#oscar's mother's day quest

[ajbullet]

My thoughts on episode 4 of PJO: spoilers (chaotic edition because I JUST watched it and the thoughts are so fresh)

-First off: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

-Ok, good. Had to get that out. Second: best 30 minutes of my life

-I don’t think you guys will ever be able to fully comprehend how much I love Annabeth Chase and seeing Leah as her has only heightened that love. So imagine how elated I was to watch an episode full of my girl. She slayed, owned, and ate this episode. Whatever you want to call it. She did it

-“Are you awake?” The long-ass pause before Annabeth answered. As soon as Percy spoke, I was so hoping he was talking to her and not Grover (sorry I love him but). And then she answered

-She finally opened up to him!! We got some of her backstory!! She’s finally feeling comfortable!!!

-Percy’s face when she said she was seven. He was so surprised. I think he realized instantly how long this girl has been going through so much. They are only twelves years old. But she was a child when this began for her. Like you could tell he couldn’t believe it

-Grover mocking Annabeth was probably my favorite line from him yet. He’s so unserious I love him. Also, the food part was too relatable

-Small detail but the sky was so freaking pretty in the background. Such a unique thing to add and I loved it

-“Can I ask a dumb question?” As soon as he said it I knew Annabeth was gonna be the one to respond and she did not disappoint.

-“little girl” Annabeth’s reaction. I got chills. Leah deserves an Oscar/Emmy (whatever the actor award is) for that scene alone

-Loved Enchilada (don’t know how to spell her name and don’t feel like going back to check) but she talked too damn much. I was like get back to my kids please. Oh and back the hell up

-My BOY GOT STABBED NOOOOO. Oh he’s fine (plot twist: no he’s not)

-Annabeth took that mf DOWN for a second

-The monument!!! It was so cool!! Interesting that it’s a monument to Athena. I think I remember that from the book but either way that’s cool

-The. Entire. Conversation. Between. Percy. And. Annabeth. Oh. My. Gods.

-The fake accent??? Where did that come from?? I had to rewind twice just to make sure I heard right. Like what in Percy’s mind told him to do that? What wires crossed or came undone? How far had that poison reached? Because that was so unserious and I fell even more in love with his character

-He likeeeeeeeeeeees her

-Annabeth’s smile!! I’ve been waiting to see her smile like that and it was so cool to see! My girl is finally happy! for a second

-“You’ve done more for me in the past two days…” “If I had to pick someone, I’d…”

That required my BRAIN

-Plot twist: (again) Percy is not fine

-The splashing water was so funny. Like I get why but come on that was something else.

-Percy seeing what Annabeth has already sacrificed for him and his quest: her relationship with her mother. He sees what he has already cost her and what helping him means to her and omg it was heartbreaking

-One thing I absolutely adore about the books is that Annabeth’s intelligence is never in doubt by the reader. It’s not Percy or other characters saying she’s smart again and again with no proof. It’s not the narrative shoving the fact that she is smart in your face over and over. She proves she is smart. She proves she is inventive and strategic and intelligent by her actions and thought process and it’s almost never mentioned verbally. That whole idea of show vs tell? It’s perfectly shown through Annabeth acting intelligent instead of people talking about how intelligent she is.

Like how she splashed Percy with water or pulled the fire alarm. The viewers are shown she is smart, not just told.

-Annabeth’s willingness to sacrifice herself for her friends. Her only caring about Percy being poisoned, bot the monsters, and helping him. She knew she would die going up against the Chimera, even calls it the “demigod killer”, yet she does it anyway so her friends can succeed. She opened up to these boys and now she was giving her life for them

-Percy doing the same. Exact. Thing. The trick with the sword. The whispered words against the door, even as they shouted at him to open it. He knew for sure he would die and wanted it to be for a good cause. He didn’t even know if he could fight the chimera, but it was better him than Annabeth

-That boy looked so sick someone please help him

-oh, someone did.

-Dude I told my dad about the whole “Rick not knowing the River wasn’t right under the arc” thing and I was so excited to see how they did that and honestly it worked. Poseidon’s first way of helping Percy was by pulling him into the water, showing him to “just breathe”. My dad laughed when we watched it.

-oh I forgot! I love the first scene with Sally. Had some ptsd from swimming lessons but got to see young Percy so it was worth it

-Also the fall was shot so cool. I felt like I was falling with him

-He can breathe underwater! We knew this! But it’s still awesome!

I can’t even wrap my head around next episode. We are going to be fed so well after this short-ass episode and I am so ready. This episode already gave more Percabeth than I was expecting all season and I wanted to cry it was so adorable. This show is the only thing getting me through each week.

(Also, if you couldn’t tell, I finally figured out how to do italics instead of just capitalizing everything. Go me!)

[kikikigrah]

unlikely duo

lando norris x singer!yn

summary: following y/n, an international superstar, invited by mclaren to attend the monaco gp. after that, it’s all go from there with a certain no.4 driver.

faceclaim: jazmyn makenna!

_____________________________________________

yourusername posted

liked by mclaren, landonorris, and 1,392,902 others.

yourusername omggg! thank you so much for having me @ mclaren this has been a life long dream. the little girl in me is sooo happy, and i had THEEEEE most fun! mclaren girl until i die. 🥹

78,628 comments

mclaren Guys shut up, y/n y/l/n is officially a part of the papaya fam! 🧡

liked by yourusername

user1 THIS IS THE CROSSOVER I DIDN’T KNOW I NEEDED!!!

—> user2 wdym girl y/n has been saying she was a fan of f1 since before you could talk 😭

user3 do we think she’s a lando girlie or an oscar girlie?

—> landonorris Obviously Lando.

—> user4 AGHHHHH HE REPLIED TO YOUR COMMENT!!

—> user5 Lando being messy as usual. 😭

f1 Was y/n here for us or were we here for her?

user6 she’s really doing every side quest to avoid dropping a new album.

—> user7 WE ARE HUNGRY GIRLLLL

user8 lando’s comment… let him cook.

—> user9 So true give y/n a good man for once.

—> user10 y’all are MADDD weird, they literally just met y/n went to ONE race.

—> user11 @ user10 they’ve been following each other wayyy before she went to this race.

—> user12 I’m here for it.

f1wagupdates posted

56,892 likes

f1wagupdates International music sensation y/n y/l/n was spotted in a club in Monaco with Lando Norris. The two were reportedly seen both arriving and leaving together.

8,397 comments

user8 I WAS RIGHT SHUT UP OH MY GOD.

—> user 13 Can you be right about a P1 for Lando next?

user14 how is she casually in a club in monaco without being swarmed with people this can’t be her 😭

landonorris uploaded a photo to their story

yourusername posted

Liked by landonorris and 1,003,893 others

yourusername monacoooo baby, best week of my life!!!! will be back asap <3

45,903 comments

user15 SHUT UP THE LAST PHOTO, LANDO WAS ON A BOAT TWO DAYS AGOOOO

—> user16 y/nDO IS REALLL!!!

—> user17 HOW IS THE PAPARAZZI NOT CATCHING THESE TWO?

—> user18 @ user17 just a normal day in monaco 😭😭😭😭

madisonbeer come back to LA girl i miss u 🥹

—> yourusername ily bby see u soon!

—> user19 y/nson stronger than y/ndo could EVER BE!

—> user20 WHERE IS THE COLLAB?

liked by yourusername

liked by madisonbeer

landonorris I’ll show you around next time?

—> yourusername if you’re driving!

—> user21 LANDO STOP ACTING AS IF YOU WEREN’T ALREADY DOING THAT!

—> user22 why are we being gaslighted rn.

user23 drop the album queen!

y/n_updates posted

liked by carlossainz55, and 973,893 others.

y/n_updates Y/n spotted last night in her current home city of LA getting cosy with Formula One driver Lando Norris who just drove in the Canadian Grand Prix. The two have been interacting on social media, and have been rumoured to be dating since they first met.

Y/n has not been involved with anyone romantically since her whirlwind romance with the rising star Jacob Elordi last year. Elordi is believed to be the mystery man she was referring to in her hit song ‘ballad of broken promises’.

Read more about the singer and her supposed new flame through the link in our bio.

69,683 comments

user23 WHATTTT THEYRE ACTUALLY A THING?!

user24 y/nDO IS CONFIRMED

user25 omg his outfit… girlfriend effect at its finest. 🙏

—> user26 still had to keep the cap though 💀

user27 jacob elordi to lando norris… they couldn’t be more different from each other 😭

—> user28 that’s what i was thinking, the height is the first thing!

—> user29 mother has amazing taste 😩

—> user30 @ user29 ik u didn’t just say that having listened to ballad of broken promises 💀💀

user31 THE WAY CARLOS LIKED THIS POST IM SCREAMING!!!!

—> user32 HIS BEST FRIEND JUST CONFIRMED IT HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

user33 CARLOS SAINZ STIRRING THE POT

user34 omg my girl has a man 🥹 i am so so happy for her if they are official

user35 Am i the only one who has never heard of Lando 😭

—> user36 UMM YES 💀

yourusername posted

liked by madisonbeer, landonorris, and 2,389,683 others.

yourusername i am super excited to announce that my new single ‘high-heeled sweetheart’, ft my bestest friend @ madisonbeer , will be coming out next friday! i had so much fun making this track, and i’m sooo super proud of it. thank u to all the beautiful ppl out there who keep making this dream of mine possible. i just want to hug each and every one of you. <33

and a special thank you to @ landonorris for taking the beautiful photo i now get to use as the cover. you’re incredible! :)

96,682 comments

user37 SO LAST NIGHT WE GET THE Y/N X LANDO PICS IN LA, AND TODAY WE GET A SONG DROP Y/N UR LIFE IS SO WILD

—> user38 AND HE TOOK THE COVER PHOTO

—> user39 i fucking love the cover but it’s so risqué, they are 100% dating.

—> user40 THE :) FACE OH I AM SICK!

madisonbeer my ANGEL!! I loved finally working with you

—> yourusername thank you for being here with me every step of the way madi

mclaren We will be streaming as soon as it comes out. 🧡

liked by yourusername

user41 the way she still hasn’t adressed the dating rumours, queen shit.

—> user42 she don’t need to, the pics are confirmation enough. 😭

landonorris y/n called me incredible, #winning.

—> yourusername lando norris noticed ME #winning.

—> user43 ARE Y’ALL GONNA COME OUT AND TELL US UR DATING OR DO WE NEED TO FORCE IT OUT OF YOU?

—> user44 MOTHER AND FATHER?

iamrebeccad Will be listening on Friday! So happy for you ✨

—> yourusername i absolutely adore you 🥹

—> user45 HIS BEST FRIENDS GIRLFRIEND IS EVEN COMMENTING NOW!

—> user46 oh theyre locked in.

[celaenaeiln]

Heck speaking of that last ask, whose to say even for Dick’s more professional and cordial moments with those outside his family or closest allies, whose to say those aren’t a front to mask his more serious and strategic cunning to through those other people off guard if they’re suspected of doing bad?

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ASKED THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE SPOT ON!!!!

This actually happens in canon but this time it's within the family.

In Batman and Robin Eternal the whole Batfamily is forced to a clean up a lethal mess that Bruce wasn't able to solve during his and Dick's days. Their opponent is a woman named "Mother" for which she is aptly named because her brilliance and manipulation were so high that Bruce was forced to admit defeat, unable to deal with her.

During the investigation, the rest of the batfamily is blissfully unaware of Tim's actions, histories, and secrets-except Dick.

While leaving the rest of the family in the dark to avoid raising suspicions, he goes to get some answers.

Of course he would never betray his family's trust without some evidence.

While Jason and Stephanie are busy yelling at each other, Tim quietly sneaks away to answer a call by "Mother." Dick is at the Drake's while this is happening thus indicating that both Dick and Tim have their own share of secrets and battle plans.

He asks questions about Tim to his parents as if he's never met Tim before. Someone should get this man an Oscar.

Of course everything goes to hell when an operative of Mother's shows up and starts firing at Dick. Tim's mom utters a codeword that isolates her and Jack and also notifies Tim. Dick neutralizes his opponent.

And then Tim shows up.

"It's your secrets, Tim. I respected your privacy. Never looked too close, until that became a luxury I couldn't afford...I thought you weren't one of Mother's children. Hoped you weren't. But I had to know."

While Tim is rightfully hurt, but the thing is-they can't trust anyone right now because Mother, their enemy, is inseparable from the batfamily. She gets into people's heads and uses them as operatives over their entire lifetimes from childhood to adulthood. And first and foremost, Dick is a detective. It's ingrained into him to identify any threat and act accordingly.

This scene is extremely important because Bruce was almost killed by Mother and Dick loves Bruce. For his part Bruce almost killed their world just so Dick could live and reversely, Dick would do anything to make sure Bruce was safe.

But here's where Dick's manipulation and cheerful demeanor come into play. The batfamily has no idea how good Dick is at manipulating people.

When Dick runs off to do this, they only say

They have no idea.

Dick never does anything without a plan, a backup, and a safety net. The only mistake in their understanding is that while they think that Dick looks for a safety net second, they don't know that Dick's already created his own net and the one they see is the one Dick tossed out to his allies when he needs them to catch him.

Even now, Tim only found out because his mom activated the alarms in his house. If Dick's enemy hadn't blasted in and opened fire at him then it's suffice to say that everyone would be none the wiser about his little side quest.

I don't think the batfamily will ever realize how cunning he is. They see him as a kind older brother who is too adherent to Bruce's rules. Afterwards Jason makes fun of Tim in an older brother way by implying if he's mad at his mommy lol.

The DC vs Vampires and why every single member of the family was blindsided was because they underestimated him and never expected it of him. That's how good of a manipulator Dick is and that is why they will never know.

Tim once said Dick was "ranting and raving" in Arkham during Future State but for someone who had supposedly lost his mind, he still was the reason they defeated the government and came out on top. Future State: Nightwing is a peak example of Dick's genius when it comes to controlling people even if it seems like lunacy from the outside.

Everyone sees him as the nice one and Dick is the nice one of the family but when his family's life comes into danger he will unearth any secrets that he let you have in order to keep them safe.

So basically he'll let you do anything: keep secrets, lie to him, ignore him, but if you endanger his family he is coming for you because as the song lyrics goes-

"I may be next to you but you don't know I'm undercover."

And that is what makes his character so excellent. The greatest spy and threat the good has ever had.

This is my favorite personality trait of his because he's the James Bond and Mata Hari of DC.

[rosieshipper]

Okie! I am pleased to finally announce my official Star Wars Self Insert!

This is Luna Okita! She is part of a species that I made called the Orochids. They are essentially space centaurs that have the power of shapeshifting and are naturally gifted with the force. They are a very beautiful species and are very regal, having a monarchy for a government on their home planet. They are said to have the stars in their skin itself and were a gift to the galaxy by the force itself. To be in the presence of an Orochid is considered a blessing by the force and to grant good fortune

Now Luna was born to Queen Noctus. A rather cruel queen who never wished for an heir. So when Luna was born to the galaxy, she was immediately neglected by her mother, refusing to acknowledge her existence and left her to the care of her servants. She wasn’t even named by her mother, only referred to as a wretched swine and an unwanted child. Over time, Noctus’s hatred for her own daughter only grew more and more to the point that she would order her servants to not care for her any longer and to lock her within a room with nothing but a single tiny mattress in the hopes that she would simply perish. But the days went on and Luna’s wails echoed through the halls, but Noctus threatened that if anyone were to help her, they would regret it

During Noctus’s reign as Queen, she had made plenty of enemies in her quest for conquest over other planets. One of these planets was the home to a rather large clan of Mandalorians. After a particularly grueling attack on the Mandalorians camp that resulted in the death of many, the remaining Mandos staged an attack against the Orochids palace in the dark of night

Once the palace was quiet and asleep, the Mandos launched their attack, rushing the palace and beginning to set it alight and killing anyone in their path now this is where a small group of Mandos come in

This is Miguel, leader of the the Mandalorian clan that was attacked by Queen Noctus. And in the attack of their camp, he had lost his pregnant wife to the hands of Queen Noctus. Vexed with the need for revenge, Miguel staged the attack and was the first to rush the palace and the first to begin the burning. In the midst of the fight, Miguel stormed into the castle, intent on hunting Queen Noctus down and taking her head. But in his search for the queen, he came upon a locked door. Assuming the Queen had barricaded herself inside, he began to break it down until the door finally broke off its hinges

Rushing into the room, he expected to see the frightened queen cowering before him. But he was met with not the queen, but something far worse. An empty room with only a single tiny mattress and on the floor in front of him, a tiny and frail Orochid infant. The poor thing was as skinny as could be and upon Miguel’s entrance, the thing began to mewl pitifully as it tried to crawl towards him, crying all the while

Miguel, horrified by what he saw, carefully scooped up the baby and cradled it close in his arms. The poor thing looked as if it wouldn’t last a moment more. But when it snuggled close to his chest, taking in his warmth, he knew what he had to do. Taking the baby from the burning palace, he met back with his fellow Mandalorians. Their job was done and it was time to go home

From there, Miguel took on the responsibility of raising the Orochid, giving her the name of Luna and raising her with his four other Mando’s that he deemed his closest family

Oscar

Pedro

Tabitha

And Luca

From then on Luna is raised to be a Mandalorian and is giving a much better upbringing then what she started out with

More to come out about Luna and her Mando family soon!

Tags: @astralshipper @arickaandherfictionalothers @shibasparklez @wolfofthedead

[denimbex1986]

Everyone gets lost in Cillian Murphy’s eyes. At the end of his latest film, “Oppenheimer,” in which he plays the titular character, Oppenheimer stands alone, staring at the pattern of rain droplets over a still pond. As the camera lingers on his face, a ring of fire begins to consume the Earth, and an immense blaze fills the whole scene. Not a sound is uttered, but the emotion conveyed in those piercing blue eyes speaks louder than words.

Murphy’s eyes that speak surely bring the character of Oppenheimer to life, even in the black and white parts of the film. “I try not to think of actors as I write, but Cillian’s eyes were the only eyes I know that can project that intensity,” Nolan said to the New York Times. This is their sixth collaboration, but the first time Murphy has played the lead. With “Oppenheimer” surpassing $900 million at the global box office — becoming one of the most acclaimed biopics to date — audiences have become as eager to learn about it’s as they are about the father of the atomic bomb.

Even though it took Hollywood a while to recognize Murphy’s potential to play a starring role, this quietly intense actor has long been celebrated in the UK and Ireland. A survey of his portfolio since his debut in 1996 reveals a daring selection of characters: Jackson Ripper, a terrorist leader in “Red Eye;” Fischer, the heir to a multi-billion empire in “Inception;” Daniel O’Donovan, an Irish republican in “The Wind That Shakes the Barley;” an anonymous, shivering soldier in “Dunkirk.” None of these names carry the same fame as the legendary physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer on screen today, but Murphy honored them all.

In order to get ready for the part of Patrick “Kitten” Barden, Murphy spent weeks working with a real-life drag queen, who took him clubbing with friends so he could study women’s body language and learn how to dress. To be able to convincingly act out Tommy Shelby, a WWI veteran, he followed a hard-hitting workout plan to look “physically imposing” for the part. The quest to achieve Oppenheimer’s chiseled cheeks and a haunted look took him to the opposite end of the spectrum. According to costar Emily Blunt, on set he would only eat one almond a day to slim down and was so immersed in the role that he skipped cast dinners. According to Murphy, “It’s not the scale, it’s the quality.” For him, great dedication is necessary in order to fully embody his characters.

Clearly, his hard work has paid off. Murphy is now the 5/4 favorite to win Best Actor at the 2024 Oscars for his performance in “Oppenheimer,” as predicted by The Online Betting Guide, and his last role as Tommy Shelby in “Peaky Blinders” earned him his first BAFTA TV Awards nomination for Leading Actor. Prior to this, he also received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for his role as a transgender woman in “Breakfast on Pluto.”

Yet Murphy did not always know he wanted to be an actor, and it took him a long time to discover his life-long passion. His father was a civil servant and his mother a French teacher, but the house was always busy — non-stop music, bookshelves filled with literature, and the radio often on. His parents sent him to an all-boys private school, where he was involved in rugby for some time before giving it up. Then, he tried for a law degree at University College Cork, but he quit that too. He devoted years to doing what his parents wished for, not necessarily what he wanted, and “he didn’t feel good enough.” After that, he had a fleeting music career before a stage production of “A Clockwork Orange” guided him to his true passion — acting.

His first breakthrough came in the 2002 movie “28 Days Later,” where he played Jim, the lone survivor of a pandemic in a desolate London. It was a modern horror classic which served as a launching pad for Murphy’s career, with Nolan later recalling the poster of Murphy with his bald head and “crazy” eyes in a conversation for Entertainment Weekly. His profile continued to grow in 2005 following his roles in several successful films, namely the Scarecrow in “The Dark Knight” and the villain in the action thriller “Red Eye.” For the last two decades, he has built strong relationships with directors such as Boyle and Nolan and continuously wowed audiences with his talent for playing dark, troubled, and tormented characters. But these complex characters are not strictly villains. As Murphy said in an interview with The Guardian, “Villains are good if they’re well written, but if it’s one note or a trope, then they are dull.” He relishes playing these complex characters and likes scripts to stretch into “all the shades” of the human spectrum.

“I can’t remember which director said it, but he said it takes 30 years to make a good actor,” he said to PORT Magazine. 27 years later, coming off the heels of a starring role in a major film, Murphy appears to have achieved his aim.

In an industry that often rewards fast success, Cillian Murphy has chosen a different path. “Peaky Blinders” made the Irish actor a household name, and Nolan’s blockbuster epic took him even further. However, Murphy continued to pursue roles which were often underrated, because it is “a film that you're very sort of proud of and excited by.” Known for his introverted personality, Murphy has chosen a quiet, normal life away from the public eye, even revealing at one point that he did not enjoy the “personality part” of being an actor. “I don’t understand why it’s expected I’ll be scintillating on a talkshow,” he said in an interview with The Guardian. He is true to his word — Murphy’s bored face during interviews has become a popular meme. Indeed, 67 million people on TikTok have watched videos on “Cillian Murphy interview zoning out,” and they can’t seem to get enough of his dissociating clips. Part of his appeal to fans seems to stem from this authenticity, in contrast with so many other celebrities who aim to please.

To Murphy, character is in fact all that matters. Murphy is satisfied with being the man in the shadows, and though he may not be as flashy as Tommy Shelby with “that charisma and swagger,” he believes that this shows that “I’m doing my job” correctly. “Cillian and Tommy are almost polar opposites,” Steven Knight, the “Peaky Blinders” creator, attested in an interview with Esquire.

As recounted in the Esquire interview, when Murphy auditioned for the role, Knight doubted whether this very thin man was the right fit for a Bringham-based gangster. Murphy said a simple yet powerful thing then: “Remember, I’m an actor.” His point was that when he enters a room, he is not Tommy Shelby. But when he is acting, he can become anyone — a gangster, a woman, or a physicist.

What is so mesmerizing about Murphy’s eyes? It is not the color, but the complex, varied emotion that is seen in each glimpse. Murphy can draw people into a story and make them think twice about it afterwards. While he has worked for close to thirty years in the acting industry, making him one of the most prolific actors, neither the standard film crew hierarchy nor his fame will keep him from choosing what truly captivates him. His success is a natural result of his unwavering pursuit and love of the craft.'

[d8nielaa]

"How Soon Is Now?/Daughter Of Olympus" - Series Masterlist

xfem!reader/xteen!reader

Summary: A girl. Not just any girl. A girl handcrafted by the Greek gods themeselves. Every trait and feature, was a gift from the gods. She would always be at their service. No matter the cost. She was raised by them, she would forever be in their debt. Until, one day they had decided she was ready. Ready for her first quest. Except, she doesn't know what or who she's looking for. All she had was a crystal. One that would glow, whenever the gods were trying to communicate. Little did she know, she was in for quite the trip.

Characters/Faceclaims:

Alesie/Yn: Reader

Nikolas: Reeve Carney

Basilia: Eva Nobelzada

Adonis: Charlie Bushnell

Hermes: Lin Manuel Miranda

Demeter: Zoe Saldana

Persephone: Amandla Stenberg

Zeus: Oscar Issac

Apollo: Sam Clafin

Aphrodite: Halle Bailey

Artemis: Sadie Sink

Posiden: Logan Lerman

Nyx: Dove Cameron

Athena: Danai Gurira

Ares: Adam Copeland

Dionysus: Jason Mantzoukas

Hypnos: Tom Sturridge

Hepheustaus: Lewis Pullman

Hestia: Rachel Zegler

Hades: Jay Duplass

Hera: Emily Rudd

Playlist (songs may vary/lots of Hadestown songs lowkey) 

1- All I Wanted - Paramore 

2- Not Strong Enough - boygenuis 

3- No Church In The Wild - JAY-Z

4-labour - Paris Paloma 

5-Wait For Me - Cast Of Hadestown 

6- The Moon Will Sing - The Crane Wives 

7-The Old Therebefore - Rachel Zegler 

8- Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana 

9-Outro - M83 

10-Sign of the Times - Harry Styles 

11- Hayloft ll - Mother Mother 

12- Sarah - Alex G 

13- O Children - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

14- Gilded Lily - Cults 

15- How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths 

16- Any Way The Wind Blows - Cast Of Hadestown 

17- Chant (Reprise) - Cast Of Hadestown 

18- Flowers - Eva Nobelzada/Cast Of Hadestown 

Prologue: The quest begins... https://www.tumblr.com/d8nielaa/745538006624157696/how-soon-is-now-daughter-of-olympus-prologe?source=share

Chapter 1: Any Way The Wind Blows https://www.tumblr.com/d8nielaa/747253648467345408/how-soon-is-nowdaughter-of-olympus?source=share

Chapter 2: tba

Chapter 3: tba

Chapter 4: tba

authors note: Hey guys! I hope you like this series that i've come up with. its kinda like a mix of percy jackson, hadestown and my imagination. this is an idea that i've had on my mind for a while and that i just had to get out there. enjoy!!!

REQUESTS ARE OPEN!!!!

Pinterest Board Link:

[rosegardenshipcollab]

RG Prompt : Secret Garden

What if Ruby and Oscar met in secret garden?

Hear me out, Ruby and Oscar as kids they both liked to explore and create stories. Ruby was always the knight going on a quest, she'd borrow her mothers cape or uncle Qrows cape and go exploring in the woods by her house.

Oscar would arm himself with his shovel and go play, sometimes the games would get too real and he run back home terrified. But most times he had a lot of fun.

But one day while exploring they bump into each other, peering from across a clearing they were both hiding behind trees. Ruby waved and Oscar waved back.

This started a wonderful friendship, their meetup become the secret garden. This continued well up until early teens, Oscar stopped coming but Ruby... she went but didn't see him.

But one day...they both happened to be there.. and the magic was there all over again. There in their secret garden.

[wiseedition]

Made-by-India cinema gets first Oscars

Indian cinema first knocked at the door of the Academy Awards in 1958 with director Mehboob Khan’s seminal work, Mother India.

Indian cinema first knocked at the door of the Academy Awards in 1958 with director Mehboob Khan’s seminal work, Mother India. Since then, this quest has been an obsession almost, with films like Salaam Bombay and Lagaan going agonisingly close. Of course, our artists like Bhanu Athaiya (Gandhi), A R Rahman, Gulzar, and Resul Pookutty (Slumdog Millionaire), have all won the Oscars, but those were all films made in India, but not by India. And now, finally, a documentary called The Elephant Whisperers and the song Naatu Naatu from RRR have made the world turn in our direction.

Naatu Naatu started as a Telugu song, became an Indian phenomenon and then a worldwide rage, gaining momentum in the lead-up to the Oscars, where it has won the ‘Best Original Song’ award, defeating the likes of Rihanna, and Lady Gaga. Accepting the award, composer MM Keeravaani said, “There was only one vision in my mind, Rajamouli’s mind, and my family’s mind too. RRR has to be the pride of every Indian and must put me on top of the world.” It was also a lovely touch to see Deepika Padukone introducing the Naatu Naatu performance at the Oscars and to see singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava perform it.

While the win of Naatu Naatu was a first for Indian cinema, producer Guneet Monga has cemented India’s place as an important force in the Documentary category by winning her second Academy Award for The Elephant Whisperers. She previously won the same award for Period. End of Sentence (2019). Guneeth shared the award with Kartiki Gonzalves, the director of The Elephant Whisperers, and said, “I stand here to speak about the sacred bond between us and the natural world. For respect of the indigenous community and empathy towards other living beings and finally for co-existence.” What a beautiful coincidence that the triumph should come on National Elephants’ Day! 

Asia, the big winner, at 95th Academy Awards

In a day of success for the Indian contingent, a downer was the loss of Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes in the Best Documentary Feature. The Russian documentary, Navalny, took home the award, for a film that has much political importance.

Oscars 2023 can be thought of as a year of representation, with Everything Everywhere All At Once winning a whopping seven awards out of its 11 nominations. It won many major awards at the ceremony, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huay Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schienert), Best Editor (Paul Rogers), and Best Original Screenplay (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schienert). The emotions ran high as every award recipient spoke warmly about the importance of family, heritage and representation.

Michelle delivered the line of the night, when she said, “Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up.” After a rather controversial 2022 ceremony, this year was wholesome and without any real blemishes. It was a night when every speech and every award led to heightened emotions and freeflowing tears. If Ke Huay Quan’s ‘Mom, I’ve won an Oscar’ left people in tears, Brendan Fraser’s emotional response to his Best Actor win for The Whale fetched much applause too. The Darren Aronofsky directorial also won the Best Makeup and Hairstyling award for being able to turn the genial, handsome Brendan Fraser into a morbidly obese recluse.

Apart from the overwhelming love for Everything Everywhere All At Once, it was a day when the German film, All Quiet on the Western Front, made history too by taking home the awards for Best International Feature, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design. Top Gun: Maverick, credited with being the film that brought back Hollywood audiences to the theatres, won a solitary award in the Best Sound category.

Another highlight of the 95th Academy Awards was Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio winning the Best Animated Film, and his passionate plea for cinema to take animation seriously. Sarah Polley won the Best Adapted Screenplay for Women Talking, and Ruth E Carter won a record-making second Oscar for her work in the Black Panther films. She won Best Costume for Wakanda Forever and became the first Black woman to win multiple Oscars in any category.

There were certain snubs too, as always. Angela Basset missed out on a Best Supporting Actress win, and so did Cate Blanchett and John Williams losing in the Best Actor and Best Original Score categories, respectively. Perhaps the biggest disappointment was that much-anticipated nominations like The Banshees of Insherin, Tar, The Fabelmans, and Elvis did not win even a single award at the Academy Awards. Where India will go from here on the global stage is anybody’s guess, but what today’s Indian nominees and winners have done is show dreams do come true sometimes.

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #400: Plans for Mother's Day (RWBY)

Whitley: (On Oscar's Scroll) So Oscar, you got any plans for your Mothers on Mother's Day today?

Oscar: (Rubbing the back of his Head Back and Forth) Somewhat. I still need to come up for something for the others.

Whitley: "Others"?....Oh. Right. Forgot you have more than three mother figures.

Oscar: ('Sigh') Yeah...But at the very least, I came up with something for the first half of the list.

Whitley: List?

Oscar: Yep. (Pulls out a List from his pants pocket) I organized it last week. I figured I made one so I won't forget to leave anyone out.

Whitley: That's.... Actually not a terrible idea, Pines.

Oscar: (Rolled his Eyes a Little) Thanks...But in all seriousness though, they all did so much for me. Whether if it's intentional or not. Even after my....('Sigh') Aunt's passing....

Whitley: (Starts Feeling Sorry for his friend) I see....Well, if you ask me...(Smiles a Little) I'm sure they'll love whatever you got for them this year.

Oscar: (Smiles Softly) Thanks, man.

Whitley: Yes. Well, speaking of which, what exactly did you get from half of your Mothers, if you don't mind me asking?

Oscar: Okay. So, for Pyrrha and Nora, I'll make breakfast for them with Ren's help, then I'll give them a letter I wrote for both saying how much they mean to me afterwards.

Whitley: A simple Breakfast before a heartfelt letter....Not too shabby. Though, I'm not sure why you couldn't buy each of them a present as well.

Oscar: I wanted to, but I could never top what Jaune and Ren would buy for them. You know....since they're all in a loving relationship and whatnot.

Whitley: Understandable. So who's next on the list?

Oscar: Glynda Goodwitch. The surrogate mother I told you about after I was grounded from a fist fight.

Whitley: (Chuckles Lightly) Ah yes. The time you started squirming in fear the moment I mentioned her name.

Oscar: (Blushes a Little) Anyways....I decided to give her a jewelry necklace which was..... pretty expensive....but definitely worth the trouble.

Whitley: Interesting. Anyone else?

Oscar: Wellllllll.... remember when I just told you I still need to think for one for the others?

Whitley: Few Minutes ago, yes.

Oscar: This might come as a shock to you, but....the next people on the list are a few of the Happy Huntresses?

Whitley: (A bit Surprised) You mean a group of Mercenaries led by Robin Hill?

Oscar: Yep.

Whitley: .......Okay, I have a few questions about this. The first and obviously one being When and How did you know them?

Oscar: It was during Salem's attack on Atlas..... Glynda and I were fending off nearby Grimms and trying to find more shelter from the cold. That was until three of their members showed up and took us to Mantle. I think their names were...Fiona, Joanna, and May... Anyways, they were planning on breaking Robin and Qrow out of prison. So they asked us to tagged along. But before then, they would give me sparring lessons to see if I really had what it takes to fight my own battles.

Whitley: I take it their methods of training wasn't as easy as your usual trainings.

Oscar: Pretty much. But I've gotten used to it after a while. Plus, the Happy Huntresses were a lot more nicer than I originally thought of them. Even after breaking her and Qrow out, Robin would always check up on me and see if i was okay after all the drones we had to destroy to leave out the cells unscathed.

Whitley: ........You know, I never would've thought to see Robin and "Nicer" in the same category together. I always thought she was cold and strict.

Oscar: I thought so too until I got to know her. She seems to really does care about Mantle a lot...even if her and the team's methods are...... very questionable to say the least.

Whitley: It's more illegal if anything.

Oscar: True....But regardless, I still wanted to at least show them my gratitude for looking after us.

Whitley: .............You know.......

Oscar: Hm?

Whitley: I could ask the chefs at the Yahct Club to make brunch for them tomorrow.

Oscar: (Eyes Widened in Surprised) Whitley... You would really do that for me?

Whitley: (Smiles Softly) Of course. I figured this would be more easier for you than going to some mall, buying gifts for a group of ladies you know little about.

Oscar: Also true.... B-But Seriously, Thank you. And if there's anything you need, like right now, just say the word.

Whitley: Please, Oscar. I don't need anything from you. I was trying to be helpful.

Oscar: Whitley, c'mon. No one would be that generous enough to do something as big as making a huge Brunch for your friend. I should at least owe you something in return for all of this.

Whitley: .......................Well....there is one thing you could do for me...

Oscar: Alright. What is it?

Whitley: I need your advice on what I should do for my mother on Mother's Day.

Oscar: Oh. Well I guess the advice I could give you here is to give or make her something she would love and enjoy.

Whitley: Does this includes buying her things as well?

Oscar: Anything you do for her is fine as long as it comes from the heart. I know it sounds cheesey, but it's the honest truth.

Whitley: ('Sigh') Very well. I suppose I will try my best on this.

Oscar: (Smiles Reassuringly) Don't get too stressed out about this. It's just like what you told me earlier...As long as she loves whatever you give her, that's all it really matters.

Whitley: Yes...(Chuckles Lightly) I guess you're taking my words of encouragement to heart, then?

Oscar: Pretty much. (Smirks a Little) You can be really helpful when you want to be.

Whitley; And you can be a Smart Alec in every opportunity you get.

Oscar: (Shrugged) Hey, when you're in a quest with an immortal Wizard inside your head, a group of Hunters and Huntresses, Four of which adopted you as their own, and have to fight a bunch of evil, crazy, immorally unstable foes along the way, it tends to get to you overtime.

Whitley: You've been through quite a lot, haven't you?

Oscar: Indefinitely. But it is what it is. Most of us are still live and that's good enough for me.

@albion-93

@optimisticfruitcup

@keyenuta

@miki-13

@maripr

@ma-lemons

[theredwritingwitch]

Soulmate fic- Fake Names and Desperate Souls

Pairing: Dieter Bravo x reader

Soulmate AU: You have the name of your soulmate on your wrist

Words: 2.8k

Warnings: language

______________________________________________________________

You almost felt normal as you looked yourself over in the mirror. Heels, dress, and makeup; you were all done up for the first cast dinner. Quarantine was over, and so was the insanity of living in your pajamas for two weeks. You were finally getting back to your normal actor’s life of constantly dressing up, doing interviews, and being filmed. You adjusted your dress and rearranged your jewelry, including the jeweled designer leather cuff on your wrist that hid your soulmate’s name away from paparazzi and obsessive fans. Many people, not just celebrities, hid the names etched on their skin away from prying eyes so that people wouldn’t be taken advantage. Majority of people kept their soulmate’s name hidden so that crazy people couldn’t fake their names to get what was not theirs. You practically always wore your bracelet, nearly every celebrity that hadn’t met their soulmate yet hid theirs away.

The thought of your soulmate being out there in the world rattled your mind on several occasions. Especially during lockdown, you were alone for the whole ordeal, to alone to keep your mind away from the name engraved on your wrist, Ignacio Alcaraz. Too often did you find your fingers swirling over the letters. You wondered if they were famous like you. Maybe they worked a normal job. Would they be used to the disruptive crazy life you lived? Perhaps they would never want to be part of your life. Several late nights were spent mulling over these questions. But you kept busy to stay sane, tried to keep up with work. Which was why you were glad to be back at work again. Your mind could stop wandering about your loneliness and need for another and go back to pursuing your career. This dinner was basically day one of work and you were ecstatic to be getting in front of the camera again, although you really wished it was for a different movie. While you were excited for work, you were dreading being part of the Cliff Beasts franchise.

The action packed dino thriller wasn’t your go to genre. You had your niche in period dramas; the melancholy, over poetic productions that had you learn to cry on command, ride a horse, and run in several pounds of rain-soaked clothing. On top of all that, you had to learn to sound turned on in a split second while partaking in fully revealing nude scenes. You really had out did yourself in your last movie, the one where you nearly one an Oscar for but was overtaken by the mother and a revenge quest storyline. All in all, you felt things were going well, until your agent suggested you branch out. You needed to showcase your diverse abilities, show the Academy you could do the whole triple threat charade: “act, sing, and dance.” Which brings you to where you are now, in an action franchise.

You weren’t against action movies in general, just disgusted with the Cliff Beasts franchise. You never felt like there was a soul to any of the movies, no plot, no point. But the films got views, money, and interest. Interest was what you needed, so as you strutted out of you room and down the hall to dinner, you plastered on your fake smile. Even if you hated the idea, you would give this movie your all so that in the future you could have it all. And with your smile glistening you made your entrance into the cast dinner party.

You smiled and greeted your fellow cast members with pleasantries. Making your rounds, you found there were obvious feuds and cliques in the cast and as a newcomer, you knew you were an outcast to all. For a second you thought you and the other newcomers could band together, yet you were wrong. Krystal, the TikTok sensation, who was kind and shy on first impressions but was far too young and social media obsessed for you to bother. And then there was Dieter Bravo, a great actor who had won an Oscar the night that you had lost yours. He deserved it of course, but you were still a tad jealous. He seemed to be floating on his own through the bar and then to the appetizers table, only talking and interacting with someone when they stepped up to him and waving them off quickly. He looked uninterested and exhausted if his crocs and sunglasses were indicating anything.

You didn’t think much of his overall attitude and demeaner, but you couldn’t blame him either. In fact, you understood his disinterest for the evening quiet well. He didn’t seem to want to be here, just as you didn’t either, maybe he thought that this production was a step below his standard. He was a handsome man under the stained and wrinkled clothes. Certainly, a well versed and brilliant actor who deserved his recognition but still you couldn’t help feeling a bit bitter towards your fellow Academy award nominee actor. He was very obvious in his boredom, at the very least the rest of the cast tried to keep up with appearances. You decided to keep to up with the smiles and pleasantries the best that you could as you decided to let the poor Oscar winner alone for cocktail hour.

But soon enough, as dinner was served, you were seated by the man himself. The rest of the cast chatted with each other as you and Dieter sat quietly at the end of the table. Dieter swirled his drink and took interest in the floating ice cubes. You looked on to the rest of the table, watching as Krystal video recorded the food for social media and as Dustin and Lauren bickered across the table at each other. Sean was very animated as he recounted his latest fitness regime to an uninterested Carol when you were finally jarred from your people watching.

“So how did you get roped into this?”

You blinked at Dieter, who was still staring straight into his drink.

“I’m sorry?”

Dieter nodded his head towards the rest of the table as he lowered his voice, “As in, how does someone like you, and I for that matter, get roped into a project like this?”

“Well, my agent thinks I need to branch out to show the Academy I can be in a variety of roles, but I don’t know why an Oscar winning as actor like yourself is here.”

“Honestly I don’t know either, but management told me to that I need to be more relatable for the audience so here I am, Cliff Beasts 6.” Dieter mocked the movie under his breath as he chugged the rest of his drink. “Oh, and hey by the way, you deserved to win that Oscar,” he turned to you and eyed you over the rim of his sunglasses.

You fought the look of surprise as you were startled by his statement. “Well, I’m glad you think so, but the Academy didn’t.”

“Fuck’em.”

“I agree but there’s enough scandals in Hollywood, I would rather not.”

Dieter picked up on your sarcasm and grinned at you. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted as Darren, the director, stood to give a lackluster speech that he probably thought was going to be inspiring. You cringed as he kept comparing the production as a continuing car crash. The rest of the cast looked apprehensive to the speech, even Dieter made a small comment.

“We’re fucked.”

You sighed and sipped your drink fast in agreement. You hated this job already, but you needed it. Darren and Gunther spoke about safety protocols on and off set which only dragged the already disagreeable evening out more. You scratched at your cuffed wrist as the new leather started to dig into your skin. Dieter noticed your agitation and held his own wrist towards you.

“That’s why I wear beaded and yarn bracelets. Leather always rubbed me the wrong way.”

You look down at his covered wrist and saw the multiple yarn bracelets that looked like they came from different parts of the world.

“Yeah, well maybe I’ll just take this off for now. No one else in this hotel other than us actors.”

Dieter grunted in agreement as you undid the leather cuff off your wrist. You drew small circles on your wrist, so the red irritated skin calmed down. While you were too concerned with your raw skin to notice the way Dieter had frozen when he had glanced at the name on your wrist. Under his dark sunglasses, Dieter’s eyes were bulging out of his head. He froze as he stared at his own name, his real name, on your wrist. Dieter quickly took another large swig of his newly refilled drink as he eyed you up and down. He bit his lip and leaned just slightly towards you.

“Ignacio, that’s quite a name. Interesting name. Weird name. Have you met him yet?”

“I don’t think it’s a weird name, seems eclectic and dignified.” You smiled fondly at the name on your wrist as many daydreams of what your potential soulmate looked like flooded your mind, “And I think it would be cute to call him Iggy.” You shrugged as you returned your attention to Gunther as he showed is expertise in making sweet eyes to the cast.

“I’m sure he would love the nickname.” Dieter smiled sincerely at you before he tore his gaze away and sat back in his chair. His mind was turning at his new revelation that this production wasn’t going to be as bad as he originally thought.

Weeks went by as filming continued to take a turn for the worse. You had made friends with most of the cast, everyone seemed to get along well. Even Dieter’s demeaner seemed to brighten as filming went on but things came crashing to a halt when everyone seemed to get sick all at the same time. Soon lockdown was being murmured around set all over again and no one was happy. Especially Dieter.

“NO.”

His stern disagreement shook a lot of the cast. Dieter never really shouted before; he was always quiet yet eccentric. He looked over at the man as he chugged his wine. You wondered if the hotel had enough booze on reserve.

Gunther continued to instruct everyone everything would be fine, and that the lockdown would go by fast. No one believed him of course. Everyone was already at the breaking point in production. The script was bad, and props were breaking. Stunts weren’t set properly. Solitary lockdown was going to break them all. You groaned and sank further into your chair. Dieter’s eyes focused on you in a flash. Since the meet and greet dinner, he had become quiet friendly and sweet towards you. Giving you extra kit kat bars, running lines with you, and painting murals on the walls of your room; Dieter had come to be your best friend on set. The man had surprised you when he first asked if you wanted to have sex with him, and the giggled and batted him away the second time he asked. You said no both times, although the puppy dog eyes he gave you almost broke you into saying yes. But you couldn’t say yes to kissing those sweet lips and patchy scruff. It wasn’t because you weren’t attracted to the man, but because you didn’t want to betray him.

You wanted to say yes, there was a connection with the man. Somehow under the bathrobe and through the weed he smoked, there was an attraction you had trouble ignoring. He was sweet and silly with you. He smoothed out your roughness when life on set got too much. The man even let you borrow his beloved robe when you were outside late one night, and it was so comfy and smelled like home that you almost didn’t want to give it back, the look in his eye told you he liked it better on you than on him. But in the end, you tried hard not to fall for Dieter, he was everything and weirdly nothing like you wanted in a soulmate. But he wasn’t your soulmate. And if you slept with this man, if you fell for him, you would only hurt him and yourself.

“What about soulmates? Can soulmates quarantine together?” Dieter’s voice rang through your head as his eyes flashed away from your slumped position and stayed steadily on Gunther who shook his head yes. Dustin and Lauren cheered as the seemed to have repaired their relationship. You looked quizzically at Dieter though, no one else had their soulmate here except for Dustin and Lauren, but as far as you know Dieter didn’t know his soulmate yet. You wondered why he had asked when he was still alone. Maybe he had met his other half here at the hotel? Maybe it was the receptionist Anika who was constantly making loving eyes at Dieter. But the man always acted cordial towards her.

“She’s my soulmate. I want to room with her.” Dieter spoke your name as he declared it to the room. You’re eyes sprang open, and you sat up to look over at the man who looked apologetically to you. Your mind started running in a thousand different directions. There was no way Dieter Bravo could be your soulmate. No way he was your Ignacio Alcaraz, your Iggy. Of course, there was no way Dieter Bravo was his real name. But then again who names themselves Bravo? How long did he know you two were bound together? And why did he keep it a secret?

Your out-of-control string of thoughts were interrupted when Dieter lightly pulled at your sweater. You blink up at the man, realizing the rest of the room was cleared and everyone had left when the meeting ended, you and your apparent soulmate were alone.

“So, Gunther said it was cool for us too room together.” Dieter scratched at his head while he held your gaze, “Figure my room is probably bigger so we could crash there.”

You silently stood and started walking out the conference room and to your own.

“I think the next two weeks will go by fast. I could teach you how to paint and we could paint a mural on the walls together, you could read out loud to me, or we could do some drugs, or just lay in bed together.”

As you opened the door to your room, you turned and stared Dieter down as he rambled.

“We could even have sex if your —”

“Show me the name.”

Dieter paused and blinked at you. Suddenly his eyes widen and nodded his head as his brain finally caught up. Rolling the braided bracelets off his wrist he uncovered the engraved name to you. Your real name, not the phony stage name you had been using for years, but your name from birth was staring right back at you. You let out a long breath and backed into your room. Dieter followed and closed the door behind him.

“So, I showed you mine, you show me yours.”

“You’ve already seen mine.” You scoffed at him.

“Yeah, but now it’s special cause we both know now.”

“Now? Why didn’t you say anything! I thought you were some horny, frumpy —”

“Frumpy?” Dieter looked stunned.

“Over-sensitive, hippie looking for the easiest lay.”

“First off, I’m cozy, not frumpy.” He held up one finger.

You rolled your eyes as you tried not to think about how snug his fuzzy robe looked.

“Secondly, I wasn’t looking for an easy lay, I am the easy lay.”

“You’ve asked me every day if I wanted to have sex with you.”

“Yeah, but just you! I didn’t ask anyone else!”

“So, you were going to have sex with me before informing me we’re soulmates?”

“I thought it would be romantic. Just think about it, in the moment of passion, your eyes land on the name on my wrist and I kiss the name on yours.”

“Cheesy.”

“Yes, but all the romcoms use that trope and it fucking sells.”

You rubbed your head as you paced your room, but you were stopped in your tracks as Dieter caught your arm. Slowly he held your wrist up to his lips and place a lingering kiss to his name. You cursed only once, he was right, the romcoms knew what they were talking about. You watched as Dieter looked you in the eyes with his own large gleaming brown ones. He slowly leaned in as he placed his forehead to yours. You closed your eyes as you felt his soft curls glide against your head.

“Thirdly, I wanted you to fall in love with me cause of who I really am, not cause I’m a name on your wrist.”

You finally smiled at him for that confession as you slowly lifted you hand to run through his disheveled curls.

“Also, I’m pretty desperate to not room on my own for another two weeks.”

You huffed and shook your head as you smiled, “Damn it, Iggy.”

Dieter gave you a lopsided smile in return.

[pilot-boi]

As the light begins to fade, Yang registers the pain over her blindness. When the light…when Ruby’s eyes… The woman nearly dropped her. Yet she still remains suspended — but not by her hair.

She can feel her arm has been crushed by the sheer strength of the woman’s desperate grip, and she can see through the tears beginning to well in her eyes that said woman is distracted.

So she whirls on her. With all the pain of her arm and the trauma of what she’s seen and every bad thing that’s happened to her since the day Summer Rose, her mom, left, she whirls on her. The swing lands right in her sternum, and if the shattering pop that rang through the echoing space of the cavernous room was no indication of its strength? The woman releases her.

Yang lands on her feet. She breathes smoke. She steps on the woman, right on top of hole she bore through her stoic suit jacket with her righteous arm. It crunches like regret. The woman screams, and Yang doesn't know if it’s from the eyes, her foot on her chest, or the sheer frustration of her circumstance — and she doesn’t care.

The woman’s tail suddenly lashes at her. Yang locks it under her broken arm. Through the agony, she manages to spit out “Is this the happy ending you wanted?”

There is no victory in strength, but strength had brought Yang something even better. It had brought her relief.

Salem snarls and writhes, a hand clutched over her broken collarbone, her other struggling to push her upright. “Stay down!” Yang snarls. She winds back her uninjured arm to punch her again.

This is the person responsible for the shell of a person her mom is. She’s responsible for her dad sitting alone in his room, staring at the wall but not seeing it. She’s responsible for her mother leaving them, hiding away from the pain in a bar across town.

Yang wants to rip her limb from wretched limb.

And then she hears a thud. “Yang!” comes a weak and raspy call.

She turns, and Oscar is laying on the ground, propped up by one shaking arm. And beside him is Ruby.

Her baby sister.

Yang clambers over to them, abandoning her quest for revenge without a backwards glance. “I don’t-” Oscar coughs, doubling over and dropping down to his elbow. “I don’t know what happened. The light…! And then she just fell-”

The blond presses an ear to Ruby’s chest, and is relieved to find a strong steady heartbeat. “She’s alive,” Yang responds, and Oscar slumps with relief. “But we need to get out of here.” She scoops up Ruby, slinging her over her shoulders. Her sister doesn’t even stir.

She curses her broken arm. Her bones burn like magma, sure, but she can’t help her sister. And that’s worse than any pain.

“Can you stand?” she asks, climbing to her feet. Oscar tries, gods he tries, pushing with shaking and shuddering limbs. But eventually he’s forced to collapse back to the ground, shaking his head and coughing dust out of his lungs. Shit.

“Maybe one of the Children,” Oscar wheezes, laying on his back. “Maybe they can help.” Children? She casts her gaze around and sees them, a gaggle of crying, dull-eyed kids, coated in cement dust and wearing brightly colored t-shirts.

“Two of you, get over here!” Yang calls, nodding her head towards Oscar. They hesitate, watching her fearfully, but eventually they approach Oscar. “Okay, now here’s what I need you to do…���

It takes a while, because they don’t really seem to understand what she’s saying. They move slowly, and stiffly, like they’re several decades older than they look. Like a couple of skeletons with skin put on them, she’s afraid to touch them in case they fall apart.

But eventually, Oscar is upright, and their group is shuffling out of the room. Out of their personal hell. The few that can stare in wonder at the hallway, even though it’s just a hallway. It’s like they’ve never seen it before.

Oscar sobs with relief once they cross the threshold.

He’s out, he survived. He’s out.

And in the rubble of her greatest triumph, Salem screams.

[astrognossienne]

scandalous star: gary cooper -an analysis

“I don’t like to see exaggerated airs and exploding egos in people who are already established. No player ever rises to prominence solely on talent. They’re molded by forces other than themselves. They should remember this – and at least twice a week drop to their knees and thank Providence for elevating them from cow ranches, dime store ribbon counters and bookkeeping desks. ” - Gary Cooper

He didn’t say much, but when he did, it carried a lot of weight. He was the archetypal hero of the Old West; the quintessential masculine ideal of the stoic and “strong silent type” that most Taurus men are. But for famously laconic Gary Cooper, his good looks and earnest, haunted eyes for decades made him the quintessential lonely American of motion pictures.He was a more equanimous, human protagonist versus boisterous, bigger-than-life Hollywood supermen. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his individualistic, emotionally restrained, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made. He was a man’s man...as well as a ladies’ man. Cooper became a hero to many, even as he developed a reputation as one of the most notorious philanderers in Hollywood. Privately a debonair ladykiller with a taste for high society, he crafted an image as just the opposite from his prototype cowboy image he materfully portrayed on the silver screen. He was insatiable, before and during his marriage. How did he reconcile his moral righteousness onscreen (Taurus sun) with his philandering offscreen (Sagittarius moon)? That was the work of the fixers, gossip magazines, and the studio system at large, which ensured that Cooper was never caught, never denounced, and held up as a paragon of American values.

Gary Cooper, according to astrotheme, was a Taurus sun and Sagittarius moon. He was born Frank James Cooper in Helena, Montana, the second son of an English farmer from Bedfordshire, who later became an American lawyer and judge, Charles Henry Cooper (1865-1946), and Kent-born Alice (née Brazier) Cooper (1873-1967). As a child, he met a freed slave woman named Mary Fields, otherwise known as Stagecoach Mary, and so awed by her was she that he later wrote an account of his memories of her in Ebony magazine. His mother hoped for their two sons to receive a better education than that available in Montana and arranged for the boys to attend Dunstable Grammar School in Bedfordshire, England between 1910 and 1913. Upon the outbreak of World War I, Cooper’s mother brought her sons home and enrolled them in a Bozeman, Montana, high school. Upon graduation, he eventually matriculated at Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA, where he attempted to nurture a passion for drawing - until a serious car accident ended his college days in the summer of 1920. He would recover from his severely injured hip through an odd but painful therapy, horseback riding.

When his father retired from the bench and moved his mother to Los Angeles, Cooper gave up agriculture classes to try his hand as a Hollywood extra. Cooper played an extra in a handful of silent films before arriving on the set of The Winning of Barbara Worth in 1926. The actor cast as the second male lead didn’t show, and someone shoved Cooper into the part. He appeared with Clara Bow (who soon became one of his conquests) in her star-making film It, but it was his appearance in another Bow vehicle Wings, released later that same year, truly launched his career. He plays a World War I flying cadet, and although his screentime was still relatively short, there was one scene — an extended close-up shot, the light streaming in from outside — in which he looked gorgeous. In 1929, he filmed The Wolf Song with Lupe Vélez. He soon had an affair with Velez, who purportedly claimed that Cooper “has the biggest organ in Hollywood but not the ass to push it in well.” For more on their relationship, read my star analysis on Lupe.

Cooper filmed The Virginian — his first real “talkie,” and the film was a major hit and cemented the foundation of Cooper’s image. His ability to project elements of his own personality onto the characters he portrayed, to appear natural and authentic in his roles, and to underplay and deliver restrained performances calibrated for the camera and the screen helped make him a cinematic success, often lauded by those he worked with. However, his good looks and charisma made him a success with women, whether he worked with them or not. Over the next few years, Cooper was paired with the most gorgeous and promising female stars in Hollywood —with Carole Lombard in I Take This Woman (whom he slept with), Claudette Colbert in His Woman (whom he allegedly slept with), Marlene Dietrich in Morocco and Desire (who he famously slept with more than once), and Joan Blondell in Make Me a Star (who he allegedly slept with). In 1932, Cooper and his Paramount “rival,” Cary Grant, were cast against Tallulah Bankhead in Devil and the Deep (1932). Like Lupe Velez, Bankhead was a loose cannon, with most famous quote being:

“The only reason I went to Hollywood was to fuck that divine Gary Cooper.”

Amidst all his public and private action, Cooper began courting Veronica “Rocky” Balfe, a starlet who went by the stage name of Sandra Shaw. She was also best known as the blonde dropped by King Kong. The two were wed in late 1933. Balfe retired from the screen to become a wife and mother, with her giving birth to their only child, Maria, in 1937. Cooper portrayed a new type of hero—a champion of the common man—in films like Mr. Deeds Goes To Washington and 1941′s Sergeant York (which won him his first of two Best Actor Oscars). Cooper met Ernest Hemingway at Sun Valley in October 1940 and they were friends for the rest of his life. He co-starred with Ingrid Bergman (with whom he had a year-long affair with) in a the film adaptation of Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls. He kept starring in more films and bedding his female co-stars until he got more than he bargained for when he made The Fountainhead. Naturally, the 47-year-old Cooper had an affair with his co-star, the 21-year-old Patricia Neal. However, this time things got crazy: Neal wound up pregnant with Cooper’s child. He insisted she have an abortion. When Cooper’s long-suffering wife found out about the relationship, she sent a telegram demanding he end it. This didn’t work; he also confessed that he was in love with Neal, and continued to see her. Cooper and his wife legally separated in May of 1951. Cooper’s daughter Maria, by then in her early teens, famously spat on Neal in public. Neal later claimed that Cooper hit her after she went on a date with Kirk Douglas. Neal ended their relationship in late December 1951. Amid all this drama, Cooper starred in what is now regarded as his defining role: the beleaguered sheriff in High Noon, which won him his second Best Actor Oscar. In later life, he became involved in a relationship with the costume designer Irene, and was, according to Irene, "the only man she ever loved".

Maybe all his previous actions had an affect on him because Cooper converted to Catholicism in 1958, and reconciled with his wife and daughter. Also, he began starring in films that centered around searching for redemption, such as Friendly Persuasion (1956) and Man of the West (1958). In 1960, Cooper fell ill with prostate cancer, which quickly spread to his colon, lungs, and bones; he died of it shortly after his 60th birthday in 1961. A year after his death, Irene committed suicide by jumping from the 11th floor of the Knickerbocker Hotel, after telling Doris Day of her grief over Cooper's death. Regardless of his philandering, regardless of the arduous work of his studio’s publicity departments, there was something plaintive, almost childlike, maybe even innocent about Cooper, so he can easily be forgiven his sins. He acted out what mattered to millions of people, and that act made him a star beyond measure.

Next, I’ll focus on his former paramour Lupe Velez’s arch nemesis. A woman who happened to be wife of MGM art director Cedric Gibbons (Gary Cooper’s wife Rocky’s uncle). She was another pioneer of Mexican cinema who was arguably the first Latina to successfully crossover to Anglo audiences: Leo Dolores del Río.

Stats

birthdate: May 7, 1901

major planets:

Sun: Taurus

Moon: Sagittarius

Rising: Taurus

Mercury: Taurus

Venus: Taurus

Mars: Leo

Midheaven: Aquarius

Jupiter: Capricorn

Saturn: Capricorn

Uranus: Sagittarius

Neptune: Gemini

Pluto: Gemini

Overall personality snapshot: He was torn between an instinct to roam free and a determination to find security and make a solid, lasting contribution to the world. As he repeatedly changed horses in search of both ultimate certainties and high-spirited adventure at the same time, he could find himself deeply divided and uncertain. He sought to earth the fire from heaven and put it to work, but he found all too often that it would not let him rest. In his search for stability and security, he became a farmer and was immediately confronted with the changing seasons. He embraced the solid certainties of geology and are hit by an earthquake. He liked to feel the solid earth move. He sought certitude and permanence, yet his endless inquiries constantly confounded yesterday’s certainties. When he got his own uncertainties together (by accepting he wanted the best of both the changing and the unchanging worlds), he could have been a brilliant teacher, conversationalist, counselor, entertainer, wit, creative artist or entrepreneur – in fact he could have been anything he wanted. Once focused, he could be a human dynamo, and wonderfully humorous, witty and entertaining with it. As he discovered, his quest for solid material certainties did not make a happy bedfellow for his yearning for excitement and larger religious and spiritual understanding. In one way or another, be it through philosophy and the spiritual quest or through writing, music or art, he needed to put together and formulate a total vision of the universe which is based on unassailable facts yet satisfying to his idealism.

Constantly seeking, he was a natural agnostic, applying the criteria of science to counter woolly speculations, yet at the same time highly skeptical of the limited and statistical pronouncements of unthinking science. The danger, if he did not marry these elements within him, is that he would swing from one to the other and undermine the virtues of both. A restless changing of jobs, careers, partners, visions or aspirations left him drunk with his own spinning. When he deliberately tried to remain sober and commonsensical, it seemed to make matters worse for there was something of the gambler in him. This all-or-nothing streak can temporarily overcome your natural caution and enable you to burn your bridges (though you will usually ensure there is something tucked away for a rainy day). He felt an impulsive need to do things on a grand scale, to live with commitment, to feast on the world, and to understand what it was to be alive in all possible ways. He seemed to be called both to explore the reaches of the imagination and to build secure foundations. He brought far-reaching visions into manifestation, and these visions injected his conservative desire for stability and security with flair and colour. His vision of tomorrow and the larger world gave spice to any project he undertook. He saw endless possibilities and wanted to make them real. In this he could be the natural entrepreneur who saw economic opportunities at every turn, an inspiring counselor and teacher, and a stimulating companion whatever he did.

His well-shaped body displayed a warm attractiveness and ripeness. In his later years, he may have needed to watch the tendency to gain weight too easily. His strong broad shoulders supported a very large neck size. His most outstanding feature was his eyes and his gentle smile and voice. He was big-boned. He enjoyed dressing well, preferring soft colours. He was practical, steady and patient, but he could  be inflexible in his views. One thing he did have was plenty of common sense and good powers of concentration, although he tended to think that purely abstract thought was a waste of time. His thought processes weren’t as quick as others, but his decisions were made with a lot of thought behind them. He also had the welcome ability to bring people together. He needed to be able to show his originality and independence in any job for complete satisfaction. His work should also satisfy his scientific bent and humanitarian leanings. He needed scope for his inventiveness, because he was able to bring a fresh view to any job. Ideally, his work should permit him to express the idealistic side to him character and allow him to help as many people as possible. He could be extremely efficient in the way that he tried to get maximum result out of minimum effort. He didn’t like extravagance and waste. He was a thoughtful and resourceful person, who was well-informed on many subjects. Success came gradually and as a result of hard work. Success and growth, for him, were expressed by material and financial achievements, bringing status and prestige.Worldly success was well within his reach, because he possessed all the necessary talents to gain power, influence and status. He was practical, determined and patient. When there were hitches in his plans, he simply worked around them. He knew where he was heading to, and had already figured out the best way to use his talents to reach his goals.

Although he could be fairly pessimistic about life in general, it didn’t put him off aiming for the top. He could be very single-minded about reaching his goals, and was prepared to put his career interests above his personal happiness. He was extremely aware of his own worth. He was prepared to work beyond the call of duty. His strong sense of ambition gave him a certain rigidity, arrogance and selfishness in the eyes of others. He belonged to a generation with fiery enthusiasm for new and innovative ideas and concepts. Rejecting the past and its mistakes, he sought new ideals and people to believe in. As a member of this generation, he felt restless and adventurous, and was attracted towards foreign people, places and cultures. As a member of the Gemini Neptune generation, his restless mind pushed him to explore new intellectual fields. He loved communication and the occult and was likely also fascinated by metaphysical phenomena and astrology. As a Gemini Plutonian, he was mentally restless and willing to examine and change old doctrines, ideas and ways of thinking. As a member of this generation, he showed an enormous amount of mental vitality, originality and perception. Traditional customs and taboos were examined and rejected for newer and more original ways of doing things. As opportunities with education expanded, he questioned more and learned more. As a member of this generation, having more than one occupation at a time would not have been unusual to him.

Love/sex life: His sexuality was a wonderful combination of sensuality and basic laziness. He let himself be carried along by his pleasure-seeking instincts, greeting every new experience with fresh eagerness and then slowly draining from that encounter all the joy it has to offer. This passive, easy-going approach to sex not only made for good technique, it also conceals the egocentric strength and stubbornness that was at the core of his erotic nature. People don’t realize that beneath all that luxurious hedonism he was always the person in control. He was a conservative lover for whom appearances were always important. There may have been occasions when his sensuality lured him into indiscretions but he was quick to cover his tracks and hide the evidence. The quiet practicality of his sexual nature served as a handy antidote for his Martian braggadocio. He knew that he was the best there is but he was willing to sit back and let the world find out the good news on its own. In his youth Cooper was endorsed by several female “experts” of the time (such as Clara Bow, Marlene Dietrich and Tallulah Bankhead) as Hollywood’s sexiest man. His soft spoken and manly sex appeal projected just as well on the screen. After marrying at age 32, Cooper’s sex life became somewhat more sedate though he never lost his ability to attract women.

minor asteroids and points:

North Node: Scorpio

Lilith: Scorpio

Vertex: Libra

Fortune: Capricorn

East Point: Taurus

His North Node in Scorpio dictated that he needed to be careful not to let the more emotional side of his personality overwhelm him. Instead, he should have set out to consciously develop his more practical abilities. His Lilith in Scorpio ensured that he was dangerously attracted to those women who seduced and conquered on a daily basis; who liked life intense and was judged for her sexuality and general vibe and learned early on how to deflect moral judgments. His type of women may have been tried in the court of public opinion but no way were they going to show up for the sentencing. His Vertex in Libra, 6th house dictated that he llonged for a union of souls that was based on a model of pure peace and justice. Images come to mind of a mythical life on Venus, the planet of love, where there is never a discordant beat between lovers, but rather, continual harmony even if played in the minor chords. Physical lust was certainly a necessary aspect of two beings eternally intertwined, but the platonic component far outweighed it in importance for him. He had an attitude of duty, obligation and sacrifice when it came to heartfelt interactions. The negative side was the tendency to become hypochondriacal or martyristic to get the love he so desperately wanted. There was a need for others to appreciate the sincerity of his intentions, to the daily tasks he executed in a conscientious and caring way and for others to know that his actions, no matter how routine they may seem, were based on devoted love. His Part of Fortune in Capricorn and Part of Spirit in Cancer dictated that his destiny lay in creating practical and long-lasting achievements. Success came through hard work, determination, responsibility and perseverance. Fulfillment came from observing his progress through life and seeing it take a form and structure that will outlive him. His soul’s purpose guided him towards building security in his life, both emotional and material. He felt spiritual connections and the spark of the divine within his home and family. East Point in Taurus dictated that he was more likely to identify with the need for pleasure (including the potential of liking himself) and comfort.  

elemental dominance:

earth

fire

He was a practical, reliable man and could provide structure and protection. He was oriented toward practical experience and thought in terms of doing rather than thinking, feeling, or imagining. Could be materialistic, unimaginative, and resistant to change. But at his best, he provided the practical resources, analysis, and leadership to make dreams come true. He was dynamic and passionate, with strong leadership ability. He generated enormous warmth and vibrancy. He was exciting to be around, because he was genuinely enthusiastic and usually friendly. However, he could either be harnessed into helpful energy or flame up and cause destruction. Ultimately, he chose the latter. Confident and opinionated, he was fond of declarative statements such as ���I will do this” or “It’s this way.” When out of control—usually because he was bored, or hadn’t been acknowledged—he was bossy, demanding, and even tyrannical. But at his best, his confidence and vision inspired others to conquer new territory in the world, in society, and in themselves.

modality dominance:

fixed

He liked the challenge of managing existing routines with ever more efficiency, rather than starting new enterprises or finding new ways of doing things. He likely had trouble delegating duties and had a very hard time seeing other points of view; he tried to implement the human need to create stability and order in the wake of change.

house dominants:

12th

9th

8th

He had great interest in the unconscious, and indulged in a lot of hidden and secret affairs. His life was defined by seclusion and escapism. He had a certain mysticism and hidden sensitivity, as well as an intense need for privacy. Traveling, whether physically across the globe, on a mental plane or expanding through study was a major theme in his life. He was not only concerned with learning facts, but also wanted to understand the connections formed between them and the philosophies and concepts they stood for. His conscience, as well as foreign travel, people and places was also of paramount importance in his life. He loved the totality of the human experience and embraced the whole cycle of human life, including birth, sex and death. His darker side, and the complexes and emotions that he preferred to keep hidden, even from himself was a theme throughout his life. His ability to undergo deep personal transformations and spiritual regeneration was also highlighted.

planet dominants:

Venus

Saturn

Sun

He was romantic, attractive and valued beauty, had an artistic instinct, and was sociable. He had an easy ability to create close personal relationships, for better or worse, and to form business partnerships. He believed in the fact that lessons in life were sometimes harsh, that structure and foundation was a great issue in his life, and he had to be taught through through experience what he needed in order to grow. He paid attention to limitations he had and had to learn the rules of the game in this physical reality. He tended to have a practical, prudent outlook. He also likely held rigid beliefs. He had vitality and creativity, as well as a strong ego and was authoritarian and powerful. He likely had strong leadership qualities, he definitely knew who he was, and he had tremendous will. He met challenges and believed in expanding his life.

sign dominants:

Taurus

Sagittarius

Capricorn

His stubbornness and determination kept his around for the long haul on any project or endeavour. He was incredibly patient, singular in his pursuit of goals, and determined to attain what he wanted. Although he lacked versatility, he compensated for it by enduring whatever he had to in order to get what he wanted. He enjoyed being surrounded by nice things. He liked fine art and music, and may have had considerable musical ability. He also had a talent for working with his hands—gardening, woodworking, and sculpting. He sought the truth, expressed it as he saw it—and didn’t care if anyone else agreed with him. He saw the large picture of any issue and couldn’t be bothered with the mundane details. He was always outspoken and likely couldn’t understand why other people weren’t as candid. After all, what was there to hide? He loved his freedom and chafed at any restrictions. He was a serious-minded person who often seemed aloof and tightly in control of his emotions and her personal domain. Even as a youngster, there was a mature air about him, as if he was born with a profound core that few outsiders ever see. He was easily impressed by outward signs of success, but was interested less in money than in the power that money represents. He was a true worker—industrious, efficient, and disciplined. His innate common sense gave her the ability to plan ahead and to work out practical ways of approaching goals. More often than not, he succeeded at whatever he set out to do. He possessed a quiet dignity that was unmistakable.

Read more about him under the cut.

Actor Gary Cooper was born on May 7, 1901, in Helena, Montana. Spanning from the silent film era to the early 1960s, Academy Award-winning actor Gary Cooper built much of his career by playing strong, manly, distinctly American roles. The son of English parents who had settled in Montana, he was educated in England for a time. He also studied at Grinnell College in Iowa before heading to Los Angeles to work as an illustrator. When he had a hard time finding a job, Cooper worked as a film extra and landed some small parts. After his appearance in

The Winning of Barbara Worth

(1926), a western, Cooper's career began to take off. He starred opposite silent movie star Clara Bow in Children of Divorce (1927). Cooper also earned praise as the ranch foreman in

The Virginian

(1929), one of his early films with sound. Throughout the 1930s, he turned in a number of strong performances in such films as A Farewell to Arms (1934) with Helen Hayes and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) directed by Frank Capra. Cooper received an Academy Award nomination for his work on the film. Cooper continued to excel on the big screen, tackling several real-life dramas. In Sergeant York (1941), the played a World War I hero and sharpshooter, which was based on the life story of Alvin York. Cooper earned a Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of York.

The next year, Cooper played one of baseball's greats, Lou Gehrig, in The Pride of the Yankees (1942). Again, he scored another Best Actor Academy Award nomination. Appearing in a film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls,  Cooper starred opposite Ingrid Bergman in a drama set during the Spanish Civil War. This role garnered him a third Academy Award nomination. In 1952, Cooper took on what is known considered his signature role as Will Kane in High Noon. He appeared as a lawman who must face a deadly foe without any help from his own townspeople. The film won four Academy Awards, including a Best Actor win for Cooper. In addition to his excellent on-screen performances, Cooper became  known for his alleged romances with several of his leading ladies, including Clara Bow and Patricia Neal. The affair with Neal, his co-star in 1949's The Fountainhead, reportedly occurred during his  marriage to socialite Veronica Balfe with whom he had a daughter. Their marriage seemed to survive the scandal. By the late 1950s, Cooper's health was in decline. He made a few more films, such as Man of the West (1958), before dying of cancer on May 13, 1961. (x)

[thuskindlyshescatters]

Team HRRT: Hey look, it's the main plot!

(Click for better quality.)

I've always wanted to give Ozpin (the person, not the Ozcarnation) an actual backstory, and this seemed like an excellent set of OCs to insert it onto.

Fraxinus based on: Dream SMP - Philza

Atalanta based on: Dream SMP - Technoblade

Explanations below the cut!

Before we get into story things, a couple facts about each of them.

Fraxinus (Frax Soot)

Her crow wings are functional and allow her to glide, but she is only able to fly with the aid of her Semblance, Ashfall, which enables her to take the form of smoke particles for a limited time (sort of like Petal Burst.)

Fraxinus is the scientific name for the genus of ash plants, but in modern day, she goes by Frax Soot, Soot referring to her Semblance.

She fights with a staff/lance called The Borer, in reference to Emerald Ash Borers.

Atalanta

Atalanta is named after the Greek heroine that drew first blood on the Boar of Calydon.

Her passive Semblance, Bloodblade, made her unbeatable in her early days of arena combat. Any blood-drawing blow dealt to her will appear on her opponent.

Part of her prowess as a warrior is attributed to her unfamiliar gait as a Faunus with bowed legs, which are generally more powerful and well-balanced than those of her human opponents.

As previously mentioned in Trixie and Roo's posts, Frax and Atalanta are travelling warriors that have made a name for themselves across Anima as living legends. However, only a trusted few know their true origins as servants of King Ozymandias. Important context: an accepted part of RWBY fanon (which I will embrace here) is that the Last King of Vale that won the Great War was a) the Ozcarnation before Ozpin and b) named, for my purposes, Ozymandias.

Fraxinus and Atalanta were legendary slave gladiators in their youth about a decade before the outbreak of the Great War. They were chosen for their exceptional skill by the previous king to train young Ozymandias, and became his close friends and confidantes. When Ozma entered his mind, he knew such a chance to further Ozma's goal as a person in a position of supreme power could not be passed up, and entrusted Frax and Atalanta with knowledge of his mission, forming their secret syndicate in the fight against Salem.

Shortly after the Great War, Oz recognized the need to build on his momentum in his next life. He granted some of his magic to Frax and Atalanta to extend their lives and delay old age, so that they may train and guide his next incarnation as they did him. (As a side effect, Ozma began passing onto hosts at a much younger age, with both Ozpin and Oscar at fourteen.) When Ozma finally passed, Frax and Atalanta did as they swore, finding and informing a young Ozpin of his task.

But Ozpin was not alone. At the age of fourteen, Ozpin was the only one around to provide for his ailing mother and his six-year-old sister, Wilhelmine. When Frax and Atalanta arrived, they took both children under their (literal) wing. To Ozpin, this was a blessing that gave his life a larger purpose, and he eagerly pursued his mission under Frax's tutelage in using The Long Memory. But Wilhelmine only saw heralds of woe that took her away from her mother and her brother away from her. She grew into a cunning and brutal warrior under Atalanta's watch, who feared the anger and resentment brewing within her. In reaction to Ozymandias's growing power over Ozpin, Wilhelmine developed a Semblance that allowed her to siphon others' Aura into empty vessels, which she attempted to use on Ozpin to rid him of Ozma's influence. It was ineffective, but caused a fight to break out between her and Atalanta that gave her the scars over her left eye, and caused Wilhelmine to run away.

Once Ozpin became headmaster of Beacon, he got the idea to turn Qrow and Raven into spies from Frax's Faunus trait and began building a syndicate of his own. He sent Frax and Atalanta off to become rangers in Anima that kept the peace where possible and ended wars between tribes where not. He also hoped that they would find Wilhelmine in their travels, but they had no such luck. During a period of peace, Frax and Atalanta settled for a time in Keikoku, a peaceful village hidden in a valley in Northern Anima. There, they adopted and raised Lumine, an orphaned dove Faunus they wished not to fail as they did Wilhelmine. However, Lumine was quite averse to combat, instead raising her own young family and becoming the peaceful leader of Keikoku. While Atalanta continued questing across Anima, Frax had the fleeting dream of raising a family of her own and bore Roo, who grew up alongside her technical niece, Trixie. Here's a small family tree including ages and Faunus traits:

However, the peace was not to last. Atalanta caught wind of a rumor of a masked rider known only as the Headhunter, who was said to have a vendetta against Frax and Atalanta. They assumed the Headhunter was a servant of Salem, and fearing for the safety of their loved ones in Keikoku, became much more scarce and secretive, leaving Roo in Lumine's care. After they failed to come to Keikoku's aid during a devastating Grimm attack and were forced to flee to Kuchinashi, Roo and Trixie in particular grew resentful of Frax and Atalanta, dreaming of one day attending Haven and becoming real Huntresses capable of fending for themselves.

As for the Headhunter, she had plans for them of her own. I'm sure you can guess who she once had been under the mask...

Headhunter based on: Dream SMP - Dream

hey look it's evil celty sturluson

[kitkatopinions]

The baby boy himself, Whitley!

(for the ask meme)

Whitley is so my baby, I love my child so much. I’m realizing I say ‘I’m really excited for this one’ for like every character I get for this ask game, but it’s because I’m having so much fun! These take a bit to write, but they are honestly so interesting to me, so as an fyi, if anyone does have any character they want to ask my about, but thinks they might be too late, or I might be uninterested, I’m still totally interested! It just might take me a bit to answer. :)

My top three ships for the character

Whitley/Oscar is my top ship for this in canon currently. It works best if Ozpin could somehow be separated from Oscar (which is theoretically possible I guess,) but yeah. Farm boy vs rich boy, they look cute together, their personalities could vibe, and they’re both snarky, but at heart caring and compassionate. Whitley/Mercury. I mentioned this in my Mercury ask, but I was writing a fic with @why-i-hate-rwby-now where Whitley and Mercury were thrown together and had to work together to escape their abusers, and I just kind of started shipping them while writing it. O.O Also Whitley/Penny is cute as heck and I could totally see her grounding him and also making him loosen up, while Penny thinks he’s funny and interesting.

My three least favorite ships for the character

Whitley/Blake. I don’t understand this ship, Blake just feels like more of an adult atm compared to Whitley - a literal child. (Yes, I realize I ship Whit with Merc, but A. I thought Merc was sixteen while I was writing that fanfiction and he acts kind of on the young side, while Blake has been acting ‘as an adult’ and being treated ‘as an adult’ for two seasons at least while directly talking to Whitley, and has always been more of a mature character for her age anyway.) But on top of that, Blake seems to treat Whitley like an in the way child and is kinda judgey to him, while Whitley barely seems to notice her. Whitley/Henry Marigold just feels bad. And Whitley/Yang. Again, Yang has been written as a nineteen year old demanding to be treated as an adult (though I wanna say she’s less mature than Blake) but also Yang is a hotheaded character and has been acting pushy lately, and that’s fine as a character flaw, but I feel like it just puts me off her for Whitley especially.

My biggest criticism for the character

He’s treated like he’s not a victim??? Like, his abuse and neglect and even his struggles are just... Not really gone into or acknowledged very much, Weiss acts like he has to prove himself before she can show him the slightest bit of sympathy or affection when she’s his big sister, his relationship with Jacques is glossed over and he isn’t given closure there, Willow’s neglect isn’t really acknowledged seriously, Winter seeming totally disinterested in him doesn’t feel like it even matters, Weiss is treated as blameless in her and Whitley’s problems. And the writing kind of frames Whitley as having gotten a redemption, when the worst things he did was be a bit of an asshole while in an abusive situation as like a fourteen-fifteen year old with no aura or glyphs or fighting ability. Emerald and Whitley’s volume 8 arcs should not be comparable! Emerald is a full on murderer and was still willingly working with Cinder to attack people as a nineteen year old woman, and yet she and Whitley are treated very similarly by the narrative (helping one person and then that ‘making up for’ their ‘past mistakes’ and then them just being on the good side and carrying the team’s actions until the pathways arrive and they both go to Vacuo. To be clear, I think this framing was too much for Whitley since he never even needed a redemption at all imo, and not enough for Emerald, the literal murderer of Penny who was just recently willingly helping Cinder try and murder Penny once again.) Whitley should’ve been treated as the child he is, he should’ve been treated as the victim he is.

My favorite thing about the character

His potential dynamics, but specifically with Weiss. He and Weiss both had almost the exact same upbringing, only Weiss actually had more support, but guys... The way the two of them coped had similarities, but were also very different. Weiss hid behind anger and sternness, Whitley hid behind peppiness and smiles. Weiss copied Winter, Whitley copied Jacques. Weiss was always afraid of people putting on acts around her, Whitley was constantly putting on acts as a means of survival. Each of them are plagued by jealousy, pettiness, judgmental behavior, and they both have good qualities that are similar, but they both are too prejudice against each other to see those good qualities and need to learn to understand where the other is coming from. Weiss is a fighter, but a follower, while Whitley seems to have a bit of a ‘fawn’ tendency, but plans and enacts schemes under the table (even if it doesn’t have to be, like with Nora! Whitley’s instincts were to just figure out how to help Nora and then go off and do it alone without telling any of the obviously antsy people with guns what he was doing - after he was spying on them lol.) I just love the possibilities that exist with two characters that are so similar, but so fundamentally different. Also I’d love to see him resentful of Winter and snarky and passive aggressive with her, and Winter not really getting the problem, and Weiss having to mediate between them. Idk, there are so many possibilities of amazing interactions and connections Whitley could have with the others, and he could be a really new, good viewpoint if he was allowed to flourish. And maybe became kind of a ‘guy in the chair’ more permanent part of the team. Like, I know we don’t need more character bloat, but let me dream!

A headcanon I have about them

Before Weiss lost her inheritance, Whitley was sort of tasked with learning everything but being head of the company, like he was learning the financial side of things, the technological side of things, ordering, inventory, scheduling, all about Dust and mine operations... And Whitley’s naturally academic and a fast learner, so he absorbed a lot of it. But yeah, I think Jacques was trying to train Whitley up to be a sort of always available PA of Weiss’s that could handle anything she didn’t want to do / was too busy to do, and that was something Whitley really resented too. His skillset was essentially being crafted around helping Weiss, but never learning how to actually manage the company itself and severely lacking in the social side of things, like he’d never be able to make a proper speech. Also, like pretty much everyone I think he plays piano and writes his own music compositions (which in my headcanons he subconsciously writes to include vocals only for him to then get bothered that even his music seems influenced by Weiss. XD) Also I know this is three headcanons, but if he had been trained to fight, he would’ve used duel pistols and would’ve eventually developed a ‘born out of trauma’ semblance.

What I would change about them if I was making a re-write

I’d just allow his status as a victim to be recognized and for him to have the sympathy I feel his character deserves. I’d have him and Weiss both framed as having contributed to their bad relationship, but Weiss - as the sister four to five years older than him - would be the one who makes the first moves towards repairing it, proving she has changed enough to put aside her pettiness and be there for the brother she does truly love. I’d also get Willow away from him, or at least let Whitley be angry and distant and not have their relationship fixed over the course of an in-universe day. This is why I say there should’ve been another Atlas season, which I think is what I’d do when it boils down to it. With every plot point coming fast and then being pushed on the back burner for the next plot point, there’s no time to focus on any of it or to give the character’s sufficient growth from it. So then things like Willow having her hand glued to Whitley’s shoulder feels very ingenuine, because their ‘growth’ was so rushed. So yeah, I’d really just add an extra season and let Weiss recognize that Whitley is also an abuse victim, make her be the one to start making steps to be there for him, and let things like his relationship with his mother come slower and not be an easy fix. Also I’d have Winter acknowledge that she has a brother more regularly and have her actually care about him, even if she hasn’t shown it well at all.

What I I think of their character allusion and what (if anything) I would change about it

Whitley has no assigned character allusion and his name doesn’t offer very many hints, since it literally just means white meadow/field snow, but it’s easy enough to assume that like Weiss and Jacques - Snow White and Jack Frost - Whitley’s character allusion has something to do with the cold. I agree with the general opinion that he’s connected to ‘the Snow Queen,’ and is likely meant to be Kai, a once kind hearted boy who gets a piece of a magic mirror in his eye that only lets him see the bad in people and gets kidnapped by the snow queen. His best friend Gerda goes on a quest to save him - encountering a land of eternal summer and a talking crow amongst other things - and temporarily forgets him due to an enchantment, but then finds him almost frozen over and saves him by crying on him and through the power of her love that literally makes people and nature bend to her will, Gerda rescues Kai and dislodges the mirror piece from his eye so that he can be cheerful again. Pretty in tune with how the writers wrote things. I don’t mind this, but if Whitley is meant to be Kai and Weiss is meant to be his Gerda, there were two missed opportunities here that could’ve been great. One, Gerda is reminded of her love for Kai whenever she sees red roses, and Ruby and Whitley have a few similar mannerisms and kind of similar coping through their ‘cheery exterior’s’ even f Ruby’s lost all her sass and Whitley’s never had her spazzy, dorky, rough around the edges traits. I think it would’ve been cute and make for a more interesting dynamic if Weiss had mentioned to Ruby in volumes 1-3 that Ruby reminds her of her brother, and if it had made Weiss both harder on Ruby (since she and Whitley are estranged and he does drive her crazy a lot lol) but it also made Ruby all the more endearing to her and is one of the reasons they could be friends fairly fast despite Weiss’s early animosity (since she loves her brother and the traits he shares with Ruby compliment hers.) The next missed opportunity I can think of is that everyone thinks Kai is dead in the Snow Queen for a bit, but Gerda doesn’t believe it and goes looking for him instead. You could easily fit this into a narrative where everyone else has given up Whitley as a lost cause, but Weiss won’t believe that and is determined to help and to get close to Whitley again, which is what I think I’d want to go with. But also, a Whitley death fake out? That could be very good and very emotional. And it’d be easy omg. Weiss could think the Hound has killed him sometime during the fight (even if just for a moment,) but also if Whitley had been the first one to fall in the void instead of going through to Vacuo O.O 

Idk if we’ll ever get his character allusion confirmed, but if it isn’t someone from the Snow Queen, I feel like the whole fandom will say “What?!” at the exact same time. XD 

[letterboxd]

Bridging the Gap.

Filmmaker So Yun Um highlights ten underrated Asian American and Pacific Islander films set against the backdrop of America.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month has many film lovers seeking to celebrate Asian American cinema. Beyond Minari, Always Be My Maybe and Crazy Rich Asians, there are dozens of films that depict the Asian American experience. In choosing to focus on ten of the lesser-seen, I contemplated the notion of what defines AAPI cinema.

For me, it goes deeper than films that have been directed by, or star, Asian American and Pacific artists. Having watched a wide selection of Asian American films, I can firmly say our cinema, no matter the genre, puts Asian Americans at the forefront on both sides of the camera. I believe the essence of Asian American cinema was born out of resourcefulness, mining themes and ideas that distinctly bridge the gap between Asian and American culture. These films tell stories that explore the vast differences between the two, and the ways in which they coexist, whether comfortably or uncomfortably.

In selecting these ten underrated AAPI films, I searched deep to find stories with uncompromising vision and character; stories about Asians that could only be told within, and against the backdrop of, America. These ten films highlight intimate, distinct and unfiltered experiences mostly unseen at our local multiplexes: family and cultural obligations, generational and cultural gaps, and raw, mostly obscured views of American life.

Chan is Missing (1982) Directed by Wayne Wang, written by Isaac Cronin and Wayne Wang

There would be no Asian American independent cinema without Wayne Wang’s Chan is Missing. Shot on black-and-white film, this striking noir follows Jo, a San Franciscan cab driver, and his nephew, Steve, as they track down the titular Chan after he disappears with their money. Wang’s unpredictable directing career spans neighborhood intrigues, rom-coms and family movies; alongside which, he has kept a strong focus on Asian American stories (he helmed the adaptation of Amy Tan’s generational bestseller, The Joy Luck Club).

In Chan is Missing, for the first time on screen, we get to finally see an “ABC” (American-Born Chinese) story from the source, with an all-access pass to the often misunderstood terrain and people of Chinatown. It’s the tightness of the plot and the authenticity of its characters that make this movie such a classic. Even after 40 years, Chan Is Missing doesn’t feel dated—its laugh-out-loud dialogue (they actually utter the word “FOB”!) and moody tone capture why Chinatown continues to be an enigma. Spoilers: Chinatown runs by its own rules.

Available on DVD via Indiepix Films.

Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) Directed by Justin Lin, written by Ernesto Foronda, Justin Lin and Fabian Marquez

Justin Lin’s directorial debut film is a visionary portrait of Asian Americans that’s still relevant two decades on. Since its release in the early aughts, there has yet to be a film that explores the nuances and complexities of the average Southern-California Asian American teen like this film does. Better Luck Tomorrow focuses on a group of Asian American overachievers who become bored with their lives and enter a world of petty crime. It’s loosely based on four Sunny Hills High School students and the real-life murder of Stuart Tay, a teenager from the OC.

With its depiction of overachieving A+ students who are also foul-mouthed, drug-taking kids, this film was the launching pad for many iconic Asian American actors today—Sung Kang from the Fast and Furious franchise, John Cho (Star Trek) and my personal favorite, Jason Tobin, star of the Warrior TV series. (It’s entertaining to see the seeds of the Fast and Furious series planted in this film in the character of Han, played by Sung Kang, before the explosion of the franchise: one of the characters mutters, “Rumors about us came and went fast and furious”—and the rest is history.)

Better Luck Tomorrow still stands as the most iconic film to capture the suburban Asian American teen existence in all its good, bad and ugly light. “I was part of a movement,” Tobin recalled in this GQ oral history of the film, “and it was a culmination of all the battles I had fought before that to get Asian faces on the big screen.”

Available to stream and rent on multiple platforms.

The Grace Lee Project (2005) Directed by Grace Lee

If you’re an Asian American who grew up in California or New York, chances are, you know at least two Grace Lees in your life. But growing up in Missouri, Korean American filmmaker Grace Lee was the only one she knew with her name. She soon discovers that with the name comes a certain stereotype, that of the “good” Asian—quiet, well-behaved and a hard worker. Lee goes on a quest to interview a wide range of women who have the same name and soon discover if this wildly common stereotype is true.

Lee’s witty, autobiographical documentary is effortlessly funny and insightful. The Grace Lee Project dives deep into identity politics to reveal that sometimes, a name is simply a name. This was the start of Grace Lee’s journey as a filmmaker and she continues to be an important voice in not just the documentary space but in narrative stories as well.

Streaming on Kanopy.

Saving Face (2004) Written and directed by Alice Wu

Alice Wu’s Saving Face is a timeless queer love story. Produced by none other than Will Smith (yes, that Will Smith), Saving Face follows a Chinese American lesbian woman and her traditional mother (played by Michelle Krusiec and Joan Chen, respectively) as both battle with their reluctance to go against cultural expectations and reveal their secret loves. It’s part family drama, part rom-com, exploring expectations specific to Asian women across generations.

While most Asian American films focus on familial obligations through the point of view of the children of immigrants, Wu’s film considers the conflicts of both daughter and mother. For Asian Americans, it’s a tale as old as time but with a twist that shows that no matter how old you get, you still have to, unfortunately, fight to be who you are. I also highly recommend Wu’s spiritual sequel, The Half of It, on Netflix.

Streaming on Amazon Prime and Tubi, and for rent on various VOD platforms.

In Between Days (‘방황의 날들’, 2007) Directed by So Yong Kim, written by Bradley Rust Gray and So Yong Kim

So Yong Kim’s debut feature, In Between Days, follows Jiseon Kim, a Korean teen immigrant, who falls in love with her best friend while navigating the challenges of living in a new country. Director Kim is a masterful storyteller and captures life as it should be seen: unfiltered and trivial at times, but using the mundane to find cinematic magic.

I like to categorize So Yong Kim’s work as a showcase of extreme intimacy. Her story features painfully delicate characters and moments so real, you’ll wonder how any of these scenes could be fiction. There’s a sense of vulnerability and loneliness that fills the air as Jiseon struggles to assimilate to a new country, replete with toxic relationships, self-sabotage and unrelenting jealousy. So Yong Kim’s work is so painfully real, it hurts to watch.

Available on Kanopy and Amazon.

Ping Pong Playa (2007) Directed by Jessica Yu, written by Jimmy Tsai and Jessica Yu

There are two things that embody countless Asian American men’s experience: their love for basketball, and their love of rap music. Ping Pong Playa covers both, and is exactly the kind of Asian American comedy I’ve been waiting for! Christopher “C-Dub” Wang (played by co-writer Jimmy Tsai) is a wannabe baller and a supreme slacker who has to step up to the plate when his family’s business and ping-pong-champion reputation is on the line. In addition to being centered around an Asian family, the core of the film rivals any other low-brow, underdog sport film.

Laugh-out-loud hilarious, this is Academy-Award-winning filmmaker Jessica Yu’s first narrative feature, following a groundbreaking career full of daring documentaries (her Oscar was for this portrait of writer Mark O’Brien, who spent much of his life in an iron lung). Seeing C-Dub as an NBA-loving slacker turned ping-pong playa felt validating; it showed that even if you’re a lazy and immature Asian, you can always find something to succeed at.

Streaming on Tubi, and for rent on Amazon and iTunes.

In Football We Trust (2015) Directed by Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn

While Salt Lake City, Utah, is seen as predominantly a white Mormon town, it in fact has the largest population of Pacific Islanders in the US mainland, due to the strength of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ proselytizing in the Pacific. The documentary In Football We Trust follows four Polynesian high-school students, as they chase their lifelong dream of attaining professional recruitment. Told in moments of adolescence, the film follows the greatest challenges for these four young men, as they chase their dreams while trying to grow up.

In no time, they’re faced with the harsh reality that just maybe, football isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. As much as their hefty attributes and builds serve as their greatest advantages, these boys’ cultural and familial obligations become both their greatest motivations and, possibly, their downfall. Filmed over the span of four years, first time filmmakers Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn chronicle the NFL hopefuls as they navigate the pressure to balance dreams and family to win a golden ticket out of gang violence and poverty.

Streaming on Kanopy, and for rent on various VOD platforms.

Spa Night (2016) Written and directed by Andrew Ahn

In his directorial debut, Andrew Ahn perfectly captures a specific corner of Los Angeles’ Koreatown. Spa Night’s focus is David, a closeted Korean American teenager who takes a job at a Korean spa to help his struggling family, and then discovers an underground world of gay sex. You may recognize Joe Seo as the goofy bully in the Netflix hit show Cobra Kai, but it’s Spa Night where you can see him truly shine—he won Sundance’s US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance.

Seo delivers a powerfully restrained performance, exploring the burden of hiding your true self from your family. Spa Night is more than a coming out story, it’s also about the broken American dream that so many immigrants experience. Ahn’s direction is finely tuned, honing in on the specificity of Koreatown. It is an acutely queer story of second-gen Asian Americans, where coming out is never really about just you, but also your family.

Streaming on Kanopy, and for rent on various VOD platforms.

Punching at the Sun (2006) Directed by Tanuj Chopra, written by Tanuj Chopra and Hart Eddy

Mameet is young, angry and has always lived in the shadow of his basketball-legend brother, Sanjay. When Sanjay is suddenly killed during a robbery at the family store, Mameet spirals and takes his anger out on anyone and everyone. Coping with loss at a young age is hard enough, but Punching at the Sun mixes in the specific anxieties of being a South-Asian man amidst the backdrop of post-9/11 America. In doing so, the film addresses the difficulty of juggling teenage angst and immigrant identity—Mameet is not afforded the option to express his anger and grief.

Cathartic and emotionally validating, this is a simple yet nuanced slice-of-life story that conveys the heaviness of growing up with the weight of the world on our shoulders. In Mameet’s case, thank goodness, he ultimately shares some of that burden with his comical friends and knit-tight family.

Available to rent on Vimeo.

Meet the Patels (2014) Directed by Ravi Patel and Geeta Patel, written by Ravi Patel, Matthew Hamachek, Billy McMillin, and Geeta Patel

In the romantic documentary Meet the Patels, Ravi Patel is a dutiful first-gen son whose parents are continually nagging him to marry a nice Indian girl. With Ravi's sister Geeta Patel co-directing and co-writing, and his parents in the frame, his film (and true-life story) are indeed a family affair. What starts as his journey to find a wife to make his family happy becomes an enlightening intro to Indian culture and modern love—think dating apps, weddings and a Patel Matrimonial Convention (gotta see it to believe).

Humorous as it is outrageously charming, Meet the Patels ultimately shows the struggles and cultural expectations most immigrant offspring face, on top of the million other obstacles of trying to find your one and only true love in this mad, mad world.

Streaming on various platforms.

Related content

Ten Underrated Asian American & Pacific Islander Films, a Letterboxd list

Best Asian American Films: So Yun Um’s list

Debbie Chang’s comprehensive Asian American film canon list (also features Asian-Canadian, Asian-British and other diaspora)

Bellamy’s list of feature-length films directed by Asian Americans

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[insanityclause]

Guillermo Del Toro is no stranger to widespread acclaim, especially from his ride or die legion of fans. Pan’s Labyrinth, the Hellboy duology, the list of genre-bending, timeless masterworks goes on. Coming off his 2 Oscar wins for The Shape of Water in 2018, and moving into finally releasing his animated Pinocchio film from the pits of development hell along with an adaption of Nightmare Alley next year, this couldn’t be a more thriving time for the Mexican auteur. Though amongst all the praise and glory, something has still felt missing these last handful of years. Besides his Oscar-winning film, Del Toro’s works prior to the 2010s are what generally buzz conversations of his genius. Those aforementioned films did, after all, skyrocket his name to fame. His titles from the last decade, however, are just as crucial to the Del Toro canon and emphasize his greater influence as a filmmaker. One, in particular, has seemingly gotten by in its young life at the hands of few. But now that Crimson Peak has officially turned 5, it’s time to turn that few into many.

Del Toro’s trifecta of the 2010s (not counting his work on television) stand out vastly from one another. Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, and The Shape of Water: all love letters penned from the ‘nichest’ corners of his mind. These 3 arguably boast more diversity in genre than Del Toro’s 5 films of the 2000s (3 comic-book adaptations and 2 Spanish-set fantasies). Not a criticism, as established, those films now flaunt an immovable place within the cultural zeitgeist. Though with a career notoriously marked by a slew of unrealized projects (more on this later), it’s not often recognized how the ideas that did make the cut still lead a crystal clear trajectory in Del Toro’s growth as a storyteller. In the eyes of many, Del Toro pulls ideas out of a hat and gambles on which one actually sees the light of day. Humorous sure, but this is far from the truth.

Each Del Toro project feels like a pivotal step for what would come later, take his work on Trollhunters paving the way for his upcoming first animated feature for instance. Despite this trajectory, Crimson Peak feels criminally unsung 5 years later. Pacific Rim continued its life with a sequel and more planned spin-offs. The Shape of Water literally set a new bar for the Academy. This leaves Crimson Peak feeling like the pushed aside middle child of this trio. This isn’t a call for a sequel, and ‘underrated’ gets tossed around very loosely in modern film discussion. But for cinema as quintessential as Crimson Peak, it just doesn’t feel like it gets enough recognition – especially when the current film industry is seeing less big-budget, R-rated projects heavily steeped in genre.

You can easily trace Crimson Peak‘s short-lived spotlight back to its marketing. The timely October release and scare-heavy trailers sold a classic ‘Haunted House’ horror, when in reality, Del Toro’s film is a Gothic Romance. Set in the early 1900s, an aspiring American writer, Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), is swept away by a promising English baronet, Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). They discover true love and marry, leading the young newlywed to her husband’s decaying mansion in the English hills. The age-old manor is slowly, but surely, sinking in red clay – the very source of Sharpe’s wealth. Here Edith is forced to live with her new sister-in-law, Lucille Sharpe (Jessica Chastain), a reserved yet commanding force who works to hide the true nature of the house and its endless secrets. Mystery lingers as untamed lust, envy and greed unfold between the mansion walls, not leaving enough room for the restless red-colored spirits who haunt them. When it snows on this cursed hill, the clay surfaces, making it seem as if the land bleeds. Given more than just red clay rises from beneath, a deeper meaning is given to the place locals call ‘Crimson Peak’.

Just like the clay at the center of its mystery, Crimson Peak is an amalgamation, but of genre. It would be novice to expect anything less from Del Toro. The Gothic elements call back to many classic tales, such as Alfred Hitchcock’s adaption of Rebecca and, of course, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. On the horror side, homage is paid to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and Jack Clayton’s The Innocents. It’s a devilish blend that only this filmmaker could pull off so beautifully. And oh is Crimson Peak so god damn gorgeous. To contrast common period pieces that go for muted or sepia-toned color palettes, Del Toro turns the saturation on high. The result is an eye-popping picture that heightens the core emotions at play: fear, pain, and more importantly, love. Simply mesmerizing, avid fans will be quick to recognize the same shades of golden yellows, sea greens, and ruby reds found in Del Toro’s other works. It feels right at home in his filmography visually, while packing its own unique punch.

Red, a color mainly associated with passion, here instead intricately represents endless bloodshed. A twist that would suggest Crimson Peak is just as equal a horror film as it is a love story. Regardless of what might have been initially marketed to audiences in 2015, this film is a Gothic Romance from start to finish. Del Toro himself made this distinction clear to the studio from the get-go and repeatedly draws the line whenever given the chance. Yet, much like the rest of his repertoire, Crimson Peak utilizes horror not as a means to an end, but as a means for introspection. Yes, there are classic horror conventions such as jump scares, but it couldn’t be more obvious that Crimson Peak isn’t trying to evoke the same kind of high and dry fear other films heavily rely on. Del Toro is actively trying to get under your skin to achieve a hell of a cathartic viewing experience.

The ghosts of our past and how we let them define us is a core theme in Crimson Peak. The film opens on a flashback in which Edith is visited by the charcoal black ghost of her recently deceased mother. The nature of this visit sets the groundwork for the rest of the narrative. Mother Ghost, dreadful in appearance, doesn’t necessarily come to haunt her child, but to warn her. “Beware of Crimson Peak,” she says. The way Edith takes in this otherworldly occurrence, and those that follow, sets her apart from everyone else in the film. Wherein others flee from or lock away the ghosts of their past, she learns how to wear them on her sleeves – reaching out to the dead multiple times in the story, each attempt more confident than the last. Not too dissimilar from what Del Toro was playing with before, Jaeger pilots confronting past trauma in their quest to defeat Kaiju. At the same time, the transformation that occurs in Crimson Peak when neglected demons consume you from the inside – humans becoming the true monsters of their supernatural tales – would only be amplified in Del Toro’s next film.

Every minute detail coincides with this strategized, therapeutic use of horror. And to the everyday moviegoer trained by common tropes, Crimson Peak is quite deceptive. Just like Mother Ghost at the beginning of the film, the red spirits never manifest with the intent to cause physical harm, but instead to give messages and guide. Red clay seeps down the walls and the mansion ‘breathes’ as the country winds burst in. The house feels alive in the most cinematic sense possible, but the case as to it being ‘horrifying’ is not so black and white. Expertly designed to every inch, there is plenty of beauty to be found in the manor. Much of it has just been corrupted by a debauched affair – keeping this story rooted as a Gothic Romance. Subversion has always been the name of Del Toro’s game, and it’s within Crimson Peak that he uses it to mix genre so well while still staying true to his vision.

Though Crimson Peak saw Del Toro take subversion to a new level, notably with his main character. This film is a key chapter in his overarching legacy; not the first of his works to be lead by a defiant woman, but the first to have the female hero entangled in an unabashed love story. Effortlessly played by the brilliant Mia Wasikowska, the not so damsel in distress at the center of Crimson Peak is one of the most significant characters of Del Toro’s career. In discussing Gothic Romance with The Mary Sue in 2015, Del Toro explains: “This is quintessentially a female genre, that was written with characters that were very complex, very strong. I wanted to make a movie in which to some degree I recuperated and, maybe if possible, enhanced all that.” And enhanced he did for every central male character acts in more distress than Edith ever does, even when she is literally at the edge of death. A more than welcome change of pace that makes for a more resonating film.

Edith’s willingness to tackle the unknown is captivating and her vigor inspiring. But she isn’t absolved of frailty. For someone who comes to terms with facing the dead, her sheer vulnerability to heartbreak and suffering brings great humanity to the role. Hardly recognized, but Edith is one of Del Toro’s most self-reflective protagonists. A marginalized writer, inspired by the great Mary Shelley no less, in the midst of drafting her magnum opus, she immediately faces backlash from her novel’s inclusion of the paranormal. “It’s not [a ghost story]. It’s more a story with a ghost in it. The ghost is just a metaphor… for the past,” she says – giving Crimson Peak a rare Del Toro tongue-in-cheek quality that he utilizes until the credits roll. Meta enough given that the crimson ghosts Edith later encounters are, in fact, echoes of the past, but when looking back on the public’s initial perception of the film, it creates a charming, albeit ironic, wit only found here.

Additionally, when tracing back to Crimson Peak‘s pre-production days, you’ll find something even more profound. Penned by Del Toro and an old collaborator, screenwriter Matthew Robbins; this was the first script completed after the release of Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006. The two first worked together an entire decade earlier on Mimic, which has now gone down as the only film Del Toro has truly lost to studio interference. Del Toro was supposed to direct Crimson Peak in the late 2000s, but along came Hellboy II and his involvement in launching The Hobbit (another R.I.P). Through this hectic time, Del Toro would reunite with Robbins in writing 2010’s Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, directed by Troy Nixey. However, the two also spent time together writing something else: an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness.

For those unfamiliar, At the Mountains of Madness is by far one of, if not, the most tragic of this filmmaker’s unrealized projects. After spending years trying to get this dream off the ground, Del Toro had the following to say to Empire in 2010: “It doesn’t look like I can do it. It’s very difficult for the studios to take the step of doing a period-set, R-rated, tentpole movie with a tough ending and no love story.” The payoff of Crimson Peak being a period-set, R-rated, tentpole film only 5 years after that statement couldn’t be sweeter. In the film, Edith is told to insert a love story for the better of her novel. Del Toro is obviously commenting on expectations tied to gender here, but you can’t help but wonder if he’s also referring to one of the biggest thorns in his own writing career – one that also ties back to writing partner Matthew Robbins.

When faced with the question, Del Toro has consistently said that all of his films carry an inherent Mexican touch just from the utter fact that they come from him, and Crimson Peak is no different. Whether if deriving from his personal experiences with tackling genre, both on and off paper, or from actual events tied to his life – Del Toro reimagines two separate ghostly encounters experienced by him and his mother through Edith – this film beams with the very essence of Del Toro’s soul. Perhaps most personified when the marginalized writer gets bloody and fights back with nothing but her pen, a visual that cements this as an important stepping stone in his career. It’s a fascinating through-line, connecting to very different segments of his canon while still defining a clear path. The mending of our wounds and subversion of gender roles is continued from Pacific Rim, while setting a bold new course for delving into unfiltered, mature romance in The Shape of Water.

This is only a fraction of what makes Crimson Peak quintessential Guillermo Del Toro. Gothic Romance has long been part of this auteur’s framework, and you would be remiss not to indulge in all of its glorious melodrama. Even if it isn’t your cup of tea, Del Toro will make it so. Reaching its 5-year anniversary, the film hits stronger than before. The intricate motifs, compelling use of practical effects (complete with the involvement of Del Toro veteran Doug Jones), and cathartic use of horror make for something that has yet to be replicated by a major studio. Its lacking box office performance suggests that maybe the world merely wasn’t ready for this masterwork? But just like its characters, we hold the power to define what comes next. Del Toro himself has previously ranked Crimson Peak as one of the 3 best films he’s ever made, and straight-up called it the most beautiful. Take his word and dive in no strings attached, because who knows when we’ll get another large scale, unapologetic Gothic Romance with this much grandeur.