#reasons why bobby is my favorite character

[callmebrycelee]

MY DEFINITIVE RANKING OF THE 9-1-1 SEASONS

I got into this show back during the pandemic and I have grown to love all of the characters and the storylines. Now that I've finished season 7, I thought it would be fun to rank each of the seasons. Let's start with my least favorite season and work our way up to what I believe is the best season of 9-1-1.

#7 - Season 5

Why I chose this ranking? This season felt so disjointed. I usually enjoy the disaster episodes but the 3-part season opener seemed to drag on and on. I will say that the season drastically improved when Maddie and Chimney returned from Boston. Still, it sucked to have Maddie and Chimney gone for most of the season and then Michael and David left to go to Haiti. Eddie worked at dispatch which was weird and then they killed off Claudette right as I was finally starting to like her. What a strange season. I blame the pandemic.

Fave episode? "Boston"

Least fave episode? "Wrapped in Red"

Season MVP? Henrietta "Hen" Wilson

#6 - Season 4

Why I chose this ranking? Speaking of the pandemic. I don't think this was a bad season. I quite enjoyed this season and it was the first season I got to watch live. The disaster episodes (earthquake + mudslide) wasn't as grand as the previous disaster episodes. I will say that this season did deliver a lot of solid moments. We got to see Buck's backstory. Hen started medical school. Maddie gave birth. We got Josh's backstory as well. The treasure hunt episode was super fun and we ended the season with Eddie getting shot. Now that I think about it, the only reason this season ranks for low for me is because the other seasons are just so good.

Fave episode? "Buck Begins"

Least fave episode? "Parenthood"

Season MVP? Evan "Buck" Buckley

#5 - Season 6

Why I chose this ranking? Season 6 was a vast improvement on the hot mess that was season 5. We didn't get a disaster episode this season (unless you count the bridge collapse in the last episode) but that's okay because we got to see Athena catch the guy who killed the girl she knew growing up who went missing. We also saw Hen leave medical school. Buck got struck by lightning and Bobby and Athena tracked down the people who murdered Bobby's sponsor. We saw an alternate reality where Buck met his brother Daniel and Chimney finally proposed to Maddie. P.S., she said yes!

Fave episode? "The Devil You Know" and "In Another Life"

Least fave episode? "Death and Taxes"

Season MVP? Athena Grant and Evan "Buck" Buckley

#4 - Season 1

Why I chose this ranking? Unlike the first season of its spin-off series, I quite enjoyed the first season of 9-1-1. There are a few episodes I often revisit. The only downside to this season is the tone of the episodes and the characters. There's very little humor and everyone is the worst version of themselves. Athena is angry and prideful. Bobby is miserable. Hen cheats. Chimney lies. Buck is a ho. There's no Eddie nor Maddie. However, we do have Abby and I actually liked her before her character left at the end of the season. I do think that as the season went on, they figured out who each of the characters are. Buck toned down his rakish ways and actually became likable. Bobby let his walls down finally. Athena softened. Hen made up with Karen. Chimney got some self-esteem. Overall, a solid but short season.

Fave episode? "Worst Day Ever"

Least fave episode? "Point of Origin"

Season MVP? Bobby Nash

#3 - Season 7

Why I chose this ranking? Perhaps it's recency bias but I really enjoyed this short but bittersweet season. The change from FOX to ABC was a major boon for the series. The 3-part cruise ship disaster opener was well done and you can tell that the network poured a LOT of money into the episodes. Bobby and Athena survived their Poseidon Adventure-style honeymoon just in time for their surrogate son Buck to come out as bisexual. This was a major shocker for most viewers and a great choice for the character whom some had long suspected was not straight. Pairing Buck with former 118 firefighter Tommy was brilliant and it felt good to see Buck happy this season. Next, we got to see Chimney marry Maddie. Hen and Karen fostered a little girl named Mara and Eddie cheated on his girlfriend Marisol with a woman who looks remarkably like his dead wife, Shannon. We nearly lost Bobby and poor Eddie was left single and childless by the end of the season. Usually I'm exhausted at the end of a season but this season has left me super excited for season 8.

Fave episode? "Buck, Bothered and Bewildered"

Least fave episode? "Step Nine"

Season MVP? Tommy Kinard for saving Bobby and Athena and bringing happiness to our dear Buck's life.

#2 - Season 3

Why I chose this ranking? I honestly went back and forth on my number one and two choices. I really like season 3. It's so much fun. We start things off with a disaster episode (tsunami). Tensions get high when Buck sues LAFD putting his job and friendships in jeopardy. Eddie inexplicably joined a fight club. Hen is involved in an accident that takes the life of a young woman. Everyone goes to therapy. The dispatch center is hijacked. Abby comes back and Buck is finally given closure. Athena gets brutalized and almost killed by a serial rapist. Maddie finds out she's pregnant. We meet Chimney's half-brother Albert. We also get Athena and Eddie's backstories. Overall, this season is pretty amazing.

Fave episode? ""Sink or Swim" and "The Searchers"

Least fave episode? "Rage"

Season MVP? Athena Grant

#1 - Season 2

Why I chose this ranking? Without further ado, my favorite season of 9-1-1 is season 2! This, hands down, is the best season of the show and here is why. Episode 1, we get Eddie (and his 8-pack) and Maddie. We get an earthquake disaster episode. The 118 gets dosed resulting in Bobby losing his sobriety. We meet Norman and Lola. Wet get Hen, Chimney and Bobby origin stories. Maddie was kidnapped by her deranged ex-husband and she ended up having to kill him. Eddie's wife dies and Bobby and Athena get married after a firetruck crushes Buck's leg. This season from beginning to end is perfection. The tone of this season feels lighter and brighter .

Fave episode? "This Life We Choose"

Least fave episode? "Haunted"

Season MVP? Eddie Diaz and his cute as a button kid Christopher

[scoobydoodean]

I was wondering if you, as a Dean fan have opinions about the different writers? Mostly because I see a lot of Dean fans really strongly dislike Dabb for some reason and I don’t really understand why. I’ve never seen a concrete explanation beyond “he can’t write Dean/doesn’t understand Dean/actively hates Dean” but with no examples as to what he does that’s so bad. And I see this in every shipping lane. I don’t have a strong opinion about him as a writer one way or the other.

I'm exploring this more as I rewatch the show (currently on season 6) so I'll speak mainly from that perspective on my most recent thoughts. I am not a big fan of Dabb or Loflin, but have tried to be fair about things so far when talking through each episode. I am a fan of "Alpha and Omega"—it's my favorite finale (it's also... a finale for a season Carver started as showrunner? So I don't know what the implications are there as far as storyboarding). Also points for having demon Dean stab a guy through in 10.02.

I'll focus on the negatives you asked about in this post, but in the links you'll find me moving the narrative this way and that toward much more charitable readings... I think. (I do have a tag #dabb disk horse which you can either peruse or blacklist at your leisure). What I can tell you is something almost always strikes me as a off about Dabb/Loflin episodes so far in this rewatch in terms of character work.

Dabb/Loflin's first ever episode was 4.06 "Yellow Fever". In the aftermath, Kripke felt the need to release a definitive interpretation of their episode to the public, stating, "Dean is not a dick... he's a hero." The whole episode toyed with, to an extent, the idea that all the victims of the MotW were bullies. You can take this other directions—for example, queer meta, or meta about Sam as the real bully. However, the story a lot of fandom latched onto was that "Dean is a jerk and deserves to be humiliated and punished for that" which obviously didn't make Dean fans watching live in season 4 happy—and this theme of Jerk!Dean continues into their next episode, "After School Special", where they once again parallel Dean with a bully literally nicknamed "Dirk the Jerk" by Sam, and throw what I think is transparent shade at Kripke's issued statement from before the Christmas break (post here)... or maybe they mean to throw shade at the Dean fans who got angry. In this episode, they also make illusions to Dean wanting to have sex with barely legal high school cheerleaders, which also did not ingratiate them to Deanfans at the time. I said on my last rewatch, "In After School Special, Dean seems more unlike himself than any episode ever in the history of Supernatural up to this point" (post explaining that here). I carry similar sentiments about portions of 5.06 "I Believe The Children Are Our Future". Yes—I am aware of performing Dean meta. I just... feel like they try a little too hard. It feels hamfisted—desperate. To the point it doesn't feel like Dean anymore sometimes. In 5.06, they also have Dean (guy who is generally very protective of kids) suggest to Jesse that he'd be good to have in a fight???? I can see how they got there, but again—it just feels... off. The last episode I rewatched that they authored, 6.04 "Weekend At Bobby's", also leaves a bad taste in my mouth—not in what it's trying to do with Bobby or what it's trying to do on a meta level—but once again, with dialogue from Dean that just makes me think "he would not fucking say that" (post here). I think looking at all of these, you can probably see deangirl ire toward Dabb has a long history. It's been around as long as he's been around, whether he deserves as much ire as he gets or not.

I haven't circled back yet on this rewatch, but Dabb and Loflin also penned season 7's "The Girl Next Door"... do I need to say anything specific? Maybe I'll just link my entire #amy tag. What narrative did they want you to get from that episode? Who the fuck knows. And that's often the problem:

When you watch various episodes I've mentioned, you can work around to a meta that tells you something different than you might at first think the page conveys—something hidden and maybe contradictory. The thing is... you could also... not do that? And that wouldn't be so bad, except that sometimes the two narratives you can most easily grasp completely contradict each other. "After School Special" can be an episode that points to Sam's envy of Dean and John deep down and foreshadows Sam becoming a bully, but on a meta level, it also just as easily says Sam becoming a bully is somehow Dean's fault, and Sam is some poor captive baby. Dean is a creep and a bully and a cheater but we should all coddle him because he saw his mom die when he was a child and he's sooo sad. "Yellow Fever" can be a queer meta story and might also foreshadow approaching Bully!Sam in 4.14, but it also very much does call Dean a jerk (should we take that seriously? should we not?) and implies Dean should be punished for the outcome of three decades of reality-bending torture. Even if it's a queer meta underneath... it's just as easily one about how closeted men should be humiliated for cowardice or how being closeted turns you into an asshole.

Jumping way ahead, I have to mention 15.10 "The Hero's Journey" just because. Yes, it is full of jokes and Garth goodness, but also tries to sell you the story that nothing about Sam and Dean is real, to a degree that feels like you are being flipped the bird for ever watching this show. And again—you can make meta that it's all a ruse! But is it? Or is Dabb actually just telling you to go fuck yourself? Like he totally wasn't when, after the SPN finale when fans were Not Happy™️, he tweeted a sign reading, "Don't feed the baboons"? Yet again—we play into the motif of the "hero" who isn't a hero at all but some pathetic loser who deserves to be publicly humiliated, bookended with Dabb's opening episode in his opening season. I'm not saying that's what it is on purpose—but I am saying you can make these arguments easily, and that leaves me consistently annoyed with Dabb for being fucking sloppy and leaving me to deal with some of the most insufferable meta imaginable that carries little support outside of episodes written by Dabb or the Dabb/Loflin writing team.... Yes—I am in fact saying that Dabb and Loflin's hamfisted episodes (regardless of their intentions) are largely responsible for some of the most insufferable, loathesome fandom metas about Sam and Dean's relationship around.

Look at 5.16 "Dark Side Of The Moon", and 7.08 "Time for A Wedding!" and 8.14 "Trial and Error", 11.17 "Red Meat", and 15.20 "Carry On". Along with 4.13, while they might or might not say something deeper or contradictory on a meta level, on a surface level, every single one of these episodes sows the narrative that Dean is needy and clingy and needs Sam more than Sam needs him—something I intensely disagree with for a multitude of reasons... but I'll just link this. Many of these episodes also follow a surface level narrative of "normal life obsessed Sam" (and here I'll link my entire #sam the hunter tag and #in which sam is not a helpless little waif with his hands cast over his eyes being carried along by the tides of the immutable sea). When I look at this episode list, I also don't find it at all difficult to believe that Dabb wanted Dean to die in the finale. There is nothing at all shocking about that. And yes—you can argue he's pointing to the opposite—that this fate should be subverted and that's what makes 15.20 the dark ending, but I think you can just as easily argue that yes it's a dark ending and yes Dabb has always dreamed of this ending. A "tragic" ending where Dean dies and Sam goes on to have a white picket fence... while also leaving you little hints along the way that maybe it's all a big ruse because how could he not? He never has to explain anything. Someone else will pick up the story and make it make sense. He's already fucked off to piss all over fans of Resident Evil.

That said, when I mention what I feel is off character work, I mainly mention Dabb/Loflin episodes from my recent rewatch, which suffer from the two of them being newer to the series (coming onto the writing team in season 4) and also leave questions about whether, perhaps, they had conflicting ideas about characterization. Was Dabb the one penning these lines? Was it Loflin? Was it both? Did they trade out who took the lead? I didn't really say anything negative about "Sam, Interrupted" or "Jump the Shark"... (though "Sam, Interrupted" also calls Dean "codependent") who wrote those? Is it possible that the messiness of the meta comes down to two writers at war? I have to imagine though, that they got along, or else they wouldn't have written together for four fucking years. If they didn't get along...? My mind always comes back to their first solo episodes, right after splitting up in season 8. Dabb's first solo episode is "Hunteri Heroici"—the only episode to lend any perspective to season 8 Sam's reasons for abandoning everyone—paralleling him checking out with Fred's catatonia, which Sam has to save Fred from. It is the only episode that lends Sam sympathy in the early part of the season. He follows it up with "Trial and Error"—where Sam promises to save Dean from suicidal thoughts. Loflin's first solo episode is what I would regard as the most scathing solo episode commentary on Sam in the entire series—"Citizen Fang". Then he writes again right after Dabb's "Trial and Error"—penning "Remember The Titans" where Sam tells Dean to get over the promise Sam so passionately made in Dabb's episode and face reality.

This is why we're exploring this rewatch.

DISCLAIMER: Now I just devolve into bitching because I'm writing at 3AM. Proceed at your own risk.

It seems like these days, everyone demands an explanation for disliking Dabb (something about some sort of destiel battle... I don't know what that flamewar is and I don't give a damn tbqh.) I guess I've just been wondering what's actually so great about him. Because it feels like people have overcorrected to basically acting like he's god's greatest gift to mankind. People point to how meta his episodes can be, but I think other writers easily best him on that front on multiple occasions (particularly enjoyed by me so far on this rewatch: 3.10 "Dream A Little Dream Of Me", 4.04 "Monster Movie", 4.12 "Criss Angel Is A Douchebag"), and without leaving their meaning so up in the air that you don't even know what the hell they were actually trying to tell you because there are two different completely incongruous narratives you could just as justifiably claim were the intended one. Some people may find that duality praise-worthy. I don't. I find it sloppy—and when I add in mediocre character work, I just land on the side of him being, at the very best, mid.

Add him in as showrunner, you have... at least two of my least favorite seasons (13 and 15). Add that he's a one-trick pony in terms of the Sam and Dean conflicts mentioned above that he continuously rehashes rather than come up with anything new or fresh, and the same conflicts between Dean and Cas being played out until they both die (shut UP I'm not talking about canon destiel as the alternative—I am literally just asking for more diverse conflicts). I can't say I understand what I''m supposed to find so impressive.

(Before anyone so much as breathes this near me, Berens also sucks and I am going to tear off your nose hairs if you start bringing him up as if disliking Dabb for some reason means wearing rose colored glasses about Berens. Berens can eat a whole cactus raw over "The Trap" alone.)

[naomihatake]

In search of freedom (Ch. 3)

3. A change of heart

Chapter 2 ; Chapter 3 ; Chapter 4

⠀⠀⠀⠀She's been searching for freedom her entire life and everytime she thought it was laying right in front of her eyes, she was mistaken. She was running around the East Blue, seeking herself and her dreams, meeting people she never forgot. No matter how much she traveled, she could only catch a glimpse of peace before realizing everything would crumble at her feet.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Maybe it was destiny that brought her on that ship with three strangers — foolishly, that's what she tried to believe when the moon shined beautifully and hope settled in her chest, squeezed by the same ribcage where feelings were blooming.

Pairing: female!reader x OPLA Zoro Roronoa.

Warnings for this chapter: anxiety, tarot readings, canon typical violence, tension, mutual pining

Word count: 8k (um? It wasn't supposed to be that long, but I'm not unsatisfied at all)

Theme song: “Hoist the colors” by Bobby bass (click on the link)

A/N: I tried my best to add Zoro's perspective in this part. I don't know if I did a good job or not, but I'm experimenting with writing specific characters and personalities. I think I understand him a tad bit more than I did last time — in case you haven't noticed, I love psychoanalyzing my favorite characters and Zoro is one of them. The last chapter felt quick paced because of the fight, but this one is slow paced; I wanted to stretch the tension that way.

The reader is referred to as "Witch" because I have no intentions of using "Y/N".

I'm open for comments and opinions <3

"He has quite the bounty on his head," the witch commented as she looked at Buggy's wanted poster. 

Zoro's fingers gripped tighter at the hilt of his white sword after he huffed. 

"I should've killed him."

"And how were you supposed to be paid for it when you're a wanted man yourself?" Luffy laughed at him. 

Another huff left the swordsman's lips and he averted his eyes with a scowl. 

"I guess that's also right."

He tore the poster from the wall and squeezed it in his fingers, the paper getting destroyed right in front of his eyes. 

"Stupid clown," he muttered. 

A light chuckle got his attention; the witch who stood with her arms crossed right next to him didn't seem lively at all. Ever since they stepped on land in the Syrup Village, color drained from her face and she was constantly fidgeting and playing with her fingers. It was weird; the swordsman didn't spend much time with the other three, but they weren't impossible to read. 

She didn't seem the type to be so awfully quiet. She had smart comments sitting on the tip of her tongue and it wasn't necessarily hard to make her smile; if anything, Luffy's smile was so contagious and it influenced her greatly, Zoro observed. The straw hat wasn't the only one in that situation — each one of them was. The witch somehow knew what to say and how to treat them, how to approach a topic. 

Maybe that's why she was called a witch. For the life of it, Zoro didn't like to read between the lines and his usual blunt personality drew people away because they misinterpreted it as rudeness. Did he care? Not really. So why did he suddenly think too much about it? Why was he thinking of ways to get a word out of her mouth? 

The woman his eyes were fixated on didn't hear Nami when she appeared, coming back to earth only after Luffy nudged her side with his elbow. 

"Let's go find a ship."

She only nodded and followed along, burying one hand in the pocket of her pants. He saw when she bought a pocket knife from a stand and hid it. Zoro guessed her fingers were always curled around the knife for safety reasons, even if her fear seemed irrelevant — nothing was suspicious in that village. 

They were the only suspicious people around there. A navigator who is a thief, a green-haired tall man with three swords attached to his hip, a pirate who wore a straw hat and a beautiful witch. 

Beautiful, indeed, even if that word alone didn't do the woman enough justice. Not only the way she looked was pretty, but the way she carried herself, how stable she was on her feet, the sparkle in her eyes, the taunting mischief of her gentle smile. 

A smile that has been gone for half of a day, now replaced by anxiety. Even a blind man could see the unsettling feeling she was carrying. 

Zoro didn't realize when he took the opportunity of looking at her hair bouncing with each step after he chose to walk behind them all. He shook his head and shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, moving his gaze away. His mind shouldn't be wandering on useless things. 

Nami stopped in her tracks once they reached the dock. 

"We don't need something flashy, we have to sneak it out of here without anyone noticing."

"You mean we're gonna steal a ship?" Luffy furrowed his eyebrows. 

"Yes?" the navigator frowned. "Wasn't that obvious already? How else are we gonna get a ship?" 

"We can ask for one!" he beamed.  

"So you think that just talking with someone would bring us a ship?" 

The witch only sighed and shook her head at the other two's argument. 

"Fine," Nami gave in after looking for too long at Luffy's puppy eyes. "But if it doesn't work, we do it my way." 

"Deal."

Instantly, he walked away in search of a ship. 

"So, what's the actual plan?" Zoro asked nonchalantly. 

"You two look around and see how lax the security is around here. I'm gonna look for a ship and if we have enough luck, we will bribe Luffy into stealing one."

"I wish you luck," the swordsman smirked. 

That's how they split up, Nami heading in a different direction while the witch walked straight up ahead with one hand still in her pocket. He approached her after a few long steps, merely looking at her from the corner of his eyes. 

"If you keep walking around so stiff, people will guess we have something to hide."

"The only thing I have to hide is a pocket knife. On the other hand, you have three swords and no one looked at you suspiciously yet." 

Finally, she said full phrases. However, there was no change in her expressionless face. 

"What's up?" he fully turned his head towards her. 

"Hm?" 

Those beautiful eyes looked up at him curiously. 

"Is someone suspicious?" he asked. 

"No, just the air." 

Once again, she turned her face away before he was able to read what she was hiding. It didn't seem like something big or dangerous, but she was definitely acting shady. 

On top of it all, she wasn't exactly paying attention to her surroundings, since she didn't notice the two marines walking around the corner. Zoro wrapped an arm around her middle and placed a palm over her mouth, shoving the both of them between two buildings. 

Her fingers grasped at his wrist and if she wouldn't have reminded herself to let go of the knife, she could've cut him. 

"You could've just warned me," she whispered to him after she moved his hand away. 

They both noticed their situation way too late. Her back was pressed against his chest and his arm was holding her securely next to him. His fingers burned her skin even through the large shirt she was wearing. The air got knocked out of her lungs and for a moment, she remembered the second reason for her unsteady feelings — him. The pirate hunter she didn't like thinking of because it was better that way. 

When Zoro noticed the marines went away, he let go of her, even if too slowly. He let his suspicions get the best of him. 

"What are you hiding?" 

The witch — who just grabbed at his arm to move it away —  was in that moment frozen on the spot. 

"Nothing important."

From behind her, he couldn't see the way she frowned. 

"You're like a walking ball of anxiety." 

"I told you, it's just a shift in the air. Nothing important," she gritted her teeth, getting irritated. 

Why was she distant? Did she think he wouldn't believe in her intuition? — that's what she'd probably call it. 

She moved away after what felt like years, but her shoulders relaxed. It seemed like she figured out God-knows-what. 

"I don't like the energy. It feels like I'm gonna die soon."

"Did you see a black cat?" 

"No, I feel something crawling up my throat."

She resumed her walking and he kept up with her for the second time that day.

"Everything seems fine. I saw only those two marines and they were awfully relaxed," Zoro changed the topic. 

"Then, just like Nami guessed, the security isn't exactly top class," the witch responded. 

They walked around in silence, spotting Luffy on a ship with a goat figurehead. The swordsman could see the happiness bouncing around the straw hat who just called out at them. 

"Guys! I found it!" 

"Did you think for more than two seconds before choosing it?" the witch arched her eyebrow, amused. 

"Actually, one glance was enough to know this was the perfect ship for us."

"Why am I not surprised you were right?" Nami sighed. 

"He will sell it to us," Luffy pointed at a young man who walked behind him. 

"Um, actually, this is not for sale," he tries to smile, rubbing at the back of his neck in embarrassment. 

His golden-brown skin glistened in the early sun rays, which most probably meant he was working on something. 

"And I'm not a salesman," he added. "But my friend owns this ship." 

•┈┈┈•┈┈┈•┈┈┈

They found out his name was Usopp and the friend he was talking about was a girl who was celebrating her coming of age on that day. Kaya not only invited them to dinner, but insisted they could sleep over, considering they were “Usopp's friends”. The witch was still getting used to being called a friend or comrade, since she doesn't remember the last time that word was met with serious intentions. 

The girl's mansion was… big. It was like a labyrinth and even if Zoro was bad at directions, she thought it started to rub off on her the moment she walked towards the dressing room after taking a bath. The lights weren't particularly bright and the sun was setting by that time. The curtains were tied together, leaving space for the warm golden lights to bathe the hallways. 

Mystery clung to each artifact and painting. It was beautiful, yes, but there was a certain aura of that place that unsettled her. 

Not to mention the staff — she never thought it would come a day when she'd say “these people are weird”. For the past two years she's been traveling alone around the Blue East and she met dozens of people, one more intriguing than the other. However, that butler was suspicious. She wanted to believe he was just a father figure for Kaya and he was protective of her, but she couldn't. 

From the moment when she entered the dressing room — she's surprised she even found it —, she decided to answer some questions of her own. 

She shuffled her tarot cards in her hands, meticulously arranging each card that fell, putting them in order. It was confusing her — it was the second time she does the same thing, with the same question in mind, and she received the same ambiguous answer. Why did the cards have to be particularly hard to guess on that day? 

She ran her fingers through her hair and ruffled it, accidentally tugging harshly enough to make her frown deepen, but she held back a hiss. Maybe some pain would help her focus, instead of letting her mind waver. Luffy, who sat cross legged on the carpet, just like her, was analyzing her reactions because he had no clue what she was doing. 

"What do you see?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"Why are you whispering?" Zoro asked. 

The swordsman hasn't moved since he came into the dressing room and sat on a comfortable chair. He flexed his arms when he crossed them over his chest and threw one or two glances at the swords leaning against the armrest. 

"I don't know," Luffy whispered again, snapping his head towards him. 

She didn't pay attention to them at all. She had to admit that she felt better than an hour ago, before having the opportunity to take a bath, the reason why she was wearing a dressing gown only. It was so soft and the material felt perfect against her flushed skin, her collarbones exposed entirely. 

She was completely unaware of the gaze locked on her. The woman had no clue a specific swordsman was thinking more than he usually does. There was an inner battle he couldn't fight by using his three swords style. He occupied himself by focusing on the material things; the carpet was soft. 

Just as soft as her body when he glued her back to his chest to avoid those marines. 

"What do you think?" Nami smiled proudly after she appeared from behind the room divider. 

"You look like Nami," Luffy shrugged. 

The witch chuckled at the response. She didn't smile once since she entered that mansion, but she couldn't help her reaction. Instead, she raised her head to the orange-haired woman whose shoulders fell at the answer she received. 

After a few seconds of thinking, the witch decided to give her a real opinion:

"It compliments your body, but it isn't necessarily flattering — maybe you can find a few other options?" 

Nami nodded, moving around to search for something else. 

"I kind of feel bad for Kaya… she must feel lonely in such a big house," Luffy commented. 

The witch decided to avoid the conversation, her eyes stuck once again on the few cards splayed over the carpet. She took in a deep breath and then sighed. It made sense, but it didn't feel like a complete answer. She decided to turn the rest of the deck upside down and take the card on the top. 

"Dammit," she cussed out. 

It confused her even more, so she just put the card back in the deck. 

After a minute of spacing out, she managed to focus on the other three in the room. 

"Rich people don't feel emotions the same way we do," Nami said flatly. 

"She seems kind, though," the witch hesitated as the words left her lips. 

"That's a big word," Nami probably rolled her eyes, considering her tone. 

"Probably. She seems better than the butler, by the way."

"Have you guys seen him before?" Zoro asked, shifting in his seat. 

Immediately, the witch moved her head towards him. He answered a question she didn't even ask and her fears felt validated for a brief second. So he also found that man suspicious. 

"No, but I don't like him at all," the witch responded firmly. 

"How come you can talk so easily about people you just met? No offense."

Nami was still looking around for a dress when she talked. 

"It's not that I'm being judgmental — I can't assume what those people did or not. However, tell me, what about the staff makes you go 'oh, yes, they're good people'?" 

"Good point," she pulled her lips together in a straight line. "They're weird." 

The shuffling through clothes stopped, which meant Nami found something. Except, it wasn't for her, but for the swordsman who caught the caramel silky shirt that was thrown into his lap. 

The witch let out another long exhale and closed her eyes. She hoped she could ground herself in a way or another, despite the unhelpful air surrounding the entire house. It was suffocating and it felt as if there was a heavy press on the crown of her chest, making it hard to breathe. 

Seconds passed and the only thing she found in the depths of her thoughts was doubt and uncertainty. Nothing felt right, but she couldn't point out exactly what gave off that kind of aura. Slowing down her breathing didn't help either. 

By the time she gave up and huffed, Nami and Luffy were out of the room. She saw the glimpse of a red silky dress pooling around someone's legs. Said person was Nami, surely. 

A dress. Maybe it would be easier to hide a knife in her thigh holster. 

"You're staring at these cards like you're gonna find out something, but I doubt you found anything," Zoro got her attention. 

Once again, her fingers gripped at the strands of hair. Putting her confusion into words left a lump in her throat. 

"I don't know what's going on and it's annoying. I don't have time for life lessons."

"Going on with what?"

"This entire mansion, maybe?" she looked at him. 

His gaze made her skin tingle and she didn't know if she welcomed that foreign sensation or not. Everytime he talked, he managed to get her out of her thoughts, and she was both grateful and angry about it. For some reason, his stoic personality was safe in that maze. 

"The butler is hiding something, that I know for sure," she whispered this time. "I never saw him, but something doesn't feel right at all. Protecting Kaya? It sounds like bullshit to me, Zoro."

She was stubborn about the opinion she has of that man and maybe it was wrong, but did she really care? 

The swordsman didn't expect the sound of his name rolling off her tongue to stir something inside of him. It almost stung, her voice craving words in languages he's never spoken on his ribs. He paid attention, even if on a normal day he wouldn't listen to superstitions and the words of a probably insane witch. 

Except it sounded like she was the most sane of them all. 

"It probably won't make sense for you, but he's lying about something. He's not just a butler," she continued after glancing back at the cards. "He's fooling everyone and he's doing it well. This isn't what I'm actually concerned about — there's another lie I can't point out. The cards don't help. It feels like I'm being deceived, but for a good reason."

"By who?"

"I don't know. Or maybe I just want to avoid the answer."

She always hated her suspicious nature, the way her trust could be gained only by a few, and all of these people have been gone for years. She shouldn't be like that, it would be better if she'd have some faith in the people around her, if she'd allow herself to believe in them and their words. The ability to trust was a desire — something she wanted, but didn't have. 

Zoro's body tensed and his frown deepened when he realized she was suspicious about one of them. At the same time, her attitude didn't match up because she seemed to despise her own suspicions. 

Why was he so concerned about her? Yeah, right, he has no clue. Amazing. Perfect. 

"I hate this," she muttered under her breath. 

The witch put all of her cards in the deck and threw it on a chair after she stood up. Her eyes fell on the variety of clothes and she wondered what the fuck she was doing there in the first place. 

Why was she there? She didn't promise to stay with Luffy. She had the opportunity to remain in Syrup Village for a while and then leave, just like every time. What was she doing in that mansion, looking at too many clothes hung in a huge room? 

"Aren't you also gonna change?" she said without turning towards him. 

"Do you even trust us?"

The question had the same effect as the tight embrace she was pulled into a few hours ago. Her breath hitched and she hesitated, fingers clutching at the material of her dressing gown. 

The truth was other than what she thought of this entire time; yes. Yes, she did, and that was the most dangerous situation of them all. 

"I wish I didn't," she whispered. 

It was inexplicable, the faith she had in humanity after meeting Luffy. She would clutch at her heart and talk about how humans don't deserve her trust, she would talk for hours about how mischievous people are, that they adore taking advantage of others. 

So it was normal to despise that feeling of longing, the desire to get attached to people, the need for a connection. It was normal to fear a bad ending and it was even worse that she thought such a thing couldn't happen anymore. 

That was why the tarot cards confused her. They told a story different from the one her soul knew. What betrayal? What secret? Who was in pain they couldn't express? And why did she get the feeling that it wasn't exactly betrayal? 

Her answer probably satisfied Zoro, since he got up from the chair and took a black suit he noticed minutes ago. He didn't say a word, but his shoulders were relaxed again. 

•┈┈┈•┈┈┈•┈┈┈

The witch was the last one to arrive downstairs, in a room that seemed like a living. She found it uncomfortable to wear a dress in a house filled with strange people, since it held her speed back and it wouldn't be exactly easy to defend herself. She opted for a dress she could move in, only squeezing her waist and chest, fluttering around her knees. It was long enough to hide a knife in her thigh holster. Getting discovered wasn't on her to-do list, but she had to ensure her own safety. 

While she changed, her mind wandered… would any of them help if something happened? Her guess was that yes, they'd jump into action. 

Without noticing, after she walked down the stairs, she gravitated close to the swordsman. She was with her back at one of her comrades, never out in the open, sharp eyes scanning each corner of the room. The table in the middle was strong, she figured out after she tapped her nail over the surface. If there were guns involved, she could use it as a shield. 

"You should try these!" Luffy spoke with his mouth full of cookies as he looked towards her and Zoro. 

"I have everything I need right here," the green-haired man responded with a smirk. 

There was a glass of cocktail in between his fingers and he took a long gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. Only now, the witch took her time to gaze at the expense of his shoulders, the suit fitting him perfectly. Considering how casual he dresses, it was surprising to see that kind of formal attire hugging his body so deliciously. The usual cockiness of his smirk was still present, just like the hand shoved into the pocket of his black suit pants. 

Roronoa Zoro was more attractive than she liked to admit. His sharp jawline and the smallest bump at the base of his nose, the tall stature, those deep brown eyes sparkling in the light of a candelabra — damn, he looked like he'd been sculpted by the gods, despite the lack of belief he had in such almighty beings. The air was tight when she inhaled and she almost felt bad for ogling at him — almost, because the first time she met him, she was busy sweeping the floor with some Marines. 

A feeling of control and steadiness oozed out of him, pulling her closer like a spell. For the briefest moment, her shoulders relaxed at the reminder that she's not alone there, that there are three other people she can put an ounce of trust in. That was the least she could do at that time. 

With her arms crossed loosely over her stomach, the witch watched the interaction between Nami and a businessman — he looked and acted exactly like one, but lacked the mischief. 

She missed the glance the swordsman threw at her, a look that lasted for too long to be friendly, but short enough to miss it. No, he thought to himself before taking another gulp of the liquor in his glass. He doesn't have time to indulge into such things. 

The witch sighed at her own observations; she should unwind for a little while. She picked another glass of cocktail that was on the table and sipped, furrowing her eyebrows. 

"It's sweet," she mumbled, surprised after licking her lips. 

"Don't confuse sweetness for how strong it is," Zoro chuckled. 

That simple sound made her heart skip a beat or two, bringing an uncomfortable sensation in the pitch of her stomach. 

"Beginner's mistake, I suppose," she shrugged. 

Too bad she wasn't exactly a beginner. 

The talkative Usopp and Luffy stopped, which caught her attention; these two were the loudest people she's ever met in her entire life. Kaya was walking down the stairs, her slim arms curled around one of Klahadore's — the butler. 

Only now, the witch took her time and looked at her. The pastel pink dress drained the life out of that girl, as if her pale skin didn't do that enough. Her cheeks were sunk and her smile seemed fragile like glass. She still remembers the cough that ripped through Kaya's lungs like an old knife. 

Usopp looked at her as if he saw his dream before his eyes. He was love-struck. 

The witch smiled at the realization. A puzzle so easy to solve.

The only thing Luffy loved as much as his dream and crewmates was food. Behind the door where the stairs ended, there was a big table filled with too many plates to count and a variety of dishes. His eyes sparkled as if there was gold. 

A simple minded person, indeed, and maybe that was for the best. 

She couldn't rest. She was on high alert, her heart beating faster each time her eyes glanced over at the butler. The fork in between her fingers stabbed the meat in her plate once in a while, but the knot in her stomach was difficult to undo. The only reason why she managed to remain steady was the swordsman who sat to her left and — by some powers bestowed by the gods — felt steady and safe. His presence pulled her back to reality, stealing her attention. The witch has never been more glad not to be alone. 

"We wanted to talk with you about a ship," Luffy said with a big smile on his face. 

"Right," Kaya smiled back, letting her fork down. "Usopp told me you are sailors."

"We aren't sailors, we are pirates."

Damn it, Luffy! 

The witch gulped, squeezing her eyes shut at their captain's excitement. This was about to end very badly. 

•┈┈┈•┈┈┈•┈┈┈

The dinner ended abruptly. Kaya had a coughing fit and she wasn't feeling well, meanwhile, the butler blamed it on Luffy, who got on the table and had an entire speech. They weren't welcome there anymore and were supposed to leave at the first hour in the morning. 

The witch found each opportunity not to be alone, aware it wouldn't be in her advantage in case something happened. When she saw Nami head back to their guest room, the witch followed her. She needed to change out of that dress into something she could run and fight in, like her usual clothes. 

After locking the door behind her, she looked at Nami who was already slipping her arms out of the sleeves of that beautiful red dress. 

"I didn't get to tell you that you look stunning in that, by the way. Definitely the best choice," the witch mumbled as she averted her eyes to offer some privacy. 

"Not really the moment to talk about dress up, is it?"

"I know, but some compliments wouldn't hurt anyone, right?"

Wrong, apparently, since Nami stilled in her tracks. The witch decided to sit in silence for a while, while she changed from the dress as well, pulling on a plain t-shirt and some comfortable jeans she tucked into her boots. 

The woman was aware of Nami who was moving behind her, now holding a pillowcase in between her fingers. It was clear she tried to move fast and leave the room before she could be noticed. 

"Wanna be petty towards that rude butler?" 

"It's not like anyone would notice. She's filthy rich," Nami mumbled through gritted teeth, disappointed about being caught. "Do you have eyes at the back of your head, by any chance?"

"Nope," the witch accentuated the p sound. "Just associating the rustling with the source." 

"Did you eat some kind of sensory devil fruit?"

"Got born with it," the woman joked lightly. 

Only then, she turned towards Nami, who stood tall, head tilted towards her. The witch was convinced about the suspicion she had while doing that tarot reading, but this time there wasn't a turmoil in her chest. The thunderstorm stopped, despite the clouds still covering the sky of her mind. 

"Be careful roaming around with a pillowcase in your hand. We'll get in trouble if anyone catches us, especially the staff. They're creepy as hell."

"The girl hissed at me," Nami scoffed. 

"Gods," the witch placed her hand on her forehead and shook her head. "Do you have any guesses about where the others might be?"

"Zoro drank like two bottles of alcohol, so I'll suppose he's searching for more."

The witch smiled softly at the response, despite the fact that she missed the undertone of Nami's answer. 

"Don't tell me you were curious about Luffy or, worse, Usopp."

"Hm?" 

An intelligent retort. The witch gulped down and looked away, biting at the inside of her cheek. 

"I mean, Luffy gets himself in trouble all the time, it's not hard to find him."

"Are you acting stupid with me?" 

Nami was grinning like the devil itself. Dammit, did she really have to be so observant? 

"I'm pretty aware I'm smart, actually, so I don't get where this comes from," the witch whispered. 

There was a hue pink covering her cheeks and she was fidgeting with her fingers behind her back, doing all of these gestures unconsciously. She felt like an idiot at that moment, she had to admit. 

Then, as if lightning struck her, she widened her eyes for a brief second. She didn't even know why she was there, in that mansion, surrounded by strangers she wanted to put her trust into. 

"What are you thinking of?" Nami asked. 

"None of us promised to become a crew," she shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

The navigator narrowed her eyes at the witch whose shoulders fell, the shyness she felt earlier deflating. 

"It looks like it matters to you, though."

"That's exactly why I'm saying it," she smiled sourly. "Gotta make myself believe otherwise." 

Silence stretched between the two of them. Two women who had stories and feelings to hide knew when to stop from asking questions, even if it would end up bloody later. It was clear both of them wanted to avoid sensitive subjects, even if the witch barely noticed when Nami started being the interrogator. 

"Be careful, Nami," the witch smiled at her sincerely. "Usopp may be good at bluffing, but I'm better at playing the innocent. If you need someone to gaslight the shit out of the butler, just tell me."

I know what you do is wrong, but I believe you'll make a wise decision by the end of this all. I believe in your reasoning and I hope you can put your trust in me as well. 

"Noted," and with that, the navigator left the room. 

The witch almost got lost in that labyrinth again. She wanted to go to the kitchen, place where Luffy most probably was, but maybe she walked down a bit too many stairs and headed to the wrong side of the mansion. 

She saw a tall figure in the dark basement where barrels full of wine were arranged with utmost care. She furrowed her eyebrows when she saw Klahadore standing in the way, making one step back. Face to face with him was Zoro, who was ready to draw his sword out of its scabbard, but he quickly got hit in the back of his head by someone.

The witch's eyes widened, but she received the same treatment by someone who managed to sneak behind her back. 

•┈┈┈•┈┈┈•┈┈┈

Her head ached, sending daggers all the way to her forehead. The witch let out a guttural groan and her hand flew to her nape, caressing the sore spot.

When her eyes opened, she was greeted by the dead body of Merry, the business man she noticed at the dinner. She flinched, scrambling to her feet, which wasn't an intelligent idea. Her vision blurred black and she felt dizzy, suddenly unsteady. If not for Zoro's grip on her arms, she would've fallen ungraciously on her butt. 

"What the heck?" she mumbled. 

After a few seconds that felt a bit too long, she couldn't understand exactly why it was so cold in that place. Her chin tilted back so she could look up at the night sky. 

They were at the bottom of a well. 

"We have to get out," Zoro spoke in a gruff voice. 

He sighed heavily and let go of the witch, while she looked at him with the face of are you fucking serious? 

"How?" she spoke without thinking. 

After a failed attempt to escape by using a long rope with a big hook attached to it, she tried using her short knives to stick the blades in between the rocks; it didn't work either. 

There was only one option left and she was speechless. 

Her heart sank when she watched Zoro grip at the rocks. He was strong, yes, definitely stronger than her on the physical side, but what if he couldn't climb up? What if he would fall? 

Then I'd catch him. We either die here together or we get out together. 

Her mind was set. She watched him carefully, gulping when she watched him struggle. His weight might do some damage if she dared to be reckless enough to catch him, but he was the only one who could climb those rocks. If she would've tried, she'd surely fall.

Just like she supposed, his fingers didn't grip well enough at one of the rocks and his feet slipped. He lost his equilibrium and wasn't fast enough to clutch onto another rock or stabilize his foot in time, and he fell back. 

Maybe that witch was more reckless than anyone would've guessed. On top of it, she was selfless enough to believe that if he managed to get out and get help, it didn't matter what happened later, so she tried her best to mitigate the impact.

She was right — air got knocked out of her lungs when his body fell on top of hers and she groaned, but at least he didn't break some ribs. Her arms were wrapped around his waist and her fingers clutched at his shirt. Pain traveled through her body quickly and didn't disappear, but the adrenaline paid off. 

"Are you alright?" she asked him in a hurry. 

"You're insane," Zoro concluded, exasperated. 

His back was glued to her chest and he tilted his head to the side to look at her. Maybe, for once, he was right about her. 

"I'd rather break one of my ribs. You're the only one who can get us out," she argued with a frown between her eyebrows. 

The witch looked away and blinked. She didn't want to focus on how hot the air felt, despite the bone chilling cold in that tight space. The butterflies in her stomach could be ignored if she gathered enough self control in time. 

However, Zoro didn't move. He seemed troubled, completely out of it as he continued to look up at the night sky with a scowl on his face. His entire body was tense and he was deep down in his thoughts, especially since he didn't move a finger since he disagreed with her idea of "helping". 

As if struck by lightning, he got back up, following the same steps from earlier. 

"Be careful." 

He stopped in his tracks right after his fingers gripped at some rocks. 

"Move away if I fall again."

"I won't move and you won't fall." 

It pushed him at the edge, mingling with the memories flowing through his mind about his long lost friend, about the girl whose strength he admired so greatly it made him move again. For a brief second, he thought of himself as a coward for overthinking the process. He either got out alive and managed to get her out as well, or they were both doomed — there was no in between. 

Steadily, a tad bit slower than before, he climbed up the wall. His body ached at the effort when he was more than half way through and he would stop for a few seconds before making another move, clutching at another rock that would get him higher. 

Despite being so low, several meters under the ground, her trust in him didn't waver. Her heart squeezed with worry, but she wanted to follow her instinct and how much she believed in him, even if it was unusual. Maybe it was because of his stubbornness, since if he was set on something, there was no way of stopping him. 

He lost his equilibrium for a fraction of a second. Her breath hitched, eyes widening, his name stopping on the tip of her tongue. 

His foot slipped and some dust fell to the bottom of the well, next to her. She breathed out in relief when he was quick enough to grip at another rock. 

The witch didn't doubt him one bit when he finally got out of the well. He kept the rope he found in the well at his waist while he climbed up, so he could help her get out too. 

From up there, Zoro held tightly onto the rope, just as tightly as she did, even if her fingers hurt and she didn't exactly trust her body to be strong enough. She gripped at the cord and climbed the stone wall, gritting her teeth whenever it seemed like she might fall.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Repeat.  

It was a slow process, which was worrisome from her perspective. She advanced, but the longer she struggled, it felt endless. 

For the record, she believed in Zoro more than she believed in herself — she didn't have low self-esteem either. 

"Look up," he reminded her firmly. 

He prompted his feet into the ground and held tightly, waiting for her. 

"Trying," she mumbled to herself. 

Slowly, she got closer and closer to the exit. Zoro bent his torso and curled his fingers around her forearm, managing to help her out. 

"Fuck," she cursed. 

Her breath was labored and she was sweating heavily, a droplet falling from her temple to her jaw and down her neck. She let herself on the grass, her arm still in his hand. 

"I owe you my life," she breathlessly mumbled. 

Unconsciously, her fingers were clutching onto his arm for support, even if her knees trembled from the tumult she went through. 

"We have time for that later," he brushed it off. "We have to find the others." 

"That butler isn't new to killing people who stand in his way. We better hurry before he chops us off." 

"His name is Kuro. He was the captain of the Black Cat Pirates and supposedly died three years ago, when Axe-Hand Morgan killed him — the Marine Captain we encountered back in Shell Town."

The swordsman kept his grip firm on her, carefully bringing her back to her feet while he talked. 

"I saw his face on a wanted poster some time ago, but since he was presumed dead, no one cared anymore."

"He looked very much alive to me," the witch retorted. 

"I was with Usopp when I went to get wine and he managed to escape from the butler. Maybe he went to search for help, even if I doubt any untrained person could harm these pirates. Luffy was in the kitchen, eating some weird blue food." 

Zoro let go of her and walked in the opposite direction of the mansion and she looked at him confused.  

"Oi, Zoro, the house is the other way—"

Then, when she looked at the path that went through the forest surrounding the mansion, she felt a pull towards it. She furrowed her eyebrows and continued staring.

"You go that way. Nami is surely still inside."

"You just said I went in the opposite direction, though?" Zoro arched his eyebrow at her. 

"Usopp searched for help, but if we think about it, Kaya said he has a lot of stories to tell. He's bluffing a lot, even if with no bad intentions. Maybe he found someone — if there's no sign of life on the path, come back."

"And you?" 

"I'll find Nami and Kaya somehow." 

Zoro didn't believe in superstitions and higher beings, but he trusted her instinct, so he headed the other way. The witch opened the door slowly, making no sounds. She slipped inside and looked around for an insane pirate who hisses — these two were creepy. 

The young woman flinched when all the light suddenly disappeared and behind her, a heavy metal wall met the floor, stopping everyone from moving in or out of there. Fuck. 

She gripped with both of her hands at the daggers she held at her hip, holding them securely. With slow steps, the witch made her way through the house. The big candelabrum hanging from the ceiling marked the way to enter and leave the house. To the left was the kitchen and to her right was the living room. The guest rooms and dormitories were upstairs. She still remembers which one was her room for the might and the bathroom. 

If she didn't want to die there, she had to quickly figure that place out. 

She heard one single step from the stairs and her attention shot up. Sham looked at her perplexed, but grinned widely. 

"You were supposed to be dead, little mouse."

"Don't confound me with your food," the witch held the knives tighter. 

Instantly, the woman jumped at her with a mop in her hands. The witch dodged the attack with a knife and the one that followed, bending her knees to avoid getting hit again. She tried to cut Sham's leg with her knife, but the maid was fast, jumping back in time. 

Zoro, if you get lost on the way back, I'll wake up from the dead and kill you, she thought to herself. 

"Captain Kuro will kill Kaya tonight and there's nothing you can do to stop him." 

Sham's wooden mop clashed against the witch's dagger and avoided the knife which almost sunk into her shoulder. Sham attempted to make her fall by kicking her legs, but the witch made a light jump before she could fall. 

It would draw attention to her and the cook might appear out of nowhere, but the witch sheathed one of the knives and pulled a pistol, aiming at the hissing woman. 

"I'm too fast for your shitty guns, girl."

Yeah, sure. It was her time to grin at Sham. 

Her eyes followed each of the maid's movements, moving her arm just in time to shoot her side. Sham was lucky enough to move out of the way, but the next bullet scarred her upper arm, another hiss leaving her lips. 

"Fuck."

Aw, the kitty was angry. 

The witch widened her eyes when she saw Sham pull a sword that seemed more suited for decor. She had to dodge the next attack, the blade almost touching her neck when she stopped it with her knife. 

"Hey, Sham, do you need some help?" 

The witch gulped at the new voice. It was the cook. 

"I don't really think so." 

The witch jumped back before her neck got cut, breathing heavily. She had to block other attacks while she attempted to find a weak spot, an opening to shoot and do it well. 

The witch groaned when the blade left a deep and clean slice on her left upper arm. It stretched horizontally on the side. The shock almost paralyzed her and blood was quick to flow down her arm. 

She tossed a knife through the air, the tip sinking straight into Sham's right arm. 

A weight sound caught her attention and she turned her head towards the metal wall behind her that was slowly being lifted up by strong arms. Who the fuck could—

Oh, right. They had a bulky swordsman as part of the crew. 

"Took you long enough," the witch muttered through gritted teeth. 

Luffy bent down and smiled at her widely. 

"Sorry for that."

"Keep apologies for later. Go after Kuro — he wants to kill Kaya." 

Zoro followed the straw hat, straightening his back when he got inside. His eyes narrowed when he saw the crimson liquid covering the witch's arm, drawing his swords out. He could use the adrenaline pumping through his veins against the man who launched an attack at him. 

"Go, Luffy. We'll keep these two occupied," he instructed. 

The scent of blood filled the witch's nostrils. She aimed the gun at Butchy and the bullet flew right next to his ear, stopping him from hitting the swordsman. Sham was bold for taking the knife out of her arm and running towards the witch with the weapon in her hold. The witch stumbled and her back glued the floor, both her hands gripping harshly at Sham's arm, stopping the tip of the knife a few centimeters above her eyes. 

"You little bitch," the pirate hissed at her. 

The witch kicked the maid into the stomach with her knee, pushing her off of her. Luffy disappeared and the sound of blades clashing against each other filled the room. 

Zoro used raw strength whenever he attacked Butchy, his swords almost cutting through the man with swift gestures of the wrist, elbows angled perfectly. He had more fighting experience than her and it showed, so she was more than just happy not to get sliced in half by the other two. 

She cussed when she remembered she had only one revolver, the other one left in the room. She had three bullets left. 

Her head got cloudy when she quickly got back to her feet, her breathing labored. She was tired and the only reason why she ignored her bleeding wound was the adrenaline. 

This time, when Sham attacked with the mop, the witch only moved to the side and took advantage of the opportunity to cut with the knife through the flesh, the tip sinking deeper and deeper into the maid's stomach, until her body went limp. 

The witch let Sham fall to the floor and stepped back. She felt her pulse pump through her head, slowing her down. She tried to focus on breathing evenly and eventually not passing out. 

She heard a loud thump — the cook was down and Zoro sheathed his swords. He didn't break a sweat, or so it looked from her blurry perspective. 

A sound rang through the air sharper than her daggers and it lit her on fire. The sound of her name being spoken with worry latched onto Zoro's voice. 

He walked down two or three stairs at once, undoing the bandana from his head and wrapping it around her wound. She hissed when he knotted the material tightly in order to stop the bleeding. 

"Thanks," she whispered, her body still tense. 

•┈┈┈•┈┈┈•┈┈┈

"Don't mention it," Luffy smiled widely at Kaya. "We couldn't have let him hurt you or deceive people anymore."

If it wasn't for his rubber body, maybe they wouldn't have gotten out alive, but luck sided with them again. 

"I could never thank you enough, but this is all I can do for you now."

The witch stared at the goat figurehead of the ship Luffy was enamored with. Kaya talked, but the words weren't registering in the woman's ears since a small little creature curled around one of her legs. The black cat mewled sweetly and begged for attention, a luxury it received quickly. The witch crouched down and petted the animal with a smile on her lips, brushing her fingers over the soft fur. The cat purred loudly, rolling on its back and pawing at the woman, greedy for affection. 

"How's your wound?" 

When she lifted her head, her eyes met Zoro's. One of his hands rested on the hilt of his Wado Ichimoji and the other was stuffed into the pocket of his jeans — she learned that was one of his most relaxed stances. 

His bandana was still wrapped around her upper arm and the bleeding stopped long ago. She didn't get the chance to properly clean her arm or tend to the cut, but she felt content. 

"I'll care for it on the ship after we set sail," she said in a soft voice. 

Yes, that was the voice that made his heart hammer in his chest, he remembered. Finally, after a day filled with anxiety and panic, he could watch her shoulders relax, even if he wasn't exactly pleased with her lack of attention. 

"Let's go!" Luffy shouted at them. 

The witch stood up, wincing at the smallest movement of her arm, and that didn't go unnoticed by the swordsman. 

She still avoided his question, he concluded. She said she'll care for the wound, not how it felt. 

He tapped the hilt of his sword repeatedly and took a decision he didn't know if he'll regret later, following close behind her. 

Tag list: @emelia07 @dimplewonie @tfamidoingwithmylife @murnsondock @the-skys-musical-echo @conspiracy-crows @hallow33nz @ramae17 @gaslysainz @bunntsu @katt58 @katiemrty @hopefulrascalstatesmantoad @freyademartel @boofy1998

[papabearbobbynash]

So i want to share some thoughts here, because I've been spiraling until now and I'm not sure I will ever stop until the episode airs. About the bathena fire, I really want to believe is the opening scene of the episode considering Bobby is in his LAFD hoodie sleeping on the couch in entrance hall (???) of their house, something that clearly feels displaced. The following would be we watch him wake up from said dream and then the 9-1-1 intro comes. Would connects the audience with latest episode and set to them that Bobby isn't well. However, the bts of Athena in her black leather jacket with a gun in her hand is preventing me from thinking it's only a nightmare, because i don't think they would have time to introduce a random call in the middle of the chaos of storylines happening in this season, unlest they are short calls) but also in those bts Athena doesn't not have her badge at all (different from the S4 snyper chase), it could be due not being necessary on the scene (close up) but it's an interesting point to analyse.

And this makes me think about the conveniently unwrapped loose of the cartel situation, because showing that to the audience feels like it's a narrative choice.

So i'm lead to believe it's either it's a nightmare and something else happens to Bobby that set Athena in rampage, or the fire is actually happening in bathena house and we are actually being mislead into thinking the fire was a preview mislead purposely, because of the previews misleading us last episode. when i said i was spiraling i mean it My current favorite theories i've seen around are:

1 - Bobby has a brain injury

To me this seems like a very plausible theory where Bobby has a brain injury from the car accident in the desert and since he didn't get check, he is only now showing signs. Also fits to how this season seems to be playing with the characters minds and mentality (Chimney hallucinating with Doug due a disease, Eddie daydreaming about Shannon after seeing Kim). A brain injury would explain Bobby having hallucinations (if it's the case with bathena house on fire) and such injury probably contribute to his mental state that clearly downgrading. However I didn't find a reason to why would Athena be on the same "mode" she was when trying to catch the sniper in S4.

2 - Bathena house is actually on fire

At first I though the writers would be evil and play a "Bobby accidentally set the house on fire when making cookies" pretty much throwing a callback to 7x08 and making an even better job triggering himself, but In the 7x08 previews, seems like the fire started on the yard's door, like something was thrown on it and went boom. So maybe there are some shenanigans with the cartel. Since Herman got hurt in the car accident and they stole Bobby's car (what is a plot tool to keep both Bobby and Amir in the desert, but it can also be used for later). Also the fact the accident happened after Herman told to the guys both Amir and Bobby were with him is conveniently fitting for a narrative like this. I mean the guy got on an accident and got arrested so maybe there is some revenge in Bobby's plot, but not as we thought. This would also explain why Athena seems to be in chasing mode (with that face lol she looks really not in the best mood). Because not even lord will save those man from Athena, if they're the reason Bobby ends in the hospital

Another thing that contributes to this theories is how she seems to be approaching Amir. Could be to help Bobby with his mental state for sure (i would prefer if it was the case) but the thing is the way she put it "I think my husband is in danger" i feel like she would do different if it was to reach out Amir about Bobby's mental state. It feels like she is voicing a thought and her best source of info regarding that is Amir, and he also might be a potential target (since y'know he shot that guy on the road).

3 - Coma!Bobby / injured on the big fire from bts

This one is quite short because we have so little details regarding what that fire is, but this is more an assumption based on the show history.

So we have that big fire, and Bobby seems to be working still in some bts, but his mentality is in a place where he believes he doesn't deserve to be alive at all. People are assuming this means he is well, but, guys, this man did bottle up his feelings for a long time, he surely might be trying doing now. Would also be lovely to the team perceive the strange behavior or their captain. Anyway theory here is that he ends up in coma after being hurt due saving someone in that fire, be a civilian or one of the team (for extra angst as Tim seems to be in the mood this season lol). And it happens the fire was criminal and then it explains why Athena is in chasing mode in some bts. Also explain other pictures such as the one of Bobby with the ladder behind, that could very well be from before the whole thing happens.

Anyway what you guys think, do y'all have any other theories around that seems fit the content we have? Particularly i think those theories doesn't explore much the healing of Bobby's current mentality, mostly because I believe (hope) this is going to be extended to S8, where Bobby's arc is to deconstruct that mentality he is rn.

[bumblingest-bee]

broadway shows ranked by how much my mother, who knows nothing about musical theatre, enjoyed them:

come from away: 10/10. her favorite part was that there were old people in it (honestly very real of her) and also The Kevins. i think she liked the music the most out of any show i've seen with her

merrily we roll along: 9.5/10. she talked nonstop for a week about how much she loved it. her favorite character i think was mary but she's really obsessed with joe for some reason ("he's just so pathetic!!")

some like it hot: 8/10. she loves golden age style musicals so she liked the music and vibes. she thought it was very funny but the extended tap-dancing was boring

phantom of the opera: 7/10. she liked the music a lot but i don't think she had strong opinions on it other than "why was this love triangle a dilemma at all." (if we were ranking this based on how much my dad liked it it would be like 11/10 bc i saw it with him another time and he was obsessed)

sweeney todd: 6/10. she is not the kind of person who enjoys cannibalism and blood everywhere, though she thought mrs. lovett and the beadle were hilarious.

company: 5/10. thought it was kind of depressing, which, to be fair, that revival was. she was sufficiently entertained by the couples but was completely uninvested in bobbie's storyline ("she has commitment issues! who cares!") so somehow she had the exact same take on the production as me.

[canonicallyobserving911]

Eddie Diaz: 7x7, 7x9 and 7x10

Eddie Diaz is my favorite character but I still don't like the storyline they gave him for the end of the season.

(Full disclosure: I did a similar post about Bobby's storyline but before 7x9 airs, I decided to do one about Eddie too.)

It's been a couple of weeks since the plot or whatever TM (showrunner) is trying to do with Eddie's character was revealed (man is obsessed with his deceased wife's doppelgänger but he ignores the woman who's been by his side the entire time) and I still HATE it. Therefore, I'm not looking forward to whatever this raggedy "Vertigo" storyline is supposed to be for multiple reasons.

The main reason why I don't like it is because IMO, Eddie's storylines have always taken a backseat to those written for other main characters and the truth is he hasn't had a storyline all his own since he was involved in the illegal fight club in season 3. All of his other storylines were made to be about someone else or they weren't given adequate room to be developed, i.e., the shooting, his PTSD and his return to the 118 at the end of season 5. His breakdown was shoved into the last 5 minutes of 5x13 then he went to therapy once afterwards but the audience didn't see any more of his sessions.

Also, if his storyline didn't take a backseat, he was sidelined for the majority of a season (for most of season 6, he was treated like a side character with nothing to do for 13 out of the 18 episodes and the ones they gave him in 6x7, 6x14, 6x15, 6x17 and 6x18 were lackluster at best) and they were treated like "This will do" for his character while other mains got-well thought-out storylines that didn't make the audience dislike them.

Three things that have been magnified about Eddie since 7x5 aired is (1) people who already didn't like him (it's possible they're jealous of him because he's so beautiful and Buck's in love with him) despise him even more without a valid reason; (2) people who hate cheating storylines have already dismissed him and are now classifying him as irredeemable and for whatever reason they don't think he deserves redemption or to work through it even though others (Hen and Buck) have cheated too; and (3) those who shipped Buddie before, no longer believe Buck should wait around for Eddie since Buck's in a relationship with a discount dollar store version of Eddie. I mean let's be real here for a minute because the show literally wrote the character of T*mmy to be a cheap bargain basement version of Eddie Diaz.

Aside from him emotionally cheating with his dead wife's doppelgänger 🙄, it appears there was no real thought put into his season 7 arc and for those who've seen the movie "Vertigo", they might be interested but I am not. I get it, he's grieving the "relationship" he thought he could have had with Shannon but wouldn't it have made more sense to let him deal with his grief in therapy LAST SEASON WHEN THEY DIDN'T GIVE HIM ANYTHING ELSE TO DO?

YES! They could have used those 13 episodes to allow him to go to therapy so he could have already worked through this situation with his deceased wife instead of shoving it into the end of an already robust and limited season. Or was the F*X network against letting him move past it too? I think it was poor planning and lazy storytelling but that's just me. Also, why is Maris*l still around? Eddie's storyline could have worked without her so what's the real goal here? It's unclear if his storyline will end the way it did in season 5 with him sliding down the firefighter's pole and rejoining the team like everything had been fixed but hopefully that won't happen this time and he'll get the help he needs.

Finally, as a Buddie shipper, I WILL NOT SETTLE FOR A KNOCKOFF VERSION OF A RELATIONSHIP FOR EDDIE OR BUCK BECAUSE THEY BOTH DESERVE BETTER. Therefore, why should Eddie or Buck settle for something that doesn't compare to EVERYTHING THEY'VE BUILT TOGETHER FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS?

IMO, they shouldn't and it's time for the show to stop delaying their CANON love story. I for one don't want to sit through another season of LIs being thrown at them like javelins and hoping one will stick. This is EXHAUSTING just like season 5 was and I'll watch the episode after it airs so I can fast foward through the parts I don't want to see.

I ONLY SHIP BUDDIE!

[kissnpunch]

i love q!roier and roier so much, i love his roleplay so much too.

his character looks so silly and clueless but has a really complex story on the island, even if he doesn’t talk about it too much is so subtle how that affects his personality and perception of some islanders and events, now, roier makes everything more slow when it comes to lore and i find that really interesting; he likes to plan a idea of lore and start building that without guion and expecting what, at the moment, he can introduce to make more deep his story, bringing little details he remember since day one of qsmp because that’s another strong thing he has, being so into qsmp and not just in english but spanish, big part of the lore started with the hispanics ccs too and he was part of every single one of them, so when it comes to fill some part of the qsmp lore, he’s a perfect person for that; discovering two cucuruchos, meeting q!luzu in his ia version, the q!quackity plan against eggs, the betrayal of q!spreen and q!quackity, even that is part of q!quackity principal lore too.

now, as a someone who consume his streams everyday (i’m not gonna get deep into this because is one of my favorite streamers so is pretty clear my adoration for him and his streams), is really funny to watch how in random moments he decides to do a lore dump or comment something that maybe someone else didn’t remember and change all the perspective, damn, i still kicking with my feet when he has a whole breakdown on purgatory and motive everyone to change rules, when it comes to killing he never judges the person but what are their reasons to kill, even as a psychologist in qsmp he understands a lot of characters like q!missa with his issues with chay, q!maxo’s depression, q!slime trauma with juana, even q!willy weak point with spiders.

now listen, maybe i’m missing a lot of details of his lore because is too long, but my point is how he is pretty clear with his character and likes to make lore not so often but that doesn’t affect his way to play on qsmp, all his lore feels natural and nothing is canon until he decides to share that with us or even the others islanders, with him everything can be a plot twist. my favorite “debut” of roier into roleplay is the abueloier incident, that wasn’t prepare and i still feel how q!roier felt, even being mean to q!quackity bringing his past, i felt the anger and sadness, keeping himself away of others and showing that if he follows his feelings, maybe something bad would happen.

is so cool making theories of his character and respect roier’s choices of what we can take or not, he uses places to make a following story too; since purgatory, just two times he was on q!cellbit’s castle and for two reasons, taking a picture of the wall, maybe expecting to make q!cellbit angry when he come back and checking if richas was there, now, he just stays on his own castle, full of old memories with a new son, deciding to finish what he left after making another life, he decides to sleep outside with pepito or in the place he built for bobby, jumping from the tallest part expecting what? death? he even said to pepito how he can die after losing two lifes but he can’t even after purgatory, he was jealous of that?

so yeah, that’s why i love q!roier and roier’s roleplaying.

[mbbsgf]

hi guys! this is js a small "about me" post so u get to know me better and stuff.

my name's marie but u can call me mar (it's shorter and i love nicknames)

i'm eighteen, was born in february 13 2005 (soon 19 wtf)

i'm an aquarius

i'm bisexual

i'm a huge huge hugeee swiftie like if ur a kanye stan fuck off don't talk to me

my favorite ts album is folklore

my favorite ts song is exile (from folklore obviously)

i also love love loveee olivia rodrigo, sabrina carpenter, phoebe bridgers, maddie zahm, wasia project, paramore, nessa barrett, tv girl, ariana grande, billie eilish and more!

some of my favorite shows: stranger things, sex education, outer banks, tsitp, soa, 13 reasons why, heartstopper, mayans mc, 911, ahs, criminal mindsand probably more but i cant really think rn

i'm a huge fan of the scream franchise before they fucked it up.

here are some of my comfort characters: aimee gibbs (sex ed), sam carpenter(scream 5&6), maddie and evan buckley(911), sarah cameron (obx), eleven (stranger things), jessica davis (13 reasons why)

my ghostface ranking (tw: opinion):

1- roman<333

2- amber

3- mickey

4- quinn

5- billy

6- stu

7- charlie

8- ethan

9- miss loomis

10- jill

11- wayne

12- jason

13- roachie.

some of my comfort celebs/influencers: millie bobby brown; nick, matt and chris sturniolo, melissa barrera, madelyn cline, taylor swift, olivia rodrigo, sabrina quesada, nessa barrett, ariana grande

shows i started watching recently and enjoy: gilmore girls and tsitp

i will write some stuff from time to time if i'm in the mood. i won't write smut bc i'm js terrible at it tbh but maybe in the future :)

i DO write angst<333, fluff, maybe headcannons. I'LL ALSO POST ABOUT MY SHIFTING DRS SO STAY TUNED, STUFF IS COMING !

some people that are awesome, hardworking (i js love their blogs) and u should follow: @bernardenjoyer, @querenciasturniolo, @recklesssturniolo, @soursturniolo, @btwsturn @strniohoeee, @mattgirly, @mattgirly, @mattnchrisworld, @sturnphilia 🤍 (i love those people)

(will be updated)

[north-heats-stronghold]

Space Rider's AU Voice Claim Headcanons Part 1

Still riding the au train of @onyxonline's Space Rider's au, cause it's just that great. So for the past couple of day's, I've been brainstorming on possible voice claims for this au's critters. Though, these voices could work for other au's if anyone so wishes.

Before getting started, all the voices in this post are gonna be from Genshin Impact. The reason being it's very easy to listen to voice samples of each character thanks to a section in their profiles. I also avoided the more child like characters for the voice's, since the Critters in Onyx's au seem more on the young adult range.

With that out of the way, let's get started with everyone's favorite sunny dog!

Dogday

Dog boy for the dog boy. A soft voice with the ability to go serious and commanding at a moments notice, perfect for a leader of a team such as Dogday.

For if you looking for something a bit more on the calmer and gentler side, then Thoma could be a good choice for Dogday. I feel like this voice fits better for the Dogday's in au's that resemble more to the canon story. The caretaker Dogday, if you will.

Catnap

Catnap was a bit difficult, as he more often than not doesn't talk or whispers. But I think I found one that can work. There were some voices that were more sleepy, but they were female so it can't work for Catnap.

Calming, if a bit monotone. Originally I was having Albedo be one of Bubba's because of all the research talk, but I think Catnap fits better.

Kickin

Need a voice that's confident, bombastic, and possibly in over their head? Then look no further than Itto. The minute I heard this voice, I knew it would be Kickin.

More toned down compared to Itto, but I'd say it still fits. Especially with the voice sounding very gen z, which I'm confident Kickin would 100% be.

Hoppy

Energetic, optimistic, possibly ADHD? This does sound like Hoppy. Though it might be too high pitched for some.

This one was actually my first choice for Hoppy. Confident, serious when needed, but not too serious so she can sound like she's having fun.

Bubba

Analytical, with a good amount of snark? That what Space Rider's Bubba gives me, and that why I found Alhaitham to be a good choice.

I also feel like Bubba would have a more deeper voice. Being one of the tallest of the Space Rider's, so Zhongli feels like a good choice.

There was third choice for Bubba, that being Tighnari's old voice. But...I believe it wouldn't be a good choice after what the old voice actor had done once he started getting popular as Tighnari's voice. Which is a shame, as it would've been another perfect choice along with Alhaitham.

I'm nearing the video link limit for a post. So I'll be splitting this into two parts. The second part will be for Crafty, Bobby, and Picky.

And a reminder that this is all my opinion and is subject to possibly change overtime. And to check @onyxonline's Space Rider's au, and that's what inspired this and the subsequent post, as well as read there Saved au as well.

[krash-and-co]

haven't done this in a while, so here !! l&co as stuff I've heard/said in the past few months, bc I don't remember exact exchanges before then 👍👍

arguably more unhinged for reasons unknown. fate of Gods favorite clown idk

Lucy: I thought Billie Joe Armstrong went to the moon for a long time, honestly.

~

Lucy: [calling Barnes] there's a stranger at our house. she tried really hard to get in, and--

Lockwood, in the distance: we broke all the stranger danger rules.

Lucy: we broke all the stranger danger rules.

~

Holly: Lockwood, you have the coolest style.

Lockwood: thanks!

Lucy: what?!? she just tells me I look gay.

Lucy: and homeless.

~

holly: I want to help disabled kids ride a tricycle. wait, I meant to say horses.

lockwood: you want to help disabled horses ride a tricycle??????

~

Lucy: I don't have mommy issues I just don't like my mom.

~

Lucy: you gave me a framed photo for my birthday

Lucy: and within thirty minutes you stepped on it.

Lockwood: but then I bought you a new frame!!!

Lucy: and then I opened it, and it looked like you stepped on it.

Lockwood: well I'm not buying you another one.

~

skull: ugh, theyre so obsessed with how they look.

lucy, nodding: yeah, they're all "oh I'm so perfect!" preps. they definitely shave their legs.

~

Lockwood: I need to work on my swearing problem, cuz there are adults around and they don't li-- *drops thermos* ow FUCK

~

Lockwood: shut the windows. shut the fucking windows, I feel like we're being watched.

Lucy: hahaha, this is fucking terrifying.

Lockwood: here are the knives.

Holly: do you have any baseball bats? I don't want to stab people.

George: no, but we have crutches. we can hit people with them.

Holly, nodding: that's good.

~

Lockwood: I'm stupid.

Kipps: no you're not- yes you are. I don't know why I said you're not, so I had to correct myself.

~

holly: if we kill someone, we'll get in.... trouble.

~

George: shit!! I mean fuck!!! I mean crap!!!

Lucy, hitting him repeatedly: stop CURSING YOU FUCKING-- DANG IT!!!!!

~

Holly: do you ever get the urge to be randomly violent, like-

[loud clatter as lockwood and kipps beat each other up in the background]

holly: yeah like that.

~

Kipps, on searching for Bobby: I used to just grab any kid I saw about his height with brown hair, but that caused problems.

~

Lucy: what's your biggest fear?

Lockwood: what? spiders.

Lucy: no the other one

Lockwood: change.

Lucy: no the-- the other one.

George: what do you WANT FROM HIM-

~

lucy: you're going to make me have a gambling addiction.

skull, nodding: that's the idea.

~

George: pff my mom says im special.

Lockwood: im also special! they put me in classes about it.

[Lockwood and George burst out laughing while everyone else stares]

~

[Lucy and George are punching each other, screaming, and spewing out profanity in sign language]

George: literally nobody even looked up

Lucy: we're at the point where it's normal

George: yeah, haha!

Lucy: haha!

[a moment of heavy breathing and grinning before they begin fucking attacking each other again]

~

George, to Lucy: ugh im so sore. why do you keep punching me.

[Lucy punches him]

~

ok last one but this was a hell of a fucking convo and it was so funny everyone just jumped in with random twists 😭😭

[kipps crew, l&co, and flo are all sitting in barnes otherwise empty office]

George: kipps sounds terminally online, but I can't figure out yet if it's the normal kind or if he has. like. a kin list.

Lucy: the two extremes. normal or homestuck.

George: I read all of homestuck but it's okay I'm normal now

skull: im-

lucy: skull YOU'RE terminally online, but like the video gamer kind. kipps sounds like he had a my hero academia phase.

Lockwood: I was friends with someone who would roleplay mha all the time.

George: like pretend to have powers or something?

Lockwood: no, like pretend to be the characters. interact as them.

bobby: I don't roleplay, but I like to imagine I'm a different person with powers sometimes :)

ned: ha, furry.

flo: furry? one of my friends knows a furry who got her tail stolen, and she's in the office right now.

Lockwood: like today??

flo: yeah today. she's there right now.

Lockwood: [silence] oh.

flo: yeah they just. yoink.

[silence]

bobby: .....im not a furry but--

Lucy: aaaand gonna stop you right there before you make things worse for yourself

kat: why can't we EVER have normal conversations

[homeskarunners]

A History of My Favorite McDonald’s Mascot, Mac Tonight

so. this is something i feel very strongly about.

this is mac tonight.

a lot of people know him as moon man.

i do not like this.

moon man, while originally being a nickname he was called in commercials, is now the name of his “fanmade” racist alter ego popularized by the alt right. i shouldn’t have to explain why this is a problem.

thankfully, this character has died down in popularity recently, so i’m taking it upon myself to rip off that ugly mask and tell you all a little about the most creative, smooth, and personally iconic mcdonald’s mascot out of all of them, Mac Tonight.

origins

in 1959, Bobby Darin released his cover of the song “Mack the Knife”. decades later, in the early 80s, some marketing guy trying to come up with an ad campaign for mcdonald’s thought “hey this song about a killer would be perfect parody material for a fast food company!”, and thus, the mcdonald’s parody was born.

Mac Tonight also drew inspiration from Max Headroom, the character. not the broadcast hijacking that used his face.

usage

in the mid 80s, the commercials started rolling in for McDonald’s brand new 24 hour policy. and they were a hit. for good reason! i am a massive fan of Mac Tonight, if it wasn’t clear, and i adore every one of these.

i would link one, but the feature doesn’t seem to be working for me at the moment…

the commercials were jazzy, smooth, maybe repetitive, but they were fun. Mac Tonight got so popular they made several statues and singing animatronics to place in restaurants across the globe.

eventually, Bobby Darin’s son found out, and sued McDonalds for using his fathers song uncredited and without permission. this was, temporarily, the end of Mac Tonight in advertising. however, in the late 90s, he began being used again in various non-musical commercials.

downfall

unfortunately, this is where moon man comes in. he is Mac Tonight’s white supremacist rapping internet persona that 4chan probably made.

i earnestly, for the life of me, cannot imagine why they would want to ruin such a beloved mascot.

he was so widespread McDonald’s tore down several Mac Tonight physical incarnations in restaurants everywhere.

Mac Tonight’s latest usage was in a Singaporean ad in 2007, a singing CGI rendition, that is still lovely despite the lack of Mack the Knife parody.

Defunctland made a wonderful video on the history of this icon.

i am thrilled to inform you all on this mascot i adore, and i hope more people love him as time goes on. down with the moon man.

[rewatching-sam-and-dean]

Ranking 327 Episodes of Supernatural

(And I need your help first!)

Okay, so I'm finally planning to live up to my blog's name by doing a full rewatch of Supernatural (Only 3+ years after the show ended and 1+ years after I made this blog for this purpose 🤦‍♀️ ). Anyway, I’ll be "Rewatching Sam and Dean," in other words. (Sorry 🙄.)

I'm not only gong to rewatch it and comment, but I'm going to try to rate and rank every episode. I'm generally bad at ranking on a large scale, but I want to be able to say with confidence what my top 5, 10, 20, etc. episodes are. Because right now, I can list episodes I love, but I can’t say which one I like best among my favorites. Also, ranking gives me an additional purpose to my rematch.

(I’ll put my particular criteria for ranking under the cut, so there no need to skim through that part if you’re not interested in specifics.)

So, you might be asking, "Why do I care about this?"

And if you don’t, that’s cool. But, I’m posting about it here because I’m hoping to get some ideas for things to track as I’m watching the episodes. I don’t want to do too many things because that’s a sure way to get bogged down and make this feel like work, but there are often those little things that I wish I had a quick answer to, and looking for them as I go through each episode should be easier than hopping back and forth to track things down. And I know there are things like Superwiki for that (though they aren’t perfect), but I want to track some things for myself, too

So, these are some things I’m already planning to watch out for:

How John is described/acts, and his relationship with both boys

Sam and Dean's "anger issues"

How/when each brother responds when the other is upset (and how this changes), and which brother shares more

How Bobby treats each brother

How each brother relates to Mary and how she treats them

When each brother prays; who is it to, and what is it about?

Times when Sam and Dean are depicted as classic brothers, vs. blatantly compared to a couple, a parent-child, friends, or are just weird.

So, if you made it this far, could you please give me your suggestions for other things I should keep an eye out for while watching? Or, suggest other things that might be interesting to rate/rank as I go through the show?

Thanks for reading!

How I’ll be Rating the Episodes:

Now, when I rate these episodes, I’ll be determining MY FAVORITE episodes, not what I think are technically THE BEST episodes. For example, "On the Head of a Pin " is a very well executed episode, but I can pretty much guarantee that it wan’t be in my top 25 or anything, because Alistair disgusts me so thoroughly that I can't stand rewatching it.

I’ve created a bit of a rubric for myself to quasi keep myself honest, though there is still a lot of room for subjectiveness in my ranked areas. So far, my criteria is:

1. The Brothers: Are there good or meaningful brother moments? Do we learn anything new about either brother or their relationship? Are they behaving in character?

2. The Monster: Is the monster or antagonist of the episode interesting, frightening, handled in a unique way?

3. Story: Is the narrative strong, impactful to the show as a whole, or entertaining? Is there canon-breaking or retconning that damages the show?

4. Recurring/Side Characters: Are the characters who are sharing the screen with Sam and/or Dean interesting, effective, important, and/or standouts in some other way? Do I care about them?

5. Re-watchability: On Subsequent viewings of the episode, am I still entertained? Do I gain a new perspective or find more to enjoy when I watch it again? Does the episode lose impact, relevance or entertainment value (in a significant way) on repeat viewings?

Anyway, as I said, this is deeply subjective, so maybe no one will be interested in my takes, and that’s fine. But, I will give reasons with canon support, for what I like or don’t like, so my ratings won’t be based on what I head-canon to be true. I’d ideally like to do this on YouTube with edits, but I’m not sure I want to put myself out there to that extent. Either way, I’ll be on here, too. Either I’ll post here, or link my videos (if I ever make them) here.

My Pilot Review

From ages ago …

Also, if anyone is interested, you can find my original attempts at episode reviews HERE. My format for rewatching will likely be a bit more structured now (and not take multiple posts per episode), but here’s how my brain works, if you’re interested.

[blacknidstang]

spn related but rather personal vent

For various reasons i've been needing to distance myself from spn in particular beside spending less time on social media and it's been because of number of extremely harmless little things that weren't even upsetting even but making me feel down a bit and now i suddenly remembered one of them was s5 and how sam was treated, how everyone was calling him incompetent and shit when he was literally offering to get himself locked in hell for eternity with satan himself, how that was their biggest worry. I think while i think undeniably Bobby did care about Sam and i mean, i think it would be so fucking absurd to claim Dean was ok with Sam jumping into the pit, but there's this persistent dissatisfaction of how these were never.. expressed.. and i love s5. I love swan song. It still wrecks me but there's a growing annoyance.

But here's the thing, when a thing or two about a show start to piss me off i just rather pull back. Clear my head. It's not that important. I dont like to log into tumblr and cry about spn's writing and a be a bitter samgirl™️. I dont wanna spend my mental energy on something quite destructive, for myself at least (and i'm sure that wouldnt make me a joy to be around anyway). Anyway. Why am i saying these? Idk. I think i'm trying to accept that i have issues with the show that really forced me to break out of heavy obsession and become more normal about it. I think admitting it gives me some peace bc i still love the characters and i still love so much of this show so unironically, even that cursed s5 itself is forever a favorite of mine. But at one point the dissatisfaction of it wasn't worth the stay. I'm still sticking around tho but i needed to vent it out in order to go back and focus on things that i love.

[running-with-the-feels]

Honestly I feel like many people underestimate Bi han a lot because he was :-

1. Nerfed because of his death

2. He isn't really boastful like the other characters so his greatest feats are rarely ever brought up and are almost never brought up by him.

But I feel like they should be brought up this man broke into the Temple of the Elements (It was heavily Bobby trapped), defeated all four elementals (Fujin included) and also killed Hanzo(Quan chi gave the job to both clans) and stole shinnok's amulet

Then after Quan chi got the amulet Radien told him to get it back because it can cause great evil so this man when to the netherrealm beat Quan Chi's ass, beat Hanzo's ass again (Quan chi resurrected him as a wraith), beat Shinnok's ass when he was in his demon form, stole back the amulet and also freed sareena from Quan chi because why the hell not.

Imagine doing all that and people thinking you are weak because Hanzo's vengeful ass got you with a surprise attack (and the power of netherrealm and quan chi that makes scorpion flames ten times stronger and the netherrealm flames weakening sub zero but no shade on Hanzo he still killed Bi han) when you didn't even do anything.

How hilarious would that be if any of this is revealed in your Au especially if it's against Raiden. I have something similar in my fic but the burnout is honestly making it difficult for me to write or even post much these days

Bi-Han is genuinely such a badass and people need to acknowledge that more, like,

He and Kuai Liang are both Lin Kuei and the best of their best, but Bi-Han was considered the Lin Kuei's pride and joy. He was the clan favorite, and the one sent on the hardest missions

Bi-Han is Terrifying when he needs to be and honestly, he's a little sadistic too. He likes knowing that his opponents die afraid, that he is the boogeyman in so many bed time stories.

If Raiden ever pushed Bi-Han too far (and he gets closer and closer every day) Bi-Han genuinely would kill him and wouldn't think twice and the defenders would have to reckon with the fact that he was at that tournament for a reason, that he was Feared for a reason

Kuai Liang is the nice one and we all know how scary he can be

[cafeleningrad]

I feel obliged to ask you which is your favorite sopranos character at this rate

Hej hej Lavi, nice to hear from you again. :D

Okay, I tell you mine when you tell me yours. ;) Alright, Charmine Bucco and Carmela Soprano are uncontested favourites however the show would be nothing to me without Silvio Dante. This man outhsines everyone's wardrobe with his pinkie alone.

Bobby and Adriana (my girl deserved better!) are rather easy to like for me. Johnny and Ginny made me go "awww" every moment of their shared screentime, I almost forgot how Johnny made his income.

If it really comes to obscure side characters, Patsy, for some unexplainable reason, had me entirely enraptured, I can't tell you why.

Honourable mention to last season late comer Raviolo, of course. 🐈

[canonicallyobserving911]

9-1-1 Season 6 - Constructive Criticisms #14

Edmundo “Eddie” Diaz

DISCLAIMER: THERE ARE THREE SEPARATE POSTS ABOUT BUCK, EDDIE, CHRIS AND BUDDIE.  The reason for this is because there was a lot of information to cover and the attempt to combine it into a single post, like those completed for the other main characters and ‘ships’, wasn’t feasible since one post for them and their family would’ve been too long.  Therefore, their posts are numbered as follows: Evan “Buck” Buckley - #13, Edmundo “Eddie” Diaz and Christopher “Chris” Diaz - #14 and “Buddie” -  #15.  Each of these posts are identically tagged because they include information that’s related to all of them.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Eddie Diaz is my favorite character!  FULL STOP!  I wouldn’t and won’t watch 9-1-1 if he’s not present (which is the reason why I’ll never do a rewatch of season 1😊.)

This is a LONG POST.

__________________

Edmundo “Eddie” Diaz is a main character, he became part of the main cast in 2x1 and he’s been on the show ever since.  His legal name is Edmundo but he doesn’t allow anyone to call him by that name unless it’s his parents (they call him Edmundo and Eddie interchangeably) or someone who really doesn’t know him.  He also doesn’t like for anyone to call him “Diaz” but he does allow Bobby to call him that since he’s the captain and he let Lena call him that too in 3x4.  He has a son named Christopher, who’s also a main character.

Bobby recruited Eddie and when Eddie arrived at the 118, he had just graduated at the top of his LAFD Academy class and he had already completed two tours in Afghanistan where he was an Army medic.  While looking at him through the glass windows of the locker room, Chimney was the first person to say he was a beautiful man, Hen agreed and they WERE NOT WRONG since Eddie is indeed beautiful!  Then Bobby went on to explain all his accolades and accomplishments and he also said he liked to be called “8-pack”.

Eddie is not only beautiful, he’s also sexy, handsome and gorgeous but in addition to all of those attributes, he’s so much more than that.  He’s a GREAT AND FANTASTIC DAD all by himself and contrary to popular belief (Buck’s wacky memory during his coma dream in 6x11) Eddie was ALREADY A GREAT DAD BEFORE HE MOVED HIMSELF AND CHRISTOPHER TO L.A.  He works hard to make sure Chris has everything he needs and he’s sacrificed so much for him including his job in 5x10.

In season 6, Eddie was sidelined a lot the same way he was during seasons 4 and 5 but it doesn’t make sense because he’s a main character.  He only had four or five storylines for the entirety of the season and the majority of them happened in 6B when they forced the dating narrative on him via his aunt Pepa.  Only one of his storylines lasted for more than one episode and it was the one that had him dating again.  Prior to season 4, he had his OWN STORYLINES that didn’t revolve around another main character but after the shooting, everything that happened to Eddie was made to be about Buck and was told from Buck’s point of view.  Most of his screen time in 6B showed him out of character, had him doing things he’s never done before and the same is true for his blood relatives.  

By the end of 6x18, Eddie was almost unrecognizable with the way they had him acting and he ended up in a relationship that was a redux of the one he had in season 4.  In 6B, the show spent a lot of time proving he’s not alone from 6x10 through 6x13 but in 6x14, they had his aunt Pepa pressure him into admitting he doesn’t want to be alone.  There were a lot of unanswered questions for Eddie when the season ended and none of the things that happened from 6x14 through 6x18 made any narrative sense for his character.

My fourteenth set of “constructive criticisms” regarding the character Edmundo “Eddie” Diaz in season 6 are included below the cut.  Please note criticizing a TV show is NOT a bad thing especially since TV critics have been doing it for decades.  Constructive criticisms are designed to help make something better and they are VERY different from negativity.  A person can offer criticisms about a form of entertainment they spend their time watching and not be negative about it the same way two people can agree to disagree on a topic.  Just because one person liked the season, they shouldn’t expect others to feel the way they do because everyone has their own opinions.  Simply put, two people can have different opinions about 9-1-1 and those opinions can COEXIST since they are not mutually exclusive.

If reading criticisms about the TV show 9-1-1 upsets you, then don’t read below the cut.

                Warning! ⚠️“Constructive Criticisms” Ahead!⚠️  

Disclaimer:  This post is NOT about the actor RG who plays the character of Eddie.  RG is an excellent actor who has a lot of range and experience and he plays the character effortlessly.  The issues with Eddie and all the flaws included in season 6 as well as other seasons, are not reflective of RG as a person, so please don’t confuse the information included in this post with the actor.  These criticisms ARE NOT about the actor, they’re about the character (not a real person) and the way the show portrays him.

Edmundo “Eddie” Diaz

As mentioned above, Eddie is indeed a beautiful man but he’s so much more than that.  First and foremost, he’s an EXCELLENT DAD to his only son Chris.  He’s also competent, confident and very knowledgeable.  Aside from those attributes, one of his most important characteristics is often overlooked.  He has a HUGE HEART and he’ll do anything for anyone.  He’s given advice to his friends and family on several occasions and unlike some of Bobby’s advice (mainly the things Bobby’s told Buck and Eddie regarding relationships), Eddie’s advice is GOOD and it’s HELPFUL (related post linked here).  An example of this happened in 3x13 when he reminded Chimney “Tomorrow isn’t promised”.

Eddie was already skilled when he started working at the 118 and it was one of the reasons why Bobby recruited him.  He knew the reason why he was there and he remained focused on the tasks at hand.  It took less than a few hours for him to demonstrate that he was a valuable asset to the team and he was immediately accepted into the 118’s found family.  He was new to Los Angeles because he had recently relocated himself and his son, Christopher there from El Paso, TX after Eddie got a job with the LAFD.  Also, he had an established support system in his grandmother, Isabel Diaz and his aunt Josephina “Pepa” Diaz and they helped him take care of Christopher whenever he had to work if Chris was not in school.

When Eddie first started at the 118, no one knew he had a son because he didn’t tell them.  He was a private person and he kept his head down so he could do his job.  He remained focused and he wasn’t really big on sharing any personal information about himself.  Eddie has a complicated past; he was married but he didn’t tell anyone until 2x7 when he had to call her to interview at Chris’ school, his parents were SUPER CONTROLLING (his mother, Helena still is), he loves his grandmother, they have a great relationship and his aunt was always there to assist him with whatever he needed in season 2.

Prior to the end of season 4, Eddie had his own storylines and he’s always been viewed as a complicated character.  But something happened in seasons 4 through 6 because all of his storylines included Buck even though all of Buck’s storylines didn’t include Eddie.  He was sidelined for the majority of 6A and part of 6B too which was ridiculous.  All his scenes were cut short, chopped or shoved into the end of an episode (looking at 5x13 which included his mental breakdown in the last five minutes of the episode and 5x18 which showed his return to the 118 in the last one minute of the season).  Other than his PTSD storyline in season 5, he hasn’t had one that went on for more than one or two episodes since.

The storyline he had in season 5 SHOULD NOT HAVE AFFECTED THE AMOUNT OF SCREEN TIME HE RECEIVED IN SEASON 6.  HE’S A MAIN CHARACTER BUT INSTEAD OF GIVING HIM THE SCREEN TIME HE DESERVES, the show continuously shoved Buck into almost every episode for long periods of time.  Other than 6x3, Buck was not only involved in his own gazillion storylines; he was also shoved into other main characters’ storylines too and the recurring characters that were brought in for Buck's storylines were too.  But Eddie's barely received a full scene that wasn’t overshadowed by Buck’s involvement since season 3.

Eddie’s been a main character since his first episode in 2x1 but for some unknown reason, he’s been treated like a recurring character for the last few seasons and it doesn’t make any sense at all.  He’s constantly left in the background and he’s only given the attention he deserves when he’s being shown waiting for Buck to catch up and understand something.  It’s not fair because he’s a character all by himself and he has interests that go beyond whether he will or won’t end up in a relationship with Buck.

In the beginning, he was there to do his job and he wasn’t aware of Buck and how much he didn’t like him.  Based on Eddie’s reaction to Buck’s behavior, it seems like he really didn’t care.  Buck was the one who was all pissy and acted like a toddler while Eddie explained to him while they were in the firehouse’s gym, they did the same thing but he just did it while he was being shot at.

Eddie’s past

Eddie’s past is complicated and he was shouldered with a lot of responsibility at a very young age.  His father, Ramon was on the road for work and was rarely home but his mother, Helena was there and she was and still is very controlling.  He got his high school girlfriend pregnant then he married her and became an instant husband and father.  He enlisted in the Army and when his time was up, he reenlisted.  After he was wounded in action and honorably discharged, he returned to El Paso but nothing had changed.  Him and his wife, Shannon still argued all the time, they were never on the same page and she left him and Chris there while she traipsed off to Los Angeles to take care of her mother.  She left them with a note that stated she needed time too.

He worked three jobs to take care of Chris and even though his parents were helping him, he decided to relocate once he realized they didn’t have him or Christopher’s best interest at heart.  They wanted to control him and his mother told him to leave Chris with them instead of taking him to L.A. but Eddie didn’t want Chris to grow up like he did with his mother constantly limiting Chris and trying to control him.

Identity

In CANON, it’s never been explained why Eddie doesn’t usually let people address him by his legal name and his story has been told in parts.  He didn’t reveal he had a son until Buck asked him who he was trying to get a hold of in 2x2 and he didn’t mention he had a wife until 2x7 when he was at the Durand School with Carla.  His grandmother and his abuela were shown first in season 2 and his parents didn’t appear until 2x18 when they arrived for Shannon’s funeral.  They weren’t shown again until Eddie had flashbacks while he was trapped in the well in 3x15.

In 3x8, after Bobby was told about Eddie’s participation in the illegal fight club, Eddie admitted he needed to be in control during their conversation and while he was in therapy with Frank in 3x9, he admitted he doesn’t feel anything.  In one of his flashbacks in 3x15, he told Shannon he felt alone and it wasn’t until 5x1, after his first panic attack, that he was told by Dr. Salazar he might be repressing something.  In 5x13, he was extremely vulnerable, he reached his breaking point and he had a mental breakdown.  Prior to that he’d never let anyone see him cry (he cried a little while he was talking to Bobby in 3x8 but he didn’t cry like he did in 2x17, 3x15 [flashback to his time in the Army] 5x13 and 6x11).

Eddie’s a chameleon and he knows how to adjust to whatever situation he’s involved in but underneath his controlled bravado, he’s a genuinely nice guy who just wants to be in love.  He wants someone to not only love him but they have to love Christopher too.  He’s an awesome father who puts Chris' needs before his own because he doesn’t want him to grow up without him being there the way he had to grow up without Ramon being present.

After everything Eddie’s been through, the show dropped the ball when they regressed him in 6B.  All the work he did before he was forced into that raggedy and trifling dating storyline in 6x14 was dismantled and he became completely unrecognizable.  The show turned him into a giggly high school teenager who didn’t understand the things he wanted when he was 14 and 18 years old, like magic and chemistry no longer applied to him because he’s an adult now who’s either 34, 33, 32, 31 or 30 years old (more on his retconned age below).  He was no longer the confident, courageous, strong, stoic, Army vet because they completely obliterated his character by retconning his age, retconning his relationship with Shannon and by having him make the same mistakes he’s made in the past by going after a woman who would be someone who would be there for Chris instead of him choosing the BEST person for both him and Chris (BUCK!).

Decisions

People have told Eddie what to do his whole life and other than the decisions he made to remove Chris from that toxic environment with his mother, him moving them to L.A. and him changing his will, all his other decisions were based on someone else’s opinion, him being controlled and/or ordered around by someone else.  Ramon told him to be the man of the house when he was 10 years old, his mother told him what to do while his dad was away working, he enlisted in the Army where he received orders 24/7 and he got a job with the LAFD where he receives orders from his captain whenever he’s at work.

The two times he tried to make decisions for himself, he was told by Bobby to stay with Shannon in 2x17 because he would be a great dad of their second child (she wasn't pregnant) and Bobby also told him in 4x6 that he shouldn’t let an opportunity pass by which caused him to start dating Ana.  In 2x17, he tried to make it work with Shannon again even though he said he knew he shouldn’t have let her back into their lives during his conversation with Bobby in 3x8.  In 5x2, he was planning to stick it out with Ana instead of breaking up with her and he probably would have continued to do that if Buck hadn’t explained how it was going to end up hurting her.  Eddie was literally having panic attacks that were so visceral they made him pass out in a suit store all because someone mistook her to be his wife and Chris’ mom.  He was still trying to decide what he was going to say until 5x3 when he went home and that’s when he finally broke up with her and explained it was “the idea of them” that caused him to try to make it work.  Since Eddie misunderstands a lot of Bobby’s advice, he should stop seeking him out for answers and he should stop listening to him.  He should talk to someone who can help him with his love life because he’s not Bobby and other than the fact that both of them have deceased wives, they don't have the same life experiences.  Maybe Eddie should talk to one of his friends like Karen or Chimney the next time he has questions about who he should ask out on a date.

Therapy

Eddie worked hard to be better for himself when he went back to therapy in season 5, he took it seriously after his breakdown in 5x13 and he was happy at the beginning of season 6 but the show dismantled all the work he did on himself during 6B (related post linked here).  He was learning to be better but he wasn’t shown going to anymore sessions with Frank after 5x14.  Pepa pushing him to date was stressful for him and NO ONE LISTENS TO EDDIE when he tells them he’s not ready.  Bobby pushed him to date Ana in 4x6 even though he said he wasn’t ready and Pepa did the same thing in 6x14.  It’s clear something is holding him back but they won’t allow him to work through it on his own and that’s why he keeps ending up in these one-dimensional relationships with Ana and now her clone Marisol.

Since he still internalizes everything, in 6x11, it was clear he was struggling with death and how it attempted to take someone he loves away from him and Chris again but just like always, he wasn’t shown dealing with it or going to therapy about it.  He was wearing his therapy sweater in 6x15 but he wore it to Shannon’s grave with Chris so who knows if he even had a session earlier that day since it wasn’t shown in CANON.

He almost had a panic attack in 6x9 so it would have made sense for him to schedule a session to discuss what triggered it (the answer: Buck’s announcement about being the official creator of new life did it).  In 6x7, he talked with a random recurring character named Felisa about the Tsunami even though he didn’t mention Buck and Chris went through it together.  In fact, he didn’t mention Buck at all but he sure did mention Shannon even though he hadn’t said anything about her in years.

In 5x13, he told Frank, one of his old drill sergeants said, “Pain is just weakness leaving the body” which was clearly bad advice but Eddie hasn’t discussed the comment since that session but it was clear he experienced pain in 6A after Buck made his announcement, again in 6B after Buck died for three minutes and seventeen seconds and again in 6x15 when Buck said Natalia sees him which was a bunch of BS.

Missing

In 6x10, Eddie was missing during the scene that included the woman who had her baby after the car she was riding in got struck by lightning but he was CLEARLY SEEN AT THE FIREHOUSE with the rest of the 118 before they arrived on the call.  He was literally throwing a baseball with Hen while they stood in between the engine and the ladder truck, so what exactly was the show trying to illustrate with him not being on that one call?

Also, he was missing from the locker room in 6x13, when Hen and Chimney heard Buck calling all the women that he’d previously had sex with to see if he satisfied them.  Chimney wasn’t even on that call with the victim Patsy and her husband but Buck, Eddie and Hen were there.  Did the show think the audience wouldn’t notice that?  If they did, they were wrong.

Character assassination

One of the many things that upset a lot of viewers in 6B was the word used to describe Eddie in 6x11 during Buck’s coma dream.  Chimney said he was ANGRY but that’s so far from the truth that it’s utterly ridiculous.  It’s absurd how the show allowed that word to make it into the episode and it shouldn’t have been greenlit since Eddie’s NOT ANGRY (related post about stereotypes linked here).  Even though it was said in Buck’s coma dream, the whole episode was a jumbled mess that was too confusing to be figured out after just one viewing.  It had to be dissected to understand it in its totality, therefore viewers who haven’t watched seasons 2 through 5 wouldn’t know Eddie’s not like that.

He's so kind and humble and he’ll do anything for anyone.  He doesn’t like to show vulnerability but he’s not some ANGRY guy that’s rude to everyone.  He participated in an illegal fight club but his temporary partner introduced him to it and she wasn’t called ANGRY.  The only time Eddie was upset was in the grocery store in 3x5 when he and Buck were having a relationship argument about their kid since Buck wasn’t visiting Christopher so that’s just par for the course.  The truth is Buck was rude and angry towards Eddie and it happened on Eddie’s first day at the 118.  But in 6x11, in Buck’s twisted mind, he figured Chimney calling Eddie ANGRY was an accurate depiction of him, even though it wasn’t.  That one word completely ASSASSINATED his character in season 6, it’s still frustrating to think about it today and it’s been more than three months since the finale aired. WTF? This was BS and it needs to be rectified in season 7.

Lies

Eddie lied in 6x14 when he said, “I do not panic” when everyone who watched season 5 knows that he does panic (related post linked here).  He also lied to Chris in 6x17 when he told him he was going to run errands but in actuality, he went out to play golf and go hike so he could try to find a date.  This was completely unnecessary and should have been eliminated from the episode.

Why was Eddie blatantly lying about something everyone clearly saw him do?  As mentioned above, he became unrecognizable by the end of the season.

Single marital status

Another implication that assassinated Eddie’s character in season 6 was the fact that the show tried to make the audience believe Eddie’s going to die alone.  HE’S NOT and he wasn’t shown to be alone or that he even had feelings about it until 6x14 when Pepa wouldn’t stop pestering him about dating.  Then she pushed him to admit he didn’t want to end up alone.

The weird thing about the positioning of that episode was it happened AFTER EDDIE AND BUCK WENT ON A DATE TO PLAY POKER in 6x13.  So what exactly was the show trying to prove with that BS storyline?

It ended up being another disservice to Eddie when they could have just shown him thriving and enjoying his life as a single father.  But instead of doing that, they brought Carla back so she could tell him something that he was going to misunderstand again.  Once again, the show used Carla (6x8) and Bobby (6x14 and 6x17) so they could tell Eddie something about dating or his lack of it and they went even further when they included Pepa in the mix in 6x14 which was egregiously ridiculous since she was the one who noticed how much Eddie and Buck meant to each other in 2x4 after she met Buck for the first time at the hospital.  The truth is Eddie’s not lonely and he will not die alone.  But if he chooses to be alone, that should have been shown as a choice he made for himself and that it was ok to do it if that’s what he wanted.

When Eddie went on that date with Vanessa in 6x14, he said, “Full disclosure” but she interrupted him and wouldn’t allow him to finish.  What was he going to say?  Could it have been something other than him explaining he wasn’t over his dead wife?  Probably but the audience will never know.

Age discrepancy

EDDIE IS NOT THE SAME AGE AS BUCK!  From his introduction to the show in 2x1, he was shown to be older and more mature than Buck but his age along with Buck’s, Shannon’s and Denny’s were all retconned in season 6.  In 6x15, Shannon’s age was changed via the dates included on her gravestone and they retconned Eddie’s age in 6x16 when he said he and Shannon met when they were 14 in the 8th grade.  It’s nonsensical because Eddie and Shannon being two or three years older than Buck shouldn’t matter.  Prior to season 6, Eddie was ALWAYS SHOWN TO BE MORE MATURE THAN BUCK so they did his character a huge disservice when they retconned his age. 

His story has been all over the place, so no one really knows how old Eddie is but retconning his age WAS A MISTAKE because in 2x1 Chimney told Buck he wasn’t Eddie’s elder.  Since Eddie’s and Shannon’s ages were retconned, it’s possible Chris is not actually 12 years old anymore and his age may have been retconned to make him 10 years old again like Denny.

Eddie’s familial support system

They took EDDIE’S BLOOD RELATIVES and his PRE-ESTABLISHED support system away and didn’t tell the audience until 5x17.  Why did Isabel have to move back to El Paso when Pepa has a huge house that she lives in alone?  Isabel could have lived with her instead of Ramon but the show keeps removing people from Eddie’s life while they keep adding people to Buck’s.  It doesn’t make any sense because now Eddie has to depend on Buck and the 118 for almost everything but Buck doesn’t have to depend on Eddie the way the show has things setup.  This is UNFAIR and it doesn’t make any narrative sense unless they’re leading up to making them a CANON couple.

Pepa was written out of character in 6x14 and she seemed more like Helena since she was pushing Eddie to do something he clearly said he wasn’t ready to do.  What was the purpose of that?

Eddie’s parents

Eddie parents are interesting.  Helena’s done nothing but try to control Eddie and Chris while Ramon listened to everything she had to say.  In 5x17, after Eddie and Ramon reconciled, it appears their relationship has gotten better but Helena was still trying to control Eddie in 6x15 when he tried to explain they were busy and couldn’t visit them in Texas.  He told both of his parents in 5x17 that planes fly in both directions so what was up with them not visiting them in L.A.?  They could stay with Pepa when they visit.

Eventually, Eddie will have to deal with his mother and explain to her that she’s the reason why he had so many issues with control.  He doesn’t see it yet but hopefully one day he will.  She’s also said a lot of horrible things to him but season 6 retconned her and tried to make her likeable.  She didn’t deserve a redemption because she hasn’t earned one.

Eddie deserves for someone to care about him too

It’s unfair how every time something happens to Eddie, Buck’s the one who’s shown to have been affected by it but when something happens to Buck, they don’t allow Eddie to be there for him.  The show made Eddie being trapped in the well, the shooting, his mental breakdown, them being held hostage by Mitchell and Dom along with everything else that happened to him be about Buck instead of focusing on Eddie.  The audience didn’t get to see Eddie’s recovery after 4x14 but they shoved Taylor Kelly into Eddie’s house (instead of one or both of his sisters) at the end of 4x14 with everyone else and they shoved her into 5x11 too during the Buckley-Diaz Family dinner.

In 6x10, EDDIE WAS CATAPULTED OFF THE AERIAL but NO ONE, not Bobby, Hen or Chimney asked or checked to see if he was ok.  They didn’t even check on him after they made it to the hospital.  It seemed like par for the course since all the focus was on Buck even though they were both struck by the same bolt of lightning.  To add insult to Eddie’s injuries, they wouldn’t even let Buck check on him after he woke up from his coma dream.  They keep wedging all these random people into his storylines and they’re still doing it, hence, the reason why they wait for half the season to be over then they bring Carla Price back who’s Chris’ home healthcare aide.  But she shouldn’t be the one Eddie talks with because he does have friends.

Stop including Carla Price in Eddie’s storylines

WHY IS CARLA THE ONLY PERSON EDDIE’S ALLOWED TO TALK TO?  She’s Chris’ home healthcare aide but she’s always brought back to talk to Eddie when he should be allowed to talk to Isabel, Pepa or Ramon (since they reconciled in 5x17) or someone else other than her if they aren’t going to let him talk to Buck.  Everything she tells him confuses him even more and it’s always been like that.  In 2x7 when she said “A boy needs his mother” Eddie thought she was telling him to get back with Shannon but she wasn’t.  In 4x13 when she told him to follow his heart and not Chris’, he was confused then too.  In 5x10, Eddie should have had a conversation with someone else about whether he should leave the 118, like CHIMNEY, because Carla was not the person to help him.

He and Chimney are friends, they have been for years but they’re NEVER shown interacting outside of the firehouse.  It was clear in 6x5 when Eddie took Hoover the dog to Chimney’s apartment that he and Eddie hang out with each other.  In 6x8, Eddie should have had the conversation about Chris and his crush with Hen or Chimney not Carla.  Or here’s an idea, those scenes should have been SOLELY ABOUT EDDIE AND HIS SON CHRIS so they could have shared some father and son moments like they did in seasons 2 and 3.  Why is Carla being wedged in when she doesn’t have to be?  None of this makes any narrative sense.

Friendships

Everyone knows Eddie and Karen are friends and he’s friends with Chimney and Linda too but he’s never shown hanging out with them.  The question is why not?  He’s not afforded the same character development in that area like everyone else on the show is.  Hen and Athena are friends, so is Hen and Chimney.  Maddie and Josh are friends too but Bobby and Eddie are the only two who don’t have friends they can spend time with when they’re off work.  Eddie’s trip to the hardware store in 6x17 with Bobby doesn’t count because they have conversations like that all the time.

Eddie’s past relationships

Eddie wants someone who loves both him and Chris.  Shannon said she loved Chris but she left and didn’t contact their son for two years and if Eddie hadn’t called her to interview at Chris’ school, she probably wouldn’t have come back.  She suggested they get a divorce while he wanted to try again.  She told him he was a really great dad but she never commented on her own mothering skills.  However, she couldn’t wait to remind Eddie she’s Chris’ mother in 2x7 when she went to Eddie’s house and asked could she see Chris but when he said he didn’t want to confuse him, she said, “I’m his mom” well what did that have to do with the tea in China?  NOTHING because she left and didn’t try to contact them.  If she didn’t want Eddie, ok fine but she had a son who she didn’t check on.  Let’s be real, most mothers would have taken their child with them when they left but she didn’t.

They were never on the same page and all they did was ARGUE!  The audience shouldn’t have been convinced by that scene in 6x15 when they were sitting in front of her grave because Eddie knows the truth.  He read the letter she wrote to Chris but HE WILL NEVER TELL HIS SON THAT HIS MOTHER DIDN’T WANT TO STAY FOR HIM because he won’t hurt Chris like that.  Eddie carries the guilt of her not wanting to be a wife and a mother with him and hopefully he’ll be able to let it go in season 7 so he can focus on himself and stop it with this fictitious made-up fairytale about the way things were with her while they were in high school.

Eddie was 14 when they met and so was she and for anyone who believes those retconned ages the show pulled out in 6x15, they were 18 and fresh out of high school when she got pregnant so neither of them knew enough about love or anything else to have had some Romeo and Juliet type of love affair.  He was gone for 5 years while he was in the Army and she left for two years after he returned to the states.  If the amount of time they actually spent under the same roof is added up, it can’t be more than a few months.  He came back for Chris’ birth then he left again, he reenlisted which means he may have been in Texas for a month or two and when they reconciled in season 2, it was in October of that year and she died in May of 2019 but they weren’t living together in L.A., so the total amount of time they may have been under the same roof is 4 or 5 months.

That scene in 6x15 of Eddie and Chris sitting in front of Shannon’s grave was RIDICULOUS.  They had never done that before and it didn’t make any sense.  Eddie hadn’t mentioned Shannon since 5x10 and that was because Chris had a nightmare about her.  So, why did they bring her back to halo her like she didn’t leave Chris and not call him for two years?

Ana was in love with the “idea” of her and Eddie the same way he was but she wouldn’t admit it.  The proof happened in 5x1 when she cared more about dressing Eddie up like he was some type of Ken doll  before his first panic attack.  She avoided talking to him about it until he broke up with her.  She didn’t sit down to have a conversation with him like she should have but she sure did try to make it seem like he was the problem when she threw his panic attacks in his face.

At the end of 6x18, the way Eddie was acting was completely out of character for him.  Prior to that episode, he had never acted like a giggly school kid but that’s exactly how he acted in that episode when he was trying to ask Marisol out on a date.  Does the show really want the audience to believe King Petty Eddie Diaz who gave Taylor Kelly the stink eye several times in CANON doesn’t know how to ask a woman out on a date?  Also, he literally reproposed to Shannon in 2x17 before she suggested they get a divorce so the version of Eddie in 6x18 didn’t make any narrative sense.

So WTF was that BS and who’s raggedy idea was this?  Eddie’s nothing but confident, HELL he exudes it and he’s cool under pressure so how was the audience supposed to take that or interpret that scene of him dancing around like he got a date with a celebrity?

Is Eddie dating Marisol for Christopher or for himself?

In 6x17, Eddie WAS STILL LOOKING FOR SOMETHING/SOMEONE FOR CHRISTOPHER INSTEAD OF FOR HIMSELF (related post linked here).  When he saw Marisol at the hardware store, once again Bobby’s ‘raggedy advice’ was misconstrued and Eddie misunderstood what or who he should have been looking for.  He did the same thing after he saw Ana again in 4x6.  If they did date or if they will still be dating at the beginning of season 7, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone if Eddie has another panic attack followed by another scene of him saying “Chris loves you so much” the same way he told Shannon and Ana before he ends it.  Marisol’s name literally means LONELY or SOLITUDE.  Their relationship won’t work so it doesn’t make sense for them to be together especially since HE’S ALREADY FOUND THE PERFECT PERSON FOR CHRIS (BUCK) but he keeps looking past him.

Christopher “Chris” Diaz

Chris is a main character but he only had two storylines in season 6 and they weren’t all about him.  In 6x4, he skipped his Science Club meetings but that storyline was used to rope Buck’s ridiculous sperm donor storyline into it and it was also used to show Chris is growing up and he won’t be hanging out with Eddie as much anymore.  Therefore, it was about Eddie.  Also, his 6x8 storyline about the crush he had on a classmate was also made to be about Eddie.  The audience wasn’t shown Chris dealing with his crush on his own and actually, Carla was the one who suggested he might have a crush but Chris never said if he did.

Can Chris please get a storyline that doesn’t revolve around Buck and Eddie?  He’s 12 years old now which means he should have his own storylines just like all the other first responder kids had their own.  There are so many ways the show could handle it but for some reason they won’t.  They could let Chris have an honest conversation with Eddie about Shannon instead of making up that smores storyline in 6x15.  Chris was 5 years old when she left them in El Paso and they weren’t shown making smores together in season 2 before she died so who made up that story and why was it greenlit since it wasn’t true?

Since Eddie was sidelined for all 6A except for 6x7 and his storylines in 6B were more of the same from season 4, it would be nice if they actually gave him some storylines that were all about him and Chris.  Not that retconned storyline with Shannon or the ones where they constantly add Carla into the mix.  Both Eddie and Chris are treated like recurring characters even though they’re both mains and it needs to change before season 7.  They shouldn’t be sidelined only to be pulled back in for Buck’s storylines.  When is Buck going to be sidelined so he can be pulled into Eddie’s and Chris’ storylines?

Eddie and Chris both need and deserve more attention.  If 9-1-1 is turning into the Buck show with everyone else revolving around him and his love interests then, Eddie and Chris need their own show.  Can Eddie be HAPPY once and for all?  If they aren’t going to let him and Buck get together then let Eddie live his life happily ever after ALONE and let him get into some activities that mean something to him like baseball.  They moved his family away and have made him completely dependent on Buck and Carla which is RIDICULOUS.

Hopefully things will be different in season 7 for both Eddie and Chris.  Also, it would be good if they leave Marisol in season 6 where she initially appeared because no one wants to watch Eddie be in another relationship only for him to end up having panic attacks and trying to stick it out while avoiding what he wants for himself.  EDDIE AND CHRIS DESERVE TO BE HAPPY!

These are my criticisms regarding the character of Edmundo “Eddie” Diaz for season 6.

I have a total of 15 CANON “Constructive Criticisms” and as of Wednesday, August 30, 2023, they’ve all been posted.  The topics were posted in a specific order that begins with the overall issues for season 6 so they can be referenced within the posts about individual characters and ships that followed them.