#power 3x07

[powerfashionblog]

Who: Paige Hurd as Lauren Baldwin What: Sacai Cropped Trench Coat In Green - Sold Out Where: 3x07 “Deal or No Deal”

Worn with: Maison Margiela sweater

[raayllum]

You must take down the Dragon Queen and capture the baby dragon. Then you will have the attention of all the world, and the power to do what you want. / The one that gives you power.

[winnie-the-monster]

[girllookingoutwindow]

Polin fight progression 3x08 first thoughts:

Both needed to understand the other needs and accept the other. In 3x07 they fight against the other, but Cressida situation provokes in Colin again the desire of being the saviour. He needs to feel his love is earned, that he has a purpose. The majority of his anger came from his insecurity, and loving the woman with more power in the town didn't help, or maybe it did, to let it go. To growth.

Truth: his hero complex made everything worse. Some light is there when he accepts he was wrong and Pen was right. Even when Penelope didn't need his help, she let him do what he needed to do: try to help her, because she was willing to give him what he needed. She gives him space and time and she lets him alone, even she's willing to let him go, but that was never what he really wanted. Penelope is enough open to say to him what she really wants too. That's her journey to growth: to ask for what she really wish. Because she knows she deserves to be loved, she accepts his love, he gives her confidence. He helps her to believe in herself.

I think, even before they kiss for the first time. He needed to understand, this was her problem and she didn't needed to be save, just to be loved. So, he does of his purpose what he always really wanted: to be loved and give love. He was Eros all along.

[moremaybank]

YOUR EYES OPEN — j.m

day six childhood friends to lovers with jj maybank

pairing jj maybank x fem!reader

summary you and jj visit a fortune teller for a laugh at the first annual obx carnival, but her predictions end up coming true. (loosely inspired by all american 3x07)

warnings jj licking your fingers in a non-sexual way (lmao), pretty sure that's it. just hella fluff with bestie!jj

obx week ‘23 masterlist ;; jj masterlist

“For a moment your eyes open and you know.” - Keane

You plucked a tuft of pink cotton candy from the cone in your hand. “Last piece. You want it?”

“Hell yeah. Give it to me.” JJ grabbed your wrist gently, bringing it toward his face so he could eat it. He goofily licked your fingertips to get rid of the stickiness, and your nose scrunched up in disgust. 

“Ew, J. You actually have no boundaries.” You wiped the residue of his saliva on his shirt.

“We’ve been best friends since we were nine. What boundaries do we have left?” 

Truthfully, you couldn’t argue with that. You and JJ had seen it all together. You’d been as vulnerable and open as two people could get with each other. You shouldn’t have been shocked by his…gross action. The man passed all kinds of gas around you twenty-four-seven. He’d eaten foods far past their expiry dates. You’d seen him drink spoiled milk on a dare (though you can’t say he wouldn’t have done it if he wasn’t dared to).

That’s not to say you two weren’t good for each other, because you undoubtedly were. JJ’s wild spirit helped you break out of your shell. He pushed you to try new things, push your boundaries, and make you see that you had all this untapped power inside you. You didn’t think he could surprise you any further, but he still managed to every day, even now in your twenties. 

On his side of things, your calming presence grounded him. It provided him with the safety and the domestic feeling he’d longed for while living his life with Luke Maybank as his father. No matter how chaotic things became, all he had to do was take one look at you, and his mind calmed. You, even as a child, gave him a comfort he never knew he needed until he had it in the palm of his hand. 

“I guess that’s true. You’re still gross though.” 

He winked at you with a cheeky grin. “You love it.”

The sun began to dip below the horizon, and the warm hues of pink, orange and yellow painted the sky as the two of you made your way through the colourful maze of booths and rides. Laughter and music filled the air, and your mouths watered at the sweet smells of funnel cakes and caramel apples. 

Your eyes wandered over all the activities surrounding you, and one specific booth caught your eye. You tugged on JJ’s arm. “J, look!” 

His eyes followed your pointed finger to a quaint, candlelit tent a little ways from where you both stood. He squinted, trying to focus on the large lettering of the sign above the booth. “Madame Zara’s Mystical Fortunes. Are you for real?” 

He couldn’t deny that it piqued his interest at least a little bit, but he also wasn’t sure about wasting ten bucks on words of ‘wisdom’ that you could easily get out of a fortune cookie. 

“Why not? It’s all in good fun anyway.”

“Y/N/N, I can give you a fortune right now for free. Watch this.” JJ stood, raising his index fingers to his temples and closing his eyes. His voice picked up a spooky tone. “I predict that we’re going to go on the tilt-a-whirl in the next thirty seconds.” 

His eyes open, and he points to the ride right next to you, clasping a hand over his heart with a shocked look on his face. “Oh my god, look! The tilt-a-whirl! I was right!”

You rolled your eyes at his mockery but still let out a laugh. “Come on. Do it for me?”

JJ looked into your pleading eyes and your jutted-out bottom lip, and felt himself starting to crack. He’d always had a soft spot for you. How could he deny your wishes when you looked at him like that? 

He let out a large sigh. “Fine. But we’re hitting the tilt-a-whirl as soon as we’re done. And I don’t want any complaints about how fast I spin us.” 

“Deal.” 

You stepped into the dimly lit tent, where an older woman with piercing eyes welcomed you. “Welcome, young ones. I sense that you seek answers.” 

You and JJ exchanged amused glances as you spoke. “Sure. Why not?”

She gestured for you to sit across from her at a small table, covered in a rich, purple velvet cloth. She took your right hand and JJ’s left, closing her eyes as her fingers traced invisible patterns on your palms. 

“There’s an abundance of energy between you two,” she began in a hushed tone. “This night you embark upon…it’ll offer you both clarity, unlocking secrets hidden in the depths of your hearts.” 

JJ laughed softly as a smirk took over his features. “Clarity, huh?” 

You kicked his leg under the table, trying not to laugh. Madame Zara continued, though, unfazed by your shared skepticism. 

“Remember, clarity often reveals truths you’ve chosen to ignore.” 

You thanked the fortune teller and exited the tent. “That was…something.”

“It was a load of bull,” JJ laughed. “I mean, clarity? Clarity about what?” 

“Who knows,” you replied. “Alright, we can go on your beloved tilt-a-whirl now.” JJ grinned at that, grabbing your hand and tugging you over to the ride. 

You two spent the evening going on every ride you could manage and indulging in all the sweets you came across. You’d be sick to your stomachs by the night’s end, but you couldn’t bring yourselves to care.

The night wore on, and you found yourselves atop the ferris wheel, overlooking the brightly lit carnival below you. The twinkling stars above you seemed to be in perfect alignment. JJ had grown eerily quiet, which was odd for him, seeing as he was always bouncing off the walls with an energy you couldn’t quite comprehend. 

You turned to look at him, planning to break the silence, when you caught his heated gaze. Your brows furrowed. “What’s that look for?” 

He licked his lips, turning his body toward you slightly. “Nothin’, I was just thinkin’ that psychic lady was right.” 

“Right about what?” You asked. All of a sudden, things had turned serious, which was rare for you two. Everything about your friendship was fun and lighthearted, but it didn’t feel that way anymore. At least, not at that moment. 

“About me needing clarity. Y/N, we’ve been best friends for so long. I mean, we’ve been through everything together. But sometimes…sometimes it feels like there’s somethin’ more. Somethin’ we both kinda deny.” 

Your eyes searched his for an understanding. “What are you saying, J?” 

“I think— Nah, I know. You’re my world. You make everything better, make everything brighter. I love you, pretty girl. I’m in love with you.” 

Your heart raced as you processed his words. Suddenly, the fortune teller’s prediction didn’t seem so foolish or ridiculous. In that moment, that same clarity JJ felt washed over you. The lightbulb switched on inside your head. You realized that you weren’t just in love with the idea of your friendship; you were in love with him. 

“I’m in love with you too, J,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. Your hand found his, and your fingers intertwined. He smiled at you brighter than he ever had, and his eyes sparkled as the moonlight bounced off of them. 

“Can I kiss you now?” 

“You definitely should.”

JJ TAG LIST (JOIN HERE!): @surftrips @oncasette @taintedxkisses @maybankslover @goldenroutledge @penny4yourthoughts @bmo-bri @hemogloban @princessbetsy123-blog @slytherhoes @whoisdrewstarkey @aliyahsomerhalder @dreamingwithrafe @vigilanteshitposting @poppet05 @wildflwrdarlin @adoreyouusugar @f4ll-for-you @tell-me-when-ur-ready @bbycowboi @jjmaybankisbae @enhypens-hoe @loverofdrewstarkey @earth2starkey @angelofcigs @koalalafications @aerangi @cantstoptheimagines @sarah5462 @slut4drudy @lvvrgrl @somerandos-world @peachpitlover @sya-skies @emmalandry @gillybear17 @thatsthewaythechrissycrumbles @madelynie @urbestieboo @abbybarnesstuff @lovelyxtom @camelliaflow3r @dirtytissuebox @runningfrom2am

[imminent-danger-came]

Pigsy + Heart & Family

Pigsy: "Those punks with their flash-frozen microwave junk! Convenience can never replace a traditional, home cooked family recipe!" [...]

Pigsy: "Ah, you two don't get it! I've poured my heart into this place! From the pots, to the utensils! Even my grandmother's antique windows!"

(2x04 Sweet N' Sour)

-

Pigsy: "I was gonna put it back! I- I just, you know, you're such an inspiration, and, and when I saw your book, I guess, well you know I guess, I just wanted to leave you with a parting gift. In exchange for the ring!" [. . .]

Chang'e: "Tonight, we have a very special guest, who is sharing with us a noodle recipe that is very close to his heart."

(3x07 Cooking with Chang'e)

-

Pigsy: "Oh Tang! I'm so sorry I was about to cook you! Badly, oh so badly."

(4x04 Pig Napped!)

-

Pigsy: "Ohoho no no no no no, don't go comparing me to that demon. My names just plain ol' Pigsy." [...]

Mei: "I thought Monkey King was your dad!" MK: "He's not my dad! Pigsy's my dad!" Pigsy: "Uh, kid? I'm not exactly your uh..."

(4x05 The Yellow Robbed Demon)

-

Pigsy: "No. No! Just cause we look a certain way, cause our monster ancestors were—well, monsters—none of that matters! I won't let his legacy define mine, and neither should you!"

(4x06 Show Me the Monster)

-

Pigsy: "Doesn't that moron know that we're his family?"

(4x08 The Brotherhood)

-

Pigsy: "Look, if you're here to teach me some magic tricks or whatever, you can just forget about it alright." Subodhi: "Zhu Bajie was a stubborn one too!" Pigsy: "Oh! So you think we're the same just cause we're pigs huh, bet you think I'm just a disgusting little monster too."

Subodhi: "Zhu Bajie had his vices, however, like all the companions, he grew up. He struggled the most, but he worked hard! Not unlike yourself. Although he didn't start out this way, in time, he became a deeply caring and protective creature, and a powerful ally—one of the best in fact. The heart you have in abundance, the power, why you've barely scratched the surface of your potential! And that's saying something."

(4x09 Roast of the Monkie Kids)

-

Pigsy: "We missed ya, son."

(4x10 The Jade Emperor)

-

[self-spaghettification]

Looks like we’re getting a lot of crazy things in 6x05

which,

1. Considering the potential title “Moonless Night”, 6x05 will possibly be including Rayla being hurt or moon being otherwise metaphorically swallowed, (paralleling s3 swallowing/corruption of the sun’s power),

2. Considering episode 5 follows an episode titled “The Starscraper,” in 6x05 Aaravos is potentially freed at the end of 4 or during 5 and potentially possesses Callum which will lead to all sorts of trouble

3. Considering the connection of a scene between soren and viren with “until 6x05” and all the hints that the most impactful scenes between soren and viren were yet to come…. it seems likely that in 6x05 Soren and Viren will have a very emotionally charged moment together, also possibly with Claudia. Maybe with a confrontation of some kind, also involving the moon?

Let’s delve into this more though—As this potential title has ignited a spark to finally set ablaze and reveal the idea that has been percolating in my mind for months.

Moonless Night (and Why I Believe the Moon is Metaphorically Going to Be Swallowed) A S6 Speculative Meta

with arc1-arc2 parallels, norse mythology examination, reflections analysis and more

As far as I can see, the clue most directly points to Moonless Night. (Edit: which ended up being right!) And there are other reasons I’m on board.

I already went insane over this so let’s get started

A. S3-S6 Parallels

So, I’m a big fan of across arc season parallels as they’ve existed very overtly S1-S4 from the first moment, as well as some other things which in many ways are setup and reestablishment of dynamics (Rayla hesitating and breaking from her duty twice to help/see Callum instead, Harrow and Ezran respectively attempt to break free from the past but they have to acknowledge it, etc) as well as persistently in S2-S5:

and, it seems, *possibly* S3 to S6–

1. If we get another plot against Ezran that’s not a joke (as it is in s4 and many throwaway lines and jokes in tdp come back to bite us)—+“This coming season will test Ezran's pacifist instincts”

2. If Viren returns, something like this—

in contrast to the “I’m sorry it had to happen this way”/“No you’re not.”/“No, I’m not.” because Viren cannot doubt Ezran would be genuinely sorry

Viren would say I know because he gets it now, the new hesitant, less certain version who also feels bad for all he has done, but he wouldn’t have before.

SO… 3. If the Moon were to get metaphorically/literally swallowed on some level in S6, it would parallel 3x07, Hearts of Cinder.

Corruption via Aaravos’s…child.

which, coincidently, brings me to my next point!

B. Norse Mythology

I’ve briefly discussed this before here, but let’s review:

Aaravos’s similarities to Loki

Source: Twitter

But while we’re on Loki’s similarities to Aaravos, let’s consider what his other children are up to during Ragnarok, the end of the world in Norse Mythology, which seems fitting considering all the foreshadowing of what chaos Aaravos has wreaked in the past (Xadia) and present (Lux Aurea) and even future (ominous wording in the reflections) when given the chance.

Loki’s children during Ragnarok:

World Serpent — rises up from the depths, encircles the world and causes great waves and destruction (“The seas churned” 👀)

Hel — From the underworld, “leading an army of the dead, she marches against the gods, uniting with her brothers and other forces of chaos. This culminating battle signifies the cyclical nature of Norse myths; an end that's also a beginning.” [1] Speaking of which, sounds familiar, right? In Ripples:

“While one may say it ends with a sunrise, [beginning] another will insist it ends at nightfall. [end]”

“With its impact came a long and terrible night: The earth bled! The seas churned! The sun and moon hid for weeks behind the sky’s screaming storm!”

“And when the long, dark night had finally passed—for the sun must always rise, mustn’t it?—they gazed out upon an unfamiliar landscape.”

Fenrir— He was gagged with a sword and was destined to lie bound to a rock until the Ragnarök (Doomsday), when he will break his bonds and fall upon the gods. According to one version of the myth, Fenrir will devour the sun, and in the Ragnarök he will fight against the chief god Odin and swallow him. [2]

It’s interesting how Fenrir has even more parallels than Loki to Aaravos here. Trapped by a blade, chained against rocks like Prometheus (one of Aaravos’s primary inspirations) was when his liver (modern heart) was eaten every day, and when he’s freed all hell breaks loose, including swallowing people (see Zym and Aditi) and the sun. But was it him with the sun? Or…..

There’s something there about killing a god and being killed in return and making the stars fall and all the damage Claudia has suffered thus far, but anyway.

That’s right, Fenrir has two children, one who swallows the sun, and one who swallows the moon. During Ragnarok, while, also, the sea shakes. Ahem, back to this:

“With its impact came a long and terrible night: The earth bled! The seas churned! The sun and moon hid for weeks behind the sky’s screaming storm!”

So… earth blood?

Check… churning seas?

World Serpent — rises up from the depths, encircles the world and causes great waves and destruction

Check… sun and moon gone?

Check.

So, what do we do with this information?

C. Interpretation

So Aaravos with two children, one who swallows the sun, one the moon.

Swallowing the Moon

-Involving a Child

1. Most literally: Aaravos has that… homonculus child, which takes and poisons the power of the sun. Maybe we’re getting another of those? I’m honestly scared for what that actually means like is he having another kid for that because 😭

2. What I favor- a metaphor— If you can consider Claudia Aaravos’s child, well, child in law isn’t that far off for the sake of this theory I think it’s possible they team up and somehow metaphorically swallow the moon like Viren and Aaravos did in S3. ….Just taking the moon, corrupting it and using its power— like they did with the Sunfire power— to make troops invisible in their effort to conquer xadia part two (2!) (although this is probably like the nth time that Aaravos has attempted his plan.)

-not involving a child

3. it could also just be disrupting the moon nexus in some way. Aaravos tends to break reflections in one way or another, from mirrors to ripples.

in Ripples he talks about how he dislikes how the stars look down on their perfect reflection (the sea of cast out)

@parroset has written an excellent meta elaborating further on it here, but essentially, he breaks reflections. A reflection is key to the moon nexus, that lake is the moon nexus because it so perfectly reflects the moon. So… there’s something to that. And it would have to come in handy manipulating the veil between life and death.

4. Taking Luna Tenebris’s power in a flashback.

I’ve talked about why I think we’re finally getting Luna Tenebris content before here, but essentially we already got all the dragons in the 4 corners of the map via flashback or interaction, and now only she is left. A flashback on what really went down that day would be perfectly in line with us learning more about Aaravos’s past, perhaps interaction with Kim'dael as well as, hopefully, blood magic—and dark, star, and deep magic. It also fits in with swallowing the moon’s power, as she was a Moon Archdragon. Moonless night. This also ties back to the blood moon cult because they harvest the power of the moon to begin with.

Last but not least and most obvious and exciting to many,

5. Rayla= “Moon girlfriend.” Callum is already being targeted, and likely some terrible thing is going to happen to him up with the rating being up, creators crying over this episode and calling it “heartbreaking” and all of that, so swallowing the moon could be symbolism for her dying or something equally terrible (so he’s forced to exploit dark magic/Aaravos to save her.)

This also ties back to this being the episode following the star scraper and the theory that Callum is a Trojan horse and, once he’s there, all the shit is going down. Maybe Rayla gets in the way and tries to sacrifice herself. I wouldn’t be surprised. or maybe it’s an intentional harm so that Callum has to bring her back… who knows?

It is for you to think about as you see fit.

@beautifulterriblequeen also wrote about other possibilities for the Moonless night here!

D. Symbolism & Misc.

Now let’s talk about the other symbolic evidence pointing to the swallowing of the moon.

The first thing that got me hooked on this theory was actually this page, which we see Viren flipping through, and then in Callum’s sketchbook.

I already analyzed the markings surrounding Aaravos’s signature symbol, but I also found the eclipse and crescent moon especially interesting considering how important the eclipse motif has been in the series and uniquely tied to Aaravos.

Thus far I figured the moon also had to be significant right it also almost seemed to me as if both the sun and moon had a bite taken out of them.

Then, we have the Reflections.

After Darkness

“The writhing, tainted darkness of Lux Aurea’s night sky spread infinitely above him, the stars all swallowed up inside it.”

Ripples

“While one may say it ends with a sunrise, another will insist it ends at nightfall. ” (swallowed sun) (falling stars)

“With its impact came a long and terrible night/And in that endless dark the humans despaired. The humans huddled together, scarcely daring to breathe, awaiting the rise of the sun.”

which, side note- sol regem saying the sun will never rise again for me, karim saying the sun is setting on their kingdom, and aaravos telling viren that the sun will rise and he will not like augh.

Then there’s the more literal interpretations of swallowing the moon and or sun along with the stars - Consider

1, Aaravos is giant

2, Star eating sword

3, Star devourer dragons

And, let’s go back to the crescent.

Waxing Crescents are associated with growing power, which would also be fitting for Aaravos gaining power, possibly a literal powerup.

Let’s also consider what new moons mean- considering the possible name, moonless night, and all the swallowing of the moon, and starting a new cycle, new moons are certainly significant, right? Moonless night- A fresh start. Could be something!

In summary, I believe the moon will be metaphorically swallowed in S6 in one way or another.

I hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading my thoughts! Please feel free to share any insights or reactions of your own!

[xecutivecucumber]

Executive Cucumber's thoughts on the Bad Batch: Season 3x06 and 3x07 (I'm pretty sure I'm formatting this differently every time. Oh well)

Okay, there's a subject I'm going to have to postpone until the end of the post because I want all my thoughts on that to be together: the main operative clone. And the rest might be slightly out of order. I'm also doing this before I see anyone else's thoughts, just so we get the pure version.

Let's go!

I honestly thought that Senator Singh and Riyo were dead meat. But no, they're fine because REX IS COOLER THAN ANYONE. Ugh that man. Freaking throwing the grenade back at him.

Clones are beautiful. That is all.

THAT'S THAT ONE PLACE FROM THE OG CLONE WARS MOVIE!!! TETH!!!

Howzer I love you but if you touch Crosshair we will be having words.

I am actually really proud of Crosshair and his restraint this episode. He could have been really cutting to Howzer.

OMEGA WITH THE TOOTHPIIIIICKS and Hunter is jealouuuus

EDIT: ECHO AND THE CROSSBOW HE'S SO SWEET

WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU CROSSHAIR

It's really nice to see normal clones being normal again. (Too bad it doesn't last)

There's something up with Omega. I'm not going to lie, I think that she and Rex are going to plan to get her captured in order to track her back to Tantiss.

HOWZER STOP DISTRUSTING CROSSHAIR THIS MOMENT

I appreciate that Hunter doesn't seem to distrust Crosshair during this point.

...they really shouldn't have brought that operative back.

Rex is considering stealing Omega, I swear. I love that he gets down to her level.

WOOOOOOOOOOOLFFE (Plo would be so disappointed in you)

It's...odd to see these normal troopers with him.

It's also strange that he cannot comprehend that the clones could be traitors at first.

STOP DYING YOU BEAUTIFUL REGS

'She only bites half the time' I'm pretty sure Omega is lying here but I don't care.

CROSSHAIR IS SUCH A WORRIED DAD HOLY CRAP. 'Oh, I'm much worse' I LOVE YOU

And this just gives such a little insight into how the Batch was when they were together. I have a feeling that Crosshair was a fusser and a nagger.

And I love how Howzer's natural and correct conclusion is: 'no one evil could love that child.' (Unless you're Nala Se)

Hey, actual candor from Crosshair. I keep saying this is who he always was under it all, but I do think he's healed somewhat, at least towards regs. The healing power of Omega.

'Too bad' I LOVE THIS MAN

STOP DYING REGS

Rex talking down Wolffe reminded me so much of him trying to talk Jesse down. So ow.

Okay, what ROCK have they shoved Wolffe under for the last YEAR??? YES THE EMPIRE WOULD GET RID OF THE CLONES YOU DOG BRAINED IDIOT

(Plo would be proud that you let them go)

...they just killed all of Rex's clones, except Howzer and Gregor. And I have a bad feeling about Howzer. STOP TAKING THINGS FROM REX HASN'T HE LOST ENOUGH???

Okay here we are, at the big topic. Hold onto your pants.

That operative clone. Is. Tech. Because if he is not, they are purposefully using the narrative to deceive us.

I might miss a few things, but that's because I'm up past my bedtime and I've been up too late the last few days.

1. The falling and water parallels. This clone falls a LOT during this episode and dives into a lot of water. He even falls into mist. This time it's to kill and capture his siblings instead of save them.

2. The injury. This clone is hobbling around a lot after his injury, which was immediately reminiscent of Tech's broken leg at the beginning of season 2. Both of them are forcing themselves past their limit to achieve a mission. Specifically with injured legs.

3. General attitude and demeanor. In combination with the stealth and injury, this clone has a more hunched posture. His speech patterns are more formal, though we haven't really heard a lot of other clone operatives talk with their helmets on. But he's also apparently allergic to orders. I first thought that he'd be out of the chain of command, but they would have told Wolffe that he wasn't in charge of the operative if that were the case. Or the operative would have straight up told him 'I don't take orders from you' instead of staring awkwardly at him. Instead he runs off and does his own thing. While injured. Not to mention the buttons on his gauntlet. The other clone operatives don't have those.

4. The cybernetic legs. Now we don't know for sure if Tech would have cybernetic legs, but it seems likely for a severely injured trooper. And when Crosshair is looking at the heat signature, you can see that his legs are blue instead of yellow or red. No heat. Not organic.

5. What he says to Crosshair. 'You could have been one of us.' 'You chose the wrong side.' Yes, he's talking about Crosshair resisting the re-education. But flip it on its head real quick. 'You could have been one of us. One of the Bad Batch.' 'You chose the wrong side. The Empire.' Those lines very easily have double meanings.

6. An interesting one is when he starts moving rocks after the explosion. Why would he do that? Why not immediately go find another way in? He's moving only the smaller rocks. There's a large one in the way that he couldn't move himself. And he doesn't get the rest of the troopers to come move it when they arrive. He almost seems confused.

Like he's somewhere else after an explosion, having to move rocks. Like in the Crossing.

I know that this hardly seem like iron clad evidence. But in the language of story telling, it's practically screaming in our faces.

And I'm so glad he's back. I missed him. He won't be himself for a while, but I legitimately believe we'll get one last fight with the Batch all together. Because brain washing is a heck of a lot easier to fix than being dead.

My sister is doing the good work and creating a tik token about it, and I'll probably share it here when she's finished.

(We're getting the episode 'Identity Crisis ON MY BIRTHDAY and so help me if that's about Tech)

Honestly I thought I'd be more excited, but I spent the entire two episodes forcing myself into not having expectations and also I might be in shock.

[guardian-angle22]

Felt like putting together a little themed fic rec list! Here are some coda/missing moment fics for 3.07 Red vs. Blue. If I've missed any, let me know and I can add them to the list! (I also might make edits to these posts to add more fics as they get written. If I ever do so I'll be sure to reblog the post for visibility!)

Enjoy all of our amazing fandom writers and leave them some comments & love!

[Disclaimer: If you're an author and don't like to be tagged or linked for any reason, let me know and I'll remove the tag and make sure not to do so in the future, no questions asked.]

SOFTBALL FOCUSED:

◆ Win or Lose by @heartstringsduet (Words: 8.3K; Rating: E; d/s elements)

What if the softball game ended with nothing but TK receiving his rightful reward for winning? What if Carlos ever so slightly tweaked his plans?

◆ in your corner by @heartstringsduet (Words: 7.1K; Rating: M; d/s elements; part 5 of a series)

Win or lose, Carlos promises to reward TK after the softball game tonight. But all it takes is a single moment to unravel what they’ve built together.

◆ it's hotter than hell where i'm at by @petalwritesx (Words: 1.3K; Rating: M)

“If I would’ve known a softball uniform did this to you,” T.K. says, breathless between kisses, “I would’ve bought one a long time ago.” OR: Before their little award ceremony, Carlos and T.K. have some alone time.

◆ Sex Drive by @welcometololaland (Words: 3.8K; Rating: E)

Carlos has a thing for TK playing softball and TK has a thing for reflective surfaces, apparently. OR A season 3, episode 7 missing scene.

◆ "You love this, don't you?" by @irispurpurea (Words: 403; Rating: T)

Fictober 2022 Day 28. Prompt: “You love this, don’t you?” Missing scene from Red vs. Blue

◆ Gold name and number by @goodways (Words: 3.6K; Rating: E)

“I’m just saying Carlos, it was a simple ‘talk shit, get hit scenario’, the law has no place getting involved,” TK spoke with a tone like he was explaining simple first grade math. “First of all, that’s not true and second of all… no, no I think that’s it.” * Carlos has some feelings about TK in his softball outfit.

◆ Take Me Out to the Ball Game by @chicgeekgirl89 (Words: 1.5K; Rating: T)

He’s seen his boyfriend’s ass in a lot of outfits; his uniform, jeans, slacks, but nothing, nothing tops this. His boyfriend is hot. He’s so fucking hot. Carlos isn’t sure he’s ever seen anything hotter in his entire life.  A follow up fic for 3x07 "Red vs. Blue" in which T.K. wears a new kind of uniform and Carlos likes it. A lot.

◆ your hand under my jacket by @kiras-sunshine (Words: 5.8K; Rating: T)

"You know, I’m grateful you came to watch,” TK hums as he steps into their loft through the door, and immediately turns around to give him one of those wide and brilliant grins, and pokes the peak of Carlos’ cap upwards, “even though it looked like you were trying to be as incognito as possible.

END OF EPISODE FOCUSED or BOTH (TW: discussions of grief/death/dying):

◆ Everest to mariana by @paperstorm

A tag for 3x7, 'Red vs Blue', in which Carlos fulfills a teenaged fantasy and TK gets devastating news.

◆ i can't just bring them back, but darling i can hold your hand by @morganaspendragonss (Words: 2K; Rating: T)

It’s been hours, and TK hasn’t said a word. He hasn’t screamed, or cried, or done anything that Carlos has come to expect from someone who just found out a loved one passed away. He’s just curled up in a ball on the bed, staring blankly at the wall, and that’s where he’s been ever since he walked away from the party like a ghost. * a 3.07 coda/3.08 spec fic

◆ underneath by @kiras-sunshine (Words: 4.2K; Rating: T)

Grief is a powerful thing, and it affects everyone differently, creating unique pain and ache for everyone, and it is always a process, and TK has had his grief only for mere hours. It is still new, growing and invading space in him.

◆ not a victory march by @reyesstrand (Words: 2.8K; Rating: T)

Carlos approaches, still under the assumption that everything is fine because it's supposed to be, and TK feels his eyes start to burn when Carlos asks him to tell his mom he says hi.  Because that's something he's never going to do again.

◆ Surrounded by Love by @bluenet13 (Words: 5.8K; Rating: T)

A look at TK in the days, weeks and months following Gwyn’s passing as he processes his grief with the help of his family and friends. A 3x07 Coda

◆ this weight off your shoulders by @marjansmarwani (Words: 1.9K; Rating: T)

When Andrea Reyes receives a call from her son with terrible news, she makes a promise to a woman she only met once but always felt she knew. A 3x07 Coda

◆ may there be abundant peace by @maxbegone (Words: 2.6K; Rating: N/A)

Carlos sighs. “Baby, I’m so sorry.” “Yeah.” “I’m so sorry.” It warrants no further reply, because at this point Carlos is crying along with him, resting his forehead against his temple and securing his hold even tighter. If he didn’t feel so numb, TK would reciprocate somehow. But this day has been simultaneously a blur and the sharpest image, burned red-hot in his brain. He could relive every single moment in perfect accuracy, he swears. __ An introspective episode coda sometime after the events of 3.07 and 3.08.

◆ No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. by @tkstrrand (4 fic series, Total Words: 13.1K; Rating: G)

TK tries to balance moments of joy with grief/guilt following the months after his mother's passing.

◆ sometimes grief is an open wound - it bleeds and bleeds and bleeds by @morganaspendragonss (Words: 663; Rating: M; TW: Self-harm, Suicidal Thoughts)

His doctor puts him back on his antidepressants and he takes them without complaint, even when sometimes they feel like they’re doing more harm than good. The side effects leave him nauseous for a week, his already unpredictable sleep schedule fucked up beyond repair, but TK dutifully swallows them down every morning, because this means that he’s trying, right? It means that… It means something. It has to.

◆ wrap me up, enfold me by @strandnreyes (Words: 2.3K; Rating: G)

“She’s dead.” Those are the last words he has spoken in at least ten minutes. Now as Carlos sits beside TK on the couch, he isn’t sure what to do. His boyfriend is silent and unmoving, almost hauntingly so, and there’s this vacant look in his eyes that makes him look so unlike himself that it jars Carlos.

◆ Before...And After by @littlemissmarianna (Words: 256; Rating: G)

TK takes a shuddering breath. He doesn’t remember much about last night, except that he was catatonic after the call, then dissolved an hour later into a sobbing, hyperventilating mess. The only reason he didn’t shake apart was because Carlos had held him.

◆ wrapped in a cloak of misery by @pendragonsandbuckleys (Words: 1.1K; Rating: G)

The phone clattered to the ground only seconds before TK’s knees buckled from underneath him. - a 3.07 coda.

◆ silent answers by @blueink3 (Words: 577; Rating: T)

It’s Paul who notices first because of course he does. “She’s dead.” Who clocks the fact that something has gone horrifyingly, catastrophically wrong. “She’s dead.” “Carlos?” Not ‘hey, man’ or ‘you good?’ Not the casual, easy tone Carlos has come to appreciate ever since that night at the club. It’s diffused more than one high pressure situation, but this -  Nothing can fix this. A coda to 3x07.

[littletonpace]

Prue Halliwell in every episode ➣ Charmed 3x07 • Power Outage

Taglist: @holyhalliwells, @phoebehalliwell, @dailycharmedgifs, @wearethecharmedones, @charmedxfanforum, @prudencemelinda, @raith-way, @pretty-pink-sunshine, @cangel-halliwell

[powerfashionblog]

Who: Paige Hurd as Lauren Baldwin What: Maison Margiela Cropped Printed Cable-knit Cotton Sweater - Sold Out Where: 3x07 “Deal or No Deal”

[erikiara80]

Theory: the car crash in the winter of 1976 (Part II)

You can read Part I here

To sum up: my theory is that Joyce had a son with Lonnie, Jonathan, but then she left him because Lonnie is an a-hole. She always liked Hopper, so they finally got together and they had Will (and maybe El). The story of Agent Orange could be just a hint at the LSD mind control experiments. Anyway, in 1976 something bad happened and Hopper and El? were separated from their family (see Part I). Love this Father and daughter missing.

Not sure if Brenner was involved, but there are hints that Lonnie was. He's heavily paralleled to Billy's father, and in Billy's memory Neil believed that his wife was cheating on him. The first thing Lonnie asks Jon is if Hopper is still chief, and the moment he thinks that Will is dead, he "comes home", calls Joyce babe and tells her that she needs him. I think he didn't just want the money, he wanted his family back. And Will wasn't part of it.

A possible hint in The First Shadow that Lonnie did something to Joyce and her family is the mention of him stealing the baby from the nativity scene. Will has always been associated with Jesus...

It's also interesting, and could be evidence of different timelines, that Will is associated with fire but El is associated with cold water. Maybe Will died in the fire in one timeline, and in another one El drowned in a lake? Maybe they were both in danger but their parents could only save one of them. They both say many times that they can't breath, which is also a parallel with Sarah, so I think it's clear that something bad happened to both of them.

Did Will burn alive? I hope not but... In 3x08, when Joyce hugs him, he says that he can't breath, he's suffocating. In Fred's vision, he sees a coffin with the grandfather clock that has the name Williams engraved on it. And in 4x04 we see Billy/William's tombstone.

El sees Heather being dragged underwater, after Max opens "the floodgates" (Owens mentions them when he explains the anniversary of the event) If Billy is paralleled to Will, Heather is paralleled to El, so maybe this scene shows us what happened to El in the past.

The vanishing of Will Byers and The case of the missing lifeguard are connected.

And when she goes into Billy's memories, there's a transition from the car crash and El in the water. Car in a lake -> El separated from her family.

Hints that Lonnie might've been involved in the car crash

In Lonnie's very first scene, there's a little bike in his house, and Jon checks his trunk. Not a good sign.

After Joyce breaks the wall with the axe, the only thing she sees is her car. Possible hint that after the car crash one of the children was taken away from the family by powers. Time powers... Tears in the fabric of time and space...

That night, when Lonnie arrives, the first thing we see is his car headlights.

Then he closes "the door" that Will used to communicate with his mom, with a hammer. As he talks about the quarry and Joyce freezing to death.

In 2x06, after they bring Will to the lab, after he screams that he feels like he's burning (Hopper is screaming too, but they're using water! Always water and fire) there's a transition to Steve's car, and the song in this scene is Hammer to Fall. In 2x09 Jon mentions Lonnie and the hammer they used to build Castle Byers.

In S4 there's another connection between Lonnie, cars, time loops and the resentment between him and Joyce. When Jon says that the cycle never ends. We see part of the conversation through the broken window of a car.

Other hints

Billy and Max

They both have many parallels with Will, and most of their scenes together take place in the car. Billy's car is actually the first thing we see.

They always fight in that car.

Billy tries to run over the kids. This reminds me of the night Will vanishes

And the scene of Billy's possession IS a parallel to the 1x01 scene. He and Will both run off the road

In 3x07, Billy almost burns alive in his car

In S4, Max confesses that she had wished her brother to die in a car accident

In 2x05, Terry shows El a police car chase!

This scene is so important. I'm working on a new theory, but I'll just say that Terry (or whoever is communicating with El) isn't just randomly switching the channels. She's telling a story. Henry's story and how El got involved.

In fact, she shows El a blonde woman ("Virginia"?/connection to the Creel and how the lab kids were created?) then the Family Feud score (a family feud, hm) A donut commercial with many identical donuts (imo, ref to the lab kids), the commercial of a Computer Supercenter (the lab/Nina/this whole experiment) and then a police chase and someone pouring coffe into a cup. I think this is a huge hint at a car crash that involved Hopper. And I don't know why else Terry would show El a police car chase tbh. Then, in 2x07, Kali calls Hopper policeman many times. A clear connection with the car chase, imo.

When El looks for the source in S3, the first thing she sees in the eye of the Mind Flayer storm is Billy's damaged car. Since Billy is paralleled to Will, this could mean that the source of everything started with a car crash and powers?

I'm also thinking about this shot in the Vecna game. It looks very similar to a shot in Benny's diner in S4. Jason in a white outfit, like Henry, Christmas lights, a police car, the letters W and E, and another car with something that looks a lot like the Mind Flayer looming over it.

And don't forget Joyce and Hopper escaping from Grigori and the engine of the police car literally exploding. And where do they find another car? At a Seven Eleven convenience store

There are many other hints, but I think these ones are the most relevant.

[goodwhump-temp]

Fringe: Peter Bishop Whump

SEASON ONE

1x01 Pilot - Angry towards his father/Walter 1x03 The Ghost Network - Stalked, argument 1x04 The Arrival - Angry, kidnapped (signs of struggle), bleeding from the mouth, tortured; wire put in his nose, electrocuted, convulsing, weak, shot with strange gun, collapse, unconscious, concussion, badly bruised 1x05 Power Hungry - Bruised face and wrists, tired, painful shock, bandaged wrists 1x07 In Which We Meet Mr. Jones - Painfully electrocuted, delerious 😊 1x08 The Equation - Ominously hypnotized 1x09 The Dreamscape - Hit in the face 1x12 The No-Brainer - Protective, angry, drunk 1x13 The Transformation - Undercover, held at gunpoint 1x16 Unleashed - Arguing with Waltuh, desperate for Walter 1x20 There's More Than One of Everything - Emotional bonding with Waltuh, manhandled, gravestone

SEASON TWO

2x01 A New Day in the Old Town - MEGHAN MARKLE, emotional, depressed 2x02 Night of Desirable Objects - Almost shot, bit by skeletal monster 2x03 Fracture - Talks about past in Iraq, fighting, punched, restrained 2x05 Dream Logic - Talks about childhood nightmares, starts remembering, wakes from nightmare 2x07 Of Human Action - Mind controlled, kidnapped, intense pain, forced to hurt people, car crash, knocked unconscious, chest pain/bandaged 2x08 August - Held at gunpoint, forehead bleeding 2x09 Snakehead - Knocked out, captured, bleeding, forced to swallow parasite, badly bruised face 2x10 Grey Matters - Sad about Walter, desperate to find him, emotional 2x11 Unearthed - Held at gunpoint 2x12 Johari Window - Car crash, briefly unconscious, shot at, bloody eyebrow, chased and shot at, held at gunpoint 2x13 What Lies Below - Infected, crazy, bloody nose, violent, knocked down, knocked out, weak 2x15 Jacksonville - Oliva learns the truth about Peter (he still doesn't know) 2x16 Peter - His story/death, sick/dying child, funeral, "significant" to the baldis, abducted, falls through the ice, drowning 2x19 The Man from the Other Side - Shot at, risking his life, loud noise, pain, knocked back into hood of car, unconscious, bloody ear, hospitalized, back pain, learns the truth, emotional, dissapears 2x20 Brown Betty - Missing, manhandled, punched multiple times, heart stolen, dying, weak, dies, painful reawakening 2x21 Northwest Passage - Missing/friends searching for him, tired, stalked, tranq shot at him, attacked with hammer, held at gunpoint/taken to… 2x22 Over There pt. 1 - Still missing, in danger from a prophecy, wakes in hospital, emotional 2x23 Over There pt. 2 - In danger the whole episode

SEASON THREE

3x02 The Box - Painful talk with Waltuh, scared of the prophecy/possible death, shot by the ear, deafened, headache, almost hit by a train 3x03 The Plateau - Real Olivia's hallucination 3x04 Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep? - Panic, manipulated by "Olivia" 3x05 Amber 31422 - Real Olivia's confrontational hallucination 3x07 The Abducted - Contacted by Olivia, feels betrayed, held at gunpoint, paralyzing injection, nausea, bad headache 3x09 Marionette - Guilt, emotional talk with Olivia 3x10 The Firefly - Walter obsesses thinking the Observer will kill Peter, almost hit by a truck, scared, shot with weird gun, unconscious, poisoned, collapse, seizure, unconscious 3x11 Reciprocity - Nosebleed, insomnia, scared, lab tests, unusually high heart rate, knocked to the ground, being suspicious the whole episode, held at gunpoint, psychologically changed from the machine/turned killer 3x12 Concentrate and Ask Again - Suspicious, scares Waltuh 3x15 Subject 13 - Flashback to almost killing himself as a child, runs away 3x19 Lysergic Acid Diethlamide - Nervous, high/tripping, freaked out, passes out, knocked down, held at gunpoint, freaking out, restrained/comforted, trauma blanket, loopy 3x20 6:02 AM EST - Sacrificing himself, aggressively knocked back with electricity, falls from great height, very bloody face/head trauma 3x21 The Last Sam Weiss - Hospitalized, amnesia, walks out of hospital, confused, sacrifices himself, pain, head wound, shrapnel to the stomach, passes out 3x22 The Day We Died - Hospitalized, extreme pain, emergency surgery, emotional at funeral, depressed, extreme pain, dying, wiped from existence

SEASON FOUR

4x01-4x03 - Seeping into reality 4x04 Subject 9 - Breaking into reality, wakes up in a lake, reunion, friends dont remember him 4x05 Novation - Held for interrogation 4x06 And Those We've Left Behind - Emotionally abandoned from his father, causing time slips, stabbed in the neck (technology), knocked out 4x08 Back to Where You've Never Been - Desperate, "prisoner" turned prisoner 4x09 Enemy of My Enemy - Admits to being scared 4x12 Welcome to Westfield - Kicked to the ground 4x13 A Better Human Being - Scar on his hand, uncomfortable, baited into a trap 4x14 The End of All Things - Desperate, mind converged, pain, knocked out, kidnapped, knocked over, slight pain/ache, held at gunpoint, punched, 4x15 A Short Story About Love - Heartbroken, thing found on his iris 4x20 Worlds Apart - Walters are scared for Peter 4x21 Brave New World Pt. 1 - Knocked down, fight, hit multiple times, pain, choked, shoulder dislocated, body controlled by Olivia 4x22 Brave New World Pt. 2 - Sling, falls from great height, hurts arm, emotional, slapped

SEASON FOUR

5x01 Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11 - Caught in explosion, bloody, emotional, shot at, cries, "dead" 5x03 The Recordist - Held at gunpoint 5x04 The Bullet That Saved The World - Mind read, headache, chased, caught in an explosion, badly bruised, bloody, shot with weird gun, emotional, heartbroken, emotional shut down 5x05 An Origin Story - Depressed, electrocutes himself, kicked across the room, punched, bleeding mouth, bruised, very angry, self surgery, intense pain 5x06 Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There - Knocked down, punched, slowly becoming an observer 5x07 Five-Twenty-Ten - Becoming an observer, insomnia, ear starts bleeding, brain overwhelmed, intense pain, headache, going psycho, confesses to Olivia, fully emotionless, hair falling out 5x08 The Human Kind - Full strength observer fight, punched, bruised, stabbed in the shoulder, bleeding and bruised, emotional, self surgery, extreme pain, emotional release, sobbing 5x09 Black Blotter - Insomnia, bruised/bandaged forehead, headache, shot at 5x13 An Enemy of Fate - Emotional talk with Walter, sobbing, fight with an Observer, punched multiple times, shot onto a car and into a wall

[whumpystuffy]

Whump list - Grimm (2011-2017)

Main character Nick Burkhardt portrayed by David Giuntoli.

Season 1

1x01 Attacked, kicked. Night terrors. Fight, slammed against wall. Thrown to the ground. Injected with poison, collapses, unconscious.

1x02 In hospital, toxins in his blood. Loss of family member.

1x06 Attacked, thrown out of car, bleeding head wound, pain in shoulder. Pushed to the ground.

1x08 Attacked, slammed against wall, thrown to the ground, holds torso, bloody bruised face, multiple punches, weak. In hospital, 3 bruised ribs, dislocated shoulder and concision. Night terrors, in pain, troubled breathing, coughing.

1x10 Under gunfire. Attacked, on the ground, palm of hand sliced, bleeding.

1x12 Threatened, manhandled, forced to fight for entertainment. Kicked to the ground, slammed against cage, head butt, thrown across the ring.

1x13 Under gunfire. Attacked, fight.

1x14 Attacked, pinned down, taunted. Girlfriend kidnapped, pushed to the ground, punched multiple times.

1x16 Attacked, pushed. Under gunpoint. Crying.

1x17 Furious, slams hand into door. Big fight, punched multiple times, on the ground, bleeding head wound, bleeding lip.

1x19 Attacked, fight.

1x22 Attacked, big fight, punched multiple times, kicked, bleeding.

Season 2

2x01 Fight continued, kicked, manhandled, bleeding hand. Emotional, crying. Bruised face.

2x02 Bruises from previous episode, attacked, punched multiple times, slammed to the ground, more bruises in face.

2x03 Bruises from previous episode. Under gunfire.

2x05 Attacked, fight, slammed against car.

2x06 Attacked, rolling down hill, kicked, punched multiple times.

2x08 Attacked, kicked to the floor, punched.

2x09 Under water fight, held under.

2x10 Attacked, punched, head butt, black eye.

2x12 Fight, punched, kicked. Drinks potion, stomach pain, heavy breathing.

2x15 Blinded, needs support, in pain, bruised eyes. Fight.

2x20 Attacked, punched, bruised face, under spell, angry.

2x21 Bruises form previous episode.

2x22 Punched, slammed to the ground. Infected with poison, ‘dead’.

Season 3

3x01 Still ‘dead’. Fight, infected, not himself. Plane crash, bruises/cuts on face. Attacked, head butt.

3x02 Bruises from previous episode. Attacked, manhandled, hit in the head. Outnumbered, kicked/punched multiple times, antidote taken. Shivering, weak, handcuffed, headache, sore.

3x03 Attacked, punched, kicked, on the ground, thrown, bloody cut on face.

3x07 Colleague kidnapped, attacked, outnumbered, slammed against wall.

3x10 Attacked, slammed to the ground.

3x13 Attacked, outnumbered, slammed against wall, head butt, punched multiple times, thrown to the ground, bruised face, manhandled, strangled.

3x22 Loses his Grimm powers.

Season 4

4x02 Extreme headache, falls to the ground, in pain, screams, heavy breathing.

4x03 Aftermath of head ache, needs help walking.

4x06 Headache, in pain, grunting, heavy breathing. Grabbed, manhandled, dragged, hair pull, sweating, powers returned.

4x12 Bounty placed on him.

4x14 Kicked, fight, on the ground, crawling. Emotional, face grabbed.

4x18 Attacked, slammed against the wall, strangled, can’t breathe, on the floor, heavy breathing.

4x20 Magic forces him to point loaded gun on best friend, fear.

4x21 Heavy breathing. Screaming over loss of mother.

4x22 Crying, emotional, on the ground. Fight, punched multiple times. Thrown to the wall, thrown through window, punched.

Season 5

5x01 Manhandled, outnumbered, chloroformed, unconscious. Breaks down crying. Attacked, kicked. Kicked on the ground, punched multiple times.

5x06 Surrounded, outnumbered, fight. Attacked, on the ground, power play.

5x12 Falls down hole, dirty. Cuts finger on purpose, ritual.

5x13 Thrown to the ground and through door, struggling.

5x20 Son taken from him, furious, throws chair.

5x21 Fight, punched multiple times, thrown through window, bruised face, arrested, manhandled, thrown into cell.

5x22 Bruises from previous episode. Outnumbered, handcuffed, manhandled. Humiliated, taunted, interrogated, strangled with magic, tortured, screaming in pain, under gunfire. Shot in the back, crawling, big fight, shot multiple times, falls down, healed with magical stick.

Season 6

6x01 Bruises from previous episodes. Wanted by police, on the run.

6x03 Potion taken, in pain on the floor, body changes. In a fight but he’s a different person/character. Slammed across room, in pain, bruised face.

6x04 Dizzy, trembles. Fight, punched.

6x11 Attacked, ripped his arm, bleeding, being chased. Slammed with magic against stone wall.

6x12 Magic fight, pushed to the ground. Thrown out of portal, bleeding cut on hands. Magically healed. Slammed to the floor, thrown across room.

6x13 Unconscious. Loss of loved ones, emotional. Stabbed in hand for ritual, bleeding. Magic fight, loss of loved ones, strangled. Screams in emotional pain. Fight, punched multiple times. Bruised face, sad.

I really love the Grimm stories, not so whumpy but has some scenes. I didn’t include all the whump cause he has a fight in every freaking episode WITH NO CONSEQUENCES!? Thrown through a window? Nah not even a cut is shown.

Trailer for the series.

[raayllum]

by the end of s5, what do you think separates claudia and callum (if anything) from being a villain vs a hero?

Oh, there's plenty that differentiates them! This may not be as articulate as I want it to be as I've spent most of the past 3+ years pointing out / trying to convince people of Callum's similarities to Claudia and Viren (which S5 finally cinched for me, beautifully) than having to describe their differences, but I'll do my best!

Callum very much has both the best and worst of Viren and Claudia when it comes to dark magic, where he kind of borrows from each of them in distinct ways to be the most.... reasonable 'dark mage' in a lot of ways, due to 1) his views on dark magic and 2) his motivations for using it. So let's dig into it.

1) Views on dark magic

Unlike Claudia, to Callum dark magic isn't something frivolous (hi dark magic pancakes) or something to aspire after. He's far more like Viren (and even then I don't think Callum would ever consider dark magic "brilliant and clever" even if it is very much practical) in terms of seeing dark magic solely as a last resort since, as I've laid out before, Callum knows it's wrong. That it's a dangerous, slippery slope, for him in particular. Callum is also just willing to do something he Knows is wrong and see it to fruition anyway.

(Now, this also plays into the series' theme of how it's always Easier to play into / perpetuate the Cycle than it is to take the harder path of breaking it, but post for another day.)

Claudia has come closer to this viewpoint in some ways in S4 (crying as she explains what she had to do to bring Viren back) but ultimately, she doesn't think/see/know Aaravos is 'evil'. She doesn't think she's doing anything Wrong But Justified because she doesn't see anything wrong with what she's doing in the first place ("Humans were born with nothing, but we still found a way to do amazing things. That's what dark magic is really all about" / "The elves and the dragons did nothing. They judged us. They pitied us" / "All through history dragons have had the power while humans lived in fear. Well times are changing"). Callum is not that, at all, hence the guilt (even if I think more of it stems now in S4/S5 from what he knows dark magic allows - Aaravos' possession that then in turn also puts his immediate loved ones in danger).

Therefore, Callum's views on dark magic are far more akin to Viren's - powerful, dangerous, a necessity that chips away at you and you alone if you do it right, if you can successfully spare other people. Viren's comfort with dark magic goes further than that, and Callum's comfort with it is lesser than that, but they are more similar I think in their views of dark magic than either of their views are to Claudia's.

Like, regardless, Callum fundamentally disagrees with dark magic - he doesn't like or want to hurt innocent people/creatures if he can help it (again, big difference between him and other two mages, even if there are definitely areas where who Callum views as 'innocent' could be improved). It's a Last Resort, but it's a Resort. His aversion, those reservations, those lines, those morals? They exist (which is a distinction) but ultimately do not matter when Ezran or Rayla are threatened.

Which is, I suppose, as good a time as any to talk about

2) Motivations

Viren's hierarchy is the 1) the world (which his family is a part of), 2) himself, usually (because he believes he is uniquely positioned to be able to help the world & make the right choices) and 3) his family. We see this hierarchy play out pretty succinctly in 1x02-1x03 with Harrow, almost beat for beat. As Viren says there (and in S5) Harrow is his family and means everything to him... but Viren is not willing to reveal or relinquish the dragon egg in hopes of stopping the assassination, because he would rather have himself or Harrow die rather than put a weapon into Xadia's hands. This is also why he's willing to warp Soren into a cinder beast in 3x07. Not only is he personally pretty far gone at that point, but he is willing to sacrifice his family (gaslighting Soren to keep Claudia tethered in 3x03, for example + "I would've asked you to choose the egg over my own life, if it came to it"). In some ways, S5 is showing that he lost that part of himself and is now reclaiming it, making it true in ways it hasn't always been. Love is what made him Lose Himself but also how he ultimately Found Himself again (which bodes very well for Callum's S6 arc, but anyway...)

Alternatively... Callum says "I value those close to me more than Anyone or Anything" (Tales of Xadia bio) and he unequivocally means it.

Callum loves Harrow dearly, but he still knows the safest place for Ezran in 1x03 is to get the fuck away from the castle, so he goes. He breaks the primal stone after watching Rayla and Ezran mutually cry and console each other as Rayla blames herself for Zym's imminent death. As discussed, he'll do dark magic in 2x07 even though he knows it's wrong because it's Rayla's life on the line. He'll jump off the mountain for her. He'll threaten and demand answers from Soren before and after learning that Ez could be in danger, and run right into a trap. He'll do literally everything he did in 5x08 for Rayla, as we know.

In this way, he is very similar to Claudia, who would likewise Do Anything for her family and always mean it, particularly her father (after all, Soren 'walked out' on her, not the other way around; she was still trying to keep them all together). It is worth noting now, though, that Viren has now circled back, so arguably all three of them are sharing in this Motivation, and prime for Aaravos' manipulation if Viren still has a further role to play (although his curtain may have closed lmao). After all:

But yeah, Callum and Claudia are two characters who have always had a steady flow of parallels and a particularly brutal slant toward each other (because their selective loyalty is not and never has been to each other) and the easiest way to have an audience still remain sympathetic to an antagonist is to draw parallels between them and a protagonist, so...

Obviously in TDP there are 'good' guys and 'bad' guys but I don't think the series is that interested in a pure black-white good vs evil dichotomy. Almost every antagonist character is still sympathetic, developed, interesting, and we can understand where they're coming from. The protagonists make plenty of mistakes and have plenty of their own biases and contradictions; it's what makes them interesting too! People aren't necessarily Villains or Heroes so much as they are people stuck in cycles of grief and violence, and the series being an exploration of how and where and why they do or don't (or can't) break those cycles. At least, that's what I find is most useful from a meta perspective.

I think ultimately what differentiates Callum and Claudia in my head is, as mentioned, the different ways they view dark magic even if they have exceedingly similar motivations for using it, as well as Callum striking me more as the type to fight so hard to save his loved ones while they're still alive, but not quite as inclined to go as far as Claudia did and follow through on a resurrection spell the way she did. He's better at emotionally processing (although it's a low bar to clear for her) and better at letting things go, and more respectful of his loved ones' wants (most of the time). If Ez and Rayla both died in tragic/traumatic ways, I think that could (understandably) really warp him to something close to Claudia, but so long as one lived, I think they could keep him from going off the rails.

Claudia left the train station a Long time ago.

More metas that may be of interest (written before S4 and S5):

How Viren and Callum stack up flaws wise (S1-S4, screencap S5 update)

How Callum's initial view of Zym differs from Ez and Rayla (S1-S3)

Callum's morality (S1-S4)

TDP's Perpetual Trolley Problem, or How the Show Frames / Deals with Sacrifice and Exchange (S1-S4)

The Interlocking of the Cycle's Wheel with Viren, Claudia, Callum, and Rayla (S1-S4)

[thunderbirds-showdown]

Round 3 came and went and took with it some fan favourites. We're halfway through the tournament now, and there are only a handful of episodes left! It's time to get your bets in as to which one you think will win!

The episodes that have been eliminated this round are:

1x02: Ring of Fire - Part 2

1x09: Slingshot

1x21: Comet Chasers

1x23: Chain of Command

2x02: Ghost Ship

2x06: Up from the Depths - Part 1

2x23: Long Haul

2x25: Hyperspeed

3x24: Firebreak

3x26: The Long Reach - Part 2

Previous eliminated episodes:

1x03: Space Race

1x04: Crosscut

1x05: Fireflash

1x06: Unplugged

1x07: Runaway

1x10: Tunnels of Time

1x11: Skyhook

1x12: Under Pressure

1x13: Heavy Metal

1x14: Falling Skies

1x15: Relic

1x17: Heist Society

1x19: Extraction

1x20: The Hexpert

1x22: Designated Driver

1x24: Touch and Go

1x25: Undercover

1x26: Legacy

2x01: Earthbreaker

2x03: Deep Search

2x04: City Under the Sea

2x07: Up from the Depths - Part 2

2x08: Lost Kingdom

2x09: Impact

2x10: High Strung

2x11: Weather or Not

2x12: Fight or Flight

2x13: Escape Proof

2x14: Volcano!

2x15: Power Play

2x16: Bolt from the Blue

2x17: Attack of the Reptiles

2x18: Grandma Tourismo

2x19: Clean Sweep

2x21: Inferno

2x24: Rigged for Disaster

2x26: Brains vs. Brawn

3x01: Chaos - Part 1

3x02: Chaos - Part 2

3x03: Path of Destruction

3x04: Night and Day

3x05: Growing Pains

3x06: Life Signs

3x07: Rally Raid

3x08: Crash Course

3x09: Flame Out

3x10: Deep Water

3x11: Endgame

3x12: SOS - Part 1

3x14: Signals - Part 1

3x15: Signals - Part 2

3x16: Chain Reaction

3x17: Getaway

3x18: Avalanche

3x19: Upside Down

3x21: Break Out

3x22: Buried Treasure

3x23: Venom

3x25: The Long Reach - Part 1