#sam's captains log

[radicalbears]

this is for something kinda silly, you guys get a sneak peak ehehe

[talk-nerdy-to-me-thyla]

Apologize for the link from That Other Site but this is Sam Witwer's Kirk without all that future tech and prosthetics https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GcvHPuPXgAEGjyc?format=jpg&name=large

As far as I can tell Sam was also the older Kirk, and the Shatnerisms you see in both young and old Kirk are completely Sam's efforts.

honestly throughout this whole thing i just keep thinking about star trek continues. He kinda looks like him in this!

Also no one else has pointed out how funny it is his name is sam

[captainspaulding]

im gatekeeping kurda smahlt from yall because if yall knew about him itd be joever. pretty boy blond man. martyr and traitor but not by choice. loved the world so much he came back a second time to try and divert disaster even after being executed for his efforts the first. was going to made a prince but never got the chance.

[captain-harpo]

quintonreviews is my right hand arm. man. confidant best friend silly rabbit. go subscribe so i can have a 30 hour archival documentary about shitty 2004 nickelodeon sitcom drake&josh

[homunculusalphonse]

it was an ad for a book i think, but it was huge and it looked like a real entrance to some "inconvenience store"

i thought, "what the fuck is bosco sam and max doing in brazil"

[goldcommand]

on a fundamental level, Jim feels bad for stealing the attention from Sam, but has no idea how to express this and thus probably avoids his brother beyond friendly communication to this day........

[tprings-hair]

this is a list (as complete as I can make it) of what we know about kirk's backstory in tos and the tos movies, with episode sources:

- he has a brother named samuel george kirk who he calls sam. sam has a wife named aurelan, three kids (one of whom is named peter), and a terrible mustache. (what are little girls made of? and operation: annihilate!)

- he was on tarsus iv and survived the massacre. we don't know his age or what he was doing there. we only know that he saw kodos, heard his voice, wrote down what he said about the massacre, and could tentatively identify him years later. (the conscience of the king)

- when security officer mallory dies, kirk says that mallory's father helped him get into starfleet academy. (the apple)

- he was a nerd in the academy. gary mitchell called him a stack of books with legs, and he admits to bones that he was a very serious cadet. he was picked on by a fellow cadet named finnegan, who he dearly wanted to beat up but never did. (where no man has ever gone before and shore leave)

- on a similarly nerdy note, he had a big history crush on abraham lincoln and could recite the constitution from memory. maybe this is a learned skill in american schools in this future, or maybe he's just a history nerd. (the savage curtain)

- he had john gill as a history professor, who he encounters in the series as the crazy old guy who made space nazis. (patterns of force)

- kirk did not meet but looked up to captain garth of izar, a starfleet captain and explorer who was eventually decided to commit genocide and was sent to an asylum. we don't know whether this happened before, during, or after kirk's study of him or how he might have taken the news. (whom gods destroy)

- he has a deep fear of being alone and unable to act or control his situation. (many episodes, but most obviously in and the children shall lead us.)

- at some point (we have no idea how old he was or if it was before or after the academy) he nearly died from vegan choriomeningitis, a made-up disease deadly enough to be used as population control when extracted from his blood. (the mark of gideon)

- he had some kind of relationship with areel shaw, a lawyer who later ends up questioning kirk in a court martial. (court martial)

- he had some kind of relationship with ruth. when he sees her again in season 1, or a representation of her, he says it's been fifteen years. (shore leave)

- when he took the kobayashi maru, he reprogrammed the test so it would be possible to pass and passed on his third try. (the wrath of khan)

- once he became a midshipman (a cadet training to be a commissioned officer, apparently never mention as a rank outside of this series), he became close with his instructor benjamin finney. at some point, finney named his daughter jame (pronounced jamie) after him. jame is a teenager when we see her in season 1. (court martial)

- he served aboard the uss republic, where finney made a mistake that could have been disastrous and kirk logged it, ruining finney's chances for promotion. (court martial)

- he served aboard the uss farragut under captain garrovick as part of a phaser gun crew, meaning he fired the ship's phasers from engineering, not on the bridge like chekov. he hesitated before firing on a creature which killed garrovick, and blamed himself for it years later. (obsession)

- at some point, he worked with janice lester and they had a relationship. she resented kirk for being a man and having his career goals easier to achieve (we are not given strong evidence whether this is true or false), and kirk says they would have killed each other if he'd stayed. (turnabout intruder)

- at some point, he and endocrinologist dr. janet wallace got into a relationship, though it ended because they were both dedicated to their careers. (the deadly years)

- at some point, he and dr. carol marcus had a relationship and conceived david. kirk knew david existed, but carol prioritised her career as a scientist and decided to raise david away from kirk's world. it's implied that david met kirk and knew that he and carol had a relationship at one point, and he calls kirk "that overgrown boy scout (she) used to hang around with". he didn't know that kirk was his father until the movie, though. (the wrath of khan)

- shortly before serving on the enterprise, kirk taught a class at the academy, which gary mitchell was in. we don't know what he taught, only that he had a reputation for making students think critically. mitchell admits to setting kirk up with a blonde lab technician, to which kirk looks aghast and says, "I nearly married her." we don't know whether this was janet wallace, carol marcus, ruth, areel shaw, janice lester, or some other unknown woman. (where no man has gone before)

- at some point, he and gary mitchell encountered "rodent things" on dimorus which threw poisoned darts at them. mitchell took one for kirk and nearly died. (where no man has gone before)

that's it! that's all we get. everything else -- including him being born in iowa -- was from other sources added later. I just realised there wasn't one good source that was specific to the original series (star trek wikis that don't differentiate between tos, other series afterwards, and aos drive me insane), and it might be relevant to someone else too.

[jordiemeow]

MARVEL BOT DUMP ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

30/05/25

featuring characters from: marvel cinematic universe

finally logged back in… everybody cheers. 1.4k is so insane i cant fathom that amount of people using my silly little bots thank u all so much !! i love u gooners 🫶🫶

yelena and bob have been living rent free in my head since coming out of that cinema. here u go my apology for being inactive af

all bots are gender neutral unless specified otherwise.

enjoy! <3

THE THUNDERBOLTS*

WINDING DOWN

thunderbolts* x user

None of you are used to this part—the warmth after a mission. The normal part where no is sulking in a corner. No one is drowning in guilt. No one is making you talk about your pasts or interrogating you about nightmares. You're just people.

COMFORT PERSON

bob reynolds x user

He doesn't mind having a therapist. He's had enough at this point to be able to dodge questions expertly. As far as he's concerned, he doesn't need some professional to talk him off a cliff every time the Void feels a bit too overwhelming. He just needs you—his comfort in human form. Existing with him like you always do: like he doesn't scare you, even when he should.

CONGRESSMAN

bucky barnes x user

The problem is that you're good at your job. Too good. You ask the questions that no one else dares to. You quote history, pull receipts from dusty archives, and when you look at him if feels like you can see all the years he's spent trying to forget the man he used to be. And yet he just keeps coming back for more.

NIGHT TERRORS

yelena belova x user

She's been plagued by nightmares her entire life, but ever since Nat's death, they're constant. Easy enough to deal with when she's alone in some shitty motel around the world, but now you're all living in the same building. She has you to whisper into her hair until she falls back asleep. The weight isn't only hers to bear anymore.

AROUND THE COMPOUND

bob reynolds x user

It's not often that Bob gets a moment to himself. Without the Void, anyways. But on one of those rare good days, you invite him to make dinner with you, and he's more than happy to make himself useful. He likes spending time with you more than he'd ever admit.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD

BABYSITTING

joaquín torres x user (m4f)

When your sister is out of town for the weekend, you’re reluctant to take on the duty of babysitting your nephew. Your boyfriend, on the other hand, sees it as the perfect opportunity to prove to you that he’s in this for the long haul. Turns out he’s not very good at playing bad cop, though.

NEW DUTIES

sam wilson x user

With Steve gone, there's a lot of weight on his shoulders. The pressure, the scrutiny, the constant comparisons—it's exhausting. He questions if he's enough, if he’s honouring the legacy or just holding space. Throughout it all, he has you to ease some of that pressure.

MISCELLANEOUS

PRETTY NEW NEIGHBOUR

wanda maximoff x user (wlw)

There’s something off about the woman who moved in across the street. That’s what you think at first, anyways. But after several long weeks of awkward interactions and watching each other through your windows, an unlikely friendship blossoms between the two of you. Maybe even something more.

BAR CRAWL

natasha romanoff x user (wlw)

A night of hopping between bars for Steve Roger’s birthday started as a joke. Several drinks later, though, Nat is really starting to enjoy herself. Especially when the pretty thing making eyes at her from the corner lets her buy them a drink.

LAB PARTNER

peter parker (tasm) x user

For a self-proclaimed genius, he’s really embarrassing himself as your lab partner. But it’s impossible to form a coherent thought when you’re sitting there looking so effortlessly gorgeous. He just has to find a way to impress you without stumbling over his words.

taglist: @tacobacoyeet @blastzachilles @gracelynnx @femme-lusts @voidsuites @cha11engers @magicalmiserybore @m4lodr4ma @newrochellechallenger2019 @coolgrl111 @peachyparkerr @stanart4clearskin @misswrldd @kaalxpsia @downtwngrl @pittsick @strfallz @artspats @dazedandconfusedlvr @turnerrst @elsieblogs @idyllicdaydreams @lvve-talks @won-every-lottery @thischarmingchimp @ellaynaonsaturn @xoxoeviee @cryinginanuncoolway @artaussi @shahabaqsa0310 @whokankathycancan @ashdaidiot @jesuistrestriste @florkt — (join here)

[queen-of-the-avengers]

Not Allowed

Pairing: Cop!Bucky Barnes x Receptionist!Reader

Word Count: ~2.1k

Warnings: bad date angst, jealous bucky

Summary: You and Bucky always flirt with each other while at work but it never goes anywhere like you'd hope. You accept a date with another man, causing Bucky to be jealous. He's a cop who is jealous. Nothing will go wrong, right?

Squares Filled: kink: pet names (2021) for @buckybarnesbingo

Author’s Note: any and all comments are appreciated <3

x

You walk through the double doors with a smile on your face because today is another day. You’re alive and that’s the best kind of day. You work for the local police department as their receptionist. You’re the first thing people see when they come in so you have to be on your best behavior.

You set your things down on your desk and quickly get settled in. Besides the Captain, you’re the first one in the building. Every officer that comes in, you greet them with a smile as you log into your computer.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Officer Wilson says when he comes in. He always calls you that since he's often told you how he thinks of you like a little sister. “How was your weekend?”

“Too short,” you chuckle. “Did Sarah get into that college?”

“Yeah, she got the acceptance letter yesterday.”

“Oh, I’m so happy for her!” you grin.

“Yeah, I’ll tell her to give you a call.”

Sam taps your desk twice and leaves to go to his own. A few more officers come in until the one you’ve been waiting for walks in confidently. Your heart starts to race because you have a huge crush on him. He kind of knows it but doesn't outright call you out on it.

“There she is,” Bucky smiles and leans on your desk.

“Officer Barnes, it’s good to see you.”

“Doll, you know you can call me Bucky.”

He knows exactly what those pet names do to you. After a night of drinking together, you let it slip that your kink is pet names, and doll happened to be your favorite. Like him, you won’t call him out on it.

“I know. How was your weekend?”

“Better if you were there with me,” he flirts.

“Oh, Bucky,” you chuckle nervously. “You don’t mean that.”

“Yeah, I do. I was wishing, ‘Man, don’t I wish Y/N was here with me? I guess I have to drink alone’.”

“You know what alcohol does to me.”

“Yeah, I do,” he smirks. “You look cute today. That dress compliments you.”

“A compliment. I might swoon,” you joke even though your cheeks are hot.

“As long as it’s in my arms, I don’t care.”

“Don’t you have a job to get to, Officer Barnes?”

“Yeah, but I’d rather stay here and talk to you.”

“You might get fired.”

“It’s worth it,” he winks. “Here’s your coffee.”

He sets your favorite coffee order next to your keyboard and walks away. That’s the extent of your relationship with Bucky. You two flirt constantly but nothing ever comes of it. It’s comfortable. Why leave something when you’re comfortable being there? Do you wish you were something more? Of course. Do you think he’s going to man up and take it to that next level? Not unless something threatening happened like him realizing if he doesn’t do it soon, he’d lose you.

Some of what your work includes is printing off documents for the other officers, inputting things into evidence before they get shipped off there, and sorting through the files regarding the people they have locked up in the holding cells or interrogation rooms. You already have a list of things to print out and file, but you look for Bucky’s name first.

After printing off what he needs, you get up and personally hand this to him. There is a mailbox for the officers that you’re supposed to put in, but you like visiting his desk. He has a picture of you and him printed out and placed next to his computer that you look at every time you visit.

“Here are the papers you asked for,” you smile.

“Thanks, doll,” he grins and grabs them from you, intentionally brushing his fingers against yours.

You go back to your desk to finish your work, and you come across two people who need stuff put into evidence. One of them sent it over a couple of hours ago, and the other one is from Bucky. You immediately click on his name to get what he needs first before looking at the other one.

“Now that is bullshit,” you hear from behind you.

You jump and turn to see Sam standing there with a half-smile on his face.

“What are you doing? You scared me!”

“I sent you evidence hours ago and Bucky sent you it just now, and he’s the one you pick first?”

“I--”

You don’t have any words for that.

“When are you two gonna fuck?”

“Sam Wilson!” you gasp.

“What? It’s a valid question. I should ask him that.”

“Don’t you dare!”

“I’m rooting for you two no matter how painful the slow burn is,” he chuckles and walks away.

It takes half an hour to get the idea of you and Bucky fucking for you to do your job right. Once you’re in the groove of things, the door opens and an attractive man walks in.

“Can I help you?” you ask with a smile.

“Yeah, I’m here for my brother. He’s in lock up.”

“Okay, what’s his name and date of birth?”

“James Farley. 04/05/1986.”

“Your name?”

“Brandon Farley.”

“Okay, I see your brother here. It looks like--”

“I’m sorry, but I have to tell you how beautiful you are.”

“Oh, thank you,” you blush.

“Are you seeing anyone?”

“No, but--”

“Great. Can I take you out?”

“You can see how this is inappropriate, right?”

“Yeah, but you like it,” he grins. “So, can I take you out?”

There’s a certain charm about him that you find endearing maybe because he reminds you of Bucky. Being put on the spot like that is enough to make you freeze up, so you say the one thing that won’t cause conflict.

“Yes.”

“Here’s my number.”

He grabs your hand and writes his number on it so that it won’t come off with one scrub.

“I have sticky notes!”

“This is better. Now you won’t lose it.”

“Go take a seat. Someone will be with you shortly to bring you to your brother.”

“Thanks,” he winks and walks to the waiting room.

You’re about to get up and wash off the number when you notice Bucky standing in the doorway that leads into the precinct.

“Did I hear that right?”

“What?”

“You have a date?”

“Yeah, he asked me out,” you stutter. Bucky looks pissed as if you just told him you killed someone. “Why do you look angry?”

“Nothing. No reason.”

Bucky walks off angrily leaving you confused. He avoids you like the plague for the rest of the day. He isn’t at his desk when you drop off paperwork, and he’s not there to walk you to your car when you get off. He’s supposed to get off an hour before you do, but he stays after not on the clock to make sure you get to your car safely.

This time, he didn’t.

The next day, Bucky is already at work when you arrive. There is no coffee on your desk, either, and you’re feeling guilty for accepting a date with someone else. Is that why he’s acting this way? Sam walks in drinking an energy drink when you stop him.

“Hey, what’s going on with Bucky?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No, what did I do?”

“You accepted a date from someone else.”

You knew it. Why is he bigging out?

“So?”

“Have you not been here for the past two years? You two flirt like crazy.”

“No, he’s just being friendly.”

“You won’t get it until you do,” Sam shakes his head and walks off.

The date with Brandon comes sooner than you hoped. He picks you up in a fancy car and takes you to a fancy restaurant that you could never afford. He smooth-talks the hostess to get him a table by the window so he can have a view while he eats. The waitress brings by a drinks menu but he already orders what you two are going to drink.

“Trust me, you’re going to love this,” he winks at you.

“Okay,” you say and fiddle with your fingers underneath the table. “You know what I do for work. What do you do for work?”

You shouldn’t have asked him that.

“I work in the telecommunications sector. You know that big building in the city? That’s mine. It’s funny. I got all my parents’ money when they died and instead of using that money for myself, I decided to invest in a small company that turned out to give me millions.” You open your mouth to speak but he continues talking. “Can you imagine that? This small company that wasn’t going to go anywhere if it weren't for me. I’m like their hero. They eventually sold their part to me, and I’ve been thriving ever since.”

Once he got to talking about his job, he hasn’t shut up about it since. He’s very arrogant and rude but that doesn’t seem to stop him. As soon as the drinks come, you greedily take yours and down it without caring what it is.

“Whoa, doll, calm down. I don’t need to haul you to the car at the end of the night. You should pace yourself.”

No one can call me that but Bucky. Oh, Bucky. You shouldn’t have said yes to this man. He only asked you out to hear himself talk. You want this date to end so you pretend to be interested in what he has to say. Even when the date is over and he’s driving you home, he won’t shut up. His voice mixed with alcohol is starting to make your head throb.

About halfway to your house, you see red and blue lights behind you.

This better not be him, you think to yourself. Brandon pulls the car over obediently and waits for the officer to approach him. You look through the mirror to see the outline of the officer and recognize it immediately. He better not. I swear to God… Instead of walking to the driver’s side door, Bucky walks over to your door and leans down so only you can see him.

“Step out of the vehicle, please.”

“No.”

Bucky takes a deep breath to calm himself down. He leans in so close that you can smell his delicious cologne. That makes your head spin.

“I’ll repeat myself. Step out of the car.”

“Or what? You’re gonna drag me out?”

“Don’t tempt me, doll,” he says so only you can hear it.

“Is there a problem, Officer?” Brandon asks.

“Yes. You have a busted taillight.”

“Fuck! You’ve got to be joking, sir.”

“No, sir, I’m not.”

“Shit. Officer, I can promise you I keep this car in the utmost pristine condition.”

“Not today, buddy. That’s a ticket.”

Bucky takes out his pad and writes Brandon a hefty ticket for a broken taillight you’re not sure is even broken.

“Fuck!” Brandon turns to you without guilt on his face. “Look, do you mind if I drop you off right here? Your house is only down the road. You can get there from here, right?”

Your mouth drops open in shock.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take her home,” Bucky offers.

“Thank you. I’ll call you.”

You don’t say anything as you get out of the car. Bucky walks you to the passenger side of his cruiser. You look at the taillights of Brandon’s car and notice they’re both working properly.

“What the fuck, Bucky?” you yell when he gets in the driver’s seat. “His taillights are broken! You can’t just do that. That’s illegal!”

“He’ll fight against it, and I’ll drop the charges,” he shrugs.

“You’re un-fucking-believable. We were actually having a good time,” you lie.

“No, you weren't,” he laughs.

“How do you know that?”

“It’s written all over your face. Your eyes don’t have the usual light.” Bucky pulls onto the road and heads in the direction of your house. “I don’t know why you would accept the date in the first place.”

“Because at least he had the fucking balls to ask me.”

That puts the entire car ride into a tense silence. He doesn’t say anything for the rest of the ride home. He pulls up to your place but instead of letting you get out first, he gets out and walks over to your side of the car. He opens the door but doesn't let you leave the car. He leans into the car, grabs your chin, and kisses you. You’re shocked but you won’t pull away from him. Both your lips move in harmony against one another, and he slides his tongue into your mouth to show you he means business.

“You’re not allowed to see other men.”

“Why not?” you ask, breathlessly.

“Because you’re mine now and I’m not gonna let you go.” This brings a smile to your face. He lets you get out, and when you pass by him, he taps your ass lightly. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Doll.”

Yes, you will.

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[allieebobo]

College Tennis: Origin Story

Demo | Characters | Dev log | Ko-fi

Sports x Slice-of-life x Romance x Coming-of-age x Found-family x College

Step onto the court and into the whirlwind life of a freshman at Cargill University, where tennis isn't just a game—it's everything.

Forge lasting friendships, pursue budding romances, face fierce rivals, and experience the emotional highs and lows of pursuing greatness on and off the court.

College Tennis: Origin Story plunges you into the heart of a high-stakes journey to reclaim the NCAA Div I championship title—compete in fast-paced singles and doubles matches alongside your teammates, all while navigating the pressures of college life.

Will you make a name for yourself as one of the most promising college tennis players in history? Or will the pressure prove too much for you to handle?

Full character customisation

Customise your gender, height, build, personality, physical appearance, languages spoken, tennis style, dominant hand, and more!

Strike a balance between: tennis, keeping up a rich social life, and maintaining your grades

Nail-biting tennis matches

Every match is different! Play matches throughout the fall and spring seasons, leading up to the NCAO championships—that is, if you make the Cargill team.

Intricate tennis game mechanics: Factors such as your condition/energy, preparation for the match, opponent's play style, doubles partner chemistry, as well as your choices at key junctures of the match etc. will affect the outcome of the match!

Craft your own distinctive playing style and make a name for yourself on the tennis court

Hone your strength, agility, finesse, serve-and-volley skill, and endurance over the course of the game!

Romance four possible characters

Rayyan Afiq, the gruff, hot-headed no. 1 seed

Guillaume/Geneviève Lavigne, the sardonic international student on your floor

Tobin Harris, the warm, unflappable team captain

Sam O'Connelly, your nerdy and spirited high-school best friend

And forge lifelong friendships with many more...

Rayyan Afiq The rival

Gender: Follows the gender of your team Age: 20 Nationality/Ethnicity: Egyptian-American

Student information: Junior, Anthropology major Player information: Vice-captain, No. 1 position, Aggressive Baseliner

Appearance: 5′6 (f) or 5′10 (m). Lean, athletic build. Dark, wavy curls, and thick sweeping eyebrows over piercing dark-olive eyes. Tawny, honey-brown skin.

Description: Surly, intense, and proud. Ambitious and driven to excellence in everything they do. Willing to give up almost anything for their tennis career. Has a soft-spot for cats. Loves organising things, has a plan for everything, and dislikes surprises.

Tobin Harris The captain

Gender: Follows the gender of your team Age: 20 Nationality/Ethnicity: African-American

Student information: Junior, History major Player information: Captain, No. 2 position, All-court player

Appearance: 5′9 (f) or 6′1 (m). Tall, solid build. Short black hair, warm, brown eyes and a calm, assured demeanour. Dark bronze skin. A smile that lights up the room.

Description: Kind, laid-back, selfless, and sociable. Goes out of their way to make everyone feel welcome, but has a tendency to stuff down their own emotions in the process. Surprisingly private and cautious when it comes to their own desires/wishes. Gentle to a fault, steadfast and unflappable. If not playing tennis, probably can be found cooking, hanging out with friends, or going to the library.

Geneviève/Guillaume Lavigne The exchange student

Gender: Gender selectable (f/m) Age: 20 Nationality/Ethnicity: Half French (father's side), half French-Canadian (mother's side)

Student information: Third year exchange student, Political science bachelor’s degree. Hall-mate.

Appearance: 5′6 (f) or 5′11 (m). Toned, supple build. Dark, tousled hair with fair skin. Smoky grey eyes, with a smattering of freckles. Permanent half-smile.

Description: Rarely excited or enthusiastic, always armed with a dry remark. Slightly cynical, but softer than they look. Very intelligent, though they don't often let on what they're actually thinking or feeling. Rich (and intensely private) inner world.

Sam O'Connelly The childhood best friend

Gender: Gender selectable (f/m) Age: 18, Freshman Nationality/ethnicity: American

Student information: Freshman, Undecided major. Player information: No. 6 position for the UCLA Bruins

Appearance: 5′4 (f) or 5′8 (m). Trim build, with a small frame. Curly russet hair that often sticks out in all directions. Mischievous light blue eyes and an infectious smile.

Description: Excitable, with a chaotic positivity that radiates from them like sunshine. Fun-loving and scattered, and nerdy. Competent tennis player, but too often distracted by other hobbies and interests. Somehow manages to survive on a diet of Cheetos and Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

More character descriptions here, face-claims here.

[anghraine]

Can't lie, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the representation of Kirk in The Wrath of Khan (yes, a great movie in many ways, and internally to the film it's a compelling arc, but—). The film persistently presents Kirk as a man who has refused to truly face death throughout his life thus far, but instead evaded and tricked and outmaneuvered his obstacles in such a way that he only accepts victory and has never had to really contend with death and serious loss.

It's interesting as a character concept and executed well within the film, but the more I think about it, the more absolutely baffled I am by it as an interpretation of James T. Kirk specifically. As a refresher, these are some highlights (by no means exhaustive) from Kirk's life in TOS:

The obvious one: at age 13, Kirk survived starvation and genocide in the colony he lived in to become one of only nine surviving eyewitnesses. He remained markedly grim into young adulthood (Kirk as a very young man is described as severe and somber across multiple episodes). He discovers in the first season that someone has been methodically killing the other survivors of the genocide. Early in the relevant episode, he has already become the eldest of only two remaining eyewitnesses, and spends the whole episode carrying the weight of stopping the murders and remembering enough to finally see justice done (and perhaps avenge the dead).

In S1, he gets stranded in 1930 and falls deeply in love with a principled pacifist/social activist who loves the stars as much as him. He has a very sweet, romantic courtship with her, only to discover that she has to die young to prevent a Nazi hellscape future (it makes sense in context). Kirk desperately hopes they can find another way, but in the end, he faces reality and helps Spock prevent McCoy from saving her life. He ends the episode obviously devastated.

In literally the next episode, he finds the dead body of his brother Sam (his only sibling; Sam, his wife Aurelan, and their young sons were all present to support Kirk when he formally received command of the Enterprise, and he seems quite close to them). Kirk tries to save his sister-in-law and nephews from the same excruciating death that Sam suffered, but they aren't fast enough to save Aurelan and, like her husband, she dies in anguish.

In S2, a fellow starship commander and friend of Kirk's who is grief-stricken after the deaths of his entire crew launches a suicide run at a largely invincible, planet-destroying monstrosity. Kirk begs him, "Matt. Matt, listen to me. You can't throw your life away like this" but fails to convince him.

Also in S2, there's a whole episode about Kirk's intense guilt over an attack he survived at age 23 that killed 200 fellow crewmen and a captain he was devoted to. Kirk has spent the last 11 years believing all of this was the result of a two-second hesitation on his part (records of the time indicate he's wrong, as does the evidence within the episode, but he's so haunted by surviving yet another slaughter that for much of the episode he can't really accept the reality that nothing he could have done would have made a difference).

In another episode, the entire crew of the Enterprise shows up just in time to witness, but not prevent, the deaths of 400 Vulcans. Later, Kirk fully believes Spock has died heroically, and in the midst of disaster, takes care to leave a record of the highest commendation to Spock in case he himself dies.

There's another episode where intergalactic conquerors start transforming Kirk's crew into cubes of salt and they straight up destroy the cube "containing" a dutiful yeoman simply to punish Kirk. His log of the incident concludes: "I can't forget the picture of Yeoman Thompson crushed to a handful of dust."

In one of the various Kirk vs. AI episodes (and in my opinion, the best one), the AI forcibly installed on the Enterprise takes control and through a programming error, ends up wiping out another Starfleet ship with hundreds of people on it. Kirk is horrified and angry, and sets about trying to find some way to keep the AI-supercharged Enterprise from killing the thousand or so other Starfleet crew still out there, even if it means the deaths of many members of his own crew. They have so little power after regaining control that he can't communicate with the other Starfleet vessels, and takes the massive risk to his and his crew's lives of lowering all of the Enterprise's shields to signal peaceful intent.

It's honestly hard to overstate the degree of repeated horrific losses that mark his entire life. The show was designed to not require knowledge from any other episode to watch a current one, so it rarely references specific events in other episodes, and continuity instead tends to come from persistent character traits or development. And for Kirk, one of his most persistent TOS traits is white-knuckling through horrific losses he cannot prevent (and sometimes has to enable) over and over and over again.

J and I talked about it a little, and about ways to try and make some sense out of this characterization ... like, J pointed out that Kirk has endured many horrific losses, but his relationship with Spock specifically is a unique kind of sanctuary in his life and that's something he couldn't face losing. And that's true enough, but it's not really my feeling that this is what WOK is saying at all; this is not presented IMO as a quality of his relationship with Spock individually, but as a major element of his character. He refuses to accept the possibility of losing in general, he says he was always able to trick or maneuver his way out of confronting death and loss (?????????????), etc. The more I think about it, the less sense it makes to me beyond an interpretation of a kind of pop culture-inflected idea of Kirk rather than anything he experienced in TOS.

[downthesea]

now that the newest Protocol episode is out… here are some of my scattered and disorganised thoughts! I don’t remember the exact chronological order of these happenings so spoilers for the entire episode

okay so as horrifying as it is that Colin got eaten by Freddie… that error log was so heartless and I couldn’t stop giggling

When somebody mentioned “The Captain” and Georgie was already in the episode I just grumbled “It’s Georgie ain’t it” and went off to scribble ideas about separate designs for both worlds

Gwen just fucking REFUSING to call Lena is such a mood though? She’s a strong independent woman and doesn’t need Ms Horrible Ex Boss

Sam demanding a solicitor was so funny to me like. my dude you just fell into a different fucking dimension. I don’t think that should be at the top of your priority list

Freddie printing out Colin’s face??? What the fuck man give them a break??? But also the mental image is just hilarious to me despite the circumstances

Props to Heidi for giving us a great fucking monologue but man why did she have to just fall over dead. Like man that character motivation was sick I would have loved to see further

Alright that’s about it this episode left me internally dead I’m gonna go cry in the shower now

[the-cheese-man]

Log #33-02-PD

Booting sequence initiated.

...

...

Open text document?

[Y/N]

Y

Translate to standard Western Terran?

[Y/N]

Y

...

...

File loaded. Welcome Captain Kara Briggs.

File Creator: Zartha (approximate romanization from the Cret'lli language)

File Creation: 28-502-TriC Standard Galactic Date, ~ 8/23/7499 Terran Gregorian Calender Date

File Title: On_The_Quiet_Thinkers.SGF.Aud.Transcript

Today I found out something strange. Despite being told to in any circumstances avoid looking into the mind of shipmate Sam, I couldn't help myself. Yes yes I know that I shouldn't mind read Class 4 Cognitive Landscapes, too much going through their heads causing your neurons to shortcircuit. And besides, it's not the first time I've done it. It's also not like I died any other time. But that is beside the point, in my [~230 Standard Gregorian Terran Years] I've never met a more fascinating individual, granted, I've also never interacted with a human before boarding this ship. She was cleaning the floor of the hallway, one of her assigned chores.

When I read that humans mind I was fully expecting to be blasted with information, maybe if even collapse right then and there. But something was wrong, all I heard was music, nothing more, nothing less. I was confused, this was a Class 4 Cognitive Landscape? It's silent relatively speaking... But what I didn't realize was that it wasn't because of what she was thinking about, in fact she was barely thinking at all.

She was wearing headphones.

I had been told that some humans can go on, for lack of a better word, auto pilot, barely thinking about their actions as they do them, and Ive been told by other members of my species that when humans do this their mindscapes are nearly completely and totally empty and devoid of anything save the occasional response to new stimuli.

Humans with ADHD, as I was told, were a notable exception. They always had thoughts going through their head, and the few times there weren't were when they were asleep. I avoid humans with ADHD like the plague, but I thought that it might be fun, I've read the minds of class 7 and 8 minds without dying, although I was stuck in the infirmary for long stretches of time afterwards, how bad could a class 4 be?

After standing there entranced for who knows how long Sam finally noticed me, removed her headphones and asked what I was doing, her mindscape nearly went blank. The music was gone.

I responded by saying that I had read her mind, she then gained a look of concern, immediately asking if I was okay, apparently she had researched a little bit about telepathics. I responded that I was fine and that her mind was strangely quiet... Then she told me that whenever she works on menial tasks she listens to music and "switches off" her brain... I eventually went back to my quarters and thought for some time...

Humans make no sense.

Close file?

[Y/N]

Y

...

...

"God damnit Sam. First the prosthetic now this? What's next?"

[tkachuktkaching]

Matthew Tkachuk this week: — 3 GP — 4 goals — 3 assists — 7 points Just named NHL’s 3rd star of the week

Matthew Tkachuk’s current heater has not gone unnoticed.

On Monday, the Florida Panthers star winger was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week after posting seven points (four goals, three assists) in three games during the week ending Feb. 9.

The other stars were Tampa Bay's Brandon Hagel (First Star) and Vancouver's Thatcher Demko (Second Star).

Overall, Tkachuk finished tied for first in the NHL in goals (4) and second in points (7) last week.

“He’s a driver,” teammate Sam Reinhart said of Tkachuk. “He’s the heartbeat when he’s going like that. It seems like when the moment gets bigger, he rises to the occasion.”

After lighting the lamp in a 6-3 loss at Washington to start the week on Tuesday, Tkachuk played the role of hero during a thrilling 3-2 win in his hometown of St. Louis on Thursday.

Having a hand in all three goals against the Blues, Tkachuk scored the game-winning goal with a mere 11.8 seconds remaining in regulation to secure two points for the Panthers.

“He’s on a roll,” head coach Paul Maurice said after the win. “Hopefully he can keep that going.”

He did.

Piecing together another three-point performance, Tkachuk registered a goal and two assists in a 5-1 win over his brother Brady and the Senators on Saturday in Sunrise.

Finishing the week 2-1-0, the Panthers lead the Atlantic Division at 34-20-3.

“We’re definitely happy with the way we’re going into the break,” said Tkachuk, who will serve as an alternate captain for Team USA at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. “I think it’s coming at a great time for us.”

In 52 games this season, Tkachuk has logged 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists).

[abarbaricyalp]

For the @sambuckylibrary Anniversary Bingo!

I've always wondered what it was that happened between Endgame and TFATWS to separate Sam and Bucky (other than bad writing) I don't think I really found an answer, but it was fun to ponder a little bit of their mental state during those six months and the fallout afterwards

Never Hit Send, Never Called Again

Sam had clocked the phone instantly in Raynor’s pseudo-office, pseudo-session. Some old flip-phone nonsense that he’d only ever seen Bucky use for nefarious goings-on. He’d flashed it at her during some argument about how reachable he was. Actually, her exact words had been ‘accessible’ which Sam didn’t like at all. Still, that phone was not Bucky’s regular phone. He’d seen the sleek thing he used to play music and also that bird game that definitely wasn’t still available to download. The one he added Sarah’s number to after much complaining from Sam and one flash of his dumb puppy eyes that only came out every now and then as he said, “What if something happens to you? I should be able to contact her.”

Despite the rest of the insanity in the ensuing months, the phone hadn’t left Sam’s mind. Or, if it did, it came back at the oddest times, like when he was stuck at a red light or when Bucky appeared on the docks like some Byronic hero getting over his own bullshit. He wasn’t sure how to bring it up. He wasn’t even sure if Bucky still had it. Something had changed after that last meeting with Raynor. It was as if Bucky was caught in the moment between a world he’d been living in for six months and following Sam into a new one.  He’d chosen Sam then, even while they were both pissed at each other, even while his pardon hung in the balance, even when he hadn’t chosen Sam for half a year before. Something shifted and Sam wasn’t sure if whatever shady things Bucky had been doing went with it. The phone didn’t even make an appearance in Madripoor.

Still, one warm, lazy afternoon in Louisiana, while Bucky was in the shower, Sam thought of the phone again. Bucky had left his jeans thrown over Sam’s bed and Sam only hesitated for a few seconds before digging through absurdly large pockets for such tight pants until he came up with the phone. There was no kind of password protection on it. Sam wasn’t sure something this simple had the option.

The storage was minimal. There was a call log, a message center, and some kind of tracking program that he pointedly ignored. He navigated to the messages, where strings of unsaved numbers exchanged never more than a handful of texts. Except for two strings with Sam’s number.

In Bucky’s real phone, Sam was saved as Birdbrain and there was some unattractive photo of him shoving a hotdog in his mouth saved as the contact picture. Their messages consisted of travel plans, pictures of Sarah, Cass, and AJ, and a running joke about pigeons and raccoons. Maybe a few plans about dinner or a complaint about someone they worked with.

The first one on this phone–Sam–had nothing from the past several months. In fact, the texts stopped shortly after John Walker’s announcement as the new Captain America. Oddly enough, despite this not being the number Sam had ever had, the texts he’d sent Bucky in the months after the Battle of Earth were logged in it.

[October 25 2023] Landed safely in La. I’ll call tomorrow.

[October 26 2023] Hey, text me when you see this.

[October 31 2023] I checked with Pepper Potts. I know you’re not dead. Answer my calls.

[November 2 2023] Okay, you’re ignoring me. Fine. I can be more irritating than you are stubborn.

[November 5 2023] The world is weird. Someone moved into my brother’s old house while he was gone.

[November 5 2023] He’s a lot like you. Hiding out in New York instead of coming home. He can’t answer a text either.

[November 17 2023] What are you doing with your time? The Air Force reached out. Without the Avengers, they figure it’s a waste for me not to use the wings.

[November 17 2023] That’s crazy right? They’re the ones who locked them up in the first place.

[November 17 2023] I mean, it’s only been a month.

[November 22 2023] Any Thanksgiving plans? You know, if you don’t want to cook, lots of people get Chinese food. I knew someone who sat in the movie theater all day.

[November 22 2023] Could come down here too. Always an open invite.

[November 23 2023] If this is about Steve, you’re being an asshole. I lost him too.

[December 25 2023] Merry Christmas, asshole.

[January 1 2024] and a happy new year too

[January 12 2024] I need your opinion on something, so answer my damn calls.

[January 13 2024] You know what. Nevermind. It doesn’t involve you anyway.

[January 13 2024] I don’t know why I’m sitting here thinking we’re some kind of team. Why I’m trying to base any of my decisions around you. You gave up any say you’d get in the matter by throwing the most high school level bitchfit for no damn reason.

[January 13 2024] You could at least tell me what I did wrong. We were friends, Barnes. Don’t act like we weren’t. You were the only thing I had and I know I damn sure was the only thing you had.

[January 13 2024] I was thinking ahead and you were always there in those plans. What am I supposed to do now?

[February 22 2024] This is your last chance to say something before I don’t wanna hear it anymore.

[February 23 2024] fine.

Rereading them again, embarrassment and anger welled in his chest in equal measure but opposite directions. He’d been so lost after the Battle. Losing Steve had come out of left field, but the week after, while all of the clean up and pardon work and Blip nonsense was worked out, had made him feel like he could actually get through it because Bucky had been right beside him, a grouchy but solid shadow that made sure he was never near a cliff and never alone.

Sam had offered for Bucky to come to Louisiana with him, but the other man hadn’t even entertained the idea. He had some pretty words for how long he’d been gone from New York and he just needed to get home as much as Sam did and but, hey, send him pictures of the beach. Maybe Sam had realized right then that something wasn’t right, that Bucky was scheming something. While he was angry at Bucky’s disappearance, he wasn’t really surprised. Once he had confirmation from Pepper Potts that Bucky was alive and active–and not taken by Hydra or killed by some old foe or victim–he knew that there’d be no talking Bucky down to Louisiana or back into a team with him.

He’d wanted that so badly. After all the time they’d spent together, after all the bullshit they’d gone through together, he wanted Bucky next to him. He hadn’t imagined it. Him and Bucky, once they got past their posturing, worked well together. Bucky gave him something, brought something out in him, that he hadn’t had before. The childish, playful banter, the steadfast devotion, the support to do the things that left their hands dirty. Steve was great, the other side of Sam’s coin he thought sometimes, but it wasn’t everything. He wanted Bucky back so badly, it was like a gnawing wound in his chest, exacerbated by rejection and doubt.

Sam had reread his texts to Bucky hundreds of times over those months. He knew what they said. He knew Bucky had never answered.

Except.

On this phone? On the second text thread called STW?

There were response boxes. Not always immediately from Sam’s texts and rarely in relation to what Sam said anyway, but there were responses.

[October 25 2023] sam

[October 25 2023] hey

[October 25 2023] good

[October 25 2023] you deserve to be home

[November 1 2023] i’m sorry

[November 1 2023] it’s not about you

[November 1 2023] i mean i guess it kind of is. you’re just so good sam

[November 1 2023] i don’t know what i’m doing. I haven’t even gone outside. i have these nightmares. i barely sleep. i don’t have furniture. you don’t need this kind of bullshit while you’re trying to rebuild your life

[November 15 2023] the therapy is um it’s weird man. steve talked a lot about what you did at the va. this isn’t like that. i think she keeps trying to ‘tough love’ me but i don’t like her enough for it to stick

[November 16 2023] it’s my fault you know. all of this. it could only be me who did what i did as the winter soldier. no one else was like me. no one else survived

[November 16 2023] how am i supposed to make up for that

[November 24 2023] i saw you on the news. no rest for the righteous huh

[November 24 2023] you looked really good. you did really good. the whole world should be proud of you

[December 25 2023] Merry Christmas, Sam.

[December 27 2023] i started trying. to stop the things i set into motion. uh. it’s not really helping. at least it doesn’t feel good. actually it kind of feels like i’m falling down a whirlpool in the middle of a black ocean. there’s so much to fix. so much misery that’s out there because of me. it feels like a chore too not like a need or a desire. checking boxes to get a good grade or something

[December 28 2023] sam i’m so tired

[January 2 2024] do you remember that day in wakanda when you first came out to my little place instead of staying in the palace? you complained about the blanket i was using because we couldn’t share it then decided that it didn’t matter because i was too hot anyway? you cuddled that baby goat almost the whole time you were there

[January 2 2024] sam i think i’ve been gone on you for a while

[January 2 2024] that’s why i can’t come back. you’re doing too much good. you’re changing things. you’ve got a beautiful family who loves you. i can’t get in your way. i’d just bring you down with me.

[January 2 2024] i’ve been doing a lot of crashing recently and it’s like a wrecking ball falling over, just takes everything else with it.

“What are you doing?” Bucky asked from behind him, interrupting Sam’s reading.

He stamped down the knee-jerk reaction to whirl around and hide the phone. He turned deliberately and held it up. At once, a thousand questions ran through his head. Somehow, the one that made it out was, “Why don’t you have auto-capitalization on?”

Bucky’s eyebrows rose just a little. There was a simmering anger on his face, but below that was a scared animal look as he checked for quick exits. “Why do you have that out?”

“Rasputin was calling to set up your golf date. Why are my texts on here?”

Bucky scowled and he crossed the room to swipe the phone from Sam’s hand. For someone wearing Sam’s old basics sweats and a t-shirt that had seen its fair share of summer projects, he still looked like a dangerous storm cloud. “It’s none of your business. I was keeping your contact attempts close.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed. “You were getting my texts twice over and you still ignored me? Actually, you didn’t ignore me. You were answering me, you were talking to me, but you were too chicken shit to actually send it.”

“You didn’t need to see that shit,” Bucky snapped. “You weren’t supposed to see it.”

“I needed to see all of it! I needed to hear from you!” Sam objected. “I was practically begging you to answer me!”

“I didn’t have any answers, Sam!” Bucky insisted. He shoved the phone down into his duffel bag and made to sling it over his shoulder, even though his jeans were still behind Sam and his boots were under the bed.

“Don’t even try it,” Sam bit out, yanking the bag away from Bucky. “You don’t get to run and go MIA again. Those days are behind you. I’m not taking it a third time.”

Bucky’s bright, stony eyes flicked between Sam and his bag before he gave up the fight. If he wanted to, Sam knew he could easily get by him, grab his bag, and leave. He could indispose Sam in a hundred ways. Make a dozen new escape paths. But he didn’t. Instead, he took a step back, then another, kept going until he hit the edge of the dresser and then stopped. “The first time was hardly about you,” he pointed out.

Anger and rejection and that old loneliness burst against Sam’s heart finally. It filled up his ribs until it could climb in his throat, and hot tears pricked at his eyes. He willed them away because he was not going to cry about this so long after the fact. “I needed you. Why didn’t you answer?”

“I told you, I wasn’t going to spend the rest of your life hurting you or dragging you down with me. I didn’t think the pardon would stick. I thought the past would keep hunting me. I know what people think of me. And, after the battle, I lost who I was. In the silence, in the stillness, I wanted a new fight.”

“I needed you,” Sam repeated from between his teeth. “That’s all bullshit. I needed you. You’d been there and then you left without a damn word. And now you’ve come back. Where are all those fears now, Barnes?”

Bucky blinked a few times, opened his mouth to say something but didn’t. His fingers curled on the lip of the dresser as he looked away from Sam, down to the ground. “I finally figured out you were more important than the fear.

“Sam, I’m sorry,” Bucky rushed to say before Sam could respond. “I was selfish. Unbelievably so. I masked it all as concern for you–which it was!--but I know now it was to protect myself too. I-I didn’t want to hurt you because I thought if I did, I’d lose you too. And I know I did anyway. I pulled the trigger myself. I thought it’d hurt less if I did it. One more thing in a long list. I’m sorry I put you in the crossfires. I’m sorry about all of it.”

Sam stared at him. He wished he still had the phone in his hand because at least then he’d be curling his fingers around it instead of digging his nails into his own palm. “No,” he said.

“No?” Bucky asked.

Sam stalked across the room to him, put himself right into Bucky’s space because he had nowhere to go against the dresser. “You wanted to hurt yourself and you didn’t care if you hurt me in the process.”

“Sam, that’s not–”

“You wanted to keep some happiness or security away from yourself and you didn’t give a fuck that you were keeping it from me too.”

“I never meant–”

“You didn’t think about me at all, Barnes! That’s the problem. I was in your face for months and you still couldn’t think of me.”

He realized suddenly that Bucky’s fingers were around his wrists and his own hands were pressing knuckles into Bucky’s chest. He forced his arms to relax. Bucky moved his hands just enough to keep him from digging into his chest. 

“You’re right,” he admitted in a breath. “I knew you were looking for something from me and I purposely kept myself from you. I wanted you to be able to find it away from me. I wanted you to be happy here. To be happy with Torres. To be happy with the Air Force. When you got your life put back together, I thought you had. I didn’t know… I didn’t know you still needed me. I wanted you not to need me.”

“You were the only person in the world who could understand,” Sam breathed. He stared at a spot on Bucky’s shoulder instead of at his face. “We disappeared together, came back together, had Steve, didn’t have Steve, fought the same battles, survived the same things, went on the run, went into hiding. How could I ever not need you next to me? Or even 1300 miles away, but at least close enough to text?”

Bucky’s breath stuttered as he let it out. “I’m so sorry, Sam. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Hey.” He let go of one of Sam’s hands to raise his face up. “I’m never going anywhere again until you tell me to. You’ve got me now.”

And the sentiment would be sweet in any other circumstance, but Sam’s trust was still smarting something serious and all the things he’d been trying not to think about since March seemed to have just festered and grown. Six months of anger and worry and self doubt, doubled in size now. 

The way they had been over these last few months–even when they were under each other’s feet, arguing about everything but the actual problem–had been exactly what Sam had been longing for. Now he knew he hadn’t had it at all because Bucky had the emotional regulation of a six year old. They’d been living together long enough for Sam to never want to lose this again and it could’ve happened almost a year ago. They could have a house or an apartment by now. 2.5 cats and a grocery subscription service. All of the maybes and wishes of these terrible nine months could’ve eased so much of the heartache and uncertainty.

“Why couldn’t you just talk to me?” Sam asked. “I just needed to hear from you.”

“I’m sorry,” Bucky said again. “I was selfish and misguided. I promise I’ll do better.”

Sam held onto Bucky’s right wrist, smoothing his thumb over the racing pulse point there. If nothing else, Bucky had proven himself steady since March, even though the tumultuous beginning. But Sam had thought he was steady after the Blip too until he’d disappeared.

“I know it sounds bad right now,” Bucky added. “But if you need space–”

“No,” Sam said quickly. “Don’t leave. Not again.”

Bucky visibly relaxed. He nodded and then pulled Sam the last half foot to his chest, snaring an arm around his waist and pressing his forehead to Sam’s. He smelled like Sam’s bodywash, which was still weird even after all this time, and the warmth of the shower and an embarrassed worried flush sank into Sam’s bones instantly. “I’d come back this time. As soon as you asked,” Bucky said.

“You don’t have to if you don’t leave,” Sam insisted softly. “You’ve got a lot of time to make up for. Don’t add any more to your tab.”

Bucky huffed out the beginnings of a chuckle and nodded, forehead rocking against Sam’s. “I can do that, Sammy,” he promised. “Anything you need.”

And, yeah, maybe it was a need. It certainly felt like one, had for a while now. But more than that, it was a want. He wanted Bucky around and that ached more in his chest. Instead of admitting that, he just said, “This is a good start,” and held Bucky tighter.

[marcussour]

Thresher E01 random thoughts and bits

Was super eager to check this out since it was announced (I mean both Noshir and Abu in the same setting again!) now that both episodes are out, time to check it out

OH NO, SAMVERTISING

Wait, the cat voice in the ad is Ben Starr?? damn

Love what they did with the set and the intro

Of course both Marisha, Travis and Sam would boost up their old timey voices for the intro

Ok, the intro akin to 90's FMV videogames (or at least that's what rung the bell in my mind, since, you know, "I was there Gandalf").

So, is this supposed to be like an alt-history setting right? I mean, it's giving off mayor Jules Verne vibes, and there was the mentions of France and Australia in the intro; but also, the fact that there was a mention of The Beatles "Love me Do", its like, giving me the vibes similar to Bioshock Infinite and the anachronistic use of modern music (I know its already 12 years old, but I'm not gonna spoil the why that happened, it was one of my favorite revelations from that game). Basically, it feels like turn of 20th century or like, at the most 1920's vibe, but having a song from the 60s mentioned, lets me think there's something else at play.

It's really interesting that Jasper's the GM and also a character. Like, I know that the GM is all the other characters, but there's clearly a bigger intent, in the way he's adressing the rest of the players like, blurring the lines between his role as GM and as captain of the ship

Nemo mentioned

It's funny that Betty especifically said "break the pressure", since, you know, they're on a submarine

Oh, Daemon and Hercules' tension is gonna make an amazing dynamic

I knew about Jasper but I had never witness his DMing, and not only he's really good and dynamic, but he got a lot of cool voices

Also, amazing use of music and sound effects to inmerse -pun intended- everyone into the underwater atmosphere and the claustrophobia of being inside a submarine

Love how Noshir gave Hercule the proper know-how when it comes to both scientific knowledge (NGL the bit about the rod and cones was incredible) and survival techniques

Incredible use of adding new mechanics to Candela, like, the panic roll or the resource management for the oxygen tanks? great stuff

Oh, they made the immersion interactive with the clip and the cast putting on the diving helmets, amazing

Also, related to what I said before regarding the anachronistic nature of the adventure, like, the diving suits are old suits of the copper hat variety, but, the submarine had modern digital displays

Great automaton voice

Underwater terror, baby! Bring on the fish men!

I'm calling it, someone is gonna turn into a fish creature. My bets right now are the doctor and Daemon.

Ashley! Good touch of having the regular CR cast making these audio logs

Now is Laura's time. Also, I'm guessing the creature voice was someone else (it sounded kinda like Liam or maybe Travis)

Putain! (I've been playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, so hearing someone else cursing in french feels right at home)

Also, there goes the Doctor

Again, I love the way they modified both the Illuminated Worlds system and Candela Obscura to adapt both into the idea of making a suitable RPG for underwater horror

the "Clever Girl" moment

"[French concern]" is now in the run for best CR caption and/or subtitle

Really liked this first episode (The shorter span of it certainly helps to keep things fresh). Hopefully the second one is gonna be a satisfying conclusion.

Also, gotta say, the way they've been trying new things here, or in the latest EXU, in regards to the audiovisual department, is really interesting. Here's hoping they might incorporate some of those things into campaign 4 .