#oof i want to do this for roh too

[angelfccdie]

Bold what applies to your muse. Italicize what partially applies to your muse.

APHRODITE . laughter-loving. sweet smiles. dressed in silk and satin. flower in their hair. sees the world as a runway. unapologetically sexual. the sea washing their ankles. in love with love. stirrer of passion. cunning concealed by painted lips. secret daggers. doves. revolution in their kiss. delighting in the waves. flirtatious winks. strolling along the beach. staring wistfully from a balcony. this is how to be a heartbreaker. wants to be adored. gets turned on by danger.

APOLLO . glitz and glamour. art galleries. turning the volume up. being made of gold. neatly organized music sheets. notebooks filled with poetry. bathing in the sunlight. the powerful urge to create. collecting vinyl records. beautiful cover of wonderwall. playing multiple instruments. tasting like sunshine. healing touch. speaking in prophecies. smile mingled with wrath. shunning lies. sporting shades. hanging out at music festivals with their friends. sleeps naked. arrow to the heart. paint brushes. probably has a tinder account.

ARES . armed for battle. wants to raise a dog with their significant other. soft spot for children. gives piggyback rides. scarred body. blood on their hands and face. willing to fight the world for the ones they love. fights against injustice. warm hugs. well worn combat boots. boxing gloves. bandages wrapped around bruised knuckles. fist raised in protest. ignites revolutions. fear is a prison. more sensitive than what their tough shell would have you think. exhausted. damaged goods. force to be reckoned with. red roses. curses under their breath.

ARTEMIS . keen sense of a hunter. freckles like constellations on their skin. piercing eyes. disheveled braid. moonlight peeking through the shadows. the calm of the forest at night. lying on the grass and staring at the stars. mother doe and her fawn. protecting their kin. the moon shimmering on a still lake. quiver full of arrows resting against the bark of a tree. running with wolves. bonding while circled around a campfire. not being much of a people person. arrow hitting a target. popping egos. patience on 3%. touches heaven and returns howling.

ATHENA . discerning gaze. unreadable face. quiet museums. owl perched on their finger. armor that intimidates. eye for architecture. plays the sims for the sole purpose of building houses. studied the blade while everyone else was busy getting laid. big fan of logic. loves brain teasers. ancient buildings. sweaters in neutrals and cool colors. hair done up. can kill you with their brain. heads to the library often to research. sharpened pencils. abs that can cut steel. stoic statues. pottery classes.

DEMETER . soil covered hands. smile that can bloom flowers. skin loved by the sun. being the mom friend. can lift you and your friends. flowers kept in the pockets of overalls. takes pride in their beautiful garden. speaks to their plants. leaves rustling in the wind. stalks of wheat. picking fruit. greenhouses. heart as strong as a mountain. values simplicity. daisies dotted across a collarbone. curls crowned with flowers. folded pile of sweaters in warm hues. pulling out fresh baked bread out of the oven and the smell wafting through the air.

DIONYSUS . drunk shitposter. on their sixth glass of wine before you’ve even finished your second. seductive smirks. untamed curls. rich fabrics on dark skin. sleek furred panthers. theater masks. stage productions. receiving a standing ovation. rose caught between their teeth. being the baby of the bunch. wild parties that last from sundown to sunup. creeping vines. inspiring loyalty. grand opera houses. masquerade balls. rolls of film. shattered chandeliers with broken glass scattered across the wine spilled floor. pouring champagne into flutes. lives for the applause.

HEPHAESTUS . the calloused hands of someone who knows labor. sweaty brow. flame burning in their eyes. inventive mind. broad shoulders. steampunk goggles. nuts and bolts stored away in little boxes. ashes. striking a match. blueprints for future projects. fixing up a busted up car and giving it cool upgrades. wrestles with bitterness. work boots have seen better years. wrinkled plaid shirts. iron melted in blazing fire. huge jackets. crafting masterpieces. greased stained overalls. fascination with robotics. pain is fuel. stack of weaponry. even their muscles have muscles.

HERA . resting bitch face. dressed to the nines. cows grazing on a pasture. cool rain. loving and hating fiercely. hand clutching a string of pearls. large chandelier with glittering crystals. plays the sims for the sole purpose of killing off their sims. romance to realism. pictures of the sky while flying on a plane. files that under “fuck it”. downs glasses of wine as they relax with a scented bubble bath and netflix. like their selfie or you’re grounded. knows 57 convenient ways to murder a man. dark eyes that penetrate your soul. marble and gold.

HERMES . devil - may - care smile. always up - to - date on the latest technology. will steal your french fries. does it for the vine. shitposter. puts googly eyes on everything. meme hoarder. long drives on the highway. ma and pop diners. spontaneous road trips. folded maps. fingers dancing across the keyboard of a laptop. shooting hoops on the basketball court. chatting up strangers as you all journey to your own destinations. goes jogging in the morning. mixes redbull with coffee. menace on april fool’s. hoodies and sneakers.  

POSEIDON . storm with skin. colorful coral reefs. waves crashing against the shore. stroking the soft fur of a cat. their heart pounding as their horse’s gentle trot speeds into a gallop. tousled locks. clothes smeared with paint. owns several sketchbooks yet always yearns to own more. leather jackets. fondness for diy projects. handwriting that flows across the page. nimble fingers playing the strings of a violin. velvety singing voice that haunts your dreams. mood as ever - changing as the sea. the roar of a motorcycle. compass with a spinning arrow.

ZEUS . thunder in their heart. running on coffee. flash of lightning. unnatural charisma. eloquence. badass in a nice suit. aficionado of history. force of nature. lenny face. nightmare- filled nights. proud arm around their lover’s waist. highrise buildings. planes soaring through a cloudless sky. technician on the piano. maintains order. strong handshake. juggling multiple events on their busy schedule with ease. expensive watch.

tagged by: jfjfiea;g i stole it from myself after stealing it from someone else lmao

[cadaceus]

C2E140

Hello, everyone, and welcome to my liveblogs/emotional breakdown over Campaign 2, Episode 140 of Critical Role. This was genuinely an emotional rollercoaster, and I feel so much and yet so empty at the same time? These are genuinely my longest liveblogs ever (I had a lot of emotional reactions and things to say!) so feel free to grab some snacks or water before diving into this one. Spoilers ahead, of course, so pretty please proceed with caution!

- I’m emotional thinking about this very possibly being the Mighty Nein’s last Initiative ever...

- THAT NEW LUCIEN MINI DFVGDHJKLD WHAT THE 

- Essek tied for first in Initiative let’s go babeyyyyy I’m so proud

- THE VISION OF ZUALA  😭 😭 I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS I’M SAD

- The Eyes get their turn??? Oh my god

- Ashley’s aggressive “don’t you fcking dare” when the eyes point at Beau me too, me too

- Whoaaa Caleb’s Glaive method was so interesting, I can’t believe that worked!

- STOP ATTACKING ESSEK SDFGHSJK IF HE GETS NINE EYES AND TURNS AGAINST THEM OR SOMETHING I WILL THROW A FIT

- “Veth keep your clothes on... I will cast Marine Layer” FJORD LMAOOO

- I will turn into the “leave Brittany alone” person but make it “leave Essek alone” WHY ARE YOU BEING MEAN TO HIM

- six attacks versus Veth... ruh roh raggy

- Yasha attacking Zuala makes me so saddd 

- NOOO Cad... idk why that is the one that made me tear up, but just the image of his family beckoning for him in this city of terror is making me emotional 😭

- “That’s my child’s mother...” LMAO TRAVIS

- I genuinely just copied their “shaking weights” motion in real life adhjkdlf let’s goooo Essek!! 

- VETH IS DOWN.... GOD THIS IS MAKING ME SO SAD DO NOT KILL VETH PLEASE

- “He’s gone... let him go...” oof okay that one hurt me

- Jester was so close to getting that Divine Intervention... that was almost so clutch aahhh

- why is fjord’s method of persuasion to molly just flirting with them LMAO okay king...

- “’Remember the fruit salad?’” Fjord/Travis looks so embarrassed, WHAT IS FRUIT SALAD SIR PLEASE SHARE WITH THE CLASS

- Essek actually succeeding on a Strength check to get Caleb free despite being a weak ass wizard, and then Caleb pressing his forehead against Essek’s in thanks... yes I’m soft I can’t do this, my emotions are kaput

- TWO NATURAL 20S AGAINST JESTER.....

- Jester being insta dead. I am not doing okay. Like literally about to start crying, I was not expecting it to happen that quickly or at all, she’s just so full of life and if Cad doesn’t save her.... I’m just so upset by this 😭

- One of the “Happy Thoughts” on Sam’s flask being “Luc all grown up” is so precious to me personally

- CAD BELOW 20 HP --> CAD GOING DOWN ---> CAD UP AGAIN WAS SUHC A EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER OH MY GOD

- Did Molly just scratch Lucien’s face??? Oh my god...  😭

- MATT YOU NEARLY MADE ME PANIC WITH THAT SENTENCE SFGDJKLD THAT WAS CRUEL I WAS ON THE VERGE OF TEARS ALREADY AND THAT ALMOST DID ME OVER

- Both clerics at 1 hit point.... everything is fine :) (scared version)

- CALEB WENT DOWN I AM NOT DOING WELL EVERYONE..... THIS IS SO FREAKING ROUGH 

- Jester clutch healer, not even joking, I’m so grateful for her

- I can’t believe that it’s been three hours with no break, I need to make a mug brownie to calm myself down, free us Matt Mercer (mostly /j)

- BEAU ROLLING TWO NATURAL 20S ON HER ATTACK WITH MOLLY’S BELT AROUND HER FISTS OH MY GOD POETIC CINEMA.... THE DICE GODS ARE REAL!!!!

- Essek using his eighth level spell on Lucien after he sees Caleb go down...... MY LOVE (also I wonder what he had been saving his eighth level for, since Matt said he was saving it?)

- WAIT IS CALEB DOWN OR IS HE LIKE DEAD

- okay. just got my answer. i am not doing fine.

- HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS DSBJKDASL;KDSJKFDK JESTER YES JESTER YES..... OH MY GOD SHE DID IT I LOVE HER SO MUCH I’M SO EMO I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS

- Break? What do you mean BREAK? time to make that emotional support mug brownie though.....

- Caleb’s alive! He’s safe! Thank all of the gods!

- Yasha kissing each spot on Beau’s body where the eyes were... I love them so much.

- Uh oh, Caleb is going to try to revivify Lucien/Molly isn’t he? I know it... I know he is... but sometimes you have to let people go :(

- “Once you’re a member of the Mighty Nein, you’re in” oh no I’m going to cry then.... aahh

- Jester rolling a Natural 20 because she has such a good imagination is so fitting! I love her so dearly

- Beau’s appeal is going to get to me... I know it already.

- THAT NATURAL ONE HURT ME... I didn’t want Molly to come back (because sometimes it is time and they died saving the people they loved) but it still hurts, you know? To not get Molly back.

- ASHLEY;S VOICE BROKE ME... damn I was holding in my tears, but her voice when she said “there’s nothing else to do?” really got to me

- Molly being laid to rest at the Blooming Grove is so poetic, I love that

- Essek’s voice is going to get to me.... also Fjord’s “use your anger and let it fuel you” makes me think that he is speaking to his own younger self... GOD Fjord is going to make me cry

- When he said “Caleb Widogast, have you ever accepted defeat?” I was unironically waiting for a love confession

- WAIT NO WAY..... HOLY SHIT???

- DID CADUCEUS JUST ROLL A 2 PERCENT.... WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING 

- Marisha talking about the “emotional whiplash” no LITERALLY Ms Ray I understand you

- MOLLY IS BACK?????

- Matt turning to Taliesin and saying “Your eyes open for the first time in a long time” oh my god.......

- Empty. Love.

- Molly turning to Yasha and saying “Love” is so precious, I love and missed their friendship so so much

- I know I wasn’t sold on Molly coming back, but honestly this is very fitting and I love it a lot. It makes me so emotional, dear god... all of the Mighty Nein together for the first time literally ever. 😭

- “Long May He Reign” is trending on Twitter right now. I think you all know why.

- Wow, I genuinely didn’t cry this entire episode but the second is ended something in me just broke. I feel a bit speechless right now and my emotions are all over the place, but if you read all of these liveblogs please know that you are loved and valued more than you could possibly know. I love you, I love you, I love you; and is it Thursday yet? 

<3

[thatabitcryptic]

How do you think fidds and fords relationship developed over the years? Like from college to marriage(May and Fidds) to portal partners to enemys to lovers etc. I have my own headcanons but I want to know what you think!

O o o o o o o ok I am a sap so uhh here we go

So during college I don’t really think they had an established romantic relationship,, I personally like to think it started out with ford disliking fidds with. A. Passion.

He’s stuck in the worst University, in the worst dormitory, with the worst roommate.

Fiddleford played banjo almost every night which distracted him from his study. He was loud and rowdy, trying to make conversation when ford was clearly busy and not interested. He was just a southern hick who didn’t take lessons seriously and in Ford’s opinion was wasting his time here.

Until... (please forgive me idk how American schooling works let alone college lmao) end of term exams (I feel like their called finals?? I haven’t a clue tbh) ford starts to push himself harder and harder in class because he can’t fail he can’t he has to prove he’s not just some freak no one wants but he can’t do it he can’t focus it’s all too much he’s going to fail. Everything’s all wrong. He’s missing Stan something.

Fidds sees him struggling to study. Ford’s restless in his chair, grumbling to himself, wiping his tears eyes and he’s standing up and pacing. So fidds, the kind soul that he is, asks what’s wrong to only be met with ford leaning in close and yelling at him about how it’s all his fault he’s failing with his ‘hick southern quirks’ keeping him from concentrating. I hc fidds to be very sensitive about his accent and upbringing when he was younger so this is a heavy blow. Ford sees his face shift from confusion to anger to anxiety and he feels terrible. Uh yeah next he breaks down into fidds’ chest soaking his shirt and just repeating how sorry he is.

Fiddleford comforts him and immediately forgives him bc he is clearly remorseful and tbh fidds just be like that. After ford calms down he starts freaking out again because he’s got exams coming up and he’s not going to do very well. So fiddy boy offers to help but ford is doubtful... and fidds can see it on his face. So he goes and grabs a little knickknack he had been working on (idk what it is but it’s very impressive to ford)

Fidds help him pass all his classes with flying colours. This is when ford realises that he’s gay. However my guy has some internalised homophobia.

Anyway now that they are on better terms they start to hang out and goof around as college buddy’s. If ford gets stressed fidds notices and rests a hand on his shoulder. Ford is very not straight. Also it’s canon that they stay up late and talk about the future which is sweet so that happens.

Okay so college kinda goes like that nothing explicit but lots of pining (hehe) from both sides - fidds is also a flustered mess but ford is blind to it bc there’s no way he would like me back but I’m not gay so it does matter ahaha (ford has lots of emotions)

So fidds’ marriage uhhhh I don’t really have anything positive to say here except for tate so idk

Emma-may. I don’t think she’s all too great considering she left fidds when he needed her most. Also I do think fidds was attracted too her at some point but I don’t think he was ever in love with her. He just got married and had Tate because that’s what you did back then, got married settled down and had kids.

(Oh to set it in the timeline this would be after college when ford was researching gravity falls alone - so the invitation to be the best man at the wedding was heart breaking for him bc he had no clue who this Emma-may was and he felt more alone than he ever had since Stan was kicked out.)

Next portal era!!

Ford doesn’t want to drag fidds away from his family but he needs his help. Ruh roh his feelings resurface and just a heck of a lot of pining.

Fidds and may are going through a rough patch (uhhhh she’s cheating oof) so he is super excited to see ford, to sort of get away for a bit - I like to think they filed for a divorce right before Ford’s call.

Again ford and fidds’ relationship doesn’t become offical but they are both yearning SO MUCH. Oh what Fidds is designing the bunker? oh what he can only fit one bed down there?? Welp Ford’s fine with that bc he’s not gay,, it’s not gay to blush when you homie puts his head on your hair. (Lots of ford waking up to being hugged and he’s fine with that bc ...they’re just friends)

Also fidds is like sad bc his marriage failed so ford is awkwardly trying to cheer him up while also seeing an opening but he represses that’s bc it’s insensitive and he’s totally straight .

Canon blah blah blah

(also may stinks bc even tho you are getting divorced you don't give up on someone who’s going through a huge storm,, especially if he’s the father of your son but idk that’s just my thoughts)

Now 30yrs later. Ford and fidds get together and finally get married :D I have too many ideas about how this could happen so idk but is very fluffy and soft

Okay ahahaha those are my thoughts and I have more small details about them during the portal era I didn’t put in because this is already VERY l o n g.

[wormstacheangel]

9th of December

Hello! Have a snow ball fight! That’s it. Enjoy! :) Masterpost link

Summary: So these are set in 2021 after Cas was rescued from the Empty. He is working on remodeling their new home, Jack is a Nephilim again, Dean works in a garage and they all live together as a happy family with Miracle the dog. Sam and Eileen are still hunters who mostly kick ass from the bunker as they run the network. More family’s and friends pop up along the way because everything is fine and nothing hurts!

Cas sat with a hot mug of coffee in his hands on the porch steps to stare fondly at his son and boyfriend battling to make the biggest snowman. 

“You better not be using your powers!” Dean called out, a little too loud but it was still early in the morning and maybe the neighbors weren't paying them any attention.

It was a nice heavy snowfall that left everything beautifully white and fluffy looking. The smell of freshness and wet filled the air bringing calm into the world. Reminding them once again about the curtains they needed in the kitchen. 

Best of all, Dean gets the day off. 

Jack laughed as the small head Dean tried to carry on top of his snowman fell apart in his hands. A loud curse escaped his lips and he threw the excess snow at Jack who tried to dodge the cold ice. Somehow that ended with Jack throwing some snow back at his father and Dean chasing him around the yard with Miracle barking and chasing after them. Her tail wagged back in fourth while she tried to jump and keep up. They were both laughing when Jack used a small amount of grace to have snow be thrown around. Dean got his revenge as he made a perfect snowball. He aimed at the back of Jack’s head but their kid turned around at the last second. Getting hit square in the face.

Cas couldn’t stop his own laughter when Dean’s face filled with panic when Jack fell back. His boyfriend ran over to their kid to check on him only to get a face filled with snow in return. 

“Oh you think this is funny, babe?” Dean looked at Cas with a familiar twinkle of mischief as he shook off the snow. When Dean took a step towards him Cas froze.

“Dean, you better fuck off.”

Dean looked towards Jack who nodded in understanding then Cas heard the front door close and lock. 

“Dean,” Cas put his mug down as he hesitantly tried to stand up to head back to the front door. The whole time looking at his son and boyfriend both making a snowball. “I’m not dressed correctly for this and I’ll ra-oof!”

Cas gets hit twice, one in the face that he was sure Dean threw while the second one his chest. Miracle barked up at them in excitement because she knew that he was now part of the game.

“Fine.” Cas wiped his face from the cold and rolled his shoulders back. “Just a reminder I have the best aim between us all and I am not taking any mercy.”

Cas jumped off his porch to scoop up some snow and make a snowball. Dean and Jack shared a worried glance between them.

“Babe, it’s just a game.” Dean reminds him but Cas shook his head.

“It’s war and the winner gets to pick tonight's dinner.”

“I want pancakes!” Jack excitedly yelled as he started scooping some snow in his hands. 

“Ruh-roh!” Dean hid behind his half finished snowman. 

“Miracle, count us in.” Jack called out to her who sat happily in between all three of them. At her third bark the snow flew.

At dinner that night they sat around the TV watching The Santa Clause while the fire warmed up the living room. They made grilled cheese sandwiches and Dean’s homemade tomato soup because it was Cas’s favorite comfort food. 

“Achoo!” Cas sneezed and sniffled. “Oh, Dean, I better not get fucking sick.”

“You’re fine babe just keep yourself warm.” He reached over and kissed Cas’s cheek. “Just to make sure, I’ll go get you a pill.”

“I can just heal-”

“No, I think you used enough grace for one night.” Dean passed Jack and patted his head. “Save it up for emergencies.”

Cas sneezed through the night. He hit Dean with his pillow when he couldn’t go back to sleep.

“Fuck you, Dean.”

“Yeah, I love you too.”

Tag List: (ask to be added or removed)

@galaxycastiel @superduckbatrebel  @slipper007  @wikiangela  @s-r-clowns

@ar-bi-trary  @winchestcas 

@imlivingliferightnow  @thefaeriemagic3  @bi-bi-marie @nguyenxtrang  @dancerdovegirl  @chocolatecakecas  @trasherasswood  @celestialcastiel @castiel-is-a-cat

Let me know if you’re not getting tagged cause maybe I’m doing something wrong...sorry my first time doing something like this. Also imagine Dean saying that to cas lol okay sorry bye thanks

[thebibliomancer]

Tides of the Dark Crystal liveblog pt 24

Tides of the Dark Crystal by J.M. Lee because THE MARINER IS BACK and that’s a bad thing. For the protagonists. I’m pretty excited about it personally.

Last times on book: Amri and co are on a quest to unify the Gelfling clans against the Skeksis. They’ve succeeded with the Sifa and Dousan, causing impressive pyrotechnics that burned a record of the plot into nearby surfaces. While they were working at that, All-Maudra Mayrin was killed by the Skeksis and they’ve installed her daughter Seladon as the new All-Maudra. After meeting the urRu Swimmer in a dream, maybe, Amri came up with a plan to use the Waystar Trees on the nearby mountains to reach out to the Vapra. The group finds the Swimmer’s secret mountain house and stops in to warm up but they’re surprised by skekSa the Mariner.

Chapter 24

Tavra makes an appeal to the Vapra; skekSa isn’t mad, she’s just disappointed. Also, she’s livid.

So last chapter ended with skekSa demanding to know where the Swimmer is.

“We don’t know what you’re talking about,” Naia said.

skekSa swept closer, filling the room. She tilted her head at Amri, counting the number of Gelfling before her, then leaned over the worktable and smoothed her claws along the paper and ink, touched the tomes and scrolls. Her gaze lingered on the maps they’d been looking at, then came back to the Gelfling before her.

“Maybe I believe you.”

“Why are you in Ha’rar?” Amri asked. “Weren’t you supposed to stay with the Sifa in Cera-Na?”

“Why would I? They abandoned me. Without their navigators and charts, I cannot escape this infernal mainland. Then Emperor skekSo called me to Ha’rar when things got, how shall we put it? Complicated. With All-Maudra Mayrin. And I remembered that there is someone with the charts I need, who keeps them in her tower near the Vapra Waystar grove.”

Oof.

You have to feel for skekSa a little.

Okay, so she wasn’t helping the Sifa escape out of the goodness of her heart, she desperately wanted to escape too.

She’s absolutely paranoid that the Emperor would send assassins after her for her defiance in, I guess, trying not to live in his hierarchy.

And even if you take into account the show where the death of a Skeksis is unthinkable to the Emperor, remember too that there’s a lot that the Skeksis will do to each other that won’t result in death.

I don’t blame her for wanting to escape.

But perceiving it as the Sifa abandoning her to not abandon the other Gelfling is not a healthy way of coming at it.

Anyway, this reminds Amri of the Swimmer saying “what is a compass without a ship” and he realizes that the inverse “what is a ship without a compass” is true too. But says it aloud for some reason.

And this makes skekSa very angry, although she calms down to go back to being classy hiding menace.

She mentions that skekZok told her about an encounter the Chamberlain had with a group of Gelfling where “one in particular -- a Vapra, to his memory, but I think he may be mistaken -- threw Sifa fire dust in his eye.”

“You wouldn’t know who that might have been, my little apothecary?”

Amri tried not to shrink back. “He was asking for it.”

“Oh, you can burn out both his weepy eyes for all I care.”

HAH!

No surprise that the Mariner who hates Skeksis politics would hate the Chamberlain. He practically is Skeksis politics.

But the major takeaway of the story was the Chamberlain’s description of the Drenchen in the group. A Drenchen who matched the description of the Drenchen who escaped the Castle of the Crystal.

Naia.

“Ritual Master skekZok is very keen in this aspect, you see. And since we are friends, he and I, then you can imagine I am keen as well.”

Ruh roh.

“Of course, I didn’t fully understand his interest in you when we met in Cera-Na,” skekSa continued. “But now that I do, and now that he’s offered a reward for your capture, how fortunate it is that you are here before me, trapped in this tiny room.”

RUH ROH.

Interesting that the Mariner did know who Naia was all along. She just didn’t care at the time when Operation Go Somewhere Else was on the table.

Naia promises she’ll die before she lets herself be drained but skekSa says that skekZok doesn’t want to drain her. The Skeksis need her and Gurjin to study their twin bond to answer some questions that many of them have been wondering.

Kylan stood up, standing firm beside Naia. “Aughra said you’re wrong. She said it’s not going to help you understand how to drain your other halves.”

skekSa scoffed.

“Is that what they think? Unfortunate.”

Hah.

The Skeksis are way off base but skekSa would get her reward for bringing Naia in either way. I like that she’s scornful at how they’re barking up the wrong tree.

Its what I expect from an accomplished pirate captain detective scientist like her.

But since a reward is a reward and because she doesn’t want to fool arond, she offers a deal. She gets to take Naia. In exchange, the rest of the group gets to go if they promise to leave the mountain immediately and not get in skekSa’s way again.

(Imagine from her point of view where you keep running into protagonists)

Naia pointed her dagger at skekSa. Before Amri could stop her, she said, “I’ll take that deal, but I won’t go without a fight.”

“Naia, no --”

Kylan’s protest was cut off by skekSa’s grin. She knocked aside her coat, baring the glinting gold handle of a long blade slung at her waist, putting a hand on the grip and sliding it loose with a deadly, metallic scrape.

“I accept your challenge,” she said.

Fairly accommodating of skekSa, really.

It lets her friends get away and it means she can try to run away because thats part of the struggle.

I mean, its not quite fair. Skeksis way outweigh Gelflings and hit like a truck. And skekSa is in the prime of her whatever age she is, not like those creaky castle dwelling Skeksis. Fresh salt air has done a body good.

Tae decides to stay and fight with Naia while the rest go and do the Plan they’d Planned on. And Tae is their best fighter.

Amri recognizes that this is the best chance they’ll get, hates it, but grabs an angry Kylan and runs anyway.

They (Amri, Kylan, and spider Tavra) trudge through the snow and up an almost vertical slope and reach the circular grove of glowing blue and white Waystar trees.

And at a good time. Far below in Ha’rar, the Vapra gather and the Skeksis will come to the gathering soon.

Hm. I wonder if whats taking the Skeksis so long is skekSa up and disappearing on a mountain hike. She was called to Ha’rar to help and she went off on a personal errand.

I can imagine skekZok looking for her around the Citadel, cursing as he finds her boots behind a curtain making it look like she was hiding behind that curtain. Or something like that.

Amri searches the Waystar trees, to find the ideal one whose roots burrow into the mountain and intertwine with the veins of water and ice that spread to the city below.

He finds the sturdiest tree and his rock sense or whatever lets him feel the whole mountain and every street of Ha’rar by touching its bark.

“It has grown here since long before the Vapra arrived,” he said. “Before Ha’rar. This tree knows the entire mountain, the entire valley. Runs under the citadel and through every street of Ha’rar. If it agrees to carry Tavra’s message, every Gelfling in the snowy land will see her dream. Hear her voice, and know they are not alone...”

AH HA! So that’s the plan! Amri’s rock sense, Kylan’s music magic, and Tavra’s Tavra to reach every Vapran in Ha’rar through something like dreamfasting that the Skeksis can’t overhear. Good the Plan, Amri!

Kylan starts playing a similar tune to the one he played before the Sanctuary Tree, causing the Waystar trees to glow even brighter.

Amri sees a dreamfast of the three of them standing in the grove but Tavra is with them in her Gelfling body, dressed as a Vapra princess.

“Hear me, Gelfling of Ha’rar. I can only hope you hear me and recognize my voice. I do not have much time, so I can only tell you part of all I have to say. And it is that the Skeksis have lied to all of us. The dream on the pink petals is true. The Skeksis have begun draining us, deep in the Castle of the Crystal. My mother the All-Maudra knew this and planned to rise against them. And in punishment, the Ritual Master and the General murdered her.”

Amri felt a tremble in the dream, as if the earth itself was shivering. The whispers that shuddered through the tree’s veins and the ice and rock were from the Vapra. From anyone who was listening, who heard Tavra’s voice.

“I do not know what the future holds for the Gelfling, but I know this: No matter what the Skeksis say to you, no matter how dark the night may seem -- there are friends in that darkness, waiting for you. Readying the torches we will bring against the Skeksis, when it is time for their reckoning. We will survive. We will endure. Wait for our signal. Let it guide you and we will be victorious, so long as we are together.”

It felt like the beginning of an electric storm crawling across the earth and skin. Amri felt the warming of kindling and a thin string of smoke. He felt footsteps, the earth shaking. Distant voices as Tavra finished:

“I know this and I wait for you, though it may be in the darkness. For in the shadows, we will light the fires of resistance.”

Heck of a speech, Tavra.

I notice that characteristically she doesn’t raise her voice or pepper around exclamation points. Just gives a simple, measured message of hope.

Anyway, its good that she finished up because the fight they left at the Swimmer’s mountain home spills over into the Waystar grove, destroying one of the trees.

Nobody is happy here. The two Gelfling and one Mariner are all wounded from the fight. Amri is not pleased that skekSa followed Tae and Naia to where the Plan was happening. And skekSa’s not happy that they’re all still on the mountain doing things.

The Mariner asks if this is how the Gelfling repay her benevolence in letting them go but Tae shoots back that the Sifa have trusted skekSa for trine and asks whether it was all a lie.

skekSa composed herself, just a fraction, standing straighter and sniffing.

“Little Tae,” she said, though a snarl sharpened the edge of her beak. She grabbed another of the Waystar trees and cracked its limbs in her claws, careless with her impossible strength. Its glow died like an ember pulled from the fire. “I would have taken Ethri and the Sifa across the Silver Sea. Far away from the Emperor and the castle and all of these stupid politics. But Ethri decided not to go. It was you who defied me. Declared your true allegiance. I am not an ally of the Sifa. I am your master.”

Oof.

The underlying thing in all benevolent paternalism is the paternalism. And that can turn ugly when its defied or not given the respect the whoever feels entitled to.

The thing with a parent/child relationship is knowing when to let them go and be adults of their own and that just won’t happen without bad feelings when a “superior” long-lived species rules over a “less advanced” shorter-lived one.

And even if skekSa disdained Skeksis politics and felt drawn to the Sifa for their shared love of that sailing life, at the end of the day, the Skeksis are gonna be around forever while Gelflings lead lives comparable to mayflies. Its hard to stand up against the only people who will share eternity with you.

Its why I think skekGra is the only Good Skeksis that can last. He’s removed himself from a position over anybody else. Just he and himself for company.

Anyway, back to the skekSa.

“Now, as your lord, I will tell you the same thing the General and the Ritual Master are telling the Vapra below. At this very minute. The rebellion is dead and a lie, burnt to cold ash along with the All-Maudra. The Vapra, and the rest of the Gelfling, have only one fate: To bow to the Skeksis, and to gaze upon us with immortal fear. To cower in utter submission.”

Her voice fell low and sinister as her breath clouded around them like a fog.

“There will be no more fires,” she said. “And there will be no resistance.”

Amri replies, basically, with ‘nuh uh’ and points towards Ha’rar.

The torches dotting the city flash through a rainbow of flames, burning bright enough to light the city like daytime. And the flames dream-etch onto every wall of the Vapra citadel, just like at Cera-Na and the Wellspring when the literal flames of resistance were lit.

[Amri] stared in wonder at the etchings as they rippled across the broad surface of the citadel, unraveling for all to see. The depictions of the Omerya, the Sifa, Maudra Ethri. The shade-filled leaves of the Wellspring Tree, protecting the Dousan from the darkening storm.

And now the next verse of the song, which they had told that very night atop the frozen bluffs: Shining like a star, radiant with light, was the image of a Vapra soldier-princess, the crest of six trees emblazoned on her living crown.

WOW!

The recap flames just nominated Tavra to be All-Maudra. Geez, sucks to be Seladon.

It makes a narrative sense in this version, I’m afraid.

Since we’ve stuck with Naia’s party, Seladon is barely a character. We haven’t seen her insecurities first hand and her struggling with her mother’s expectations and her own desires and all that. We don’t directly see her lean into Skeksis loyalty.

Tavra HAS been very present and active in the narrative of the three books. (And people have been VERY vocal about her being a better candidate for All-Maudra. Like very vocal. Seladon would have cried if she had been around for those conversations).

So just taking into consideration the YA novels continuity, we don’t know Seladon. We know Tavra and want good things for her especially since so many bad things have happened.

And another thing... what will happen after all the clans unite has been left vague but if the Skeksis don’t relinquish power gracefully, it could be war (as it was in the show). Maybe a soldier-princess All-Maudra is more fitting for the times the Gelfling are heading into instead of the trained stateswoman raised to be essentially the middle manager between Gelfling and Skeksis.

Sorry Seladon.

[frostios]

Session notes for tonight! Going to a college to get a god some followers while also catching up with an old friend....who is turning to the dark side ruh roh

We’re on the college campus! Joemin takes a nap in the soccer field and the rest of us go to track down Miles to say hello. We find someone that can find him for us, and we meet again! Miles seems really surprised but he’s ultimately welcoming. His arm looks completely revamped and honestly sick as hell. We leave Barnaby with him and Miles says he magicked up his arm himself, which is cool.

Cran goes off to wake up Joemin, not really wanting to do the whole ‘hey follow this goddess’ thing. Meanwhile the rest of the gang is pretty successful in getting Fivwabi followers! Nami especially is really good at convincing people. They run into this snotty Squilliam-looking asshole too. Barnaby talked to Miles. There are a few updates on what’s been going on with us – mostly that we’re not working for Linan anymore (because she turned out bad) and we’ve met a few gods (two of which are on the boat). Miles is very interested in the whole god thing and seems to want to meet them! A lot. And he has a friend that he thinks would be interested as well: someone named Isaac

. When Barnaby asks about Isaac, he gets some surprisingly suspicious responses and starts looking deeper into things. He finds out that Miles has some new views on life, and they’re… not that great. Mostly he had been trying to get stronger, because he looks up to us and wants to be a good adventurer! But it’s turned into Miles trying to be legitimately threatening and dangerous so no one messes with him. Barnaby tries to dissuade him from that, but Miles takes it as complete disapproval and takes offense, saying that maybe they just don’t get along anymore. As they’re finishing up their talk, Barnaby notices a book in Miles’ bag that looks… bad. Probably magic, possibly evil. He steals it without a second thought.

The two of them split off from each other, Miles saying that he wants to meet up later to see us all off even if they’re not agreeing right now.

Over at the fantasy starbucks, Cranberi and Joemin are sorta-kinda talking backstories. Joemin says something about being frequently dressed up, and Cranberi tells him she spent most of her childhood in a cabin in the woods. Barnaby and the gang meet back up at the ship, and now that Fivwabi has some new followers she’s granting wishes! Barnaby wishes to get more knowledge about Miles, and he does in fact get it: apparently that book he stole has guided Miles into becoming a Warlock, and his patron is none other than Lail. Yikes. Freedon’s up next. He wishes for a really good sword, and it gets granted. He now has a legendary sword than can be attuned to him.

Next is Kilgon. He wishes for a way to easily contact people no matter where they are, and gets granted TEN Motorola Razors (flip phones) that all have pictures of both him and Jammy permanently stuck in the backgrounds. He hands them out.

Nami runs to go get Joemin and Cran for wish time, and also hand out their phones. Joemin immediately tries to break his.

When that group comes to the ship, Joemin passes his wish over to Freedon, so Freedon is free to wish for Martinis to have extended life. Barns says Miles did want to say goodbye to us all before we left, so we all head to his dorm! Once there we see that Miles has been tearing up his room looking for the book Barnaby stole, but none of us know that Barns stole it so we try to help looking for it. Inside his dorm we meet Isaac, Miles mentor? And Jonathan immediately goes into anger mode and storms off. Nami goes after him.

We keep looking for Miles’ missing book, but can’t find anything – but Barnaby sees a discarded letter seemingly for us. He motions to Freedon and Freedon gets the memo and distracts Miles so Barnaby can grab the letter without notice. Nami catches up to Jonathan and finds out that he and Isaac have history, and that Isaac is bad news with bad morals. She texts the rest of us with her new Razor so most of us are now in the know. Unfortunately Cran doesn’t check her phone and so doesn’t see anything wrong.

After failing to find Miles’ book and saying goodbye for real, we realize Jonathan is still cooling off somewhere else so Cran takes Bo to go get him. Jon tells Cran about Isaac’s history and that he’s basically a vigilante, which Cranberi admits is pretty bad. But they’re unsure what to do about the situation, so they decide that it’s best to sleep on it before doing something more final. Bo flies them back to the boat. He seems to be getting more personality now And we’re off to the northern coast of Rebakis!

Barnaby and Cranberi talk about the book Barnaby stole, and Cran absolutely ruins it by casting Remove Curse and Dispel Magic before tossing it to Kilgon for burning, which starts a whole argument about burning books and why casting dispel magic on spellbooks makes them nearly useless that continues until Kilgon gets fed up and starts screaming into Jammy’s shirt.

Barnaby and Freedon go to read Miles’ discarded letter. It says a lot about Miles wanting to be as strong as the group but he’s loosing steam and feeling useless. There’s things about him considering giving up, and something at the end about this possibly being a final letter. Oof. the letter:

hey guys, how are you all?

ive been doing alright. times have been rough. i might... leave the college. im afraid. theres so much i cant do. i cant even play an instrument well. but... i want to be like you all. i want to be something great. i... i need to do something. i need to change myself. (most of letter is blurred, erased, scribbled out) you guys don’t know just how much you mean to me, even if im a stranger to you all, you have inspired me, but i don’t know if im worth anything. i don’t think i am. this may be—

[shirtlesssammy]

15x02: Raising Hell

Then:

Cousin Oliver’s Cousin Oliver makes his grand entrance, and we love him

Now:

The ghosts of Harlan, Kansas are contained, and most of the townsfolk are corralled in the high school 5 miles away. One daring resident, Nan, decides to check out things herself, and armed with nothing but her pashmina scarf, she scouts the town. Her neighbor, Rob, is there and, let me say, if he was that much of a weirdo in life, I would have moved across the country to get away from him. EEEk. 

*Gratuitous Buckleming Bullshit Alert*

Nan is stabbed repeatedly by the ghost possessing Rob. And then the ghost makes a spelling bee funny. 

And we laughed and laughed. 

At the high school, Cas worries that they’re benzine cover story isn’t going to last much longer. One woman already disappeared. Chief!Sam steps up and makes an inspiring speech to the frustrated townspeople.

It’s kinda awkward? I think Sam is nervous about leading (and it breaks me a little to think about the trauma that he’s processing when he made this decision to lead again.)  

FBI!Dean and Belphegor are patrolling the perimeter of the ghost circle. We learn that the ghost in the opening is Francis Tumblety, a.k.a. Jack the Ripper (*Boris puts on Sam Winchester nerd glasses*: No one actually knows who Jack the Ripper was, and he’s not “cool” Dean. Anyway, go read The Five, y’all.) 

Some vigilante townspeople decide to take matters in their own hands and make a plan to go back to their houses. 

*First Quarterly Meeting of the Harlan Ghosts Alert*

Francis Tumblety, President, opens the meeting with an announcement that they were all kicked out of Hell by God himself. Is it just me or did Hell make all these former people WAY dramatic, like they’re all taking part in a small town theater production? 

Two of the vigilantes sneak past the quarantine zone barrier and are almost immediately greeted by two ghosts. Wherps. 

Our favorite witch, Rowena, interrupts Sam and Cas arguing about how to handle the restless townsfolk. Rowena throws her usual love towards Castiel. I think Cas is getting used to it. (And way to deflect your real desire to just chit chat with Sam, Rowena.) Sam asks Rowena about building another soul bomb. They need something to collect the ghosts in.

Before too much flirting can happen, they’re interrupted. There’s a situation. 

Sam rushes to Dean and Belphegor. They’ve found the two possessed townspeople. Sam starts talking to them like they were just totes normal staring at them. Their eyes start bleeding black goo and our intrepid heroes realize they’re possessed. Francis Tumblety pops up and demands to be released. The people possessed are tortured from the inside --and Sam and Dean just stand there. Shoot the ghost, dudes! Make him go away! Ah, that’s for HERO Ketch to do instead! Yay, Ketch! (I feel dirty just writing those words as a joke, and will now burn both my computer and my fingers for typing them.) 

Back at the high school, the brothers discuss the AMAZING and COMPLETELY HELPFUL appearance of Ketch. Ugh. Rowena asks Sam for a Scotch (I mean, she says “Dear”, that’s Sam, right?) Ketch tries to set things right with the witch, but she “hasn’t forgotten” their past. (KILL HIM, QUEEN). 

Ketch learns that Jack is dead and now we’re Team Belphegor. It seems that Ketch has been tasked with assassinating Belphegor. Awkward. 

Meanwhile, in Reno, Amara’s living her best life. She’s getting a massage, when her derpy asshole brother makes an appearance. (Sidenote: I’m supposed to hate Chuck, but wtf? I can’t hate Rob! It’s physically impossible to not be charmed. Aagh. Oh, wait, he liked the ending to Game of Thrones. BURN HIM. But seriously, that’s some lovely shade, and it renews my faith that they’re going to stick the landing with Supernatural.) 

Cas has to handle customer service for a bit, and quite frankly, he’s a fucking saint. 

Rowena and Dean talk ingredients for her soul bomb spell, and Dean plays matchmaker for her and Sam! Specifically, he tells her to “find another boy toy” when she asks about Ketch, but she was just asking to learn what’s the best angle for killing him. Dean doesn’t know that though. Dean might be going through a messy break-up but he’s still making sure his brother is happy. 

*DEANCAS ALERT*

Cas finds Dean in a room. Cas makes an awkward sports reference (HE’S JUST TRYING TO FIT IN, DAMNIT --also, I like to think he’s trying to throw a little levity into their awkward exchanges.) Dean’s pretty mad, and I’m pretty sure I read a few dozen coda fics with this exact dialog last week, lol. Dean’s mad about everything --his whole life has been a lie. Cas bites back, angry about Chuck killing Jack, but he makes it clear to Dean that what they’ve done over the years isn’t a lie. 

Dean can’t believe they’ve ever had a choice in anything. Brb, crying in the corner. I’ll just leave this here for now:

Cas: Dean, you asked, “What about all of this is real?” We are.

(I can’t find it now but someone on sm compared this to “You idiot. You asshole..” and I am compromised.)

Later, Dean and Ketch walk the perimeter. Dean gives Ketch an iron chain to wear to keep ghosts away. They head to a Meat Packing warehouse, where the F in Dean’s FBI jacket disappears. Wherps. Ketch gets tossed around a bit, AND I’M HERE FOR THIS. Dean gets tossed a bit too so, no thank you. A voice tells the ghost to back off. KEVIN!

Dean tries to wrap his brain around Kevin, who was unfortunately sent to Hell instead of Heaven by good ol’ Chuck. Kevin reports that the barrier is fading, so they’re running out of time. He also boasts that he has a “bad boy rep” in Hell. You do you, I guess? 

Chuck continues to be THAT GUY, hanging out in Amara’s hotel room and channel surfing. She tries to do yoga. 

When he tries to convince her to jet off to another dimension, she refuses. “I am running a hot streak in craps. I like Reno. Everyone here is so not…you.” Amara senses that Chuck is…off. When she discovers his injured shoulder, she tells him that he’s weak and afraid. 

Sam and Dean (and bonus Belphegor) assess the state of the barrier. Belphegor insists that the Winchesters can’t just shuttle Kevin off to Heaven. Once he’s been in Hell, he’s destined to stay there. (Can I just say, we’re basing this all off the word of a hinky demon? So IS this really canon truth, is what I wanna know?) (Boris: That wasn’t true for Bobby?)

In Reno, Chuck touches his bullet wound and hisses in pain. Sam cries out at the same time. Oof, TIED TOGETHER. Sam lies to Dean and tells him that he’s feeling better. Dean does his best inquisitive face.

The ghosts, meanwhile, are still hanging out in their weirdly vanilla home base. I can’t believe nobody’s painted viscera on the walls yet! Other Colonel Sanders stalks around, grandstanding about the failing warding and their plan to attack the weak points. Kevin flashes in. Our dear Kevin tries to act tough, but gets bullied by a bigger…ghost. (Suggestion: a ghost’s power isn’t inherently proportional to their size in life, but to their intelligence and mastery of their ghosty powers.) But WHATEVER the big, bully ghost puts a halt to Kevin’s plan to infiltrate the group pretty much immediately. 

Rowena flirts (apparently, ugh) with Ketch while mixing potions in a science classroom. 

As much as I love and support Rowena and want her to GET SOME whenever she damn well pleases, I find Ketch to be a tool through and through. It’d be different if she wanted something from him but…alas. There they are. They flirt with awkward magic versus science innuendo. Ketch strips a plug and jolts her potion. (Boris and I wander off, our hands shielding our eyes in second-hand embarrassment.) 

 Rowena races through the neighborhood with her soul trapping bespelled crystal. Other Colonel Sanders zaps in. He once had a relationship (ReALly?) with her and is appalled that she’s working for the Winchesters now. Ketch pops up and shoots the ghost while Rowena runs off. As Ketch stares off in the distance feeling very smug, the ghost zaps in behind him and knocks him out.

The Winchesters head in to the very beige suburban home to talk to the ghosts. Other Colonel Sanders threatens to kill Kevin, then sticks his hand in Kevin and starts to suck away his soul. Um. Okay, is this a ghost power now? Or is that how demons are made? Rowena uses that moment to suck several ghosts into her crystal, but it’s not enough. She’ll have to catch them one by one, practically. Kevin tells them about the barrier-busting plan, and they head out to survey it. 

The ghosts manifest as little red balls of flame as they hit the barrier. Dean shoots at them like he’s playing a carnival game and is DESPERATE for the red cowboy hat at the top of the booth. Shooting them one by one is pretty fruitless, so Rowena’s called to the plate. Ketch escorts her to the front and I kinda want to punch him as he gestures for her to go ahead. Like, go eat a lemon and die, Ketch. 

Rowena lets loose her ghostbuster ray and starts sucking in ghosts (through…the barrier?) but Ketch knocks her out. It turns out, he’s ghost-possessed! Sweet Dean Bean’s out of salt rounds and Ketch has the crystal now. He boasts about its power and how it’ll be the most perfect thing to break the wall. Dean shoots Ketch, knocking the ghost out of him, and Rowena sucks ‘em in.

Later, Ketch is getting loaded up into an ambulance (glad to see these random first responders are helping out right at the border of this freak gas leak). Cas tells Sam quickly that he tried to heal Ketch, but failed. Ruh roh, Cas! 

Dean holds a conciliatory conversation with Ketch (to sad music) while Ketch gets hauled away. Ketch exchanges mournful glances with (EXHAUSTED SIGH) Rowena. Dodged a bullet there, Rowena. 

Dean and Sam bid farewell to Kevin, who believes Belphegor’s line about Heaven’s no admittance policy. Kevin’s going to wander the world as a restless spirit, rather than head back to Hell. Belphegor zaps the warding, opening up a door-sized hole for him to go through. See you soon, we hope! 

For Kevin Looks FINE Science:

Back with the gods, Amara heads out on her own. “I am willing to coexist with you, brother. …In the universe! Just not anywhere near you.” She tells him that he has little power against her now. Furthermore, he can’t leave the world without her help. “I’ve become the better me. And you are still the same. Petulant, narcissistic…” Amara is pleased that she’s been able to trap Chuck on the very world he’s trying to escape right now. 

At the barrier, souls continue to whir towards the weak point. Dun dun DUN!

______________________________

These Quotes are Real:

A town full of ghosts? Messy even by Winchester standards.

Can you boys do nothing on your own.

We ran our own race. We made our own moves. And mostly we did well with that.

Dean, you asked, “What about all of this is real?” We are.

Turns out, God’s a dick.

I like soul catcher.

______________________________

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive! 

[taiblogcomics]

For Doomed The Bell Tolls

Hey there, dreaming about former employment. While I don't think Red Hood is about to be cancelled (everything is delayed by this pandemic), we are finally dwindling down this stack. Might have to move on to something else by summer~

Either way, here's this cover:

Oof, this headache is killing me. I can't even focus on the comic, the logo's horribly blurry. ...What do you mean it's supposed to look like that? Who would do that? Seriously, though, it's actually really hard to look at. At best, it looks like my glasses are blurry. At worst, kind of migraine-inducing. Either way, this is apparently a weird Pet Sematary tie-in, given the tagline. Given Jason's backstory, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd been Pet Semataried. Maybe the New 52 retconned his backstory from Lazarus Pit to Pet Sematary. They're actually not that super different if you think about it!

So we open where we left off, with introductions by our new friend Monster Arm. Long story short, he and his menagerie of freaks are a bunch of biologists who decided to experiment on themselves by splicing themselves with monster DNA, becoming "a new race of monster/human hybrids". As he's about to launch into a second paragraph, Jason pulls out his gun and shoots Monster Arm in his monster arm, just to get him to shut up. His students are once again suitably impressed, and for once I'm on his side. The monologuing stops, and a fight scene starts, with Doomed leaping on the rest of the monster biologists.

Jason once again just steps back and lets his students do the work. It's kind of a generic fight, but one of them has metal skin, which leads to Devour, well, devouring him. The monsterologist even lets out a Scooby-Doo "Rut-Roh" before Devour lays into him. Cloud 9 whips up a storm to blow everyone away, and Jason finally gets in the fight solely so he can kick Monster Arm in the face. Here's where Cloud 9's deal kicks in: the more intense the weather she creates, the more she loses control of her mental state. Because if you can control weather like a god, why shouldn't you consider yourself one?

Jason suggests trying to appeal to her humanity (and also wonders if he's using "tenuous" right, because we want to undercut this scene with jokes about Jason being a dummy), so Devour tries re-enacting "Arms Outstreched" from The Adventure Zone. Cloud 9 just blasts him with lightning in return, but the discharge expels enough power to lower her back to her senses. Jason pats himself on the back for this outcome. With that over with, the group decides to just burn down the building with Monster Arm and cronies inside it. Somehow this doesn't cross Jason's "no killing" line. Oh, we didn't kill them, the fire merely killed them while they were unconscious!

Doomed officially agrees to join the group, and the lot of them prepare to leave. When suddenly: Jason receives a phone call. Once again, I mistake Dr. Veritas for Starfire, but it is indeed the good doctor making the call. Her base is under siege, and therefore Jason and the teens don't have a base to return to. This is probably something related to the main event comic that we're not reading. That's tie-ins for you! Her transmission cuts out abruptly, leaving the lot of them in a "what now?" situation.

So even though we're only halfway through the issue, we're done with Jason for the week. The whole rest of the issue focuses on Artemis and Bizarro, which is fine by me. Ma Gunn has been restored to her normal size offscreen after her bottle home was broken last issue. And while that's nice, we're more concerned with how Pup-Pup is now alive and talking. And it's not Bizarro's hallucinations coming back, because Artemis can see and hear him too. Fortunately, there's a simple explanation for it. See, the AI from Bizarro's flying base back when he was smart decided it didn't want to die when the base exploded. So it downloaded itself into the plush doll, and here we are. Who knew the Velveteen Rabbit was an AI this whole time~?

Their next line of inquiry was how Ma Gunn got inside that bottle in the first place, but before Pup-Pup can tell them, he suddenly doubles over in pain. See, they never really made it home after that annual. They're in a facsimilie of Bizarro's base in a pocket dimension between realities. The base is suddenly collapsing, but fortunately this just returns them home. For some reason, they land in Mexico. Before they can really get their bearings, they're nearly trampled by a bunch of people fleeing something. And the comic ends with what they're fleeing from: a giant glowing sigil of some kind, floating in the sky. Pup-Pup announces that it means "DOOM".

This issue’s okay. I mean, it’s not bad or offensive or anything. But mostly it’s just a fight scene with Jason’s group, and then an exposition scene with Artemis and Bizarro’s. Not bad, not good. Just kind of a middling issue. Monster Arm might be the most nothing villain in the series, though, and with a series that’s featured the likes of Suzie Su, that’s saying something~

[seokmatthewz]

Oof, this is so late, I’m sorry! Oooooh, you’re so lucky!!! 🤧 I’m super happy for you!!! My day has been good so far, I didn’t do a lot tho! Also, I have random questions for you, feel free to do them or not do them if you don’t want to! 1- Cat or dog? 2- Favourite group? 3- What’s your dream job? 4- Favourite flower? 5- Favourite meal? 6- Favourite colour ? 7- Favourite song at the moment? 8- What’s a perfect day for you? 9- What do you like the most? 10- What do you hate the most?

no problem!!! i was so unproductive today and i rlly should have been productive but ig i’ll die i got into uni already. i Love questions i shall do them!!

1. i have a cat and a dog so i cant choose theyre both perfect but im terrified of big dogs so i tend to lean towards cats

2. nct!! and then ateez and gugudan too i love em all sm :’)

3. uhhhh maybe some kind of researcher?? i’m going into linguistics so i think a job where i’d get to learn even more about languages and how they form would be fun!!

4. gardenias!! they remind me of my grandmother and my mom and they smell amazing

5. theres this dimsum place near the lake and they have these dumplings called ‘shrimp toast’ and theyre p much a big ball of shrimp on top of some sort of crunchy thing all deep fried and i could eat 30000 of them i am constantly craving them

6. my favourite colours are mint green and periwinkle and theyre also the colours that look worst on me fkjkjsd

7. hmmm either love lock by roh taehyun or hey julie! by kyle and lil yachty

8. a day where i have no stress about school whatsoever where i can just chill and do what i want either with my friends or alone

9. hmmmm idk tbh therere lotsa things uhhh tonights answer will be my gf

10. bigots

[javi0ca]

Highlight the truth

WOAH I BARELY EVER GET TAGGED IN SHIT SO TY @theatrelovingemojivegan !!

Rule #1 Tag 9 people you want to get to know better:

you know tbh I don't talk to too many people on here so I guess I'd have to say @theatrelovingemojivegan and that's it?? wow i'm a loser haha sorry if this comes off as weird to mention just one dude? but yeah dude! you seem really chill! :0

1. Rule #2 Highlight the true statements in bold

I am 5'7 or taller

I wear glasses

I have at least one tattoo

I have at least one piercing

I have blonde hair

My abs are somewhat defined

I have or have had braces

I love meeting new people

People tell me I'm funny

Helping people with their problems is a big priority to me (depends, tbh)

I enjoy physical challenges

I enjoy mental challenges

I’m playfully rude to people I know well

I started to say something ironically, now I can’t stop saying it (Wowsa, Ruh-Roh, S’all good my man, Shrek’s big boy birthday bash, the list is endless)

There is something I would change about my personality

I can play an instrument (does a kazoo count)

I can sing well (kinda??)

I can do 30 pushups without stopping (hell na)

I’m a fast runner (fuckin pussy)

I can draw well (again kinda?? I might post my art here at somepoint)

I have a good memory

I’m good at doing math in my head

I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute

I have beaten at least two people in an arm wrestle (weeeeeeek)

I know how to cook at least 3 meals from scratch

I can throw a punch

I enjoy sports (fuck no)

I have learned a new song in the past week (bitch I can learn a musical a week step the fuck up kyle)

I’ve gone running at least one week in the summer

I work out at least once a week

I have drawn something in the last month (mmmhm)

I enjoy writing (eh yeah)

I have done martial arts

I have had my first kiss (fuckin wish)

I have had alcohol

I have scored a winning goal in sports

I have watched an entire season of a TV show in one sitting (parks and rec and the good place fans wya)

I have been to an overnight event

I have been in a taxi

I have been in hospital/er in the past year

I have beaten a video game in one day (Ducklife man, isa bop)

I have visited another country

I have been to one of my favourite band’s concerts

I have at least one person I consider a best friend (I have terrible friends so nr)

I live close to my school

OOF I AM A FUCKIN LOSER Y'ALL

[shirtlesssammy]

14x17: Game Night

Then:

Parenting is hard

Now:

We open with Donatello making cookies and bopping to BJ Thomas in his head. He’s just living his best soulless life, folks. 

Well, until his doorbell rings and he answers it. He’s soon trussed up and injected with an unknown substance.

Meanwhile at the bunker, it’s family game night! Dean’s made a head start on the festivities by setting up Mouse Trap by himself (poorly), Jack’s old enough to pop popcorn over an open flame, and Mary’s got a big bowl of carrots for Sam.

Mary checks in on Jack, and 10% souled up Jack tells her that her concern is annoying. XD He knows she’s just being a concerned mom though (and Mary’s just trying with this kid like she never had the chance with her own kids.) 

Just before Sam comes back with pizza, Dean checks his voicemail to find a message from Donatello. He needs their help. Dean instantly calls Sam, but can’t reach him. Mary and him take off right away. Jack stays behind to fill Sam in on what’s happening.

At Cindy’s Wafflette, Cas and Anael meet up. Anael is less than impressed with the diner vibe. I, on the other hand, am COMPLETELY SMITTEN with the whole thing. The waffle wallpaper! The tunes on the jukebox, the Formica tables, Cas’s order of waffles, the sun on the menu, the lady holding a giant waffle on the menu, the shots from the outside where we see the driving snow and the cozy tableau on the inside (more bars and wall separation imagery!).

Cas has something for her. 16th century Burmese blood rubies (lightly cursed), to be exact. He also needs her help with contacting God. She was Joshua’s right hand man, and God spoke to Joshua. Cas wants to find God to help Jack’s soul. Only God can restore a soul. “The Winchesters, they don’t know you’re here, do they?” LISTEN, Anael, stop judging our overprotective to his own detriment angel. She doesn’t want to help him, so Cas starts to take the earrings back. She has an idea though. Joshua tried reaching God after the Fall, and God answered. She wasn’t there when it happened, but she can take him to who was.

Sam and Jack are busy at the bunker trying to translate the bit of ancient Hebrew Donatello muttered at the end of his message. Mary and Dean have a moment in the Impala. Mary laments not being around enough for her children. And I’m like, NOPE. Stop with this nonsense. Too much pain foreshadowing.

And I don’t have enough time to unpack this:

Mary: But I know how I am. I can be closed off, hard.

Dean: Yeah, well, that’s where I get it from.

A thousand LOLs. (muttering to self: Dean, stop lying about yourself to relate to others) I will take their mutual smile at the end represents that they both know that’s a big lie.

At the bunker, Sam cracks the message. It’s Peter 5:8. “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

At Donatello’s, Dean and Mary don’t find Donatello, but they do find the devil Nick. Nick admits to injecting Donatello with thallium to get the WInchester’s attention.

Cas and Anael arrive at Orlando’s Emporium. They find Methuselah inside.

He doesn’t want to play ball, but Cas pops out his smitey blue eyes and Methuselah admits that the thing that Joshua used to call God is somewhere in his warehouse.

Dean and Mary bring Nick back to the bunker. Sam Fucking Winchester almost takes him out the second he sees him. I’m so here for completely done Sam.

Later, Sam is trying to parse why Nick was just waiting for Dean and Mary. It makes no sense. Mary notes that they have to save Donatello. Sam’s already on top of the antidote and he’s semi-confident that he can hack the feed to find him. Dean goes to talk with Nick.

Sam and Mary have a moment. STOP. I’m firmly in the Please don’t kill Mary camp (but see the writing on the wall.)

Cas and Anael continue their search for the Ark of the Covenant conduit to God.

Anael and Cas have an existential conversation about Heaven, God, and humanity. Anael doesn’t agree with God’s whole not meddling thing. Anael doesn’t need Heaven and she doesn’t need God, and she is ...happy. (Keep that word away from Cas!) Cas thinks she sounds lonely, and she counters that we are all alone. Cas has family though. And Cas knows that God meddles.

Dean’s busy beating up Nick in the bunker’s dungeon. Nick is busy mentally messing with Dean about Michael. Nick also asks to see his “son.” URGH.

Mary remains the best and most skeptical mom/hunter in the world, because she advises strongly against letting Nick see “his son.” Sam’s on board though. Weighed down by guilt, he thinks it may be their best shot to get Nick to reveal Donatello’s location. Jack insists on helping Donatello anyway, because he’s his friend. WWWD!

Nick immediately manages to get a rise from Jack. Lucifer was a monster and Jack’s “three dads” have killed tons - soulless Jack has terrible role models. (Which is certainly true.) Nick has learned Lucifer’s art of hurting with half-truths. Nick headbutts Jack as soon as he gets close and smashes his nose, getting blood everywhere. Jack heals himself and then gets Nick to promise to show them where to find Donatello.

At Methuselah’s, Anael has reached the creepy doll stage of their investigation and decides that she is 100% done. She confronts Cas and tells him that he’s jumping through these hopeless, miracle-seeking truths because he’s too afraid to tell Sam and Dean the truth about Jack. “Jack’s soul is gone, Castiel. And there’s nothing you can do about it. I don’t wanna say all that and hurt your feelings, so…” (LOL, I love Anael.) The truth bomb hits Cas hard. Cas and Anael are about to leave when Cas spots an amulet hanging in the jewelry display that looks an awful lot like Dean’s old God-necklace. It’s a Casulet!

Casulet recipe:

1 holy amulet 1 Tbsp faith 2 tsp self-doubt 5 cups of existential angst

Methuselah congratulates Cas on finding Joshua’s amulet. Yay, Cas! You passed his worthiness test (see our Last Crusade post for context). Time to make a long distance call. Cas immediately prays to God and invokes Sam and Dean’s name in his plea for help. (Aw, Cas bby.) It’s decidedly unexciting and Methuselah drily comments that it never worked for Joshua either.

Sam, Dean, and Nick drive out to find Donatello, arriving at a set of warehouses set in a snowy landscape. Dean heads in to find Donatello and leaves Sam to watch Nick. Best friends forever, amirite?

Outside of Methuselah’s Emporium, Cas says he’s finally going to head home to tell Sam and Dean the truth. He bids Anael farewell. But before she goes, he tells her that even if God left them, they’re not alone. Best friends forever, amirite?!! Anael treats this sentiment with all the respect someone might treat an after-school special, but Cas insists that they all have each other. Aw, Cas <3

Back at the bunker, Mary digs through a box of things they’d recovered from Donatello’s and Jack recognizes the silver grace-extracting syringe as once containing grace. They realize that Donatello was injected with grace and maybe not poisoned after all. Ruh roh. She calls Sam, who is currently trapped in the Impala with the meat suit version of Hallucifer. (Meaning, Nick starts to sing. Badly.) Extra annoyed, Sam steps out of the car, leaving Nick to get up to No Good.

Dean finds Donatello tied up in the warehouse. Sam pulls Nick out of the car - Nick, who just pulled a tiny blade from his wrist so he can pick the lock on his cuffs. Sam, BBY, you do know that guns can be used just as well when you’re out of arms reach of the enemy, right?

Nick reveals his dastardly plan. He injected Donatello with grace so he could communicate with Lucifer, who’s been kicking around the Empty doing his best interpretation of the Terminator. Lucifer told him about a ritual he could use to bring him back. All he needed was a little bit of Jack’s blood, which Nick got from Jack’s bloody nose. Oof. Nick’s been working with demons, who want Lucifer back.

Dean gets attacked by demons in the warehouse and Sam and Nick start a fistfight up by the car. Sam gets beaned on the head by a huge rock. UGH, Sam. Your poor cabeza! While Sam fights with another head injury, Dean almost gets killed by demons.

Dean races out to the Impala to help Sam, who’s been honking the horn full blast after locking himself in the car to save himself from Nick. Sam’s doing…really, really badly. He’s incoherent and has trouble breathing and…Sam might not make it? Dean calls Mary and fills her in on Nick’s plan. He tells her that he can’t go after Nick because he has to stay with Sam and wait for an ambulance to arrive.

Nick steals a car and makes his way to an abandoned cabin to start the ritual to bring back Lucifer. As it begins, Jack buckles in pain. Mary puts all the pieces together, realizing that Nick was after Jack all along. She tells Jack to take them to Nick and gives him permission to use his powers.

Nick’s ritual starts to work and the Empty goo folds out into reality. Lucifer approaches like a mess of sludge and glowing eyes, ready to jump back into Nick.

Jack flaps in just in time. He uses his powers to zap Lucifer back to the Empty and then slowly tortures Nick, breaking his bones and burning him alive. Mary begs Jack to stop his slow torture but Jack’s too far into it.

Back with Sam, Dean begs him to cling to consciousness. But as he desperately tries to get Sam to engage, Sam sputters in some final goodbyes about how Dean’s always put him first and it’s FINE we don’t have feelings about this at all. Sam’s eyes slip closed and…I was not expecting this.

The editing cuts expertly from Sam’s maybe-dead face to Nick’s, then pans out to see Mary’s look of horror as she gazes at Jack. “I had to,” Jack whispers and…like…maybe? But the torture is not on-brand for you. Something is wrong with Jack ™

Mary sends Jack to go help Sam. Jack arrives in a flurry of wings and races immediately for Sam. He heals Sam, who takes a giant breath and returns to life. Dean tries very hard not to freak the fuck out at seeing his brother come back to life.

(Side note: I realize that we’ve learned this episode that Jack is soulless and this is a Problem ™ but he did race immediately to heal Sam. So some of his instincts are good. I retain hope that his “dark arc” will be nuanced. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.)

Mary gathers her thoughts at the cabin and when Jack flaps back, super proud of himself for healing Sam.

Mary tells him that he’s not fine. We’ve seen lots of beloved characters slipping into the ol’ torture role on this show, so Jack’s mode of hurting Nick certainly feels on brand for the WWWD movement. But I think the best point that Mary makes is that it’s not him. Mary tells him that he’s not okay. “It’s not your fault,” she goes on to say. “The Jack I know would never have done that.” At first I’m scared for her, like Jack will destroy her so she doesn’t reveal his secrets. But instead angel-speech-ringing breaks into Jack’s mind. He can’t hear her. Can’t see her. Mary hurries to him to try to help but there’s a rushing sound and then the screen goes black.

“Mary?” Jack asks in a small voice. OOOOH DANG

Boris: I believe that the last scene is complete misdirection for the audience. We’re supposed to have this fear of soulless Jack because he killed Felix. Mary is distressed that Jack killed Nick. She talks to Jack and he doesn’t want to listen to her until she says “If Sam and Dean saw what you did, they would be as worried as I am.” Jack looks at her and looks down, defeated, worried. He asks if she is going to tell them ---he needs their approval. He needs to know that what he’s doing is what Sam and Dean want. He now knows he messed up and is scared he won’t have their approval anymore. It’s the next part that I’m waffling about what happens. Mary says, “You need help, we’ll help you. We’re family.” Then Jack says, “You can’t. No, just leave me alone.” He starts to walk away AND puts his hands to his ears. THEN the angel radio buzz starts. Was Jack responding to Mary or did he hear the buzzing before we as the audience did? The subsequent “Leave me alone”-s aren’t meant for Mary. He’s talking to the voice(s) in his head. His glowing eyes are a reaction to the voices, not Mary. We’ll find out next week what really happens with Mary, but I’d like to exist in the world that Jack didn’t harm her for a week, knowing that the last time we saw Jack react to angel radio, he lashed out and knocked the sheriff unconscious after he was first born.

Natasha: This is pure speculation, but I think Jack accidentally sent Mary to the Empty, which is where he was trying to send Lucifer back to after he kept shouting in Jack’s ears. Anyway, stay tuned for my Mary vs. The Shadow full length screenplay.

WWWQ (What Would the Winchesters Quote):

Just a general reek of ill conceived lone wolf desperation…

I’m grateful - every day I get to spend with you and Sam.

The thingamajig he used - it’s around here somewhere.

Are you insane? This is Mulberry silk.

What’s it like not having a soul? Must be relaxing.

Come on, Sam. Nobody stays dead anymore. You know that.

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