#paralleling her storyline with alie

[lover-of-mine]

I have realized what is making my head explode when a BT post accidentally goes through my tags!!!! They are completely ignoring Buck is bi. They are acting like my aunt in the early 2000s. I may not have been fond of all the LUs but they were valid relationships. If Taylor had not fucked up who knows where that relationship would have gone. I mean clearly nowhere once Eddie was out because once Eddie broke up with him he spiraled and kissed Lucy. But they are still valid relationships and at this point in time I don't see how Tommy is better than any of them. To be honest he has the worst traits of Abby and Taylor but the screen time of Ally. So frustrating.

Well, when have people ever been normal about bisexuality? But here's the thing, every relationship Buck had so far had his own set of issues that somehow have been reduced to the way he was dating women, which is fucked in so many ways and the amount of times I have to stop myself from picking a fight because of bucktaylor it's actually hysterical to me because we're seriously at a point where I need to defend the validity of Taylor's place in Buck's life. Like, how did we get here? Because here's the thing, do I think Buck and Taylor were meant to be? No. Do I think Buck would've clung to her until he literally couldn't anymore if her actions hadn't hurt his family? Absolutely. I see Buck going as far as panic proposing to her if that particular situation hadn't happened, just to have someone. Because they had chemistry and Buck kept trying to force that to become love. Taylor was wrong for Buck for a multitude of reasons, but none of those reasons were because she's a woman and Buck is gay. And the relationship with Tommy is not gonna magically last forever just because Tommy is a man. Tommy is this weird amalgamation of all of Buck's love interests with Ali/Ana levels of screentime and he doesn't magically have a fighting chance just because he has a dick and people can't seem to see this. And I think that's crazy. Because Tommy was given to us in an episode that had the theme of not recognizing people, while actively making us think it was about someone else and then they did the Kim storyline and I want to scream because people can't see the parallels. And the more I look at it the more insane I get because he's all of Buck's love interests smashed into someone who's Eddie two steps to the left with none of the things we love about him. But somehow he's perfect because he's not a woman. The only thing Tommy has going for him is not being a woman. You turn him into one and none of the things he did would fly. Letting Buck get away with physically hurting Eddie? Leaving him in the curb? Not dressing up? Making a kink joke after someone Buck loves almost died? Picture those scenes with Lucy and tell me anyone in the fandom would be shipping them. Let alone fighting for them the way people are right now. But he's a man so he gets a pass and that's so fucking weird. Evan Buckley is bisexual but getting dicked down isn't going to magically make everything perfect. Jesus.

Also, since you mentioned Eddie coming out, something that I've been thinking about since we found out it was supposed to be Eddie, a Buck who thinks he's straight finding out Eddie has a boyfriend would shortcircuit. I legit think they could not find a way to write Buck's reaction to Eddie being queer that didn't end with him figuring his feelings out so they switched things up, so Buck would for sure would've gotten there once Eddie got there because he would've had big feelings about it and Buck is not the repressed one.

[gojuo]

lmaoo idk how helaemonds thought they had a chance when aemond’s isolation from his family is clearly setting up his future dependence and obsession with alys rivers. they made him obsessed with harrenhal, they made him prefer much older women, they made him parallel daemon, they made him and alys the black sheep of their family, and he has history with strongs and bastards. aemond’s arc will always lead to her. its like how the writers cant make alicent successfully defect to rhaenyra cuz their story was already written and no matter how many changes they make to the middle, the end stays the same.

“helaemond gothic romance” “aemond father of her children” see when you have no canon material, you resort to stealing from actual canon couples?

the two years of hlmnds stealing aegon's storyline for aemond and stealing alys' storyline for helaena was so fucking pathetic holy shit like /i'm/ embarrassed for them ... i'm so tired of this delusional ao3-only ship like jeez team black created this random pairing because they wanted to vindicate daemon's a son for a son line to minimize the brutality of b&c, then the TB aemond stans pushed for the aemond is the father theories so to stay on their high horse, then TG started unironically shipping this nonsense pairing. oh brother 😮‍💨 they need to give it a rest already and stick to ao3 where they belong

[ceciliatllis]

I saw someone on here mention how Alys and Elizabeth Woodville do not have any striking parallels and just felt the need to write about how they do in fact have quite a few different similarities. I've always been a huge enthusiast when it comes to The Wars of the Roses and find that period of history incredibly compelling (not to mention GRRM himself has acknowledged how it inspires ASOIAF and his work as a writer which is clearly evident in some of the characters he's created) so I felt compelled to write about this and share my own thoughts.

Both Alys and Elizabeth were polarizing women accused of being devious and using witchcraft/sorcery to "bewitch" a powerful royal who was exceedingly above them in rank; Elizabeth was reviled by the court as she was not an advantageous match for Edward IV politically at all and she and her family’s rise in status caused envy among many. She was older than him, already had children of her own, and was a widow; all of these aspects made her a scandalous woman which the court looked down upon with great disdain and scrutiny. Even now, historians continue to debate whether she actually loved Edward IV and returned his affection or if her primary goal was centered around using him to advance her rank and that of her family. Similarly, the maesters in F&B (as well as numerous people within the fanbase) create a villanious and cartoonish sort of figure when describing Alys as she is perceived as an unsuitable and unlikely match for Aemond - an unusual servant who has had several stillbirths and sees visions is a clear departure from the chaste, agreeable maiden they expected him to fall for. In addition, Elizabeth and Edward were said to have been married in secret whereas Alys and Aemond were ALSO rumored to be married secretly before his death according to Alys (she is referred to as his widow by other characters in F&B so it seems this was an accepted consensus among people and not something she invented). Another detail that stands out and further binds them together is that Elizabeth's father's title was Baron Rivers. Perhaps all of these links are simply coincidental (although I highly doubt that since this is GRRM) but it would be disingenuous to insinuate they do not exist whatsoever because one does not wish to see them.

While opinions vary greatly when it comes to Alys's motivations and true feelings (just as historians disagree about Elizabeth's personality and her relationship with Edward IV), I think it's fascinating to see how the negative reactions to controversial/mysterious women oftentimes mimic how female historical figures were unfairly judged and lazily reduced to common, reductive labels still recycled in the media today (such as forcing them into restrictive boxes where they're either a calculating seductress or helpless damsel). Many people seem to believe that strong-minded female characters can only be written as emotionless caricatures who use their charms (such as their sexuality) to get ahead for their own ambitions and while that trope is commonly seen in film/television and used as a storyline, I believe these ambitious and cunning women can be shown to have agency of their own while still being vulnerable, lonely, and open to love/companionship. That does not make them less empowering or intelligent by any stretch of the imagination; it makes them human. Women can contain a myriad of different traits and motives while still being interesting. That's how I hope the writers will approach Alys and it's also what I believe to be the more intriguing route to go when it comes to well-rounded, complex storytelling.

[horizon-verizon]

The fact Alys killed FOR Daemon. Probably the most romantic thing someone has done for him, lmao. I hope they have sex and she does get pregnant with Daemon’s child, FINALLY someone who match his freak (you’d never hear the end of it from some quarters if Daemon did, the same people who are championing Rhaenyra cheating).

But seriously, Daemon asking Alys for help, her actually helping him and the last hallucination she gives him is that of reconciliation with his brother… I’m still processing this and what it’ll mean down the line. I need to know her motives because it can’t just be helping out Daemon ?? She calls them both chess pieces at the hands of larger forces… How far into the future has she seen ?

Besides that point she knows how Daemon dies, she told him “he’ll die in this place”, so why does she even help him ? And what about Aemond ? Like I wonder what the end goal is for her. Since she will know Aemond dies, imagine she doesn’t warn him about it when she met him which will be 100% funny.

First, this is nothing against you anon. But I don't take HotD's writing and characters at face value or value them bc I believe much of HotD's writng is superficial and too contradictory for that. Even without considering how they have made it so much easier to hate and misunderstand several F&B characters, general ASoIaF lore, etc., enough for people to think this war wasn't as anti-woman-leader focused as it was bc the showrunners have blatantly said they wish to make this more about "both teams bad, Targs are uniquely selfish".

Answer: (in case you weren't being facetious) Sorry, nothing is ever going to beat for me Alys getting impregnated by the craziest bitch of the greens, aka, anti bastard team. Other than that, show!Alys is not doing for Daemon but for the Riverland smallfolk, so yeah she doesn't care for Grover Tully that much. I believe she's meant to parallel Mysaria in HotD's endless love for "parallels".

I don't think the writers know what her end goal is, bc even this is not all that clear in the book as she disappears from history with her son. And I don't think that she has much to anticipate since unless HotD is trying to say that Jojen Reed was Alys' descendant, how did a Targ father contribute to any of Jojen or Meera's abilities in GoT or ASoIaF? Nah, this storyline is weird & jumbled.

As for Daemon asking for help, I think this is the "toxic-man-learns-he's-not-that-special-and-asks-for-a-woman's-help-to-raise-women's-importance" arc HotD has out for him in this season. An unnecessary one that contradicts the first one--and no 1x10 was bullshit esp the choking scene, so 🤷🏿‍♂️.

Finally, I don't blame some people having issue if Daemon did cheat with Alys bc if they are, like you, trying to enjoy HotD for its own thing and in this iteration of Daemon, he did choke Rhaenyra out. So yeah, he has less of a high horse if he did cheat. Other people's dislike for Daemon cheating may rather just come from their misunderstanding of his character, book or show, so they don't count.

[liaa--qb]

Don't you think Rhaena and Aemond together give Ramsay and Sansa together ? I love Rhaena and I hate HOD for whatever they did with her in season 1. I saw alot of people shipping Rhaena and Aemond but I am not a green team hater. I would have thought about Daeron and Rhaena but people shipping Rhaena and Aemond is very much like people shipping Sansa and Ramsay

Sansa n Ramsay ! 😅😭Lol ok yeah I get it I get it why...... they do kinda have that but honestly Aemond is not as bad as Ramsay even in the fnb itself. To me he was lit just another Kylo ren or crazy Tom riddle version not as gruesome as Ramsay n also he never hurt/ assaulted ladies badly just like Ramsay in the book . Yeah he was a blood thirsty tyrant too but still there was nothing like he was extremely abusive towards any female. He only got one lady i.e Alys n even in that relationship he came under her spell immediately calling her his love, having baby with her.

You can enjoy daeron/rheana too no one is stopping but I enjoy More Rhaena with Aemond bc there's alot of storyline bet them and I have many times explained alot. They are parallel opposite, Aemond is the major reason for Rhaena's miserable life. It's just choice. Yes I do accept it is problematic etl but so is almost every second ship in HOTD. Also Idk why people have this ' Aegon is Joffery n Aemond is Ramsay of HOTd' it's nothing like this, they are way different.

[tawaifeddiediaz]

tbf some of us are complaining about this feeling like eddieana/bucktaylor again because it feels like an unoriginal rehashing of those storylines, not just because of love interests per se

but is it? is it really?

before i say anything, i want to preface by saying that everyone is entitled to their own opinion about things, and that being disappointed with how the season ends is a valid feeling to have. except the way that this has spiraled through fandom with all these comparisons indicates that no one's really understanding the use of these storylines to begin with. that no one's taking it with any amount of grace, between the constant negativity, review bombing, etc etc and that's why it's frankly annoying.

yes, there was the whole thing about this potentially being the series finale, and if that had happened, it would've sucked, but it didn't. there are still many stories to tell about this whole thing, why not focus on that?

back to your ask:

eddie, this whole season, has spent time fretting and spiraling about not wanting to be alone, now that he's actually in a place to move on from shannon - who, as we've found out this season, has potentially been his only partner before ana.

think about the way that it is only this season that pepa starts to set him up, and that it's only this season that he even considers it, even if it's for his aunt's sake and he wasn't initially happy with it. think about the way he's been going to frank to unravel some of these feelings, that he and chris are talking more openly about shannon, that eddie is allowing himself to feel his grief so he can carry the weight of it better.

marisol, regardless of how anyone feels about her, comes in front of him and he feels a spark of connection with her at the hardware store. and this time, christopher himself encourages eddie to call her, ending the conflict we saw at the beginning of the episode where he was trying to text her.

eddieana and eddiemarisol are very different just on the basis of how he reaches out to her. it remains to be seen how they intend to continue it, but for the purpose of his arc this season, he's taken the step, his son is on board, and he's moving towards a relationship where he feels less of the grief of losing shannon. those are three securities that eddieana did not have, because eddieana was how eddie was trying to move on from shannon's loss, while eddiemarisol is what he's doing now that he already has.

as for bucktaylor - natalia, whether we like it or not, gives buck something that no other character on the show gives, just by virtue of not knowing him. him dying isn't a tragedy to her the way it is to everyone else, and for buck, who's still grappling with the loss of his life and all, that is a big thing for him to find somewhere.

it's easy for us to sit here and say "eddie sees him" or "how does someone who's known him for 3 seconds know him better than all his friends" or "she sounds too fascinated" but buck does not get afforded the same view that we do. he is an unreliable narrator, going through the things that we see from a bird's eye view, almost.

yes, there are multiple parallels between bucktaylor and bucknatalia but again, those are things we see, as viewers. they're not things that buck is going to notice right off the bat.

that ending scene with the couch - if we absolutely must with this specific interpretation of the theory - ali and taylor both came with couches. this is one where he's taking an active role in purchasing it for his apartment, an active role in pursuing something that'll make him happy. will it pan out? who knows. but where his story stands right now, it's miles different from where buck and taylor where at the end of s4.

and if it's buddie goggles that we're trying to view this through, then i absolutely do understand the disappointment, but with s7 coming up, and so much more for them to flesh out (because 911 does sometimes spread storylines across multiple seasons), there's going to be a lot more to come.

anyway this got very long, but my point basically is that i don't understand how this feels like they're rehashing storylines because when i take a look at the path towards the decision they made with ana and taylor vs marisol and natalia, it couldn't be more different.

[dulcewrites]

you will hopefully watch hotd s2 and tell us ur thoughts my liege 🙂‍↕️

Ok so i was thinking about how to answer this because like… I’m not going to watch the full thing 💀. I only watched a couple of the episodes in entirety. I would say the only, and I truly mean only, good thing that’s come out of the rampant leak culture within this fandom is that I didn’t have to waste my time on a show that would not live up to my expectations. Which is wild because while I was excited for s2, my expectations were low.

I think my largest problem with hotd is not the changes or the plot points themselves, but how we get there. So I’ll just give you a couple of thoughts I had by character (gonna lump some together bc how storylines went):

Rhaena, Baela, Corlys, and Rhaenys: I’m lumping them together bc that’s essentially what the show does. Now this may be a #controversial opinion but the Velaryons gave Rhaenyra’s cheerleaders in f&b so I’m not surprised that’s their role in the show. That being said, the writing is just meh? Baela not advocating for Rhaena to get the Driftwood throne after Corlys offers it to her is a strange choice. The “I am fire and blood” line from her was corny (she is her grandmother’s child lol) and just weird considering she is ALSO salt and sea because of her mom??? She was fostered by her grandmother on Driftmark?? It just goes back to this idea that everyone needs to prop up Rhaenyra. And how Rhaenyra’s plight is most important. Bc why cant Baela and Rhaena advocate for themselves while advocating for Rhaenyra.

Rhaenys had her moments but the way the writers clearly use her as a sounding board is heavy handed. Her death fell flat for me bc honestly idc. The writers handled Corlys affair poorly. But at the same time Rhaenys being a “he knows where home is” lady makes sense for her lmao. Rhaena possibly claiming a dragon is just all around a dumb choice.

Daemon and Alys: Harrenhal did the heavy lifting. I appreciate them leaning into the magic and mystery around it. It is one of the through lines that made sense and was carried out. That being said, and I’m fine with people calling me bias for this, but Daemon is simply not very interesting to me. That whole thing was at its most interesting when Rhaenyra was yelling at him.

I like the story they have began for Alys. It would have been very easy to do the seductive, evil witch thing. I like that she’s yeah off kilter but also very grounded and normal. That being said, I don’t trust them with her 🤷🏽‍♀️

Jace: I appreciate them finally acknowledging how Jace feels about parentage. He sees how fragile the lines of legitimacy are and he’s scared. I think it sets a good parallel between Rhaenyra and Viserys as parents. She is putting her children, at least Jace and Joffrey, in the same position Viserys put her in. Despite enjoying the choices, there isn’t that special something there. Idk… but that could be said about the whole season.

Rhaenyra: I… honestly don’t know what to say about her lmao. I feel like she always gets taken to a point where she can be really fascinating… then they immediately reign her back in fear she will come off “unlikeable”. Which is crazy bc it’s been established that the gp, regardless of what is actually happening, will side with Rhaenyra, so why not have some fun with her. I often walk away not knowing what kind of character or person they want Rhaenyra to be.

Whew ok now let’s get into the messy part

Criston: Easily had some of the best/consistent writing not only for team green but the whole show. But people are hellbent on hating him so much of it just goes unnoticed. The only ire I have with Criston storyline is alicole. Not them together in a vacuum (I said before i see the beauty in both alicole and rhaenicent, though both are better when things are left unsaid), but more not knowing how they got together. The hard cut to them having sex as two repressed people leaves much to be desired.

Helaena: Ummm ???? Much like how Rhaenys is just a sounding board for the writer to hammer us over the head with, Helaena’s dreams get used at the whims of the plot. Because how did Helaena go from speaking in riddles that even she doesn’t seem fully understand to knowing exactly what they mean? Either that was just something made up so she could get a dig in against Aemond (not good), used to absolve daemon (not good), retroactive try to fix problems created by GOT (yawn) or she’s always known what her dreams meant and just decided not to make them understandable (NOT GOOD!!).

She barely grieves Jaehaerys pass the funeral (that could be said for a lot of dead characters) on screen. I thought the “they killed the boy” line was weird. Why not just say his name 💀💀💀. Alicent calls him the boy too like ???? Also we are supposed to believe the bug girl doesn’t want to ride her dragon….

I think the bright spot of her storyline has been the bond between her and Alicent.

Aegon: another #controveral opinion maybe but whenever people are like poor Aegon, I just think of that clip from Big Little Lies where Madeline is like “I don’t give a fuck about homeless people!” 😭 (I swear it makes sense in context). It’s sort of the same problem for me that I had with Jace. The arc is fine, set up well especially compared to others but like… eh 🤷🏽‍♀️.

Aemond: I did like they leaned into Aemond, in public, making it seem like he meant to kill Luke. But in private clearly having guilt over it. I think it was the best choice they could make. Just knowing how insecure Aemond is, it would make no sense for him to admit to not having full control over Vhagar in that moment. It’s strange to me that people thought his resentment towards Aegon came out of nowhere. I don’t think any of the point Aemond had made about Alicent and the war were wrong but I think the sudden aggressive nature towards Helaena was weird. Like bffr

Alicent: well… where do we begin lmao. I already touched on why I didn’t care for the alicole thing. Let’s just address the elephant in the room that this whole “Alicent is free” bs isn’t real bc she’s still under the subjugation of a Targaryen - this time it’s just Rhaenyra So that’s supposed to make it better in some people’s eyes. I’m sorry but even as someone who has gone on record to say that I think the change they made to Rhaenicent was the best, I can’t just let poor execution slide. I don’t even think Alicent having little legion to Aemond or Aegon comes out of nowhere. She has constantly, to a fault, reaffirmed her trust in Rhaenyra. What I don’t like is the writers first saying that Alicent needs to be humbled… as opposed to what? The super confident Alicent that’s always winning??? Then painting her coming to Rhaenyra as her choosing herself or some sort of liberation. Ok then why can’t she say one mean word about the man that abused her? Why is it that she can see through Otto, the man who pimped her out. But not Viserys, the man who happily went along with it. Why does Rhaenyra get have a moment where she realizes much her desire towards daemon was envy for what daemon represented. Or realizing he is a tool in her subjugation. But Alicent continues to insists that Viserys was a good man, father, husband, and king… all things that aren’t true.

People will be like “well she’s an abuse victim of course she would feel that way.” But if the narrative continues to tell us one thing, it is clear the writers actually think that. By those rules, they don’t see Alicent as a victim. And there lies the issue in how they write her.

There are plenty of other people who have expressed the problems with Alicent’s writing better than I have but this is just my thoughts.

[mishkakagehishka]

What is A3! ???

It is a mobage!!! It has an anime adaptation and a lotta musicals, too, but it's mainly a game :) sadly, the english server shut down last year (rip, and the trans+localisation was SO good too).

The protag/player character is Izumi Tachibana (though you can change her first name), who acts as the director of a theatre company ^_^ the theatre company was nearing bankrupcy at the start of the game and only had the incompetent manager (who is such a dear) and one actor. Two, technically, but the other one was a bird. The bird was more skilled, also. Basically the play they put on stunk and it was their last chance to get some money to get their debts in order, our protag was the only person who saw it, though. But she was very inspired by it, and when the (stay with me) yakuza guys came round to bulldoze the theatre, she essentially said she'll improve the company and pay back the debt. (She has no experience as a director.)

Anyway. The story is separated into seasons, with each one following one troupe, but with a general overarching storyline that ties them together (getting the Fleur award, making the company survive the year, and so on). It's really fun, it's all about found family and striving towards your dreams and the characters growing as people and growing their relationships, it's really such a good story, I love it with all my heart.

Spring, summer, autumn and winter troupes in left-right, top-bottom order :] actually i wanna go into detail gimmie a second

So, as I said, there's the four troupes: spring focuses on traditional fairy-tales and fantasy plays, summer on slapstick comedy, autumn is all about action and winter about soft and subtle serious plays. For example, their debut plays were

Spring: a Romeo and Juliet where RomiJuli were actually besties, and also Juliet was Julius because none of them could play girls

Summer: a 1001 nights adaptation where Scheherezade was telling the story to Ali Baba, but when she had to leave to be wed to the king, he used the genie to wish it away. It was actually really funny, i should rewatch it sometimes

(Digression but the plays were like. You do rehearsals and then unlock the play which is a lil 5min video of their chibis walking on the stage with props and animations and speech bubbles, it's cute)

Autumn: mafiosi have to team up despite their horrid relationship to eachother and in the process learn to work together (which perfectly parallels the way the leads actually evolved their relationship off the stage)

Winter: a story about an angel falling in love with a dying human </3

In the spring troupe you have Sakuya, the leader who loves acting and the Original Actor who Izumi saw on stage. He was bad, but really loved it, and that's what made her want to help. Masumi is like a teen heartthrob in his school, but he's apathetic and doesn't really care about anything, except for Izumi who he has a massive crush on. With time, you figure out he's just projecting his lack of parental attention on her. Tsuzuru is their scriptwriter, who is the straight man to Citron's boke, he's a college student who begs to do scriptwriting for the company, but he hyperfocuses on them, writes until he literally drops and worries everyone. Speaking of Citron, he's a foreigner from a country called Citronia, he says he's an exchange student. I think the truth is revealed in winter year 2, but i didn't finish autumn year 2 before the server ended so </3 Itaru is the king of gap, he's a businessman by day, and hardcore gamer by night. Chikage is the year 2 newcomer, can't say much about him, but I'll say more when I get to "the story: the details". Again, I wanna make this detailed :) for Year 1 Spring, the theme was acting, none of them except Sakuya (and Citron?) wanted to act. Tsuzuru wanted to write scripts, Masumi was just following Izumi, Itaru wanted free board, and that made their acting suck because they were all out of sync. Their story follows the characters finding their passion and learning to work together.

Summer's leader is Tenma, who is a famous TV actor, but terrible on-stage because he gets stage-fright. Yuki is the company's costume designer and maker, foul-mouthed, but hiding a sensitive side. Muku is a sweetheart who's very shy and self-depreciative, but wants to be "a prince" (he loves shoujo manga) (when Tsuzuru gave them their script, he said he went to read 1001 nights and called it "just like shoujo"). Misumi fucking LOVES triangles. His name is written as 三角 which means triangle. I can't figure him out, though, he seems like a cheerful and naive young man, but there's a sadness in him, it gets explored in later stories. Kazunari, love of my life, is a college student who is very cheery and happy-go-lucky and super extroverted. And it's an act. He runs the company website. Kumon is also a Year 2 character, so I don't know much about him, but he seems a sweetheart. Idolises his brother (Juza from Autumn). Summer troupe could NOT work together at first. Yuki and Tenma were at eachother's throats all the time. They still are, but less maliciously now. Their story follows them learning to work together, and bounce off eachother, and overcoming their insecurities.

Autumn troupe are my faves. Their leader is Banri, and the "second" guy is Juza. (Now, I forgot to mention, but in Year 1 the main two leads were the leader and "second" guy, which is to say the two whose relationships were the most fucked and needed the most work - in spring this was Sakuya and Masumi, and in Summer it was Tenma and Yuki). I cannot explain one without the other. Juza looks like a delinquent, he's scary, he does get into fights,,,, but mostly in self-defence as beating his ass is seen as a status symbol and he doesn't wanna fight. He wants to act, but he's really bad at it. Banri wants to kick his ass so fucking bad he trails him to the auditions, auditions with him and then decides he'll kick his ass at acting if he can't fight him with fists. Banri is a prodigy, he's good at every fucking thing. I can't say anything on Taichi so as to not spoil. Autumn is a bit dramatic. There's a rival company that we find out about in this season. He needs a hug, though, poor thing could never get an acting gig despite wanting to act so bad. Now, remember when I mentioned the yakuza? Sakyo is the guy they owe money to. He is now working on their finances. Scary old man. Azami is a year 2 character, I haven't finished reading Autumn, so I know nothing, but he's Sakyo's boss' (yes) kid, i hear. And their make-up artist. Omi is the mother hen, but he had a dramatic past as a biker before changing his ways. Malewife central, I love him so much. Autumn's deal was coming to terms with their pasts, accepting themselves and for some it was also about personal growth.

Winter's got the SocietyTM themes. The main two are Tsumugi and Tasuku. Tasuku is an athlete!! A fitness nut!!!!! He used to act for the rival company. Tsumugi is the leader, who works as a tutor :] and loves flower language. They are childhood friends, also. Homare is a poet who is vvvvvvv autistic-coded, he has low (or no?) empathy and can't read people. He talks about feeling like an alien or robot often, but it's not treated as something that needs fixing, even though he's sad about it. Hisoka is the Sleepy CharacterTM who also has amnesia. I will have to tell you more about him in story: the details, tho it will have spoilers. Azuma is the elegant, mature adult TM TM TM TM and he is so.... i can't even describe him. Ethereal. He is looked down upon for his job. I can't remember if saying what it is was a spoiler or not, I think he hid it tho. And about Guy, the newcomer, i know NOTHING. He is also from Citronia (and why Citron's truth is revealed in year 2 winter), but I don't know anything about it. I don't know how to describe what Winter was about. Interpersonal relationships and having understanding for one another. There was a time loop.

And then a bit more on the details of the story!!! Listen.

Listen.

You start playing A3! and, sure, it's a bit out there with the yakuza and the debt and acting parrot. But it's not that unrealistic. It's just goofy. Spring has a normal story, it's two high schoolers with absent family, a college kid, a salaryman/gamer and a foreign guy who speaks with a thick accent unless he's acting. It's goofy, but it's down-to-earth. They fight and can't figure out how to act normally bc half of them don't care and they all have terrible chemistry. One of them sleeps on the stage. They have an impromptu sleepover. They bond. It's so cute and it works and their play was a success and now they have people wanting to join!!

Summer troupe is also very normal, very goofy. A TV star (high schooler) getting called a hammy hack-actor and a loser by a middle schooler, a guy who loves shoujo manga so bad, a college kid who's always hitting on every girl he sees and a guy who collects triangles and also has been living in the dorms without anybody knowing for years. Weird on the triangle guy, but sure. They fight, they go camping, they bare themselves to eachother, they figure out how to work together. The play is a success, more people want to join!!

Autumn!!! A buncha bad boys with bad pasts, some with bad presents. Banri and Juza get handcuffed together. They have to be roomies. Juza snores so fucking loudly.

- SPOILER -

They get betrayed by one of their own?!?!?! But he regrets it and he feels so bad because he realised this company cares more about him than the one that sent him. He doesn't wanna go back. And they accept him

- SPOILER END -

And they write essays about their pasts and learn to see eachother as people and they bond and their play is a success and more people want to join <3

And then Winter. I don't remember much of it. Tsumugi and Tasuku have a tense relationship because they were friends, but Tsumugi gave up on acting. In order to fix this, the universe sticks them in a time loop that only they are aware of, until they talk it the fuck out. Homare wishes he could read people's emotions better so he finds an emotions loupe. It lets him read people's minds and it helps solve a very huge dilemma in the troupe's interpersonal conflicts. He then promptly puts it away and ends hoping he'll one day be able to read people without it, too. I think there's also something about a secret locked room but~~~ i forgot that. Anyway. This is the one where they go against their ultra-powerful rival company. And the play is a success, and the company is saved from bankrupcy!!!!! By just a bit. They're on a zero. Sakyo is still cinching their belts.

And then it gets extra fucked up. Hisoka's amnesia. Is connected to Chikage in year 2. Now this is straight up SPOILERS for this and the paragraph below so feel free to skip this, but it's like. Wahooo funny actors lovely. And then there's the assassin subplot. Chikage and Hisoka were in the same assassin group. Hisoka was presumed dead. Chikage, I think, was there to finish the job. He kidnaps Izumi at some point and threatens her life.

DESPITE IT ALL. A3! the found family ICON. Accept him as one of their own and tell him he, too, has a place in their company, he, too, can find a better life. Just because the usual improvement was "My family is negligent" to "Now my friends are my family" or "i'm gonna kick your ass" to "oh this acting shit kinda goes hard", doesn't mean his can't be "i will literally kill everyone because i am an assassin" to "oh, okay, acting"

Anyway, I love A3!. Yaycupcake has translations for the main story to Act 12 (so, three years) as well as event, side, and conversation stories. The animation in the anime is eh, but it's worth watching. There's a cute manga. They have a strip where Izumi has to work at a girls' company for a bit and Muku's shoujo-inspired thoughts are "omg what if she gets swept off her feet by a masculine knight girl and they fall in love <3333" and absolutely ruins Masumi's life (who thought his ""relationship"" with her will be safe because there are no men there)

[weirsight]

hotd 2.06

i would much rather his reason for alicent leaving is due to king's landing being in disarray and he wants to keep his mother safe after what happened to aegon at rook's rest. but then that would require aemond not attempting fractricide!

it was only a matter of time before viserys made an appearance. would've been weird to have another daemon vision without him. so, not much of a surprise. nice to see ya' paddy! 👍

i am not sure how i feel about daemon being vulnerable enough to let his guard down around alys. then again, he's been put into an environment that is inherently supernatural. like, the castle (and alys) is actively tormenting him with nightmares and visions. eh, i'm willing to let it slide.

"daemon targaryen asking for help." ...she said not even 30 seconds after i thought it. don't wink at the camera, show. 😒

rip, sir steffon.

i mean, rhaenyra's always idealized warrior women like visenya and nymeria. so, it's not out of character for her to start carrying a sword around and being more assertive. ⚔️

didn't think they would bother to showcase the hull brothers having valyrian ancestry, but i appreciate it being present in an episode that focused on the dragonseeds.

no surprise when you consider the already disappointing track record that asoiaf television adaptations have when it comes to race. they truly thought they were doing something inclusive when they casts the velaryons, but to cut out nettles and shoehorn her entire storyline to rhaena, who they purposefully racebent, is nothing short of abysmal. there's sure to be even more backlash now that it's officially been made show!canon, and i can't say it's undeserved.

when your expectations are so low that you're surprised when a seemingly forgotten plot thread is actually brought up. i see you house beesbury.

otto paralleling viserys in having a favorite child? more likely than you think.

"my son daeron." ok...were these reshoots? because the way they keep mentioning daeron is signaling to the audience HeY, gUeSs WhAt EvErYbOdY? aLiCeNt HaS aNoThEr ChIlD! 🙄

i am so tired of seeing that fucking dog. 🐕

that riot scene felt even more visceral than the one in got s2. well done.

i know that we had lyonel strong for only, what, 6 episodes back in s1, but he never struck me as the type of guy who look at a deformity and make a big deal out of it. larys is on some bs, because if that were true, then lyonel wouldn't have brought him to court alongside harwin "breakbones."

"you have seen me as worthy, as an equal, even. because of that, i will serve you." oof, that line needed a rewrite.

all that time coding the rhaenicent dynamic as sapphic to the point of warping the motivations of either character and even the story itself...........only to shove rhaenyra/mysaria in my face. no thanks.

until they show the rest of the dragons all throughout the dance, syrax might be the ugliest. vhagar is definitely up there, but i genuinely like vhagar because i like her riders. syrax just isn't doing it for me.

[themovieblogonline]

The Explosive Events in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4

I know you’re all reeling from that explosive episode of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4! The drama, the dragons, the battles! What an episode! We witnessed some jaw-dropping moments, and I can't wait to dive deep into them. So, hold on to your butts as we dissect the major events and unravel the complexities of this fiery installment of HOTD S2 E4. https://youtu.be/ikQzBN3pIOY Rhaenys and Meleys vs. Vhagar First things first, let's talk about that epic showdown. Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys faced off against Vhagar, and boy, did it get intense! It was like watching someone’s grandma challenging Chris Brown to a dance-off... brave but doomed. Vhagar, much larger and more ferocious, eventually overpowered Meleys. It was a tragic yet spectacular clash of dragons that left us all gasping. And then there's the king. Yes, folks, the king himself took a direct hit from Vhagar's Dracarys. It looks like he got roasted, leaving the throne in even more turmoil. This moment marked a significant turning point, shaking up the power dynamics in ways we’re yet to fully grasp. Aegon's Fate and Aemond's Ambition Now, is Aegon dead? We saw him get charred pretty badly. Aemond's actions towards his brother have always been fraught with tension, and this episode took it to new heights. The scene with Aemond picking up the Conqueror’s dagger while looking down at Aegon’s body was chilling. Aemond's ambitions are clear, but how this plays out politically remains to be seen. We know Aemond has crossed lines that even Daemon wouldn't dare to. Daemon's Nightmares and Alys Snow Daemon’s storyline was equally compelling. He’s been plagued by nightmares, haunted by visions of a young Rhaenyra and ominous symbols. Alys Snow handing him a nutcracker added a bizarre twist to his troubled nights. Is this just another layer to his complex character, or does it hint at something darker? Daemon's dreams continue to unravel his psyche. He’s been seeing blood on his hands and experiencing double wake-ups, hinting at his guilt and internal conflict. His interactions with Alys Rivers, who gave him a nutcracker made from a heart tree, added another layer of mystery. These trees are linked to the magic of greensight, making her gift all the more intriguing. Daemon's hallucinations, including visions of his deceased wife and cryptic symbolism, suggest he’s grappling with the weight of his decisions. The Blackwoods’ pledge of support, contingent on Daemon and Caraxes dealing with the Brackens, sets the stage for more bloodshed. Wrapping Up This episode of House of the Dragon Season 2 was a rollercoaster of emotions and explosive action. From dragon battles to political intrigue and character depth, it had it all. Join me for the live stream on Monday night, where we’ll dive even deeper into the parallels and nuances of this incredible episode. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share the content every click helps keep me from moving back in with my mom! Read the full article

[anthonysstupiddailyblog]

Anthony’s Stupid Daily Blog (392): Thu 13th Apr 2023

A guy on the Twilight Zone fans Facebook page saw the review I wrote about the episode On Thursday We Leave For Home and took issue with the comparisons I made between the main character who becomes corrupted by power and Donald Trump. The guy didn’t like the parallel I pointed out and said “why don’t you keep your political opinions to yourself?” and I replied “Because I don’t live in North Korea”.

Anywho, on last nights episode of Hollyoaks it was revealed that legendary character Justin Burton has been killed off screen and a lot of long time fans are losing their shit. I have to say I’m a bit bummed out by this too. Justin’s was the central character when I first started watching the show and his storyline where he fell in love with and eventually ended up banging his teacher Becca Dean was the first storyline I ever saw as a Hollyoaks viewer. I was there for his most memorable moments like losing his sisters in the fire at The Dog, being put on trial for the murder of a school bully when it was actually his step brother Ali who did it and his lying to the police telling them that Becca took advantage of him which led to her being locked up and murdered in prison. I look back at this time as being the golden years of Hollyoaks creativity although I admit that’s because I was a teenager at the time so I’m probably a bit biased. Justin and the other characters who were around at the time I started watching are intertwined with what I deem to be the best years of the shows run and so I have to admit that when something bad happens to any of these characters it does upset me a bit. The really shitty thing is that Hollyoaks appeared to be teasing the return of Justin in order to set his son Charlie on the right path but then they go and do this! Talk about pulling the rug out. I saw a lot of people saying that the actor who played Justin, Chris Fountain, should have never been allowed back into the show because in his youth he released a rap where I made flippant comments about rape. This was enough to warrant some fans’ forever hatred of him but I personally think enough time had passed where the actor could be forgiven. He was only a stupid kid himself at the time and he did apologise for it after all. I dare say that a good chunk of us had pretty flippant attitudes when it came to serious issues back then because we didn’t know any better. This is the latest in a string of big missed opportunities and bad decisions for the show. The last year or so I’ve been drifting in and out of the show because the writing has been really lacking and the show seems directionless. A couple more bad decisions from the show and I think I’m going to have to call it a day.

[atdamnbraina]

𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠   𝚊𝚗𝚍   𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚎   𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎

raven   is   a   mechanic   and   explosives   expert   residing   in   ketterdam,   not   asking   questions   for   the   services   she   trades   as   long  as   the   kruge   she   receives   keeps   her    surviving.    expect  she   has   a  gift  that   alongside   her   brain   that   makes   her   works   one   of   a   kind,   although  she   has   no   desire   to   join   the   second   army   which  is   why   she   keeps   that   identity   a   secret.

[iconicbuck]

Patterns.

Abby left Buck for Ireland.

Eddie left El Paso for Los Angeles.

Buck is starting to move on from the Abby heartbreak.

Eddie is starting to settle in LA.

Taylor enters the picture.

Shannon came back.

Buck had sex with Taylor.

Eddie started having sex with Shannon.

Taylor left and Buck started to date Ali.

Shannon died.

Ali left.

Eddie felt a spark with Ana. He yelled at her but he apologized later on with a someday promise.

Abby came back. And left for good.

Eddie started dating Ana.

Taylor came back. Buck tried to pursue Taylor but she friendzoned him.

After Taylor learned about the sniper targeting the firefighters, she was worried about Buck. To make this short, BuckTaylor started dating.

Eddie breaks up with Ana.

Buck breaks up with Taylor.

There's obviously a pattern here. Now that it looks like the patterns are even now, it means there's one potential storyline left. And I hate to say this but I feel like the next is much bigger heartbreak coming for us buddie fans and at the same time, not?

Buck and Eddie both caught their attention to one woman. A possible love triangle. Now, how did I came up with this theory? Well, since we're gonna have Henren Begins soon, I guess that's where I took the hint.

Eva/Hen/Karen Love triangle.

We all know, Hen and Eva dated amd lived in together first. We have yet to know how they started dating and how Hen chose to be with Eva instead of Karen, assuming she was already in the picture at the same time.

So yeah, I just feel like worms crawling under my skin at the potential parallel of Henren-Eva and the possible Buddie-a woman. And if my theory is right, then either Buck or Eddie will end up dating the woman and that leaves the one - again either Buck or Eddie had the same fate with Karen for a time period. I mean it could be Buck end up dating the woman or Eddie dating her depending on the henren/Eva parallels - assuming Hen and Karen were bestfriends before. Imagine The HenRenEva Angst parallels Buddie love triangle Angst.

Jealousy.

So why did I say it could be not really a heartbreaking for us Buddie fans? Well, assuming Eddie ends up dating the woman that Buck is also eyeing for, Buck will feel jealous. Real jealous. Angry. Angst! But he's also starting to get confused. Since Hen is the voice of reason, she'll talk to Buck like she always does to make sense of everything. Who is he really jealous to? And for Eddie that ends up dating the woman, I really am not sure how to go with this one. It's a bit tricky. It'll be redundant ala Ana 2.0 if Eddie is dating again and yet his whole heart is not with her. So I guess I just assume that Buck a bit hesitant but concedes and congratulates Eddie kind of way and start over again like nothing happened and Eddie was hit like tons of bricks because he felt like he's breaking Buck's heart and he can't and the woman figured it out too.

So that ends my theory for Season 6b is Buck and Eddie BLATANT FEELINGS REALIZATION.

[uberaalison]

Thinking back on the series finale, Emily’s attitude toward Addison and her friends really should have been another subtle sign that her relationship with Alison was not going to work out. 

I mean, the parallel between Alison DiLaurentis and Addison Derringer was laughably obvious, and Emily takes a super strong dislike to this kid, to the extent that she seeks out the other girls and tries to convince them to cut ties with her and find other friends. Her mentality is clearly that Addison is a mean girl who’s not going to change, and her friends would be better off without her.

But then she...turns around and marries Alison? The original mean girl? If she so wholeheartedly believed that Alison had changed and become a better person, why wouldn’t Addison be capable of the same? This storyline really only makes sense with the spinoff’s narrative that deep down, Emily really didn’t trust Ali as much as she wanted to.

[strappingyoungbuck]

just the fact that. since the start of the show, a major part of buck's storyline relates to romantic and sexual relationships. the fact that he recognised constant one night stands weren't healthy for either party so he made the conscious effort to change. and it paid off! he had a good thing with abby, he matured for her and emphasised his best qualities in putting her first, being responsible and kind. and it gained him stability and, briefly, a home! he felt so comfortable he was very quickly practically moving in with her.

and he recognised that he needed a solid foundation to build up to a relationship like that. the fact that he held back, spent all that time talking to her on the phone, helped with her mother. they knew each other before their relationship really began and that's why he was so content with her.

and then abby had to put herself first. which she could have handled better than just leaving buck alone in her apartment but really. was buck actually fully oblivious to the end of their relationship or was he just hanging on to a good thing after it was already gone?

and then there's ali. i don't know how much there is to say there but i think it's key that she was never around for extended periods. buck had just finished a very emotionally intense relationship, probably his first serious relationship, so it seems the way he and ali started dating does make sense for him. but like. what really stands out for me is that he moved into his apartment For Ali. she pushed for him to stop living like such a bachelor and have his own space, only it was meant to be a space with her in mind. so, i don't think anyone really should have been surprised that he's so lonely. he's literally living alone in an apartment meant for a couple.

and so we see buck grow from someone completely reckless, irresponsible, living in a shared house to a man intentionally getting his life together not just for his sake but for the sake of the people around him. he's someone who can provide a sofa for people to sleep on, instead of relying on chim or maddie. he goes to therapy because he wants to be better, for his own sake. he steps up.

and then there's eddie. who is simply the logical culmination of buck's romance arc. there's that initial reckless jealousy, some remnant of buck 1.0 that rears its head, which switches in the course of one episode to complete loyalty and unfailing support. he meets christopher, he loves christopher, and he almost kills himself trying to keep christopher safe. he provides eddie with the support to put christopher in a good school, with someone to look after christopher whilst he works. they barely know each other and buck helps with the person most important to eddie, it's not exactly a subtle parallel to the beginnings of his relationship with abby.

and they're best friends! (oh my god they were best friends.) it's like everything with abby amplified by a thousand, because they know each other intimately, they risk their lives for each other. buck feels comfortable at eddie's home ("i'm not exactly a guest").

and the lawsuit is awful but. it's like watching a break-up where neither party realised they were in a relationship. it's like how ali couldn't handle the risks of buck's work so she left in case one day buck didn't come home, but eddie lived through that. buck wasn't there and eddie lost his co-parent and his confidante. but eddie forgives and buck sees how much he's really hurting and they can talk about it because buck Sees eddie.

abby left because she didn't know who she was after giving so much of herself away, and following both eddie begins and buck begins, both the characters and the audience understand about as much about eddie and buck as we're ever going to, really. there's a solid sense of self, lots of personal progression, and it is literally only logical from buck's point of view to end up with eddie, who knows ("i know you did") that buck has to take the risks he does, and who won't ever up and leave him (he was the first the run in and grab the rope!).

and buck has proved time and again he is a capable and worthy co parent for christopher ("there is no one i trust more"). he consistently steps up for christopher and for eddie. shannon left because she needed time, because she feared being married to eddie made her a worse mother. with buck, being with eddie makes them both better parents and better partners. they have each others backs!

like. don't do it for me, fox. do it for the narrative.

[kitkatpancakestack]

Hold up...your theory on all the season finales focusing on Buck and his love interests — Buck ending each season being left by someone he loved (he didn't really love Ali, but doesn't matter). Hold. Up. Not really a theory, but a keen observation of fact on your part! But what was different about season 4, hmm? He almost lost Eddie, but the episode ended with Eddie staying, Eddie choosing Buck. THIS SHOW!!!

911 narrarive parallels are rarely one-on-one, they are like fractals. What on earth is coming next???

(And I am now just remembering that that scene with Buck and Eddie was the final scene of the episode, before the montage.)

I don't know what I'm asking except I would love to hear more of your thoughts on this parallel (or anything else 911 that is on your mind...)

OHohoh be careful what you ask for, I will reach into my brain and splatter the proverbial canvas with every over-analytical triviality I can get my hands on.

@yramesoruniverse I am so happy to see you in my inbox, every time your url pops up on my dash I smile. I vibe with your vibes! Reading your tags on my posts and vice versa feels like we're sitting down with some popcorn to talk shit (affectionate) about this beloved weewoo show.

Okay okay onto the ask - naturally I have some opinions, 90% of my headspace is the weewoo and 10% is nonsense like bills, groceries, my job, school applications, etc. I've got thoughts. So here we go:

I've started realizing this on my latest re-watch, and I just got to the season 3 finale, and as I was shoving my face full of Wendy's I thought to myself, whoa whoa whoa, this is the third finale of this show and the third time I have to see Buck all forlorn and woe is me bc another LI is leaving him. And everything snowballed after that. Let's go in order, and then we're gonna talk about other character's arcs as they manifest in the finale, and then hopefully I can pull this mess together at the end so it makes sense!

Let's preface these analyses by saying that typically season finales are reserved for revisiting the main storylines of characters, and in the case of 9-1-1 which focuses on the personal lives of the first responders, the main storylines revolve around those characters' families. Buck's main storyline is his search for meaningful connection and having something that he can call his own.

1x10: "A Whole New You"

Abby leaves Buck. That's what this boils down to in regards to the theme of this post. After Buck prepared himself to "step into it with her" and "keep her company there," Abby's mom passed away and relieved her of the last thing tethering her in place, resulting in her deciding to travel the world and rediscover herself. I think the title of the episode is hilarious as it relates to Buck and Abby, because it's pretty obvious in Abby's case but in the context of the next season we literally start to see the transition to a "whole new Buck." I hate speaking its name aloud, but Buck 2.0 anyone???

Why Abby leaves: she was afraid she would lose herself if she stayed

What Buck learns: he is capable of a monogamous relationship and actually he might prefer this to the alternative

2x18: "This Life We Choose"

Ali leaves Buck. Her mere existence in this episode shows the audience Buck is actively moving on from Abby. He is trying to make this whole meaningful connection thing work, which feels more authentic to him probably because Ali is already established in his life (sound like someone we know from season 4 anybody??? sorry I digress), but we know how this turns out.

Why Ali leaves: she couldn't handle the inherent danger and unpredictability of his job

What Buck learns: people leave, but you know what will always be there for him? His job. Let's project our entire self-worth onto that, then.

3x18: "What's Next?"

Abby leaves Buck (again, and this time for another man!). It's more like the continuation and finalization of the process she started in the season one finale, but absolutely this gets its own mention. Never mind that Tim said the train was literally a metaphor for Buck. Abby isn't walking off into the vague unknown with this one. She is about to marry a single father (cough cough) and that is the deliberate cut-off to her and Buck's relationship, which leaves him in a bit of a freefall as is obvious during the first bit of season 4 (hello Dr. Copeland, better late than never I suppose).

Why Abby leaves: she found someone who she can be her authentic self with, who she doesn't feel will make her backslide

What Buck learns: everybody walks away, he is always the one left behind, maybe the problem is himself.

4x14: "Survivors"

Eddie almost left Buck. The difference? Abby and Ali both made active choices to leave him. Eddie had to literally get gunned down in the street, through no choice of his own, in order to even be added into this parallel. Considering the culminating events of Buck's story arc throughout the years and especially the plotline we get in season four alone, this is huge, don't you think? I know the writers do, because they literally put up a huge neon sign with the final scene between Buck and Eddie like, "We know Buck always gets left behind at the end of each season but look at this! He isn't! In fact, it's the exact opposite!" and then we're forced to go insane ruminating on the meaning of these choices for an eternity during the hiatus.

This is already obscenely long, and I have some thoughts about other characters and how their main plotlines play out during the season finales, but I'll leave this here for now. Hope this gave you something!