Vintage communicator made me HAPPY.

Lovely understated credits with an interesting vintage-map look and just a few old Trek grace notes in the music (and phaser and communicator)-- can't do nostalgia too much but it loves its roots.

The year is 2256. The construction of the Babylon 5 station is running behind schedule and over budget...No, wait, wrong universe.

THE BRIDGE NOISES ARE REAL BRIDGE NOISES. There's the chirrup chirp chirp sound!

Okay, this is SO SO COOL. Everything looks like a new 21st century show, as it should, and they're not afraid to change things up. But they let old Trekkies feel like we're on comfortable ground in the simplest and most subtle way possible: the original bridge noises, which for those of us who grew up as original or children of original Trekkies (raised on reruns) is as familiar as a mother's heartbeat. It sounds like home.

So, Michael is a bit reckless. Love her enthusiasm.

Just the TINIEST bit of classic Trek knowledge comes in handy here: we knew Klingons had gotten the Romulan cloaking device at some point, so as soon as there's something mucking with sensors, we wait with bated breath for uncloaking. But opening scene -- with some dramatic Klingon speechifying, fanservice to those who know the language -- tells newbies to expect Klingons, whatever the heck they are.

...

Okay, with all due respect to Klingons and Michael's ethical quandary — her intrusion led to conflict and a Klingon's death, whoops — the Klingon declaming is dragging a bit. (And I will have to get used to their new look, but it's no longer a shock the way it was in The first Trek movie when they mutated so much)

Flashback time! So that's why she sounds like a Vulcan. Great way to play with Spock/Data archetype: this time it's a human who was raised Vulcan instead of a half-human Vulcan. I'm delighted to see Sarek, although with one quibble: Sarek was an ambassador; AMANDA was the teacher! They better not forget Amanda.

(Dammit tumblr just killed my liveblog. Try to recap notes.)

Nice crisis moment: Michael rushing up to the bridge dangerously injured. Slightly gratuitous nudity, but much better than before (and at least it's to show her wounds, not TEH SEXY). Michael again being an effective and brave first officer.

Yeoh's so controlled and understated, I'm having a little trouble reading her character's personality, but she's an absolutely convincing captain with rock-solid gravitas, and it's a slightly unusual archetype for female characters, so, great.

DECLOAKING TIME! Klingons have taken an upgrade in ugly, even in their ship design. i'm sure they'd say the same about FEDS.

THE SHIPS ARE NOT IN THE SAME PLANE! RePeat, THE SHIPS ARE ACTUALLY NOT ORIENTED THE SAME WAY! IT TOOK 50 YEARS, BUT SPACE IS NOW THREE DIMENSIONAL!!!!!

...yeah, I'm zeroing in on the really important stuff. XP

I am forcing myself not to dwell on questionable science, but I feel like radiation doesn't work that way. Oh well.

Klingons dealing with racism within. Hm. A bit simplistic in the way classic Trek was, which is kind of interesting since the ethical dilemmas the Feds are facing isn't.

I love that Sarek is Michael's mentor, although I'm a little torn. Original Sarek: Refused to speak to his son for a decade after he joined Starfleet and was disappointed and angry at Spock leaving Vulcan. If he was that bent out of shape about Spock indulging his human side, then why would Sarek take in a human ward during the very years he wasn't speaking to Spock? But Sarek was always oddly inconsistent, marrying a human and then expecting her and his son to be assimilated to Vulcan. Still wonder how Amanda figures into all this; it's bizarre her husband's taken such an interest in this girl but Amanda Grayson, teacher and evidently a remarkable human to have captured Sarek's heart, is mysteriously absent.

Also, being able to summon the great Ambassador Sarek up to have a time out and talk to the pitching coach is a bit far-fetched? Oh well. Dramatic device, shortcut to get to meat of drama.

Oh, boy, holographic comms sure beat little viewscreens. And the usual scenario of being told by an Admiral back at Starfleet HQ to do nothing. This always goes well.

"There is a difference between race and culture." Oooo. Interesting postulate. Not sure if I agree or not. But then, here we are with 3 people of different races and at least one with a very different culture discussing it, so, QED? I like a Trek that poses questions worthy of debating.

Also the Federation isn't necessarily in the RIGHT here, but they're trying to figure out the right thing to do. That seems like an excellent way to update Trek: applying classic Trek optimism, ideals and ethics to situations that aren't as cut-and-dried. TOS tried to picture a better world but it and TNG tended towards a somewhat simplified utopia. This is subtly avoiding that unfortunate imperialist subtext that portrayed Kirk, Picard, and friends as coming from a morally superior stance and advanced civilization, giving themselves a kind of self-anointed authority akin to what Americans do when they go to "help" other countries.

Whereas this is messy and complicated like the real world and they are operating from a position of not having all the answers. Which is more like us.

And whoa, torch of Kahless. Klingon fans again must be overjoyed. i can be happy for them while missing jolly old Kor (I just adored him) and imposing Kang.

Random thought: both Who and Star Trek have good, three-dimensional, leading black women characters this year, almost for the first time, and in both cases they have what are usually men's names. Hrm. Why?

...WOW.

Michael's insubordination, argument with captain in the ready room, and that surprise vulcan nerve pinch were awesome and I have NO IDEA which of them is right here (except I lean towards Sarek) or what will happen now.

...

....all shit hits fan in a glorious way, and I like that the crew aren't stupid, Saru realizes Michael's mutinying.

And wow what a way to make the captain suddenly badass while staying cool and collected. Phaser out. Old phaser out. Turned on the Spock character (sort of; in some ways Phillipa is more Spockish, Michael more Kirk-heroic and rulebreaking.)

Shoulda realized it'd end with a cliffhanger. EXCELLENT cliffhanger.

Can i avoid online spoilers if I wait until I'm feeling better to watch? Fandom Auntie is tired and only got 4 hours of sleep last night.

[ETA: Here’s my commentary for part 2.]

#liveblog #star trek discovery #episode 1 #spoilers #star trek

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spectrumscribe · 7 years

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I live commented on the latest (and very leaked) episode of TMNT and this was the result.

Spoilers below, obviously speaking. Avoid if you don’t want to see this shit before you see the actual episode of Owari.

Not much of a break down or analysis of the episode, just me being salty about a lot of things.

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Finally he’s fucking dead

Why did they bury him don’t they cremate folks in japan

Oh fuck no he’s still alive

Wait no he’s a ghost, fucking great.

Oh real helpful advice splinter thank you

No he’s not the fucking sensei he’s their idiot older brother don’t tell him he has more power than he does

Oh oh he’s leaving

Fucking bye splinter, real useful advice as always.

Now the hospital scene. God. Karai I’m sorry your life sucks you didn’t deserve this.

Oh hey they mentioned Casey has an actual family. Whoa. It’s only been like two three seasons since they did.

Ew hand holding

Ew touchy hand holding

Nice a montage scene

Casey you disaster I love you, I can’t believe he did that to shredder’s mask. Oh wait yes I can he’s Casey.

Okay everyone looks like they’ve been listening to too much MCR and I can’t tell if I hate it or love it.

At least April is untouched.

Kay I have to admit, the sneaky black look when they’re in the actual dark is p cool.

Also April killin it as always. Thank you for that nick.

Y’all have been at this for like three years stop tempting fate and saying the Thing every time you get a break.

Real strategic guys, go straight for the cliff. Nice.

Aw shit its Xever. Finally someone who knows what they’re doing at least most of the time.

Apparently Raph leveled up since the last time he fought Xever. Nice.

Whoa cold, leaving him to suffocate. I like.

I can’t believe it only took a whole four seasons to get the kids on board with the murder plan.

Yo what the retromutagen is back?? Where the shit has it been all this time.

Omg the reason stockman has been a fly all this time is because he liked it. He actually liked it. Wonders never cease.

“Michael” omfg

“Michael” I can’t get over that. That’s almost as strange as Mikey saying “papa” out of nowhere.

At least bebop and rocksteady don’t forget Casey and April like the plot often does. Thanks guys.

Oh hell yes some Donnie ninja action for the first time in forever. Donnie hurry Casey is about to die and you’re not the one to do it.

Wow I can’t believe they finally remembered the shit Donnie can do when used correctly. Beautiful.

OH SHIT ROBOT ARM NICE

“-all of your hands,” nice

Ooh clockwork hands are nifty. Loving the steampunk.

Okay so April can take a full on punch from tigerclaw but not one slash from shredder on the arm, like what??? Continuity, people, please.

And Leo continues to have bad catch phrases in battle. Bring this back more often thanks.

OH SHIT MORE TIGERS

YES

Bruh wait has tigerclaw been chillin with a bunch of actual tigers

This seems like furry shit

I’m calling it he’s a cat fucker

MOLOTOV COCKTAIL THE NINJA EDITION YEEEAAAAH

Oh and we conveniently leave the humans behind. nice.

Showdown. Fuck yeah.

A family that murders together stays together. Kill a bitch, boys.

Actually working together in battle, nice nice. Everyone’s getting their shots in, I’m loving it.

OH FUCK IS IT GONNA BE DEE?

no of course not, who am i kidding why would they let him do anything cool in this hell show.

Retromutagen time. Oh no it doesn’t fucking work, of course it didn’t work.

DEE NO

Oh nvm his boyfriend and girlfriend saved him.

But shit he can’t get back up. Convenient.

YES MIKEY GO BEAT HIS ASS

NO DON’T

FUCK- well there he goes too. Bye Mikey, RIP.

The first they show of how scary he is in seasons and he’s thrown off a building. Ugh.

And there goes Raph too. At least he smashed shredder’s head against shit before then.

Oh shut up Leo shredhead obvs gives no shits anymore. Don’t try guilting him now.

HA HIS ARM

FUCKING

WOW JUST LIKE KARAI NOW YOU CAN BE TWINSIES

Rat dad no this is not the time for a vision

“Fear nothing” um excuse me that’s not helpful here

Wtf why was Leo’s sword able to defeat shredder but not fucking Karai’s, who had a direct shot at his stupid radioactive heart

I call bullshit

BULLSHIT

also

OH FUCK ITS HIS HEAD

Wait no it’s not a head. I thought it was a head.

The end- oh wait no more hetero

“-what no one else could,” like you?? Why is she just letting this go? Karai don’t let it go. You wanted the bastard dead and you didn’t get to do it yourself why are you not mad.

What happened to Leo’s broken arm. Did he healing hand it when no one was looking and not share that with Karai. Wtf.

Well that was a horrendously out of character moment from Raph. Thanks nick.

Everyone emerges from the shadows to cockblock Leo, bless.

Why are you all out in the middle of daylight holy fuck

Guys get underground it’s like noon or something

“Right, sensei?” guys Leo’s talking to thin air you should do something about that

And we pan out with a watermark in the sky of splinter. Real classy.

Okay but

WHERE IS SHINI

HELL WHERE IS EVERYBODY

Guys you had like, an armada of friends who are basically tanks why didn’t you use them to defeat shredder.

Wtf

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

Okay so all in all- yikes.

Ignoring some continuity errors, it just felt… kind of really rushed? Also a bit forced in specific areas.

The whole “Leo defeats the big bad” thing is really bothering me. This was a family fight. The whole family. That should have been the brothers all together, their friends who are basically their extended family now, and Karai maybe?? Since she’s actually related to and very deeply involved in this mess??

But nope. Lone Wolf Leo strikes again. As per fucking usual. I don’t know how they’re expecting Leo to lead the team, honestly. His skills on teamwork need some serious polishing. (The whole “you are their father and master now” thing with splinter last ep is still seriously bothering me. Like…. Eugh.)

Definitely not a fan of how things worked out. We barely saw the other brothers do much of anything, Karai was flipping bed ridden- I swear she wasn’t that injured in the last episode, I’m calling bull- and Casey and April were utterly exiled from the final showdown.

Nvm that the Mutanimals- who lost their only safe refuge and literal home in all this- weren’t even mentioned. Also Shini. Where did that beautiful murder lady get off to? She was fine in the last ep, why didn’t she show up and shank shredder for her wonderful senpai?

And the retromutagen. Seriously, that’s been completely ignored for over a season, and it suddenly shows up again. There’s been a number of innocent mutants come and gone who could have used that stuff. Feels weird that the boys never even offered them the chance at humanity again. (Karai too, have they even told her it exists?? Though I doubt she’d take that offer, it’d still be nice if they at least told her she has the choice.)

((What is it with this show and taking choices away from characters? More specifically the female ones.))

At least we got an explanation why stockman was still a fly. Wow is he a weirdo. Gotta love him for it though.

So yeah, lots of dropped points here. Important points. Would have been nice to actually mention a few of them, even just in passing.

Over all I didn’t feel much emotion or gravity from the episode. Mostly just salt. I’ll bet people will be crying all over the place about what happened in this thing and I’ll just be sitting here feeling nothing but sodium powered emotion.

I’m still kind of really laughing over the whole MCR look though. I can’t wait to see all the angsty AMV’s that come from this, it’ll be fucking hilarious.

#writer's notes #my writing #SALT #oh god so much salt #Owari #TMNT 2012 #meta #a play by play of the episode #because i couldn't stand to be alone in my reactions #thus i'm sharing it with everyone here #thanks guys #y'all are troopers #tmnt spoilers #tmnt season 4

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gwensparlour · 7 years

Text

A cruel world, where everybody stands and keeps score

Title: A cruel world, where everybody stands and keeps score

Rating: Teen and up audiences

Characters: Victor Nikiforov, Yuri Katsuki

Pairing: Victuuri (implied)

Summary: Being a skating legend and having a private life aren't compatible. Or so Victor used to think. [Victor-centric][Ep.12 spoilers]

(As a writer I need to spam my works wherever I can)

AO3 Link

The first time Victor hears the word “competition”, he’s five years old, almost six, and he needs the dictionary on the second shelf of the library, the one he can’t reach unless he climbs on a chair, to understand its meaning. Luckily he has just learnt to read.

He heard his coach – not Yakov, not yet, another one – telling his mother, after that double toe-loop perfectly executed. It took him only a couple of weeks passed observing the movements of older skaters to learn the jump all by himself. The coach tells his mother he’s talented, truly talented. He has the talent to rise to the top and, almost all of sudden, figure skating stops being a childish amusement.

People repeat he can be a champion. They say his name is an omen. At five, however, contrary to what folks will think, Victor doesn’t care much. He’s five and, even though he isn’t stupid, he still can’t grasp how giant the change will be.

Those are the blessed years when coaches – Yakov is the third and last – still manage to keep him under control; the times before the boy, finally aware of his gift, started to show the independence of the genius.

When Yuri drags his suitcase inside Victor’s apartment, on an early afternoon, his eyes immediately start looking for something and continue during all the home tour.

“Something’s wrong?”

“The medals.”

“What?”

“Where are the medals?” Yuri asks without stopping a moment to look around. Victor needs some second to process the message. Sometimes he forgets that a part of Yuri, no matter what, still venerates him like an idol.

He pouts.

“You have just arrived and all you can think about are my medals!” he protests, sing-songing. Victor presses the accent of that possessive on purpose. Victor’s a primadonna, an actor and, being one, he doesn’t refrain from that kind of excessive drama that would make anyone who doesn’t know him beyond the mask roll eyes.

“No. No –“ Yuri apologies in a rush. Victor shrugs.

“They are in the safe in my bedroom. Ours.” he adds. There’s no need to hide similar information from Yuri. Victor, who has never been good with words, hopes that the Japanese will understand the message behind the form.

“Mine. Ours. There’s a guest room, if you want to stay. But I’d like you to sleep in my bedroom. Ours.”

They’re close, as always, only not as much as usually. During the months spent with Yuri, knowing him, trying to understand how his mind works, Victor has learnt that effusions are something always on the thin line between allowance and mistake. Outside the ice is all so much complicated. Without an Eros to wake up, Victor just takes Yuri’s right hand in his.

To his surprise, it’s Yuri to deepen the gesture, wrapping Victor’s back with his arms and burying his face in Victor’s turtleneck, so light in comparison to the sweater Yuri has bundled up in to face the rigid Russian winter.

Victor reminds himself to raise the heating of a couple of degrees.

“That would be great. I missed you, Victor.”

Victor would point out that Yuri has been in Hasetsu only for a week, but he has learnt the hard way how Yuri’s anxiousness can distort words meaning and transform innocent jokes in heavy accusations.

Moreover he’s not in the position to criticize when after the Roestelcom Cup he went to Fukuoka airport knowing to be in advance of thirteen hours.

Victor has seen a ton of airports during his career. Most of them were of transit, between stopovers, between an arrival and a departure. Of many cities, the airport is all Victor knows about.

For him “airport” is the smell of bad coffee at five in the morning. It’s the backpack containing the skates well strapped on his back, with the promise it will never go in the cargo hold. It’s Yakov arguing at the security check when Victor is still too young to be Victor, yelling that the skates aren’t an improper weapon. Victor will never forget the furious fight at the check-in on that November 2001.

Airports are also duty free shops where hours between flights seem to pass quicker. There was a female skater, six years older than him, who used to buy a lipstick of a different colour for each airport visited. Sheremetyevo is cherry red. Her name was Katia. She’s a PE teacher in an elementary school, or so Victor has heard.

It’s in one of those duty free that Victor buys some rubber bands because his hair has started to be long enough to be a bother when he skates. A couple of day later he wins his first gold medal at the Junior European championship and, already superstitious like only an athlete can be, he decides he won’t abandon that canary yellow rubber band anymore.

“What about this?”

Yuri holds a few centimetres high trophy, with a Cyrillic inscription at the base. Victor’s eyes lighten even before his mouth bend in a smile.

“My first podium, in a regional competition. I was eight – no, nine” he corrects himself, tapping a finger on his lips. “Third. A fall after a triple axel” he adds, anticipating the other question. Yuri’s widened eyes shine with curiosity. The news is too dull to be published on a newspaper of webpage, but for this it is even more interesting.

“Tell me.”

“It’s not very interesting.”

“Tell me.”

It’s a minor competition, a local championship between clubs. Some older skaters hope to be noticed by sponsors for their debut in major circuits. Victor too would like to be noticed. He’s aware he has only a couple of years left before reaching the age when he will be able to access the international junior competitions.

European championships are the first goal and that triple axel is his ticket in.

Victor trained in secret, ignoring Yakov’s warnings. He fell enough times to have bruises on bruises. His right ankle hurt in the skate so tight he feels like his foot is being strangled. Maybe he has sprained it, but he forces himself to resist for those few minutes of the routine.

Victor has lost track of how many times he has fallen. People, even Yuri, don’t believe him when he says he fell at least a million times.

“You’ve never fallen during a competition.” “Exactly, during a competition. It’s all about not falling during competitions.”

He fell in the wings, he fell during practices, when all the others have already left the rink and he was still there trying his first quads, working on that quad flip that will become his trademark but at eighteen was only a dream.

At nine he fell on his chin so hard one of his baby teeth knock out.

When Victor tells Yuri, he doesn’t believe it.

“I’m sure mom kept that tooth. She bets some fanatic would buy it for a fortune if only she puts it on e-bay.”

Yuri’s face should express disgust, but in the micro mimic Victor also read a hint of interest.

“Are you wondering how much would it cost?” Victor teases him. Yuri shakes his head, jumping.

“No! All right, a little. I’m sorry, it was rude of me. Did your mother keep also your hair?” he then asks, cautiously. Victor denies.

“Come! It’s almost time for Makkachin’s walk.”

Yuri doesn’t argue. It’s like in Barcelona, before the Grand Prix final, when they almost had a fight for a stupid bag of nuts.

Yuri too is learning to recognize Victor’s moods, suffocated to the point of being invisible. Victor can’t recall the last time he had a violent emotive reaction before someone else. Even when he started crying in front of Yuri his was more an elegant loosing water from the eyes. When Yuri cries, he truly does it. His cry is sincere, with a running nose and a twisted face. He’s ugly and beautiful in his honesty. Victor doesn’t doubt even Yuri has been taught to hide his weaknesses – Yurio told him how he found Yuri “whining” in the man restroom in Sochi – but the act couldn’t hold its grasp on him.

With Victor things went differently. He knows part of his success depends on the image it has been sewed on him. People expect him to be a charming prince, with always a smile and a wink for his ever-growing fanbase.

“Thank you. Keep on supporting me” is the first English phrase he learns. The first ever. Even before knowing how to say “good morning” or “good evening”. More than words, he memorizes the sounds and then he repeats them with his strong Russian accent.

Tenk you. Kip on supportin’ mi.

The voice of a younger past self crackles from an old VHS, by now in black and white.

Some years later Chris teaches him to say the same phrase in French and German.

Fame is the smiles that the more seem sincere and the less they are, when somebody insists a little too much to offer him a drink or holds him in a possessive way while taking a shoot. In those moments Victor thanks Yakov’s presence, as he can still run hiding behind his coach’s back like with a guard dog.

He has to smile even receiving insults from other skaters’ supporters who, the more he wins medals, the more hate him. He has to smile when a nurse sews a cut on his forehead, all that is left of a vodka bottle broken on his head by a drunkard.

He smiles when a punk runs over him on purpose with his bike and for a couple of weeks Victor is forced to skate with an arm hanging from his neck, because there isn’t a day to lose.

Yakov repeats he shouldn't care about this stuff, that it’s the price of fame, and with time Victor learns to stuff his ears.

He’s twenty when he cuts his hair, alone, with the excuse that the public wants to be surprised and the androgynous image he has kept up to now is old. His is a 360° degree change: new haircut, new clothes, new routines, and new songs. The canary yellow rubber band ends up in the trash, together with the eyeliner, the make-up pencil and that plum-coloured lipstick Katia gave him for his sixteenth birthday.

The truth is he has seen his image on magazines so many times he can’t recognize his face anymore. He’s tired to be treated like a princess. He’s so tired. He loathes it.

Now he understands Yurio’s deep hate for the nickname of “Russian Fairy”.

He cuts his hair in the rink restroom and throws it in the dumpster where homeless people search for some food before the cold winter kills them.

Sometimes it happens, his mother says, and Victor’s heart becomes as hard as the ice where his blades trace kilometres.

Skate! You’re the hero of Russia, skate! We need a rival, skate!

Now there’s nothing but figure skating. When he doesn’t train, his mind is already thinking about the next choreography, finding a way to leave the judges open-mouthed once again to win another medal, another gold.

When sleeping, he dreams of spins and jumps.

Without Yuri, Victor would have keep on like this for another season at least, wondering what to do after a more and more inevitable retire. He could barely manage to get an eight-grade license, so there aren’t a lot of careers he can aspire to. He can be a choreographer, maybe.

It’s a luck Cialdini has dragged Yuri to that banquet. Victor will have to thank him properly one of these days. He’ll ask Phichith to help him - the Thai skater must know Celestino – or the Crispino twins, Cialdini being of Italian origins.

There are so many people Victor has to thank.

“You can still come and help with the hot springs. We could open a skating school in Hasetsu. I’m sure Yuuko and Minako-sensei would be enthusiast.”

This is what Yuri will tell him, some months later, when Victor will find the courage to reveal his fears. In the same period Yuri will stop saying “Victor’s home” and start calling it his home too. Their home.

Makkachin is happy today and drags poor Yuri around, forcing him to almost skate on St Petersburg icy streets. For a strange analogy, Victor brings his fingers to his throat and is almost surprised to not find the invisible collar that for years he has felt tightening around his neck, with the shackle shortening every time he won.

“Come on, give it to me before you finish under a car” he offers, taking the leash from Yuri hands, only to change his mind soon after and leave the dog free to run down the bridge.

He has trained well Makkachin, after all. He’ll teach Yuri all the orders in Russian the poodle responds to. There are so many things Victor wants to teach about his country. Three, no, two months and Yuri will be able to read Cyrillic like a native. He wonders if his mother will be willing to share her borscht recipe with the future son-in-law.

“Something wrong?” Yuri interrupts him.

“Not anymore.”

#yoi fanfic #yuri on ice #yoi #victuuri #victuri

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