#rookies rambles

[the-rookinator-3000]

headcanon (which is basically canon because he is literally my character) that jester of truth just likes to drop a bunch of psychoanalytic essays . like out of nowhere. like they just do that for no reason cuz they read thru penguins and its so funny. cuz like u can just greet them in a friendly way and they'd recite a 45 page essay word for word about your mental illness

my artistic rendition

[forestshadow-wolf]

I introduce to you... soap wrangling a lama into Ghost's office because he misheard something Ghost said and heard "i want a lama" and didn't question it.

[cfr749]

Initial Thoughts on Chenford in 6x07

All right... I'm feeling... a lot at the moment, so just sharing my initial reactions before seeing anyone else's. I'm sure my feelings will evolve. Also this turned into a GD essay and I'm sorry.

The Good

Grey acknowledging that Lucy was going through a lot ABOVE & BEYOND the break up. I just wish he'd mentioned the shooting, too. Lucy deserves to be more than her relationship with Tim and I need to actually see that in the future.

Lucy laying out 2 key things in her conversation with Grey - how easily Tim walked away and that he had no right to make that decision for her

Prior to the last scene (see The Ugly below), I thought Tim's interactions with the therapist were reasonably well done; if only therapy was that easy in real life lol

"You've always got a home with me" - I loved this final scene between Lucy and Tamara. I don't really have feelings either way about Tamara at this point, and this still hit me right in the heart.

Smitty's poll made me laugh, but also another solid indicator that these writers / producers do in fact really enjoy laughing at the expense of the fandom and shippers (which, whatever, I don't care that they do, I'd prob do the same; but it does irk me when people act like these writers should be worshipped because of all the things they "give" us)

The Tim

"I'm not depressed. I broke up with her."

"I was her TO." Not her friend, cuz god knows Tim has yet to deal with the fact that he started banging his former Rookie I suppose.

I dunno whether to put this in The Good or The Bad at this point; it depends on where they take it, so instead Tim gets a section all about why he's a dick.

To be clear, I do not like that Tim is a dick. But I actually do kind of like that it is very clear TO THE AUDIENCE that Tim is being kind of a dick. Do I still think people will bend over backwards to defend him? Of course they will.

From my perspective, I love Tim, I understand that he thinks he's doing the right thing, and has lots and lots of trauma. I've never seen Tim as a character that magically healed at some point between Seasons 1 & 5 (please see his storyline with his dad, his ongoing issues with UC work and unwillingness to confront or deal with them, his feelings about therapy historically, his inability to dump Ashley, etc. etc.). He's never been perfect and he doesn't need to be.

All of those things are true. None of those things give him a free pass to be kind of a dick. He still has to take accountability for how he treated Lucy (which, to be clear, was like sh*t).

The Bad

Lucy being petty AF with the invites to Tamara's dinner - let her be ANGRY, but give me villain Lucy over this dumb sh*t.

Lucy having no one other than Grey to talk to.

Others acting like Lucy is actually kind of pathetic (why do these writers love sh*tting on her so much? girl could not be down and kicked any harder at this point) -- Celina / Nolan and the double dumping crap, Lucy thinking Grey paid actors and him telling her she was out of her damn mind

The last interaction between Lucy and Tim. I am so angry for her. I needed to see that from her, but instead it felt kind of like her being dumped / a kicked puppy all over again. We got it, thanks. What's next? Lucy being incredibly happy with the hottest man on earth? I'm here for it tbh. Lucy plotting Tim's murder? Also here for it at this point. LOL.

The Ugly

I could not hate the implication of that final scene with Tim and the therapist and the door shutting more. There was ZERO reason they couldn't have had him show up during the day, and it actually disgusts me that they are pushing this line again, but especially with Tim. I am literally NEVER this dramatic, but in this case I really hope they did that to just get a reaction, because if anything were to actually happen between Tim and the therapist, I'd be 100% done with this ship and show as would a whole lot of the audience (I think). If I kept watching, it would only be to see Lucy be absurdly happy without Tim.

Well, what'd I miss? What did y'all think?

[rookierambles]

The unspeakable things I would do to this man

[sisterofficerlucychen]

so i hadn't been able to watch the elevator scene in its entirety until rn because my stream cut off but oh my god.

i personally found that scene so beautiful and what eric and melissa had initially said about where it left them makes so much more sense ♡

for starters, the location — the elevator. at first, their "spot" in mid-wilshire was the garage, then the parking lot, and now the elevator which i think is a really cool metaphor? elevators go up and they go down, which i think is where they're headed because they have a long journey ahead of them to find their way back to one another (and it won't be easy). it's also where they shared that hug in the last episode and it was something both of them needed so much so it was nice to see this kind of continue.

i loved the intentionally behind the blocking that melissa described in their latest interview. there's something about the way how she's behind him literally tucked away in the corner, how they're not facing each other to when he finally turns to face her.

the song selection ♡

at first there's like this inkling of normalcy with tim saying that she probably saved his life and lucy saying that he had the guy — for some reason it took me back to when she gave him the audiobook and teased him about training for the rematch with nico.

and then he turns to her ... while it wasn't the adult conversation or a heart to heart necessarily, it was such an impactful moment because it's the first time he's acknowledged to her face how badly he messed up and the impact of her still being there for him because he wasn't okay until she reached out and we saw how the weight of everything he was carrying melted away as soon as she pulled him into an embrace.

"[...] and i will spend the rest of my life trying to pay it back in whatever small doses you allow" the choice of words here was something i found really interesting and also what it's tied to? because it has nothing to do with the break up but rather paying back the kindness she showed him when he didn't deserve it.

i had to sit with this for a second but ultimately i think the reason why it's better that those words don't have anything to do with the break up is because it wouldn't have been the right time or place (imo he's not ready to give lucy the answers she deserves) but how she's always been there for him. that kindness goes back to the very beginning and plays such a pivotal part in the foundation of their relationship because it was through that kindness that he was able to come back from a really dark place — along the way she became a voice of reason, comfort, and safe place.

just like she set the boundary of checking in on him even though she was still mad at him, he keeps that boundary by acknowledging that she has the control and autonomy here and it's her decision to accept or reject him trying to pay it back. also the "rest of my life" and "small doses" because of the implication of how this is something that will take time, a lot of time and effort.

lastly, lucy's reaction; how she takes it all in and there's this flicker in her eyes as he says that. she could have easily shut him down all things considered but instead she stays silent. that tentative first step as they both leave the elevator, how she continues to process what that could mean as she walks out too. it's not a no and it's not a yes but it's a start, it's hope.

[fcb-mv33]

It is criminally insane that they let a literal child do this😭

[summerongrand]

I believe that Tim wronged Lucy and took away her agency. Love is a verb and we act this verb out through our actions and decisions. What Tim did to her was not love. It was out of a selfish need to protect her because he thinks he knows what's best for her better than she does. He doesn't.

Chenford has a long and difficult, uphill road ahead if they want to be together again. Tim is gonna need to come to terms with a lot of things, starting with how he treated Lucy. And he's gonna need to be willing and determined to change for her and for him if any healing were to happen. It's gonna be rough for him because he's gonna need to unlearn a lot. He'll need to treat her better. And the writers will need to do Lucy better because this whole "using WOC as plot devices for their male counterpart" trope needs a retool.

Nobody - actors included - knows if they'll get back together in canon. I'm hopeful they will but I'm also not going to get my hopes up.

[thisnightissparkling089]

And for the record, (I've had a few drinks with friends this evening, so I'm on a roll😅)

ADULTS ARE ALLOWED TO FUCKING ENJOY THINGS.

We're allowed to be in fandom, we're allowed to enjoy pop culture, we're allowed to write and consume fanfiction, we allowed to discuss our favorite things, we're allowed to be on Tumblr, we're allowed to live for God's sake.

Life does not end at 30, and I am so tired of the notion that it does. My 30s have by far been my favorite decade thus far.

[annalu86]

Busted

“So, are you single?” The woman looks coyly over her shoulder, biting her bottom lip as she looks him up and down.

He does his best to ignore the question, they had met less than 20 minutes ago and she had already called him handsome and sexy and told him she liked his eyes. It wasn’t to say he didn’t like strong, assertive women, he absolutely did, but this time he wasn’t interested.

“Come on darling, we’ve got some time to kill and I could make this interesting” she tried to turn to face him but stopped quickly. Somewhere to the side of the room they could hear giggling, someone was enjoying themselves. “Are you free to have some fun?”

“I have a girlfriend” he conceded, mostly in an effort to get her to leave him alone “I don’t think she’d be too happy with that”

“A girlfriend? So not a wife then. I can work with that” a smug smile creeps over her lips.

“Not yet” he replies cooly. A spluttering noise comes from the same corner that was giggling moments before. He grins.

“Sergeant Bradford” a voice comes from the doorway to the rear of the room “thank you for you patience, we really weren’t expecting so many. Officer Chen, officer Thorsen.” The man leading the joint task force greeted everyone left in the room “transport for those in custody has arrived and we can finally take them in for booking” intel had told them to expect 15 individuals in the building but when they had breached they discovered nearly 30. Bradford, Chen and Thorsen had been left to baby sit for 20 minutes whilst other officers secured the scene, collected evidence and took pictures.

“Your girlfriend wouldn’t approve, huh?” Lucy swivelled in the seat as Tim drove her, Aaron and himself back to the station in the shop. Aaron was sitting in the back, having missed his ride, pretending he couldn’t hear the couple up fronts conversation.

“Well you wouldn’t!” He raised an eyebrow but continued looking at the road.

“But that was the only reason?” She was enjoying teasing him. She always enjoyed teasing him and he did like to make her happy

“Oh totally” he deadpanned “otherwise women I’m arresting come top of my list of ideal partners” Lucy swatted at his shoulder, more gently than normal but then he was driving.

They carried on in this way as they finished the journey. Aaron was relieved to be let out. Being in a confined space, unable to escape that much flirty banter was cloying. He felt very, very single.

“Timothy”

Tim had not long arrived into the station the next morning. Had barely had chance to grab a coffee and sit at his desk in his tiny, cramped office when the door swung open.

“Timothy” the owner of the voice had fixed him with its most knowing and questioning gaze.

“Angela” Tim sighed, he had no idea what was coming but he knew it was best just to let her get it out her system.

“Are you asking Lucy to marry you?” Angela’s face was expressionless. She clearly needed facts and fast.

“Wh.. I…” Tim spluttered. He was really not expecting this “what? No. Why?” He managed.

“Grey and I were going over some of the body cam footage from yesterday.” She began

“Ahhh” the Penny dropping

“And we heard you telling that women you weren’t married… Yet!” Her voice rising higher and higher. She walked up to his desk, placing both palms flat down and suddenly Tim understood what it most be like to be questioned by Detective Lopez. “Do you plan on asking Lucy to marry you?”

“Of course I do” he answers simply, feeling much more composed now he understands her line of questioning. He smiles at the shocked look on his best friends face.

“When?” She leans in closer, excitement etched on ever inch of her face “soon?”

“It depends what you mean by soon?” He might be happy to share but he wasn’t going to make it easy.

“Timothy!” Her tone would be threatening if she wasn’t bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. Angela Lopez loves love and she had been team Chenford long before Lucy and Tim had wised up to what was going on. “By the end of the year?”

“Definitely” he smiled as she bounced faster

“By the end of summer?” She was pushing it, it was already mid April that wouldn’t leave much time.

“Probably” he had a few different ideas but he wasn’t ready to give Angela specifics, yet. He knew that time would come sooner rather than later though

“Oh… my… god” Angela perched on the edge of his desk. Seemly to overwhelmed to stand anymore “you two are going to make such a gorgeous bride and groom” then in a rush “oh and then the babies!”

“Ok, ok” Tim says standing, he starts ushering Angela towards the door “that’s quite enough, one step at a time”

“I’m sorry” Angela places a hand on Tim’s shoulder “I’m telling you the post pregnancy hormones really stay with you!” They both chuckle “ I’m really happy for you Tim”

“She hasn’t said yes yet” he says, he’s not really worried though. When he and lucy talk about the future it’s always so matter of fact. When they are married, when they have children. Never if, from the very beginning.

“We all know that isn’t going to be a problem”

[lucihens]

no but chenford needing private, enclosed spaces to stir up emotion and evoke physical reaction, whether that be speech or corporal affection, highlights their safety in one another alone and their need to cast away other factors that could inhibit their vulnerabilty so that they can focus solely on them together. and when they can, in this small space, it's like their souls slip out of their bodies and end up tangled in passing for lack of room and lack of an escape route and it induces the desire to have the most basic, quintessence of who they are greet each other and say "hey, this is really me, nowhere to run, reaching out for your hand to ask, 'can we mesh our hearts and stay like that forever?'" so i badly need them to be stuck in a car together, sinking to it's demise, so they finally end their sans-loveoflife misery and begin their avec-loveoflife joy.

[backonmybullship]

I want a bottle episode (or even an entire B storyline) of just Tim in therapy bringing up everything.

He talks about his dad and how he had to protect his mom and his sister.

He talks about the army and all of the shit he saw overseas and then of course everything with Ray and how many men he lost. Even stuff with the guy we met the day he got Kojo, I forget his name.

Then Isabel and everything that happened to her and how he had a hard time accepting it was over

And that naturally goes into when he saw Isabel for the first time in a year. How he was going to commit a crime to protect her.

"and Lucy showed up and convinced me not to do it"

"Is this the same Lucy that you recently broke up with?"

"Yeah. But she was my rookie."

"And did you help Isabel hide the drugs?"

"No."

"Because Lucy stopped you?"

"Yeah. She saved me from doing a lot of stupid things."

[the-rookinator-3000]

Infodump bout the jesters I dare you

(Please make sure you space out your messages or my head will explode in the bad goofy way)

okay! good luck!

the two jesters: the jester of truth and the jester of dreams are basically mythical beings, the same kind as scorn. they aren't exactly worshipped or anything, but they do have their own fair share of legends and myths and stuff like that. one popular legend is that the jester of truth can turn penguins into gold and the jester of dreams can force penguins into an endless slumber, pretty freaky!

JoD and garianna actually have a lot of history, which made JoD feel very attached to the .. insane inventor family because of her. the two were close allies, even so much to convince JoD to make garianna and her entire family immune to his super-cool-yet-kind-of-terrifying powers.

JoD likes to annoy gary because of it, he finds gary very interesting. not just because of his immunity, but because of gary's personality. JoD enjoys gary's presence, but the same can't be said for gary.

JoD has a habit of putting up a facade, specifically one where he is constantly happy and joking! he's spent a lot of time alone (more on that in an actual loredump), which makes him pretty.. how do i say this.. socially-starved, or something? basically, he just likes the company of others. but nobody really enjoys his presence for that long.

JoT is actually a very understanding and calm penguin. it's just that during his party (under the cut), he was really really stressed out.

JoT is blind!

both JoD and JoT have a weird tendency to mention "fools" whenever they talk about themselves. they are jesters, after all.

i wanted to insert the jesters in the same nonsensical fantasy way scorn and skip were introduced; by that, i mean parties! keep reading for a buncha nonsense BAHAHA

JoD would have a party called "The Dream Land Party" which would be foreshadowed by the club penguin times news articles talking about penguins suddenly falling asleep and seeming to not be able to wake up. this would then kick in gary, who intervenes by creating a machine that can look into a penguin's dreams. this is where gary and the player gets teleported into a new area called the "Dream Land Dimension" which is basically like.. JoD's personal box dimension LOL

there, the two of you meet JoD who claims that the penguins drifting off to sleep wasn't his fault, it was merely the cause of his dimension seeping into the real world, and he didn't actually have any ill intention.

there, it plays a lot like the inside out party where you have to look into the mascots' dreams and encapsulate them within JoD's juggling balls (yup! his juggling balls contain dreams!) once you've collected all these juggling balls, then JoD lifts the curse and all of the penguins wake up. happy ending and not too much else to be expected from a club penguin party!

im not just making another operation blackou-

oh.

so the jester of truth's party is more or less just a few specific details, and i loosely connected them.

it starts with gary finding an ancient book in garianna's old home, this book she specifically instructed for nobody to open no matter what, gary leaves the book just... just there only for rookie to find it.

thinking it's an ancient wizard spellcasting book, rookie opens it and accidentally rips out a page. and of course, it frees JoT (more on that in an actual lore dump).

JoT is furious, and turns everybody into gold! rookie and the player have to stop JoT before it's too late, and that includes a really cool boss fight! eventually, they beat JoT, but rookie chooses to just let him be. which ends up with JoT being friendly!

[dylanconrique]

i didn't notice it before but rewatching the hug i saw that tim was fighting back a smile as he settled into lucy's arms when he was like "i am now" while on the other hand lucy's eyes are tearing up cause she's just that overwhelmingly worried about tim despite the fact that she's still very upset with him for lying and then using that as a reason to abruptly break up with her, and i just-

[cfr749]

One thing I really need to see is this show giving Lucy back her agency. Tim obviously took that away from her in the days leading up to the breakup and then, of course, in the way he ended things as well.

But we also had Primm pulling the strings on her career.

And going back even further we had Tim influence her decision that a relationship would be worth the risk. Tim also decided she was going to date Chris and then ultimately influenced her decision to break up with him (she even used his words instead of her own 🤦🏽‍♀️, but even as a joke that was problematic).

Others have also pointed out how things ended with Nolan and Emmett.

One thing I have actually loved about this season is Lucy vocally standing up for herself, and I need to see it continue. I’d love to see her have the opportunity to take the reins on her career and her personal life (including whether she decides to forgive Tim, reunite with him, or even see someone else). It needs to be her making those decisions for herself.

[rookierambles]

I am very normal and sane for Johnny Cage (lying)

[lucyschens]

you know what's really intriguing about the last chenford scene in 6.07 is that half the chenford fam is feeling optimistic and can see the light at the end of the tunnel and the other half are feeling the exact opposite

oh the psychology of it all