#scene analysis

[mimokome]

I Hear You… But I Can’t Follow You

Season 2 Episode 8 Time Stamp: 10:15–30:45 — Vi & Cait. Cait & Jinx. Vi & Jinx. Then Vi & Cait again.

Core Emotion: Missed connections. Care spoken in the only way they know how. It’s about speaking from the heart. It’s everyone trying to be understood in the best way they know how — and trying to connect with someone completely different.

I’m not claiming this is canon or fact. This is just how I read it. What I felt. What landed — and what didn’t. Everyone brings their own scars to a scene like this.

Vi & Caitlyn — The Argument That Wasn’t

Caitlyn’s locked in now. She’s no longer unsure. Her tone is steady, her eyes focused. She’s stepping into her role — but she’s colder for it. Maddie’s still hovering close, trying to play the emotional support card — but we know what she’s really doing. She’s stalling. Still working for Ambessa. Caitlyn is done being played.

Vi walks in. Maddie’s eyes flick with immediate disdain. She moves toward Vi — but Caitlyn shuts it down hard. She makes the call: Maddie’s not needed here anymore. She cuts Maddie off, tells her to check on her father. The air shifts. Her tone is clipped — polite, but it bites. That jaw tension and narrowed eyes say everything. That subtle, commanding “go check on your father” is Caitlyn reclaiming the room.

Vi doesn’t even acknowledge Maddie. Just scoffs and shrugs her off with a shoulder raise as she walks past. Doesn’t stop. Doesn’t engage. Just wipes her off like old dust. Maddie leaves — but keeps the door cracked, because of course she does. Always watching.

Now it’s just Vi and Caitlyn.

What follows isn’t some dramatic blow-up. It’s layered. Heavy. Controlled. It’s two people with entirely different value systems arguing over the same person.

Vi defends Jinx with everything she’s got. Says she saved Caitlyn’s life. Risked herself in the middle of the Viktor battle — not for strategy, but for Vi. Caitlyn pushes back — Jinx wasn’t there for her. She was a contingency. Something Vi snuck in without telling anyone.

“You still can’t trust her enough not to shove her in a box.”

That line from Vi stings because it’s true. Not just for Caitlyn — for all of Piltover. She’s not just defending Jinx. She’s condemning an entire system that doesn’t see beyond someone’s damage. This isn’t just about Jinx being a person. This is Vi screaming, “She’s all I have left.”

Caitlyn defends herself like she always does — logic-first, safety-first, duty-first. She says she’s withholding judgment. That she’s “waiting for Vi to recover” before deciding what to do with Jinx.

But that’s the thing. Jinx isn’t a case file. She’s a person. A deeply fractured, hurt person just trying to be seen without conditions.

Vi softens: “Cait… she’s changed.”

And Caitlyn — leader of Piltover now — sighs and says, “We can’t erase our mistakes. None of us.” It’s fair. But also cold.

Vi walks off with one last line:

“Who decides who gets a second chance?” And then? We sit in it. That silence.

Vi walks out of the room, but not like a soldier — like someone walking out of a hospital room after hearing a diagnosis they already knew was coming. Her chest is still high, her jaw still set — but her eyes are gone. No target. No solution. Just the slow acceptance that sometimes love doesn’t fix shit. Not when you’re the only one still holding on.

We follow her down the hall.

No music. Just footsteps.

No answer. Just silence. Just the weight of everything they won’t say to each other.

Caitlyn & Jinx — Depression Doesn’t Always Yell

The tray clatters against another. Untouched food.

She’s just curled up, knees tucked in, eyes lost in some far-off place that isn’t here anymore. There’s food near her. Untouched. Because even survival doesn’t feel worth the effort.

This isn’t rage. It’s what happens after. After you’ve burned every bridge, said everything wrong, and realized the only person still sitting with you… is the voice in your own head.

That’s where Caitlyn finds her.

Not in chains. Not foaming at the mouth. Just quietly bleeding under her own skin.

I’ve been there. Like really there. Not mad, not crying — just straight-up nothing. No emotion, no hunger, no energy. Just… off. Like someone unplugged me. You don’t care about anything. Not the messages piling up. Not the food. You’re not even thinking “what’s the point?” — you’re just not thinking at all. Days blur. You skip work, you stop checking in, people fade off because they don’t get it. You’re not avoiding them — you just don’t have the fucking strength to even be a person. That shot of her curled up? That blank look? That’s not overacting. That’s exactly what it feels like. You don’t blow up. You just shut down. It’s not dramatic. It’s dead quiet. That version of me wasn’t loud. It didn’t cry. It just stopped showing up. And I think that’s what scared me most — how long I stayed there without a single person noticing.

Jinx hasn’t eaten. Hasn’t moved. She’s just sitting there — knees to chest, eyes distant, body still.

This isn’t fury. This isn’t chaos. It’s collapse. She’s numb. Not fighting. Not pleading. Just… hollow.

“If you’re here to kill me,” she says, monotone, “make sure to finish the job.”

It’s not bravado. It’s not sarcasm. It’s surrender. She genuinely doesn’t care anymore. When someone like Jinx stops moving — stops reacting — that’s not peace. That’s the bottom.

Caitlyn speaks about pain, justice, consequences. She’s still trying to talk to Jinx like she’s a threat. Still standing behind Piltover’s wall of order.

Jinx curls tighter. Picks at her fingers. Blood starts to drip. A physical manifestation of everything she doesn’t say. Caitlyn’s words going past her, still not understanding.

“Do what you came here to do,” she mutters.

That’s not defiance. That’s someone asking for it to be over — because hope ran out a long time ago. And that’s the most dangerous place a person can be.

Not when they’re screaming. Not when they’re fighting.

But when they’re quiet. Because that means they’ve stopped looking for a reason to stay. This is the grief that eats you. The kind that settles in your bones. The kind where nothing — not even survival — feels worth fighting for.

Caitlyn finally lets the wall drop a little.

“Hating you… I hated myself. I just don’t have the energy for it anymore.”

It’s not forgiveness. It’s not closure. It’s fatigue. Two people who’ve both been eaten alive by this for too long. It’s the closest she’s come to empathy. Not understanding — but exhaustion. She’s tired of the cycle too. And it’s not just that she’s tired. It’s that she’s finally admitting Jinx lives in her head too — and maybe always will.

Jinx looks up. Not defensive. Not angry. Just… soft. Tired.

“I didn’t know your mom was there,” she says. “It probably wouldn’t have made a difference… but I didn’t know.”

It’s not an apology. It’s an admission. A reflection of just how gone she was — and still is.  Caitlyn walks away. Not triumphant. Not resolved. Just broken too. So what’s left, when even pain doesn’t move you? You go back to the last voice that made you feel like you were still someone

Jinx & Silco — The Voice in Her Head

Left alone, Jinx holds the Arcane gemstone. Her “choice.” She doesn’t smile. Doesn’t react. It’s just another reminder of the pressure she never asked for.

She starts talking to Silco. He’s not there. But the words are. This is her wrestling with the voices inside — her having her own conversation. This is her using the last voice that ever chose her without asking her to change.

“Imprisoning your sister… a greater mercy than killing her.”

“Killing isn’t mercy.”

“A spark of rebellion still burns inside that husk, I see.”

“No. Killing is a cycle. I’m done running in circles.”

Silco — her — says:

“We build our own prisons… bars forged of oaths, codes, commitments. Walls of self-doubt and accepted limitation. We inhabit these cells… and call them ‘us.’”

And this? This is Jinx realizing that the real prison wasn’t a cage or a city or even Piltover. It was expectation. The boxes she’s been shoved into. Powder. Jinx. Monster. Tool. Savior.

She doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t cry. Just stares through the wall like there’s nothing left on the other side of it. No more versions of herself to wait for. No more hoping someone tells her who to be. She’s done. And she’s already halfway gone.

Vi & Jinx — Love Sometimes Means Letting Go

Vi breaks in. Literally. She stole the cell keys from a guard. She unlocks the door. Runs to Jinx. Hugs her.

For a second — a brief, fragile second — it looks like this might be the moment that fixes things.

Then Jinx punches her in the gut, grabs the keys, and locks her in the cell.

“You don’t have to worry about me anymore. You don’t need to feel guilty about being happy. You deserve to be with her.”

She’s not yelling. She’s not angry. She’s just — done.

“There’s no good version of me.”

And the worst part? She believes it. Fully. Deeply. Like there’s no world where she isn’t a burden. Like choosing to disappear is the only act of love she has left to give.

Vi, breathless:

“What are you going to do?”

Jinx, quiet:

“Breaking the cycle.”

And she walks away. She’s not running. She’s not exploding. She’s just letting go — because she thinks that’s the only way Vi will ever be free.

Vi & Caitlyn — The Aftermath

Vi’s pacing. Rage, confusion, grief all boiling over. She’s wrecked. Scrambling for anything to blame because if she doesn’t, the truth might crush her.

Caitlyn shows up. Calm. Present. Just confirmation that she knew this might happen.

“I was a fool to trust her.”

But it’s not anger. It’s fear. It’s the fear that this time, she really did lose her. That maybe Jinx meant it. That maybe this is how it ends.

Caitlyn already knew this would happen — and she even helped. Because even if it was doomed, she knew Vi had to try. Caitlyn didn’t believe this would fix anything. She knew how it’d play out. But she let Vi go anyway — because that’s what care looks like when you can’t fix someone. You let them do the thing they need to do. And you stand there after, holding whatever’s left.

“You’ve grown predictable,” she says.

And weirdly? It’s the kindest thing she could’ve said. It means: I know you. I believed in what you’d do.

They lean into each other. Kiss. Touch. Breathe. For once, they stop arguing and just exist. For once, no words. Just two people who ran out of ways to fix everything — and finally chose to just feel instead.

What This Episode Is Really Saying

This episode isn’t about redemption. Or closure. Or love. It’s about expression. About what it looks like when people speak their truth — filtered through their history, trauma, and damage — and still end up misaligned.

Everyone in this episode is doing their best to be understood. They’re not lying. They’re not hiding. They’re just speaking in the only way they know how.

Caitlyn explains through structure and justice — she talks like a soldier trying to stabilize a world that keeps spinning off the rails. She’s trying to show care and emotion, just filtered through logic and systems.

Vi explains through action — through fists, movement, confrontation. If she’s fighting for you, she thinks that means she’s said enough.

Jinx doesn’t explain. She doesn’t plead. She speaks through stillness, through walking away, through choosing silence because nothing she says has ever changed anything.

None of them know how to put their emotions into words.

They do understand each other — to a point. That’s the hard part. There’s clarity here. It’s just not shared vision.

Caitlyn sees a threat. Vi sees her sister. Jinx sees two people trying to decide who she’s allowed to be — and chooses neither.

No one’s wrong. They’re just standing on different ground. And sometimes? You can understand someone completely — and still disagree with everything they stand for.

This episode isn’t about winning an argument.  It’s about showing up anyway. Saying your piece. Letting the silence hang. And learning that sometimes the closest you’ll get is: “I hear you… but I can’t follow you.”

And that? That’s still real. Still human. Still worth sitting in — even if it doesn’t end with anyone being saved.

Because sometimes the real tragedy isn’t that they couldn’t save each other — it’s that they actually understood, and still couldn’t walk the same path. That’s what stayed with me. Just all the words that couldn’t land clean. And how much they still meant anyway.

My core take-away?

Let’s learn to look deeper in how some people say things and not exactly what they say. You can learn a lot when you stop taking everything at face value. Sometimes the cruelest part of finally understanding someone… is realizing it still didn’t change a damn thing. And walking away doesn’t mean you didn’t care. It just means you cared — and hit the wall where caring couldn’t carry it anymore.

Written by: Jordan Waltz

Yeah, I used GPT to help tighten it up — my grammar sucks. But the framing, the tone, the emotional weight? That’s me, baby  If it hit, thanks :D  I put my whole ass heart into this — I just don’t know how to spell worth sh — ..

Disclaimer: All rights to Arcane, its characters, and related imagery belong to Riot Games and Fortiche. This is a non-commercial analysis intended for educational and commentary purposes.

[mysticalarmand]

Car scene analysis, cuz I'm bored and got nothing better to do than to decipher gay shit (doesn't include the scene "the hounda odyssey fucks hard" part)

Wade has his leg over Logan's shoulder, which is common in a sex position

He also throws his head back, and arches his back slightly

You can barely see it, but he does grip the seat and his muscles tenses at it

They're switching positions, but you can see by Logan's face it's definitely meant sexually

Also the fluids splattering on his face as well as he smiles

This... this is just back shots with a choking kink in the mix

Multiple hits, so it's multiple back shots

Also, it does give the vibe of slight dom/sub

The car shaking is the most obvious part that tops it all of

[lockheed-martin-unofficial]

Buckle up, folks, and prepare yourself for spoilers!

Because we’re going to be analyzing this scene today. And I’m going to explain why Starscream could’ve won.

After D-16’s initial attack, Starscream falls back to recover, and quickly counters with some skilled aerial maneuvers. Here’s a post so you can appreciate it better. Starscream is taking full advantage of his flight ability here. He’s leading the high guard, of course he’s going to be good at flying.

Side note: we don’t know if Starscream is the official leader of the high guard, do we? Maybe he just claimed leadership after they went into exile. It would be fun to think about.

As an extra note: Starscream is using his thrusters to carry both of them, holding D-16 up by the neck.

Extra extra note: D-16 kicks Starscream between the legs.

Now look at this. Here’s when D-16 transforms his foot to kick starscream off.

It all happens in a split second, but I tried my best to get screenshots.

Do you get what I’m trying to show?

Starscream angles his body forward, with the thrusters still on, before D-16 makes contact with him. He sees the kick coming, and he moves to counter it. When he realises he’s not fast enough to counter, he lets go of right D-16 before the impact in order to make sure he’s flung backwards instead of being injured. If he was still holding on, the damage would’ve been far more severe.

Sure, I find it a little surprising that a guy who can fly would fall in his butt, but I think I can explain it away. The thrusters are turned off when he’s kicked, but they return while he’s flying away. I think that may have been accidental. Maybe he intended to right himself midair and fly away but was unsuccessful, maybe he didn’t mean to activate them.

Either way, it contributes to him landing rougher than he would’ve intended. While I’m here, I want to point out D-16’s little swing off the wall to land next to Starscream. Very graceful.

Right before and right after getting punched in the face. There is momentary surprise, but no fear. He doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t take time to recover. One second of scowling, and then “HIT ME!” He doesn’t even need to catch his breath.

Slowing the scene you can see the punches have Starscream’s neck bent at an over 90 degree angle. Not only does he not react to the pain at all, but he also KEEPS ENCOURAGING HIS OPPONENT.

His body language and behavior is confident while he’s being punched. Only when D-16 turns his attention to the crowd does Starscream attempt to free himself.

He’s intentionally antagonizing his opponent, making D-16 drop his guard and focus on giving the crowd a show, he takes the punches like they’re nothing and only tries to break free when D-16 looks away.

Focus on Starscream’s hands here. D-16 loses his focus, Starscream is very clearly trying to pry him off.

And here, just a few seconds later. First his hand is just… sitting there, not making any attempt to pry off the guy squeezing his throat (presumably very painful) and instead continuing to yell (presumably very painful). And then he Grabs and Pulls Him Closer. This isn’t the body language of a person who’s afraid, Starscream was biding his time and waiting for the opportunity to catch D-16 off guard, use a sudden moment of distraction to his advantage.

We only see fear from him at the very end. Only when he sees the arm cannon which is something nobody expected. Not even D-16 himself. From Starscream’s perspective he was waiting for the perfect moment to strike, to overpower an enemy who is stronger but less skilled and experienced than him, all the while giving the troops a good show. And then the guy pulls out THAT THING to his face.

You can see the moment he knew he fucked up. There’s nothing he can do after that except ask for mercy.

It’s my personal belief that had the battle lasted longer, and had D-16 not discovered his Murder Arm, Starscream would’ve won.

And although I’m not disappointed in this outcome, I would’ve also loved if D-16 had the upper hand physically but still got defeated due to Starscream’s cunning and experience. We would’ve seen Starscream show his talent, and seen that D-16 still has a long way to go.

[clowns0cks]

“you never would you coward. (would you…?)”

the master getting teary eyed and scared when he realises the doctor is really considering to pull the trigger but still daring him to do it. He needs to know, he needs to see if the doctor is capable of it. is he? would he really? why is he still pointing the gun at him?

“go on then. do it.”

But he doesn’t want to die. you can hear it in his voice and see it in his face but he needs to know how far the doctor is willing to go. And besides he’s the master. He’s not gonna back down and plead. At least not in this regeneration. the subtle and terrorised headshake after works very well as there’s one part of the script missing in this scene

“don’t.”

and the doctor won’t.

[misty-scatorccio]

natalie screams at her and hits her, and misty lets her. this is fair, she thinks. so she takes it and waits; and when natalie’s done, misty just looks up at her.

she doesn’t threaten nat like crystal. doesn’t beg natalie to keep any secrets for her. instead, she softly asks, “are you gonna tell everyone?”

she knows exactly what’ll happen if nat does, but still she doesn’t plead. there’s no trace of judgement or desperation in her voice. misty has already accepted this outcome; she just wants to know.

misty is asking natalie if she’s going to die.

she doesn’t ask in desperation or fear, but in despair. despair that she’s betrayed nat; that natalie might hate misty forever and would have every right to…

she asks nat to decide if she gets to live because misty doesn’t think she deserves to. not for this. not for being the reason this place has hurt natalie so irreversibly.

[badly-drawn-doflamingo]

Brook’s Past, Military and Everything Between [ An Essay kinda ]

Brook’s past is not a thing many people seem to mention or think about, at least in full, however it’s something that's plagued me. Not only as a Brook fan, but simply out of the odd implications it has towards the future, if any. Oda’s planted too many seeds for it to utterly be nothing; there’s so much odd and seemingly out of place comments and facts stated by Brook and others towards this missing history. However, knowing that the show is beginning to near it’s end, due to time, I am unsure of what exactly will be done.

I believe however, for folks' interest and so we can have everything in one place, that compiling everything found so far can be beneficial, so, I have.

Starting with what we know for sure, Brook is from the West Blue, born 90 years ago to a certain kingdom, the same kingdom he was a military convoy leader from. We know this due to a few factors, however it’s still open to debate if it *is* the same kingdom, however seeing as he was shown as a child to already know what fencing is, practicing moves with his bow, I am just going to say he probably was. In any case, other things worth noting, on the topic of childhood, is that Brook seems to have had money. At least, stability.

Compared to a lot of the other strawhats, Brook is shown dressing very nice. No tatters, no tears, shined shoes and a full violin and bow. He also, as already stated, seemed to be exposed to fencing enough to mirror the moves. If this comes from his kingdom, it means he was exposed to it at a young age. Knowing that he was a military convoy leader, this could be taken that perhaps there were military demonstrations, perhaps the kid saw castle guard or other displays; it’s really up in the air.

We know Brook, again as stated before, became a military convoy leader. Now, the definition of what exactly that means can differ.

Wikipedia states; A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.

This could mean Brook’s job could’ve been accompanying ships for protection, being a knight for his King, mediating information and goods that come in and out of the kingdom. This would make sense on why his speed was needed, a 9.2 ft man being a great choice for a leader.

His weapon also would make sense for this kind of mission, perhaps secrecy being important or at least the ability to be discreet. His cane sword, a ‘Shikomizue’, is not unique however to just him in the show, one other man using one that has been confirmed so far, that being Fujitora. The pair also share a sea, the west, and both utilize iaijutsu (quick draw techniques.) Fujitora blinded himself with said sword because of something apparently so cruel and inhumane that he rather not see anguish. This may be related to Brook’s departure from his kingdom, which is addressed later in this essay. (Fig 3-5.)

Another thing that’s worth mentioning here is Brook’s attack patterns, being unique even for his kingdom apparently. Once again, during the Ryuma fight, Brook states, and I quote;

“Ryuma: “Now tell me, what part of that wretched excuse for a body would you like me to severe with my special ‘Arrow Notch Slash?’ Brook: You don’t know a thing about that move, so do not use it’s name. I use to serve in my kingdom’s raider squad. The quick draw attack that I was most skilled at was ‘Requiem Lebanderole’. My comrades-in-arms renamed it in regards to my fighting technique.”

(Fig. 1, Brook explains his raider squad and move names. A banderole mind you is a long flag for BATTLE crusades. )

This sets up a few interesting facts. 1. Brook was in a raider squad, a kingdom’s group of marauders, as well as if not the same job as convoy leader. 

2. His techniques were unique to him, or at least specialized to a degree of having a nickname. 3. As expected, he seems to have been close to these men he commanded, adding another layer over Brook loosing the Rumbars.

Being in both a raider squad and being a convoy leader at one point, if not the same point, implies either Brook was simply versatile, acting in both in separate years or periods. Or, the most likely, that he was higher ranking than expected, making him a CO, or commanding officer. (Lieutenant Colonel is another equal rank for scale, making Brook just below a Major.) This makes him quite the important figure, especially for a kingdom that seems to value its military so much, so much so that a child of Brook’s age would already know about their style of fencing, as expressed already. Brook’s devil fruit is worth mentioning here, the revive-revive fruit not likely to be found by a crew like the Rumbars. It is spoken about as if he has always had it amongst the crew, being a fact of life. However, when did he get that fruit and why? I propose where it would be useful; in combat. If your military convoy leader, your best swordsman could be shot and come right back to protect the king, would he not be utterly invaluable? You would never let him leave… But he DID leave. It’s not said why, however we have some extra tidbits of information that may tell us why, and that ALSO may tell us the answer to what kingdom he means.

( Fig. 2. Brook states his leaving of the military for unknown reasoning, the word certain being used in an odd way, establishing his bounty.) This bounty mind you all is in fact, using inflation method, 297,000,000 berries. That is a MASSIVE bounty for just a pirate. Perhaps a certain blond stole a treasure a kingdom could not replace; their convoy leader. Lets rewind for a moment and cover something that may be seen as off topic however I will come right back to the subject at hand; Calico Yorki. Yorki is an odd bird, pirate wise. He makes his crew read his bounties and information, is never shown to play an instrument/sing but makes his crew preform/they all do, and makes Brook make him dinner. (Steak, and Brook continues to be able to make it as confirmed by an SBS.) What is oddest yet, other than his large crew and shirtless habits, is his nature. A man that set to sea to play music for “orphans and crying children” as stated by himself; a crew made for “any men who love music.” Now, I could be reading into this too hard, however from his speech patterns, to this apparent need for a large family, it seems that singing to orphans may be a very personal goal. An orphan turned pirate perhaps, with lofty dreams and a heart of gold, it reads to me that Yorki may have been just that. Knowing this, orphan or not, we now can compare these facts to Brook’s life up until their meeting. A child who probably grew up being taught to fight, being around access to education, expenses and the kingdom’s training. Why would a man like Brook ever join a man like Yorki, and if it’s only music, would that not make Brook a deserter? I do not think that is the case. I will now bring forward some interesting evidence regarding Brook’s kingdom and WHY he would leave. Germa 66. During Zou to Whole Cake, a few mentions of Germa are made with Brook around, garnering interesting reactions indeed.

( Fig. 3. Brook listens but chooses not to add anything utter than silence, his music pausing as well.) This silence could be take as simple ignorance, however Brook later admits he knows of the kingdom, in fact, he knows a lot. A lot more than anyone else did, Reiju admitting interest in his knowledge and once again, Brook brushes it off.

(Fig 4, 5, Brook speaks about Germa 66.) He seems to underplay or simply not elaborate a LOT on his kingdom, as if something happened. Perhaps joining Yorki was not out of simple cowardice or need to be free, (which again if he did would both reflect poorly upon his entire character and not be in character for him what so ever,) but in fact, out of necessity. It could have been Germa 66, it could have been some other grouping, however I believe this will come to be something important. The kingdom possibilities are interesting as well, and I will list the following LIKELY possibilities. (Other options are known to not be military, like Ohara, or literally places like Thriller Bark itself.) - Toroa - God Valley - Illsia Kingdom - Soja Kingdom The most likely candidates, because again, it is labeled as certain kingdom (Fig 2.) is Toroa or Soja, however I will personally lean into Toroa. This is because of a man by the named of Byron.

(Fig 6. Byron and his information.) His nose and face shape vaguely resemble Brook, however honestly that is a stretch. What is NOT however is his familiar attire, family line and the placement of his kingdom. This could easily be Brook’s home, however again, this is just speculation. Brook very well could belong to God’s Valley, or the same kingdom as Issoh, fleeing because of something he did not agree with or literally could not stand any longer. But, that falls under possibility, not fact. This concludes the facts section, now comes the final question; What does it mean for the story? And, honestly, that can be debated. What Oda has done is plant odd seeds of information about the man, similar to Sanji and his ties to Vinsmoke, that have not been addressed nor talked about in full, or so I’ve found sufficiently. These seeds MAY bloom into what I hope will be a tie into some huge reveal, perhaps aid from a past member of his convoy or kingdom, or perhaps this will only spark conflict. Perhaps it will be minute, Brook being able to aid due to his knowledge, the man already in Thriller Bark showing his prowess by being able to command the strawhats into defeating zombies via salt and tactic. In any case, we can only hope these things mean anything, tied into some huge story that could explain why a man like him would quit for a redneck like Yorki, other than perhaps love, and what kingdom would let a man like him go willingly.

Updates:

- Confirmation that he’s educated! Perhaps in military or just as a whole, but confirmation nonetheless!

- I realize the reason he’s so confident with Big Mom isn’t just guts; he’s fought for royalty before. He’s just back in the fucking building again /j

- Sabaody behaviors, a convoy leader

CHECK REBLOG FOR PART TWO!!

[ PLEASE ^^ It contains the rest of his information! ]

[shaylogic]

Okay, so we know that Charles' polo goes red>burgundy>black and back by the end of the season.

Because there's so much going on, I always missed the exact transitions. This time I specifically tracked them down. (Apologies if this has already been done.)

Charles shirt is bright red through the majority of the Devlin House, even in Hope's Diary scene, when he opens up to Crystal.

Even when he first swings at Mr. Devlin and gets knocked back, his shirt is red.

The very subtle shift to burgundy is after he disappears and first reappears in the loop.

It remains burgundy throughout the entire lighthouse leapers episode and beginning of the two dead dragons.

I finally realized the very last moment we see of Charles in the burgundy is with Crystal. She tells him after the confusing makeout night, "But I think we should be friends," and kind-hearted Charles, of course, respects that and puts on a friendly smile.

It's difficult to see in the next scene with him because of his jacket, the angle he sits at on the ladder, and the lighting, but it's immediately after that when we first see him in the black polo.

My brother in death, you are NOT doing well.

here's another song from Jayden Revri's official Charles playlist, that I think is about this conflict with Crystal:

His shirt is still black during the "I don't wanna be a bad guy" scene.

After Edwin's affirmation of Charles' inherent goodness, it is directly after this scene that the shirt goes back to burgundy!!!

He's still wearing the burgundy during the confession:

BUT IT GOES BACK TO BRIGHT RED LITERALLY RIGHT AFTER EDWIN'S CONFESSION AND THEY ESCAPE HELL TOGETHER!

Yo I equally love Cryland and Payneland but the show canonly said "Crystal hit him in the loneliness and Edwin hit him in the loved"

[self-made-purgatories]

This is what I love so much about Spock's line:

"Did you enjoy it, Captain?"

in this Spirk conversation in Shore Leave.

Kirk spends a ridiculous amount of time time chasing down and fighting (what turns out to be a fictional representation of) his old rival Finnegan. The two of them beat the everloving shit out of each other while Spock ostensibly watches; that is, he watches Kirk run off to fight Finnegan, and then he reappears quite suddenly as soon as Kirk knocks Finnegan out. Kirk seems slightly embarrassed when he realizes Spock must have been paying attention the whole time.

Spock doesn't judge Kirk; he approaches him with curiosity. He doesn't try to stop him at any point during the fight, even though Kirk is getting injured and Spock's first instinct is always to protect Kirk from harm. In fact, Spock understands that the fight is cathartic for Kirk even before Kirk does, and he actually helps Kirk understand that by asking him, "Did you enjoy it?"

SPOCK: Did you enjoy it, Captain? KIRK: Yes, I enjoyed it. After all these years (Realization dawns.) I did enjoy it. (Spock nods.) The one thing I wanted to do after all these years was to beat the tar out of Finnegan. SPOCK: Which supports a theory I've been formulating.

Remember, earlier in the episode, Spock sassily tricks Kirk into admitting that he needs to take a break, and then actually even almost-smiles a little bit when he tells him to go enjoy himself.

This whole fight scene between Kirk and Finnegan seems kind of silly on the surface, but it's actually very important. On a planet where your foremost thoughts come true, Kirk's first thought is that he wants to inflict pain on the past and receive pain in return. He is racked with survivor guilt from trauma that stretches all the way from Tarsus IV and the Farragut to all the crewmembers who have died under his responsibility, including his beloved Bones who was killed (surprise! not really! but he doesn't know that) in the prior scene. His deepest wishes are:

1. to finally win at something that always seemed unwinnable (he can't save all those people, but he can beat the shit out of and knock out an old bully)

2. to earn redemption somehow (getting beaten physically as a type of penance)

3. and to feel something else besides the unimaginable soul pain he is feeling (his injuries give him a different kind of pain to feel: the physical kind).

Yes, Spock's "Did you enjoy it?" sounds kinda sexual and so we laugh, but he truly sees Kirk, he understands, he watches over him while he works through some of his shit in his own way, and he is actually saying exactly this:

"Did you enjoy the pain? Was it good pain? Was the catharsis satisfying?"

"Did you get what you needed from that? How is your healing going? Are you going to be okay?"

"I see you. I understand you. I love you."

It's not sexual, but it is very intimate.

(original post, video)

[sparkles-rule-4eva]

Thinking about this scene again, because do y'all understand??

This scene is one-of-a-kind.

This scene will never happen again.

And we could never, I mean never, get a scene like this in the games.

Because what do you mean Sonic and Shadow sat quietly together and genuinely talked about their trauma?

There was none of the banter that the game versions typically share. None of the pettiness or trying to outdo one another. None of the preconceived notions of each other's personalities that barred their potential friendship.

This scene, and those that followed, was what made the movie dynamic between these two my favorite, tied only with Sonic Prime.

This scene is quiet, tranquil, surprisingly so; considering only moments before this they were fighting to the death and Sonic nearly beat Shadow to death with his bare hands, and Shadow had wanted him to do it.

This scene is haunted with grief. But it's also brimming with raw, honest emotion. Seeing that kind of mood in a scene with just these two is absolutely amazing.

However talkative our little Sonic Wachowski can be, it was Shadow who broke the silence here. Sonic was understandably shaken by his own behavior, but still. He told Shadow the one simple thing, the reason he hadn't killed him when he easily could've: "There are no winners with revenge." And then he fell silent.

The way they sat silently, each lost in their own memories and grief, either staring at the ground or the stars.

Shadow broke the silence. It had provided the opportunity for open, honest communication. He was already his own mess, having seen what Sonic was going through. He'd initially used it to justify his own behavior, saying that Sonic had no right to fault him for dealing with his pain the way he was, since Sonic was making the same choices. Except in the end, when it really mattered, Sonic did make the right choice. He set the example on accident.

Completely isolated from anything that could possibly interrupt them, in literal space, Shadow finally had the freedom to share his trauma with someone who understood. Someone who'd lost his own loved one, and was in the position of possibly losing another. Shadow didn't ask for answers at first. He simply shared the memory of sitting with Maria under the stars, like they were in the present. He expressed his side in a way that no longer tried to justify it. He just said it as it was.

"I've felt this pain for so long... it's all I know."

Sonic didn't immediately try to correct him. He didn't even say that there was a better way, in that moment. Instead, he empathized with him. He understood. He validated him, without justifying all the violent things Shadow had done.

"When I lost Longclaw, I felt the same way."

And with that, Shadow had it in stone that Sonic had been through the same thing. So he asked a simple, quiet, invisibly desperate question.

"Did your pain eventually go away?"

They still weren't looking at each other. They were sharing some of the deepest, most painful parts of themselves with one another. The words were vulnerable enough, to the point eye contact would've been too much. But the words were the most important part.

Sonic barely hesitated when he replied, "No." He wasn't going to pretend or lie. There was no reason to, no point, and all the walls he'd previously had up were torn down by the day's events. But he did have something to share. It had been likely around 12-13 years since Longclaw died, and even though Sonic had been so young when it happened, he had taken something away from it all. To the present day, he had continued to honor her memory by trying to make her proud in how he lived.

He expressed that in the beginning of the second movie. He timidly asked Tom if she'd be proud early in this same movie. It had never stopped being important to him.

Because he'd loved her. And that was the lesson he shared with Shadow, pulled straight from his own painful experiences. It wasn't even a "live the way she would've wanted" type of encouragement. It was "you loved her and she loved you. So focus on that. Hold onto that memory." He didn't give false reassurances by saying the pain would eventually fade, because he knew firsthand that it wouldn't. He simply gave him a different focus.

And Shadow listened. He took it silently, and just as he was processing the new perspective with a kind of wonder in his eyes, the sun rose.

This kind of honest, deep-seated conversation could've only happened in this universe, simply because Game!Sonic doesn't have a confirmed backstory and isn't really allowed to open up like that. This is where the lack of mandates on the SCU makes for beautiful opportunities like this.

This wasn't an exchange between rivals. This was a heart-to-heart between two young boys with similar trauma. Something that connected them and became the foundation for their friendship.

The idea of rivalry is barely addressed in this movie, and I love it. Whatever banter they share as they fight alongside each other later is all friendly and lighthearted, paired with smiles and excitement.

Shadow confessed that he'd felt like he had no choice in the things he'd done, but he phrased it in a way that made it clear that he knew now he'd been wrong.

Even so, Sonic— in classic fashion— extended an open hand to him and told him the simple, profound truth: "You always have a choice."

Better yet, even though they still had a mess to clean, neither of them would be facing it alone. And with their friendship finally established, they were able to move forward.

Again. This scene was perfect. The honesty, raw emotion, open communication, and shared past between these two, as opposed to their strained dynamic in other universes, will always stand out to me, and among many reasons will always be a reason I love these movies so deeply.

don't tag as ship or i'll sell your elbows to the dark web

[i-am-countess-olivia]

This isn't some novel thought, but for me Fitzier begins in ep2, when Silna's father is brought onto Erebus

(a long-ish, GIF-heavy scene breakdown follows)

I won't cover the violations of Silna's beliefs, feelings and bodily autonomy which happen in these moments - they are of course terrible and very important. Instead, I want to focus on how the scene kicks off a new dynamic between Francis and James, how it lays a foundation for their subsequent closeness and how it changes our view of who James might be as a person.

Let’s begin.

Sir John and James arrive in the sick bay to join Stanley and Goodsir. Stanley says: "nope, not touching this one". Goodsir asks for leave to save the shaman's life. Franklin, already looking deeply disturbed by what's happening, hesitantly agrees.

Francis arrives. The operating table divides him from Franklin, Stanley and James — he is literally not on their side. All three men glare up at him as one: How is this maudlin MF going to make this horrible situation worse for us?

But while the three of them just stand there, Francis puts himself in charge. With a bit of help from McDonald, he takes hold of a distraught Silna and tries to explain what is happening, who they are, that they're not trying to do harm. It is in this moment that James becomes the only one on the opposite side of the table to step forward (to help Francis control the situation or at least to do something). He looks compelled to action but cannot act.

Okay... so here we see that maybe this guy isn't just Franklin's poodle (we saw a bit of that earlier in the episode - more on that later).

Meanwhile Franklin, as soon as Francis takes control, BUGGERS OFF. Of course this can be justified by him already having given his orders and no longer needing to be involved, but we know that a) he sneaks off when the situation is clearly fraught and Francis is clearly better suited to handle it, knowing Inuktitut among other things and b) he actually ends up hiding out in his cabin, freaking out while listening to the howls of the dying man. This is too strange, too awful for him. Not to mention: oh god, I'm stuck in the ice, I've just lost a lieutenant, I keep losing men, what are they going to think of me?

While Sir John is off having a lil meltdown.... James' eyes are firmly on Francis.

We don't even see him acknowledge his captain's departure.

But why is James there? The obvious answer is: to report back to Sir John, to make sure things don't get weird and that Francis doesn't do anything stupid on THEIR ship. After all, let's remember the last scene before this one where James is focused on Francis:

Here he was describing Francis as if he's got him pegged: he's a disappointed man, Sir John, he was no one's first choice etc etc.

I know what he is. Do you now, James?

(interesting framing the above scene, btw - James standing, active, Sir John focused on his creature comfort, the pipe, and questioning himself. James speaking in firm tones to his commander: "I will not allow..." — James is literally being reframed as a leader.)

Anyway, back to where we were.

While Goodsir sets about trying to remove the shot, we get a little glimpse of James: he looks frozen, uneasy, swaying in to stare at the wound (Oh Tobias, the actor that you are). Can we say flashbacks to the Chinese sniper? This must be seriously triggering for him. Something is shifting.

(Another aside: James is standing next to Stanley, the man who dug out the shot when he was hit by the sniper. That same man is now refusing to help. Hm.)

Next, Goodsir says: I can't save this man. Here something important happens: James and Francis share a look.

This is Francis, for the first time, acknowledging not just James still being in the bay at all — but that the two of them are in this moment together! Francis' eyes saying to James: I'm about to tell this woman her father is going to die and James acknowledging in return how awful that is. He presses his mouth, drops his eyes.

The little flash of connection doesn't last. When Silna starts to plead with her dying father, James once again reaches out across the table to Francis: what is she saying? But it's maybe too pushy, too "I need to be told what's going on" so Francis ignores him and it's McDonald who answers.

Next, Silna launches herself at her dying father. Here, once again, James tries to take an active role, to "help" by following Francis' cues on what to do.

James has been watching, learning, asking questions and now looks desperate to be part of the solution to this awful situation: to be in this with Francis. Look how similar their gestures are, how James looks to Francis for direction.

---

STOP - DOOM HAMMER TIME

The VERY first scene in which Francis and James become partners, take action together to keep something from happening, they effectively set in motion one of the biggest causes of their doom: Silna's father doesn't die as he should, Tuunbaq is not bound to anyone. Oh man. That's a whole other essay.

---

(Back to the scene....)

While they're wrestling with Silna, James, clearly emotional and upset by what is taking place, reaches out again, perhaps this time more sincerely: Look at me, Francis, I'm trying to help, at least tell me what's happening? This time Francis acknowledges him — actually SPEAKS to him for the first time.

In response, James looks particularly vulnerable and distraught.

Silna's father dies. We see how different James' reaction is to Francis'. Poor James. Maybe he wants a little bit more from Francis in that moment, one more shared look. Francis doesn't give it to him.

Aaaaaand here we are, it's almost over. Franklin swans in, the really bad, bloody stuff having already been dealt with. He re-asserts his command by giving an order to James to escort Silna off the ship. James… doesn't exactly spring into action. In fact, he doesn't even acknowledge the order verbally, unlike Stanley. What's going on in his head? What does he think about Francis in that moment?

Anyway, let's wrap up.

So much of this scene is about the shift in James’ perception of Francis. He suddenly sees a man who is hands-on, who can take charge, who doesn't walk away from a terrible and unusual situation, even when it's clear there's no good outcome. And of course he knows Sir John skipped off at first opportunity.

Francis, meanwhile, only briefly appears to acknowledge James —but only as far as we can see. Francis of course knows that James was there, that he stayed behind, that he tried to help, that he tried to understand.

This knowledge and this changed dynamic become apparent immediately, in the very next scene.

LOOK HOW THEY ARE FRAMED!!!

Sir John is already receding into the background. James and Francis sit — still opposite sides of a table but in essentially the same pose. They are partners, mirrors, leaning into each other. The few glances here, small as they are, are NOT at Sir John, but between James and Francis.

Anyway, here you go, that's me done. I fucking love this show.

[brainddeadd]

That is the face of a man who's just found out that the love of his life is missing.

One of the only times he says her name and its because he's absolutely scared shitless.

It takes two (2) grown men to stop him from running into the tornado after her.

Tyler is literally frozen in horror when the doors close.

He can't move, can't think, can't breathe.

He's terrified.

Tyler clamping his mouth shut to hold himself back from saying something stupid like "I love you".

Bonus +

The same face as the above gif.

Tyler holding himyself back from saying that she's gorgeous.

Bonus pt 2

His face the last time they almost died.

[jublubdubs-cone]

So... I found out L from death note knows capoeira....

I dont know how to make an introdution for this, I just love capoeira so so so much, bute here you go!)

ANALYSING L´S CAPOEIRA AND FIGURING OUT WHICH MOVES HE USED!

In the episode, the fight it self was really short, but L was able to give 2 kicks. And the secound one is a spin kick from a standing position.

The firts one

The first one he is in the ground at first, he kicks, then ends up standing before being pulled by the chain he was using.

At first I thought he used the chapa, this move is both a defensive and offensive move -- you kick your opponent and swing backwards to scape from another attacks in one go-- and because of the way he finished the kick, this initial guess.

But then I noticed the he started the kick from the ground... And the chapa is a movement that sarts from the base!!! (base is the "default" position of capoeira, the ginga, aka upright.) Then I tried to remember which kicks started from a (almost) sitting position: THE CHIBATA OF COURSE

Not only does it start from the ground, but it ends in a standing position just like L did. And (its difficult to see because of the video quality... sorry) the arms kinda math at some point, and I blame the difference from the two in the super-dramatic-anime-slow-motion.

CONCLUSION: CHIBATA

The second one

My friend who is not even a capoerist helped me figure this one out: The meia-lua-de-compasso and the rabo-de-arraia are two spin kicks (just like L did), and they only differ because the meia-lua-de-compasso uses hands, while the other doesn't

Because L had just one hand on the ground right before landing, I thought it was meant to be a rabo-de-arraia, but then he lost his balance, and placed one hand on the ground so he wouldn't fall. I said this to my friend and they replied: "L would not lose his balance 💔". With my interest peaked, I went searching, and lo-and-behold, there actually exists a variant of the meia-lua-de-compasso with only one hand!

(I also tested if it would be possible with the chains, and surprisingly, it would and it would be that much harder either)

CONCLUSION: MEIA-LUA-DE-COMPASSO

[hobiesdump]

How are you even cooler under your mask?

First taking off the mask

Noticing Miles looking (this is the peak frame of the "wink") to final frame before Miles says it

The first frame and 3 after Miles says it

In summary~

Hobie's so upset to be going into the spiders' den without clear allies and then Miles thinks he's cool and he just lights up and it's so adorable

Click here for my extended flowerpunk head canon version

[q8qwertyuiop8p]

Good analysis

[rockrosethistle]

I'm thinking about the implications again.

The numbers that the hive mind performs aren't random. Both the lyrics and the choreography will often boil down to to one purpose: to cause pain. (Pokey is ruthless.)

Sometimes it's physical, and that's easy to spot. The cops spend half of their song just kicking and pushing people to the ground. Join Us And Die literally ends with Ted getting beat up.

And when the choreography doesn't allow for it, the lyrics are specifically trying to elicit an emotional response. The hive uses Alice to torment Bill. He's watching someone he loves die in front of him. It does the same for Charlotte.

Okay, the hive gets a kick out watching people suffer. That's not new information. But the implications...

Look at Inevitable. It's a pretty significant shift from the rest of the numbers. Whereas those seem tailored for pain and fear, Inevitable seems to be comforting? Just look.

Paul walks out, and the first thing he does is hug Emma. Which doesn't seem significant at first, but think: Did Bill get that same courtesy?

Alice's first line is meant to taunt Bill. Paul's is almost consolatory; " Emma / I'm sorry / you lost." I won't dissect this completely, the theory is that this first line is genuine. Paul is actually sorry that their plan failed.

And when you take a look at the choreography, it becomes clear that it's a lot kinder than the other songs.

We see Paul waltzing with Emma and kissing her hands. And even though he's not letting her get away, he's not trying to hurt her. He's not even trying to intimidate her. He's shown more than once bending down--getting on her level, like you would to a child--as opposed to towering over her.

The lyrics aren't messing with her either. Whereas Sam is manipulative and Alice is spiteful, Paul's lyrics are reassuring.

"I'm still the man you trust," is a lot different than "Don't you twust me?" when you get right down to it. It carries with it a connotation of 'I'm okay, and you will be too.'

"What if I told you I made it?" actively contradicts the 'I killed your loved one' narrative that Alice used with Bill.

It's not like Emma is buying any of it. She's still terrified. Paul doesn't need to hurt her or taunt her in order to scare her, just singing was enough. But it's clear that he's not trying to.

The hive mind gets a kick out of watching people suffer. Emma is the leading lady. You'd think that she's the one who should have the most brutal song. But she just doesn't. It seems like her song is trying to be the kindest.

We know it's implied that once they get infected, people are still conscious inside their musical doppelgängers (source: the line "your own body is your front row seat" as well as Sam breaking through its control long enough to say "Charlotte" before falling back under).

I think Paul was conscious during Inevitable. I think he knew that they weren't escaping this. I think he knew he was eventually going to kill Emma, and there was nothing he could do about it. But I think he didn't want her to suffer.

Instead, I think he resolved to give her as kind a death as he could. He would lie. He'd tell her he was happy and that she was safe. He'd be as gentle as the hive mind allowed. She was running out of time, so he'd love her with every second they had left.

(but that's just a theory...a musical theory... and cut)

[tobi-rx]

Tbh the more I watch the scene of the fall, the more I am convinced that the audience/Orion’s pov and D-16’s own pov are 2 somewhat different stories, which is kinda the point cause D-16/Megatron is the hero of the story to himself. But I like… lowk think that D-16 saw that Orion’s injury was actually fatal, and because Orion’s fate was sealed (that fate being death, as far as D-16 knows), it boils into rage at Sentinel, and the circumstances that led this point.

Cause like the “why did you do that, why” was to himself, but without that little note in the TF:One script, it really did seem like D-16 was asking Orion why he got in the way.

Though i think D-16 still ended up blaming Orion for Orion’s seemingly imminent death. “I’m done saving you” would be where the blame for Orion’s death probably shifts in D-16’s mind from himself, to Orion.

That’s not to say that D-16 doesn’t still blame himself in part tho, but I think him thinking Orion was gonna be dead anyways, and that Orion sealed his own fate is what made D-16 drop Orion.

I still def think D-16 tearing into Sentinel’s trackers (them golden guys who were guarding and fighting for Sentinel) and then ripping apart Sentinel himself was fueled by rage/grief.

Like D-16 still had his cannon, the original method he wanted to use to kill Sentinel. It would have been a cleaner, more impersonal kill. Instead he chooses to use his bare hands. Much more messy, much more personal, much more raw emotion there.