#secret good season!!!!!

[wlwofwaverlyplace]

The Secret Good Last Season of Lab Rats!!!

hiiiii I have not posted to this blog in over four years, but I NEED to share that I had a Lab Rats dream last night in which the Secret Good Fourth Season was finally released from the disney vault --- an entire season of Lab Rats that was written, shot, edited, and then hidden for decades in favor of the disastrous Bionic Island.... but justice was served at last, and the Secret Good Fourth Season premiered on Disney+ in March of 2023. Here is what we got:

- A really cool secret part of the original lab is revealed behind a hidden panel, saved from Douglas’s explosion by a bulletproof shell. Here, we find that Donald has shoved in storage a whole bunch of childhood memorabilia from the ABC kids, leading to a memorable Childhood Flashback Episode in the old lab, ending with a present-day twist when Leo finds SOMETHING SECRET (I forgot this part, sorry, but I promise it was a super epic game-changing secret)

- Bree comes out as a lesbian very early in the season and has a whole falling-in-love and dating arc with a non-bionic Aussie girl who encourages her to follow her dreams of global travel/adventure. They kiss in the series finale, obvi

- Leo gets his own two-parter episode mid-way through, very “Zuko Alone,” in which he’s stranded in the middle of nowhere on a mission due to Mishaps and must find his own way back to safety, discovering both his inner strengths as a leader and a new bionic ability in his arm along the way (echolocation!)

- The main season villain is an AI robot created by Davenport to take over his role as leader/mentor in the Lab Rats team so he can retire early (bc he’s still a lil selfish prick, apparently). At first, the kids all like this robot way more because it’s actually really supportive and encouraging of their dreams outside of mission work (oof), but things change midway through when Leo’s mid-season stranding SUSPICIOUSLY should have been prevented by the robot’s sensors but wasn’t. Things culminate closer to the finale when the robot takes it upon itself to remove all four kids’ bionics after identifying them as THE problem to them finding happiness. In a very weird pre-finale episode, the kids struggle with wondering if this is indeed a good thing since they can follow their dreams now, but they eventually resolve to beat the robot after learning that it will do the same thing to all the bionic kids from Krane’s army who’ve been trying to lead normal lives in Mission Creek with different foster families (yeah, this is basically the first time they’re featured all season after only occasionally showing up for a background gag here and there...). Basically, the moral lesson here is consent: it wasn’t right for them to be made bionic as kids without their consent, but it’s also not ok for the bionics to be suddenly taken away without consent. With Douglas’s and Donald’s and Tasha’s help, they have to beat the villain WITHOUT powers, win, and get to make their own choice about whether or not to take their bionics back afterwards. Bree chooses to take her chip back but uses it travel with her girlfriend for a few years (maybe doing some good along the way but mostly taking time for herself), Adam and Leo both choose to take them back and keep doing missions but with Leo fulfilling the role of Mission Leader after a whole season of developing as an A+ planner/leader, and Chase --- in a beautiful culmination of season-long character development --- chooses to shelve his chip indefinitely to pursue his dream of being a lawyer with only hard work and the intellect of his own natural mind to get there. Oh, and they all get sincere apologies from Douglas and Donald........... THE END

(ok, that last paragraph in the dream was literally just rObOT vILLaiN, but I improved it)

[biceratops7]

This, this fucking image...

It drives me insane, just activates something visceral, and I finally realized why. It's not just an appropriately placed close up shot to denote intimacy between Gabriel and Beelzebub, it's a fuck damn pov shot.

Gabriel is not dressed in accordance to his preferences, he is borrowing Aziraphale's clothes. And Beezlebub, well lets just say a black blazer is a black blazer, not exactly the easiest thing in the world to differentiate. Just looking at those hands joining, the individual identities of their owners melts away. The moment could have so easily belonged to Aziraphale and Crowley... and it's just- it's... it's just like the Rats of Nimh. They've seen this sign everyday for almost their whole lives, and have never once known what it says. They can make inferences, use context clues, wherever they are, it seems to be too so it must be about them, but they couldn't ever know for sure. Until one day, without warning, they looked at the words, and understood them.

And the sign communicated a way out.

Aziraphale and Crowley are the first of their kind. I don't think we really appreciate or understand how utterly unfathomable what they feel for each other is in their lived contexts, even to them. All this painful fear, all these lengths they go to, all to keep safe this precious experience they don't even have the language to name. It's not just unallowed, it's unreal. So then just imagine what the actual fuck they must be feeling when they see someone else... just fucking do it. Just like that. An angel and a demon. In love. Intimate, affectionate, in front of heaven, in front of hell, in front of humanity, in front of GOD, and She knows who the hell else.

For literally the first time, they’re seeing the things they feel for each other exist in others like them.

[halemerry]

Okay but like Aziraphale asking Crowley for things isn't just for Aziraphale. In fact it's often something Aziraphale does for Crowley. If Aziraphale asks, even wordlessly, this creates a scenario where Crowley is allowed to do something nice for someone while being allowed to hide it behind the context of an eye roll or an if you insist. It puts a degree of removal between Crowley and the act itself that makes it easier and safer for him to do. Crowley likes to do nice things. Aziraphale knows this. Just like Crowley knows Aziraphale likes to be cared for. They've stumbled this way into this mutually beneficial act where Aziraphale gets to indulge in being indulged and Crowley gets to indulge in doing the indulging - which are both things they do not normally get to indulge in - because they're complimentary even in this.

Asking the being that just quoted poetry at you to save this dying play you're both watching. Creating scenarios for him to rescue you when you know he loves the chance to get to save someone for once. Letting him drive you both around in his fancy new machine he's so delightfully proud of even though you got a license the same year he got the car. Asking him to remove a stain so he can act like you're the dramatic one while taking all the joy in theatrically removing it for you. They're all acts of mutual care and love. Because they're both so hopelessly smitten with another they can't help themselves from indulging the other.

[kyasunn]

Oh no I think I really like their ex-divorced besties dynamic I really do

[hunterbloodknight]

Beautiful Things Don’t ask for attention - Walter Mitty

[thebrainrotsreal]

EVIL MARK, EVIL MARK, EVIL MARK!!! I want to be coherent about this season but please picture me foaming at the mouth and running on the walls. S2 being what if Mark's just like his Dad? Insanity. I love this show. Anyways, AU where an Evil!Mark tries to make Our!Mark worse, and Our!Mark tries to make the other better. Something something confronting your idea of the worst version of oneself. Plus, tweaked black and yellow costume because I saw it and immediately went murder hornet lookin' ass and knew I had to draw it. Evil ass Mark. Horrible. I think he should be dragged kicking and screaming into redemption.

[fairyroses]

He was about to kill you, Lex. Or divulge something you didn't want me to know.

— SMALLVILLE, "Forever" (4.21)

+ bonus from "Arctic" (7.20):

[nerdyenby]

I am entirely, unironically rooting for Scar to win secret life, if only for the standing theme of the Victor of each season opposing its motif. Mans cannot keep a secret for the life of him, he just throws his pocket lint around as bribes and it works

[liauditore]

BDUBS DAY! BDUBS DAY! BDUBS DAY! BDUBS DAY! BDUBS DAY! BDUBS DAY! BDUBS DAY! BDUBS DAY! BDUBS DAY! BDUBS DAY!

[cuippedtea]

Jimmy being the one to deal the most hearts of damage to tango thus far AND they’re giggling about it peace and love

[sprucewoodmpreg]

feel free to speculate/explain your vote in the tags ^_^

[robotsandramblings]

Hunter genuinely smiling and relaxing and then living peacefully and growing old on Pabu has added 10 years to my life 😭😭😭

[typicalopposite]

Tommy surprises Buck with a date in the sky…

…except it’s a hot air balloon date (because of course Tommy knows how to fly one) and now old hurt feelings are resurfacing no matter how hard Buck is trying to push them away…

And Tommy picks up on how weird Bucks suddenly being because— of course he does… and when he asks Buck tries to deny it and avoid it and talk about literally anything else but Tommy presses on until Buck finally caves and tells him about Abby and how the failed hot air balloon date is really where things started going down hill.

And sure, Tommy seems a little disappointed that the date wasn’t as romantic as he’d wanted it to be but he understands— because of course Tommy understands. He even offers to cut the flight short if it’s making Buck uncomfortable and somewhere in the middle of Tommy not judging Buck for reminiscing on a past relationship and Tommy offering to change the plans he made for this date to accommodate Bucks feelings it’s like the last piece of this puzzle that is Evan Buckley finally slots into place; it’s like he has come full circle; like all the painful memories of Abby — and Taylor and Ali and Natalia — have just paved the way for him to be the person he is now. The person he wants to be for Tommy.

“Actually can we— can we stay up a little longer,” he says softly, stepping closer so the Tommy can wrap his free arm around Buck’s waist.

“Of course,” Tommy says, pressing a kiss into Bucks temple, and the hot air balloon drifts through the sky as Buck leans in for an actual kiss, whispering three words against Tommy’s lips as he pulls back. Tommy smiles and Buck holds his breath. Because this is him living up to his reputation of leaping off the cliff without the gear needed to catch him and prevent him from crashing at the bottom.

Except— Except he’s firmly wrapped in Tommy’s embrace, and there is no falling, there is not crashing. He is safe.

Tommy says it back. And maybe everyone will say it’s way too soon to feel this way… but everyone’s not here to hear them. The only thing around them is the sky… and it won’t tell a soul.

[shoemakerobstetrician]

I’m thinking Aziraphale made the first move in 1941

I know it’s not a popular opinion, but:

I’m thinking of the look on Aziraphale’s face when Crowley saves the books.

I’m thinking of Aziraphale meaningfully offering to do SOMETHING for Crowley in the car.

I’m thinking of Aziraphale almost getting discorporated TWICE in one day.

I’m thinking of Aziraphale pulling off not only a magic act on stage in the West End, but then SAVING CROWLEY with a successful act of magic.

I’m thinking at the end of that day Aziraphale was probably feeling invincible.

In Season Two:

I’m thinking of just how handsy Aziraphale was: petting Crowley in the Dirty Donkey, orchestrating the dance, grabbing Crowley’s hand to pull him onto the dance floor. Clearly trying to get something started through touch.

I’m thinking how when Aziraphale was dancing with Crowley he could not listen to him talk about danger-could not seriously entertain the idea.

I’m thinking how Crowley’s answer to getting things started was to talk about it in the final 15.

I’m thinking how when Crowley finally makes a physical move it’s out of desperation, and definitely too much.

I think Aziraphale made the first move in 1941, feeling invincible. He kissed Crowley, and Crowley just explodes with passion that’s been pent up for millennia. Things get further along than Aziraphale planned, or something interrupts them, and Aziraphale puts the brakes on. OR they make love, and Crowley starts talking about a future together (the first “go off together” maybe?) and Aziraphale is SO not into anything that overtly dangerous. Crowley is CRUSHED, and of course, they don’t talk about it, he just leaves.

Then they don’t talk about it for another 80 years, because they’re them, except for “You go too fast for me Crowley” which could just as easily refer to Crowley moving things faster than Aziraphale had intended after Aziraphale made the first move.

I like this idea, probably not gonna happen, but I like it.

[to-be-a-dreamer]

I can't even explain why but this is one of the funniest screencaps I've ever taken

[archive-rat]

the Watcher’s poorest little meow meow