#so i thought. well. i have every scene hes ever been in on my sd card ill just do it myself

[hopecountyisforlovers]

" I can do whatever the fuck I want! "

[jesslockwood]

SOUR | T. Holland

Word Count: 1.7k

Pairing(s): Tom Holland x Actress!Reader

Warnings: angsty af, swearing

Summary: y/n and tom broke up, and when tom comes around with his new girl 2 weeks later, y/n is sour. 

A/n: I was hesitant to post this due to everything going on with tom lmao but yk, fuck it lol. anyways lmk if you want a part two cause I this was pretty short and I have ideas! also I didn’t edit this much lol so sorry for the mistakes!

His brown guilty eyes were enough to know that he moved on, in two weeks to be exact, after you broke it off. He was spotted recently with a girl he said he was just friends with, what a damn lie. 

You try to not let the tears out as you see them making their way on the red carpet of the movie premiere. He looked you straight in the fucking eyes, yet couldn’t even give you a heads up he was bringing a date tonight. You worked together for six months yet he didn’t have the decency.  

He betrayed you. He didn’t cheat but he betrayed you. 

You had even mentioned her by name before, yet he said you were paranoid and had nothing to worry about. What bullshit. 

She was just a new trophy for him, one that he’d put on the shelf later, or smash like it like you were broken. 

 It started out so sweet and innocent. You had met working together and had started dating under the radar, and you fell in love with him so quickly, even at his worst, but it didn’t matter. He moved on with you still in the picture and that’s what hurt the most. But he would never see or care about how much you hurt. He wasn’t sorry. 

Isn’t it funny how someone you thought could love you the way you loved them, was a damn traitor? 

He played all these twisted games with your mind, thinking that he felt the same way about you, or at least cared. 

God, you wanted to scream, she was sleeping in the bed you lied in and made with him. But she couldn’t care less, she got the prize, a shitty one at that. 

You didn’t get it, he couldn’t have fallen in love with someone that quickly, not after what you had. 

All you had done for Tom, it didn’t apparently matter to him, cause he’s dating her. He gave you his fucking word, that you were the one who meant something to him, you guessed he just used you.

She was gorgeous too, and she made you feel so small, unimportant and the paparazzi all turned to them, and barely any was paying any mind to you, the star of the movie. It sounded selfish but you put the blood sweat and tears into this movie, and all she had to do was walk with the man you put blood sweat and tears into, and she had all the attention.

He just had to bring her and was showing her off like a new trophy. God, you hated him. You hated him for hurting you like this. And yet, if he asked for you back, you would probably jump at the chance. 

He seemed so genuine and true when you had first met him. Brown doe-eyed, attentive and listening to every word you said like it was the most important thing in the world, then things got ugly. He would play all these twisted games with you, making you feel like nothing one moment, and then his everything the next. 

He even gave you his fucking word and a promise ring that he would always love you, But Isn’t it funny? He’ll never feel sorry for breaking you. 

Suddenly one of your friends, well tom’s brother, wraps his arm around your waist, whispering to you, asking if your okay, before the paps get a few snaps in of the moment. Harry starts leading you away from the commotion before you cried. No one had asked you that until today. Which kind of shell shocked you, because you weren’t and he was the first person who seemed to care.

Harry at the moment couldn’t care less about the out-of-character way his brother was acting, especially towards you. Yes, he loved his brother but hated how he was acting. He couldn’t see how he could treat someone as lovely as you like that. 

Tom didn’t even notice the way you were destroyed. He let you go, Harry couldn’t understand why because tom seemed so happy with you, until nearing the end of the relationship. 

“Thank you, Harry.” you sniffle, once reaching the inside of the building. 

“You shouldn’t be thanking me. I should be apologizing for my brother.”

You smile weakly at him. He wipes the tears from your eyes, before suggesting,

“After they have you up on stage for the thank you’s and stuff, we should just ditch this and go back to my hotel and get room service and raid my candy stash, if you’re up for it.”

“I’ll think about it,” you say with a more genuine yet sad smile.

“Let’s get in there, shall we?” he puts his arm out for you and you link yours in his. 

What you didn’t realize is that tom saw harry wiping your tears while doing an interview, and saw you link your arms together when he got inside. To say he was fuming doesn’t even cover how enraged he was. 

Once getting in, you realized you and tom would be sitting next to one another, something you truly wished you could get out of. 

“You’d better wish me luck.” You point to the seats. 

Harry got the bright idea to just take his brother’s spot. He wouldn’t care anyway, he had his new girl Zabrina. 

You and Harry had a small conversation about what both of you had been up to after he was Tom’s assistant for filming. You saw him almost every day when you and tom would hang out, harry being the third wheel. You had spent a decent chunk of time with him and definitely preferred the company over being alone, or with your ex.

“I can’t believe you dropped your SD card down the drain! Photos are your life, so you should have paid attention!” you laugh with him.

“Harry, You’re in my seat.” Tom interrupts, with a scowl on his face. 

“Can’t you just move down one? Y/n and I are talking here.”

“Tommy I can’t see from that seat!” Zabrina pouts like a child. 

“If she can’t see why do I have to sit there? I actually worked behind the scenes on this movie!” 

“Harry, don’t make me-”

“You know what! Harry and I were leaving after we thank everyone. So you two lovebirds can have the whole row!” you say venom seething from your mouth. 

“There you go, Tommy. Have a nice night you two!” Harry follows up, really sick of the attitude his brother was having.

Tom’s face turned red under the makeup he had on. He was enraged. His brother was betraying him. 

“Have a nice time, fucking around” he said, seeing red. he saw your face soften, from anger to confusion, to sadness. You didn’t think he thought so low of you.

“What the fuck tom! We aren’t-”

“It’s not worth it Harry, he’s not worth it,” you say sadly. Standing up, Turning to go towards the stage. 

That hit tom with a pang in his chest. He was just trying to get over you, to move forward. But maybe that was the problem. He just left you in the dust (peter parker is that you?) to navigate the way you felt over losing one of the best things you ever had. God, you wished you didn’t fall in love with him before he betrayed you. You wished he just would have thought it through before he ruined you. 

Your director motioned over to you and Tom to go up on the stage. 

“I’ll meet you outside, Y/n/n.” 

That was tom’s nickname for you. He came up with it and he was the only one who could call you that. You were his and he was yours. But yet he knew that long-distance was so fucking hard. He couldn’t put you or himself, so he found someone who was fine with the distance. Zabrina barely paid attention to him unless he wanted attention for herself, but he didn’t realize how he broke much more of you than the surface showed. 

“She’s really pretty, I hope she makes you happy,” you mention bitterly, hoping in a terrible way,  he’d never be as happy as he was with you. 

Before Tom, you scream out no one would make him happy as you did. Your director cut tom off.

After your director said thanks to everyone and the film started you grab your bag from your assistant, before heading to the exit, tom hurriedly tried to follow you, being caught by Zabrina, asking Tom to take a selfie with her, so she could commemorate her ‘prize’ when truly, Tom was using her as a rebound. 

“Zabrina, I need to talk to harry!” he whispers yells.

“Why? He literally is taking to your wretched ex?” she says with venom in her voice. 

Tom jogs around her, trying to get to you and Harry, While Zabrina dramatically calls after him.

He was too late, though, he saw you from the doors, you were already getting in your getaway car, with Harry. He ruined everything.

Harry and you were sitting in the limousine that was rented for you, before harry states, “He’ll be the one who crying, I promise you.”

“I always knew this is how He’d leave me. He found someone more exciting, and better than me. I was used a discarded like nothing.” you laugh through the tears.

“You’ll find someone who finds you exciting Y/n, and you’ll be their whole world.” he comforts you.

“Good for him I guess, but it’s like we never happened. Like what the fuck is that?” you ask.

“He’s acting like a damn sociopath.” harry shrugs.

You laugh at that one. 

“So what do you want to watch Y/n?”

“Would you hate me if I said legally blonde?”

“Not if we can watch fight club after.” 

“You have a deal, Sir!”

Tom however was stuck, watching you and him on screen. Reminiscing of how he fucked up. 

It was getting close to an intimate scene, probably his favorite one he’s ever done. All he could think about was someone else getting to touch you, and be with you, he wanted that but at the same time, he couldn’t deal with all the shit of being with you. The relationship was too good, so much that Tom thought sometimes he didn’t deserve someone like you. It was probably crazy of him for thinking like that, but he couldn’t bring you down with him, not when he was so fucked up. He wished he could be the one but he couldn’t so he just hoped you were okay.  

Tags:

@spideyspeaches

@greenorangevioletgrass

@queenofthepouges

@minejungwoo

@keithseabrook27

@lolooo22

@webmeupspiderdaddy

@harryhollandsgirlfriend

[discotreque]

LwD 2.05: An Embarrassment of Dooplers

So I was a little nervous about this one! I hadn’t heard any spoiler-spoilers, but screeners have been out for weeks now, and I’d heard a bunch of individual, vague, non-spoilery hints about (1) big character moments, on the scale of a mid-season finale even though the show’s not taking a mid-season break; and (2) an ending that would make me cry.

I guess I imagined something relatively serious and dramatic, like “No Small Parts”? This show makes me cackle with laughter and giggle with nerdy glee and “d’awww!” at heartwarming friendships every week, but it’s only ever made me cry once—and then I was impressed that they were going to get there from the wacky hijinks we saw in the brief teaser.

The lack of a cold open made me apprehensive too—in my experience, that’s typically a sign that there’s so much plot in the rest of the episode that they need that extra scene—but after ~21.5 minutes of aforementioned hijinks, I was having so much fun that I’d completely forgotten about the alleged tear-jerker at the end…

…and they were not the tears I was expecting.

I didn’t think I’d be smiling and crying!!!! That was wholesome as SHIT!!!!!

I almost can’t believe they earned that—but they totally did.

After a Mariner–Tendi episode and a Boimler–Rutherford episode, we’re back to the “usual” Season 1 pairings… except the relationships between these characters have changed since Season 1. Mariner still feels thwacked in the abandonment issues by Boimler bailing for the Titan, and Rutherford’s having a tiny little existential crisis about losing an entire year of his life.

Both of which are extremely understandable and very heavy situations—and both of those situations get resolved because everyone in them is vulnerable with each other and honest about their feelings—AND that honesty and vulnerability brings both pairs of friends closer together. Are you kidding me?? I would watch SEVENTY seasons of that shit. Put it in my veins.

Onto the notes:

So basically Dooplers are Tribbles, but for cringe comedy instead of slapstick? Ohhhhh boy.

Look at Ransom the diplomat, tossing his own fork on the floor! I like that he’s actually a pretty competent Starfleet officer, despite also being a completely ridiculous person.

Wait a second, is that—OH HOLY SHIT, THE DOOPLERS ARE VOICED BY RICHARD KIND.

It makes sense that B. Boimler would find William annoying—who likes seeing their own flaws reflected back at them? And who could be a better reflection of one’s flaws than one’s literal duplicate?—but most interesting to me is that it implies on some level, Bradward knows the stick up his butt is a flaw. (Does William?)

Why does the Cerritos model have working phasers?!?!

I’m loving hot pink as the currently en-vogue colour for “dangerous sci-fi energy” in animation (cf. almost every previous episode of this show; Into the Spider-Verse; other stuff I can’t remember right now). As a former child of the 80’s, I’m living for it… but as a former teenager of the 90’s, I can’t help but wonder if it’s going to age as poorly as the harsh neon green of The Matrix, every Borg appearance on Voyager, and like 80% of the websites I made in high school…

SKANTS! SKANTS! SKANTS!

That fake-out joke with the fly-by over the Cerritos model was in the season trailer weeks ago, and I was so enthralled by that handsome lady that the sticker coming into frame still got me good 😂😂😂

BECKY Mariner????? omg yes

Some top-quality Boimler screams in this one. Poor Jack Quaid must drink gallons of throat-coat tea when he records.

One of the great things about Star Trek to me is that you never know what you’re going to get from any random episode. A murder mystery? A road trip? A spooky thriller? A cheesy romance? Broad comedy? Body horror? Didactic political screeds shrouded in tissue-thin science-fiction metaphors? Brain and brain, what is brain??? And after this many years of watching, you’d think I’d be hard to surprise. But if I ever told you I thought I’d see a Blues Brothers–style car chase through a frickin’ shopping mall on an episode of Star Trek, I would have been straight-up lying to you. I loved it, it worked for me, my jaw was on the floor and I was clapping with joy—but I’m definitely comfortable calling this one “unexpected.”

It’s CAPTAIN SHELBY!!! And an ancient babydyke crush rose from the depths of my childhood subconscious… (Also I think her Number One is based on the original makeup—eventually deemed too complicated—for Saru? Now that’s a deep cut.)

In 20th-century Trek, you almost never got to see what was going on inside a starship from the outside. Even after they switched from physical models (where it was next to impossible on a single episode’s budget) to CGI (which was still in its infancy, still not exactly cheap, and still broadcast in SD anyway), it was a rare thrill to see any meaningful interior details in an exterior shot. Disco’s modern VFX have given us some tasty, tasty treats in that department, but nothing quite as sublime as all the pink Doopler light glittering through the Cerritos’s windows.

Mariner says she’ll take her contact Malvus down with her, and threatens that they’ll end up “in the same cell.” Malvus is a Mizarian, a species introduced in TNG’s “Allegiance,” in which Captain Picard is held in a mysterious prison with one. I think I see what you did there, McMahan?

Bartender… so hot… lesbian circuits… overloading…

The Tendi and Rutherford C-story was, well, a C-story within a 22-minute episode, so there wasn’t much to it, but the one scene that mattered actually mattered a lot. I’m ambivalent on whether they should end up romantically involved—I’d prefer they don’t, but they’ll be one of the cutest couples in Trek history if they do—and as long as they keep that pure, sweet friendship between them at the heart of whatever else happens, I’m on board.

Carol Freeman was already one of my favourite captains before this season, and she’s been steadily moving up the list. The quiet throughline about her ambition to be on a better ship has been fascinating so far, and it’s starting to actually make me feel a little conflicted: I’m of course rooting for Captain Freeman to recognize her worth, make Starfleet recognize her worth, and become the ass-kicking captain of a hero ship that she’s clearly ready to be—but that almost surely means she’d be kicking ass off-screen, because LwD isn’t about those kind of adventures, and I’d be devastated not to have Dawnn Lewis on the show every week. So I’m kind of on the edge of my seat about this one!

I had so many favourite jokes this week I put them in a separate list:

“Even the replicated water on the Titan tasted better” is a low-key brilliant dunk on people who can’t shut the fuck up about the cooler places they used to live.

“Ooooh, they have a Quark’s now! That used to just be an empty lot where teens would make mistakes!” ← That’s literally me every time I go back to where I grew up. I felt so Seen™ I almost hid under a blanket.

“I would never go down the stairs!” (evil grin) (goes up the stairs)

The “well, shit” expressions from Mariner and Boimler as their crashed car sank right into the water… which started to bubble innocuously… and then the bottles of Data bubble-bath popped up, paying off a joke I thought had already been paid off—that was the one that woke up my poor cat this week. Just exquisite timing.

“YOUR PAGH IS WEAK, AND IT DISGUSTS ME!” “I don’t even know what that is, but I don’t like your tone!”

“Okona’s in there? He’s not even Starfleet! This is outrageous!” made me shout “NO!” at the screen like I was scolding my cat for scratching furniture. (She did not wake up that time.)

Best background joke: the neon sign at the dive bar advertising FREE SHOTS & BEERS. (Get it? Because they’re on a Federation starbase? Where nobody uses money?)

And of course Quark merchandised DS9.

This wasn’t just a standout episode of Lower Decks, this was a brilliant episode of Star Trek, period. The Dooplers, though extremely silly, are nevertheless also a clever sci-fi metaphor for real and relatable personal/interpersonal issues, and an effective plot catalyst for meaningful character growth from all four of our ensigns and the captain.

The jokes were hilarious, the action was kinetic, the A-, B-, and C-plots linked up thematically, the visuals were consistently and thoroughly gorgeous, the character beats—between Mariner and Boimler, Tendi and Rutherford, Mariner and Capt. Freeman—were all genuine, heartfelt and wholesome, and the references to other Trek canon were both deep and deeply affectionate.

Only 15 episodes in, and this series knows exactly what it is, exactly what it wants to do, and knows that it can knock our socks off doing it. Mike McMahan has said in recent interviews that the back half of S2 (and the apparently almost-fully-written S3) is a straight line uphill in quality from here—which surprised me at first, because McMahan seems like a pretty chill dude who doesn’t normally brag about his own work like that.

But then the Prophets sent me a vision of my space dad Ben Sisko, who reminded me of the words of 1930’s baseball player Dizzy Dean:

“If you can do it, it ain’t bragging.”

[Thanks to cygnus-x1.net for the screenshots this week—I was too lazy to do my own.]

[thebirdandhersong]

Happy things from this week:

a little girl was walking hand in hand with her father past the bus stop just as the bus was pulling away (this was an early morning: I was on my way to school), and she smiled and waved at all of us (so of COURSE I had to smile and wave back!!)

one of my classmates remembered my name AND pronounced it correctly when they waved goodbye :')

I figured out New Ways to study more efficiently for Greek and now things make SENSE

our Greek professor! I love her. She's so much fun, but she makes sure you know what she expects of you, so we've all been learning at a surprisingly fast rate.

umbrellas :)

we were in need of more volunteers, and I prayed that we would have enough people for one of the programs I'm taking care of--and we had TWO new volunteers today :'O

Muffin gave me a hug today!

more health stuff sorted out! Things are looking up!

BRILLIANT blue skies! and rain! and lots of sun! All kinds of weather this week

saw a lot of birds congregating and singing together

three people told me separately this week that I've been doing well at my job and I just 😭😭😭

every single post about Alice (Syfy) I've seen this week. It's so much fun discussing things with everyone and seeing everyone's reactions to the same things/to different scenes and themes in the story!

starting Teen Wolf as a post-class winding-down activity and realising (to my utter delight) that there is a Lot to love and to smile over

SCOTT MCCALL

MELISSA MCCALL

ALSO STILES STILINSKI MY BELOVED

also the one (1) short episode of something else I watched on a whim, which was brilliant. Haven't sorted out my thoughts but it was quite diverting and entertaining in the best of ways

bus rides with Taylor singing in the background (I am once again Obsessed with the same three songs)

playing songs in the car for Muffin, and intentionally choosing the songs that my parents like/listened to in the 80s-90s so that I can hear the satisfaction/excitement in their voices when the recognition kicks in (the crowd favourite was Every Breath You Take)

NEWS about Doctor Who and Teen Wolf

a friend's wedding!!

the CD player at our church. I loved the CD player we used to have back in elementary school. I had a little too much fun fiddling around with it sd;lfk jsd;

cooking with the ladies in my house

hooting with laughter over a ridiculous joke/a funny memory/something my father said/something my sister did

I was so tired today that I told Dad that Mama and I had been "cooking lunch for next year" sfdl;kj sdl;kj (it was for TOMORROW) (naturally he thought this was the funniest thing ever and laughed a disproportionate amount over this)

two HAPPY hours of chatting with an overseas friend whom I have not heard from for two months!! I missed her SO much :') and learning that she was planning on finding a church where she was, and that she was interested in our church's Catechism class!!

MOON CAKES and HOT POT

a new week has begun!!

[taromilkmagic]

Notes: Cursed Child NY 27 November 2019

My first time watching CC was in Melbourne during previews, and I had an amazing time. A few months later I absorbed myself in the cc fandom here and on twitter and I became more and more obsessed with the incredible casts and crew that are a part of this amazing production all over the world. So yesterday, I finally treated myself to a second viewing of HPCC, but this time with NY Cast 2. I was taking frantic notes in between parts because I wanted to unpack and reflect over it, but when I first saw the play I wasn’t as absorbed into the fandom, so there may be things that are obvious that I’m finding new. Anyway if you’re interested in reading my thoughts on this cast/performance and how I found it different to Melbourne I’ve dumped a rant below...

Part One

Act 1

Nick Albus looking at his family and smiling, so excitedly, when they are about to enter platform 9 3/4, is everything I need in my life. But it really is heartbreaking to watching Albus’s progression from excited and hopeful to isolated and resentful.

Everyone in the background at the station is captivated by Matt Ron’s trick. This time around, I noticed that they are all incredibly grossed out when Ron plucks Lily’s ‘nose’ from his behind (accompanied by a loud fart noise), simultaneously leaning away from the Potters and Granger-Weasleys. It’s these little extra details that really lift the comedy in the show for me.

Bubba Scorpius is anxious and tense, but in a quiet/soft way. While I remember Will having very frantic nervous energy, Bubba is much more reserved and closed in on himself—both emotionally, but also physically. He is permanently hunched over and withdrawn, and his movements are smaller—not as wild— and stiffer than Will McKenna’s (James Snyder does a good approximation of this in the Polyjuice scene). When Scorpius is being sorted, he clenches and unclenches his hands. Then, when the sorting hat declares SLYTHERIN! he slowly closes his eyes. Rather than going ‘oh, as expected!’ like Will does with his head tilt and eye-roll, Bubba Scorp seems a combination of relieved and resigned.

As a sidenote, Bubba was staring emptily in my direction at the start of third year while taking to Albus. So I was a crying mess, but I also felt extremely uncomfortable because it felt like he was looking directly at me with his sad eyes 😂

Something that struck me about Nadia’s and Jenny’s Rose and Hermione: the similarities in how they carry themselves and the way they speak. They both radiate fast-paced Type A energy and you can tell that Rose is every bit like Hermione by her brisk mannerisms and alert eyes.

Jenny’s Hermione has a mischievous streak that isn’t as obvious in Paula’s drier, authoritative Hermione (disclaimer: I love them both). In Harry’s office, the toffee line is sung in an enticing tone. Tof-fee? Translation: Are you sure you don’t want one? Apparently, Jenny was quieter than usual during this performance, but I have to say that I didn’t notice this at all. As my first introduction to her Hermione she was both vibrant and funny. 

Nick Albus and Bubba Scorp are much more tactile than Will and Sean (at least compared to when I saw the Melbourne cast in previews). Some moments that stood out — Nick touches Bubba’s shoulders and back a LOT, including on the train at the start of their third year, and then at the start of fourth year when he escapes Rose’s efforts to (re) befriend him and plunges into Scorpius’ train compartment.

Another instance of cute Bubba-Nick Scorbusness in the visit to St Oswald’s. Scorpius stands directly behind Albus, turned toward the audience and away from Amos, for most of the conversation. He flinches away several times when Amos is talking, essentially sheltering behind Albus. Have I talked enough about how Bubba’s Scorpius really is adorably awkward? When Albus earnestly assures Amos that they know about the danger they’re about to embark on, Scorpius leans in to Albus and says “Do weee?” Albus turns around, and Scorpius immediately spins around and peers at the wall details—he even squeaks Oh LoOk!! (*in small twitter font). Overall, Bubba Scorp feels vulnerable—more vulnerable than Will!Scorp, who is a bit of a drama queen at times—and must be protected at all costs.

Right before drinking his Polyjuice, Bubba did his trademark forehead shzzzzap, and it was art.

Act 2

When Albus and Scorpius decide that Delphi should not travel back to the first task with them, and Delphi is storming off after kissing Albus, Sara and Bubba do that thing where they both almost run into each other and block each other, then feint/dodge in the same direction as each other twice. Bubba Scorp says “OHkay!” in an exasperated voice before going around her. It was an incredibly awkward and funny moment and you could feel the tension between Scorpius and Delphi.

The Edge of the Forest scene was beautiful, as always. I didn’t notice this but at stage-door Nick told me that he stuttered and struggled to say “Look-L-look its-look it’s Hogwarts.” And then he said that Bubba was side-eyeing him like >_> the whole time. Bubba definitely seems like the sort of person who would passive-aggressively judge you at your worst moments, but I love him anyway.

Interestingly, the lighting is different here compared to the Melbourne production. The theatre is lit up with soft golden lights which make it sort of look like golden hour, casting everything in a comforting glow. In the Princess theatre, they go for a more literal Hogwarts-through-the-trees, with gorgeous dappled shadows on vibrant blue and orange stained glass windows. Both of these work wonderfully.

In Dragons, James Romney’s Slytherin student being in the wrong House section and having to squish through everyone was very funny. Kevin Reyes as [Craig Bowker Sr?] was doing something funny in the crowd during the first task as well but I can’t remember it for the life of me sadly. But it made me realise how amazing and constantly on point every single member of the cast is, even when the spotlight isn’t on them. Sitting in row D was a massive change from being in the balcony in Melbourne, and it made me realise and appreciate the actors who are carrying out their own stories in the background. 

Nick’s Albus looks both a little put out and surprised when Hogwarts’ audience has a mixed response to Harry in the first task. 

Interestingly, James Brown III’s Bane is more human than horse here than Melbourne Bane (MelBane?), who would neigh and snort every few sentences. The only horse noise he makes is a loud snort as he backed away into the shadows. 

Albus was having nightmares in the hospital wing during Harry’s conversation with Dumbledore. Several times, he mumbles “Dad?” in his sleep as he tosses and turns. It’s actually kind of heartbreaking. 

James Synder and Nick Podany both pretend to eat the chocolate. The chocolate itself is fake and a Lie. I just thought everyone should know that. 

There is a noticeable difference between Paula’s Hermione and Jenny’s Hermione in the first AU, particularly the DADA classroom. Jenny is much more aggressive and explosive, getting in Ravenclaw girl’s face with a loud nOOO??!!? Her soft, dangerously cold voice was terrifying and a different take to Paula’s terse, irritated, authoritative tone. This AU Hermione seems angry and vindictive, rather than just disillusioned and bitter. In Melbourne, Paula presented her AU Hermione as a possible version of the same person—someone who could grow more and more unhappy with the world over the years. Jenny’s AU Hermione was different; her energy simply felt so wrong and at odds with her usual character, and I think this performance emphasised how unnatural and completely off the new timeline itself is. It definitely made me empathise with how shocked and bewildered Albus would have been, and it reminded me of my experience reading the script for the first time as it gradually dawned on me how messed up the timeline had actually become.

Staircase Ballet in New York made me just as emotional as it did in Melbourne. I don’t think that scene will ever get old for me. Bubba did some incredible face-acting that I was glad to be able to see from my seat. His Scorpius really looks completely broken and despondent as he stares downwards and then, later, at Albus.

Sara’s Delphi is soft (wait what?? I know...) when she speaks to Scorpius about him and Albus. Madeleine Jones had more of a “silly billy, of course you should just talk to him, he’s your best friend!!” big sister vibe when I saw her in Melbourne—gentle, but talking down a little bit (still in a friendly way). This Delphi is much softer, which only makes the reveal more shocking and upsetting when she later reveals her real motives.

Bubba Scorp blowing Polly Chapman a kiss twice in a row to distract her from Delphi under his cloak was so LOUD and breathy and cringe that I may have died from second-hand embarrassment.

The library confrontation! Incredible! @lumoshyperion observed something about Melbourne’s Louis!Scorp in her (incredibly detailed and poetic) review/recap, where he falters and holds himself back at the end of each sentence or phrase during the library confrontation. This was definitely true of Bubba as well! He would sort of trail off and fade away as he spoke, rather than crescendoing continuously to a shout.

When McGonagall came into the library and the two boys were hiding, Nick SKIDDED across the stage and FELL flat on his face, knocking a chair over. It looked really painful and I was like 😶. I asked him about this at SD after, and he said he was okay but that he and Bubba immediately started laughing while they were hiding under the invisibility cloak. After McGonagall left, Bubba casually put the chair back up right before he sat down.

The two boys were both vigorously wiping their eyes during the library confrontation. When Nick hugged Bubba, Bubba made a 😬 and stuck his arms out straight.

When Draco said “The girls’ bathroom on the third floo...ooorwhat on earth would they be doing there.......”, it was so ridiculously deadpan and disappointed and exasperated all at once. I haven’t written many notes on him but Jonno truly is an amazing Draco.

Being from a close seat this time, I was able to see the second task. It definitely didn’t look like a projection this time and that made it feel much more dynamic and engaging.

Bubba Scorp gets immediately self-conscious after the “Consider me engorg-impressed” joke and steps quickly back from Albus and the sink (where he was casually leaning), wrapping his robes around him tightly.

Lauren Myrtle was hilarious as I assume is usual. Lauren’s Myrtle did that thing where she poked at Harry with her foot with every word she said. He flinched back every time, it was hilarious. Diane did a full flinch and staggered back four feet from Myrtle’s hISSSS. 

Lauren looked upside down—DIRECTLY at Albus—when she said the “....and BOYS” line, and Albus immediately started fidgeting with his hair, with his hands behind his head. HE KNOWS THAT SHE KNOWS. In general, Lauren’s Myrtle was just as hilarious as Gillian, although a lot growlier. There was, as there was in Melbourne, a large round of applause as the second task began, presumably for Myrtle! 

I realise I have zero notes about any of the 'adult’ characters but they are just all-around excellence anyway so there’s not that much to say. Matt Mueller is a fantastic Ron, but very different to Gyton. He’s just as cheesy and cheerful, but not as jolly and laidback (if that makes sense...it’s a little hard to describe). Diane Davis as Ginny is Soft™, and very clearly understanding and caring. It’s easy to see that Harry depends on her as a source of advice, wisdom and emotional support. She generally doesn’t “roar” like Lucy Goleby’s Ginny does, so when she shouts it tends to come out in one angry punch—i.e. “My son is missing!” “SO is MINE!” (as opposed to SO!!! IS!!! MINE!!!!). As for James Snyder’s Harry, his anger and frustration in the alternate timeline is scarily believable, and it’s upsetting to see how it affects Albus and Ginny. It made me think of Angery Harry in Order of the Phoenix (I’m not @ing the people who say Cursed Child Harry is OOC, but...maybe I am). His American accent popped in a few times, but I barely noticed it and he was such an incredible Harry that I did not care in the slightest. The woman next to me was marvelling at how much he resembled Daniel Radcliffe, but to me this wasn’t even a fraction of why he felt like an authentic and well portrayed Harry.

Part Two

I have much less notes for Part 2. Part of this is because I was too much of a weepy mess being swept up by the art of Bubba and Nick’s Scorbus and part of it is because my phone died. I hope you enjoy what I DO have though!

Act 3

After being assigned this investigation, I can report that I am pretty sure I saw Bubba drool (?????) in the Dark AU office scene and I don’t know why or how or what... I didn’t even know this was a thing that happened on the daily but yes, yes it did. If anyone can provide more information on this... And yes, Bubba did look amazing in the Dark AU outfit. Thank you for the warning. I was still unprepared.

Spinella Snape was great! He has the deep voice down, and the dryness was Dry. Something interesting that happened in the Snape classroom scene is after he opens the secret passage in the chalkboard, Snape takes Scorp by the shoulders and gently guides him toward it. It’s a surprisingly protective and ~mentorly~ action and it reminded me a little of Snape getting in front of the Golden Trio in the PoA movie. ~Obviously~, Snape is a terrible person. But I guess he’s also capable of looking out for others! Stephen Spinella did an incredible job at actually endearing his character to me.

Ron fumbling with the wand for ages before pointing it at Scorp in the Dark AU. Unlike Gyton (and the script), Matt didn’t point it at himself this time. But he fumbled with his jacket a ridiculous amount before finding his wand and it got a lot of laughs, including from me!

Bubba was so out of breath after getting out of the pool that he had to take a long pause between the first “Harry!!!!” And “HARRRYYY POTTERRRR!”

Fiona Reid’s Petunia, in the graveyard scene, was visibly emotional. You could hear her voice getting choked up as she thought about Lily. I didn’t pick this up the first time I watched the show, but here I got it and I even teared up a little.

The jump scare GOT ME.

During the Slytherin Dorm scene, Bubba Scorp leaned over the top of Albus’ bed and yelled directly over his face to wake him up. This was both hilarious and adorable. And Malfoy the Unanxious: this whole scene was pure gold. Bubba doing weird hip-swaying dances in the air on tippy toes. Bubba waving his hands in weird and wild gesticulations (a contrast accentuated by how stiff and closed up he was prior to this). Aaah. He must be protected at all costs. 

Bubba said the ‘It’s time that time turning became a thing of the past” line very solemnly, and leaning in very close to Albus’s face (!) rather than standing (sitting?) next to him and gesturing proudly, which is what I remember from Melbourne. It’s an interesting take and a more serious one. It’s also more Scorbusy, so I’m not complaining. 

When Harry and Ginny and Draco walk in on Ron and Hermione kissing, Diane Ginny said OH! really loudly and, without a pause in her stride, immediately circled around and started to leave 😂

Jonno Draco acted so disgruntled when Specialis Revelio didn’t work. It was hilarious how grumpy he sounded when he said it was worth a try

Sara’s Delphini was much more menacing than I remember from Melbourne. I think what Madeleine did great in Melbourne is make Delphini seem like Ralph Fiennes’s Voldemort — powerful, ambitious, confident, a little bit dramatic. She DECLARED her lines: it was very Shakespearean. Sara was more sneaky and sinister. You get a sense of how she easily tricked Albus and Scorpius. Also, when she was mocking Albus for being naive, she did the little leg-kick dance that she did when she was saying he was becoming quite some wizard. I don’t remember if this is something that always happens with her or with other casts, but this is the first time I was paying close enough attention to notice it and I got CHILLS at the return. Sara’s Delphini is just that sinister and bone-chillingly terrifying.

Act 4

I have a lot of Feelings about Part 4, but not many details, sadly. Mostly because I was too absorbed by the incredible acting by everyone on stage.

James Snyder jumped around a lot when he said “Clever boy left me a message!” and it was such a pure and adorable move compared to his previous Angst that the audience laughed and cheered.

Jonno was wiping his eyes a LOT in the scene in Harry’s office. Several times, as Draco spoke about Astoria and her death, he got so choked up that he had to pause and take a breath before going on. It was a teary scene for all involved and a great testament to Jonno’s acting ability. 

Since we’re on Jonno, his delivery of “Look at the thatched roofs.......and......is that a farmer’s market?” SENT ME. He genuinely sounded kind of intrigued, interested and hopeful. I guess Joward Draco isn’t the only one who loves a good farmer’s market.

When Draco and Scorpius hugged in Godric’s Hollow, they hugged for a long time. He held onto Scorpius for a long time after, repeatedly craning his neck to be closer and holding him close as if afraid to let go again. Throughout subsequent scenes, Jonno kept his hand firmly on Bubba’s arm/inner elbow. You can see how shaken Draco was at losing Scorpius, and how fiercely protective he is now that he has his son back.

When Nick hugged Diane from her side, sitting on the bench in St Jerome’s, he knocked her down a little and she said oH! as she lost her balance. It was such a spontaneous moment and showcased the bond between Albus and his mum.

In the second to last scene, and perhaps most importantly in this entire recap...When Nick Albus says: “You better ask Rose if that’s the right thing to do!” (in response to “this new version of us”), Bubba keeps his hands firmly gripped on Nick’s arms, and stares at his face for a full three seconds before going “oh-ahaha...yeah!” and laughing awkwardly. Then, when he goes off and the stairs start spinning to bring Nick into the Nice Day scene, Nick keeps his head facing to the side where Bubba had exited—Albus’ gaze lingering distantly on Scorpius. Not saying Scorbus is canon (I really am), but Bubba Scorp’s last scene presented him as a very believable Confused Bisexual.

Finally: Nick and James rushing into a hug right as the lights went down.

“We almost broke like four times” — Nicholas Podany, 2019, on his scenes with Bubba. We are so blessed to have them.

[paperclipninja]

NCIS post-ep ramble 17x01

I know it’s been days since the season 17 premiere and I had every intention of writing something earlier but just didn’t have time (plus I have been so caught up in reading everyone’s thoughts and reblogging all these posts and general flailing that honestly, who has the time for anything??) but I most certainly do have a few thoughts and feelings about the ep I’d like to get down.

For those who don’t know me that well, hi :) and also, I’ve always been rather partial to a post-ep ramble (which is basically me trying to process everything by dumping many words here) so I thought I’d throw a few words down because let’s be real, ‘Out of the Darkness’ was A LOT.

Ok, so can we talk about the opening scene, because it seemed like a classic NCIS ‘guys doing a dodgy deal but wait, the team needs the vehicle�� kinda moment but then FINGERS. Actual freaking fingers on that car dash and I should mention I was live streaming this episode on the train on my way to work and I was NOT chill at this point because it was brutal.

I was having so many feelings right from the get go, I mean Ziva is back and even through we’ve had months to process this it still felt so surreal yet like she’d not really been gone for that long, except that from the very first interaction with Gibbs in the basement, you could just see that she’s different. It’s subtle but it’s there. I love that the moment Gibbs’ basement starts getting shot up and both he and Ziva are out of ammo, they immediately default to working together to create the makeshift explosive thing, no words, just right into the groove of knowing what needs to happen without treading on one another’s toes.

Meanwhile Nick, McGee and Ellie are obliviously having a drink (lol @ McGee lasting less than two seconds not talking about work), for anyone into the Nick/Ellie ship there was a nice little moment and the three of them hot foot it to Gibbs’ place after after McGee gets the call to say there’s been a shoot out (seriously, can you imagine being Gibbs’ neighbours? The weird-ass stuff that has gone down there over the years, that’d be one house you’d tell the kids to skip for trick or treating). I am so into the follow through from the Ziva set up last season, Ellie feeling like the fabric was familiar was a nice way to bring it all together.

It’s funny, after so many years of watching this show then stepping away for a little while, I’m really not sure what I expected when I heard that Ziva was going to return. My shipper heart is really just locked on to Ziva and Tony finally getting some kind of happiness, but I was unsure what it would be like seeing this character on screen after so long, especially considering the way she was written out initially. Can I just say that the way Ziva has returned to our screen exceeded any expectations I did or did not have. I never in a million years expected this show to not just consider, but actively highlight the toll of all the years of trauma and struggle of Ziva David. A credit to the direction in this scene, but as Ziva began having the anxiety attack in the sewer pipe and we gained our first glimpse of her battle with this demon, it was unnerving to see this character who had always remained so seemingly in control, so vulnerable. But it was also wonderful (and heart-wrenching and sad). I am so grateful to Gina Lucita Monreal (who I Stan v. hard btw) for showing this side to this character because to me, it demonstrates not only the character’s journey, but NCIS’s growth.

Gibbs knowing that Ziva needed space and giving it to her but then finding her in a state that clearly caught him off guard was once again something I was not expecting and I was floored, yet again, when the pills Ziva stuffed back into her pocket were actually addressed and spoken about on the bus (I realise it sounds like I’m just constantly surprised but in the past, it’s the kind of thing that may get followed up about six episodes down the track, though I’m aware there isn’t the luxury of drawn out breadcrumbs with this arc and honestly, I’m grateful).

The scene between Ziva and Gibbs on the bus is quite possibly my favourite interaction between these two characters ever. And yes, I mean in the entire series. Hearing Ziva talk about Tali, explain the significance of the necklace and then put it to Gibbs that wouldn’t he do anything if it meant he could hold his daughter one more time, ugh my heart. The ONLY thing I disliked about this episode was later when Ziva said she wasn’t talking about Kelly. I understand the sentiment and I am here for her calling Gibbs out on giving up on her every day of the week, but in that moment on the bus, it absolutely was and should have been Kelly she was referring to because it was in that moment that she and Gibbs connected on an entirely different level - as parents. And more than that, as parents who know what it’s like to risk everything because of the love they hold for a child. So while I do love that Ziva put it to Gibbs that he abandoned her, I do feel it could have been brought up in a way that didn’t diminish the power of that conversation on the bus. Because when Gibbs reached out and touched that scar on her wrist, it may have been a small gesture but the meaning was huge and yes I did start crying and no, I did not care that I was on a train.

Of course we must talk about Odette. Sweet, old, possibly an assassin or some other kind of highly trained deadly human Odette. When Bishop asked her, ‘who are you, really?’, all I could think was, same girl, same. I am so into this character and I really hope she sticks around because her turning up later in the ep with a car load of weapons and then wanting to join in just upped my curiosity even more.

I really am such a fan of Ellie, I have been since the beginning, and I did feel for her trying to balance the wishes of Ziva and her loyalty to her team. McGee’s reaction to finding out that Ziva was alive and that Ellie knew about it was definitely warranted and my Tiva loving heart is trying very hard not to read too much into everyone’s avoidance of answering whether Tony knows (read: I am 150% reading too much into it and of course he knows because Ziva has obviously been leaving clues the entire time that she’s ok and it’s fine, it’s all fine, I’M FINEEE*)

*I am not fine

Nick is immediately suspicious after the awkward af conversation in Vance’s office where every time he mentions something from the crime scene at Gibbs’, Ellie and McGee very obviously downplay or dismiss it. Plus Ellie’s sweaty neck is apparently a dead giveaway and I love that Kaisie also mentions it because when this show does funny, it does it damn well. Aside from the bus scene, my other favourite scene of this episode was in autopsy when Nick ‘I don’t even know this ninja but this is like the biggest news of my life’ Torres has just learned about Ziva and Jimmy ’you said the thing about Ziva and my ears heard it and now I think I need to sit down’ Palmer also gets clued in and honestly, this entire sequence is absolute gold. I heart Kasie so hard and her discomfort with the ‘weird air’ just lent itself to making the whole thing wonderfully hilarious and the dynamic between all the characters was so on point. Nick and Kaisie really are stellar additions to the show, it just works.

Ziva’s determination to go it alone definitely wavers momentarily after Gibbs has spoken to McGee and asked him to decode the encrypted SD card (so many lols at Gibbs asking Ziva if she wants to talk to McGee then telling him she says hi. Again, the writing in this ep is just brilliant, being able to slot in genuinely light and funny moments between the dark and serious), there’s the ever-so-brief expression before Ziva gets into the car, as though she remembers what it’s like to have a team, her team, working with her. 

What is on the card of course leads Gibbs and Ziva to be standing in the man who uses phrases like ‘dope’ in front of his machete wall’s office and I have to say, his ‘what are these two homeless people doing in my office’ was accurate. The show then stabbed me in the heart with the necklace situation - either her heart or her albatross- and of course it all connects back to Ari (the parallel to Saleem ripping off her necklace was noted). We also get our answer as to why Ziva had those severed fingers in the opening scene which is still gross and brutal but also understandable and much better knowing that the dude was dead when it happened. But still gross.

One thing that really struck me was when McGee, Ellie and Nick see Gibbs and Ziva making their getaway and McGee and Ziva share their moment of locking eyes and her indicating for the team to stay put, it is Ellie who points out that, ‘she knows what she needs better than anyone else’. It was just really interesting to me that McGee’s initial instinct was to go after Ziva and Gibbs, despite Ziva clearly not wanting him to, and it is the woman on the team who points out that he needs to respect Ziva’s wishes and trust her. I have no idea if this was making some kind of larger statement but it felt significant to me for some reason. Plus I just love the respect Ellie has for this woman she has never met and I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for her to see Ziva in the flesh for the first time after harbouring her secret for so long.

We all knew Vance would find out eventually and omg Nick just cracked me up, ‘I’m the least guilty one in here, Bishop is the worst...’, he is just such a great character (in case I haven’t mentioned that enough times). I don’t know enough about Sloane at this stage and I’m a little confused about her role or position so I will catch myself up on that (or feel free to fill me in) but she also seems pretty cool. I think back to early days McGee, the nervous probie who was so unsure and then think of him in this episode, standing in Vance’s office defying orders and all I can hear is Tony’s voice saying, ‘I’m proud of you Tim’. I love that he’s backing Ellie and that he’s standing up for and trusting her and knowing Vance’s history with Ziva, it’s just all such a wonderful coming together of NCIS history and the present.

The final scene of course left us in a TBC moment as Gibbs’ attempt to arrest Sahar (or at least a woman I assume is Sahar but then it’s NCIS so who knows?) is railroaded by Ziva’s adamance that unless she is dead, Sahar will always be a threat. I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds, I’m just loving the speculations and excitement and most importantly, consideration with which the show seems to be bringing back these storylines and characters and really, I do believe we are in for quite a ride and if this episode is anything to go by, one heck of a payoff. 

[reversemoon255]

I don’t have anything to review this week. I had plans to do a few BeastBoxes, and held out until the end for them to get here, but Customs has been a right pain with slower shipping over the past few months. Instead, I thought it might be fun to go over the past years worth of builds I did and see which ones I enjoyed the most, whether it be because the build itself was fun, I put a lot of work into it, or the end result was just neat.

RX-零/覚醒 RX-Zeromaru Shinki Kessho 

These aren’t in any particular order, but we’ll start with the updated Zeromaru. While this wasn’t a particularly interesting kit from a build perspective, it did have a fun gimmick. It’s mostly on here because this was the first time I recolored every part in order to color match. I’ve done it a few times since then (mostly with gold pieces), but this one was particularly interesting since I’d done the kit before without doing so, so seeing the two of them next to each other was really cool and felt like I was really stepping up as a builder.

GN-0000DVR/S/HWS Gundam 00 Sky HWS

While this build had a couple issues, I had a lot of fun with the 00 Sky; I tried some different panel lining techniques, experimented with paint to emphasize details, and the HWS was the last kit I added to my first series display. While the overall plot may not be the best, I stand by that Build Divers is a very good series if you’re looking to find some Gunpla Builder inspiration.

OZ-08MS-SP-K Leo Kanabo 

This was the last custom Leo I built, and ended up being one of the ones I’m most happy with. It doesn’t deviate very far from the original Leo’s design, but the ways that it does are very simple and effectively get the design intent across. Still wish I could have gotten that hip skirt to look a little better, though.

XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1

RGs aren’t very fun to build. They look great on a shelf, and can be fun at times to pose (if you’re not building a rickety one), but are typically something you build for the end result. While the Crossbone is no exception, it gets some bonus points for effectively using its parts and being one of the cheapest RGs to date. It also has a ton of accessories, gimmicks, and effect parts for its price, and is probably my favorite RG I’ve built.

Matchless Raijin-Oh 

Now we start getting into some non-Gundam stuff, with the only kit that’s not made by Bandai. Coming from Good Smile’s Moderoid line, Raijin-Oh feels like toy art. While not necessarily the most interesting build, the end result is fantastic, finding interesting ways to cheat anime proportions into both the combined form as well as the three separate mecha that make it up. Also, behind the scenes, totally forgot to attach Hou-Oh’s tail in every picture. Oops.

eEXM-17SOS Alto Sub-Orbital Sniper Kai III 

The only other custom on this list is, again, not from Gundam. The 30MM line is made for making custom units, and this was my first attempt with an idea I’d had in the back of my head for a long time: a sniper that attacks earth-bound enemies from orbit. I used four different upgrade kits to pull off the transformation from basic Alto to its third iteration, and it turned out great other than the very thick white paint. (I am my own biggest critic.) I know I say this every time, but you should totally look into 30MM if you haven’t; it’s a great way to create custom units with almost no barrier to entry.

PFF-X7 Core Gundam + PFF-X7/V2 Veetwo Gundam + PFF-X7/E3 Earthree Gundam + PFF-X7/M4 Marsfour Gundam

This is the coolest gimmick I think I’ve ever seen on a Gundam. While building Core Gundams has gotten a bit monotonous (and I may have to build a ton more of its new upgrade, at least one Core Gundam Rise, and maybe more than one Enemy Gundam Core), the end result is always fantastic from a meta perspective. While a lot of their parts are shared, the minor variations you can do to not only modify a Gunpla’s performance, but also its appearance is really cool. I’ll give extra praise to the Marsfour since it also inspired me to try doing some dry brushing techniques for the first time in a while.

ZGMF-X19AK Gundam Justice Knight

Now this was a fun build. All kinds of added joints, special gimmicks, and good use of parts. This was also another time I did gold color matching if only because I painted the chest vulcans and wanted everything to match. But to be fair, I probably wouldn’t be as fond of it if I didn’t. It’s a poser’s Gunpla built to pose, and it can outlandishly do so. They did also announce a standard Infinite Justice release, if that’s more your thing.

WarGreymon (Amplified) 

I’m a big Digimon fan, and I’ve talked before how I was disappointed that the Digimon Reboot model kit line went under after only one kit. WarGreymon was a Grey(t) reinvigoration of that old idea. He has amazing use of plastic at bizarre angles to create a very involved and interesting sculpt while still maintaining all of his recognizable elements. His main issue is he’s a brick, having joints but not the strength or sometimes clearance to move them. Still looks great, and is cheaper than most of your other options.

神竜合士 Valkylander

I’ve been giving a lot of love to Re:Rise, but they just keep producing solid kits (of their hero characters). The Valkylander is an SD Gundam with two separate combined modes, one of which is a dragon. This was also another case where I went ham on the paint to great effect. I believe the Avalanche Rex Buster parts release next month, and I’ll be excited to put those together. Y’know, before Par builds something else in season two that replaces them...

Overall, I built 27 model kits over the course of 2019, and I can’t help but feel I’ll end up building even more throughout 2020. I’ve got a few P-Bandai kits on the way, a massive 30MM custom project I’ve been collecting kits for, I’m going to be starting work on a Build Divers Sidestory Display, and the second season of Re:Rise is releasing in April. I’ve already got 16 model kits on the way or on preorder, and that’s just through April. If all goes well, hopefully this will be the last week I don’t have anything to review for a while.

[secretbranch]

Sanders Sides Theory: Deceit’s Name

So, I don’t know if I’ve ever established this on Tumblr, but I am a huuuuge Fander, and have watched the Sanders Sides episodes several times. I’ve been thinking quite a bit about Deceit, specifically his name since (as of me writing this) his is the only name that hasn’t been revealed. I have a weird, fairly ridiculous theory as to hints about his name, but I’ve never done any legit sort of theory thing before, so here goes nothing!

I was rewatching the Phases video when Deceit appears at the end. There’s some insults and back and forth as well as the usual dread Deceit tends to bring when this happens:

Deceit discovers the Scooby Doo tag and reveals to the audience in his very sarcastic joke-y way that the tag is his and he was looking for it. And the thought occured to me: What if those are HIS initials? Like, yes, I know, that’s Scooby’s tag, but what if SD stands for S____ Deceit? Fans who’ve watched the episodes closely may refer back to that one time Deceit was referred to as a “Scooby Doo Villain” and say this is merely a joke hearkening back to that insult. But if that was the case, Deceit would be dressing up as The Black Knight, or the Miner Forty-Niner (actual villains from the show) rather than the dog himself. Furthermore, all of the rest of the Sides dressed as a character that related to them in some way: Logan was a Sci-Fi Horror Character, Roman was “Zombie Royalty”, and Patton was one of his favorite animals (or the “Woofman”). What does Scooby Doo himself have to do with Deceit? Maybe nothing, but maybe the tag was there to allude us to his name. 

Not to mention an S name for Deceit would be pretty great considering his ssssssnakey voicccccce.

Like I said, this theory is not fully-fledged and pretty stupid, but it is a thought that did occur after watching the video. Maybe this scene was just a silly joke meant to throw us off in the end, but as everyone in the fandom has collectively analyzed every frame within the show, I figured i would do my part.

[thedeaditeslayer]

[Exclusive Interview] Writer Scott Duvall talks Comic Horror Mash-up Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep.

There’s never been a better time to see your favorite comic book characters meet on the big screen than right now. However, if you’re a horror fan, now is also a great time to see some of your favorite big screen characters meet on the comic book page. I’m talking about Dynamite Comics’ groovy and gory mashup series, Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep, a horror adventure that brings two of Bruce Campbell’s greatest characters together for a high-stakes battle against the undead.

We got the chance to talk to Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep writer Scott Duvall about horror comics, cult films, and what makes both of franchises so resonant with horror fans. Check out what he had to say below, and once you do, check out the conclusion to Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep, out this Wednesday, June 5th!

Grant DeArmitt for Nightmare on Film Street: How did this comic come about? Whose idea was it to bring Ash and Elvis together and when are they getting their Nobel?

Scott Duvall: I admit, I came up with the idea so to see it become a reality is truly a crazy dream come true! I had approached Dynamite about doing this as a crossover a few years ago shortly after I noticed that two Bruce Campbell characters had crossed paths before in Dynamite’s Army of Darkness/Xena crossover series. That sparked the thought that Ash should meet Elvis from Bubba Ho-Tep and from there the concept was born and I was on a mission. Once IDW got into the Bubba Ho-Tep comics business, courtesy of creator/writer Joe R. Lansdale, it made the dream a little more within reach. I took another stab at it and, luckily, they went for it!

NOFS: What connects the two stories? Has Bubba Ho-Tep been a Deadite all along?

SD: To answer the second question, no, Bubba Ho-Tep, as he was dubbed by Elvis, was a mummy when we met him in the original Lansdale story and movie adaptation, and he died a mummy, so the original story we’re telling here changes nothing of what happened in previous events. But more on Bubba later… After hearing about Elvis supposedly taking down a mummy in Texas, he can’t resist hitting the road to see for himself if there’s any truth to the rumor. So while these two deal in the supernatural, there isn’t anything mystical about their worlds crossing over, they already exist on the same plane of reality.

NOFS: Can you cue us in on the dynamic between Ash and Elvis? What do our heroes think of each other?

SD: I think what connects these two characters and their worlds is the fact that Ash and Elvis encounter some crazy, inhuman, obstacles in their individual journeys, and so they can relate to each other on that level. At first they both question the others’ sanity and so there’s some personality conflicts to iron out, but once they realize they’re both on the same team, it doesn’t take long for them to find common ground, and by issue three they feel like old friends who have always known each other.

NOFS: As for our villain, how did he survive the events of Bubba Ho-Tep?

SD: He didn’t! However, Bubba has risen again, and this time he’s powered by the Evil Force that Ash is real familiar with, making Bubba a half-mummy/half-deadite hybrid, and twice as dangerous, sucking innocent souls left and right.

NOFS: These are two franchises with loyal cult followings. What goes through your mind as you approach writing them?

SD: As a fan myself, I strive to live up to fan expectations and not squander this opportunity we’ve been given to try and tell the best story imaginable of the first meeting of these two beloved franchises. I knew both of these worlds colliding could work, and that when you’re playing with properties that have built-in audiences, you absolutely must take into account the history of the characters and what makes them tick. Particularly when it comes to the way they talk and interact with each other, that was very important to me to get right. Making sure Ash and Elvis sounded like themselves was crucial to getting fans on board because as soon as you lose their voices, you lose the reader, so it had to have that level of authenticity. Listening to them talk on a loop as I viewed the movies back-to-back-to-back during the plotting phase really helped to get their established voices in my head as I dove into the script.

NOFS: As someone who gets to experience these franchises like no one else, what do you think makes a cult classic?

SD: For me, it really comes down to the characters and their enduring personalities. I’ve seen a lot of different fandoms in the time I’ve been involved in entertainment, and the passion these followings have is a pretty powerful thing to witness, especially when you’re near the epicenter of something that’s bigger than yourself. It’s powered by people in large numbers who revolve their lives around something and now conventions and social media are making it easier for these fans to find each other. But again, it comes down to creating characters that people care what happens to them and we never tire of. Ash and Elvis certainly fit that bill.

NOFS: The art in this book is by the fabulous Vincenzo Federici. What makes his art special, and where do you think we see that in this comic?

SD: I got so incredibly lucky with my art team on this book! I really think it’s one of the most distinct looking Army of Darkness crossover comics I’ve ever seen so I’m proud that it stands out, and that’s in part thanks to Vincenzo’s incredible skills. He was really egging me on to keep raising the stakes and try to incorporate some monsters for him to draw, and so I rose to the challenge and the series is so much better for it, which you can really see his influence on the direction we take in issue 3. He not only can draw some scary looking mummies, but also injects a lot of visual humor into the work, as well as dazzle with some of the most amazing fight choreography I’ve ever seen illustrated. Not only did I luck out with Vincenzo, but the colors by Michele Monte are a stand-out too. He brings a lot of intensity to the pages with his striking color palette and the perfect moodiness to each scene. I also am fortunate to be working alongside my friend Taylor Esposito who it’s been said before, is one of the best letterers in comics working today. He brings a lot of personality to the project, catering captions to the characters and giving the reader just a little something extra to add to their enjoyment. We’re all fans so we’re trying to bring our A-game and live up to the source material.

NOFS: The last issue of Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep comes out June 5th. Without spoiling the ending, can you give us a glimpse into the future of Ash & Elvis’s comic book adventures?

SD: The final showdown takes place in Graceland, except Elvis’ private jet just took a nosedive into the dining room and the mansion is now engulfed in flames. I will say for Bubba Ho-Tep fans that a familiar character will pop up during a crucial moment and it’s probably not who you’re thinking!

NOFS: And for the Scott Duvall fans that are born of this book, what other books of yours can Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep readers check out?

SD: The last series I wrote was a sci-fi mini called Narcopolis: Continuum published by Heavy Metal, and I’ll actually be re-teaming with the artist Ralf Singh on another story for Heavy Metal Magazine in the near future which is one of the craziest things I’ve ever written, but Ralf said he wanted to draw a T-Rex. I have a couple other projects in the pipeline, but nothing I can talk about just yet. Stay tuned!

NOFS: Finally, not everyone who wants to get into comics is into superheroes. What horror comics can you recommend, both past and present, to bring horror fans into comics?

SD: Great question! My #1 recommendation for horror comics is Locke & Key. If you haven’t yet checked that out, do yourself a favor and get it. I used to hand my copy of volume 1 to friends and co-workers in order to get them hooked just so I would have someone to talk to about L&K. That series is so well done on every level from the compelling narrative and cast of characters to the beautiful artwork on every page. Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodríguez created a true modern masterpiece!

As we mentioned earlier, the conclusion of Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep arrives in stores everywhere this Wednesday, June 5th. You won’t want to miss the conclusion of this epic horror mashup, so head to your local comic book store ASAP!

[travllingbunny]

The 100 rewatch: 4x03 Four Horsemen

Another strong episode, which introduces an important element of world-building – the Second Dawn cult, features the return of Luna and sets up several important plot points that are going to play a big role in the rest of the season (the bunker, the list, Nightblood as the solution to Praimfaya, and the fact that the end of the world is coming sooner than anyone thought). It also has many great character and.or relationship moments – especially for Murphy, Clarke and Bellamy, Jaha, and Indra and her two ‘daughters’.

Not only is Luna – one of the most interesting Grounder characters –back, but so is Nyko, one of my favorite minor characters, who’s always been one of the nicest and most reasonable people in the show. He brings the Boat people to get the advanced medicine that the Sky people have. They seem to have been the first ones to get seriously infected by radiation because of their diet – (irradiated) fish. It’s heartbreaking that Luna first had to kill her husband and several other of her people last season, and now she has to watch her daughter and every single one of her people die right in front of her. At one point, she even wonders if the sickness is somehow a punishment for refusing to take the Flame (and save the human race from ALIE), before Bellamy tells her that it can’t be true, no one deserves to suffer. In the end, while her daughter died in spite of being given the medicine, Luna was the only one who got better, even though she had been given no treatment – which makes Clarke realize that the Nightblood protects people from radiation. This sets up a major plot about our protagonists trying to use Nightblood as a solution to save everyone, as well as Clarke’s eventual fate, with repercussions up to the current season.

But before Clarke came to this realization, it seemed that it would only be possible to save 100 people inside Arkadia – so Raven gives Clarke the task to make the list of 100 people from Arkadia to be saved. (Kind of funny that they always come up with those round numbers? How likely is it that it’s exactly 100 people that can survive in Arkadia? Isn’t it more likely that it’s, say, 97 or 105 people, or something like that?) And I know that Raven is very stressed out, but she again displays her biggest character flaw – tendency to be judgmental, self-righteous and hypocritical, especially in her interactions with Clarke. She says she’s in charge of rationing, but then “deciding who lives or dies” is Clarke’s specialty. Ouch. So she tells her that they must decide who lives or dies and makes that Clarke’s responsibility instead of her own, but at the same time she is making Clarke feel like crap about it? WTF, Raven?

Jaha proposes another solution: finding the bunker that was built by a doomsday cult, Second Dawn, which could sustain many more people.  This is something that Jaha has obviously done a lot of research on. The bunker they do find is a huge disappointment – it was never sealed and didn’t save anyone. However, this is just a setup for what happens later in the season, when Jaha finds another Second Dawn bunker.

We find out a lot about Second Dawn and especially their leader, Bill Cadogan. The actor cast in the role, John Pyper-Ferguson is a rather well known actor with lots of recurring guest starring roles in various shows – so it’s really unlikely that he was cast just for a 5 seconds speech. We’re probably going to see him again, but I don’t know if that will happen in flashbacks on The 100, or in a spinoff prequel. Two season 4 episodes are named after Second Dawn slogans – this one is named after the SD hashtag #fourhorsemen (of course the cult had an apocalyptic theme), and 4x06 is “We Will Rise”, after their motto “From the ashes, we will rise”.

The mission to find the bunker is an opportunity to Jaha to have some interactions with Bellamy and Clarke. He is very perceptive about the relationship between those two, pointing out to Bellamy: “Leadership is a lonely pursuit. She’s lucky to have you. You center her”. Bellamy thinks he got it backwards, but Jaha is right, as the rest of season 4 and subsequent seasons show. Yes, Clarke also centers Bellamy, but what Bellamy doesn’t realize is that it’s a two-way street: they bring out the best in each other when they are working together and moving in the same direction. But both Bellamy and Clarke tend to see each other in worse light and look up to the other.

Jaha’s line about leadership being a lonely pursuit probably reflects like he felt as a Chancellor – even though he had friends such as Abby or Kane and even Jake, he didn’t have someone he considered a partner the way Bellamy and Clarke are to each other. His advice to Bellamy about his guilt is very different from the advice Kane gave to Bellamy in 4x01. Both of them were trying to help Bellamy come to terms with his feelings of guilt over his actions in season 3, but they do it in very different ways, which reflect their different mindsets and approaches to their own guilt: Kane has accepted Abby’s view about needing to “deserve to survive”, and his advice to Bellamy was to try to do better every day, until he “deserves” to survive – which is obviously what Kane had been trying to do since the culling, back in season 1. Jaha, on the other hand, points out to Bellamy that everything he did, he did for “pure” reasons, trying to protect his people. He has always justified his own actions that way. However, Bellamy is not so easily forgiving of himself or others – he had previously told Raven and Clarke he wouldn’t be in the bunker, and now he says “if there is Hell, I’ll see you there”. He may be on good terms with Jaha now and have had an almost father/son relationship with Kane, but (as seen here and later in S4 when he makes a similar remark to Kane), that doesn’t mean he has forgotten that they were the oppressive regime on the Ark and that they executed his mother and many other people. Forgiveness is a complicated thing when it comes to Bellamy. Maybe he has forgiven, but he doesn’t forget.

Since the bunker solution seems to have failed, Clarke makes the list – and that scene is one of the famous moments that demonstrates the strength of feelings and devotion between her and Bellamy. She is doing something that is very “Head over Heart” – trying to be cold and rational and focus on the survival of the group, rather than any of the individual people (something she tries to do throughout season 4), so she doesn’t even put some of her closest friends on the list. I don’t think season 2 Clarke would have been able to leave Monty or Harper or any of the Delinquents from such a list. (Now, leaving Monty actually doesn’t make sense, but more about that later in 4x04.)  But she can’t ever make herself not listen to her heart when it comes to Bellamy. And I think this is one of the ways that he centers her – because it is a good thing for a person to not ignore their heart completely, even when they think they must.  Bellamy feels the same: “If I’m on that list, you’re on that list”. Clarke is unhappy about what she has to do, essentially condemning 400 people to death, so she really can’t make herself put her own name on the list – it would seem wrong, but Bellamy writes it instead of her. Those two don’t have that many interactions in season 4 – there’s a stretch of episodes (like almost every season) when they are physically separated (from 4x07 to the end of 4x10), but scenes like this are some of the most intimate between them, from the way Clarke watches Bellamy sleep, to the way he gives her comfort and support – and while the way he puts his hand on her back is something he was already doing in 1x07, before they were even exactly friends, the way she responds to it is much more intimate.

Murphy has a lot of focus and character development in this episode. For starters, I’m happy that there’s a serious conversation between him and Emori about Ontari, where Ontari gets jealous, but Murphy points out that he didn’t have a choice. I was less than impressed with how that plotline was treated in season 3, so it’s good to see the show somewhat rectifying that by treating the subject seriously and making sure the audience understands what was going on (even if they don’t use the word rape).

Murphy and Emori have been surviving as hunters, but he realizes he’s a better thief than hunter and goes back to Arkadia to steal food. He has some typical snark he has with Nate Miller, who’s guarding the entrance with his father, but when Murphy makes a joke about Bryan, thinking he and Nate are still together, Nate looks awkward, because Bryan left him in 4x02.

While stealing food, Murphy overhears Raven and Abby talk about Praimfaya and finds out the truth. Abby is asking for medicine to treat Luna’s daughter, Raven is trying to be rational and cold, a Big Picture thinker who uses Head over Heart, because it seems necessary, and insists that they can’t waste medicine on the Boat people without knowing it will even work. When Abby retorts that she should be aware that her she will be the one killing Luna’s daughter, Raven ends up in tears, even though she only shows them after Abby leaves.

But Murphy steals medicine for Luna’s daughter and brings it to Abby. As Jackson reminds Abby, the situation must have made Murphy think of his own history, the fact that his father stole medicine to cure him, and got executed for it. Abby says she always knew Murphy had it in him. Which surprises me a bit, because don’t remember those two having many interactions previously, except, to be fair, when Murphy saved her life in 3x15.  But later, after Luna’s daughter has unfortunately died anyway, Murphy goes back and tells Emori they need a shelter because of the upcoming disaster, and he’s ‘working” Abby already to prove how useful he is. This storyline is played ambiguously at this point – we are left to conclude on our own if Murphy was sincerely moved by the plight of Luna and her daughter, which reminded him of his own family, or if he was just being opportunistic. I think it was a combination of both, but this time more the former than the latter – but he is still not ready to admit to himself that he is anything but a ruthless survivor and that he actually has deeper feelings and wants respect, care and belonging.

The storyline in Polis revolves around the fact that Gaia has stolen the Flame, because she thinks it is a blasphemy that a secular ruler has it. Roan thinks that Flamekeepers are religious fanatics, and wants Gaia dead. Octavia has quickly become Roan’s right-hand person for dirty deeds (it’s interesting that he is not using Echo for that – probably because he doesn’t trust her to not be against Sky people). This is where we get the revelation that Gaia is Indra’s daughter, resulting in some family drama. As we learn from their conversation, Indra and Gaia are estranged because Indra wanted Gaia to be a warrior and leader, while Gaia was fully into their religious worship of the Flame and went around looking for Nightbloods. (She doesn’t seem to have find any – Madi’s people were determined to hide her from Flamekeepers.) There’s some pseudo-sibling rivalry between Gaia and Octavia, because Gaia realizes that Indra found the “daughter” she wanted in Octavia – which explains a lot. Indra being so quick to accept a complete novice and make her a favorite among other warriors and warriors in training, starts making more sense now.

At this point, Octavia and Gaia work together and their relationship is still not antagonistic, as Octavia comes up with the plan how to save both Gaia and the Flame: by tricking Ilian and the other looters, who are destroying every type of technology, into smashing the fake Flame, actually Gaia’s necklace. (Ilian really took Kane’s words from 4x02 way too literally – if it’s not Sky people who are to blame, but the chip, then he must “avenge” his mother by destroying technology.) But the show loves shocking moments, fake-outs and twists, so it fools the audience into thinking for a moment that the real Flame is really destroyed, before it’s revealed what the ruse was.

Octavia lies to Roan and uses one of the looters as a scapegoat to blame him for stealing and destroying the Flame. Roan’s response is to hire her as his assassin. He may not be a bad guy, but he’s a pretty ruthless and morally grey character: “One death to prevent thousands, that’s good politics”. Octavia has already become known for her sudden murders, and has a brand new nickname, “Skairipa” – death from above. Does any other character have as many nicknames as Octavia gets throughout the show?

Timeline: This probably takes place not long after 4x02, so it’s probably been about 10 days since Clarke shut down the City of Light. Raven realizes that they have only about two months of survivability, so the initial calculations were off by about 3 and a half months.

Body count:

Luna’s clan, the Boat people, had already lost 40 people before they came to Arkadia, and 6 more of their people die in this episode, including Luna’s daughter Adria, from acute radiation syndrome

Terro, one of the looters, killed by Octavia, who delivers his head to Roan to makes him a scapegoat.

Rating: 8.5/10

[janeofcakes]

Chapter 110

(John is released from the hospital two days later. He begins to recover quickly as he and Sherlock spend time discussing and finalizing wedding arrangements. Though neither of them ever thought of themselves as the type to enjoy organizing nuptials, it has been very entertaining for both. Their spirited conversations generally reveal that they are quite like-minded grooms, often ending in snuggling and lazy kisses. Although, one rather spectacular argument resulted in some surprisingly fantastic angry sex. John laughed for nearly two days straight when Sherlock kept trying to pick another fight. One such attempt was at a crime scene. Poor Greg was convinced they had gone spare, which only served to make John laugh even harder.

With the wedding fast approaching, Mrs. Hudson has taken to visiting the flat at least once a day to gush over the duo. She nearly always leaves misty-eyed and nostalgic. Sherlock usually rolls his eyes and stops paying attention. John would roll his too, except that he has learned more about his detective’s past than he thought possible, and in such a short period of time. He almost regrets missing her visits on days when he goes to both physical therapy and the surgery, now that he is trying out a halftime schedule. It is earlier than he expected, but his recovery has gone so well that he has given up his sling.

John walks through the flat, stopping periodically to pull his shoes on or put something in his bag. He can hear a violin playing as he goes and stops at the source when he reaches the sitting room and finds Sherlock at the window. He smiles fondly at his back. Feeling his eyes, Sherlock turns and smiles, bending at the waist in a little bow as he continues to play.)

J: Right. I’m off to the surgery and I’m meeting Mike for a bit after.

S: Ah, to ask him to be your best man.

J: What? No, no. (with a laugh) I asked him that weeks ago. No, it’s just to go over…some…wedding…

(John slows as he watches Sherlock stop playing and shift on his feet. He noticeably tries to avoid John’s eyes and wears the expression of a child being unmasked as a cookie thief.)

J: Tell me you’ve already asked Greg.

(Sherlock smiles in that endearing way he does when he is about to get in trouble. John sighs, his shoulders sagging with the breath.)

S: I may have neglected to mention it.

J: (pinching the bridge of his nose) Christ.

S: (quickly putting down his instrument and scrambling to John) I’ll talk to him right away, John. Besides, we know he’s going to be there anyway. Does it really matter if this is merely added onto his role?

J: Yes! Yes, it bloody matters. You don’t just surprise a guest with that. (sarcastically) Welcome to the wedding. You’re going to be best man. Good luck with that.

S: (haughtily) I wasn’t going to do it that way.

J: Really?

(Sherlock doesn’t answer and looks very guilty.)

J: Sherlock!

S: Yes, yes. I’ll ask him the next time I see him.

J: The wedding is two weeks away! You MAKE time to see him.

S: Make time?

J: Call him. Meet him for drinks. Ask him.

S: Will you be coming along?

J: What? No, I don’t need to go along.

S: But I never go out for drinks without you. I don’t do drinks.

J: This one time you can make an accep… No. You know what. Yes, I’ll go along. Just phone Greg.

(John storms down the hall to the front door and reaches for his coat, but six feet of consulting detective stop him by pressing his body against the door. His bag falls from his shoulder as Sherlock spins him around.)

J: What the fuck, mmph!

(The taller man stops his mouth with a kiss, sandwiching John between himself and the door. Sherlock kisses him hard at first, but quickly softens it and nibbles at his lips. John remains very stern and irritated, trying to talk around the detective’s lips. However, his resolve eventually falters and their mouths begin to move in tandem. When Sherlock opens his eyes to look at John again, the man is breathless and calm. His eyes are closed. Sherlock nips at his lower lip and John shivers.)

J: Damn you. (swallowing) That is not going to work every time, you know.

S: (hands finding John’s and twining their fingers together) As long as it works this time.

(He kisses John’s nose, as the man cocks a brow and purses his lips in that adorable way that only he can.)

J: Just call him.

S: I will.

J: Promise me.

S: I’ll do it.

J: Promise!

S: (with a pout) Oh, very well. I promise.

J: Thank you.

(He steps up on tiptoe and kisses Sherlock’s nose in return. The detective’s mouth curls into a smile and he swoops in for another kiss. Meanwhile, John frees his left hand and scrabbles for the doorknob.)

J: Sherlock, I have to go.

(Sherlock grumbles, but steps back. His mobile sounds as he watches John put on his coat.)

S: (fishing it from his pocket) Aha! The man himself. (phone to his ear) You have a case.

(John buttons his coat, lifts his bag from where he dropped it, and turns to leave. However, a large hand deftly grabs his ass and traps him against the detective.)

J: (quietly) Sherlock, let go! I’m going to be late.

(All he gets is a squeeze in response. As Sherlock listens to Greg, John glowers and waits.)

S: Yes. Mm. Text me the address. I’ll be there shortly. (pocketing his mobile) Seems there’s a case.

J: Talk to him.

S: I did promise, did I not?

J: You did. See that you don’t forget.

(Sherlock gives him a cheeky smile and pinches the firm cheek in his hand.)

S: I was not aware I could get out of promises that way.

J: (grabbing his lapels and staring him down) You can’t.

(Sherlock closes the gap, bringing their mouths together once again. The kiss is soft and slow, but no less heated than the harder ones they shared earlier. John feels an undeniable warmth pooling low in his belly. God, that mouth. Those hands. This man.)

(Sherlock looks at his fiance fondly when they part. John meets his eyes once he opens his own. A quiet and embarrassing moan escapes his lips as he sighs.)

J: You should be illegal.

S: (cocking a brow) Are you sure I’m not?

J: You’re an idiot.

S: (still smiling fondly) You’re going to be late.

J: Then let go of my ass.

S: Is that a requirement?

(John huffs a laugh and Sherlock joins him, reluctantly removing his hand from John’s person. The shorter man pecks his lips and turns to the door.)

J: I love you.

S: I love you.

J: (hesitating) Be careful.

S: (in mock frustration) Another promise? (He smiles, takes John’s hand, and kisses the knuckles.) I will. I promise.

(John studies his face with a small smile on his own. Sherlock would normally assume John is searching for deception because that is what most other people he has met throughout his life would do, but the expression is all wrong. John looks more like a man who absolutely adores what he sees and can’t believe his luck, an expression Sherlock never imagined would be directed at him.)

J: Thank you.

S: Tonight then. I will pick up Thai.

(John smiles and heads down the stairs with Sherlock watching after him until the building’s door closes. His mobile sounds almost immediately. He pulls on his Belstaff and checks the address from Greg. Grabbing his scarf and tying it around his neck, he glides down the stairs and out the door to catch a cab.)

***

(Hours later, Greg Lestrade makes his way through the desks and cubicles of his fellow officers on the fourth floor of New Scotland Yard. He calls out reminders to some as he passes, one hands him a coffee as he goes. He nods his thanks and takes a sip before cracking a joke to a sergeant standing near Sally Donovan’s desk, which is where he stops. She straightens from where she had been hunched over her work and stretches her neck while looking at her superior.)

G: (sipping) He’s been processed?

SD: Yep. Cursing and complaining about a certain consulting detective the whole time. This guy may be small-time, but Holmes certainly made himself an enemy today.

G: While I agree, I don’t think he much cares.

SD: Maybe not, but there’s something on his mind.

(She nods over Greg’s shoulder. He turns to follow her eyes and sees the tall detective sitting in his own office. The man looks bored, but appears to be waiting patiently.)

G: Crikey. He came to give a statement already?

SD: And finished it. He’s been sitting in there quietly ever since.

(Greg turns back to her, disbelief on his face that almost immediately goes slack.)

G: Oh, god. Something’s happened to John.

SD: (with a bark of laughter) If it had, he wouldn’t be here.

G: True enough. (He looks back to his office, cringes, and then back to Sally.) Wish me luck.

(She chuckles as he walks away to stop in the office doorway. The detective looks at him with irritation. Splotches of dark purple bloom around his left eye, a fresh cut just over his cheekbone. He holds an ice bag is in one hand, but not to his eye.)

S: It’s about bloody time. Did you stop for a pint on the way back?

G: Put that on your eye!

S: What? Why?

G: Your wedding is two weeks away and look at you. Christ, John’s going to kill me.

S: My eye will be fine by the wedding. It’s not important.

G: Like hell it isn’t. It just might be fine by then if you keep it from swelling now. Use the ice.

S: (grumbling) My medical care…

G: (loudly and pointing with his free hand) Do it or I’ll lock you up.

S: (incredulous) On what charge?

G: Does it really matter if John has to come get you out?

(Sherlock’s silver eyes flicker in recognition. He slowly raises the ice pack and rests it on his own face, glowering at the DI. Satisfied, Greg walks fully into the room and sits at his desk. He eyes the detective with a smirk and takes another drink, leaning back in his chair comfortably.)

G: So, what’s on your mind?

S: Ah, yes. (shifting in his seat, suddenly ill at ease) I…I’m in need of a favor.

(Greg is about to respond, but Sherlock clears his throat and shifts again. From anyone else, it wouldn’t phase Greg in the slightest, but from this man, it is odd to say the least. The DI cocks a brow, beginning to share the detective’s unease.)

G: (cautiously) Go ahead.

S: Right. (He starts to lower the ice pack. Greg may not know what’s going on, but still knows enough to give him a death glare. The pack goes back in place over the eye. Sherlock clears his throat again and squares his shoulders.)

S: I once told John that I didn’t have any friends. Then I thought I only had one. (He swallows and smiles awkwardly. It’s more like a grimace really. Greg tucks his chin and frowns, leaning back further into his chair.) Since then I have come to realize that I have many more friends than I ever expected to.You have been a friend to me almost from the beginning of our association and I was too blind to see it.

(Sherlock pauses. He shifts his eyes away from Greg to the door, wishing he was walking through it. He would love nothing more than to be anywhere but in this office with this man, talking about this. He looks back at Greg, who can clearly tell what he wants to bolt.

Greg leans forward in his chair, placing his coffee on the desk and resting his elbows on either side of the cup. His fingers are touching. His face ranges from confusion to wariness. Sherlock truly grimaces this time.)

S: (scrubbing his free hand through his curls) I told John I’m rubbish at this. The wedding is only weeks away and I…

G: Oh, god. You’re leaving John.

(Sherlock stares at him in stunned silence. His jaw drops, eyes wide, his body immobile. He is a complete contrast to Greg, who has suddenly sprung into action and is already in front of his desk pacing and speaking quickly.)

G: I understand. I do. It’s only natural for someone who has denied his own emotions for so long to be scared at feeling something so strong. It must be like nothing you’ve felt before, but Sherlock, you can’t do this to John. You just can’t. He is the best thing that’s ever happened to you. And you to him. (He stops pacing and faces the silent man in his office. Sherlock’s mouth is closed, his silver eyes look sharp and cold.) Before you met, you were happy enough solving crimes and the like, but you were only a fraction of who you are now. The two of you, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. People say they complete each other, but you and John actually do.

(When Greg stops talking, the silence around them is deafening. The two men stare at one another, not daring to speak. Greg notices that Sherlock looks not just angry, as he expected, but also hurt. It’s not something he is accustomed to seeing on the detective’s features, but there is no other word for it.)

G: Now, look, it’s okay. Let’s just talk it through.

S: (snapping) Oh, for god sake! I want you to be my best man!

G: What?

S: My best man. That’s what I wanted to ask you, what I came here to say.

(Greg stares with wide eyes, his mouth opening and closing with no sound. He can’t quite grasp the situation he is now in, so he simply continues staring and tries to understand what he just heard.

A moment later, Sherlock slowly stands to his full height and looks down his nose at Greg. He bites the inside of his cheek and then speaks quietly, looking the DI right in the eye.)

S: I know I’m a bastard. I don’t make any effort not to be. But if you know anything else about me, you must know I could never hurt John so deeply.

(Greg gapes, suddenly feeling like a complete idiot. Of course he knows that. Of course he does. What the fuck is he thinking? Greg grits his teeth in anger.)

S: (looking at the ice pack in his hands) This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come.

(He starts to move, but Greg slides in his way, arms outstretched.)

G: Wait, Sherlock. Please. I…I was wrong. Incredibly wrong. And stupid. But you were freaking me out and I jumped to the most fucked-up conclusion I could. (shrugging) Sorry.

S: John is my life.

G: I know. (They study each other in silence until Greg puts his hand on Sherlock’s shoulder and gives him a timid smile.) Now sit down and put that pack on your face.

(The corner of the detective’s mouth quirks up and he sinks down onto his seat again.)

S: How does it look?

G: Oh, it’s swelling. No doubt about it. (He smiles genuinely as he watches Sherlock cover his eye.) Your best man?

S: (meeting his eyes) Yes.

G: I would be honored. (tilting his head and continuing carefully) If you still want me.

S: (eyes brightening a bit) Thank you, Greg.

(The DI grins at Sherlock and claps a hand on his shoulder. After a moment, he turns to his desk, picks up his coffee cup, and drinks the tepid liquid. Looking at his friend, he can’t help but cringe.)

G: Shit. John really is going to kill me.

S: (rolling his eyes) John won’t care. I have come home with much worse than this. He won’t even mention it.

***

J: What the fuck happened to your face?!

S: I’ve come home with far worse than this.

J: Yeah, and we weren’t getting married in a few days any of those times either.

S: It is two weeks away. I will be fine by then.

J: I know how many bloody days it is! What happened?

S: You are giving this too much consideration, John.

(John gets right up into Sherlock’s personal space and clamps his hand over the man’s mouth. He tucks his chin and looks up with what Sherlock secretly calls adorably angry eyes.)

J: I am going to take my hand off your mouth and you are going to tell me what happened.

(Sherlock stares down at him in surprise.)

J: (firmly) Aren’t you.

(Sherlock starts to nod slowly and then a little faster when John begins to nod along with him.)

J: All right then. (removing his hand) What happened?

S: I may have collided with a suspect who was less than pleased with being tricked into confessing his guilt.

J: He punched you in the face.

S: Twice. (John face palms.) But he’s been caught, John. He’ll not murder again.

J: Yeah, well, that’s something anyway. Come to the loo so I can get a proper look.

S: Why is the loo the only room in this flat that affords you a “proper look”?

J: (dragging him down the hall by his wrist) Because it has the best light. Now, move.

(John pulls him inside the room and stands him by the toilet, muttering sit as he gets out his medical kit and opens its hard cover. He mentally settles on which salve to use once he has examined the taller man’s eye, but finds him still standing when he faces him again. John purses his lips.)

J: (tersely) I can’t see it well enough if you don’t sit down.

S: Has it occurred to you that I have been examined? That I can take care of myself? I’m not the child Mycroft believes.

(John bites his lip. Equating him to Mycroft is pretty low as insults go, but John can’t say he doesn’t deserve it. He makes an obvious effort to soften his eyes and expression, as well as his body language. It is a move not lost on his over-observant fiance. John takes a short step back.)

J: You’re right. I’m sorry. I have nothing if not a hot temper. (Sherlock snorts, provoking a tight smile from John, but Sherlock can see a genuine one in his eyes.) I worry after you.

S: (sincerely) I know.

J: It’s hard not to when you so often put yourself in harm’s way without a thought.

S: I put thought into it. (with a hint of the defensive) I always put thought into it.

J: (smiling) Of course you do.

S: I consider all of the possibilities.

J: Sit down. (Sherlock meets his fond gaze.) Please.

(Without breaking eye contact, the taller man sinks down until his delicious bum rests on the toilet seat. John steps close and touches his fingers to Sherlock’s chin, tilting his head gently. He swallows and diverts his eyes from the gorgeous, pale neck laid bare before him. John stoops over the man and peers at his eye.

Sherlock watches as John’s tongue wets his lips while he studies the wound. John’s fingertips glide softly over the tender skin stretched over his cheekbone. The doctor reaches for the salve and carefully applies it. Sherlock watches John’s face with fascination and flinches only once. John apologizes quickly and resumes with an even more gentle touch.

When he is finished, John looks down into dilated silver eyes.)

J: You don’t need a bandage and the bruises will have almost faded entirely for the wedding.

S: (quietly) Imagine my relief.

J: (whispering) And mine.

(Sherlock watches as John’s dark blue irises give way to his growing black pupils. He shivers at John’s warm breath on his cheek. His hand reaches up and cups John’s nape, gently guiding him down to Sherlock’s waiting lips.

The kiss is electric. The two men are scrabbling with shirt buttons in seconds and when John’s warm hands push the purple fabric from Sherlock’s shoulders, the man rises to his full height and backs John against the wall with a loud thunk. Their mouths devour, hands are everywhere. Both shirts fall to the floor and Sherlock starts in on John’s flies while he licks down John’s neck and bites gently at his collar bone.)

J: Oh, shit.

S: You hit your head.

J: (breathlessly nipping his ear) S’fine.

(Sherlock slides his hands around John’s ass to the backs of his thighs and lifts as he thrusts up forcefully, lifting the smaller man off his feet and causing him to moan loudly. John’s hands find Sherlock’s shoulders and his legs wrap around his slender waist. Sherlock thrusts him against the wall again. This time the doctor shouts. Sherlock casts his eyes upward to see John’s are blown wide. He swallows hard.)

S: Bed.

J: Now.

(Sherlock licks a pebbled nipple, grinning at John’s answering curse before backing away from the wall, bringing the doctor with him, and stumbling to the bedroom. There, he collapses onto his lover onto the bed and sets to work on his beautiful, tanned neck. Within minutes, trousers and pants are gone and their naked skin, already glistening with sweat, slides together eliciting a moan from them both.)

J: God. Fuck. Inside me. Now.

(Sherlock tears himself away from hot skin only to stop on kiss-swollen lips, a delightful distraction indeed.)

S: John.

J: Christ, Sherlock.

(The detective finally pulls himself away again and comes back with a bottle of lube. He quickly slicks his fingers and glides them down to John’s hole. The doctor’s eyes widen as a single digit slides in.)

J: Oh god, Sherlock. God, yes!

(They work their way up to three and then Sherlock pulls out, replacing his hand with his own painfully hard cock. Both men cry out as their bodies press together tightly, Sherlock’s head already touching John’s prostate.

Sherlock pulls out a bit and thrusts back in. John’s eyes gloss over for a split-second and then look directly into Sherlock’s, his hands gripping the man’s ass firmly. They stare at one another and then thrust together, their voices joining in a loud moan.)

J: You are definitely illegal!

(Sherlock just grunts deeply as they continue thrusting, increasing and decreasing the pace in tandem without uttering a word. They communicate with looks and touches, like there could never be a more natural partnership. Sherlock’s lips find John’s again and he licks in softly. The smaller man responds in kind. The connection between them feels stronger than steel. Unbreakable.

Sherlock pulls back to look at John’s flushed face. Beautiful. The most beautiful person he has ever seen. Warm and welcoming, and on the verge of tumbling into previously unknown pleasure from the look of it.)

J: Sherlock?

(The sound of John’s voice pulls him from his reverie. The detective pecks his lips and gives him a wicked smile before licking a stripe up the sensitive skin of John’s neck and slowing his hips to a truly languid, luxurious motion. It immediately has the desired effect and he watches as John’s mouth drops open, his eyes darken. It doesn’t take long for him to match his own hips to Sherlock’s, sending the man into a swirling ecstasy that clouds his mind so thoroughly that he isn’t certain he will ever see or think properly again. He blinks when a gasping voice reaches his ears.)

J: Nnnaah, Sherlock. Mmm! I’m…I’m gonna…OH, GOD!

(Ribbons of white spurt between them, covering their stomachs and chests. John’s eyes are wide and locked on Sherlock. His mouth is open as he lets his head tilt back, releasing the guttural moan of a man completely undone, in utter pleasure, and so completely in love.

Still holding John’s love-drunk gaze, Sherlock explodes into John’s body. John’s lips round into a perfect O, his eyes growing unbelievably wide, and another sudden burst of fluid erupts between them. This time a little slips through and lands on Sherlock’s cheek, but neither one notices as they ride out the pleasure together.

When John’s brain comes back online, Sherlock has pulled out, but is still resting on John’s body. There is a small, fond smile on his lips and a shimmer of laughter in his eyes. John huffs a laugh through his breaths and ruffles the man’s soft curls.)

S: You are gorgeous, John Watson.

J: You’re delusional.

(Sherlock purses his lips and rolls his eyes toward the ceiling in mock thought. John notices the come on his cheek and wipes it away with a thumb, smiling all the while. Sherlock cannot disguise a smirk.)

S: Are you sure? Mm. Pretty sure I’m not. (John laughs. Sherlock grins.) You are the most beautiful man I have ever seen.

J: (barking laughter) You don’t get out much.

S: Tragic. Turns out there’s this man with a stunning body who keeps me in bed at all hours. You know him. (John continues giggling and Sherlock smirks knowingly.) Would you prefer adorable? I could say adorable.

J: Absolutely not. You will not use that word, thank you very much.

S: Then gorgeous it is.

(He kisses the laugh from John’s lips and gasps at the same time. Looking into those deep blue eyes, Sherlock sees his future. This is the man he will spend his life with. The man who loves him. The man he loves undyingly. The man he never imagined he would find. Never had Sherlock considered that such a life, such happiness would be his. But here he is with a John Watson in his arms.

Beaming, he gazes at his fiance wistfully and leans in to brush their lips together. John inhales deeply, a smile on his face, tousling Sherlock’s soft curls. Sherlock practically purrs at the feel of warm fingers on his scalp.)

S: Fancy a shower?

J: (biting his lip as if in thought, mimicking what Sherlock did earlier) Mmm… Oh god, yes.

[dykedteach]

okay here we go, episode 2 second watch

(I think this is my longest liveblog I’ve done, but then again I feel like this is the most emotional a tv episode has made me since I finished Black Sails so like?)

so uhhh they’re really gonna hide all the valuable people in the crypts huh, they’re really following through on that

“women and children first” to DIE??? I M EAN

i’ve been thinking about this non stop since i first watched the ep and my growing dread is nigh unstoppable, if i had any doubts that the winterfell dead might rise, their whole repeated thing of “everyone will be safe down there” shot them straight down

i’m lowkey annoyed we missed out on what would have been an incredibly awkward introduction scene between jaime and literally everyone, but i’m glad his “trial” didn’t drag out

i want sam’s opinion on dany’s bloodthirst vis a vis avenging her father BC LIKE????

“i’d do it all again” honey be QUIET 

L O Y A L T  Y 

loyalty

l      o   yal     t e  a

lmao daenerys’ look of anger and disgust at brienne hopping to jaime’s defense alone makes me want her dead tbh

sansa being a better strategist, ruler, negotiator, and peacekeeper than both of her parents combined, is my weakness tbh

also He R  aRmOuR drESs !!!!! what a LOOK! 

d: “what does the warden of the north say about it?” j: [has dissociated solidly through the past six hours, is only now just realising it’s daylight and he’s in the great hall] uhhhhhhhhhhhh cool i guess?

tyrion finally breathing after daenerys lets jaime live is ridiculously endearing, i love the brothers’ relationship so much

baeworm death-glaring jaime is also ridiculously endearing tbh

i dig the gendarya love theme, i do i do i do

everyone keeps saying that the fact they had sex means one of them will die next ep but honestly? out of all the non jonerys pairings (missandei/greyworm, sam/gilly, jaime/brienne) i think they’re most likely to live through the battle, and the fact they have their own theme makes me doubt as well that they’ll end next episode

that poor guy who got in the way of arya and gendry’s dragonglass throwing foreplay, so close yikes

i can’t believe that out of everyone who bran has been weird to, jaime was the one to take his weird shit best

“how do you know there is an afterwards?”           sd;kjlas

djkasljdak;lsd

                        asjd;lsakdla;sd

        bran

                               bran stop

   please be fuckin w us bran

this brotherly love scene is great and it hurts me to think it might be their last solo scene

although the way they keep talking about how sure they are they’ll die....idk? and with bronn on the way with his crossbow? to have both, or either, die at winterfell with the battle seems a waste. plus, one of them needs to be the valonqar so?

i’d be satisfied seeing a dead tyrion rip cersei apart though, i’ll admit that

JAIME GAZING AT BRIENNE INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO HIS BROTHER

pod has come so far in his fighting i love him so much i love brienne’s proud mama expression hes. he’s 100% going to die. for sure. 

“we have never had a conversation that’s lasted this long without you insulting me, not once” KJASDKLASJDKALSJDALKSD 

“i came to winterfell because...” Y OU LOVE HER DUMBASS

i still ship jorah with dany more than jon, fight me

i love the confirmation that all the bad blood between them is under the bridge, i love that he convinced her to make peace with tyrion and sansa, i love that he’s made peace with tyrion taking up his position, made peace with his house, with his relationship with his father...........

he’s absolutely toast and i hate it.

he’s going to die for dany with one last “khaleesi” and it’s going to break my heart

“we have other things in common” yeah you both have jon in your immediate family trees lmao

i’m confused by the “someone taller” comment, who’s she talking about? everyone else hurt her or betrayed her at some point. is it barristan? is it baeworm? it should be baeworm

ok so. i don’t need or want sansa to end up with anyone. 

that said

if it had to be a man

my heart almost jumped out of my chest when she and theon hugged, i didn’t expect her to get this emotional at all, shit i didn’t expect MYSELF to get this emotional

HER TEARS

THEY BOTH NEED HUGS IM GLAD THEY GET HUGS

soup dad can’t die i forbid it

let’s talk about gilly for a second, how far she’s come, from a scared abused girl to a strong, caring, confident woman and mother, i’m so emotional please protect her

DAVOS ADOPTING CHILDREN LEFT RIGHT AND CENTRE

THE SHIREEN THEME PLAYING OVER THAT BIT IM ASJDKASDJ

i’m super surprised edd and beric survived the hearth, i thought there would be more of a fight there

LITTLE CROW

i know people crack ship them, but like, they’d almost be better suited than jon and daenerys

while i adore the idea of theon making amends for taking winterfell from bran by defending winterfell and protecting bran from the night king, i know in my heart that all it’s going to result in is a very dead theon (and probably a dead bran)

why do i feel like while well intentioned, having dragons near the godswood is.....a mistake

i’d love for bran and tyrion to both survive, i’d love to see them talk more as equals because they’re so similar intellectually (i know they had scenes when bran was a kid, but that doesn’t count)

missandei and greyworm are too good and pure for this earth, i want them to leave, i want them to go to naath and never come back, i want them to find a little house by the water and eat fruits and find missandei’s family and take in some stray children, some street cats to lay lazily on the stones of their porch, maybe missandei teaches the children of their village every morning under the rising sun, maybe greyworm becomes a tradesman, makes shoes or ale or binds books for the locals, they grow old and content together and the children they took into their home, now grown adults with their own children, bury them side by side underneath carved stones, i want them more than almost anyone to have a happy ever after because if anyone deserves it it’s those two

but there are dreams that cannot be

and greyworm is almost certain to die next episode

maybe missandei too, but i’m not sure

until then, i will live in my fantasy.

i love my nights watch boys, i love that they talk about grenn and pyp, i miss those lads

sam being the playful, banter-full, confident guy he is, i love him so much i’m so happy for him he better fucking survive (and maybe become lord of horn hill who knows? he has a wife and a son so ? 

honestly the idea of tywin knowing jaime and tyrion are defending winterfell is so wonderful

ha ha h ah ah  ah h a i love tyrion and jaime so much that i. i forget. temporarily. about tyrion’s first wife

brienne stopping pod from drinking and then tyrion just.......fuckin pouring a large one out for the lad

please, let him drink, it’ll be his last

davos is such an old man i love him

jaime looking between brienne and tormund with amusement is the best thing ever

davos’ concern over ten year old tormund hopping into bed with a giant is incredible. dad mode. always on dad mode.

hound’s not gonna die yet, not until cleganebowl, he’s safe next ep for sure. so he’s allowed to be a grumpy old git for a bit

beric is straight up gonna die tho

“might as well be at a bloody wedding” g o d i dont like that foreshadowing

beric is so cheery and amicable im gonna miss him

i’m so glad that they gave arya agency, and a sweet, un-sexploited, in-character sex scene, there’s so few really good sex scenes in this show and i’m glad she got one of them

(no matter how long i spent the first time around watching through my fingers and cringing, i KNOW she’s an adult and maisie is an adult but god she’s still such a kid in my eyes)

as soon as the gloves started coming off i screamed

he is a sweet sweet boy and i wouldn’t want my murdering badass fave to be with anyone else

i appreciate them showing her scars as part of it, i can’t quite put my finger on why but it was nice to see that

i feel like once i get over the weirdness of like, “hey that’s arya”, it’s probably one of the hotter sex scenes in the series? just for passion and use of consent and stuff

i can’t even begin to elaborate on how perfect brienne’s scene is

it’s immediately one of my favourite scenes in the whole show, i honestly don’t have the words

it’s better than any marriage vows that have been taken in the whole series, and to see brienne proud and happy is just...incredible.

the mormont scene i wanted!!!

this is such a touching scene between two of my faves, i want jorah and sam to be pals forever but i know its just....not happening

the fact that sam starts in the crypt but i know he ends up on the battlefield is....concerning to say the least

god. that song. that song is everything

im too in my feelings to care about jonerys, sorry

i can genuinely believe that jon loves her, and doesn’t care about the iron throne or any titles really for that matter. but the other way around? i’m not so sure.

ok so my survival list: dany, jon, sansa, tyrion

everyone else is at risk please pray for me

oh also i bought the download of Jenny and already cried to it three times this evening, so the credits are making it a round four

[thebuckblogimo]

A vote for 1968 as the most horrible year of the '60s.

March 14, 2021

In some ways it was the best of times. During the summer of '68 the Detroit Tigers won close game after close game en route to their first world championship since 1945. It was the year that pitcher Denny McClain went 31-6. Tiger Stadium rocked, and so did I and all the pals I grew up with playing baseball, at least the ones who weren't fighting in the jungles of South Vietnam.

Also, 1968 spanned my junior and senior years in college. I was 21 years old, and no, George Bernard Shaw, youth was not wasted on me.

But there were a lot terrible things going on in the grown-up world of that time, and while I was rockin' the nights away with a Stroh's "stubby" in one hand, I was giving much thought to the calamities of the day that were being covered by the press on the other. Today, I'd like to take you on a tour of the real world as I saw it back then.

To illustrate how much things changed during the '60s, consider how the music--which was everything to us baby boomers--transformed from January 1, 1960, to December 31, 1969.

During the first month of the decade (I was in the seventh grade), some artists represented in the "top ten" charts included Marty Robbins, Paul Anka, Connie Francis, Bobby Darin and Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon.

During the last month of the decade (the same month I graduated from college), the top ten of what I'll call the rock 'n' soul record charts included tunes by Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Supremes, the Beatles, the Jackson 5 and Led Zeppelin.

Hoo boy, talk about a metamorphosis in "the sound." And that's not even taking into consideration the alternative, underground, album-oriented rock that started to emerge toward the end of the decade.

There were radical changes to practically everything going on at the time: the look of our clothes and the length our hair, attitudes toward sex and drugs, nonviolence versus violence in the streets, and, of course, the ever-present, divisive clash over whether my generation should risk dying to fight communism in Southeast Asia.

Here's my take on events that bewildered a 21-year-old's mind back in '68:

The Tet Offensive--I was a junior in college during the early months of the year, living with three pals at Burcham Woods in East Lansing, a student apartment complex that looked like a collection of cheesy two-story motels. Every night we'd watch the CBS News with Walter Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America," on our black and white TV in an attempt to improve our understanding of what was going down with the Vietnam War. I don't think I fully comprehended the magnitude of "Tet" at the time. I knew it was a massive, coordinated, country-wide military assault by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong against hundreds of South Vietnamese cities, but I was most concerned about the safety of my high school pals over there who had gone off to combat as helicopter pilots, door gunners, tunnel rats, etc. I only knew that they were fighting for some amorphous cause that didn't seem to equate to the ones our fathers fought for in both Europe and the Pacific during World War II. Shortly after Tet, Cronkite traveled to Southeast Asia to report on the conflict and sit down with the generals there. Then one late February night, upon his return to New York, I heard a TV anchor "editorialize" for the first time when Cronkite concluded that the enemy would never give up on its jungle warfare tactics, that America couldn't beat the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong at their game, and that the best we could hope for in Vietnam was a negotiated settlement. That was the moment President Lyndon B. Johnson is said to have concluded that he had lost the popular support of middle America for the war effort. At the end of March, I was watching that same black and white TV when during a news special, Johnson announced he would not run for a second term. I was shocked. Everyone was. Due to the ramifications of his decision, I started to think that just maybe fewer of my buds would be risking their lives in the jungle in the years ahead...and just maybe I wouldn't eventually have to risk mine, either.

The Assassination of Martin Luther King--I don't remember how I heard about it. What I recall is riding a bike on a cloudy April 4 afternoon into the Burcham Woods complex and thinking incessantly about King's death: This can't be happening...The assassination of John Kennedy has already let the air out of the American spirit...We've lost the two greatest leaders I've known in my life...Now what?...Riots in the streets like the ones last summer?...It can't get any worse, can it? Well, it got worse. There were indeed riots in about 100 major cities across the country. I'd been a huge fan of King. I thought it was brilliant the way he had led the effort to accomplish the things that were accomplished for black people through his adherence to civil disobedience. He was the one most responsible for waking up white America to the plight of poor black people; he led numerous nonviolent marches for civil rights, including the March on Washington; he was the force behind LBJ's efforts to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1964; and on and on and on. King's pacifistic approach was being challenged at the time by some fire-breathing black radicals--Malcom X, Stokely Carmichael, Huey P. Newton, Bobby Seale, the Black Panthers. I was wary of them because I feared their violent ways would win out. And, in large measure, they did. Admittedly, black radicals were involved with some good things for poverty-stricken blacks--food distribution, better health care, emphasis on education--but their advocacy of "open carry" of loaded fire arms, black separatist rhetoric, etc., alienated most of white America. When King died his Gandhi-like approach to nonviolent resistance to achieve civil rights died, too. Like the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King's assassination was a blow from which the American psyche never seemed to fully recover.

The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy--June 5, 1968. I think it was finals week at MSU. I know I was anxious to get home to begin my summer job at Rinshed-Mason paint company. The weather was great. But we were inside, glued to that old black and white TV--with aluminum foil attached to the antenna for better reception--to watch the ongoing coverage of the assassination attempt on RFK. He'd just been declared the winner of the California Democratic presidential primary when he was shot, shortly after midnight, by a young Palestinian militant, Sirhan Sirhan, while taking a shortcut to the press room through the kitchen at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Among Kennedy's entourage were famed journalist and author George Plimpton, former all-pro football defensive lineman Rosey Grier and former gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympics decathlete Rafer Johnson. There were shouts of "Get the gun...break his thumb if you have to..." as the athletes wrestled Sirhan to the floor. However, little more than 24 hours later, Bobby Kennedy was dead. If you think the world feels crazy today, it felt like "One Flew Over the Cuckcoo's Nest" after the assassinations of King and Kennedy, just two months apart. And, of course, there was the constant barrage of vitriol between pro-war and anti-war types underpinning it all in those days. I recall reading practically every editorial by every nationally syndicated columnist I could find in the newspapers and Newsweek magazine for clues to understanding what the hell was really happening in the country. When I returned home for the summer, my Dad, in his typically earthy way, commented on the mental state of America in '68: "The morale of the country has turned to shit," he growled.

Chicago Police Riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention--I find it amazing what I don't remember about this event from August 26-29. Probably because I was out carousing with my pals every night when it happened. The convention attracted more than 10,000 young anti-war protesters--student activists, members of SDS (Students for a Democratic Society), hippies and Yippies (members of the Youth International Party) such as Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin of "Chicago Seven" fame. Authoritarian mayor Richard Daly turned out a like number of police and National Guard members to confront them at Lincoln Park, Grand Park and outside the International Amphitheater, site of the convention. Things got off to a bad start when just before the convention the Yippies mockingly nominated a pig--yes, an actual swine named Pigasus--for president. As the convention progressed, security guards were caught on camera roughing up CBS News reporter Dan Rather, trying to interview a protesting convention delegate being ushered off the floor by the cops. I only know that the whole thing turned out to be a bad scene. Maybe I don't recall many details because I've always been more than annoyed by senseless violence and turned my head away when it happened. In any case, it seems that the cops were ready to administer beatdowns rather than back off at the first sign of tension. Perhaps the young protestors started the confrontation by hurling debris or breaking police lines. I just don't know. I do know that I've said many times that cops often get only a split second to make what can be life-or-death decisions when doing their jobs. But from everything I've ever heard or read, Daly's strategy was to bust heads from jump and not even try to diffuse the situation.

But for all the turmoil of 1968, my life could not have been much better in the fall. It was the beginning of my senior year in college. The "two Ricks," close friends from my Abbot Hall days, and I secured a lease at Water's Edge. Just two blocks from campus, it had the largest living rooms of any student apartment building in East Lansing. At one point we set up a ping pong table, and sometimes we'd buy a keg of beer and charge admission to Friday afternoon TGs. It was wall-to-wall people as we did the "Boogaloo Down Broadway." In October, after watching the Tigers Bill Freehan--yes, on that same old black and white TV--catch Tim McCarver's pop-up for the final out of game seven against the Cardinals in the '68 World Series, we spontaneously decided to hitchhike to downtown Detroit, where we celebrated into the night with throngs of Tigers fans who filled the streets.

Oh, yes, it felt like the best of times.

Little more than a year later, however, all four of us (another Abbot Hall friend had moved in at midyear) were notified by Uncle Sam to take our physicals for possible induction into the army. Amazingly, I flunked mine and was declared 4F (unfit for military service) due to two knee surgeries (osteochondritis) I'd undergone in high school. However, even if I'd passed it, I would not have been called to service because all young, draft-eligible males at the time had been assigned "lottery numbers" after a random drawing on national television. I drew 298, but the government filled its manpower needs by the time it got to 176. My three roommates all drew lower lottery numbers. They were all drafted. But thanks to pure luck they were eventually stationed in West Germany rather than Vietnam.

All four of us had been philosophically opposed to the Vietnam War, but not enough, I guess, to seriously entertain the thought of moving to Canada. Had I not flunked my physical, had I not drawn a favorable lottery number, had I not had the same good fortune as my roommates and been sent to Vietnam, I'd have gone into the military, served and done whatever my superiors would have told me to do.

To be quite honest, however, when I look back on it all, the young men who had the balls to cross the border into Canada, risking the scorn of being called cowards back home, displayed their own acts of courage by standing up for what they believed to be morally right. Because, to this day, I think the U.S. involvement in Vietnam was an exceedingly bad calculation, to put it mildly. Or, as my Dad, World War II veteran that he was, said in 1968, "It's all bullshit, Len."

Nineteen hundred and sixty-eight?

Charles Dickens' opening lines from "A Tale of Two Cities" sum up perfectly that paradoxical year:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

[tigerlover16-uk]

Goodbye, GT

This is a very personal post written mostly for the sake of posterity and closure. You're free to read it if you really want, but I'd rather nobody comment or make a big deal out of anything I say here, I just needed to get my thoughts written out for the sake of moving on. So I'd rather people just scroll past.

Well, I finally finished watching Dragon Ball GT subbed. Thank goodness.

I have a lot of complex thoughts on GT, many of them very negative. I've made it no secret that I hate this series, and I have a lot of reasons why I hate it. The complete refusal to do anything meaningful with the vast majority of the supporting cast (With the things they actually do end up being very minor stuff, or downright insulting), especially the complete mishandling of Pan and Uub's characters. The boring stories, the bad designs and the general aesthetic of the show. The unengaging fights, and that utterly STUPID ending!

There were a few things I liked here and there, but in general I have a lot to complain about. And maybe if people ask me I will talk more about the show, but since this will likely be the last time I ever watch it, I felt now was a good time to really wax poetic about why I really feel so negatively about it.

Because after really thinking everything over and my experiences with GT and the franchise in general, I think I've found a more deep-seated reason besides it's own admittedly poor quality as a show. And I just wanted to get it all out for posterity's sake and so I can really move on.

I watched GT as it was airing on Welsh television as a kid, the Blue Water Dub specifically. It aired right after Dragon Ball Z finished, and the original Dragon Ball started airing after GT wrapped up. Like with DBZ, I watched every episode as it aired, and in general my childhood self enjoyed it. I was too young and stupid to really think critically about most of the media I consumed, so I never tended to notice any flaws in the shows I watched.

And Dragon Ball Z was my favourite growing up, alongside Spider-man The Animated series, so naturally I was inclined to think of everything GT did as being amazing and cool. And to be fair, yeah there is some cool stuff here, I can see why I enjoyed it. Even though now that I look back, a lot of it didn't stick with me the same way the stories, action and characters of DBZ and later Dragon Ball did.

I was confused and uncertain about the ending, but given that the original Dragon Ball started airing soon after I was never much concerned with it. Dragon Ball couldn't really be over, here was more of it showing me all that backstory and stuff that was always hinted at or flashbacked to in Z but I never saw for some reason. I quickly fell in love with OG Dragon Ball the same way i did with it's sequel series.

It was soon after that series finished airing, however, and I came to accept that Dragon Ball was over... that a powerful, uneasy feeling started to set in. While I know I hadn't actually been watching it for ALL of my life, it really did feel like Dragon Ball had always been there. A constant, welcoming, wonderful presence in my life that made everything feel so much cooler and life in general so much more fulfilling. Something to always look forward to...

I didn't dwell on it too hard at the time, but as time passed, and life generally got harder and more miserable as time went on (I'm pretty sure I was in secondary school when Dragon Ball finished, and that was one of the worst parts of my life, let me tell you!), I started to feel very alone and wistful.

To give an idea of what I was going through without giving too much away, I was losing friends, with my longest friendship ending in a great personal betrayal, my home life was an utter mess right up to and through my parents divorcing.

And between school work, undiagnosed aspergers that my teachers refused to acknowledge might be a possibility, and just realising how harsh, cruel and kind of miserable the world really was... let's just say that I became a pretty closed off, miserable person for a while.

I got better when I started going to college and life in general became more stable, but through all of that, and for the next several years after it even... the thing that made it especially unbearable, was that through it all, I felt like something was missing.

Something important, something grounding. Something that had helped carry me through life prior to all that, and give me something to always look forward to and find comfort in whenever things seemed rough.

It felt like a part of my soul had been missing for a long time, and I never understood why.

I think it was during my later years in secondary school that my family got a computer for the first time. I can clearly remember spending so many hours of my life browsing through wiki's of all sorts of shows, games and movies I liked.

One day, I inevitably started looking up Dragon Ball stuff.

I went all in trying to find as much information as possible about this series. I read all up about the behind the scenes information and Akira Toriyama's writing process. I read up on all the characters, the manga prototypes of Dragon Ball, and the reasons for why Toriyama wrote a lot of things the way he did.

I learned about all of the dub changes, and the various dubs that were out there for that matter. I used to have a laugh about some of them. Learned about a lot of the movies, games, Specials and other stuff I hadn't been aware of because I'd never seen them before.

While I didn't have any DVD's for the series available for a while and felt uncomfortable pirating the show (Didn't stop me from looking at some other things on YouTube, I notice though... I'm a weirdo :p), but I did frequently refamiliarize myself with stuff that had happened.

And when Dragon Ball Z Kai became a thing, I watched that, and I kept up with animated specials like the Yo! Son Goku and his friends return! special or Episode of Bardock (Which I actually watched before I even watched Bardock: Father of Goku, despite knowing about that special and everything that happened in it for a while, for some reason...).

I remember hearing about Dragon Ball Online and all the stuff about it's lore, and being utterly fascinated by the prospect, since I had never imagined another take on the series post-EoZ other than GT actually being presented, even though I REALLY did wish we had more.

Over time as I was doing this, the feeling of wonder and fun that I had always felt watching Dragon Ball as a kid started to come back, and I remembered why I loved this series so much. How much it meant to me... and how sad it made me that it seemed the series would never come back.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I appreciated that we had stuff like the video games, or the occasional specials, and even the SD manga when that became a thing was something I frequently read synopsis for since I didn't know where to actually read the manga for a while. I was glad there was content being made... but it was never nearly the same thing as having a proper continuation, you know.

And a lot of the stuff we got, like the YO! special, was pretty mediocre fluff in the long run. It was fun, but it didn't fill the void. And I thought nothing ever would.

I had begun to realize what that missing part of my soul had been.

I was excited when I heard about Battle of Gods being released, but I also assumed it would just be a one-off thing, something that would be great to pass the time and give me another chance to see all those characters I loved again, but it wouldn't lead to anything bigger. And despite stuff like the hints of there being multiple different universes, I was still certain by the time Resurrection F was announced that an occasional mostly self-contained movie would be the best we could ask for in terms of new Dragon Ball content.

I can't even begin to tell you how shocked... and how darn HAPPY I was when Super was announced. I never expected it to happen... I couldn't believe it was. For the first time in years... a new Dragon Ball series. One that ignored GT's continuity, and thus it's definitive ending, and opened up the possibility of more new Dragon Ball stories for many years to come.

I wanted to cry.

I didn't start watching the show until it was part-way through the Champa saga... mostly because there weren't legal ways to view it until part-way through the Future Trunks saga, and I thought I'd wait for the dub at first. but keeping up with news and spoilers about what was happening, and browsing the tv tropes pages for Super every day and watching clips on YouTube, I just couldn't control myself and started looking up episodes of the Champa saga myself.

And oh God... I felt at home. I mean, it wasn't a perfect story, really, but... it was good. And it was new Dragon Ball. Watching things unfold was such a magical experience, and when it got to the Hit fight... HOLY COW, was my mind blown. THAT... that was Dragon Ball, through and through! And then we got the Baby Pan episode, and dear God that was adorably perfect and I love it to bits. And then we found out that Future Trunks was coming back for a saga, and the new villain for it and, OH GOD THE EXCITEMENT!

Having Dragon Ball back in my life again was just... it felt just so... right. The missing part of my soul was restored. I had my childhood... I had my best friend back.

I suppose by now you're wondering about how all of this relates to GT. You're probably thinking "Oh well then, you only hate it because you blame it for ending Dragon Ball for so long!" and... well, okay, that's kind of on point. But I didn't hate it for that until after I actually re-watched the series not too long ago.

Truth is, I've always defended GT. I mean, I knew it had problems just listening to people talk about it, and remembering it for myself. I definitely agreed the ending was wrong. But... I remembered liking it as a kid. Even loving it.

I remembered there were ideas and a few characters I really liked. People complain about a lot of things in DBZ as well, yet whenever I re-watch that and the original Dragon Ball, they both hold up exceptionally well despite some issues. Better than so many things from my childhood.

So, why shouldn't GT hold up the same? I always told people that GT was okay, that a lot of people overreacted and that it wasn't anything offensive. People were just overreacting.

I strongly believed that for years. I was glad it was non-canon, because that meant there was another chance for another, better post-EoZ series that utilized the next gen characters (And the long standing supporting cast, for that matter) better, and I didn't want Dragon Ball to have a definitive ending. But I stubbornly refused to have negative feelings about GT.

I started re-watching GT when Super was about half-way through, out of curiosity and because I wanted to have an actually up to date, informed opinion on it. Especially where comparisons to Super came up.

I didn't go into the series intending to be negative, I went in with the intention of DEFENDING IT. I knew there would be stuff that would annoy me or that would be frustrating, but I wanted to enjoy it like I had as a child. I wanted to be able to say with confidence that despite it's faults, GT was a worthwhile addition to the Dragon Ball franchise and that I liked it.

And for the first two to five episodes, I did kind of enjoy it, despite some things I took issue with...

But the more I watched and was bored of the first saga, and the more I started looking ahead and really dwelling on what went on in the show. How it used the characters, how the stories were written and how it ended... after a while, I started to doubt it. I started to dislike it more and more.

While I had made up my mind about GT not being a good continuation of Dragon Ball Z by the time I finished the Baby saga, I still mostly enjoyed that saga at least, despite some glaring issues that bothered me. I was willing to say that was mostly fine. I hated the Super 17 saga a lot, but even going into the Shadow Dragons saga, I expected to like that. I tried very hard to be positive going into it... and then it kept spitting in my face.

And by the time I got to the penultimate episode, I was sick of the show and glad to stop watching it. I did something I never expected myself to do, and declared it horrible, a blight on the franchise! And I meant it, because after experiencing such a disappointing let down, and especially after that insulting final episode when I did watch it... I felt betrayed.

THIS was the show I had been defending all these years?! It was trash! People were right, GT WAS an insult to the franchise... it was an insult to me as a fan, as someone who loves this series.

And I feel this way because it feels like the series is specifically designed to annoy me. The first saga is a boring slog where it feels like nothing of actual value happens after our heroes leave earth, all for a stupid contrived premise. The only really notable episode is episode 15, and for ALL the wrong reasons! Goku is turned into a kid for no reason, which just feels wrong at this point in the series, Pan is derailed into an annoying brat for no good reason, and the only other character that comes along for the journey is Trunks. Who is one of the few characters I don't really care that much about, and he's blander here than he was in DBZ.

We get one half-decent story after that, one horrible trainwreck of an arc that did NOTHING right apart from a funny gag with Chichi and Videl, and a saga that sounds on paper like it should be the greatest thing in the world... but everything apart from Nuova and Eis Shenron's episodes was handled in the WORST WAY POSSIBLE.

The fights range from passable, occasionally good, to just BORING. While there were good jokes sometimes, the humour was usually dull. The many characters I loved either barely showed up and then only to get fodderised, have a lot of their personality drained away so they're just kind of dull, or in the cases of Piccolo and Majin Buu, get POINTLESSLY KILLED OFF! And in Piccolo's case he got shoved into freaking Hell for his troubles and never got out! What were you thinking, writers! That is NOT how you treat one of the greatest anime characters ever created!

Everything I felt could have potential to be interesting felt like it was deliberately sabotaged. Uub was shoved aside in the first episode and didn't show up until it was half over, and then despite getting a transformation all he does is have a fight with Baby that's way too short and anti-climactic and then stall the villain later on in the saga, otherwise he's so insignificant to the show he might as well never show up.

I always thought his character was very interesting and I wanted to see him be at least the co-protagonist and actually do stuff... and GT just bent over backwards to make him irrelevent, give him almost no personality or real purpose, and just generally undermine the entire point of the ending of Z...

Pan got off almost worse. She was never allowed to go super saiyan, only useful a few times throughout the show and didn't defeat anyone that mattered on her own. She got no real character development, and was mostly just a damsel in distress... because the writers LITERALLY ADMITTED that they only kept her around so she could get beat up by the villains so Goku could look better by comparison. But oh I've already made some long posts on how badly Pan was used, so I won't go on now.

Bulla and Marron barely existed as far as the show was concerned. Krillin was basically a prop that was there to be a butt monkey who disappoints his family in the Baby saga, and his only notable contribution to the story was to DIE to move the plot along.

Android 17... oh God, the poor guy. He barely had any personality left when he showed up inexplicably under Dr Gero and Myuu's mind control, that whole Super 17 fusion was stupid as all heck, and then they senselessly killed his character off for real without ever doing ANYTHING of interest with him in a really insulting manner.

Despite the brilliant premise of having all the past villains invade from hell, the show did NOTHING with ANY of them, apart from turning Frieza, my favourite villain of all time, and Cell, into a couple of jokes who are defeated in an embarrassing way.

As cool as the Shadow Dragons are in concept, not only does their explanation and build up make no sense, but only Nuova and Eis are worthwhile characters. Haze and Rage Shenron were absolutely pathetic, Oceanus Shenron felt like a monster of the week from an earlier point in the series and not suitable endgame villain material, Naturon Shenron was annoying and lost because he was the BIGGEST IDIOT in the entire franchise, and Omega Shenron was the most disappointing final boss possible with no personality beyond "Evil bad guy" and a dull final fight that just poorly rips off stuff that happened in the Buu Saga, as well as that one episode that was just pointless padding that existed to tease people who liked Nuova Shenron by bringing him back only to have his contribution mean nothing (Kind of like how Vegeta going super saiyan 4 meant nothing thanks to Gogeta being a time wasting idiot and Vegeta not even putting up a half-decent fight against Omega).

And besides that, there were only two new characters in the show besides Nuova (Who was killed off way too soon, IMO) and Eis (The only character used as well as he could have been, probably) that were any good, them being Baby and General Rilldo. And Baby devolves into discount Frieza with none of the charm halfway through his saga, and Rilldo only gets a mediocre at best fight and then gets a bridge unceremoniously dropped on him.

And apart from them? Giru/Gill was an occasional nuisance and as interesting as drying paint. Valese was awkward and pointless, Dolltaki was the WORST character in the franchise, Dr Myuu/Mu was a boring dollar store Dr Gero with a stupider moustache and nothing interesting to him at all, and none of the other few characters were anything worthwhile.

And it's not like the show did a lot of interesting stuff with the characters it already had, half the characters are barely around, with several being only silent cameos, and they don't get any development from when we last saw them. Even 18's highly touted contribution in the Super 17 saga just involved her conveniently showing up to shoot energy blasts at Super 17, allowing Goku to then do all the hard work necessary to defeat him. It was kinda cool, but it was barely anything and it still comes at the expense of wasting 17 completely.

And then that ending... that above all insulted me, because after the show went out of it's way to wreck up so many of the characters, and treat us to mediocre to horrible stories, destroy any of the potential that Dragon Ball Z left open for future stories... after all that, it had the GALL to offer up what it intended to be the definitive, no going back ending for the ENTIRE series... an ending that was out of nowhere, depressing, and overall just kind of pointless... I was so angry.

THIS SHOW... this show is the reason we went so long without another Dragon Ball series for almost two decades, outside of Kai being just a re-cut of Z. And it went out of it's way to be the worst possible send off for the franchise imaginable, and try to cut off all avenues for future series.

I was so angry over this! All those years wistfully longing to have Dragon Ball come back... all those years that I felt incomplete, like I'd lost my anchor to make life feel more bearable when things got bad... like I didn't have a lot to look forward to... all of that was GT's fault, and it was TERRIBLE to boot!

And I DEFENDED this show all that time, because I was just so clueless... I felt sick.

And yes, I know I can't blame GT for how bad life got for me, that's childish... but I really do feel like having a little hope that Dragon Ball would continue with more series would have helped through it.

Dragon Ball is not just a show or manga to me. It is my favourite media franchise of all time. The series, it's characters and it's world resonate with me like nothing else. Nothing makes me happier than watching Dragon Ball, nothing else gets me more excited. The magic I felt watching the show as a kid is something I have yet to experience from any other work of fiction, despite trying my hardest to find it elsewhere in the time since. Maybe Pokemon comes close, but it's not quite there.

Dragon Ball is an integral part of my life. And GT tried to rip it away from me. To torch the franchise and run, as tv tropes would put it.

That is why I was so happy to have Super come into my life.

Dragon Ball Super is not a perfect series, as I have stated many times before. It has plot holes, inconsistent animation quality, especially earlier on. It occasionally screws up writing certain characters like Vegeta or Goku (Even though I don't think the latter's portrayal overall is anywhere near as bad as people blow it out of proportion to be), and there are plenty of missed opportunities. The Future Trunks Saga's ending was a complete mess, some of the things it introduced didn't really pay off. It has problems...

But at the same time, it's given me more joy than any other series of the past decade. Because when Super is good... oh my God, is it good.

The best fights from Super are honestly some of my favourites in the entire franchise. Goku vs Hit, the big fight with Goku Black and Future Zamasu in episode 57, Gohan vs Lavender, Gokus first fight with Jiren, Android 18 beating Ribrianne... there are SO many good ones, and the best are so much better than any of GT's action scenes. Heck, just watching the clip of the last bout of the fight between Goku, Frieza and Android 17 against Jiren did more for me than the entire final battle against Omega Shenron did.

There are so many good jokes and funny episodes, I think I've laughed more watching Super than any other Dragon Ball series. The slice of life episodes and moments scattered throughout are wonderful, and give me such an unbelievably pleasant feeling. We see so much more of the supporting cast too, and while the show struggles with a lot of characters especially early on, they all ended up getting so much good character moments over the course of the show and especially in the final arc. It was so wonderful just to spend more time with everyone.

There were so many cool new concepts thrown in. The 12 universes, the integration of the Galactic Patrol from the Jaco manga, the super dragon balls.

And there were so many new characters that I'm actually interested in.

Obviously we have Beerus, Whis and Jaco carrying on from the recent movies, and I love them so much. But in Super we got to meet Hit, Champa, Vados, Cabba, Frost, Magetta, Goku Black, Caulifla, Toppo, Ribrianne, and so many awesome and intersting new characters, many of whom I desperately want to see fleshed out and get to do more in future series. I didn't care about anyone from GT NEARLY as much as I care about half of these new characters, except maybe Nuova.

There's just so many amazing things that have happened that I never dreamed I would experience.

I never thought Android 17 would not only come back and be developed more, but that he'd go on to be one of the best characters in the show and one of my new favourites. I never thought Frieza would make a big comeback either, but oh God was he so perfect in the Universe Survival Saga and I think I love him even more now than I already did! I never thought I'd see Master Roshi getting to be cool again and have what felt like an even better send off to his time as a martial artist than the original Dragon ball gave him, but oh lord was episode 105 so good and got me emotional.

I never even knew I wanted Pan the adorable super baby to be a thing, but oh God is she wonderful and perfect in every way and I just love her so much! Ahhh!

Already I have so many fond memories of watching Super. Sure, it's done things to upset me from time to time, but when it's good, and it is most of the time, it does more for me than most other shows I watch. When Super is at it's best, I feel the same magic that Dragon Ball Z made me feel as a child.

A feeling I never once got from watching GT.

And as much as I panicked when I heard the show was ending, we got confirmation soon after that Super would continue through the upcoming movie, and all signs pointed to a new Dragon Ball series being produced in the near future. When the final episode aired, I felt a great sense of satisfaction in how it concluded... and also excitement and hope for the future, because that last episode made it so clear that there was much more to come.

Dragon Ball GT's ending threw me out of the house, slammed the door in my face and flushed the keys down the toilet. But Super left the door open.

It wasn't a goodbye this time. It was a "See you later"

A promise from my oldest, most dear friend that we would meet again.

It was such a beautiful feeling. And I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Dragon Ball. I'm sure there'll be bad stories now and again, every franchise has those from time to time, but Toei seem to be making all the right moves to get things stable to better produce future dragon ball works. The movie seems like it's having a ton of effort put into it, at least. So I have faith. Now my dream where Dragon Ball can go on forever might finally be coming true, and I couldn't be happier.

And after all is said and done, looking back on GT... I can't help but resent it for trying to deny me that.

I can't help but hold GT responsible for all of the years where there were no new Dragon Ball series. All the years it felt like Dragon Ball would never come back for real. And for all the loneliness that caused me deep in my heart.

It had some good points. Bad as it truly was, I can't say it was the worst sequel or show ever produced, there are many works of fiction that are objectively far worse than GT, and stuff that has caused actual harm to the world.

It'll never be One More Day or Holy Terror levels of bad... but on a strictly personal level, GT causes me more anger than any other fictional work I have encountered.

Why did I bother watching it again? That was a question I found myself asking as I was binging the subbed version. Obviously the reason I started doing that was because I have a personal goal of watching each Dragon Ball series both dubbed and subbed, and I thought I might as well get GT out of the way since I'd watched it all dubbed not too long ago... but why did I keep going as quickly as I did, when watching it just caused me so much frustration to the point of feeling actually painful?

I don't fully know, but maybe deep down I just really wanted to convince myself that I was being too harsh. That it wasn't all that bad, that I could go back to liking it somewhat. Because I really didn't want to resent it so much.

Guess that didn't work out, since honestly I think the only thing it accomplished is making me all the more aware of why I dislike it.

But you know what... whatever. I could keep being angry about GT until I'm blue in the face, but it's really not worth it. Because it's not relevant anymore. As much as it still bothers me we don't have another series set post-EoZ yet, GT has officially been replaced regardless by Super. It's clear that the franchise is back, and here to stay. Hopefully for good, this time. So really, what do I have left to be worried about?

I've got what I wanted all this time. GT's attempt to end Dragon Ball failed, the story goes on. And now that I've watched it both ways, I have no reason to ever come back to GT, or worry about it ever again. I have closure.

The show is still there for people who do enjoy it, for whatever reasons I'll never be able to relate to again. But I'm free from having to worry about it getting in the way of more Dragon Ball stories.

Now I have hope again, hope that a new Dragon ball series where Uub and Pan are treated with respect will happen down the line. Hope that I'll get to see more good character development and cool moments from all the characters I love. Hope that Launch might come back, or that underdeveloped characters might get to come back and be made a thousand times better like Android 17 was.

Here's to a bright future for Dragon Ball, the story that never ends.

And so, with all that out of the way... I guess it's time to say goodbye.

GT, you were a frustrating experience. I will admit, a part of me will always cherish those good childhood memories you gave me, even if they've been somewhat tainted. I will always love Super saiyan 4, and Nuova Shenron, and there's probably some good moments I might watch again through clips if I'm bored. I'll certainly listen to that english opening song again.

As bad as I make you out to be, in the end you weren't a complete disaster, since Dragon Ball ended up coming back anyway. And while I can never say I enjoyed watching you, part of me is glad there are others who feel differently, because people do deserve to be happy, even if I can't share the experience.

Because I'm not coming back. Because unless some exceptional circumstances happen, like I somehow become a big-name internet critic and I decide to review you for views, I highly doubt our paths will ever cross again. And I think that's for the best. I am sorry we grew apart so much, but I'm much happier where things are now.

Goodbye, GT. May your memory fade with time.

[junker-town]

Behind the Scenes: Making Secret Base Video From Home

How the Secret Base video team works under the New World Order

We get a lot of questions about how we set things up in our videos, and now that we have a website we have a good place to answer them. So every week we’ll show you one of the tricks or techniques we use to construct our series. And if you have questions, leave ‘em in the comments.

According to a quick scan of my email inbox, it was Wednesday, March 11. Jon Bois and I were sitting near each other in the Vox Media office in downtown New York. It was near the end of the day, and most of the office had emptied. I was busy loading up a hard drive full of shared graphics assets and other essentials I thought I’d need to work from home for the foreseeable future. Jon was doing whatever Jon does; I find it best not to ask a magician how they put their tricks together. I just enjoy the show whenever it happens to happen.

“Scary stuff,” I said. We had been talking about why I was furiously cramming a few years worth of work onto a hard drive at the last minute, as Covid-19 stalked closer to our doorstep. “Yeah,” he said. “Scary stuff.”

Hard drive full, I got up to leave. “See you in a few weeks, Jon.”

“Yup. See you in a few weeks.”

I haven’t seen him or anybody else I work with since outside of Zoom. (By the way, congrats to them and all the gobs of money they’ve made over the last six months! I cannot wait to never use your service again.)

Everyone’s work lives have been disrupted by this pandemic, and I don’t mean to presume that our team is unique in that regard. But we also exist in this sort of strange space in the world of production. We don’t produce large-scale content, like some of our colleagues who create programming for Netflix or Hulu, so we don’t get nor would we need the higher-end workflow support that those teams do.

On the other hand, creating any sort of high-quality video content at the rate that we produce it still requires a significant amount of coordination through all stages of ideation, production and publication, and so we’ve had to work hard to adapt to *~OuR nEw NoRmAL~* to continue bringing you the Secret Base content you CRAVE.

After the launch of Secret Base, our team was able to take a collective breath and look back at how the hell exactly we were able to keep bringing you new videos every week without skipping a step. If you’re interested, we thought we’d share some of that process with you.

In the Before Times, we were fortunate enough to have access to a wide variety of equipment and production space in our Vox Media office in New York, facilitated by the extremely wonderful and helpful people on the company’s Media Production Technology team. You’ve likely spotted this in our videos: several voice-over booths that we use to shoot Beef History and record the narration for all of our videos, as well as a fully decked-out studio space in which we shoot all of our on-camera talent segments, from Rewinder and Collapse to Weird Rules/That’s Weird and Untitled. There’s also the behind-the-scenes goodies that help us deliver these videos to you fresh every week, like a line of well-maintained Canon cameras and audio equipment, an endless supply of SD cards and a giant shared-data server that all of our computers are connected to so that multiple directors and editors can work together on a project and share resources with one another.

Out of all of those things, I think the server is one I miss the most. Coordinating, synchronizing and maintaining project files, shared assets and large chunks of video and audio has been the most challenging aspect of working from home for us. What used to be a simple drop off into the server has now turned into a Kafkaesque nightmare of dropping files into Slack, which get downloaded onto our local drives until the project is completed, at which point they get zipped back up and archived. To alleviate this, the Media Production Technology team stepped up once again to provide us with this fancy data transfer service called Media Shuttle which, as the name would suggest, allows us to easily and quickly shuttle media to and from the server in New York.

In terms of actual production, we realized pretty quickly that we’d have to take our luxurious studio-based workflow and break it down so that we could quickly replicate it as best we could from our bedrooms and home offices without sacrificing quality, which took a little ingenuity. The first casualty, which you may have noticed, was the on-camera appearance of our Writer/Producers from every series except for That’s Weird, which we record via Zoom. Although longtime YouTubers have figured out how to turn their living spaces into legitimate studios, we determined that foregoing that element of our videos, at least for now, allowed us to keep producing at our usual rate without having to pause for ordering and setting up that equipment in our already cramped spaces. We do hope you get to see our very attractive faces again soon, but for now, you’ll have to settle for the dulcet tones of our voices gently guiding you through our videos.

To that end, we’ve had to come up with some creative setups to get high quality voiceover in spaces that are not even a little bit built for that. It turns out the trick is heavy blankets.

Smile, Seth!

Here’s Seth, writing from his wife’s sewing desk while their dog Trudy looks on disdainfully. When it’s time to record, Seth heads into his state of the art recording facility:

Here’s Clara and her assistant Alfie, hard at work:

Good boy, Alfie.

I can only imagine what our dogs must be thinking when we head under those comforters. “I see the human is once again talking to themselves in the dark private — and yet when I lick myself, *I’m* the weird one.”

Here’s Will’s setup, in which he has taken the strategy of setting up his chair facing a corner like a Bad Little Boy:

Do you see the lengths we go to make sure you get the goods? Do you see?!

Post-production, thankfully, does not require such swaddling in thick fabric (though I tend to wrap one around myself when the horrors of the world we live in get to be too much). Here’s my setup.

I wish I could say my workspace always looks like that, but I removed six months worth of depression-induced detritus to take this photo. Also if you’re in the market for a pink desk chair from Wayfair that makes your back feel like it’s on fire, I have one available in Brooklyn, New York.

Vox Media’s kick-ass IT department was able to ship computers to those of us who did not have work-ready setups at home. Here’s JZ working his magic from his place:

(The second monitor works, JZ is just ensuring that some things at the Secret Base remain Secret.)

Mike Das, one of our motion graphics and design wizards, prefers a more minimalist workspace at home.

That black slab in front of Mike’s laptop is his Wacom tablet, which allows him to use a pen as a direct input for artwork. He says he misses his usual setup, pictured below.

Getty Images

This isn’t real. But what if it was?!

Earlier I said the thing I miss the most is our shared data server. When it comes to technology that’s true, but really the thing I miss the most — the thing I think we all miss the most — is sitting next to each other in the office. Every video idea we’ve ever had, every goof or fun detail, was borne out of the camaraderie that develops when you work side-by-side with your colleagues every day. Slack and Zoom are fine or whatever, but it will never replicate the magic of shooting the shit at our desks and then watching something from that create a spark that turns into an idea that turns into a series that you fall in love with. I hope we can get that back soon, but in the meantime, we’re not going to let distance stop us from bringing you more great stuff for you. Plus now we can do it in the nude. Enjoy!

[thedeaditeslayer]

Scott Duvall Discusses the Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep Crossover.

Bruce Campbell is one of the most beloved actors of the past 30 years, appearing in everything from Army of Darkness to Xena to Burn Notice to Bubba Ho-Tep. And in early 2019, two of his fan favorite characters—Ash from Army of Darkness and Elvis from Bubba Ho-Tep—are meeting for the first time in comic book form in the Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep crossover from Dynamite Entertainment and IDW Publishing!

Written by Scott Duvall, drawn by Vincenzo Federici, colored by Michele Monte, and lettered by Taylor Esposito, the comic sees the duo meeting after Ash embarks on some soul-searching and seeking out Elvis, whom Ash strongly suspects is alive. Chock-full of magic, time-hopping, and action a-plenty, this book should be one of your most anticipated miniseries of 2019.

Mr. Duvall spoke with me recently about the idea behind the Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep crossover, the preparation into crafting the meeting between Ash and Elvis, and working with the entire creative team on the miniseries.

FreakSugar: Seeing two Bruce Campbell creations in one comic will delight so many fans. What can you tell us about the conceit of the Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep crossover?

Scott Duvall: I’m a fan myself and the idea of seeing these two Campbell characters interact delights me! That was at the kernel of it all, and I knew it could work, as I’d like to point out this is not the first time two Campbell characters have met in an Army of Darkness comic crossover. When I saw Ash and Autolycus (Campbell’s character in Xena) on a cover together, that is a big part of what sparked this crossover. I figured if Ash could meet an alternate version of Campbell in one crossover, why not another?

FS: From reading your posts on social media, it’d make anyone smile to read your happiness and enthusiasm about the project. How did you become involved with the book?

SD: The short of it is I pitched the idea and both publishers liked it! I am well aware that is usually not how these crossovers come together, but like you said, Jed, it has been a literal dream project for me. Every time I see fresh pages from artist Vincenzo Federici, I have to pinch myself.

FS: These properties are so beloved by so many. What kind of preparation have you done to make sure you get to tell the story you want the way you want?

SD: In some ways I’ve been preparing for this ever since I first saw Army of Darkness as a very impressionable youth. When I was putting the pitch together, I literally sat with my laptop in front of the television and had both Army of Darkness and Bubba Ho-Tep playing on repeat to help fuel creativity. Both Ash and Elvis have very distinct voices so it was useful having them on a loop in my head to help me best determine how they would interact.

I also drew inspiration from the original source material, reading the Bubba Ho-Tep novella by Joe Lansdale that the movie is based on. There was a minor character in there called Dillinger who got cut out of the movie so I wrote her into a scene where I needed a key supporting role. I also just finished reading the final issue of IDW’s Bubba Ho-Tep and the Cosmic Blood-Suckers mini-series adapted from another Lansdale story, which was a lot of fun. There’s a nod in issue three to the events in Cosmic Blood-Suckers, so my hope is this tale we’re weaving will feel interconnected with the other Bubba stories.

I’m also on a steady diet binging Ash vs. Evil Dead to get an older, maybe not so much wiser, Ash’s voice in my head.

As far as telling the story the way we want, I must point out how fortunate the team is with this project. Everyone from the publishers to the licensor to Joe Lansdale have been nothing but supportive. It’s all coming together just as it was envisioned and I’ve never felt more creatively unshackled. Anything goes!

FS: While both played by Bruce Campbell, Ash and Elvis are very different characters. How would you describe how they get along?

SD: Their differences cause them to clash in times of high stress, but ultimately they share similar goals and make for a dynamite duo. Ash idolizes Elvis, and desperately wants to earn his respect. Elvis is more seasoned and can teach Ash a thing or two about aging with style in spite of all the deadites making his life hellish.

FS: Vincenzo Federici’s art is gorgeous. What has the collaboration process been like with you two?

SD: Vincenzo is a rock star! I have gotten to know him better throughout this process and not only am I in awe of his talent to elevate the material, but his enthusiasm inspires me to explore new ideas that I may not have thought to attempt before I saw what he was capable of. I am making a conscious effort to lean into his strengths, one of those being the action. So far anything I throw at him he has been up for the challenge and blows me away every time. I have seen some of the pages colored by Michele Monte and they are looking gorgeous too! Those two plus Taylor Esposito on letters is going to make for one good looking book so I really lucked out with my collaborators.

FS: Is there anything you can tease about what we can expect to see in the series?

SD: This series involves both roadtrippin’ and time hoppin’ so each of the four issues are set in a completely different setting, which certainly kept it fun and fresh for me. We hope readers will join us for the ride!

FS: Are there any other projects you’re working on you’d like to discuss?

SD: Nothing I can talk about just yet, but check back with me early 2019!

Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep #1 debuts on February 13th, 2019 from Dynamite Entertainment and IDW Publishing.