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where-theres-smoak-2 · 2 years

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Shadow and Bone 2x02 Review

Episode 2, done. Again there will be spoilers in this review so beware, book spoilers with be marked with * before and after so that you can skip over that bit, if you don’t want to see book spoilers don’t read anything between those two * and I suspect I am going to get very bored saying this line by the time I’ve gotten through all 8 episode reviews. But anyway this was another good episode and things are moving along at a good pace so far. A large part of this episode was taken up by the search for the sea whip. We also had a lot of drama going on with the crows, so lets dive in.

Sturmhond’s Crew and The Sea Whip

Ok I love Sturmhond and his crew they are just so entertaining to watch and you can see that they’ve all got a really strong bond. But I also really like the dynamic between Alina and Sturmhond. I like that she matched his energy and didn’t just bow down to him or let herself be intimidated by him and that lead to some really great scenes between them.

One really great scene is when Alina comes to Sturmhond to confront him about changing cause and he picks up that she doesn’t trust him, I do feel like trust was a recurring theme in this episode. Trusting other people but also trusting yourself. As Sturmhond points out Alina, I think largely because of the betrayal she feels over Aleks, is already acting like she has been betrayed, this is likely a defence mechanism on her part and honestly can’t blame her. * Also as much as I appreciate the sentiment about trusting he doesn’t have ulterior motives, us book readers know that he isn’t really being truthful about who he really is and that’s going to suck for Alina later in the season, it certainly isn’t going to help with her trust issues either.* Similar to the scene with Aleks in ep 1 this question of whether Alina truly knows herself comes up. It seems like many characters are going to be questioning her over this, he points out that she doesn’t really understand why she is so valuable to so many people, that its not just about tearing down the fold or because she can summon light its because of that hope she represents, something that she has yet to believe herself.

Ok I am about to be petty again so malina shippers look away, but I just have to say it Alina and Sturmhond have more chemistry than malina do. I’m sorry its the truth. I mean it still doesn’t match the same level that is darklina but its heaps better than malina. I just think at this point it is kind of embarrassing that the main couple you are supposed to root for is the one with the least amount of chemistry and appeal and that’s out of all of the ships on the show.

But speaking of Mal I did think his interactions with Sturmhond were really funny, like poor mal felt so put out that Sturmhond wouldn’t even try to remember his name, I mean this is the sun summoner and sun summoner’s guest was kind of funny but I also thought Mal was really funny when he said it wasn’t even a long name to remember. But I also like that towards the end of the episode when he chooses a weapon that Sturmhond approves of that mal earns a bit of his respect and vice versa, they’ve still got a long way to go before they are buddy buddy but I still enjoyed the dynamic they had.

I don’t know if I would call this a complaint but there was one line in this that made me wary, shall we say, and that is when Alina remarks on how Sturmhond’s crew is made up of both otkazat'sya and grisha and talks about how hey imagine if you combined first and second army. I saw this one coming a mile off, the whole lets unite the two armies rhetoric. Look I am usually all for unity and all that but the problem I have with it here is that thus far the only main first army character we have seen so far is mal. The rest of the time the first army are shown as antagonists to the grisha, they are the ones hunting Aleks and the grisha in the flashback of 1x07 and they are the ones locking grisha in cages currently. So we keep seeing the first army do horrible things to the grisha and then you’ve got alina going hey lets get the grisha to make friends with the first army. I get the sentiment behind it I really do but I also feel like the first army are going to have to put in a lot of work too. I also just know that they are going to use this as a way of showing that Aleks is bad because he didn’t unite the two armies, whilst also completely ignoring the fact that the King also wasn’t rushing to unite the two armies either and that of course Aleks isn’t going to trust the first army considering his past with them.

But moving on lets talk about the sea whip. It looked as gorgeous as I thought it was going to from the trailers. But it was also alot more vicious than I expected it to be, though thinking about it more I don’t know why, maybe it was because of how calm and peaceful the stag seemed to be. But the Sea Whip was definitely playing with them and it did kill at least two people. Eventually it attacking mal does lead to Alina killing it and it is kind of ironic that Alina has this whole, we don’t need to kill the amplifiers to get there power thing going on and yet she has caused the death of two amplifiers now because she was protecting mal. *But I do suspect that they might be doing the whole you don’t have to kill an amplifier to get its power because of that plot twist with the third amplifier.*

The scene when Alina takes the amplifier was stunning and loved how her powers looked and how you kind of hand that steady glow that was similar to the Stag but then there were these wisps of golden light that were slithering like the Sea Serpent. It just looked visually spectacular. I also loved how joyous Alina looked, she looked almost drunk on the power. I also thought it was interesting how the scene where the amplifier is being put on her was intercut with scenes of the darkling and that hot poker trying to heal the wound on his hand from the stag and then mal through the eyes of the sea whip. I definitely think this is foreshadowing, book readers will know.

The Crows

So much was going on with the crows this episode. We got more flashbacks of Kaz’s backstory and it turns out I was right in my previous review the older boy in the flashbacks is Kaz’s older brother. It looks like the connection to Rollins is that he offered them some kind of job which I am going to assume was actually a scam of some kind. I also do wonder if it is linked to the plague cemetery that the crows use as a meeting point as in ep 1 we did see what look like some kind of disease and now I am even more worried about Kaz’s brother. I am wondering if the job Rollins offers them somehow gets them exposed to the plague and his brother dies and that’s why Kaz wants to get revenge on Rollins so badly.

As I mentioned before, trust is a theme that comes up a few times in this episode and this can be seen within the crows too. The crows seem to be struggling to trust Kaz because of how secretive he is being. It also seems like Kaz is struggling to completely open and trust the other crows. I really loved the scene on the rooftop between Kaz and Inej when she pushes to tell her his story with Rollins. It was interesting when he talked about secrecy being about survival and I do think on some level this is relatable. I mean I guess that is why people keep secrets, to protect themselves or others they love. But I also like what Inej said about trust being the opposite of secrecy, it was basically her saying he could trust her and she’d be there when he was ready to open up, at least that’s how I read it.

I love Wylan, just wanted to point that out. I also really want to know the story of his connection with Jesper because they clearly have met before. Also maybe its my dirty mind get in the way here, but the fact that Jesper suddenly recalled that he had met Wylan before whilst lying on top of him, I mean, did these guys like sleep together at some point in the past? Or am I just reading too much into that. But it would explain why Wylan seemed kind of infatuated with Jesper in ep 1. Either way they do have some really good chemistry and I really so think these guys may have a romantic plot line this season.

Speaking of couples I have to talk about Nina and Matthias because they are breaking my heart right now. I mean poor Matthias is locked up in hellgate. But there was that, well I don’t know what it was but it seemed like a flashback and it was a really steamy moment between him and Nina. Honestly my immediate reaction was hey up when did this happen? Which made me wonder if it was just him fantasising about Nina in that moment. But what makes me doubt it was just a fantasy is that right before the steamy scene Matthias’ cellmate says that their god will forgive his sins, then it shows the possible flashback, and then Matthias says the god could never forgive his sins. We also know from season 1 that Fjerdans have very different views on intimacy between a man and a woman and how its reserved for marriage so if he really did sleep with Nina offscreen in season 1 then his culture and upbringing could be resulting in him feeling some guilt about his relationship with Nina, especially as at the moment he believes she tricked and betrayed him.

As for Nina she too is struggling with feelings of guilt and she is also thinking about Matthias but her guilt is wrapped up in the part she played in getting him sent to Hellgate and its clear that she is desperate to get him back and that really does tug at my heartstrings.

The crows do get hit with some blows this episode and it is another one of those situations where their plan just does not go according to plan and yet somehow they still work their way out of it. The guy that Rollins sent after Inej, the Taxidermic, was really creepy, somehow I think we might end up seeing him again. I loved the scene where Jesper had a shoot out with Rollins guys, those gun tricks just look so cool. But once again I am very curious to see what their next steps are going to be but also what Rollins is going to do next.

Aleksander and Darklina.

So we got another dream, mind scene between darklina this episode and once again it was really great. They just have so much tension and angst in their scenes together and even when they are angry with each other they still have chemistry and sexual tension between them.

I’ve said it before but darklina have this dynamic where even when they are arguing they are still communicating and I do think Aleks was spitting out some truths in this scene that Alina didn’t want to hear. He points out that she may think that she has found a family and love with Mal but that it will all fade away because mal will grow old but Alina will only grow more powerful. I do have to keep reminding myself that whilst as the audience we know Aleks’ past Alina does not. So when Aleks talks about knowing how she feels when she’s with Mal, Alina scoffs and I do think this is again a defence mechanism, she doesn’t want to believe that Aleks is capable of love or that he could love her because that would make things too complicated. There was a time when she thought he felt those things for her and she felt them for him, where she thought she might have found that family and future with him, she says it herself in 1x07, ‘we could have had this, all of it.’ But now she feels betrayed and hurt by him so it is easier to imagine that he is someone who is incapable of love. It make sit easy to make him her villain.

I do think that when Aleks begins to describe the loneliness and the weight of their immortality, the ache that comes with it, that it strikes a nerve with Alina because deep down, despite her denying it, she does know exactly what he is talking about. I do think that Aleks feels very frustrated by Alina’s naivety because he has already experienced everything he is warning her about and despite his anger at her I also do think some part of him still cares about her and he can see that her denial will only lead to her getting hurt in the same way he was.

Alina however is vey much in denial and she want’s to make it clear to him that they are not the same, that she doesn’t want to be like him, but at the same time I don’t think she can completely deny the truth, which is that she is more like him than she wants to admit. I said in last ep review that when she came to the mind palace in her blue kefta it might have been an act of defiance on her part to not wear his colours. Well in this one she is wearing the black kefta but she decides to take it off and this moment is really interesting because all though she is making a statement and saying I’m not like you and I won’t wear your colour again, she has to turn her back to him before taking it off, like she can’t look at him as she does it, and Aleks too has to look away and you can see that it is hurtful to him that she is doing this. What also interests me about it is that I’ve talked in the past about this metaphor of shredding their kefta, like Aleks does in 1x04 and how they come to each other without their keftas in their nightclothes and how this symbolises them shedding their armour in a way and how they usually have very open and vulnerable scenes. Well its the same here after she takes off the Kefta Aleks goes on this rant where he’s just letting all his feelings pour out, similar to that war room scene in ep 4, he talks about how he’s had to change his identity over and over and watch loved ones die from sickness, desperation, hate and time itself. This is what makes Aleks such a sympathetic character because of moments like this, you can’t help but feel bad for him, he’s been through so much pain and suffering. Ben also does a phenomenal job in these scenes and is so good at bringing that vulnerable side to the character and that humanity. You can see when he is giving this rant that Alina is feeling complicated feelings, its clear she hates to see his pain, you see her look away, but she also doesn't want to feel sympathy for him or care for him so she pushes it down and hides it behind her anger. What is interesting is next she kind of mocks him a bit, asking if that’s how he justifies his actions, her tone when talking about his loneliness and open wound is very mocking. But despite her mocking she still seems drawn towards him and moves closer. It’s like she is saying one thing but her body is communicating something else entirely.

Aleks doesn’t back down from this kind of challenge Alina is making and instead also moves closer until once again there is zero personal space between these guys. When he calls her ‘my Alina’ this does get a reaction out of her and she has to look away but as is par for the course with darklina she can’t keep her eyes from his for long. Throughout this whole scene I did wonder if Alina had figured out yet that Aleks was still alive but from the way she says ‘you’re already dead’ its made clear that she hasn’t so I’m guessing she thinks she’s just dreaming these conversations between them.

Another subject that comes up in this conversation between them is this idea of the past being an open wound and Alina saying Aleks’ past is the cause of all ruin. In a way she is kind of right but unlike the audience she thinks his past was him deliberately creating the fold whereas we know the wound that won’t close is him and his people being hunted, Luda getting killed and him accidently creating the fold. Its his trauma from the past though that has made him the way he is now and why he is so desperate to safe the grisha at any cost.

This idea of a wound that won’t heal those is carried over into Aleks reality as he literally has wounds that won’t heal. Despite Genya trying the wounds left by the volcra and the stag antler won’t heal completely. It is obvious that he is in alot of pain as well and that the nichevo’ya are having a direct effect on his wellbeing. We see him go to a alchemist grisha looking for a cure for a splitting pain in his head and that alchemist suggests that they only thing that can heal merzost is more merzost. This leads to Aleks going and getting morozova’s journal and it is revealed that he has also hidden his mother in a cave, honestly that scene with baghra was funny the way she tsks him and pretty much tells him he looks like crap, but also what was with that smile Aleks gave after Baghra said he had kept her locked up there for weeks? He looked so damned pleased with himself. I am calling it now though Baghra is so totally stealing that journal and taking it to Alina.

Anyway that’s another review done onto the next episode!

Favourite lines of the episode.

‘The past informs everything, its the wound that will not heal.’

‘Trust is the other side of secrecy.’

‘You’re not just sunshine, sunshine. You’re hope for the future.’

#shadow and bone #s&b season 2 spoilers #darklina #anti malina

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horizon-verizon · 2 years

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The biggest proof of daemyra love in the books is between the lines: their kids grew up happy and caring about each other before the war. Dae and Rhae created a functional family, with stability, affection and unity, resembling "ideal" Starks of ASOIAF. And this the biggest testament that BOTH of them were decent parents. That's all I want to say.

Yeah, I just wish the writers bothered to show Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffery's lives both in the Keep and in Dragonstone so that we witness how they interacted with Rhaneyra and Daemon, and the two's parenting styles.

I agree. It's obvious that they managed to raise young boys/men who do not treat those around them as if they are inferior (ahem, Aemond) and are relatively aware of accountability. And we see the boys begin to genuinely bond with Rhaena and Baela in episode 7.

But the jump cuts still prevented us from really feeling them as people or agents since we do not get strong distinctions between them beside Jacaerys' older brother syndrome and Lucerys' reluctance and uncertainty. And how Baela is willing to thrown down, while Rhaena stands around and happens tohand a cup to Rhaenyra, because we had to give something for the girl to do.

Even though I already do feel something for these boys, I still feel a void. That the writers neglected them and Daemon’s girls.

I should be able to see them come up against the sneers, snipes, gossips of the errant courtier, Alicent's glares and open dismissal of them, and the green boys antagonizing them, like in the book:

The sins of the fathers are oft visited on the sons, wise men have said; and so it is for the sins of mothers as well. The enmity between Queen Alicent and Princess Rhaenyra was passed on to their sons, and the queen’s three boys, the Princes Aegon, Aemond, and Daeron, grew to be bitter rivals of their Velaryon nephews, resentful of them for having stolen what they regarded as their birthright: the Iron Throne itself. Though all six boys attended the same feasts, balls, and revels, and sometimes trained together in the yard under the same master-at- arms and studied under the same maesters, this enforced closeness only served to feed their mutual mislike, rather than binding them together as brothers.

(Fire and Blood; A Question of Succession)

Before any green/Alicent/anti-Targ stan tries to come for me, this passage also shows how green-leaning the show is without thinking of the lore’s context and how it changed the Alicent-Rhaenyra relationship for the worse it made a mess of their whole idea and narrative purpose of the Dance in ASoIaF lore.

Like they literally had to mask and cut out the lives of these boys in order to make their green kids’ misogyny, prejudices, drunkness, raping, and ever-present violence seem...CoMpLeX! and people have fallen for this cheap piece of framing.

The writers exaggerate some people to create its villains and conflict, then underplay other aspects, actions, persons, or even hide events to make potato-chip spectacle. But his time, there are horrible consequences, because green stans and all those I already listed feel even more emboldened to claim that their babies are “just” victims or “just” trying to prove they are valid and that makes them CoMpLeX.

That the V boys and Daemons’ daughters are all “boring” fuckers who don’t deserve any thought because they are not giving.

How shallow this show is, honestly.

#asoiaf asks to me #the greens vs the blacks #hotd writing #hotd critical #hotd comment #baela targaryen #rhaena targaryen #rhaena targaryen (daemon's daughter)#hotd writers #hotd accountability #book vs tv comparisons #asoiaf #Fire and Blood #hotd

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reginarubie · 3 years

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Blood magic and Daenerys Targaryen choice and death

Did Daenerys merely enter the pyre because it called to her and the dragons were born because she deserved them or, like the Valyrian before her, she did a blood-rite, used blood-magic deliberately?

Up until I read the books I though a) Targaryens could be immune to fire and Daenerys was and b) Daenerys did not wake the dragons deliberately from the eggs, it had sort of happen like some twist of fate. Like she was granted them. It seemed similar to the Starks getting their direwolves (and it's not but I am going to delve into that in a bit).

But after I read the books and started to really delve into the asoiaf lore I realised that the Targaryens most surely well not immune to fire, but could be highly resistant to it and even GRRM has contested that her surviving the fire unscathed was uncommon even between Targaryens and valyrians.

Granny: Do Targaryens become immune to fire once they "bond" to their dragons?

George RR Martin: Granny, thanks for asking that. It gives me a chance to clear up a common misconception. TARGARYENS ARE NOT IMMUNE TO FIRE! The birth of Dany's dragons was unique, magical, wonderous, a miracle. She is called The Unburnt because she walked into the flames and lived. But her brother sure as hell wasn't immune to that molten gold.

Revanshe: So she won't be able to do it again?

George RR Martin: Probably not.

And, Daenerys waking the eggs from stone and calling the dragons from within is not exactly a miracle if we put it in perspective; it can be seen as some sort of miracle since the dragons have apparently gone extinct ages ago.

But, if one delves a bit into what we know of old Valyria and study a bit about who the valyrian were and what they did we understand that they were not mere dragonlords, but that they delved into blood-magic, created chimeras by genetically and biologically twisting the flesh of animals and people to make chimeras (Fire and Blood) and were generally used to use dark magic and blood magic as well.

And this is not some old custom left in the ruins of Old Valyria since Visenya Targaryen was rumoured to have dabbled in the dark sorceries (The World of Ice & Fire, the Reign of the dragons: the conquest) as well.

Now, let put that aside to return to later down, as a first time viewer of the show when Daenerys had gotten her dragons at the end of season 1 I had thought it was something similar to the Starks getting their direwolves back in episode 1. WRONG!

Why? Because the Starks do absolutely nothing but find the direwolf pups. They find them and save them. When the adults suggest they should mercy-kill the pups the Starklings advocate (Jon in particular which would beg for another meta of its own, but a matter for another time) against it and the only element of "magic" is when Jon finds Ghost as it is subtextual that with those colours of the albino (white fur and blood red eyes) Ghost has been a gift from the Gods to reward Jon for his selfness in advocating for his siblings to keep the pups even if it meant isolate himself further.

“Lord Stark,” Jon said. It was strange to hear him call Father that, so formal. Bran looked at him with desperate hope. “There are five pups,” he told Father. “Three male, two female.”

“What of it, Jon?”“You have five trueborn children,” Jon said.

“Three sons, two daughters. The direwolf is the sigil of your House. Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord.”

Bran saw his father’s face change, saw the other men exchange glances. He loved Jon with all his heart at that moment. Even at seven, Bran understood what his brother had done. The count had come right only because Jon had omitted himself. He had included the girls, included even Rickon, the baby, but not the bastard who bore the surname Snow, the name that custom decreed be given to all those in the north unlucky enough to be born with no name of their own.

Their father understood as well.

“You want no pup for yourself, Jon?” he asked softly.

“The direwolf graces the banners of House Stark,” Jon pointed out. “I am no Stark, Father.”

AGOT, Bran I

What Daenerys does it pretty different on numerous levels. In the show it is not shown as much, and it is not given much thought over, but if we see what the valerians did (dabble with blood magic and twisted the flesh of animals and men) that's exactly what Daenerys does; albeit in one case, imo, without having a clear conscience of what it may entail.

When Daenerys asks Mirri to heal Drogo she is told by the other Dothraki that the maegy will use sorcery, even Mirri herself tells her so.

"Make him another poultice," Dany begged. "This time I will make certain he wears it."

"The time for that is past, my lady," Mirri said. "All I can do now is ease the dark road before him, so he might ride painless to the night lands. He will be gone by morning."

In this aspect we are almost hinted to believe this is the same as the Starks, because she advocates to save Drogo's life like the Starklings advocate to save the pups. But, as always, the core difference is in the means used and the mindset used. The Starklings have positive acting, they will care and train the pups themselves and Ned tells them the pups may die anyway, yet they accept that anyway and are ready to care for the pups. Later we will return to it, but for now let's go on with Daenerys embracing the maegi and valyrian in her.

Her words were a knife through Dany's breast. What had she ever done to make the gods so cruel? She had finally found a safe place, had finally tasted love and hope. She was finally going home. And now to lose it all … "No," she pleaded. "Save him, and I will free you, I swear it. You must know a way … some magic, some …"

Mirri Maz Duur sat back on her heels and studied Daenerys through eyes as black as night. "There is a spell." Her voice was quiet, scarcely more than a whisper. "But it is hard, lady, and dark. Some would say that death is cleaner. I learned the way in Asshai, and paid dear for the lesson. My teacher was a bloodmage from the Shadow Lands."

[...]

"What do you mean to do?" Dany asked her.

"We need the blood," Mirri answered. "That is the way."

[...]

Jhogo edged back, his hand on his arakh. He was a youth of sixteen years, whip-thin, fearless, quick to laugh, with the faint shadow of his first mustachio on his upper lip. He fell to his knees before her. "Khaleesi," he pleaded, "you must not do this thing. Let me kill this maegi."

Braziers were lit. Mirri Maz Duur tossed a red powder onto the coals. It gave the smoke a spicy scent, a pleasant enough smell, yet Eroeh fled sobbing, and Dany was filled with fear. But she had gone too far to turn back now. She sent her handmaids away. "Go with them, Silver Lady," Mirri Maz Duur told her.

"I will stay," Dany said. "The man took me under the stars and gave life to the child inside me. I will not leave him."

[...]

"Monstrous," Mirri Maz Duur finished for him. The knight was a powerful man, yet Dany understood in that moment that the maegi was stronger, and crueler, and infinitely more dangerous. "Twisted. I drew him forth myself. He was scaled like a lizard, blind, with the stub of a tail and small leather wings like the wings of a bat. When I touched him, the flesh sloughed off the bone, and inside he was full of graveworms and the stink of corruption. He had been dead for years."

That, ladies and gents, as @sansaissteel gently pointed out to me when we were speaking of it, is all in all a chimera. We don't know how the valyrian created them only that they used blood-magic (Mirri was using blood-magic when Dany lost her child, blood magic she warned Daenerys from as well as she tried to keep her away from) and while Daenerys might have caused this unknowingly (even if she had been warned more times that one can count) that's exactly what happened, while Mirri used the blood magic to heal Drogo at Daenerys' behest it latched onto Rhaego (who probably was already genetically malformed to begin with, with all the inbreeding the Targaryens did during the centuries) and twisted its flesh and made him monstrous, a chimera.

And, it is heartbreaking and heart-wrenching, but that is the truth of it by the context we are given, even if cause unknowingly and heartbreaking for all involved as the death of her human child is a big stepping stone in Daenerys' journey toward her full embracing of her valyrian roots and beliefs.

"My son was alive and strong when Ser Jorah carried me into this tent," she said. "I could feel him kicking, fighting to be born."

"That may be as it may be," answered Mirri Maz Duur, "yet the creature that came forth from your womb was as I said. Death was in that tent, Khaleesi."

[...]

"You warned me that only death could pay for life. I thought you meant the horse."

"No," Mirri Maz Duur said. "That was a lie you told yourself. You knew the price."

Had she? Had she? If I look back I am lost. "The price was paid," Dany said. "The horse, my child, Quaro and Qotho, Haggo and Cohollo. The price was paid and paid and paid." She rose from her cushions. "Where is Khal Drogo? Show him to me, godswife, maegi, bloodmage, whatever you are. Show me Khal Drogo. Show me what I bought with my son's life."

It's that if I look back I am lost in reply to the terrible question of if she had actually known the price and had still chosen to pay it anyway (this is the price for the Iron throne - Daenerys VII, AGOT) that suggests to me that she is already well on her way to completely embrace the valyrian in her and accept that such a price is to be paid to get what she wants (and btw if that becomes her mindset doesn't it bode very ill for the price she's willing to pay to get her new end-goal, the Iron throne?)

"He seems to like the warmth, Princess," Ser Jorah said. "His eyes follow the sun, though he does not see it. He can walk after a fashion. He will go where you lead him, but no farther. He will eat if you put food in his mouth, drink if you dribble water on his lips."

Dany kissed her sun-and-stars gently on the brow, and stood to face Mirri Maz Duur. "Your spells are costly, maegi."

"He lives," said Mirri Maz Duur. "You asked for life. You paid for life."

[...]

"When will he be as he was?" Dany demanded.

Daenerys later kills Drogo because she thinks this is not life worthy of being lived, because it is not enough that her husband still lives and breaths and enjoys the warmth as well as follow the sun and eats and drinks when he is helped.

At this point we have to return to what the Starklings say to convince Ned to let them keep the pups. At first they comment on how they can nurse at the dog in the kennels and when the adults tell them that will not do, what do they do? They decide it is a mercy to kill the pups anyway because they'll have to care for them for an indefinite time?

Their lord father regarded Jon thoughtfully.

Robb rushed into the silence he left. “I will nurse him myself, Father,” he promised. “I will soak a towel with warm milk, and give him suck from that.”

“Me too!” Bran echoed.

The lord weighed his sons long and carefully with his eyes. “Easy to say, and harder to do. I will not have you wasting the servants’ time with this. If you want these pups, you will feed them yourselves. Is that understood?”

Bran nodded eagerly. The pup squirmed in his grasp, licked at his face with a warm tongue.

“You must train them as well,” their father said. “You must train them. The kennelmaster will have nothing to do with these monsters, I promise you that. And the gods help you if you neglect them, or brutalize them, or train them badly. These are not dogs to beg for treats and slink off at a kick. A direwolf will rip a man’s arm off his shoulder as easily as a dog will kill a rat. Are you sure you want this?”

“Yes, Father,” Bran said.

“Yes,” Robb agreed.

“The pups may die anyway, despite all you do.”

“They won’t die,” Robb said. “We won’t let them die.”

Bran I, AGOT

A contrast indeed. The core values are completely different than Daenerys deciding to do blood-magic even when she is warned against it to save Drogo and then decides to mercy-kill him instead of feeding him of her own hand and "training" him in away, because she'll have to care for him as the Starklings would have with the pups when they are so little.

But let's return to Daenerys and Mirri.

"When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east," said Mirri Maz Duur. "When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then he will return, and not before."

aka, when you will stop embracing the valyrian in you?, possible but I am not sure.

Dany gestured at Ser Jorah and the others. "Leave us. I would speak with this maegi alone." Mormont and the Dothraki withdrew. "You knew," Dany said when they were gone. She ached, inside and out, but her fury gave her strength. "You knew what I was buying, and you knew the price, and yet you let me pay it."

[...]

"Look to your khal and see what life is worth, when all the rest is gone."

[...]

Mirri Maz Duur watched from the dust with disquiet in her black eyes. "It is not enough to kill a horse," she told Dany. "By itself, the blood is nothing. You do not have the words to make a spell, nor the wisdom to find them. Do you think bloodmagic is a game for children? You call me maegi as if it were a curse, but all it means is wise. You are a child, with a child's ignorance. Whatever you mean to do, it will not work. Loose me from these bonds and I will help you."

"I am tired of the maegi's braying," Dany told Jhogo. He took his whip to her, and after that the godswife kept silent.

As she climbed down off the pyre, she noticed Mirri Maz Duur watching her. "You are mad," the godswife said hoarsely.

"Is it so far from madness to wisdom?" Dany asked. "Ser Jorah, take this maegi and bind her to the pyre."

Just a moment ago Mirri has pointed out how Daenerys has used the word maegi as an insult as if it meant witch while, instead, it means only wise. And maegi dabble in the blood magic and dark sorceries and now Daenerys tells her she's only being wise. It's a game of words, this is the moment, the moment Daenerys deliberately chooses the embrace the valyrian in her, the maegi as she intends it.

Is it even a wonder that this chapter which closes the last circle of the blood-rite comes after Daenerys IX where she affirms that she is like Aegon the Conqueror, Maegor the Cruel and all of Valyria before them?, and that the men that are her enemies will die screaming?

The blood-rite Daenerys does take up from Daenerys IX to Daenerys X, and in one chapter (Daenerys IX) she points out she is a valyrian (remember what the valyrians did?) and in this one she actually acts on it.

It's like in the rite before (the one done by Mirri) she is but an unknowing (to which point it is unsure as she herself says) variant, a bit like a headless chicken running about without the cognition of what is happening; from Daenerys IX on she is aware and actively moves toward her goal.

So, later she has this conversation with Mirri, she mercy-kills Drogo and orders that she is bind to his funeral pyre and settles the eggs on his chest.

The godswife did not cry out as they dragged her to Khal Drogo's pyre and staked her down amidst his treasures. Dany poured the oil over the woman's head herself. "I thank you, Mirri Maz Duur," she said, "for the lessons you have taught me."

"You will not hear me scream," Mirri responded as the oil dripped from her hair and soaked her clothing.

"I will," Dany said, "but it is not your screams I want, only your life. I remember what you told me. Only death can pay for life." Mirri Maz Duur opened her mouth, but made no reply. As she stepped away, Dany saw that the contempt was gone from the maegi's flat black eyes; in its place was something that might have been fear. Then there was nothing to be done but watch the sun and look for the first star.

Why is Mirri suddenly afraid?, a moment ago she commented on how Daenerys was but a child and any sacrifice she may have wanted to make would have served nothing, but now she's scared?, can it be because Daenerys has actually hit the nail of the rite in the head?, that she has perfectly understood how to do it and have it stick?

Dany took the torch from Aggo's hand and thrust it between the logs. The oil took the fire at once, the brush and dried grass a heartbeat later. Tiny flames went darting up the wood like swift red mice, skating over the oil and leaping from bark to branch to leaf. A rising heat puffed at her face, soft and sudden as a lover's breath, but in seconds it had grown too hot to bear. Dany stepped backward. The wood crackled, louder and louder. Mirri Maz Duur began to sing in a shrill, ululating voice. The flames whirled and writhed, racing each other up the platform. The dusk shimmered as the air itself seemed to liquefy from the heat. Dany heard logs spit and crack. The fires swept over Mirri Maz Duur. Her song grew louder, shriller … then she gasped, again and again, and her song became a shuddering wail, thin and high and full of agony.

Daenerys is the one pouring the oil over both Drogo, his treasures and the maegi, she's the one lighting the flame of the pyre. She is the one doing the rite. Deliberately.

And now the flames reached her Drogo, and now they were all around him. His clothing took fire, and for an instant the khal was clad in wisps of floating orange silk and tendrils of curling smoke, grey and greasy. Dany's lips parted and she found herself holding her breath. Part of her wanted to go to him as Ser Jorah had feared, to rush into the flames to beg for his forgiveness and take him inside her one last time, the fire melting the flesh from their bones until they were as one, forever.

She wants to immolate herself as well. Give her life as well.

The heat beat at the air with great red wings, driving the Dothraki back, driving off even Mormont, but Dany stood her ground. She was the blood of the dragon, and the fire was in her.

She had sensed the truth of it long ago, Dany thought as she took a step closer to the conflagration, but the brazier had not been hot enough. The flames writhed before her like the women who had danced at her wedding, whirling and singing and spinning their yellow and orange and crimson veils, fearsome to behold, yet lovely, so lovely, alive with heat. Dany opened her arms to them, her skin flushed and glowing. This is a wedding, too, she thought. Mirri Maz Duur had fallen silent. The godswife thought her a child, but children grow, and children learn.

There you have it, the last step. Daenerys knows perfectly well what she is doing, she doesn't know exactly, or cannot put that into words correctly yet, what she's paying for; but she's doing this blood-rite deliberately. And what had Mirri told her?, that a stallion would not be enough - as Daenerys has already discovered - hold onto that we are returning to that later on.

Sweat ran down her thighs and between her breasts and in rivulets over her cheeks, where tears had once run. Ser Jorah was shouting behind her, but he did not matter anymore, only the fire mattered. The flames were so beautiful, the loveliest things she had ever seen, each one a sorcerer robed in yellow and orange and scarlet, swirling long smoky cloaks. She saw crimson firelions and great yellow serpents and unicorns made of pale blue flame; she saw fish and foxes and monsters, wolves and bright birds and flowering trees, each more beautiful than the last. She saw a horse, a great grey stallion limned in smoke, its flowing mane a nimbus of blue flame. Yes, my love, my sun-and-stars, yes, mount now, ride now.

Humans, Jorah is the man she cares more for now that her husband and brother and son are all dead, do not matter anymore the only things that matter is the dragon and the flames. Completely and deliberately embracing the valyrian and maegi in herself.

Now, she thought, now, and for an instant she glimpsed Khal Drogo before her, mounted on his smoky stallion, a flaming lash in his hand. He smiled, and the whip snaked down at the pyre, hissing.

She heard a crack, the sound of shattering stone.

Or shattering bone?, could be. When one breaks a bone it does crack after all. The words are even similar in the English version.

The platform of wood and brush and grass began to shift and collapse in upon itself. Bits of burning wood slid down at her, and Dany was showered with ash and cinders. And something else came crashing down, bouncing and rolling, to land at her feet; a chunk of curved rock, pale and veined with gold, broken and smoking.

I am not digressing over the fact that wood, brush and grass shift and collars and Daenerys remains showered in ash and cinders for all the foreshadowing it has for the endgame of the books, but damn if it is not very compelling... like dragons plant no trees.

The roaring filled the world, yet dimly through the firefall Dany heard women shriek and children cry out in wonder.

Only death can pay for life.

She is doing this blood-rite deliberately, following in the footsteps of the valyrians before her. Just like she stated the chapter before this one:

She lifted her head. "And I am Daenerys Stormborn, Daenerys of House Targaryen, of the blood of Aegon the Conqueror and Maegor the Cruel and old Valyria before them. I am the dragon's daughter, and I swear to you, these men will die screaming. Now bring me to Khal Drogo."

Daenerys IX, AGOT

She is choosing this path for herself knowing perfectly well what it entails. And while I am all for agency of choice and freedom of speech and act, this doesn't mean you can do what you want and get away with it, stepping all over others (which is what she will begin to do even worse than she already did, after this point).

And there came a second crack, loud and sharp as thunder, and the smoke stirred and whirled around her and the pyre shifted, the logs exploding as the fire touched their secret hearts. She heard the screams of frightened horses, and the voices of the Dothraki raised in shouts of fear and terror, and Ser Jorah calling her name and cursing. No, she wanted to shout to him, no, my good knight, do not fear for me. The fire is mine. I am Daenerys Stormborn, daughter of dragons, bride of dragons, mother of dragons, don’t you see? Don’t you SEE? With a belch of flame and smoke that reached thirty feet into the sky, the pyre collapsed and came down around her. Unafraid, Dany stepped forward into the firestorm, calling to her children.

The third crack was as loud and sharp as the breaking of the world.

That is the mindset of valyrians, who intermarried to keep the blood pure. They were sons/daughters of the dragons, they married other dragons (their siblings) and had with them children (other dragons). And that, so near with the mantra of only death can pay for life suggest that while she may not completely understands the length at which she is going, she knows exactly what she is doing and why to a degree, since she calls herself mother of dragons as well, still knowing she cannot bear living children as Mirri has told her.

She hears three cracks and three treasons she will know, three is the number of dragons roused from the stone-eggs and three are the cities she conquers before setting her eyesight west (will she conquer only three out of seven kingdoms are Jaime tells Cersei during s7?).

And the last crack is like the breaking of the world. Which is pretty ominous in my opinion and hints to death; her death after the last treason possibly and also her death in this very moment.

When the fire died at last and the ground became cool enough to walk upon, Ser Jorah Mormont found her amidst the ashes, surrounded by blackened logs and bits of glowing ember and the burnt bones of man and woman and stallion. She was naked, covered with soot, her clothes turned to ash, her beautiful hair all crisped away . . . yet she was unhurt.

When the fire died at last, why not using a synonymous?, like I don't know extinguished, snuffed out?, I am not a native speaker but I am sure many others can be found.

You remember I had told you about Mirri pointing out how a stallion would not had been enough?, that's why. She gets three lives out of this blood-rite; and we know that the stallion is not enough of sacrifice, so who was the third sacrifice?

As Daenerys Targaryen rose to her feet, her black hissed, pale smoke venting from its mouth and nostrils. The other two pulled away from her breasts and added their voices to the call, translucent wings unfolding and stirring the air, and for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons.

Daenerys X, AGOT

This is the first time in this chapter that Daenerys is addressed as Daenerys Targaryen instead of Dany or Daenerys and it is telling.

It's a shift.

Like as if the girl who stepped into the fire has died and the one who got out of it is another person completely.

And with the author having used the term "fire died out" and then "night came alive" it sounds like Dany/Daenerys as she has been before now has died and now Daenerys Targaryen has come alive from the recess of her mind (her dreams about the dragon she decides to follow and be like).

In fact Daenerys after this is an hyped up version of the worst and best aspects of Daenerys before this moment. In the bad and in the good - she felt sorry for the slaves before, she decides to free them when it advantages her after - she thought the lives of the sheep people were the price to pay for the Iron throne, and she keeps taking and taking and taking to reach her goal. How much more she will take before this is done?

As it goes the rites go like this:

Daenerys sacrifices (unknowingly, to which point unclear) Rhaego ➡️ to save Drogo;

After she sacrifices (knowingly) Drogo (whom she kills), Mirri (whom she orders the death of and kills, by pouring the oil over her head and lighting the pyre to which she has had her strapped) and herself (she walks into the flames) ➡️ she gets the three dragons.

Guest star the stallion, the stallion sacrifice and her willing immolation may have ensured that she came back as well.

And this rebirth of sorts due blood-magic is also proved by another quote said about Daenerys in the very text:

[...] Daenerys is quite different." He popped a roasted lark into his mouth and crunched it noisily, bones and all. "The frightened child who sheltered in my manse died on the Dothraki sea, and was reborn in blood and fire. This dragon queen who wears her name is a true Targaryen. When I sent ships to bring her home, she turned toward Slaver's Bay. In a short span of days she conquered Astapor, made Yunkai bend the knee, and sacked Meereen. Mantarys will be next, if she marches west along the old Valyrian roads. If she comes by sea, well … her fleet must take on food and water at Volantis."

Tyrion II, ADWD

Strange they would point out how she's different than Viserys and mad king Aerys, but then comment on how she is a true Targaryen because she conquered Astapor, made Yunkai bend the knee and sacked Meereen to Tyrion of all people. Just to say, Aerys and Viserys were not the worst of the Targaryens and there is not just one way to be bad.

She herself has become a chimera of sorts:

Mother of dragons, Daenerys thought. Mother of monsters. What have I unleashed upon the world? A queen I am, but my throne is made of burned bones, and it rests on quicksand. Without dragons, how could she hope to hold Meereen, much less win back Westeros? I am the blood of the dragon, she thought. If they are monsters, so am I.

So, Daenerys was always ready, from book 1, to use unprecedented measures after the valyrian blowed up in the air when Valyria fell to get to her goal. And that sounds more like the origin story of a villain than that of a hero, and it is not a wonder that when another human gets risen from death using blood magic like Beric does with Lady Stoneheart she is a mother and is ready to do whatever it takes without remorse to avenge her children.

Let's sit tight and wait to see if indeed rising from death like I think Daenerys, Lady Stoneheart and Jon do means to hype up what are already their core values and traits. A mother in Lady Stoneheart, a defender of House Stark (he gets killed because he wants to ride south to save his sister fake Arya Stark) for Jon and a true Targaryen for Daenerys.

At that point would it be surprising if she really went all show on the book canon as well and burned KL in righteous fury?

Asks pertaining this post (in chronological order)

One

Two

Three

#daenerys stormborn #dark daenerys targaryen #meta #blood magic and choice #daenerys Targaryen critical

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trafalgass · 3 years

Note

Hello sweet angel may I use some of your time to share with you a headcanon request por favor

About how Robin would interact with a nerd plus size female reader?

With fluff and petit trucs coquins if you know what I mean 👀

Thank you!!

Nico Robin with a nerdy & plus size fem!reader headcanons

You two bonded with your love of books, whatever its subject, theme, etc

Robin was happy she had someone she could recommend books, and you'd do the same with her

She loved how your eyes lighted up whenever you talked about the last book you read, which character you liked, your thoughts, etc

She never thought that you were boring or too obsessed

Your passion for your interests was adorable

You would often read together in silence, she really enjoyed those peaceful moments with you, and you enjoyed them too

You weren't noizy like the others

One time you opened up to her about your insecurities regarding your size, how it was gross to some people and those comments made you ashamed of your body to the point of not being able to look at your reflection

Sure the crew never judged you for who you were but sometimes you couldn't help but have those thoughts

She listened to you, let you vent as much as you needed

Never once she was feeling bored or annoyed towards you

"When you're stuck with those bad thoughts, come see me and I'll try to help the best I can”

And you did, whenever you felt bad, you went to Robin

She helped you feel better without having to change who you were, because to her you were always perfect just by being you

She helped you focus on the parts of you that made you feel pretty, because you were

And never once she told you to lose weight

With her help you learned to understand how you were beautiful through her eyes without having to change

Without becoming someone you were not

And you two bonded even more

You two were made for each other

Petits trucs coquins under the cut~ (lemon)

Ever been fingered to death?

Won't happen but girl you were close

Robin knows how to use those fingers and that's not just because she can summon plenty of hands

She always focus on your sweet spots because she loves the sounds you make

Robin would lead most of the time, but you wanna take the lead? That's fine too!

You both focus on the other's needs

You're the only one that knows Robin is kinkier than she looks

And LOVES to tease you

It's diner time! Everyone is eating together!

You're eating your plate and let out a loud moan

Everyone is starting at you

"S-Sorry... It's simply too good" you said, blushing

"It's okay Y/N-chaaan~ I'm really happy you like my cooking!"

The truth was that Robin summoned a hand between your legs to tease you

You weren't mad at her you both agreed to it

Only Nami knew the truth but kept it a secret, the boys didn't need to know anyway

#one piece #nico robin #headcanons #female reader #plus size reader #imagine blog #straw hat pirates #fluff #lemon #nico robin x reader

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elainsshadows · 3 years

Text

I want to talk about Elain today and her role in future books. I will also be talking about other ships at the end of this including: Lucien x Vassa, Lucien x Elain, and Azriel x Gwyn. These are merely my opinions and thoughts, this is not me trying to bash anyone else's opinions. I am open to having discussions as long as you are kind and respectful.

This is going to be long as a warning. Let's begin.

Quiet Strength

My friend recently start reading ACOTAR and she came to me one day and said that she had found a quote that she really liked. That quote was:

"She had looked at that cottage with hope; I had looked at it with nothing but hatred. And I knew which one of us had been stronger" ~ ACOTAR, pg. 259

I know that a lot of antis like to bring up the fact that Elain didn't do anything but plant flowers and such while Feyre was out risking her life to put food on the table. Why hadn't Elain planted food instead? As someone who tried to garden vegetables with her dad one year I can tell you it's not as easy as flowers.

Maybe Elain was trying to bring some color into their drab little existence like Feyre had done with the paints. Maybe she wanted one thing to make her happy.

When Feyre comes to see them in ACOMAF, to ask for their help, it was Elain who said that they should help.

"If... if we do not help Feyre, there won't be a wedding." ~ ACOMAF pg. 247

"Feyre gave and gave - for years. Let us help her. Help... others." ~ ACOMAF pg. 248

Elain was risking a lot by saying they should now help their Fae sister. She was going to be married to someone who's family hated the Fae. If they found out what Elain and Nesta were doing it would probably be the end of her engagement to Graysen. They would become Fae sympathizers and like the Children of the Blessed we see mentioned throughout the books.

Would a coward risk all of this? Not to me they wouldn't.

When Rhys, Az, and Cassian arrive once Elain had cleared out the servants. Elain, while scared, still tries to be a good host to the four of them. I want to come back to this scene when I discuss Elriel because this was the moment that I first started thinking that they would make a good pair.

But while Nesta and Feyre are more bold with their actions like wielding swords, bow and arrows, knives, etc., Elain doesn't necessarily back down from a challenge. When given Truth-Teller she simply states that she doesn't know how to use it. She does not shove it back at Azriel and refuse it, she simply informs him she doesn't know how to use it.

Also when they had been captured by Hybern and all that mess was going down. Tamlin had been gunning for Feyre and it was Elain who did this:

"But Elain's cry - a warning. A warning to- To my right, now exposed, Tamlin ran for me. To grab me at last." ACOMAF pg. 602

Elain, despite being scared in this highly stressful situation, saw her sister in danger and tried her hardest to warn her. If it had not been for Elain, Tamlin might have been able to grab Feyre at that moment in all the confusion and chaos. Despite being in her nightgown and terrified she still tried to protect her younger sister.

Once again when people are in danger once the Wall had been taken down it was Elain who spoke up. She knew that Graysen's family's estate could help protect those closest to the Wall and from any Fae that may come to do them harm.

"Glamour me," Elain said - to Rhys. "Make me look human. Just long enough to convince him to open his gates to those seeking sanctuary." ~ ACOWAR pg. 471

"It's already ended badly. Now it's just a matter of deciding how we meet the consequences." ~ ACOWAR pg. 471

She's Fae now. If Graysen or any of his family or those working for them knew this (which we see that they did) then they might kill her on sight. She risked her life to make sure defenseless humans remained as safe as they could with the oncoming war.

When Azriel and Feyre go to Hybern's camp to save Elain they also save another human. They are being pursued and clearly, the human girl is terrified of them, but it is Elain that says this:

"Grab onto him!" Elain ordered to the wide-eyed human girl as Azriel thundered toward her. *skipped ahead* "Elain screamed at her, "If you want to live, do it now!" ~ ACOWAR pg. 577

She also does this when the King of Hybern's beasts are upon them:

"Elain moved. As Azriel battled to keep them airborne, keep his grip on them, my sister sent a fierce kick into the beast's face. Its eye. *Skipped ahead* "Elain slammed her bare, muddy foot into its face again. The blow struck home." ACOWAR pg. 577

Knowing that their lives are in danger and that if this beast does anything to Azriel's wings they are all going to die. She does not hesitate and does not back down as she goes after the beast with her barefoot.

She slays the King of Hybern as well:

"Elain stepped out of a shadow behind him, and rammed Truth-Teller to the hilt through the back of the King's neck as she snarled in his ear, "Don't you touch my sister." ~ ACOWAR pg. 652

She has a protective streak in her and she will go down swinging if she has to.

And this I just found interesting. Everyone seems to shy away from Amren, but in ACOFAS this happens when they're all eating together:

"Elain, to my surprise, held Amren's gaze." ~ ACOFAS pg. 108

I just like that she held Amren's gaze.

Being Feminine Isn't Boring

I see a lot of people saying that Elain being feminine is boring, that she isn't an exciting heroine. Yes, Elain isn't one of SJM's typical heroines, but I think that makes her all the more interesting. We've never seen someone who isn't like Aelin, Bryce, Feyre, and Nesta from SJM.

"Elain stood between Nuala and Cerridwen at the long worktable. All three of them covered in flour." ~ ACOWAR pg. 386

"Elain was in the kitchen, helping Nuala and Cerridwen prepare the evening meal." ~ ACOFAS pg. 101

"She'd been toiling in the estate gardens since dawn." ~ ACOSF pg. 28

"Elain had already departed with Feyre, claiming she had to be up with the dawn to tend to an elderly faerie's garden." ~ ACOSF pg. 311

Do I think Elain's entire book will be based on her baking and taking care of gardens? No, I don't. I think she is capable of more than that and that is going to lead into my next point.

Elain Archeron, 007

This is not a new theory and it isn't even one that I came up with. Many lovely Elriels have pointed out comparisons to Azriel and Elain and how he may even teach her how to be a spy. I think it is a perfectly lovely idea. Let me show you some quotes from the book that make me think that this could be a possibility.

"Elain spoke from the doorway, having appeared so silently that they all twisted toward her, "Using me." ~ ACOSF pg. 230

They were talking about looking for the Dread Trove here and scrying. They were debating who should do it when Elain stepped up. She has done this before and with her seer abilities she is a perfect choice for the job. Obviously several characters aren't thrilled with the idea (Nesta and Azriel being two of the ones that don't like the idea).

"Azriel stiffened, an outright sign of temper from him as he said quietly, "There is an innate darkness to the Drea Trove that Elain should not be exposed to." ~ ACOSF pg. 311

"Elain saw every single thing Nesta had done, and understood why." ~ ACOSF pg. 470

"You came," Elain said behind her, and Nesta started, not having heard her sister approach. *skipped ahead* "Wondering if she'd been taking lessons in stealth either from Azriel or the two half-wraiths she called friends." ~ ACOSF pg. 595

We see that even Nesta is questioning whether or not Elain has been having lessons. She very well could have or this could be a hidden talent that Nesta has never gotten to see or never cared to see because she viewed Elain as someone who is innocent and needing protection.

Nesta mothers Elain throughout the series, we constantly see her coming to Elain's defense, stepping in front of her, talking for her. And while Elain used to let that slide we can see now that she is coming into her own and not letting Nesta walk all over her.

"Elain said, "You can't have it both ways. You cannot resent my decision to lead a small, quiet life while also refusing to let me do anything greater." ~ ACOSF pg. 232

I think Elain has been denied many things in her life because she has been seen as the most beautiful. Her own mother seeing her as nothing more than a pretty face that would be easy to marry off once she was of age. What will she do now that she has more freedom than she did before? Now that she will not become some lord's wife?

I do not see Elain as a warrior who is ready for battle, but I see her being ready for a different kind of battle.

"It took hours for Elain to work her charm on the staff to swiftly pack their bags and leave, each with a purse of money to hasten the process." ~ ACOMAF pg. 250

You know who else is charming? James Bond.

Being another pretty face has something going for Elain. No one would look at her and think "Yeah she's totally a spy." She can charm people, make them feel more at ease, and get them to open up. Maybe even enough that they think nothing of divulging things in front of her that otherwise shouldn't be overheard.

Maybe she can learn to glamour herself so that she is not recognizable to others. Who knows but I'm sure we'll find out when her book happens.

Welcome To Spring

One of my least favorite theories I've seen is that Elain will leave the Night Court and her family to go to Spring. Even going as far as saying that she will wind up with Tamlin. I don't think Feyre would let her sister wind up with her abuser plain and simple. Nor do I think Elain would fall for her sister's abuser just because he lives in a land of eternal spring and has flowers.

In ACOSF Nesta has this thought:

"Elain would love this place. So many flowers, all in bloom, so much green, *skipped ahead* But Elain... The Spring Court had been made for someone like her." ~ ACOSF pg. 454

While I do believe that Elain would love the Spring Court I do not think she would ever leave her family or friends behind.

"Two half-wraiths she called friends." ~ ACOSF pg. 595

"Cassian kissing Elain's cheek in greeting. *skipped ahead* Amren came next, giving my sister a nod. *skipped ahead* The Mor, with a smacking kiss for either cheek." ~ ACOFAS pg. 105

We also know that the sisters tend to consider one of the brothers friends. Feyre with Cassian, Nesta with Azriel, and I believe Rhys and Elain will also be friends. He seems to like Elain (certainly more than he likes Nesta).

Plus now there is Nyx in the mixture and why would she leave and miss out on her nephew growing up? What about if Nesta becomes pregnant and has a child? So no I do not believe that Elain will leave the Night Court.

Shipping Time

Here is where opinions and feelings may vary and people might not like what I have to say. Just know that these are merely my feelings on a ship. Ship what you want to ship, I am not here to gatekeep. These are merely my feelings on the matter. I'm going to start with the two ships I like: Elain x Azriel and Lucien x Vassa.

Elain Archeron x Azriel

I mentioned this earlier but I've been shipping them since ACOMAF. I saw the potential for them from the moment they began to interact.

"Elain rasped, "Nice to meet you," before hustling after her, the silk skirts of her cobalt dress whispering over the parquet floor." ~ ACOMAF pg. 253

I like the symbolism in this line. Cobalt = Azriel's siphons. Whispering = Azriel's shadows. While it might not be that deep as a writer I like the small things like this in my works. Things that later when you come back to them after something important happens that is a callback to something like this you can go "ooooh that makes sense now, yeah." We also do see other mentions of Elain wearing blue, but this post is long enough and it's only a few more times so I don't think it's worth noting. This part just sticks out to me because it's the first time they're meeting and like I said I love symbolism.

"Elain said to Azriel, perhaps the only two civilized ones here, "Can you truly fly?" ~ ACOMAF pg. 256

Elain who has been taught to fear the Fae is talking to him, also probably leaning around Cassian - who she is seated next to and also has wings - and asking if he can fly.

Azriel responds on the same page saying, "We're born hearing the song of the wind." And her response of, "That's very beautiful." This is the same male who famously said he wouldn't need poetry to woo a woman. Maybe he's not trying to woo her here, but he's trying to impress her.

"Elain, noticing Azriel's ease as proof that things weren't indeed about to go badly offered one (a smile) of her own as well." ~ ACOMAF pg. 258

She seems mighty comfortable with a Fae she just met. Which leads my into my two mate theory that I've had for some time now.

We know the tweet where SJM says that someone can have two mates. This was during a time when one of the TOG novels was about to come out and was probably referencing something in there, but I think it would be interesting to see play out in this situation as well.

We've seen several times people questioning Elain and Lucien's mating bond. Feyre and Azriel both do it. Feyre during ACOWAR and Azriel in his bonus chapter from ACOSF.

We also know that not all mates are happy pairings ie. Rhysand's parents and Tamlin's parents. We also know that sometimes it's based on who would have the strongest offspring. We can see this reflected in both Rhysand and Feyre's mating (he's considered the most powerful High Lord and she has abilities from all seven HLs).

But what if Elain and Lucien aren't true mates? True mates to me is a happily mated pair like Feyre and Rhys as well as Nesta and Cassian. Azriel questions why his brothers were mated to two sisters while the third was mated to another. (Pardon me for not using quotes here, I do not have the bonus chapter so I am going from memory.)

Why indeed? And I think it was because he was on the floor dying at the time. We know that the Cauldron loves Elain, so if her true mate was on the floor dying and there was no guarantee for survival it would make sense for the Cauldron to gift Elain another mating bond.

I will talk more about this in the section where I discuss them as a ship, but I wanted to briefly mention it here.

We also know the scene where Azriel hands over Truth-Teller to her, something that shocks all of them. I think of Truth-Teller like Azriel's security blanket. Something that brings him comfort and he never ever wants to part with it. But he gives it to Elain.

After she was taken by the Cauldron and held captive at Hybern's camp. After she says this:

"She shook her head, devouring the sight of him as if not quite believing it. "You came for me." The shadowsinger only inclined his head." ~ ACOWAR pg. 573

Why did she look only to Azriel? Why did she seem so surprised that he would come for her? Kind of like how a princess might not believe that her prince has come for her. (Love me some Disney princess movies)

To me these two just fit together. And to me they are more like Hades and Persephone than Feyre and Rhysand are. And hear me out: Elain as Persephone, goddess of spring. Azriel as Hades, god of death. (Feyre once calls him Death when thinking of a painting of him and Elain. Death and the lovely fawn she called it). Some might see Azriel and Elain falling in love as stealing her away from her mother (or mate in this case).

Also if you want another mythology reference. Paris (Azriel), Helen (Elain), Menelaus (Lucien). Helen was considered the most beautiful and was stolen away from her husband Menelaus (though I think she went with Paris willingly so there's that.)

I see so many parallels and signs that point toward an Elriel endgame. We know Elain's book is in the works and I'm pretty sure it's next since Sarah has talked about doing research for her book. We also know that Sarah is excited to work with Azriel as well.

Moving on.

Lucien Vanserra x Vassa

I've been shipping them since ACOWAR. So not as long as Elriel, but since a bit. I think this was the line that did it for me:

"Indeed, Vassa still remained inside, chatting with Lucien animatedly. *skipped ahead* Lucien, surprisingly, was chuckling, his shoulders loose and his head angled while he listened." ~ ACOWAR pg. 690

Unlike with Elain, he seems comfortable around Vassa.

"Even with Elain here, he's become close with Jurian and Vassa. He's voluntarily living with them these days, and not just as an emissary. As their friend." ~ ACOSF pg. 57

I'm a sucker for the friends to lovers trope (it only falls after the enemies to lovers trope). And while we do not have a lot on them I can see the two of them being happy. I can see Lucien trying to find a way to make her immortal if that's what she wants. And I just want the two of them finding their HEA together in the final book.

My theory is that Vassa will be the MC of the last book and will deliver the killing blow to Koschei (as she should). I would love to see their journey together and their time together in the mortal lands especially since the mating bond would be severed at this point if Elriel is the book before this one. I want Lucien to be happy and I think that he could be happy with Vassa.

Elain Archeron x Lucien Vanserra

We know that Elain and Lucien are mates. He announced this on page 608 a little bit after Elain had come out of the Cauldron. But these two do not seem to fit together in my opinion. Now please note I have nothing against Elucien, I even like some of the fanart and the theories I have read are wonderful. I'm just personally not a fan of these two because of how they were thrust together.

When comparing Jesiminda and Elain, Lucien says this:

"Elain had been... thrown at him." ACOWAR pg. 249

I know Lucien wants to be happy and I know mates are special, but I don't necessarily think that Elain will be his happiness. I think that the way they met ruined that for them.

"But Elain blinked slowly, "You were in Hybern." *Skipped ahead* "You betrayed us." ACOWAR pg. 250 - 251

Lucien, however willing or unwillingly, did play some part in Elain being turned Fae. He was one of the reasons she could no longer go home or marry Graysen. I don't know if that's something that could be overcome especially since Elain is still dealing with the events of that day.

We also know that Elain tends to avoid him, shrinking in on herself when he's around. Another reason why I can't ship this is because I've been in a similar situation where people were pressuring me to be with someone I had no interest in. I know what it's like to hear "you two are perfect for each other", "you should give him a chance", "just try".

Their relationship is not evolving naturally like Feyre and Rhys's did or Cassian and Nesta's. I don't think Lucien would ever push the mating bond onto Elain, but I do think since it's something special to Fae he may cling to it more than she will.

Another thing about their bond that doesn't sit with me is how it is described.

"It felt... strange," Elain breathed. "Like you pulled on a thread tied to a rib." ACOWAR pg. 301

"There's a bond - it's a real thread," he said, more to himself than us." ACOWAR pg. 301

Other bonds have been described as "so much golden thread" or an "unbreakable chain". But Elain and Lucien's is described as a singular thread that feels as though it were attached to a rib. To me mating bonds are like soulmates, why would that bond be attached to a rib and not the heart or her being?

I believe that once again either the Cauldron created this bond between them or maybe they are not what's considered a "perfect match" like Elain's sisters with their mates are.

I will say this: If Elain and Lucien do wind up together I won't be mad. Sure they are not my preferred ship, but they both deserve happiness and can find it together then good for them. We will just have to wait and see where SJM takes them.

Azriel x Gwyn Berdara

I've lowkey been dreading talking about them because of how toxic this fanwar between Elriels and Gwynriels gets. Once again this is just my opinion and my theories. No hate or shade to any of the shippers. I will not be bashing theories. If you don't want to read my thoughts then please just leave now and pretend you never saw this.

I do not like Azriel and Gwyn as a ship for one very big reason: power imbalance. Azriel saved Gwyn from a highly traumatic experience. Now before I go any further let me say that I brought this up to my mom who also reads the series but isn't a shipper, she just reads them to enjoy them. I asked her what she thought of Az x Gwyn as a pairing and if she would like to see that and she said no that she also felt there would be a power imbalance.

Gwyn is a strong character, but I do not think I could get behind her and Az as a couple because of how they met.

I also do not believe that Gwyn will be the MC of any of the last books there are. We still have Elain's book, possibly a Mor book, or even Vassa. There are too many people from the original trilogy that we need to see books for. While I will not rule out a book in the future I don't see her getting one now.

I know the necklace is a hot button issue, but I also don't believe that Clotho gave it to her. We never hear it mentioned in the main portion of the book and I think Clotho knew how troubled Azriel was and thought that she should hold onto it just in case.

"You're the new ribbon, Az," ~ ACOSF pg. 623

Gwyn is a competitive person, to me this line that Nesta says is here merely telling Az that Gwyn's next challenge would be to prove him wrong about the training course. Nesta knows of Azriel's feelings for her sister by this point, so I don't see this line as her teasing Az about Gwyn possibly having a crush on him.

But again these are just how I interpret things between them.

These are all my thoughts at the moment that I'm going to share. If you would like to have a discussion my ask box is open. Hate will not be tolerated though.

#Elain Archeron #Elriel #Azriel #pro Elain Archeron #pro Azriel #pro Elriel #ACOTAR 5 #ACOTAR 5 predictions #ACOTAR theories

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highfaelucien · 3 years

Note

While on the topic of wishing sjm had done something different for her characters, I really wanted something more for cassian. For example, cassian’s wings going from being completely ruined in the end of acomaf to being 100% healed in acowar made no sense to me. I think it would’ve been an opportunity for the growth of cassian’s character to see him go through the loss of losing the ability to fly and instead retrain himself to be a warrior in other ways and find other things about himself that prove his own worth to himself. Given the fact that cassian’s confidence is aligned with his ability to protect and serve others, it just would have been sooo good to see him overcome his grief and become even stronger of a character. And how wings, in general, are a sense of male pride among illyrians. I think this would’ve been the perfect way to write cassian and have him break away from his own idea of masculinity. He could have redefined what it meant for him to be a Man ™. Ugh, it just could have been so GOOD, imagine the character we could have gotten from him.

Listen, after ACOMAF, when this happened, EVERYONE was buzzing about this. Most people thought he wouldn't outright lose his wings permanently, but there would be a LOT required.

And then ACOWAR came and approximately nothing happened whatsoever. Oh he had to be healed. the healer had to rebuild his wings. he had to do strength training every day. But fundamentally: not a sausage.

Personally? I think Maas chickend out. I think she was unable to commit to taking Cassian's wings, or figuring out how to write him as anything other than what she's established him as: fun jock man who likes to hit things real hard and make dick jokes sometimes.

Having to see Cassian vulnerable? Having to see him broken, and struggling, and having to reevaluate his entire life and self-esteem and sense of masculinity would have been an incredible option for a character arc.

Most of the theorising/Nessian fics involved Nesta helping him. The two of them being broken/fundamentally altered by their experiences in Hybern - she being killed and Made with a dark power, Cassian losing his wings.

There was expected bonding over that, peeling away the masks they both wear to discover the softness underneath. The two of them being able to reach one another, because of their bond, in a way the others could not. It produced some pretty epic stuff, honestly.

And how badly I wanted that I didn't FULLY realise until the disappointment of ACOSF, when it hit fully.

Because instead of stripping Cassian back and seeing the tactician, the strategist, forcing him to put his other skills to use, to develop those skills, rather than 'smash with sword and ask questions later'. This man is a General. All the combat training in the world doesn't let you be good at this job if you can't command, if you can't use tactics, if you can't strategise.

And THIS is where I wanted to see Nesta. Nesta, the woman who calculated how many ships would be needed to save the humans of Prythian. The woman who looked at Greysen's manor and assessed its capabilities and saw a prison. The woman who devours history novels, who has a tactical, cunning mind. Who has never been a warrior or a creature of brute strength or physical abilities.

THIS is how I wanted to see Nesta evolve. This was how I wanted to see her develop. I didn't want her taken out of lady's dresses. I didn't want her forced into fighting leathers, to basically become another copy of her sister, and follow down that path.

I wanted her to take her own. I wanted her to finally be in a place where she could learn, and strategise, and contribute. And I wanted her to work with Cassian on this - who was grounded because of his wings, who couldn't command on the frontlines anymore, or even fight. Who had to stay back, and see how he handled this. How he maintained his authority. How he maintained his sanity without his wings.

We could have had so fucking much. Such a powerful narrative about survival. I wanted her in the library, with the other survivors, (and with fucking MORRIGAN - not sidelined, not dismissed, not being bitchy and catty for the sake of it. But someone who visits the library frequently, who interacts with the women there, and sometimes just is a woman there herself, because there are still hard days.)

But no. No instead of something nuanced, and original, and actually tailored to Nesta's strengths as a character, we got Yet Another Weapon's Trainng Montage.

We got the narrative that the only way to heal from abuse is to be able to beat the shit out of your abusers. Because that's #GirlPower, right?

It makes me so furious I almost want to just. Just fucking rewrite the whole damn fucking thing myself the way it SHOULD have gone.

And I know you talked about Cassian and not Nesta, so I do apologise, but they were tied together. But I agree.

We all wanted Cassian to evolve from that 'Lord of Bloodshed' / "savage brute" because reading between the lines and forcing some nuance from these books, which is the only way to survive: Cassian has a lot of layers. There's a lot of trauma there. A lot of insecurity. A lot of angst. A lot of heart. A lot of fucking INTELLIGENCE. (I'll fight on that point, I really will. Cassian is not a dumb himbo who can barely add 1 and 1).

But sjm was too busy writing him having a hard on for Nesta to explore....anything about himself. Or his relationship with Azriel, and Rhys, and Mor, and everyone else.

The removal (even temporarily) of his wings would have allowed for a LOT of that exploration.

Firstly, the fact that he injured them by CHOICE, saving Azriel's life. That would have been such a deep connection and bond between them. The guilt that Az would feel - but the potential for Cassian to step in, even with his wings gone, and say that he'd do it again.

Because Azriel is his brother. He loves him. And it was worth it. It would be worth it a hundred times over to save him. Because he's worth saving. And he's worth sacrificing for. And what that would have done for Az as a character, too. Who always offers himself up first for dangerous missions, puts himself in peril to protect the others.

And having Cassian join Feyre and Az's flying lessons? Because Cass having to relearn how to fly once (if) his wings healed to that extent, means letting Azriel train him. Because those old instincts aren't enough. And he has to learn how to strengthen them, and train with them. And how this affects his perception of himself and his masculinity, as he said. But also deepening his understanding for Az, and the bond the two of them share, in having this experience together.

Bonding with Rhys, who FINALLY fucking opens up to someone and has some nuanced therapy-like conversations about what happened with Amarantha. The sacrifces they've made for their people. How they'd do it again but it still hurts, and changes them, and how they have to learn and grow and move on from that and heal together.

Rhys working with Cassian on his other talents, using him as the skilled strategist and tactician he MUST be. Helping him to develop that, keeping his brother from losing his mind while he can't fight or use his physicality to solve problems, as he usually does.

Mor personally healing and tending to Cassian. Mor being there at his bedside every day while he was bed bound. Mor becoming as possessive and overprotective of both him and Az as any mate ever has been.

Mor speaking to him about her own rehabilitation after what her family did to her, the physical toll that took on her. Mor's heart breaking because she nearly lost both him and Az and she couldn't handle that at all. Mor reiterating how much she fucking loves him, and how she needs him.

Mor helping him through the darker days of his depression because she's been there. And she knows what it is to put on a front. To always be laughing, and joking, without the seriousness of life -leave that to the others. But sometimes it's too much and he needs to break down. And be angry. And furious. And hopeless. And scared. And that's what she's there for. Because she understands.

Mor winnowing him to his favourite spots that he can't fly to anymore, just so he can be there. The two of them spending time, and bonding, and developing that relationship we got in ACOMAF beyond 'we bicker constantly and drink together and make sexual innuendos'.

Even Amren showing up and doing her part. Snapping at him to stop brooding so much. But also bringing him some of her puzzles. Some of her favourite military history books (which she has anotated and edited to highlight the bits that have been incorrectly reported). Spending time with him to stop him going mad. Exhausting herself those first few days personally attending to Cassian's wings, and snarling at anyone who tried to interfere.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH.

IT COULD HAVE DEVELOPED SO MUCH WITH THE INNER CIRCLE. AND CASSIAN. AND NESSIAN. AND JUST. EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER BUT NAW. IT WAS BASIC ASS AND BORING AND I'M GONNA DIE MAD ABOUT IT.

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demonlovesangel · 3 years

Text

Truth-Teller

There are some things that I find quite surprising about Truth-Teller. First, it's black and has runes engraved (we know made objects are black) and second it's what Az says about the dagger and how he doesn't let anyone touch it (with the exception of Elain).

Notice this scene, for example. Mor was saying that Az probably has a drawer full of daggers she has given to him over the centuries, and Feyre asks if Az would ever give up Truth-Teller, give up as in "he won't use it anymore" or "to someone else". To that, Mor says "he gave it to Elain". To me that implies that Mor doesn't believe he would ever give up Truth-Teller but that he gave it to Elain anyway, for her to use, and she either finds it amusing or there's something she knows about that.

Then Feyre remembers Elain giving the dagger back and pressing it into Az's hand the same way he did to her and then she turns around and doesn't look back. Many antis could say that's why this particular exchange doesn't mean anything but I don't think the same. First, she put it into his hands the same way he did to her, and second, Az said when he gave it to her:

"I won't be using it today- so I want you to."

He was clear, he said she could use it that day, and I think Elain understood that and considering she notices Az, she saw how important the dagger is to him even if no one told her. And I'm pretty sure she knows by now how important that moment was, and not for nothing that moment was brought up in Acofas.

Elain turned around without looking back, why? Because its not hers and because she accomplished what she had to do and because she had to give it back. That's it, it's not her dagger, it's Azriel's. And again: she did so in a sweet and soft way, the same way he put Truth-Teller in her hands.

He gently took her hand and pressed the hilt of the legendary blade into it.

Cute, huh?

After all this Mor just humms to herself... Still think this female doesn't know what's up?

Also important to say and something I noticed rereading Az's scenes with Truth-Teller is that it's an item that makes him feel calm. Whenever there's danger he grabs Truth-Teller first, if he's bored or has nothing else to do he sharpens the blade, always taking care of it. And when he tortures people he always uses the dagger. If Mor is right and he has tons of daggers he could easily use another one to torture, but he only uses this one and I think this is because of its powers.

"It has never failed me once."

Maybe that means he hasn't missed at all when hurting someone, or maybe it's because he can always get the truth out of prisoners whenever he uses it. I think both situations are right.

So, and I know this has been mentioned a lot, this particular exchange is SO important, it marks a before and after in Elain and Azriel's relationship and in his feelings.

"The only bridge of connection... That knife."

The knife that never fails him, the blade that he never lets anyone touch, the blade that always strikes true. You realize, since the moment he got Truth-Teller, he was NEVER away from it with the exception of THIS moment?

There's absolutely no way that after more than 500 years of having the blade (because Az is like 550+ yo) and never giving it to anyone, that this means nothing. I know he felt a pull, I know he felt a connection and that's why he gave his most prized possession to Elain. And the text even says this. It says that their bridge of connection is that knife. What bridge? The only bridges described in the Acotar world without it being actual bridges, are mating bonds. Maybe they have some other type of bond? I know there's some especial bond both of them share, I just don't know what it is.

I can't help but picture Azriel battling in the war without his knife and trusting Elain with it when he was never away from it even for one moment. Was he anxious because he didn't have Truth-Teller? I hope we find out.

This is what I was talking about, Az uses Truth-Teller as some kind of comfort object. While he's waiting he's sharpening the blade (this happens too in a scene with Feyre in Acowar).

I also noticed his shadows start to gather around him when he says "It suits me." Honestly I wonder if this is because before that he said that spying is waiting for the right moment, and if - it might be a stretch - he was thinking about Elain, because we know that in Acosf he has to stay away, but we also know he wants something with her even if he doesn't let himself think about it. And by this moment he had already had that awful conversation with Rhys, and we also know Az doesn't give up easily.

Well, anyway, let's move on. And this is the part (and I already made a post about this) that makes me think Truth-Teller has real powers.

Az was with Truth-Teller in his hand, and even the name says "truth". And funny enough, he says the truth here.

"You'd know if she'd died," - "Right here - you'd know, Cass."

How does he know that? He doesn't have a mate and if he had one over the centuries and she had died everyone would have known because he would have gone crazy... Or does he? When was the only time Az was crazy at the possibility that someone was in danger, hurt or dead? And he risked his life even when someone told him he would die?

Yep, it was when Elain was captured by Hybern. And also, she had chains around her wrists that glowed purple, and if there was a connection to Az and her powers were contained by the chains, that connection must have gone mute. And we know this has happened a few times over the books when it comes to bonds and magic interfering. I don't think Az by this point had realised there was a connection with her, but I do think he felt something in him stirr and that's why he thought of Elain first and risked his life.

After this he gives her Truth-Teller, the blade he doesn't let anyone touch, just to keep her safe because he trusts it and he can't fight. After. This. Rescuing. Scene.

Mind you, Mor told him not to fight just before this, and he still loved her at this precise moment. That's why he didn't try at this point... But he also felt a pull towards Elain. Huh.

Can you really say after all this, that there isn't a connection between Azriel and Elain?

He was so bothered by the possibility that he couldn't be there and that she would be defenseless that he did that.

And it all connects to Acosf and Azriel knowing where exactly Cass would feel if anything happened to Nesta.

Az already knew, because he felt it once.

#elriel #elain x azriel #acotar #azriel #elain and azriel #elain #elriel endgame #elain archeron #pro elriel #I love them

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lovesanmotion · 3 years

Text

Answer - Jeong Yunho

summary: in which gumiho!reader / ninetailedfox!reader gets caught stealing persimmons by prince!yunho, however, one interaction between them spiraled more than what they have thought of

wc: 3k (this is my first time writing in the fantasy department and this is something that i somewhat have been passionate about! i really enjoyed writing this one and this one has become my favorite!!)

When Yunho was a young boy, his grandfather would take him to stroll around the palace gardens accompanied by Yunho's gaksimi's (housemaids), gungnyeo's (palace women) and his grandfather's uinyeo (female physician). It was always a lovely sight to see the former king bond with the next heir to the throne, watching them feed the fishes with bread or picking flowers together. One summer day, under the basking rays of the sun, the former king and Yunho took refuge under the pavilion of Changgyeonggung, the housemaids scattered quickly back to the kitchen to bring them snacks and refreshments.

"My Lord, the heat will not be good for your condition. May I suggest that we head back?" The female physician spoke kindly, bowing her head a little, but the former king smiled back to her and waved his hand dismissively.

"It would be such a waste not to enjoy this fine day." He spoke in a low, raspy tone due to his old age. "I would, rather spend my last days, with the future king with me." The female physician's lips curled into a tight smile and bowed her head. She knew better not to displease him and his grandson.

As the housemaid's came back with the food, five year old Yunho quickly sat on his knees and ate the flower shaped rice cakes. The former king, his grandfather, softly chuckled at Yunho before picking up the white tea pot.

"What an intricate design! This one" The former king spoke, holding up the tea pot a little higher that Yunho had to crane his neck up.

"Grandpa! I can't see it!" Yunho whined with the rice cakes in his mouth. He stood up and sat beside his grandfather. The tea pot had a painting of a white fox with nine tails.

"Creatures like this one truly exists" His grandfather pointed at the painting of the nine tailed fox before leaning close to Yunho's ear. "They think I'm crazy for believing creatures like this one, but I think they're crazy not believing that they really do exist!" Yunho chuckled at his grandfather's words. If his grandfather believes in them, so will he.

"I remember seeing one when I was boy" his grandfather recalled, pouring rice wine onto his cup. "I saw a white fox too! In the forest of Goryeo. What a beauty that white fox is." Yunho looked up and watched his grandfather smile to himself and bring the cup to his lips. "They say that they live for a long period of time. And can take form of any human they please to be. Feared by many, but I believe that it is the abuse of humans that drives them away"

"What do they eat, grandfather? Do they like rice cake too?" Yunho's asked, the innocence in him made his grandfather chuckle.

"They say they eat the heart or the liver of their prey, usually men" a chill ran down Yunho's small body. "But the white fox I saw, I cautiously approached with a persimmon in my hand. The white fox ate it!"

And just like that afternoon, Yunho and the former king, his grandfather, spent their afternoon talking about his grandfather's stories about that white fox he saw years back before they were called back by the palace guards to prepare for the Yudu festival happening tonight.

Fast forward to fourteen years later, his grandfather's sudden passing broke the hearts of many, including Yunho's. He was the only family member who loves him dearly. Yunho's father, the current king, was always busy with the scribes or out hunting with a few palace guards. His mother was a different story, Yunho's mother, the empress, loves to gossip with the sanggung's (palace matron) and nain's (assistant court ladies), apart from that, she loves adorning herself with beautiful jewelry that can blind anyone under the sun and having her paintings done by the palace painter.

Yunho, on the other hand, dreaded his life more than ever. Just like what his father mentioned to him before, he is at the age wherein he has to find a suitable bride for him and take the throne next. Just like that, his father brought neighboring princesses from different kingdoms. Yunho, who only wanted to devote himself in his studies and live his life to the fullest, even if it meant, breaking a few palace rules, did his best to make the princesses hate him.

One time, Yunho was growing bored with the princess when she was talking about her talents and skills that he started picking his nose and tossing it away from his randomly. When it landed on the princess' dress, she immediately left their castle. Another time while a princess tried to get close to Yunho, too close for his liking, he leaned close to her.

"I am not circumcised" his words was enough to make the princess be disgusted with him and never returned back to their land.

Recently, a princess from a distant land visited their kingdom with the hopes that she will make their only son fall for her. Yunho sniggered when she heard her words, earning him a glare from his father. While they were out walking in the palace gardens, Yunho stepped on her skirt, causing her to tumble down the hill. When she got back up on her feet, she was covered in grass and mud. Yunho, who was at the top of the hill, only watched her "accidental" misfortune. The princess was so angry that she told the king that she will never marry his son before leaving the palace.

"This will be the fourth princess coming into our kingdom. Have you no shame?" His father's words boomed across the royal hall where a few scribes and advisers witnessed the scene.

"You and your books have no place in this palace! At your age, I was already skilled at hunting and married! And if I were you, I'd given up and throw all your books away" The king spoke with such venom in his voice before walking out of the royal hall. Yunho was left standing in the middle of the hall. He didn't want to become like him, why would he be like his father? Instead of going to meet the fourt princess coming into their palace, Yunho set out of the palace to walk amongst the people in the market.

With a cloth wrapped around his head to conceal his identity, Yunho quietly escaped the palace, he remembered how his grandfather used this secret tunnel to get out whenever he was stressed with all the royal stuff around him. Once the bustling market greeted his sight, Yunho breathed the air and have never felt so alive.

He watched the children run around and play, others holding their mother's hand while their mother's make their purchases. Wooden carts being pushed, lovers strolling and eating. This was the kind of environment that Yunho has never seen until now. He was always confined by the safety and security of the palace and its guards, but being by himself, he has never felt so free and live. For once after his grandfather's passing, he felt happy.

The fresh fruits in the market looked vibrant and pleasing in his eyes. With hands to himself, Yunho strolled around the fruit area of the market, but a woman wearing ragged and baggy clothes stealthily took a persimmon from a cart and walked away. Thinking that no one saw her, Yunho followed her closely, for some reason, why was he so intrigued with a thief?

Yunho caught her stealing another persimmon from another vendor without being caught. He was impressed by her, this is what years of stealing training pays off. But on the third vendor, the woman was caught stealing and the beafy man caught her slim wrists.

"You will pay for that!"

But you couldn't speak and tried to pry the man's hand away from her. Yunho watched as you shook her head.

"What? You have no money? My business will fail because of you! You have to pay...with your hand!" The man held your wrist tightly and took out a butcher's knife. The people around them, including Yunho, watched was happening. Yunho immediately took the cloth above his head and stepped between them.

"Good morning kind sir! What is the problem here?" Yunho spoke with a smile on his face. The people gasped at his appearance and bowed on the dusty ground before him, even the beafy man dropped his butcher's knife and curtsied to him.

"Good Lord, what brings you here to a place like this? However, this woman right here is stealing from my business!" Yunho raised a hand infront of the man's face.

"This woman you speak of is with me. Please, treat her with some respect." Pulling something out of his sleeve, Yunho took out five gold coins.

"I believe this is more than enough for one persimmon?" The beafy man's eyes widened at the sight of the gold coins before him. Smiling widely he nodded and profusedly thanked the crown prince. Yunho turned around and spotted you behind him with your head hung low. Placing an arm around you made your head shot up at him. Yunho's heart instantly beated quickly. You who he caught stealing and saved your hand just now, is a beautiful woman. Long thick eyelashes, chocolate brown orbs, porcelain white skin and pink lips. He blushed as he leaned down to your ear, whispering "Follow me". You only nodded your head and away from the market you left.

Once away from the hustle and bustle of the town, Yunho led the you to a lesser crowded place, more likely through the entrance of the forest, where it is only just the two of them.

"A thank you would be nice" Yunho suddenly spoke, but you only blushed, not moving your lips to speak.

"Did you hear me? I said a thank you would be nice" Yunho spoke a little louder, peering close to your face. But your cheeks blushed a deeper shade of red. Once your eyes meet, Yunho took note of your cool grey orbs. They were brown back there-

You shook your head.

Yunho took him a minute to realize that you could not speak. Hence why you were communicating with him through your short responses with your head.

"That's sad" Yunho spoke, he took one persimmon out from your hand and started peeling it for you. As he gave it to you, he watched you delightedly take it from his hand and eat it happily. He wondered if you were born from the lower class, a slave to be exact. He then wondered what would have happened if he didn't come into your rescue. Would you still have your hand? Or would they meet the first time without your hand?

Once he snapped out of his thoughts, you were no longer beside him. He turned his head left and right, wondering where you could have gone without telling him anything. And not from afar, Yunho caught sight of your ragged clothing, hiding behind the tree, he watched as you walk and slowly bend down on the ground.

On the ground, you started to walk in all fours and with a beam of silver light, transformed into a white fox. Your tail splitting into two, then splitting into nine. Yunho's eyes widened and immediately ran back to the tunnel and back to the castle.

Later that night, Yunho's father was once again displeased with him.

"Why must you embarrass me in front of the Silla family?" His voice boomed in the royal hall room once more that the court ladies of his mother jumped out of fear. Yunho, stone faced, said nothing to his father.

"The princess came here and was waiting for you. But you weren't around" His father stood close to him, chest to chest and his face turning into bright red in color.

"Instead, I heard that from the maids that you were in the market! With a woman!" there was a pause "Is that rue?"

"Yes" Yunho spoke immediately but confidently. He watched as his father's furrowed eyebrows and expression softened before turning his back on him.

"Why do you continue to be like this? Do you not want to take the throne? Or do you want to live a life with that wench?"

"She is no wench!"

"Are you taking her side now?"

Yunho kept quiet to this.

"You speak when I'm talking to you!"

"I am not taking anyone's side"

"Show some respect to me! Your father!"

Yunho's blood began to boil, his jaw tensing. "When were you ever a father to me?" He spoke lowly, enough for only the people around the hall room to hear before leaving the place.

While on his way to his chamber, he passed by a window that overlooks the palace gardens. He swore in the corner of his eye that he saw a white fox sitting on top of rock, watching him.

From that moment on, Yunho would continue to become the palace's headache more than being a crowned prince, secretly meeting and letting you enter inside the palace and into his room. He would secretly bring you inside his room and ask one of the guards to bring him a basket persimmons because "he was hungry when he woke up from his sleep".

Yunho found out that you were a gumiho, a nine tailed fox who lived for about six hundred years, explaining why you could transform as a human. Instead of devouring human heart and liver, you preferred to eat persiommons because of its sweet taste. He asked if you wanted to become a cheonho, but you shook your head and ate more of the fruit.

When the sun would start to rise, he would let you out through the tunnel he knew. Watching you secretly escape and not wake the royal guards around. The little rendezvous made Yunho's heart bear faster, he could perfectly say that no royal daughter would ever capture his heart like how you could.

When the monks from the north came to bless the palace, all eight monks sensed a strange but weak yin energy as they stepped foot inside. Yunho's father tried to entertainment them away but as they walked towards Yunho's royal chamber, it was found that his room is the source of where the yin energy was coming from. And now Yunho was forced to put ofuda's (or talisman papers) to bring in more luck.

While the monks, his mother and father walked away from his room, Yunho stayed back and quickly tore them down. Knowing that once you step foot into his room, you would feel an unpleasant feeling. And Yunho didn't want to become the reason of your death.

Unbeknownst to Yunho, a certain monk stayed behind the castle. That night, the monk did not bat an eyelid down and waited if anything or anyone would show up. It was already getting late when he caught sight of a woman or who he thought was a slave secretly met up with the crown prince. Even though they were a few feet away from him, the monk could feel the dark energy around the woman. And closely did he follow them. But his efforts of following them and finding out what they were doing were fruitless and Yunho shut the doors of the castle behind him.

It has been two months and a half since Yunho kept bringing you inside the castle. He was already formulating a plan; a plan wherein he would buy a handful of silk feminine hanboks, shoes and accessories, create an unheard kingdom and present you as the unheard kingdom's daughter. But he never told you about this, he wanted it to be a surprise on the third month of meeting you. Because the third month signifies as the one hundred day he fell for you.

Yunho stared at your brown eyes. He didn't know which one he preferred, your human brown eyes or your grey fox eyes. But still, you were you. Slowly did Yunho's face come close to you and your lips met. It was the first time Yunho kisses a girl, but there was no awkwardness between you two. It felt right.

He enjoyed your soft and moisturized lips on his, leaning away to gaze at your face before taking your lips again. Slowly his tongue darted in and out of your mouth, his hands moving up and down from your back to your waist, your arms wrapped around his neck. And for a moment, Yunho felt a ball slip into his mouth.

It was the yeowoo guseul or a deep kiss, as his grandfather told him. As Yunho swallowed the marble, he could feel his energy being transmitted to you. But he didn't cared. At least if he swallowed the marble, he would forever remember you and not miss one memory with you.

As the sun starts to rise, Yunho led you out of the castle. But what he didn't expect to see were eight monks and a group of palace soldiers ready to strike you.

"Grandfather look! I caught a persimmon from falling off the tree!"

Yunho, now in his eighties, smiled at his grandson for showing him the ripe fruit that he caught in his hand.

"Will the fox gods be pleased with my offer?" Yunho's five year old grandson asked in a a small voice, Yunho smiled and nodded his head before watching his grandson run back to gather more persimmon's.

When the sun was setting, Yunho couldn't attend the festival, he stayed back in the palace and took a night stroll around the garden. Dismissing the court ladies and the palace guards when they tried to follow him. Saying it would be a hassle and he only wanted to be accompanied by his thoughts.

Yunho walked around, trying to recall his memories because his old age was one by one slowly disregarding it for him. He could remember a few things, but they were blurry. Underneath the persimmon tree, was you.

Yunho lets out a faint chuckle. "I remember you" he spoke in a low, raspy tone due to his old age. He watches as you smile and walked up to him. You who never age and still stayed beautiful after all these years.

"I remember you" you spoke for the first time.

(gif is not mine! credits to the rightful owner!)

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innuendostudios · 3 years

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Thoughts on: Criterion's Neo-Noir Collection

I have written up all 26 films* in the Criterion Channel's Neo-Noir Collection.

Legend: rw - rewatch; a movie I had seen before going through the collection dnrw - did not rewatch; if a movie met two criteria (a. I had seen it within the last 18 months, b. I actively dislike it) I wrote it up from memory.

* in September, Brick leaves the Criterion Channel and is replaced in the collection with Michael Mann's Thief. May add it to the list when that happens.

Note: These are very "what was on my mind after watching." No effort has been made to avoid spoilers, nor to make the plot clear for anyone who hasn't seen the movies in question. Decide for yourself if that's interesting to you.

Cotton Comes to Harlem I feel utterly unequipped to asses this movie. This and Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song the following year are regularly cited as the progenitors of the blaxploitation genre. (This is arguably unfair, since both were made by Black men and dealt much more substantively with race than the white-directed films that followed them.) Its heroes are a couple of Black cops who are treated with suspicion both by their white colleagues and by the Black community they're meant to police. I'm not 100% clear on whether they're the good guys? I mean, I think they are. But the community's suspicion of them seems, I dunno... well-founded? They are working for The Man. And there's interesting discussion to the had there - is the the problem that the law is carried out by racists, or is the law itself racist? Can Black cops make anything better? But it feels like the film stacks the deck in Gravedigger and Coffin Ed's favor; the local Black church is run by a conman, the Back-to-Africa movement is, itself, a con, and the local Black Power movement is treated as an obstacle. Black cops really are the only force for justice here. Movie portrays Harlem itself as a warm, thriving, cultured community, but the people that make up that community are disloyal and easily fooled. Felt, to me, like the message was "just because they're cops doesn't mean they don't have Black soul," which, nowadays, we would call copaganda. But, then, do I know what I'm talking about? Do I know how much this played into or off of or against stereotypes from 1970? Was this a radical departure I don't have the context to appreciate? Is there substance I'm too white and too many decades removed to pick up on? Am I wildly overthinking this? I dunno. Seems like everyone involved was having a lot of fun, at least. That bit is contagious.

Across 110th Street And here's the other side of the "race film" equation. Another movie set in Harlem with a Black cop pulled between the police, the criminals, and the public, but this time the film is made by white people. I like it both more and less. Pro: this time the difficult position of Black cop who's treated with suspicion by both white cops and Black Harlemites is interrogated. Con: the Black cop has basically no personality other than "honest cop." Pro: the racism of the police force is explicit and systemic, as opposed to comically ineffectual. Con: the movie is shaped around a racist white cop who beats the shit out of Black people but slowly forms a bond with his Black partner. Pro: the Black criminal at the heart of the movie talks openly about how the white world has stacked the deck against him, and he's soulful and relateable. Con: so of course he dies in the end, because the only way privileged people know to sympathetize with minorities is to make them tragic (see also: The Boys in the Band, Philadelphia, and Brokeback Mountain for gay men). Additional con: this time Harlem is portrayed as a hellhole. Barely any of the community is even seen. At least the shot at the end, where the criminal realizes he's going to die and throws the bag of money off a roof and into a playground so the Black kids can pick it up before the cops reclaim it was powerful. But overall... yech. Cotton Comes to Harlem felt like it wasn't for me; this feels like it was 100% for me and I respect it less for that.

The Long Goodbye (rw) The shaggiest dog. Like much Altman, more compelling than good, but very compelling. Raymond Chandler's story is now set in the 1970's, but Philip Marlowe is the same Philip Marlowe of the 1930's. I get the sense there was always something inherently sad about Marlowe. Classic noir always portrayed its detectives as strong-willed men living on the border between the straightlaced world and its seedy underbelly, crossing back and forth freely but belonging to neither. But Chandler stresses the loneliness of it - or, at least, the people who've adapted Chandler do. Marlowe is a decent man in an indecent world, sorting things out, refusing to profit from misery, but unable to set anything truly right. Being a man out of step is here literalized by putting him forty years from the era where he belongs. His hardboiled internal monologue is now the incessant mutterings of the weird guy across the street who never stops smoking. Like I said: compelling! Kael's observation was spot on: everyone in the movie knows more about the mystery than he does, but he's the only one who cares. The mystery is pretty threadbare - Marlowe doesn't detect so much as end up in places and have people explain things to him. But I've seen it two or three times now, and it does linger.

Chinatown (rw) I confess I've always been impressed by Chinatown more than I've liked it. Its story structure is impeccable, its atmosphere is gorgeous, its noirish fatalism is raw and real, its deconstruction of the noir hero is well-observed, and it's full of clever detective tricks (the pocket watches, the tail light, the ruler). I've just never connected with it. Maybe it's a little too perfectly crafted. (I feel similar about Miller's Crossing.) And I've always been ambivalent about the ending. In Towne's original ending, Evelyn shoots Noah Cross dead and get arrested, and neither she nor Jake can tell the truth of why she did it, so she goes to jail for murder and her daughter is in the wind. Polansky proposed the ending that exists now, where Evelyn just dies, Cross wins, and Jake walks away devastated. It communicates the same thing: Jake's attempt to get smart and play all the sides off each other instead of just helping Evelyn escape blows up in his face at the expense of the woman he cares about and any sense of real justice. And it does this more dramatically and efficiently than Towne's original ending. But it also treats Evelyn as narratively disposable, and hands the daughter over to the man who raped Evelyn and murdered her husband. It makes the women suffer more to punch up the ending. But can I honestly say that Towne's ending is the better one? It is thematically equal, dramatically inferior, but would distract me less. Not sure what the calculus comes out to there. Maybe there should be a third option. Anyway! A perfect little contraption. Belongs under a glass dome.

Night Moves (rw) Ah yeah, the good shit. This is my quintessential 70's noir. This is three movies in a row about detectives. Thing is, the classic era wasn't as chockablock with hardboiled detectives as we think; most of those movies starred criminals, cops, and boring dudes seduced to the darkness by a pair of legs. Gumshoes just left the strongest impressions. (The genre is said to begin with Maltese Falcon and end with Touch of Evil, after all.) So when the post-Code 70's decided to pick the genre back up while picking it apart, it makes sense that they went for the 'tecs first. The Long Goodbye dragged the 30's detective into the 70's, and Chinatown went back to the 30's with a 70's sensibility. But Night Moves was about detecting in the Watergate era, and how that changed the archetype. Harry Moseby is the detective so obsessed with finding the truth that he might just ruin his life looking for it, like the straight story will somehow fix everything that's broken, like it'll bring back a murdered teenager and repair his marriage and give him a reason to forgive the woman who fucked him just to distract him from some smuggling. When he's got time to kill, he takes out a little, magnetic chess set and recreates a famous old game, where three knight moves (get it?) would have led to a beautiful checkmate had the player just seen it. He keeps going, self-destructing, because he can't stand the idea that the perfect move is there if he can just find it. And, no matter how much we see it destroy him, we, the audience, want him to keep going; we expect a satisfying resolution to the mystery. That's what we need from a detective picture; one character flat-out compares Harry to Sam Spade. But what if the truth is just... Watergate? Just some prick ruining things for selfish reasons? Nothing grand, nothing satisfying. Nothing could be more noir, or more neo-, than that.

Farewell, My Lovely Sometimes the only thing that makes a noir neo- is that it's in color and all the blood, tits, and racism from the books they're based on get put back in. This second stab at Chandler is competant but not much more than that. Mitchum works as Philip Marlowe, but Chandler's dialogue feels off here, like lines that worked on the page don't work aloud, even though they did when Bogie said them. I'll chalk it up to workmanlike but uninspired direction. (Dang this looks bland so soon after Chinatown.) Moose Malloy is a great character, and perfectly cast. (Wasn't sure at first, but it's true.) Some other interesting cats show up and vanish - the tough brothel madam based on Brenda Allen comes to mind, though she's treated with oddly more disdain than most of the other hoods and is dispatched quicker. In general, the more overt racism and misogyny doesn't seem to do anything except make the movie "edgier" than earlier attempts at the same material, and it reads kinda try-hard. But it mostly holds together. *shrug*

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (dnrw) Didn't care for this at all. Can't tell if the script was treated as a jumping-off point or if the dialogue is 100% improvised, but it just drags on forever and is never that interesting. Keeps treating us to scenes from the strip club like they're the opera scenes in Amadeus, and, whatever, I don't expect burlesque to be Mozart, but Cosmo keeps saying they're an artful, classy joint, and I keep waiting for the show to be more than cheap, lazy camp. How do you make gratuitious nudity boring? Mind you, none of this is bad as a rule - I love digressions and can enjoy good sleaze, and it's clear the filmmakers care about what they're making. They just did not sell it in a way I wanted to buy. Can't remember what edit I watched; I hope it was the 135 minute one, because I cannot imagine there being a longer edit out there.

The American Friend (dnrw) It's weird that this is Patricia Highsmith, right? That Dennis Hopper is playing Tom Ripley? In a cowboy hat? I gather that Minghella's version wasn't true to the source, but I do love that movie, and this is a long, long way from that. This Mr. Ripley isn't even particularly talented! Anyway, this has one really great sequence, where a regular guy has been coerced by crooks into murdering someone on a train platform, and, when the moment comes to shoot, he doesn't. And what follows is a prolonged sequence of an amateur trying to surreptitiously tail a guy across a train station and onto another train, and all the while you're not sure... is he going to do it? is he going to chicken out? is he going to do it so badly he gets caught? It's hard not to put yourself in the protagonist's shoes, wondering how you would handle the situation, whether you could do it, whether you could act on impulse before your conscience could catch up with you. It drags on a long while and this time it's a good thing. Didn't much like the rest of the movie, it's shapeless and often kind of corny, and the central plot hook is contrived. (It's also very weird that this is the only Wim Wenders I've seen.) But, hey, I got one excellent sequence, not gonna complain.

The Big Sleep Unlike the 1946 film, I can follow the plot of this Big Sleep. But, also unlike the 1946 version, this one isn't any damn fun. Mitchum is back as Marlowe (this is three Marlowes in five years, btw), and this time it's set in the 70's and in England, for some reason. I don't find this offensive, but neither do I see what it accomplishes? Most of the cast is still American. (Hi Jimmy!) Still holds together, but even less well than Farewell, My Lovely. But I do find it interesting that the neo-noir era keeps returning to Chandler while it's pretty much left Hammet behind (inasmuch as someone whose genes are spread wide through the whole genre can be left behind). Spade and the Continental Op, straightshooting tough guys who come out on top in the end, seem antiquated in the (post-)modern era. But Marlowe's goodness being out of sync with the world around him only seems more poignant the further you take him from his own time. Nowadays you can really only do Hammett as pastiche, but I sense that you could still play Chandler straight.

Eyes of Laura Mars The most De Palma movie I've seen not made by De Palma, complete with POV shots, paranormal hoodoo, and fixation with sex, death, and whether images of such are art or exploitation (or both). Laura Mars takes photographs of naked women in violent tableux, and has gotten quite famous doing so, but is it damaging to women? The movie has more than a superficial engagement with this topic, but only slightly more than superficial. Kept imagining a movie that is about 30% less serial killer story and 30% more art conversations. (But, then, I have an art degree and have never murdered anyone, so.) Like, museums are full of Biblical paintings full of nude women and slaughter, sometimes both at once, and they're called masterpieces. Most all of them were painted by men on commission from other men. Now Laura Mars makes similar images in modern trappings, and has models made of flesh and blood rather than paint, and it's scandalous? Why is it only controversial once women are getting paid for it? On the other hand, is this just the master's tools? Is she subverting or challenging the male gaze, or just profiting off of it? Or is a woman profiting off of it, itself, a subversion? Is it subversive enough to account for how it commodifies female bodies? These questions are pretty clearly relevant to the movie itself, and the movies in general, especially after the fall of the Hays Code when people were really unrestrained with the blood and boobies. And, heck, the lead is played by the star of Bonnie and Clyde! All this is to say: I wish the movie were as interested in these questions as I am. What's there is a mildly diverting B-picture. There's one great bit where Laura's seeing through the killer's eyes (that's the hook, she gets visions from the murderer's POV; no, this is never explained) and he's RIGHT BEHIND HER, so there's a chase where she charges across an empty room only able to see her own fleeing self from ten feet behind. That was pretty great! And her first kiss with the detective (because you could see a mile away that the detective and the woman he's supposed to protect are gonna fall in love) is immediately followed by the two freaking out about how nonsensical it is for them to fall in love with each other, because she's literally mourning multiple deaths and he's being wildly unprofessional, and then they go back to making out. That bit was great, too. The rest... enh.

The Onion Field What starts off as a seemingly not-that-noirish cops-vs-crooks procedural turns into an agonizingly protracted look at the legal system, with the ultimate argument that the very idea of the law ever resulting in justice is a lie. Hoo! I have to say, I'm impressed. There's a scene where a lawyer - whom I'm not sure is even named, he's like the seventh of thirteen we've met - literally quits the law over how long this court case about two guys shooting a cop has taken. He says the cop who was murdered has been forgotten, his partner has never gotten to move on because the case has lasted eight years, nothing has been accomplished, and they should let the two criminals walk and jail all the judges and lawyers instead. It's awesome! The script is loaded with digressions and unnecessary details, just the way I like it. Can't say I'm impressed with the execution. Nothing is wrong, exactly, but the performances all seem a tad melodramatic or a tad uninspired. Camerawork is, again, purely functional. It's no masterpiece. But that second half worked for me. (And it's Ted Danson's first movie! He did great.)

Body Heat (rw) Let's say up front that this is a handsomely-made movie. Probably the best looking thing on the list since Night Moves. Nothing I've seen better captures the swelter of an East Coast heatwave, or the lusty feeling of being too hot to bang and going at it regardless. Kathleen Turner sells the hell out of a femme fatale. There are a lot of good lines and good performances (Ted Danson is back and having the time of his life). I want to get all that out of the way, because this is a movie heavily modeled after Double Indemnity, and I wanted to discuss its merits before I get into why inviting that comparison doesn't help the movie out. In a lot of ways, it's the same rules as the Robert Mitchum Marlowe movies - do Double Indemnity but amp up the sex and violence. And, to a degree it works. (At least, the sex does, dunno that Double Indemnity was crying out for explosions.) But the plot is amped as well, and gets downright silly. Yeah, Mrs. Dietrichson seduces Walter Neff so he'll off her husband, but Neff clocks that pretty early and goes along with it anyway. Everything beyond that is two people keeping too big a secret and slowly turning on each other. But here? For the twists to work Matty has to be, from frame one, playing four-dimensional chess on the order of Senator Palpatine, and its about as plausible. (Exactly how did she know, after she rebuffed Ned, he would figure out her local bar and go looking for her at the exact hour she was there?) It's already kind of weird to be using the spider woman trope in 1981, but to make her MORE sexually conniving and mercenary than she was in the 40's is... not great. As lurid trash, it's pretty fun for a while, but some noir stuff can't just be updated, it needs to be subverted or it doesn't justify its existence.

Blow Out Brian De Palma has two categories of movie: he's got his mainstream, director-for-hire fare, where his voice is either reigned in or indulged in isolated sequences that don't always jive with the rest fo the film, and then there's his Brian De Palma movies. My mistake, it seems, is having seen several for-hires from throughout his career - The Untouchables (fine enough), Carlito's Way (ditto, but less), Mission: Impossible (enh) - but had only seen De Palma-ass movies from his late period (Femme Fatale and The Black Dahlia, both of which I think are garbage). All this to say: Blow Out was my first classic-era De Palma, and holy fucking shit dudes. This was (with caveats) my absolute and entire jam. I said I could enjoy good sleaze, and this is good friggin' sleaze. (Though far short of De Palma at his sleaziest, mercifully.) The splitscreens, the diopter shots, the canted angles, how does he make so many shlocky things work?! John Travolta's sound tech goes out to get fresh wind fx for the movie he's working on, and we get this wonderful sequence of visuals following sounds as he turns his attention and his microphone to various noises - a couple on a walk, a frog, an owl, a buzzing street lamp. Later, as he listens back to the footage, the same sequence plays again, but this time from his POV; we're seeing his memory as guided by the same sequence of sounds, now recreated with different shots, as he moves his pencil in the air mimicking the microphone. When he mixes and edits sounds, we hear the literal soundtrack of the movie we are watching get mixed and edited by the person on screen. And as he tries to unravel a murder mystery, he uses what's at hand: magnetic tape, flatbed editors, an animation camera to turn still photos from the crime scene into a film and sync it with the audio he recorded; it's forensics using only the tools of the editing room. As someone who's spent some time in college editing rooms, this is a hoot and a half. Loses a bit of steam as it goes on and the film nerd stuff gives way to a more traditional thriller, but rallies for a sound-tech-centered final setpiece, which steadily builds to such madcap heights you can feel the air thinning, before oddly cutting its own tension and then trying to build it back up again. It doesn't work as well the second time. But then, that shot right after the climax? Damn. Conflicted on how the movie treats the female lead. I get why feminist film theorists are so divided on De Palma. His stuff is full of things feminists (rightly) criticize, full of women getting naked when they're not getting stabbed, but he also clearly finds women fascinating and has them do empowered and unexpected things, and there are many feminist reads of his movies. Call it a mixed bag. But even when he's doing tropey shit, he explores the tropes in unexpected ways. Definitely the best movie so far that I hadn't already seen.

Cutter's Way (rw) Alex Cutter is pitched to us as an obnoxious-but-sympathetic son of a bitch, and, you know, two out of three ain't bad. Watched this during my 2020 neo-noir kick and considered skipping it this time because I really didn't enjoy it. Found it a little more compelling this go around, while being reminded of why my feelings were room temp before. Thematically, I'm onboard: it's about a guy, Cutter, getting it in his head that he's found a murderer and needs to bring him to justice, and his friend, Bone, who intermittently helps him because he feels bad that Cutter lost his arm, leg, and eye in Nam and he also feels guilty for being in love with Cutter's wife. The question of whether the guy they're trying to bring down actually did it is intentionally undefined, and arguably unimportant; they've got personal reasons to see this through. Postmodern and noirish, fixated with the inability to ever fully know the truth of anything, but starring people so broken by society that they're desperate for certainty. (Pretty obvious parallels to Vietnam.) Cutter's a drunk and kind of an asshole, but understandably so. Bone's shiftlessness is the other response to a lack of meaning in the world, to the point where making a decision, any decision, feels like character growth, even if it's maybe killing a guy whose guilt is entirely theoretical. So, yeah, I'm down with all of this! A- in outline form. It's just that Cutter is so uninterestingly unpleasant and no one else on screen is compelling enough to make up for it. His drunken windups are tedious and his sanctimonious speeches about what the war was like are, well, true and accurate but also obviously manipulative. It's two hours with two miserable people, and I think Cutter's constant chatter is supposed to be the comic relief but it's a little too accurate to drunken rambling, which isn't funny if you're not also drunk. He's just tedious, irritating, and periodically racist. Pass.

Blood Simple (rw) I'm pretty cool on the Coens - there are things I've liked, even loved, in every Coen film I've seen, but I always come away dissatisfied. For a while, I kept going to their movies because I was sure eventually I'd love one without qualification. No Country for Old Men came close, the first two acts being master classes in sustained tension. But then the third act is all about denying closure: the protagonist is murdered offscreen, the villain's motives are never explained, and it ends with an existentialist speech about the unfathomable cruelty of the world. And it just doesn't land for me. The archness of the Coen's dialogue, the fussiness of their set design, the kinda-intimate, kinda-awkward, kinda-funny closeness of the camera's singles, it cannot sell me on a devastating meditation about meaninglessness. It's only ever sold me on the Coens' own cleverness. And that archness, that distancing, has typified every one of their movies I've come close to loving. Which is a long-ass preamble to saying, holy heck, I was not prepared for their very first movie to be the one I'd been looking for! I watched it last year and it remains true on rewatch: Blood Simple works like gangbusters. It's kind of Double Indemnity (again) but played as a comedy of errors, minus the comedy: two people romantically involved feeling their trust unravel after a murder. And I think the first thing that works for me is that utter lack of comedy. It's loaded with the Coens' trademark ironies - mostly dramatic in this case - but it's all played straight. Unlike the usual lead/femme fatale relationship, where distrust brews as the movie goes on, the audience knows the two main characters can trust each other. There are no secret duplicitous motives waiting to be revealed. The audience also know why they don't trust each other. (And it's all communicated wordlessly, btw: a character enters a scene and we know, based on the information that character has, how it looks to them and what suspicions it would arouse, even as we know the truth of it). The second thing that works is, weirdly, that the characters aren't very interesting?! Ray and Abby have almost no characterization. Outside of a general likability, they are blank slates. This is a weakness in most films, but, given the agonizingly long, wordless sequences where they dispose of bodies or hide from gunfire, you're left thinking not "what will Ray/Abby do in this scenario," because Ray and Abby are relatively elemental and undefined, but "what would I do in this scenario?" Which creates an exquisite tension but also, weirdly, creates more empathy than I feel for the Coens' usual cast of personalities. It's supposed to work the other way around! Truly enjoyable throughout but absolutely wonderful in the suspenseful-as-hell climax. Good shit right here.

Body Double The thing about erotic thrillers is everything that matters is in the name. Is it thrilling? Is it erotic? Good; all else is secondary. De Palma set out to make the most lurid, voyeuristic, horny, violent, shocking, steamy movie he could come up with, and its success was not strictly dependent on the lead's acting ability or the verisimilitude of the plot. But what are we, the modern audience, to make of it once 37 years have passed and, by today's standards, the eroticism is quite tame and the twists are no longer shocking? Then we're left with a nonsensical riff on Vertigo, a specularization of women that is very hard to justify, and lead actor made of pulped wood. De Palma's obsessions don't cohere into anything more this time; the bits stolen from Hitchcock aren't repurposed to new ends, it really is just Hitch with more tits and less brains. (I mean, I still haven't seen Vertigo, but I feel 100% confident in that statement.) The diopter shots and rear-projections this time look cheap (literally so, apparently; this had 1/3 the budget of Blow Out). There are some mildly interesting setpieces, but nothing compared to Travolta's auditory reconstructions or car chase where he tries to tail a subway train from street level even if it means driving through a frickin parade like an inverted French Connection, goddamn Blow Out was a good movie! Anyway. Melanie Griffith seems to be having fun, at least. I guess I had a little as well, but it was, at best, diverting, and a real letdown.

The Hit Surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Terrance Stamp flips on the mob and spends ten years living a life of ease in Spain, waiting for the day they find and kill him. Movie kicks off when they do find him, and what follows is a ramshackle road movie as John Hurt and a young Tim Roth attempt to drive him to Paris so they can shoot him in front of his old boss. Stamp is magnetic. He's spent a decade reading philosophy and seems utterly prepared for death, so he spends the trip humming, philosophizing, and being friendly with his captors when he's not winding them up. It remains unclear to the end whether the discord he sews between Roth and Hurt is part of some larger plan of escape or just for shits and giggles. There's also a decent amount of plot for a movie that's not terribly plot-driven - just about every part of the kidnapping has tiny hitches the kidnappers aren't prepared for, and each has film-long repercussions, drawing the cops closer and somehow sticking Laura del Sol in their backseat. The ongoing questions are when Stamp will die, whether del Sol will die, and whether Roth will be able to pull the trigger. In the end, it's actually a meditation on ethics and mortality, but in a quiet and often funny way. It's not going to go down as one of my new favs, but it was a nice way to spend a couple hours.

Trouble in Mind (dnrw) I fucking hated this movie. It's been many months since I watched it, do I remember what I hated most? Was it the bit where a couple of country bumpkins who've come to the city walk into a diner and Mr. Bumpkin clocks that the one Black guy in the back as obviously a criminal despite never having seen him before? Was it the part where Kris Kristofferson won't stop hounding Mrs. Bumpkin no matter how many times she demands to be left alone, and it's played as romantic because obviously he knows what she needs better than she does? Or is it the part where Mr. Bumpkin reluctantly takes a job from the Obvious Criminal (who is, in fact, a criminal, and the only named Black character in the movie if I remember correctly, draw your own conclusions) and, within a week, has become a full-blown hood, which is exemplified by a lot, like, a lot of queer-coding? The answer to all three questions is yes. It's also fucking boring. Even out-of-drag Divine's performance as the villain can't save it.

Manhunter 'sfine? I've still never seen Silence of the Lambs, nor any of the Hopkins Lecter movies, nor, indeed, any full episode of the show. So the unheimlich others get seeing Brian Cox play Hannibal didn't come into play. Cox does a good job with him, but he's barely there. Shame, cuz he's the most interesting part of the movie. Honestly, there's a lot of interesting stuff that's barely there. Will Graham being a guy who gets into the heads of serial killers is explored well enough, and Mann knows how to direct a police procedural such that it's both contemplative and propulsive. But all the other themes it points at? Will's fear that he understands murderers a little too well? Hannibal trying to nudge him towards becoming one? Whatever dance Hannibal and Tooth Fairy are doing? What Tooth Fairy's deal is, anyway? (Why does he wear fake teeth and bite things? Why is he fixated on the red dragon? Does the bit where he says "Francis is gone forever" mean he has DID?) None of it goes anywhere or amounts to anything. I mean, it's certainly more interesting with this stuff than without, but it has that feel of a book that's been pared of its interesting bits to fit the runtime (or, alternately, pulp that's been sloppily elevated). I still haven't made my mind up on Mann's cold, precise camera work, but at least it gives me something to look at. It's fine! This is fine.

Mona Lisa (rw) Gave this one another shot. Bob Hoskins is wonderful as a hood out of his depth in classy places, quick to anger but just as quick to let anger go (the opening sequence where he's screaming on his ex-wife's doorstep, hurling trash cans at her house, and one minute later thrilled to see his old car, is pretty nice). And Cathy Tyson's working girl is a subtler kind of fascinating, exuding a mixture of coldness and kindness. It's just... this is ultimately a story about how heartbreaking it is when the girl you like is gay, right? It's Weezer's Pink Triangle: The Movie. It's not homophobic, exactly - Simone isn't demonized for being a lesbian - but it's still, like, "man, this straight white guy's pain is so much more interesting than the Black queer sex worker's." And when he's yelling "you woulda done it!" at the end, I can't tell if we're supposed to agree with him. Seems pretty clear that she wouldn'ta done it, at least not without there being some reveal about her character that doesn't happen, but I don't think the ending works if we don't agree with him, so... I'm like 70% sure the movie does Simone dirty there. For the first half, their growing relationship feels genuine and natural, and, honestly, the story being about a real bond that unfortunately means different things to each party could work if it didn't end with a gun and a sock in the jaw. Shape feels jagged as well; what feels like the end of the second act or so turns out to be the climax. And some of the symbolism is... well, ok, Simone gives George money to buy more appropriate clothes for hanging out in high end hotels, and he gets a tan leather jacket and a Hawaiian shirt, and their first proper bonding moment is when she takes him out for actual clothes. For the rest of the movie he is rocking double-breasted suits (not sure I agree with the striped tie, but it was the eighties, whaddya gonna do?). Then, in the second half, she sends him off looking for her old streetwalker friend, and now he looks completely out of place in the strip clubs and bordellos. So far so good. But then they have this run-in where her old pimp pulls a knife and cuts George's arm, so, with his nice shirt torn and it not safe going home (I guess?) he starts wearing the Hawaiian shirt again. So around the time he's starting to realize he doesn't really belong in Simone's world or the lowlife world he came from anymore, he's running around with the classy double-breasted suit jacket over the garish Hawaiian shirt, and, yeah, bit on the nose guys. Anyway, it has good bits, I just feel like a movie that asks me to feel for the guy punching a gay, Black woman in the face needs to work harder to earn it. Bit of wasted talent.

The Bedroom Window Starts well. Man starts an affair with his boss' wife, their first night together she witnesses an attempted murder from his window, she worries going to the police will reveal the affair to her husband, so the man reports her testimony to the cops claiming he's the one who saw it. Young Isabelle Huppert is the perfect woman for a guy to risk his career on a crush over, and Young Steve Guttenberg is the perfect balance of affability and amorality. And it flows great - picks just the right media to res. So then he's talking to the cops, telling them what she told him, and they ask questions he forgot to ask her - was the perp's jacket a blazer or a windbreaker? - and he has to guess. Then he gets called into the police lineup, and one guy matches her description really well, but is it just because he's wearing his red hair the way she described it? He can't be sure, doesn't finger any of them. He finds out the cops were pretty certain about one of the guys, so he follows the one he thinks it was around, looking for more evidence, and another girl is attacked right outside a bar he knows the redhead was at. Now he's certain! But he shows the boss' wife the guy and she's not certain, and she reminds him they don't even know if the guy he followed is the same guy the police suspected! And as he feeds more evidence to the cops, he has to lie more, because he can't exactly say he was tailing the guy around the city. So, I'm all in now. Maybe it's because I'd so recently rewatched Night Moves and Cutter's Way, but this seems like another story about uncertainty. He's really certain about the guy because it fits narratively, and we, the audience, feel the same. But he's not actually a witness, he doesn't have actual evidence, he's fitting bits and pieces together like a conspiracy theorist. He's fixating on what he wants to be true. Sign me up! But then it turns out he's 100% correct about who the killer is but his lies are found out and now the cops think he's the killer and I realize, oh, no, this movie isn't nearly as smart as I thought it was. Egg on my face! What transpires for the remaining half of the runtime is goofy as hell, and someone with shlockier sensibilities could have made a meal of it, but Hanson, despite being a Corman protege, takes this silliness seriously in the all wrong ways. Next!

Homicide (rw? I think I saw most of this on TV one time) Homicide centers around the conflicted loyalties of a Jewish cop. It opens with the Jewish cop and his white gentile partner taking over a case with a Black perp from some Black FBI agents. The media is making a big thing about the racial implications of the mostly white cops chasing down a Black man in a Black neighborhood. And inside of 15 minutes the FBI agent is calling the lead a k*ke and the gentile cop is calling the FBI agent a f****t and there's all kinds of invective for Black people. The film is announcing its intentions out the gate: this movie is about race. But the issue here is David Mamet doesn't care about race as anything other than a dramatic device. He's the Ubisoft of filmmakers, having no coherent perspective on social issues but expecting accolades for even bringing them up. Mamet is Jewish (though lead actor Joe Mantegna definitely is not) but what is his position on the Jewish diaspora? The whole deal is Mantegna gets stuck with a petty homicide case instead of the big one they just pinched from the Feds, where a Jewish candy shop owner gets shot in what looks like a stickup. Her family tries to appeal to his Jewishness to get him to take the case seriously, and, after giving them the brush-off for a long time, finally starts following through out of guilt, finding bits and pieces of what may or may not be a conspiracy, with Zionist gun runners and underground neo-Nazis. But, again: all of these are just dramatic devices. Mantegna's Jewishness (those words will never not sound ridiculous together) has always been a liability for him as a cop (we are told, not shown), and taking the case seriously is a reclamation of identity. The Jews he finds community with sold tommyguns to revolutionaries during the founding of Israel. These Jews end up blackmailing him to get a document from the evidence room. So: what is the film's position on placing stock in one's Jewish identity? What is its position on Israel? What is its opinion on Palestine? Because all three come up! And the answer is: Mamet doesn't care. You can read it a lot of different ways. Someone with more context and more patience than me could probably deduce what the de facto message is, the way Chris Franklin deduced the de facto message of Far Cry V despite the game's efforts not to have one, but I'm not going to. Mantegna's attempt to reconnect with his Jewishness gets his partner killed, gets the guy he was supposed to bring in alive shot dead, gets him possibly permanent injuries, gets him on camera blowing up a store that's a front for white nationalists, and all for nothing because the "clues" he found (pretty much exclusively by coincidence) were unconnected nothings. The problem is either his Jewishness, or his lifelong failure to connect with his Jewishness until late in life. Mamet doesn't give a shit. (Like, Mamet canonically doesn't give a shit: he is on record saying social context is meaningless, characters only exist to serve the plot, and there are no deeper meanings in fiction.) Mamet's ping-pong dialogue is fun, as always, and there are some neat ideas and characters, but it's all in service of a big nothing that needed to be a something to work.

Swoon So much I could talk about, let's keep it to the most interesting bits. Hommes Fatales: a thing about classic noir that it was fascinated by the marginal but had to keep it in the margins. Liberated women, queer-coded killers, Black jazz players, broke thieves; they were the main event, they were what audiences wanted to see, they were what made the movies fun. But the ending always had to reassert straightlaced straight, white, middle-class male society as unshakeable. White supremacist capitalist patriarchy demanded, both ideologically and via the Hays Code, that anyone outside these norms be punished, reformed, or dead by the movie's end. The only way to make them the heroes was to play their deaths for tragedy. It is unsurprising that neo-noir would take the queer-coded villains and make them the protagonists. Implicature: This is the story of Leopold and Loeb, murderers famous for being queer, and what's interesting is how the queerness in the first half exists entirely outside of language. Like, it's kind of amazing for a movie from 1992 to be this gay - we watch Nathan and Dickie kiss, undress, masturbate, fuck; hell, they wear wedding rings when they're alone together. But it's never verbalized. Sex is referred to as "your reward" or "what you wanted" or "best time." Dickie says he's going to have "the girls over," and it turns out "the girls" are a bunch of drag queens, but this is never acknowledged. Nathan at one point lists off a bunch of famous men - Oscar Wild, E.M. Forster, Frederick the Great - but, though the commonality between them is obvious (they were all gay), it's left the the audience to recognize it. When their queerness is finally verbalized in the second half, it's first in the language of pathology - a psychiatrist describing their "perversions" and "misuse" of their "organs" before the court, which has to be cleared of women because it's so inappropriate - and then with slurs from the man who murders Dickie in jail (a murder which is written off with no investigation because the victim is a gay prisoner instead of a L&L's victim, a child of a wealthy family). I don't know if I'd have noticed this if I hadn't read Chip Delany describing his experience as a gay man in the 50's existing almost entirely outside of language, the only language at the time being that of heteronormativity. Murder as Love Story: L&L exchange sex as payment for the other commiting crimes; it's foreplay. Their statements to the police where they disagree over who's to blame is a lover's quarrel. Their sentencing is a marriage. Nathan performs his own funeral rites over Dickie's body after he dies on the operating table. They are, in their way, together til death did they part. This is the relationship they can have. That it does all this without romanticizing the murder itself or valorizing L&L as humans is frankly incredible.

Suture (rw) The pitch: at the funeral for his father, wealthy Vincent Towers meets his long lost half brother Clay Arlington. It is implied Clay is a child from out of wedlock, possibly an affair; no one knows Vincent has a half-brother but him and Clay. Vincent invites Clay out to his fancy-ass home in Arizona. Thing is, Vincent is suspected (correctly) by the police of having murdered his father, and, due to a striking family resemblence, he's brought Clay to his home to fake his own death. He finagles Clay into wearing his clothes and driving his car, and then blows the car up and flees the state, leaving the cops to think him dead. Thing is, Clay survives, but with amnesia. The doctors tell him he's Vincent, and he has no reason to disagree. Any discrepancy in the way he looks is dismissed as the result of reconstructive surgery after the explosion. So Clay Arlington resumes Vincent Towers' life, without knowing Clay Arlington even exists. The twist: Clay and Vincent are both white, but Vincent is played by Michael Harris, a white actor, and Clay is played by Dennis Haysbert, a Black actor. "Ian, if there's just the two of them, how do you know it's not Harris playing a Black character?" Glad you asked! It is most explicitly obvious during a scene where Vincent/Clay's surgeon-cum-girlfriend essentially bringing up phrenology to explain how Vincent/Clay couldn't possibly have murdered his father, describing straight hair, thin lips, and a Greco-Roman nose Haysbert very clearly doesn't have. But, let's be honest: we knew well beforehand that the rich-as-fuck asshole living in a huge, modern house and living it up in Arizona high society was white. Though Clay is, canonically, white, he lives an poor and underprivileged life common to Black men in America. Though the film's title officially refers to the many stitches holding Vincent/Clay's face together after the accident, "suture" is a film theory term, referring to the way a film audience gets wrapped up - sutured - in the world of the movie, choosing to forget the outside world and pretend the story is real. The usage is ironic, because the audience cannot be sutured in; we cannot, and are not expected to, suspend our disbelief that Clay is white. We are deliberately distanced. Consequently this is a movie to be thought about, not to to be felt. It has the shape of a Hitchcockian thriller but it can't evoke the emotions of one. You can see the scaffolding - "ah, yes, this is the part of a thriller where one man hides while another stalks him with a gun, clever." I feel ill-suited to comment on what the filmmakers are saying about race. I could venture a guess about the ending, where the psychiatrist, the only one who knows the truth about Clay, says he can never truly be happy living the lie of being Vincent Towers, while we see photographs of Clay/Vincent seemingly living an extremely happy life: society says white men simply belong at the top more than Black men do, but, if the roles could be reversed, the latter would slot in seamlessly. Maybe??? Of all the movies in this collection, this is the one I'd most want to read an essay on (followed by Swoon).

The Last Seduction (dnrw) No, no, no, I am not rewataching this piece of shit movie.

Brick (rw) Here's my weird contention: Brick is in color and in widescreen, but, besides that? There's nothing neo- about this noir. There's no swearing except "hell." (I always thought Tug said "goddamn" at one point but, no, he's calling The Pin "gothed-up.") There's a lot of discussion of sex, but always through implication, and the only deleted scene is the one that removed ambiguity about what Brendan and Laura get up to after kissing. There's nothing postmodern or subversive - yes, the hook is it's set in high school, but the big twist is that it takes this very seriously. It mines it for jokes, yes, but the drama is authentic. In fact, making the gumshoe a high school student, his jadedness an obvious front, still too young to be as hard as he tries to be, just makes the drama hit harder. Sam Spade if Sam Spade were allowed to cry. I've always found it an interesting counterpoint to The Good German, a movie that fastidiously mimics the aesthetics of classic noir - down to even using period-appropriate sound recording - but is wholly neo- in construction. Brick could get approved by the Hays Code. Its vibe, its plot about a detective playing a bunch of criminals against each other, even its slang ("bulls," "yegg," "flopped") are all taken directly from Hammett. It's not even stealing from noir, it's stealing from what noir stole from! It's a perfect curtain call for the collection: the final film is both the most contemporary and the most classic. It's also - but for the strong case you could make for Night Moves - the best movie on the list. It's even more appropriate for me, personally: this was where it all started for me and noir. I saw this in theaters when it came out and loved it. It was probably my favorite movie for some time. It gave me a taste for pulpy crime movies which I only, years later, realized were neo-noir. This is why I looked into Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and In Bruges. I've seen it more times than any film on this list, by a factor of at least 3. It's why I will always adore Rian Johnson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It's the best-looking half-million-dollar movie I've ever seen. (Indie filmmakers, take fucking notes.) I even did a script analysis of this, and, yes, it follows the formula, but so tightly and with so much style. Did you notice that he says several of the sequence tensions out loud? ("I just want to find her." "Show of hands.") I notice new things each time I see it - this time it was how "brushing Brendan's hair out of his face" is Em's move, making him look more like he does in the flashback, and how Laura does the same to him as she's seducing him, in the moment when he misses Em the hardest. It isn't perfect. It's recreated noir so faithfully that the Innocent Girl dies, the Femme Fatale uses intimacy as a weapon, and none of the women ever appear in a scene together. 1940's gender politics maybe don't need to be revisited. They say be critical of the media you love, and it applies here most of all: it is a real criticism of something I love immensely.

#film noir #neo-noir #criterion channel

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vanilla-vivillon · 3 years

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Happy Wesper Week! We are doing a Wylan POV because I can’t write charm at all. This is a modern AU bachelor party. The grisha powers exist but everything else is made into there real life equivalent

TW very brief mentions of sex trafficking.

What am I doing here? Wylan thought to himself

When his boyfriend Jesper insisted on throwing there good friend Matthias a bachelor party Wylan thought maybe they would go to a nice bar or play some party games

Not get crazy drunk, Not set fire to the Dutch Garden, not get chased by cops, not perform a gas station heist and not catch one of his best friends making out with a gas station cashier

However it seemed the universe didn’t care for the thoughts of little ole Wylan Hendricks

“Let’s get this party started!” The Australian yelled

Wylan had to remindhimself he loved his boyfriend Jesper

“Can you not shout?” Matthias, the groom to be, begged

Wylan, Jesper, and there friends Kaz and Kuwei were throwing a bachelor party for Matthias

It took a lot to convince the Norwegian that this was indeed a great idea

Wylan had never been to a bachelor party before but he was excited for his boyfriend who adored them

“Do we really have to go to this bar Jesper?” Kaz groaned seeing the crazy bright neon sign

After years of knowing Kaz Brekker Wylan could tell that Kaz was cursing Inej for telling him to come

Nevertheless the boys all walk in and start ordering shots

“Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!” The boys chanted egging on Kaz and Matthias drinking contest

Well it was mostly Jesper and Kuwei chanting Wylan after having a couple drinks was staring at the twinkle in Jespers eyes

He really was beautiful Wylan thought to himself

Wylan attended the University of Amsterdam to mostly escape his father.

There he met his lifelong friends

Matthias a grumpy international exchange student who grew up in a very prominent and dangerous cult in Norway. He wants to be a Norwegian ambassador

Nina Zenik, a heartrender turned corpse witch who was actually a russian spy back in the day. Now she’s working to become an ambassador

Inej Ghafa, she started a non profit to help stop sex trafficking whitch takes her all over the World but she used to. be an acrobat and after that worked with Kaz as his spy

Kaz Brekker, someone who Wylan after years of knowing him isn’t quite sure if there truly friends, or the semi illegal activities he gets up to. Wylan thought his hacking days would be done after University but Kaz has built an online criminal empire

Kuwei Yul Bo a scientists apprentice from China. He was currently working on his masters degree along side Wylan.

And Jesper. How to describe Jesper Fahey. He was an exchange student from Australia. A fabricator with a gift with Guns. While Jesper loved his pistols he actually works for a nonprofit dedicated to gun safety and regulation

After a highly illegal heist on there trip to Norway during college they all bonded as a group

Especially Wylan and Jesper

Jesper with that twinkle

Jesper with that laugh

Jesper with the way he looked at him now

After many more drinks Kuwei had the idea of the century

“Yooooooo y’know what’s a good idea?” Kuwei said bringing his head up from where it was previously glued to the table

“More shhhhhhhhhots?” Jesper suggested clearly as drunk as Wylan

“A couple blocks away is The Dutch Garden, wanna see some prrrrrrrrrrretty flowers?”

Fun fact this is a real place in Amsterdam

Wylan turned towards Kaz expecting him to veto it then and there but to Wylans shock and horror Kaz said “Hell yeah”

“But, but, it’s super late it’s gonna be closed!” Matthias spluttered out

“We can sneak in from the back fence” Jesper said

When Jesper drank his Australian accent whitch had soften over the years of living in Amsterdam came through in all of its glory

When Wylan first met Jesper he thought he was completely out of his league

And that damn accent drove Wylan Insane

While Wylan was contemplating the wonder that was Jesper Llewelyn Fahey it seemed the group made a decision without him

And Wylan thought for the first time in this bachelor party

What am I doing here?

“C’mon Wylan just climb!” Kuwei whisper screamed at Wylan

The drunken lads had made it to the Garden and had found an area where there was a fence they could climb with relative ease

All of the others made it to the other side

Except Wylan

“Don’t you want to seeeeeee the flowwwwwwwers?” Kaz insisted

If Wylan needed any more proof he was the soberest man out of all of them Kaz saying the word ‘pretty’ that isn’t referencing Inej was a clear sign

“Baby pleeeeease” Jesper begged

Oh no

Not that face

Wylan thought of himself as a sensible person who doesn’t succumb to pressure easily

But when his boyfriend made that face

Where his cool grey eyes went big

And his face had a slight flush to it

Wylan

Broke

“Fine! But if we get arrested it’s on you guys!”

With the ease of a spider who’s leg got chopped off by a middle aged housewife who’s husband is cheating on her climbing up a wall Wylan somehow got across

It wasn’t pretty

And it wasn’t gonna make Kaz proud

But it was completed

Panting Wylan on the ground said “I think this is my biggest accomplishment”

“Not…. Putting away your father? Or growing past your Internalised homophobia? Or writing your first essay on your own?” Matthias suggested clearly bewildered

Hey so i know Wylan can’t actually read. But seeing as this is modern day and plenty of dyslexic people can read with help, I figured that Jan would refuse to take Wylan to a doctor or get him help with his dyslexia believing it was weak making Wylan unable to read. Buuuuut when he’s older it makes sense to me he does learn. I’m not trying to invalidate his experiences or “fix” him but for the sake of a modern AU I had to change some things.

“Nope. It’s climbing this fence” Wylan laughed as Jesper helped him up

“Everyday you remind why your my favorite human” Jesper said with a laugh

“Ewwwww it’s like you guys like to remind how I’m the only single one” Kuwei said with a throwing up motion

“Thanks Jesp- wait human?” Wylan asked confused

“Well my favorite thing is Milo of course” Jesper winked

“The- the goat in Russia?” Kaz inquired not quite wanting to believe what Jesper was saying

To Wylans knowledge Kaz, Inej and Jesper did some job in Russia before he ever met them

“Why of course” Jesper slung an arm around Wylan who was not quite sure how to feel about this goat

Kaz went to go look at some purple flowers and contemplate his life choices

“Oh my god guys…….” Matthias started “the flowers! They’re- they’re”

“Cmon Matty, share with the class” Kaz said apparently bored with the purple flowers

“They’re so preeeeeeeetty” Matthias eyes welled up with tears

“Oh Saints tell me he’s not crying” Kuwei Moaned

Jesper walked over to where Matthias was stroking a hydrangea

“They are soooooooo pretty” Jespers eyes also Welled up with tears

“Fuck this shit” Kuwei said taking out a lighter and cigarette

“Hey! Smoking is very bad for you Kuwei!” Wylan lectured

“Wylan. I’m an inferni. Smoking foesnt affect us” Kuwei rolled his golden brown eyes

“Yeah but we’re in a highly flammable garden! And the rest of us aren’t inferni!” Wylan said

It seemed during Kuwei and Wylans arguement Kaz had also joined the cult of flowers that Matthias and Jesper were fixated on

“Wylan stop smoke shaming me!” And the scientists went back and fourth

“KUWEI YOU PIECE OF-“ Wylan started then sniffed the air “is that, is that smoke?” Wylan asked

“Holy shit dudes there’s a fire!” Kaz yelled pointing at where the cigarette Kuwei droppped

It seemed that the cigarette lit fire to a big wall of flowers

“This is why I never wanted a bachelor party!” Matthias moaned

The boys could hear voices coming towards them

Then all of the men looked at each other

And all of them yelled “RUN!”

All of them starting sprinting to the fence

And Kaz with his limp scrambled up that fence the fastest

Guess his determination to not get caught was strong

Wylan started climbing as fast as he could whitch wasn’t very fast

“Cmon Merchling!” Jesper said at the top reaching out a hand to his boyfriend

Wylan took it and stared at the steel eyes that had first enraptured him years ago

“Hey Stop!” Looking back Wylan and Jesper saw three security guards running towards them and yelling at them to stop

Jesper yanked Wylan up and they both fell off the fence in a pile

Jesper took Wylans hand and they all started booking it to Wylan’s car

Wylan who had sobered up in the whole endeavor determined that he was probably sober enough to drive

Piling in they all shoved themselves in the car

Wylan turned on the gas and starte to get the car back on the road

“I can’t believe we ran from cops!” Matthias said in between panting

“That was awesome!” Jesper exclaimed from the passenger seat

Wylan laughed

He had never been a spontaneous person

It seemed this night was a lot more fun then he thought

Until he heard the sirens

From the backseat Kaz turned

And three police cars were zooming towards them

“I am not going down for arson!” Kuwei yelled

“Wylan stop driving like a grandma and go faster! There gaining on us!” Kaz screamed at Wylan

“I can’t there’s a stoplight!”

“Run it!” Jespers shrill voice screamed at him

And Wylan did what he swore to never do

He took a deep breath

And ran that light as fast as he could

They were flying

Wylan had never seen how fast he could make his car go

Turns out it was fast

Wylan used some of his dads money to buy a sports car just to rub it in Jans face

With the top off and blood rushing through Wylans head he had never felt more alive

His boy beside him

His friends behind him

“WOOOOOOOOO!” Kuwei yelled throwing his hands up

Jesper joined Kuwei as the car sped down the street

Matthias was looking a little green

“Matty you okay back there?” Wylan shouted back at the Norwegian

“No!” Matthias shouted over the roar of engine and Jesper and Kuweis yips and yells

Some point during this Kaz called Inej

“Inej I hate thissssss!” Wylan couldn’t hear what Inej said back but from the pieces Kaz gave it was obvious

“No im not drunk!……. Psh of course those aren’t sirens…… Inej we might’ve bended the law but I swear it wasn’t my fault!…….. alright bye. ….I love you to….”

After what seemed like an eternity Wylan finally lost the police

Laughing the Wylan pulled into a gas station for refill

Wylan stepped out of the car and began to refill his car and thought for the millionth time what am I doing here?

“Wylannnnnn” Kuwei moaned

“What Kuwei?” Wylan said already exasperated

“Wylan I’m hungryyyyyy”

“Then go grab some chips or something!”

“But I don’t want to pay for it!”

“Then I guess that sucks for you!”

“You got like a million dollars from stealing me from Norway! You owe me!”

Ghezen Wylan hated drunk people

“Let’s perform a heist on the gas station!” Matthias said apparently done feeling sick

“What? No! We aren’t stealing from the gas station!” Wylan lectured

“It might actually be fuuuuuuun Wy” Kaz begged

The rest of the party were already getting out of the car ignoring Wylans protests

“We will do a simple distract act, Kuwei will go in first and lead the cashier away, and then we go in and steal chips” Kaz explained

It seemed even drunk Kaz could scheme

“This is insane!” Wylan exclaimed

“You said that about rescuing Kuwei from the Norwegian government but that ended up great” Matthias replied

They were gonna do this with or without Wylan

With a sigh Wylan thought what am I doing here?

Kuwei had gone in and had given the single

Wylan had walked in after pretending to look at some sodas and after Kuwei went into the back room with the cashier Wylan sent a quick text to the rest of the guys to come In and get raiding

Like clockwork Matthias, Jesper, and Kaz went in and they started ransacking the place

Wylan was in charge of Sodas, Matthias was in charge of Chips, and Jesper was in charge of Candy

Kaz had the most important job of all

He had to hack into there computers and wipe the security cameras

If Kaz couldn’t do that then Kaz would have to actually hack into the computers from his phone

It almost suprised Wylan how quickly efficiently, and quietly, a bunch of drunk guys could ransack a gas station

Wylan did feel guilty for a moment

But then he remembered how the CEO of the company the gas station is owned by has had multiple sexual misconduct allegations and Wylan felt better

Wylan got all the soda he could carry and rushed back to the car dumping them in the backseat

Soon after Matthias followed then Jesper and a little while after Kaz

Wylan did a quick headcount “wait where’s Kuwei?”

Wylan checked his phone

No texts from him

Shit shit shit

“Someone has to go back in” Kaz said

“I’ll go after him” Wylan said with a sigh

He loved Kuwei like a brother

But like an annoying little brother constantly getting himself in messes

Wylan Walked in and saw the e cashier wasn’t back

Wylan walked through the store and then heard something towards the men’s bathroom

Walking closer to the door the noises were getting a bit louder

Wylan opened the door slamming it against the wall

There stood a wide eyed Chinese kid and from the green uniform Wylan guessed was the cashier

The cashier who was standing between Kuweis legs. Kuwei who was sitting in the edge of the bathroom sink

There’s arms were around each other

Wylan was confused

What was Kuwei doing?

“Get your ass in the car Kuwei!” Wylan yelled

Kuwei gave whispered sorries to the cashier while collecting his jacket he apparently threw off

Wylan dragged Kuwei by the arm outside the store

“Kuwei. When we say distract the cashier, that means distract, not make oht with him!” Wylan lectured

“Cmon Wylan you saw him, he was cute!”

“Your drunk Kuwei!”

“Aren’t we all a little drunk in life?”

“That makes absolutely no sense” Wylan said with a sigh “just go to the car”

Kuwei happily skips away

Wylan had just dropped off Matthias at his and Ninas apartment after dropping off Kaz and Kuwei

Leaving just Wylan, Jesper, and an unhealthy amount of snacks in the car

“Hey Wylan” Jesper said

“Yes Jes?”

“I love you”

“I love you to Jesper”

“No wylan” Jesper took Wylan’s face in his hands

“I really love you” Jesper Pushed a ginger lock away from Wylans face

Jesper then reached into his pocket and pulled out a rumpled purple flower and tucked it into Wylans hair “I really really really love you”

Wylan blinked. Jesper was so drunk.

Wylan gave Jesper a soft smile and placed a kiss on his mouth

“I love you to Jesper”

And suddenly Wylan knew exactly what he was doing there

Finnally finished this in the Nick of time! @neilperryisalive I hope you enjoy this! I was seriously worried I wouldn’t be able to finish it but I did! I’ve never written Wesper but I really enjoyed it. My ask box is open and I take any Grishaverse requests

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httpsmultifandom · 3 years

Text

Home // Tate Langdon

word count: 2k

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Two years have passed since the Westfield High shooting. Tate, who was your on-and-off boyfriend at the time, had a mental break and went, full-on psycho. You weren't at school that day luckily because your 6-month-old daughter at the time had been sick. Tate was a good father from the looks of it. He loved to teach her new things and hold her every time she was around. After his death, there seemed to be a void in her and your life. This brings you here in front of your former lover’s house.

As the memories of the once-happy family that lived here rushed back, a small stream of tears began to run down your cheeks. Though your daughter wasn't raised by Tate. It seemed as if she felt comfortable on the property which he once lived and died on. As you opened the gate Lydia immediately stopped fussing and seemed to be in a trance of some sort. Noticing this you kissed her head and walked towards the double doors.

Taking a deep breath in you tried to hold tears back as you pondered on the life that you and Lydia could have lived if Tate had not decided to let his destructive mental state get the better of him. As you gripped the doorknob with your free hand, your palms began to sweat in anticipation. Finally gaining the courage, you entered the now-empty home. It smelled of dust but was surprisingly clean as if someone or something was still living there. “Hello,” you called out making sure nobody was there. With no response, you made your way over to the living room. The floorboards creaking under your feet as you moved from room to room. Once inside the living room, you made your way over to the large window, opening the curtains to let some light come into the house. The sun was warm and comforting feeling as if you had just received the most tender hug. Looking down at Lydia you examined her soft features. Though she had your attitude she was almost identical to Tate when it came to looks.

Just as you were about to set Lydia down on the wooden floors you had heard a small noise coming from the kitchen. Alarmed at this you quickly picked her up and headed toward the door. Reaching towards the handle you pulled but to your surprise, it was now locked. Frightened at the thought of being in the house any longer you quickly moved your way to the back door. Just as the door entered your line of vision a voice called out. “Y/N?” The strong southern accent rang through your ears making you whip your head around. “Constance,” you said in disbelief walking toward her. You and Mrs. Langdon have kept in touch over the years due to her never-ending need to be involved in her grandchild’s life. To say that she was a great grandmother would be an understatement. You often tied this back to her being a mother herself who not only loved her kids but unfortunately lost all of them.

“What in the world are you doing here,” she said sternly pulling a cigarette out from between her lips. “I just thought that maybe Lydia would want to see where her dad used to live,” you lied. Truth be told you missed Tate more than anything in the world and you thought that coming back to the house in which he once lived you could somehow become closer to him. “I think you should leave.” You furrowed your eyebrows confused at her sudden erratic behavior. “Constance, as far as I’m aware you don’t own this house anymore. You cant kick me out,” you said. “I suppose you’re correct. But really Y/N why are you here?” she said lifting her cancer stick up to her lips. “I miss Tate.” you looked down at your daughter as her big brown eyes glistened in the sunlight just like her fathers used to. Constance cleared her throat ending the peaceful silence. “Can I tell you something Y/N,” she asked. “Anything.” “This house is one of a kind truly. It seems as if whoever lives here, dies here, or is born here never actually leaves. Sure you could walk out of those double doors right now but a part of you even if it’s small will stay trapped in these walls.” she said putting out her cigarette in the small ashtray placed to her side. “What are you trying to say?” “I’m saying that if you came here in hopes of finding someone or something you’ll find it but perhaps not in the way you’d expect.” With that, she left leaving you and Lydia alone in the dreary home. A little puzzled at what she said you made your way to the wooden stairs. Gripping the cold railing with your free hand you felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand. Unsettled by this you hesitantly made your way up the stairs. While you turned to climb the second flight of stairs you saw a dark figure out of the corner of your eye. Remembering what Constance said you pushed any negative thoughts to the side and continued up the stairs.

The second floor was just as you remembered it. Memories of you and Tate flooded your brain as you made your way to his former bedroom. As you approached the door you felt a wave of cold wind come over your body. Lydia who was sitting on your hip began to mumble quietly which was something she only did when you entered the room. Confused at this you slowly made your way into the bedroom. To your surprise, the bedroom was just the way you had remembered it as if Tate was still occupying the space. You hesitantly made your way to the bed which was placed in the middle of the room you placed Lydia down. Scanning the walls your eyes made their way to his bedside table. There sat a picture of him you and newborn Lydia. Picking up the frame tears started to build upon your water line before one single tear fell landing on your cheek. You smiled thinking about the love you still had for Tate.

“God I wish he was still here,” you said in a soft whisper as you set the picture frame down.

You looked over your shoulder. Your eyes widen seeing an empty bed where your daughter once resided. “Lydia,” you yelled looking all around the room but finding her to no avail. Your heart began to beat out of your chest as anxiety rushed over your body. Running out of the bedroom you looked down the hallway.

There they were. Your daughter and the father she never knew. “TATE,” you shouted running over to him embracing him in the most passionate hug. As your head laid on his chest tears of joy and confusion poured out wetting his sweater. Pulling away you looked up at his facing scanning his features. They were just as you remembered them but something felt wrong, he felt distant. Pulling his hands into yours you looked up into his eyes. “How is this possible,” you asked tilting your head to the side. Prior to this things such as ghosts and ghouls seemed to be fake little stories people would tell on Halloween but now seeing Tate you knew that those stories were anything but. “I’m still not quite sure myself but that doesn’t matter now. All that matters is you me and her,” Tate said looking down at Lydia. “Tate..” You paused moving his chin to look back at you. “Never leave us again, please. It’s terrifying,” you said as rows of tears donned your cheeks. Looking down into your bloodshot eyes Tate raised his hands to your face lightly cupping your cheeks. “As long as you don’t leave me.” A smile crept its way onto your lips as you pulled Tate by his sweater planting a passionate kiss on his lips to which he quickly reciprocated.

Pulling away from your lover’s lips you both look down at Lydia. Smiling you bent down to retrieve her off the floor before lifting her to your hip. “She looks just like you doesnt she?” You looked down at your daughter. He frace lit up when she looked at Tate as if she already knew him. Noticing this Tate bore a toothy smile. A smile which youve been deprived of for what felt like a lifetime. Letting the two of them have their father-daughter bonding time you made your way back to Tates bedroom after placing a kiss on both of their cheeks.

As you waited in Tates room you snooped a bit. Looking at his old books which held information about birds and other miscellaneous things. How could this all be possible? Why hasn’t he reached out? Why hasn’t Constance told me about this? As questions clouded your mind you hadn’t noticed Tate and Lydia entering the room. “Having fun,” Tate said while sitting down on his bed before placing Lydia on his lap. You looked over your shoulder giving him a sweet smile. “So much fun,” you said standing up from the now book-covered floor.

Sitting down beside Tate you gently placed your head on his shoulder reveling in the fact that you two were finally together again. “It’s been hell not being able to see you two,” Tate said looking down at your now sleeping daughter before giving you a soft look. “Same here. I really wish you could’ve been there for her as an infant. But if it makes it any better her first word was dad,” you said looking up into his dark eyes. “Really?” “Yeah. I showed her pictures of you and pointed to you to show her who her dad is.” A smile stretched across his face before looking back down at Lydia. “She’s perfect.”

A few hours had passed since you had arrived with Lydia and it was starting to get dark out. “Hey Tate…” His head shot up from admiring his daughter. “Yes.” “I was wondering if Lydia could stay the night?” After thinking about it for a few seconds Tate responded. “I don’t see how one night could hurt,” Tate said looking up at you with a warm smile. Walking over to Tate you gave him a quick kiss before heading over to his drawer to grab something to wear. As you searched through his drawers you found a polaroid photo of yourself from one of your first dates. “You kept this?” “Of course.” Standing up he set your sleeping daughter on the bed giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. Making his way over to you he placed his hand on the small of your back whilst taking the photo out of your hand and examining it. “I remember it like it was yesterday. The beach, the food,...the sex. All of it,” he said looking down at you. To say that you stayed celibate during Tates absence would be a lie though it never personal due to only wanting to have Lydia in your life. “It’s getting late I should probably get some sleep,” you said pulling out one of Tates old Sex Pistoles shirts. Walking over to Tates bed you stripped down to your underwear before throwing on the oversized shirt. Tate’s eyes watched you steadily as you slipped each piece of clothing off of your warm body. You could feel his eyes burning through your back as he radiated sexual frustration.

Climbing onto the bed next to your sleeping daughter you patted your side wanting Tate to come to lay with you. Noticing this small act Tate made his way over to you making sure that he was as close to you as possible. “I love you,” Tate whispered. “I love you more.” With that, you shut your eyes and let the sweet embrace of sleep take over your body.

#ahs #ahs fandom #ahs fanfiction #fandom #fanfic #tate langdon #tate langdon x reader

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firelxdykatara · 4 years

Note

If you interpret Katara’s aggression towards Zuko as romantic affection, then you have some serious issues of your own. Is a very dangerous message for teenage girls indeed. People who ship Zutara have to seriously analyze how unhealthy the message of the pairing would be. Katara hated Zuko for a valid reason, and to twist it into something it’s not is massively disrespectful to both the character. The outdated and ridiculous notion that a girl who acts like she doesn’t like a guy is simply “confused” and “denying her feelings” is so sexist and degrading. Take her emotions at face value. It's never been

Yawn. Boring. This is the same old tired argument I’ve heard a million times before--the one that proves a) you don’t actually understand how relationships work, and b) you’ve never read a single zutara meta in your life, because that’s the only way you could seriously get the ‘good girl is secretly in love with the bad boy and hopes to fix him’ read of a relationship that bares absolutely no resemblance to that particular collection of tropes either in the show or in our fandom.

But ok! I’ll bite, since you clearly want so badly to be educated and evidently don’t have the time to watch the show yourself, nor the reading comprehension necessary to understand the sort of media analysis that goes on in a lot of atla and zutara-focused meta in this fandom.

Which probably means that anything I write here will fly right over your head, but oh well, what can you do?

At any rate, the first mistake you’ve made here is assuming that I (or zutara shippers in general, but since you came into my inbox, I’m going to be taking this just as personally as you clearly intended me to) interpret Katara’s aggression towards Zuko as romantic at any point in the series prior to their reconciliation (after which point, there is no aggression from Katara aimed at Zuko for anyone, me included, to interpret romantically in the first place). I don’t, and I never have, and neither does a vast majority of the zutara fandom in the spaces I frequent (which encompasses tumblr, occasionally twitter, and the very large zutara discord server I’ve been an active part of for two years now). Pointing out oddly suggestive tension in early parts of the series (such as the “I’ll save you from the pirates” and “you rise with the moon, I rise with the sun” lines, or the fact that Zuko wore Katara’s necklace around his wrist for like nine episodes when there was absolutely no need for it) is just that--pointing out tension.

There doesn’t need to be feelings for there to be tension, antagonistic or otherwise, but that tension is the foundation from which their relationship arc throughout the series grew, developed, and eventually evolved. This is what is generally known as relationship development, and it occurs when two characters go from having one kind of relationship to another within the course of the story.

For example, enemies, who become friends, who become lovers.

Now, your mileage may vary on this next part (although I really hope not, cause Y I K E S), but I, personally, think that ‘if a boy kisses you without your consent, but he really really loves you, then you owe it to him to love him back, especially if he just saved the world, and you should never expect an apology because since you suddenly decided you return those feelings, that means the violation of your boundaries was ok since clearly you really liked him all along’ is a much more damaging message to send to young girls--and boys, to be frank, especially since learning about consent is hugely important at young ages--than ‘if a boy who was your enemy goes to great lengths to better himself, to the point where you forgive him for when he hurt you and become close friends with him, then it’s normal for those feelings to grow and change, even to the point of becoming romantic, and it’s ok to explore them’.

And guess which one of those is canon to the AtLA finale?

Next, you say ‘Katara hated Zuko for a valid reason’ as if that was ever in dispute. It wasn’t--certainly not on my blog. I know there are some people who hate Katara because she was ‘too mean’ to Zuko, but I don’t agree with them, nor do I associate with them, since I have no time, energy, or room in my life for Katara slander. However, do you know what the operative word is in that sentence? Hated. As in past tense. As in, ‘Katara used to hate Zuko, but by the end of the show that is no longer the case, and they are extremely close friends with a deep bond and multiple life-debts between them’.

Why are you so insistent on not only denying Zuko’s hard-earned and bitterly fought for redemption, but also Katara’s emotions and feelings, which you end this weirdly disjointed ask by insisting they be taken at face value?

And it’s actually really funny (ironic funny, not so much ‘ha ha’ funny) that you use the word ‘confused’ there, followed by the phrase ‘denying her real feelings’, and then call that ‘sexist and degrading’, as if that isn’t exactly what happened in Katara’s canon endgame in the show.

She said point blank that she was confused, she showed with her words, tone, and body language that she was not open to Aang’s romantic advances, she had completely forgotten about the last time he’d kissed her without her consent, rather than reflecting on her romantic feelings as one would expect of a girl who’d been kissed by someone we’re supposed to believe she’s had feelings for since book 1, and was completely taken aback by Aang’s reaction to the play and his weird believe that they ‘were gonna be together’, when she had never once indicated that she wanted to be with him in any romantic sense. And yet, he kissed her--and while she got angry about it and stormed off in the moment, he never apologized for crossing her boundaries, and they also didn’t have a single significant scene together between that moment and the epilogue.

What happened to taking Katara’s emotions at face value? What happened to how ‘sexist and degrading’ it is to assume that if a girl says she’s confused, that must mean she’s ‘denying her feelings’? What happened to caring about Katara’s agency, even a little bit?

Anyway, I’m gonna wrap this up by saying: I do not believe Zuko and Katara should’ve been making out in the finale instead. I actually hate the fact that the final shot of AtLA was a romantic kiss (particularly for such a poorly written pairing), rather than a shot of the gaang together like it should have been to show what the series was meant to be about. I think that focusing on the romantic relationships in the finale undercut an already weak ending to an otherwise great (not perfect, but certainly good enough that it deserved much better closure) show.

That said, I also think a Zutara kiss would have been more earned, at that point in both of their narratives. Because Katara’s feelings had been the focus of their relationship throughout its entirety. Zuko’s feelings mattered, too, of course, (in stark contrast to how they were treated during his relationship with Mai), but Katara was the one who got to choose when and why and what she felt about him. She got to choose when to forgive him. She got to choose to help him, and to save his life, and her emotions were frequently the focus in a way they never were during her relationship with Aang, so nudging those into a more romantic light not only would have fit better with her character arc, it also would have been far less jarring to see that as the culmination of their respective storylines, rather than a romantic kiss coming out of nowhere when her very last scene with him was being kissed without her consent and storming off about it because it upset her.

My most fervent hope, anon, is that some day you actually watch the show, Avatar: the Last Airbender. Because Katara and Zuko are amazing characters, they have amazing storylines both separately and together, and it’s really a crime whenever someone misunderstands both of them so badly. I hope that when you do watch the show, you pay attention. You may see something amazing.

#atla #zutara #katara #zuko #kataang salt #not a ton but yk it's there so #salt for ts #asked #try harder next time anon #this doesn't even rank a 'you tried' star #Anonymous

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tardistimes · 4 years

Text

Perplexing Presents

Summary: There was a box underneath the wrapping and you pulled the lid off. Nestled inside was a pendant made of polish stone, looped around a fine gold chain. Dangling it from the end of your finger, you admired the way it caught the light, setting off shades of blue which painted your skin. “This is beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it. Where did you get it?” The Master wasn’t ready to disclose that type of information yet, so O carefully answered, “Covent Garden.”

For @imthedoctorlove's birthday. Sorry it's a bit belated!

Series: The Master's Maniacal Misadventures Part 5

Word Count: 6365

AO3 link here.

“What’s this?” You asked curiously, looking at the box before you – wrapped in violet paper and tied with lilac coloured ribbon.

“A present.” O stated sardonically. “You open it.”

Rolling your eyes, you assured him you were familiar with the concept. “But it’s not my birthday or anything. So what’s the occasion?”

“Just saw it and thought of you.” He shrugged.

Intrigue building, you tugged at the ribbon and prised apart the paper. You were slightly bewildered O had got you anything, it was only over the last month you had started to consider him a friend. Until C had partnered you on a job, you’d only seen each other at briefings or around the department. He seemed like most analysts. Cautious, intelligent and prone to bouts of smugness. There was something more to O, however. What, you weren’t sure yet, however you couldn’t deny how pleased you were with the current arrangement. He made for an interesting partner.

His gift left you hopeful that your interest was reciprocated.

You were careful not to rip the wrapping, finding the colour too beautiful to tear.

O tutted at you impatiently. “Open it!”

“I’m saving the paper.” You retorted, going even slower just for badness.

There was a box underneath the wrapping and you pulled the lid off. Nestled inside was a pendant made of polish stone, looped around a fine gold chain. Dangling it from the end of your finger, you admired the way it caught the light, setting off shades of blue which painted your skin.

“This is beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it. Where did you get it?”

The Master wasn’t ready to disclose that type of information yet, so O carefully answered, “Covent Garden.”

Grinning up at him, you offered it over. Frowning, he accepted the piece – thinking you were rejecting it – until you turned on your toes and pulled your hair up.

Stepping close, O looped the chain around your neck and secured the clasp, his fingers brushing gently against you. The pendant settled just below the hollow of your throat, a chill from the metal inlay offering a pleasant weight against your suddenly warm skin.

“Thank you.” You said, ducking your head as you moved away.

“You’re welcome.” O smirked. He noticed the slight blush on the nape of your neck before your hair dropped back in place and was happy to secure his desired outcome. “I hope you like it.”

You assured him, “I love it. I can’t believe you found it at Covent Garden. It’s so unusual. Thank you so much.”

“It was nothing. I’m just glad you liked it.”

Looking up at his innocent expression, you had to take a deep breath before redirecting your attention to the work at hand. C had personally requested the report you were both working on, and you didn’t dare keep him waiting. Luckily, O thought along the same lines.

“Come on. I booked one of the conference rooms so we can spread out while we work.”

Following him, you waited until his back was turned to lift your hand to the pendant again.

* * *

On his last day at MI6, you found another present in your office. It was wrapped in the same shades of purple but, unlike the first time, O wasn’t waiting eagerly by your side to see your reaction to his gift. You hesitated, wondering if you should wait for him before opening it.

Heading into the bullpen, you asked one of your colleagues, “Have you seen O anywhere?”

E dropped her voice conspiratorially, “I heard C had him clear out his desk this morning.”

You felt the bottom drop from your stomach.

“What?” You exclaimed, certain you had misheard.

“I know. Apparently, he and C had an argument this morning.”

“Has he left already?”

“G said he saw security accompany O out the building.” She caught sight of your distressed expression and added, “Sorry.”

“That’s… that’s okay. I’m just surprised is all.”

“Right.”

Returning to your office, you shut the door and picked up the gift O had left you. Did he know it was his last day, was that why he gave it to you? Or was it a spontaneous act, like the pendant? The one you wore every day. When O had noted it, you shrugged, making up some excuse that it was the only piece you owned suitable for work. In reality, you never took it off; not even at home. It gave hope to the blooming crush you didn’t like to acknowledge and certainly didn’t want him to know about, which is why you tried to act nonchalant whenever he mentioned the gift.

Unwrapping the present, you found another box; slightly larger than the first one he had given you. Expecting another piece of jewellery, you were surprised to find a pair of gloves. They were made with beautifully quilted plum velvet, lined with black fur. They would replace your lost pair perfectly – the ones you had bemoaned to O about last week – and you eagerly slipped them on. If he were with you, you would have clapped your hands happily but, on your own, the gloves were quickly tugged off.

Tracing your fingers over the pair, you were once again touched by the offering. Unlike the first time, however, you couldn’t use it to bolster your affection for O. He had left without a word and, after fruitlessly rooting through the wrapping, you saw there was no note to get in touch. Your friendship was confined to the walls of the office and, with that bond broken, there was no way to get in touch with him. You didn’t even know his real name.

Slumping in your office chair, you reached up to twist the pendant between your fingers. For a split second, you were tempted to pull it off and sever the bond from both ends. The memory of O placing it around your neck however made you keep it on.

You might never see him again, but at least you had something to remember him by.

* * *

The jump with O made your head spin and stomach convulse so violently that, for a split second, you thought you might vomit, but then a strong hand pushed you into a chair and everything settled.

“What the…”

“Vortex Manipulator.” He huffed. “Primitive but effective. If you’re going to vomit, do it in the sink.”

You glanced up at him with bleary eyes.

“I was going to say what the fuck.”

He smiled back, a wide manic grin, unlike anything you had seen before. Part of you wanted to cower at the sight yet it was impossible not to see O in his features.

O wouldn’t hurt you.

“You know the Doctor?”

“I’m her best enemy.” He restated. “Keep up. You’re usually better than this.”

“Excuse me for being somewhat blindsided.” You complained, the events of the last two days cycling rapidly through your mind. After a normal morning at work, the Doctor crashed through your office, talking rapidly to the group accompanying her about an old friend only known as O. She became excited as you revealed your shared connection to the man, interrogating you on your past work together and what you knew of his current activities. The next thing you knew you were in a box that was larger on the inside, hurtling through space and arriving in the middle of nowhere, only to find O waiting for you.

Except he wasn’t O.

“What did you say your name was again?”

“The Master.”

“No, but seriously.” You implored, “Who are you?”

Spreading his arms, he gestured towards the TARDIS console which had materialised amidst his shack since your last visit. “You really need me to spell it out? I thought you were better.”

Not caring for his derisive tone, you bit back. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m having trouble accepting the fact that my former colleague, who – call me crazy for thinking so – I’d always presumed was human, is, in fact, an alien. Who, like the Doctor, can travel through space. Something I only found out was possible two days ago…”

“I told you about the Doctor before.”

Letting out an exasperated breath, you didn’t acknowledge his remark.

“…And now, on top of that insanity, you just killed four people.”

He grinned enthusiastically. “Impressed?”

“No!”

His amusement was not diminished.

“You’ll come around. Besides, the Doctor’s not dead. Not yet at least. She’s with the Kasaavins.”

“What are you planning to do? I guess you’re not done.”

“We’ve barely begun. Now,” O clapped his hands together, “I have a meeting. Stay in your room, I don’t need you getting in my way. And try not to get lost.”

“How would I get lost? You only have three rooms and I’ve been in them all already.”

Somehow his grin widened, teeth bared and sharp.

Backing away, bewildered by the man before you and eager to be nowhere near him, you retreated from the main room. Opening a door that should have led into the only bedroom, you instead found a dauntingly long corridor. Its walls were coated in unrelenting metal from which the harsh lights above gleamed over the edges.

You glanced over your shoulder at the homey shack and the Master whose eyes bored into yours.

“Fourth door on your right.” He instructed before turning back to the central console.

Doors of different varieties broke up the space at random intervals, and you counted them out as you hesitantly walked along the hall. The first was tall and grandeur, the second barely reached your knee, and the third was etched in strange symbols you couldn’t comprehend. The fourth was somehow strangest, looking the most normal. It was proportioned like those on Earth, the kind you would find in any home, although the design was more intricate with floral inlay highlighted in greens and purples. Settling your hand on the door handle, a glass knob that appeared to contain dried flowers, you almost pushed your way forward.

Suddenly dreading what lay on the other side, you paused where you were. You had never been scared of O but that wasn’t the man who directed you. The Master was a different beast, an entirely unpredictable one and your heart hammered at the thought. He had killed the Doctor’s friends with no hint of remorse, consigned his oldest enemy to another dimension, and now – what was he going to do with you? Did your time with O mean anything to the Master or was it all a game? What lay on the other side of the door? Was it a means to your demise or a room like he said?

Your only other option was to return to the Master, a choice which did not appeal. Not while you still saw O; longed to go over to him, hug him close and then slap him for leaving without a goodbye.

Opening the door you were met by a large bedroom. It was mostly dominated by the bed, though there was space for a fireplace, couch and a well-stocked bookcase. The room had two doors leading off it, one taking you into a wardrobe and the second into a rather opulent bathroom. The total floor size was bigger than your apartment back home, and the external appearance of O’s shack.

Sitting heavily on the foot of the bed, the two men clashed in your mind. All the feelings you had for O were real, yet he was not. He was only an illusion, conjured by the Master solely to trick the Doctor. Your feelings were inconsequential. The only reason he had brought you aboard his TARDIS was to likely torment the Doctor further if she somehow escaped the Kasaavins, although her friends would have been more effective bait.

You hoped she would escape. You didn’t like being here; seeing the Master caused far too much confusion. If the Doctor was trapped though, so were you. Until the Master realised there was no point keeping you around. Then, after seeing the manic glint in his eye – having no place on O’s face – he would kill you.

The feeling of hopelessness and confusion felt foreign in your body. You were a trained MI6 agent, there had to be something you could do. Even in the face of aliens.

Beneath you, the bed was soft, covered with soft linen which felt cool beneath your hands. There was a temptation to lay back, enjoy comfort while you waited for the next act to start. Prompted either by the Doctor’s return or the Master’s impatience. Waiting wasn’t part of your nature, however.

Heading into the wardrobe, you found some trainers to replace the heels worn to Barton’s party. They were your size and, checking the label, one of the brands you used to wear to work during assignments.

Confusion doubled, unsure whether to feel like a goldfish in a bowl or to swim in the emotions O used to inspire, you left the room. Surely there had to be another exit and you were determined to find it. Creeping along the hall, you headed for the corner up above.

It only led to another intimidatingly long corridor.

You started trying doors, but several of them wouldn’t budge. The ones that did led, in order, to a kitchen, swimming pool, sauna, sitting room, library, artefact room – filled with bizarre statues and large paintings depicting bloody battles – a second library, cinema and ballroom. The last door on the corridor led to an observation deck, the sight of which put an end to your hopes of escape.

Stepping inside, which you hadn’t for any of the preceding rooms – despite the appeal of several – the door behind you slid shut. To maximise the view, the room was kept dimly lit leaving your eye nowhere to turn except the vast expanse of space looming behind the wall-length window.

Feeling your jaw slackening, you moved closer to the sight. You’d never seen anything like it. The Doctor’s TARDIS had taken you from London to the Australian Outback. It was your first time off the planet.

Unsure whether to feel awed or dwarfed by the enormity before you, you stared back at it, losing all track of time. Before you, stars shined, galaxies gleamed, and your existence expanded. Everything seemed insignificant. Everything seemed magnificent. And you, you, were privy to it.

“Beautiful view, isn’t it?” The Master asked, silently coming up from behind.

You caught his reflection in the glass and cringed away from his proximity. If he noticed, he didn’t mention it.

“We’re in the Obsidian system. We’ll return to that rubbish heap you call a planet soon, but we have time. I presume the Doctor explained that a TARDIS travels through both space and time?”

You turned to stare at him blankly.

He sighed. “Of course.”

“You travel through time?”

Wiggling his eyebrows, he asked again: “Impressed?”

You were, but you refused to admit it.

Turning back to the view, which was easier to look at than O’s face with the Master’s sharp smile, you tried a different question.

“Where are you from?”

“Gallifrey.”

“Is the Doctor from there too?”

“Yes.”

You knew he said about returning to Earth, but – feeling curious about their home world – you asked, “Are we going there?”

He shook his head, a gleam flashing across his eyes. “Can’t now. It’s gone. Destroyed.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

His abrupt laughter made you jump.

“Let it burn.”

“Fine. Why do you need to go to Earth then?”

Deliberating as he looked at you, the Master tried to decide what he was ready to say. He couldn’t give away too much yet, or it could scare you off. Instead, he stayed cautious and answered vaguely.

“Loose ends to tie up with the Kasaavins. You’ll stay here while I go to meet them. Keep wandering if you like, the TARDIS will keep an eye on you.”

“Can’t I go with you?”

“Not the best plan. To a Kasaavin you’re nothing more than a light snack. You’ll be safer here.”

“Why do you care about keeping me safe?” You asked, thinking about the Doctor’s friends – who O befriended and the Master ruthlessly murdered.

Not answering, he wandered closer, and you kept your ground. Wondering what he was going to do, you were surprised when he lifted the pendant between his fingers.

“You kept it?”

“Didn’t see the point of wasting decent jewellery. Even if it was giving to me by a murderous psychopath.”

A flicker of annoyance crossed his expression, but it went no further.

“Good. I would have hated for it to be a wasted trip.”

Frowning, you said, “I thought you got it at Covent Garden?”

“Oh, love,” The Master chuckled, letting go of your necklace. “You haven’t gotten the hang of this yet, have you? I went all the way to Yinope for that. You won’t find a stone like that on this side of the universe.”

“You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble.” You said acerbically.

He shrugged. “I have a TARDIS.”

It didn’t mean anything then.

“Do you like your room?”

“It’s fine.”

“I had the TARDIS make it for you. You could be more grateful.”

Giving him the most sarcastic smile you could muster, you replied saccharinely, “Thank you.”

The Master’s returning grin was genuine. “You’re welcome, human. Now stay here. I’ll come and get you later.”

Turning on his heel, he walked determinedly from the room leaving you with your view of space and infinitely more confused than when he first rescued you from the doomed plane.

You were there as leverage, and yet he seemed to have prepared for your arrival by preparing a room just for you. It could be an act, though you couldn’t help but hope it wasn’t. Not when O’s eyes focused on you; he was all you could see.

Determined to learn the difference between the two, the Doctor’s friends still fresh in your memory, you refocused on the landscape before you and waited for the Master to return.

* * *

After the Doctor found you aboard the TARDIS, followed by Ada and Noor, you were brought back home. There you saw the Master again – a few hours for you, seventy-seven unaged years for him – before he was exiled to the Kasaavin dimension. You watched the drama unfold, stood behind Graham where the Master’s eyes occasionally flickered over to you.

There seemed to be a distance between you and reality; watching numbly as he tried to annihilate your species and, by default you. He had duped you so easily and so you watched with detachment as the Doctor ensured his banishment. She brought you back to London once it was done, leaving you there after a short and awkward goodbye since she needed to get everyone else home. The Doctor had blown your world apart, yet, for her, it was nothing new. You watched her leave, knowing nothing would ever be the same.

After the events at MI6, it hadn’t been difficult to persuade your department for a short leave of absence. You spent a few days out of town, before returning to your apartment. The whole time, you kept the pendant O had given you on. If someone asked, you weren’t sure you could explain why it felt wrong to take it off, but it did. In a sense, it felt as though O had died. The Master was so entirely different from the man who was your colleague, partner and friend.

Your apartment was evidence of that. It was littered with all the other small tokens O had given you. A book on chaos theory sat on your mantle, copies of his alien files waiting on your dining table, a scarf hanging beside your front door which he had loaned you months before he left. You should gather them up, discard anything the Master gave you.

With a sigh, you hung up your coat and walked into the kitchen to get some water. It took a moment to see the door which shouldn’t be there.

Instinctively stepping back, you stared at it disbelieving. For a split second, you doubted your own memory, but it definitely wasn’t there before. It was new. A new door – how was that possible?

“What are you looking at?” A voice came from over your shoulder, sending you half a foot in the air as you jumped away in shock.

The Master frowned at you as you settled down, a hand pressed heavily over your hammering heart.

“What,” you cleared your throat, voice too high, and tried again. “What are you doing here? How did you get in?”

Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, he pointed to the door. “The Doctor didn’t do much of a job hiding my TARDIS. You’d think she’d know me better by now, but she continues to underestimate. And when you have a TARDIS it’s more a case of where you can’t go.”

“Okay.” You intoned. “But why are you here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

“How long has it been for you?” You asked cautiously.

“In the Kasaavin dimension? Barely a day.”

Since you’d last spoken, however, it had been seventy-seven years – for him. It was hard to wrap your head around, still dazed from your discovery that time travel was really possible.

“You?”

“Erm,” you did the maths in your head, “I’ve been back home for four days.”

“Since we were in the hangar?”

“The same. Four days.”

A scornful expression crossed his face. “She just brought you back home? They didn’t ask you to go with them?”

“Should they have done?”

“Would you have said yes?”

It was an interesting question. You’d certainly felt abandoned when you were dropped back home; so much had happened and the only people you could possibly talk to it about had left at the first opportunity. They all had each other while you had no one. In the aftermath, you’d focused on the goodbye rather than the potential of further travel.

There was so much more left to learn. Answers to find the questions for. Yet, you didn’t know the Doctor. Could you trust someone that much to take you from the safety of your own time and planet, under the assumption they would one day bring you back?

Uncertainly, you shook your head. “I don’t like hypotheticals.”

“Fair enough.” The Master mused. He looked at you curiously. “Shall we try a practical scenario?”

“What do you mean?”

“Travel with me.”

Staring at him blankly, you couldn’t believe what he just said.

“You’re asking me to go with you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He leaned in. “Why? Don’t you want to see the universe? Travel through time and space?”

Put that way, it was easy to answer: “Sure. Sounds great.”

“But?” He asked, noticing your lacklustre tone.

“You’re the one asking.”

“So you would say yes to the Doctor?” He demanded, getting angry.

“No. I don’t know anything about her. Just like I don’t know anything about you. Except that you tried to kill my entire species four days ago; which doesn’t really help your case.”

Tusking impatiently, the Master insisted, “It wouldn’t have worked on you. I encrypted your phone.”

“I suppose I only have your word for that. For all I know, wanting me to go with you is just another one of your schemes. Like pretending to be O or taking me hostage, all to one-up the Doctor.”

“I didn’t take you hostage, I saved your life.”

“You spared me. From something you started.”

“Come on, love. You know me. I worked at MI6 for years. I was there when you first joined. We were partners. Friends, even.”

“That wasn’t you.” You lamented, wishing the Master were O and not the other way around. “It was all an act. I don’t know you.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t.” You asserted.

“You’re still wearing the necklace.” He observed.

Placing your hand over the pendant, shielding it from his stare, you tried to act casual. “I told you before. I don’t see the point of wasting good jewellery. No matter who it came from.”

“Oh love,” he grinned cheekily, “you like me.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t!”

“Yelling only shows that you care.” He snickered.

Biting your tongue, you tried to come up with a way to effectively express your dislike and banish him from your apartment. The thought of succeeding sent an unexpected pang to your heart.

It was O you didn’t want to lose. You really had to learn the distinction.

“We’re not too different.” The Master commented. You wondered if he had somehow read your mind or if your expression was that transparent. “We were both driven, and I know you could tell he had a temper, even if it was hidden under a gag-inducing amount of sincerity. I admit I don’t go to any length to hide it – or my madness – but since when did honesty count against a person? I showed you my ‘research’ on aliens. Once or twice I even tried to drop clues that I was one, especially when I saw you shared a similar interest.”

He nodded his heads towards O’s files still sitting on your dining table. “I thought it was good to expose you to the idea; I wasn’t going to stay as O indefinitely. Only until I had got the Doctor where I went her. I planned to come back.”

“Why?” You said, unsure if you believed a single word out of his mouth. “Why do you want me to go with you?”

Unusually serious, he told you.

“I’m not completely sure. I don’t often tolerate stragglers. No matter the species, but especially a human. You interest me though. You have since C partnered us together. I could see you were more open-minded than our colleagues, and you showed a particular relish for dangerous assignments. You saw me better than most too. It’s unusual I find something which piques my interest; I find such things hard to let go of. That’s why I want you with me. I need time to figure you out.”

Worrying your lip between your teeth, you admitted: “I don’t know.” Could you really go running off with a man who had proved and described himself as an unstable lunatic?

“A trial run then?” He countered. “Come on, love. When is an opportunity like this going to come knocking on your door again? We can go anywhere you want. For you, I’ll even trudge through Earth’s past or future. No strings attached. Think of it as a gift, for the time we worked together.”

You glanced at the door leading to his TARDIS. It was a tempting offer, but you needed to clarify.

“And you’re going to bring me home afterwards?”

“Cross my hearts.”

“You’re not going to kill me or dump me on some planet and leave me there.”

“Would I ever do such a thing?”

You answered with absolute certainty: “Yes.”

Coming closer, he booped the end of your nose. “See? You get me. That’s why I want you to tag along.”

Rolling your eyes, you pointed out that wasn’t a good way to incentivise someone.

“Live a little.” The Master told you, scanning your eyes in search of an answer. When he found it, he lit up.

Clapping his hands, he beckoned you after him. “Excellent. You don’t need to bring anything, the TARDIS has plenty of clothes and the kitchen’s stocked. Come along.”

Sighing, you were certain you’d just made a terrible mistake and yet you couldn’t force yourself away. It really was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Besides, perhaps spending time with the Master might finally help you divide him from O. Then you could move on with your life.

As you followed him into the TARDIS, your mind finally caught up on a small detail.

“Wait, did you say hearts? Plural?”

The Master’s laughter echoed around you as the door slammed shut.

* * *

“You remember that time I made you promise not to kill me?” You panted, leaning heavily against the TARDIS door.

From beside you, the Master good-naturedly tsked. “It’s not my fault you’re so slow. You should be more careful, or I’ll lose you one of these days.”

“Well, you managed to find me today.” For which you were grateful. While searching for the cargo hold, you’d gotten lost in the labyrinth of corridors surrounding it when the device given to guide you had shorted out. If the Master hadn’t found you when he had, the guards would have killed you.

“I don’t know how you found me though. I had no clue where I was.”

“Time Lords have a superior sense of direction.”

The TARDIS hummed, evidently in communication as the Master sent her an annoyed look.

“Lucky for me.” You shrugged, unconcerned. She was probably bitter about having been left alone for several days while you both integrated with the ship’s passengers. “I’m going to go get changed. That blaster singed my sleeve.”

The Master spared you a glance from his silent conversation with the TARDIS. “It didn’t injure you, did it?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Heading down the corridor without looking back, you ducked into the bathroom for a quick shower before changing into some comfier clothes. The reason for breaking into the ship was to acquire parts to repair the TARDIS, which the Master was always pushing to its breaking point. So you were confident you’d be aboard the TARDIS for a while, and you wanted to relax after several days playing the part of the Master’s lackey.

Pulling your hair back into a ponytail, you felt something slither from around your neck and drop heavily to the floor. With an exclamation of dismay, you realised the fine chain on your necklace had broken. At least it happened in the safety in your room; it would have been difficult to retrieve from your latest crime scene.

To keep it safe until you got a replacement you placed it on top of your dresser. Either the Master would have a spare lying around, or you could pick something up the next time you visited a planet.

Heading back to the console room – to politely offer to help with the repairs, knowing full well said offer would be refused – you found the room empty. Unconcerned, you turned on your heel to head to the library, where the Master was probably holed up, but a blinking screen on the central console stopped you in your tracks. It stopped blinking once you stood in front of it; suggesting the TARDIS wanted your attention.

There was a map on the monitor, but it took several moments to recognise it as the TARDIS. It was centred on the console room and, given the arrows pointing at several components in the room, it seemed to show where repairs were required. The only odd thing was one flashing dot set away from the main room, off the first corridor. You counted the doors before finally realising it was on your room.

“That’s weird.” You said to yourself. Was the TARDIS trying to tell you to go back there?

“Is he in a bad mood?” You asked the machine conspiratorially.

“Are you talking about me again?” The Master grumbled as he came in, holding a box of parts to start his repairs.

“Why is there a flashing dot over my room?”

He frowned at you, not noticing for a second what you were looking at. As always, he quickly pieced things together when he saw the screen.

“Where’s your necklace?”

Confused, you placed a hand over the empty spot around your neck.

“Oh, I had to take it off. The chain broke.”

Pointing to the screen, you restated your question. “What’s the dot mean?”

“It’s your necklace.” The Master stated. “It’s a Yinopean mineral which emits low-level radiation. The TARDIS can pick it up.”

“Where are you going with this?” You asked, confused. “It’s radioactive?”

“No. Why do humans hear radiation and devolve into the mindset of spooked cattle? Most things contain some form of radiation. It’s harmless.”

Ignoring his statement, you said: “Why did you give me radioactive jewellery? Please tell me this isn’t a slow and unnecessarily elaborate way of killing me?”

He gave you an unimpressed look; the sort he shot at you every day.

“I gave it to you as a token of affection.”

It was almost enough to distract you, but when the TARDIS console blinked again you remembered.

“And why is my necklace showing up on the screen?”

“While the radiation is harmless, it gives off a unique signature which makes it easy to trace. When I couldn’t find you aboard the Nott I came here to locate it.”

“You…” frowning, you realised, “you gave me a tracking device?”

“Yes.”

Flabbergasted into silence, it took several moments for the incoherent noises escaping your mouth to become fully-fledged words.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

The Master was unruffled by your explosive accusation.

“When you have something of value, it is important you don’t lose it.”

How did he keep rendering you speechless?

Stepping around you, the Master switched the screen on the console off before starting a quiet argument with the TARDIS. Something about the box pushing its luck.

Eventually, he walked away, seizing up his box of parts to start work on the repairs.

“I’ll get you a replacement chain before we go anywhere else. Can’t have you running off.” He said offhandedly, taking the stairs beneath the central console and leaving you alone on the upper level.

You walked to the library, taking a seat beside the fire and picking up the first book you came across. With no idea what was in your hands, you flipped it open to a random page and stared blankly at the text as your brain whirred on overtime.

It had been almost a year since you’d come aboard the TARDIS. While the Master treated you better than anyone else you came across – protecting your from harm while showing you the universe – it was still hard to accept his pleasantries as genuine affection. His actions were kind, but any affection was always on your terms.

Whenever you thought he felt something more toward you, it was dismissed as residual feelings from his time as O. It was easy to admit how you felt about O; a kind human with who you could have shared a life. The Master was entirely different. It was astonishing he even tolerated you as a travelling companion, and yet he said he valued and had affection for you. Enough to put a tracking device on you, which seemed morally dubious, but you supposed it came from a good place. Just like reading that ridiculous book on caring for human beings.

You didn’t see the Master again for several hours, not until you wandered into the kitchen for a snack. Without looking at you, he offered up a fine gold chain for your pendant. Except, something was already hanging from it.

“What’s this?” You asked, taking the proffered item.

“A key.” He sighed. “You use it to open things.”

“I can see it’s a key. What’s it for?”

“It unlocks the TARDIS.”

“You’re giving me a key to the TARDIS?” You said disbelievingly. He’d never let you so much as borrow his key when you wanted to grab something from the ship, and now he was giving you your own. “What’s the occasion?”

The Master glanced your way, saw the emotion shimmering in your eyes, and refocused on the cup of tea he was making.

“It seemed sensible. In case we get split up on an excursion. You can come back here, instead of looking for me.”

Sliding it off the end of the chain, you held the key in your palm. There was a warmth to the metal, and it seemed to emit a slight glow against your skin.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, human.” The Master replied, picking up his cup and returning to the console room.

Pocketing the key, you went to your bedroom and added the pendant to the chain. You were about to place it around your neck when you paused; a better idea springing to mind.

Walking slowly to the console room, your feet took you to the Master where he sat on the floor reattaching wires to a command panel. Your shadow fell over him, but he didn’t acknowledge you. Not until the necklace dangled before his face.

“Is something the matter?” He asked, looking up.

“Will you put it on for me?” You replied, trying to sound indifferent while your heart thrummed.

The Master stood, taking the necklace. Eyes locking for a split second, you turned away and lifted your hair aside. With a light brush of his fingers over the nape of your neck, you could feel your body break out in goosebumps, but he showed no sign of noticing. He secured it in place, the stone settling heavily against your sensitive skin.

Letting your hair drop, it brushed against the hands which remained on your shoulders, as the Master seemed as loathe to let you go as you were to part from this rare contact.

“Thank you, Master.” You breathed.

“You’re welcome, pet.” He said, pulling away.

“For the chain too.”

“You don’t mind about the stone then?”

Shaking your head, you assured him you didn’t as you moved to face him. “It seemed sensible once you explained it. I’d hate to get lost.”

I’d hate to lose you seemed to echo around your mind, but the Master’s lips didn’t move so he couldn’t have said it.

“Go rest up.” He told you. “I’m taking us to Itradus once I’ve finished recalibrating the computer. You’ll like it.”

“I always do.” You said, fully meaning it.

You might have come aboard the TARDIS to see the stars but, you had to admit, nothing seemed to hold an appeal unless you were seeing it with the Master beside you. You just hoped he felt the same way.

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