#tad cooper IS a real dragon

[galavant-song-tournament]

Round 3

Propaganda for Gwynne:

I mean were it not for Chef chickening out, she would have fully succeeded in engineering a plan to kill absolutely every powerful person in the world of Galavant except for Galavant and Isabella and Sid who hadn't arrived yet but she later gets on just fine with.

My money’s on Gwynne. She’s got the brains and ruthlessness to carry out schemes while also being sincere enough to form alliances that won’t betray her, and being a servant means others will underestimate her until it’s too late

Gywnne already thinks she's in GOT tbh. Her poisoning plot is very red wedding. She failed because she's in Galavant.

Gwyn is smart enough to avoid situations that would put her in danger. She keeps allies at arms length and avoids enemies, can throw down if she needs to but knows to do that as a last resort, and most importantly: knows when to hit the fucking bricks.

Honestly I think Gwynne is crafty enough and she's in a low enough position people won't expect her (or suspect her). She's not royalty or a fighter

Not only would Gwynne survive GOT, she would win it. She DID win it when she nearly killed every significant character and threat to her, she only failed because Chef was in Galavant and not GOT. (But a reminder that she would then have killed Madalena, another of the people's top choices for winner here. I don't think she'd bother taking out Tad Cooper because he's nice but there's good reasons to assume he'd die in a GOT world.)

Propaganda for Tad Cooper:

In bearded dragon form no one would bother with him since he's nonthreatening. In dragon form he'd be a target but he's also a dragon and breathes fire so he'd certainly be able to fight back. It's established that Galavant has killed a dragon, so clearly there is an in-universe way to kill dragons but it's also told as a brag so it's got to be difficult at least.

tad cooper’s gonna win solely because he isn’t enough of an apparent threat for anyone to kill on GOT until he’s grown up

I think tad cooper’s gonna win solely because I SUPER BELIEVE IN YOU TAD COOPER!

Tad Cooper is a big target by nature of being a goddamn dragon. Everyone and their mother would be coming up with a strategy to take him out. What's worse, he's a loyal dragon--more specifically, he's loyal to Absolute Buffoon™ King Richard. By nature of Richard being a figure in power many would want deposed and his biggest piece of protection being a living WMD that Richard's enemies would be planning to take out first, I'm afraid Tad Cooper is toast.

We've got to remember that Tad Cooper isn't a dragon that no one is after, he's either a totally defenseless little creature that no one's after or he's a threatening dragon that everyone would be after. And even in his defenseless and unthreatening state, he's probably in the blast zone of any attacks on Richard since he's kept in Richard's coat, and let's be real, Richard would be being attacked so much.

He nearly did die in the finale of Galavant when Wormwood smacks him from Richard's hand, he just survives because it's Galavant not GOT.

[airenyah]

so i was tagged by @lurkingteapot to list my 9 favorite tv shows. i find it difficult to define "favorite" so i'm just gonna list a whole bunch of current faves, past faves, and other series that stuck with me or have a special place in my heart for whatever reason.

tagging @magsimags @newyearknwwme @swabianhotpocket @killiru @gaym3bo1 @ranchthoughts @gillianthecat @feralmuskyscentedhoepran @telomeke – feel free to ignore this if you've been tagged already or if you don't feel like participating <3

here are mine in alphabetical order (bc i really CAN'T do a ranking):

(details under the cut)

bad buddy series:

you've seen the state of my blog for the past 1.5 years. i'm not even gonna elaborate

galavant:

I MISS GALAVANT EVERY SINGLE DAY. it was gone too soon, even if the renewal for a second season was a huge surprise (forever sad we couldn't get a 3rd season).

please this series is so funny and entertaining and just iconic. the dialogue is SOOOO quotable and the songs are so funny and amazing!!!!!!!!!! (i mean hello it's alan menken!!!!!)

it's got badass ladies, a pathetic little meow meow king, A DRAGON (i super believe in tad cooper <333), an army of gays, pirates who are the lords of the sea (except for the part with the sea), a knight in shinging armour who is some over-muscled chauvinistic self-indulgent egotistic stingy prissy narcisissy jackass in a caaaaaaan, and so much more

PLEASE IF YOU LOVE DISNEY MOVIES AND MUSICALS AND FOURTH WALL BREAKS DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND GO WATCH THIS LITTLE GEM OF A SERIES. PLEASE. it's my favorite thing ever <333333333

fun fact: the title of my blog which goes "oh poop, i got gravy on my tummy flowers!" is a quote from this series

moonlight chicken:

this is one of the 3 series that i've rated as a 10/10 on mydramalist, so i HAD to include it and well. it's just. i don't know how to put it into words

this series and the characters just feel so real. i like how every single character has their own baggage to carry and how they all come together and influence each other. and i really like that this isn't your standard fluffy romance story. actually, one of my favorite things in this series is how the break-up between alan and wen is a major plot line. and i like how messy it all is, how long it takes them to actually draw the line. again, it just feels so real.

not to mention there's a deaf character!!!! please heart and li ming were just so wholesome 🥺🥺🥺 and li ming's relationship with his uncle was just so endearing

once again i am begging gmmtv:

FIRSTMIX MAIN COUPLE SERIES WHEN????

can we please, PLEASE, have another series with earth and fourth as an uncle/nephew duo?? fuck romantic actor pairs, give me familial ones!! you've already let fourth keep the same mother* two series in a row, let him keep the uncle too!!!! *(on that note: i ADORE lookwa. i don't fuck but she's a milf)

orphan black:

i'm not sure i ever actually finished this series (i think i'm still missing the final season??) but i just HAD to include it bc tatiana maslany, okay. tatiana maslany. that's it, that's all i'm gonna say

skam (norsk):

you had to be there

supernatural:

og followers will remember when this was still a spn blog. yes, this show makes the list. once a spn blog, always a spn blog*. free me.

*fun fact: this started as a spn blog and that's something that's actually still visible in my tagging system. spn is the only show where i don't tag episodes as #series abbreviation 1.01 but i tag the ep by the number itself without specifying the series

the brightest star in the sky:

during the pandemic my mom came to me and said "you need to watch this series. the male lead reminds me so much of your brother". i watched it with her. she was right. the male lead is exactly like my little brother. to the point where there was this one scene where the male lead was criticizing the female lead's outfit and my mom and i laughed and went "[brother] would totally say this too" and only a few days later my brother and i had a conversation about clothing over lunch and my brother said almost exactly the same thing as the male lead in that one scene and i looked at my mom in surprise and went "did you tell him about that scene????" as my mom was cracking up and shaking her head that no, she had not.

although, when i say the male lead is exactly like my brother, that's a lie. in fact, he's a mix of both my brother and an old friend of ours who was always like a second little brother to me (the two of them actually had similar personalities when they were teens)

and the female lead reminds me of a female friend that was also in the friend group with us (and who is one of my brother's best friends)

in fact, the dynamic between the male lead and the female lead reminds me very much of the dynamic between my brother and said female friend

all in all, the main characters are just very familiar to me and remind me of people i adore and that's why this series has a special place in my heart. (even if i constantly want to punch zheng boxu. sibling love <3)

theory of love:

ok i know this is kind of a controversial one, bc people seem to either love it or hate it BUT. just know that this series and especially the khaithird plot was made for me, and me personally <3

this series came to me at exactly the right time. it was like a mirror to my own life at the time and brought a lot of catharthis. i was going through a "break-up" with my own personal irl-khai back then and this series helped me deal with that, helped me get over him, and reconfirmed to me over and over again that i had taken the right decisions.

theory of love is also the thai drama that i've seen the most amount of times (i've watched the khaithird plot 27x that i've counted as of july 2nd, 2023) (though by now bbs is a close second with 22 full watches that i've counted as of july 2nd, 2023 and it might surpass theory of love at some point now that my personal irl-khai is no longer relevant in my life in any way. you know what that is!! growth!!!! the day bbs surpasses tol is the day i really, truly AM well and over my irl-khai)

you're beautiful:

ok. ok. hear me out. this is a kdrama from 2009, right?? but i didn't watch it until november 2021 where i'd had quite a day and in the evening was super exhausted and just wanted a zero-braincell show to watch and this happened to be on netflix and looked like the perfect thing for my state

little did i know it was gonna be a million-braincell show for me.

basically, i ended up being really entertained by it, saw that there were remakes, decided to check those out too and well. it got my little actor brain going. i started analyzing the acting (comparing esp the og korean version with the taiwanese remake) and it turned into this whole thing where i wrote pages and pages of notes in a google doc. i learned a lot through that and luckily we had camera acting classes at drama school during that period, so it was perfect timing. i suddenly understood so many things and what an effect it can have on the viewer if you do (or don't do) something a certain way

(oh and then a year later i inflicted this series on a uni friend of mine and it turned into this whole acting analysis project after i'd mentioned about something about acting and went "wait, i have THE perfect example for what i mean where you can see it first-hand." we had a great time and then binged the entire series during semester break. i'm planning on getting her into thai ql too, but unfortunately we're both super busy and don't really have time to watch series together)

honorary mentions:

ever night: i watched only the first season, though. and it's been a while since i saw it (3 years ago during lockdown) and so i don't remember the plot very well but... beautiful cinematography. loveable characters. fantastic acting. also the special effects when the main character did those "spells" (forgot what it was called) looked so cool??????

why r u: that was my first thai bl. the one that pulled me into the world of thai drama. considering how i'm mostly a thai drama blog now and the rebranding started with this series i couldn't not mention it, could i

my school president: it has to make the list just for episode 6 alone (gun desperately wanting to know which person from the music club tinn likes but being terrified ask and deep down knowing the answer already anyway but not feeling ready to hear it???? ooooooof that's so me-coded). anyway, all in all it's just a very sweet and wholesome drama and i'm still listening to a bunch of the songs a lot

the fosters: i was obsessed with this back in 2015. i stopped watching it shortly before the jonnor break-up bc i was busy at the time and when i saw the spoilers about the break-up i couldn't be bothered to catch up. but yeah, i was really into it for a while as well

andi mack: i've made multiple gifsets of that show. i don't gif a lot so yeah. considering that i bothered to sit down and make gifs for this, i think andi mack deserves an honorary mention. i wasn't suuper obsessed with it but i did quite like watching it

merlin (bbc): it's just very entertaining ok and the characters are fun to watch and have fun dynamics

[carolinesiede]

My 2022 Roundup

Phew! What a year.

2022 started with news of some disappointing corporate shake-ups at The A.V. Club — my main freelance home for the past nine years. After leaving the site in solidarity with my wonderful departing editors, I went all-in on a full-time contract gig with FOX Digital only for that to rather unexpectedly end in mid-November. Add in the tumult that has taken over Twitter in the last third of the year, and I’m ending this year without any of the pillars of stability that have propped me up for my entire career, not to mention nearly my entire adult life.

And, yet, remarkably, I also feel more rejuvenated and excited than I have since the start of the pandemic. After a challenging 2021 took a fairly drastic toll on my mental health, 2022 was filled with adventures that pushed me out of my comfort zone and reminded me that I’m capable of more than I think I am.

I started the year covering virtual Sundance, which was my first experience with a major film festival like that. Then in March I hopped on a plane for the first time since 2015 (!!!) to attend SXSW, where I saw a Dolly Parton concert, watched Nic Cage watch Nic Cage play Nic Cage, and just generally had 10 of the most surreal, exhausting, exhilarating days of my life.

May brought my first-ever on camera interview, with Cha Cha Real Smooth writer/director/star Cooper Raiff, who was in town for the Chicago Critics Film Festival. Then June took me to L.A., where I watched a dear college friend get married and took my first-ever trip to Disneyland! (I also dealt with my first major cancelled flight snafu and managed to have only a minor emotional breakdown in LAX.)

The adventures didn’t stop there, as I took a relaxing trip home to St. Louis in August, dashed around like a madwoman covering the Chicago International Film Festival in October, and took a semi-spontaneous trip to New York City in November, where I squeezed in five Broadway shows amongst catching up with friends old and new.

The year wasn’t all easy, of course, especially when it came to the major mental adjustment of switching from a freelance lifestyle to the structure and demands of a full-time job creating a brand new section with a two-person team.

And it was incredibly bittersweet to say goodbye to some of the long-time anchors of my career: My episodic recaps of This Is Us (my favorite show I’ve ever gotten to write about in such an in-depth way) and especially my long-time A.V. Club column When Romance Met Comedy, which came to a close after 101 columns totaling 187,227 words.

I’m especially proud that my final four WRMC entries (Roman Holiday, Win A Date with Tad Hamilton!, 2005′s Pride & Prejudice, and How To Be Single) really sum up the scope of what I was trying to do with this four-year project. And though it was kind of nice to take a break from writing about rom-coms for most of 2022, I feel like the genre is calling me back again in 2023. 

Other highlights of the year included celebrating Nathan Chen’s gold medal win at the Beijing Olympics (I’ve been following his skating career since 2016!), spotting Nate from The Bachelorette at my screening of Black Adam, re-hauling my wardrobe, getting my bivalent booster (a major turning point in pandemic safety — get yours today!) and reconnecting with friends I hadn’t seen in person in years.

I also created a public Instagram account, recapped “The Slap” Oscars, delved deep into the nerd-spheres of the MCU, Stranger Things, and House of the Dragon, and kept things going strong with my podcast Role Calling, where we covered the careers of Meg Ryan, Antonio Banderas, and Zac Efron, and released a series of Lord of the Rings specials that I’m especially proud of.

Oh and I picked my 10 favorite films of 2022, even though this is the first time in years that I didn’t actually publish any official year-end coverage:

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Living

Cha Cha Real Smooth

Elvis

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.

The Woman King

Aftersun

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Saint Omer

Turning Red

As we head into 2023, I’ll leave you with wishes for a Happy New Year and a roundup of all the major writing and podcasts I did in 2022. If you enjoyed my work, you can support me on Kofi or PayPal. Or you can just share some of your favorite pieces with your friends! That really means a lot. 

When Romance Met Comedy

Nearly 70 years on, Roman Holiday remains one of romantic comedy’s most delectable treats

Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! now has retro charms twice over

Joe Wright made Pride & Prejudice feel fresh all over again

Can romantic comedies teach us How To Be Single?

My last A.V. Club TV recaps

This Is Us season 6

The Doctor Who 2022 New Year’s Day Special

Op-eds and Features

At the SXSW Film Festival, Nicolas Cage watches Nicolas Cage play Nicolas Cage

Revisit the lighthearted nun comedy that won Sidney Poitier the Oscar

Awards show recap: The chaos Oscars

‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’ is still timeless at 25

75 years of the Roswell incident — pop culture’s favorite alien conspiracy theory

Watch rare color footage of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1947 royal wedding

Interviews

Cooper Raiff on his new Apple TV+ indie rom-com ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’

Film Reviews

Say "maybe" to Jennifer Lopez’s Marry Me (my last A.V. Club film review!)

‘The Worst Person in the World’ might be the best movie of the year

Unfortunately, ‘Uncharted’ isn’t quite a national treasure

‘The Batman’ review: Why so serious?

'After Yang' review: Colin Farrell grapples with the loss of his android son

‘Turning Red’ is Pixar at its weird, wonderful best

‘The Lost City’ almost strikes gold at SXSW

‘Everything Everywhere All At Once' is transcendent and a bit exhausting

‘Morbius’ is a boring, bloodless bat man

In ‘Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood,’ nostalgia becomes rocket fuel

‘Dual’ review: Two Karen Gillans, one deadpan dark comedy

‘The Bad Guys’ review: Animated baddies make for a good time at the movies

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ review: Marvel makes a messy horror movie

‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ review: Mamma Mia, here we go again

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ review: ‘Top Gun 2’ is a gloriously corny nostalgia fest

HBO’s ‘The Janes’ tells the story of radically empathetic abortion activists

‘Jurassic World Dominion’ review: Just going through the dino motions

‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ is a stellar new riff on a classic indie dramedy formula

‘Elvis’ somehow has both the best and worst performances of the year

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ review: A surprisingly bittersweet romp

‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ lacks grit

‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ is pure magic

‘My Old School’ is a wild, weirdly charming documentary

‘DC League of Super-Pets’ has delightful Saturday morning cartoon vibes

‘Bullet Train’ review: Brad Pitt’s thrill ride just barely stays on track

‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ review: A wickedly fun Gen Z slasher from A24

‘Not Okay’ and ‘Vengeance,’ two provocative comedies about narcissism

‘13: The Musical’ review: Broadway magic gets lost in Netflix translation

John Boyega gets a dramatic showcase in ‘Breaking’

‘Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.’ review: A megachurch mockumentary masterclass

‘The Woman King’ review: Viola Davis’ crowning achievement

‘Don’t Worry Darling’ should’ve worried more

‘Bros’ review: Billy Eichner is a glorious rom-com lead

‘Black Adam’ review: The Rock goes bad — mostly for good

‘Ticket to Paradise’ review: George Clooney and Julia Roberts grin and bear it

'Call Jane' review: An abortion drama with optimism

‘My Policeman’ and ‘Causeway’: Harry Styles and Jennifer Lawrence lead quiet new dramas

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ review: A superhero elegy

TV Reviews/Recaps

‘Welcome to Flatch’ S1 (premiere + final recap)

‘Monarch’ S1 (premiere + final recap)

Streaming pick of the week: Hulu’s ‘Pam & Tommy’

‘The Dropout’ review: Amanda Seyfried leads TV’s latest scammer drama

Marvel’s ‘Moon Knight’ is promising but weirdly paced

‘Doctor Who’ review: A pirate-themed Easter special is a throwaway romp

Get ready to fall in love with ‘Ms. Marvel’

‘She-Hulk’ review: Marvel’s bold comedic experiment’

‘House of the Dragon’ review: ‘Game of Thrones’ is back and better than ever

‘Andor’ review: ‘Star Wars’ grows up, with a rebel yell

Explainers & Rankings

Oscars 2022: Where to watch the Best Picture nominees (and other movies like them)

Marvel second installments ranked — including ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

‘Top Gun 2’: Film critic eats his shoe (literally) over ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

'Stranger Things' recap: Here's a refresher ahead of the season 4 premiere

‘Stranger Things’ season 4 storylines, ranked

Here's everything Marvel announced at Comic-Con

'She-Hulk': Three Marvel movies (and one TV show) to revisit before starting the series

The 11 best movies of the year so far: ‘Top Gun 2,’ ‘Turning Red’ and more

10 of the best streaming shows of the year (so far)

22 things we loved in 2022

‘House of the Dragon’ 101

‘Game of Thrones’ returns: Everything you need to know about HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: Who's who in this new game of thrones

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: What are the Stepstones and where’s Old Valyria?

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: What’s up with Targaryen incest?

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: That time jump (and those kids), explained

Festival Coverage

Sundance coverage part one, two, three, four, and five

The coolest, weirdest, best things at this year’s SXSW festival: Vol. 1

The coolest, weirdest, best things at this year’s SXSW festival: Vol. 2

The splashiest movies out of this year’s SXSW festival, Vol. 1

The splashiest movies out of this year’s SXSW festival, Vol. 2

Chicago International Film Festival preview, part one and two

Movie Previews

February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October

Role Calling Podcast

Meg Ryan: When Harry Met Sally, Joe Versus the Volcano, Sleepless In Seattle, Anastasia, You’ve Got Mail

Antonio Banderas: The Mask of Zorro, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Desperado, Evita, Pain and Glory

Zac Efron: High School Musical, Hairspray, Neighbors, The Greatest Showman, The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King

Specials: One Year Anniversary Special, Thor: Love and Thunder, Halloween Ends, The Best and Worst Films of 2022: Letterboxd Special

Other Podcast Appearances

The Filmcast: The Tragedy of Macbeth

Culturally Relevant: Breaking Down the Films of Sundance 2022 

Travolta/Cage: Old Dogs/National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

The Filmcast: The Lost City

The Filmcast: Morbius

Happy Harvest Horror Show: Hocus Pocus 2

And here are similar year-end wrap-ups I did in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.

[theparadoxmachine]

Speaking of The Game, I think we all know who's really the brains of the operation between Starsky and Hutch.

Huggy. It's Huggy. Detectives Starsky and Hutchinson have one collective brain cell between them and Huggy Bear Brown has custody of it most of the time. And when Huggy doesn't have it, it's locked in a drawer of Captain Dobey's desk because neither of them can be trusted with it. Hutch would probably lose it in the cluttered abyss of his car and Starsky might trade it for a ferret or something.

I say this with all the love in the world.

[sheregenerated13]

King Richard Demi Mood Board

[thebrittanybrigade]

The struggle of naming a new pet is... do I want to go for silly or for normal sounding names lmao

[bisexualshitwholovesshakespeare]

Ok hear me out. Have you watched Galavant? No? Go and watch it, it's like three hours. If you watched it, cool. What you are about to read is the best AU idea I had. Loki AU but it's Galavant. Now:

Loki is Galavant and Sylvie is Madelina. They lived happy together until the evil king Classic Loki (the names should be changed because every person can't be called Loki, but I don't have any idea how to call them.) arrives and takes Sylvie with him. He wants to marry her. And if you watched the show you know that Madelina stays with Richard.

One year later Loki is visited by someone who needs his help. His name is prince Mobius and his kingdom has been taken over. Loki doesn't want to help but when he hears that Classic Loki did it, he decides to help Mobius. That's a trap. Mobius was told by the Classic Loki that if he won't bring Loki, his friend (?) (or something like na advisor) Ravonna will be killed. Loki, Mobius and Casey as Sid begin their journey.

President Loki as Jean Ham

Boastful Loki as Gareth is trying to teach Classic Loki how to be a real man. Sylvie is having na affair whith B-15 who is a jester.

I don't know who will be the pirate king, but we can be sure that Loki and Mobius fell for eachother.

Kingsley is not Thor for sure. Does Loki have an evil brother?

Out next stop is Roberta who is Sygin (she was Loki's wife in norse mithology) and Croki as Tad Cooper the real dragon

I forgot about prine Harry. I thought maybe female Kid Loki?

Mr. D'Dew (I don't remember his name) is He who remains an DEL od Kang.

Then we get the happy ever after and Loki and Mobius are living in their beach house.

What do y'all think?

[adultswim2021]

Robot Chicken #7: “Kiddie Pool” | June 13, 2005 – 12:00AM | S01E15

This one opens with a little channel change bit where a bunch of office workers are standing up in their chairs chanting “HIP HIP! HORRAY!” over and over. I thought to myself wouldn’t it be funny if there wasn’t a joke? Then, guess what? There wasn’t! It literally cuts away from them and nothing happens! What the fuck? They don’t call it back? I thought i missed something and read the wiki and I guess that’s all it is?

Okay so the main sketch is a Ferris Bueller parody, specifically the part where Richard Edson takes Cameron’s car out for a joy ride, but with KITT from Knight Rider. Off-putting and unfocused, this one relies on cheesy 80s party movie tropes during the montage for laughs. I felt nothing.

There’s a sketch about freaking KICK ASS GRANNY!!!! And then after that? OLSEN TWINS are like the WONDER TWINS and they fight a freaking DRAGON. And good lord. This shit sucks so much. I was literally frowning while watching this. I’m hating this show more and more.

The final sketch is I, Robot but with Rosie from The Jetsons, and she maybe killed George Jetson, but probably not. The narrator, typical for a dark true-crime doc like this supposed to be (wait, I thought it was I, Robot? OH WELL!) intones the lines from The Jetsons theme, but spoken and menacing. I thought it was a mildly clever joke and I probably would’ve been proud of myself if I came up with it myself. But wait, isn’t this derivative of when they speak The Flintstones theme in court on Harvey Birdman? Isn’t the Olsen Twins being Wonder Twins kinda derivative of Wonder Twins jokes also on Harvey Birdman?? J’Accuse!

This sketch also calls back a gag that I barely remembered, where an alley with the backdoor of a Chinese eatery becomes the site of many abductions by the Chinese eatery staff, who pop out suddenly and gank whoever is out there, presumably to turn them into Chinese food. It made when it was a dog, because that’s some classic ass racism, but here it’s Judy Jetson which makes less sense. It might come off as absurd if this sketch AIRED DURING THE EPISODE WHERE THE OTHER CHINESE FOOD GAGS HAPPENED. Like, I hate this show and now I have to CHERISH the running gags it’s got going on?? What??

Honestly, I thought I was going CRAZY with how much I hated this episode. But then according to the wiki this was chosen by the producers to represent Robot Chicken during the “Worst of Adult Swim” marathon Adult Swim held one Thanksgiving. So far, I agree. This is the worst episode of Robot Chicken yet.

CONTACTING GHOST PLANET...

(this is the segment where I review an old Space Ghost to help wash down the terrible episode of Robot Chicken I had to review)

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #12: “Girlie Show” | March 24, 1995 | S02E02

A real strong-o Ghost-o. We got Fran Drescher looking BEAUTIFUL, we got Carol Channing looking MENTALLY ILL, and we got Alice Cooper--but! She’s a MAN, man! (The big gag of this one is they think all these bitches are women, but some of them are disgusting/men!!)

Stuff I did not notice till now: Fran Drescher has a little guy on her lap. Also she mentions her husband who (insanely dark thing I deleted from this write-up because I like Fran Drescher because she’s anti-capitalist... LIKE ME!). They also do a gag involving a brief video flashback of The Professor from the “Gilligan” episode, where he’s being very derisive towards Tad while Franny the Nanny laughs. This is a very funny moment, and I’ve never even seen Nanny and the Professor. Like, I can’t even picture it in my head.

The subplot of this one is that Zorak is trying to get the show to abandon it’s tribute to women and instead focus on actor Jack Klugman. Space Ghost mentions that he cut the bit where the cast wears lady’s clothes, which brought to mind the episode “Hungry” which I’ll get to soon! In that one, Zorak has his little nephew on the show and eventually devours him, and we see Space Ghost, Zorak, and Raymond in drag for no reason during a photo montage. It made me think that THIS was the explanation for that photo, and that this was the same episode. I think my confusion was helped by the fact that I think both episodes were used in “Woody Allen’s Fall Project”? But, it wasn’t the same episode! Huh! I wonder what I should think about that

MAIL BAG:

So Adult Swim shacked up with Burger King for a contest and Carl's Jr just decked out a bunch of old Adult Swim Toys last year. I got just ones question: Did somebody say McDonalds? Let's get Ronald involved with their piping hot crispy french fries!

You know, I wonder if the thing where McDonalds swagger-jacked Dick and Morty’s Schezwan sauce gag was in response to the fact that Aqua Teen Hunger Fuck seems like it was inspired by famous Happy Meal toys where food items turned into guys. I remember my mother used to collect happy meal toys, and had big bins of them in our--

McDonald's memories:

Oh. Okay, sure, I was doing that, actually. Thank you for not mocking my use of “swagger-jacked”. I loved McDonalds so much as a kid.  It was my favorite food. I used to eat it, MORNING NOON AND NIGHT! (actually, not morning- NO INTEREST IN BREAKFAST and I think the first time my parents took me there for breakfast and was told that we couldn’t get hamburgers or fries I moaned about it so much that they never took us for breakfast ever again).

Our McDonalds had an outdoor seating area and I was a child of considerable privilege, but never once did my parents agree to eat outside even once, citing wind or bugs or some other issue. It still hurts. I am a fancy fancy boy and did not get my way maybe ONCE, and it still tortures me. I am in a hell

KON writes:

The reason they delayed the Re-Birth airing was because the sex scene played too much like a rape and had to get edited for standards. For real! You can spot where it was edited if you look closely; there's a silent shot of Joy where she originally had a line like "get off me Tom" that was cut out to maintain an illusion of consent. I can't remember, did they restore that line on the DVD? I'm ASKING you Mr. DVD man!

Thank you! I forgot this! They actually DO say this in the DVD commentary but this fact got lost in the GREAT NOTES DELETION OF 2022. Did they restore it for the DVD, you ask??? well!!! I don’t know I’ll have to check later tonight I’m NEARLY OUT OF TIME AHHH!

[docholligay]

“Haunted” Prompt, starring Minako

Minako opened her eyes slowly, seeing the barest hint of early morning light coming through the open window. It had been a late night and Minako hadn’t gotten much sleep, but it was important that she got up early today. She was about to start her usual stretching routine when she remembered that her bed was occupied by another. Minako glanced over at the woman with whom she had shared a pleasant night.

  The woman, Sanae (or was it Kanae?), was splayed out on the bed with her long dark hair fanned out around her head. She was facing away from Minako, and the faint sound of rhythmic breathing that reached Minako’s ears confirmed that she was still asleep. Minako took a moment to appreciate the intricate dragon tattoo that covered the woman’s back (a rarity in Japan, and something that had caught Minako’s attention last night in the club) before she got up from the bed stealthily.

  Unfortunately, they were in Minako’s apartment. Last night, she had been too intent on getting the distraction Sanae promised to provide for her to remember to insist on going to the other woman’s place. If Minako had remembered, then it would have been a simple matter to leave before the woman woke up. Minako was still planning to do just that, but now she was reliant on Sanae getting the hint and leaving before she returned.

  Their discarded clothing was in a pile on the floor. Minako glanced at the dress she had worn the night before, knowing that it was totally unsuitable for a motorcycle ride. She then made her way to her dresser. Minako grabbed a pair of jeans and a dark halter top and dressed as quietly as she could. Not quietly enough for Minako’s taste, and unsurprisingly, it was enough to wake her temporary guest.

  “…Going somewhere?” Sanae asked in a low voice from behind her.

  Minako sighed inwardly before turning around. She hated this part. It was time for another reprise of this always-awkward conversation. The only thing to do was to act as casual as possible and hope the other party took her lead.

  Sanae (she was almost certain it was Sanae, but Minako damn sure wasn’t going to risk saying that without confirmation) had sat up in bed. Minako just barely kept her eyes from drifting downward from Sanae’s face, knowing that she needed to look the other woman in the eyes for this, at least.

  “Yeah. I’ve got things to do, I’m afraid. But feel free to use the shower, and you can grab anything you want out of the fridge.” Minako offered airily, forcing a sunny smile to appear on her face.

  “Oh. Alright.” Sanae replied a little frostily, declining to smile back.

  Minako escaped the room as quickly as she could. The woman was a tad bit unpredictable, and the chances of Minako returning to find some of her things stolen or her apartment trashed was not zero, but what did she care? There was nothing of any real value to Minako here anyway.

“She seems nice. Nicer than you treated her, anyway.” A voice spoke up remonstratively behind her.

  Minako gritted her teeth and ignored it. She knew it wasn’t good to encourage her own delusions. Rei was not behind her, no matter what a small part of her mind wanted her to think. No, her friend was gone and had been for the last three years. Three years to the day, to be precise.

  The flashy, Solar-Yellow painted Yamaha that was Minako’s pride and joy rested pristinely in front of her. Minako took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the machine (as she always did before riding it), then put her helmet on. Much better. Minako couldn’t hear any unwanted voices with it on, achingly familiar though they may be.

  Having revved the engine a few times to warm it up, Minako pulled out of the small parking garage swiftly, merging into traffic without giving the car behind her as much room as she should have. Perhaps in another country, the driver she cut off would have honked angrily at her. But this was Japan, and no sound came Minako’s way. The sun was just starting to rise, though it was still obscured behind the countless buildings that formed the skyline of the Greater Tokyo Area.

  Minako had come to love motorcycles, but learning to ride one had been an act of necessity for her. She couldn’t drive cars anymore. Not that she was in any way incapable, but Minako hated being in them. If there was an empty seat behind her, then Minako’s mind was apt to fill it with Rei’s phantom presence. Even short drives were too painful to be worth it.

  The Bayshore Route of the Shuto Expressway would have been Minako’s favorite place in the city to ride. She didn’t have to constantly dodge around slow-moving traffic here. Halfway down the highway, however, she had a clear view of the Yokohama Landmark Tower. Memories that Minako didn’t want to relive came upon whenever she saw it. Ordinarily, that would have been reason enough to avoid this road, but there was no point in doing that today.

  As she passed by it Minako couldn’t help but gaze at the Tower. The high windows of the building had caught the rising sun, causing them to flash brilliantly in Minako’s eyes. Her grip on the throttle tightened for a moment before Minako forced her hand to relax. Of course they had repaired it. The Tower was a national landmark. They couldn’t let the destroyed 30th floor remain as a monument to her friend’s ultimate sacrifice.

  But Minako couldn’t help but hate the owners of the building for erasing the evidence of what Rei had done for them, for the entire city. Her friend deserved such a monument, but all she had was a lonely grave at Aoyama Cemetery.

  Minako rode on, memories of that night filling her mind. Unlike most every other time, Minako made no effort to shut them out.

  Minako could still see the last smile that had appeared on Rei’s face as she turned to face the jeering, laughing monsters arrayed in front of them. She could remember fighting with Makoto as her friend carried her down the stairwell, ignoring the way her broken body wouldn’t cooperate. She could remember screaming to Makoto let her down, that she could still fight, but most of all, she could still feel the way the stairwell shuttered around them both, the colossal explosion that had marked Rei’s final sacrifice ripping through the floors above them.

  Those memories were indelibly marked in Minako’s mind, even if the weeks and months after that had passed by in a foggy, uncertain blur. Minako couldn’t deny that a small part of her wished that Rei’s death was similarly unfocused in her memory. It wouldn’t be as painful that way. Just as she couldn’t deny wanting that, Minako couldn’t help but despise herself for it.

Minako pulled up and parked her motorcycle half a kilometer away from the cemetery. She could have parked closer, but she didn’t want the noise of the engine to disturb any early-morning visitors. A walk would do her good anyway. Minako wanted to clear her head a bit before she got to her friend’s grave. She took off her helmet and hung it from the handlebars of her motorcycle before making her way eastward.

  Was it her imagination, or did Minako hear footsteps on the pavement behind her? The sound was keeping pace with her perfectly. Minako didn’t bother looking. She didn’t want the confirmation, either way, of who it might be. At least the presence behind her was keeping quiet.

  Minako passed the gates of Aoyama Cemetery, pausing only to retrieve a single incense stick from the pile that was freely offered to visitors. Minako had remembered to bring her lighter (more of a reflexive action than a conscious one on her part) so she wouldn’t need any of the matches that were left out alongside the incense.

  The Hino family had a large plot near the southeastern corner of the cemetery. Rei’s grandfather had taken care of all the details of her funeral, a task that had given Minako enormous respect for the man. She hadn’t been in any condition to help at the time. None of her friends had been.

  The faint sound of footsteps had indeed kept pace with Minako, even over the well-maintained grass of the smaller side paths she had taken. Minako knew full well what the sound was by now, but that was even more reason not to look. If her mind was kind enough to keep Rei’s ghostly presence from speaking to her, then Minako wasn’t going to complain.

  There it was. Minako’s breath caught as she saw the tall, distinctive headstone that marked her friend’s grave. Perhaps because there had been nothing left to cremate, and therefore nothing to inter, Rei’s headstone was visibly larger than the others of the Hino family. It was a small comfort to Minako, but a comfort nonetheless.

  Minako stood silently in front of the grave for a few minutes. Ritual called for Minako to polish and clean the grave with one of the brushes hanging from various pillars, but she could do that together with her friends later on in the day. Offerings of items the deceased had enjoyed in life were expected, but her friends would doubtlessly have that covered: Usagi would bring handfuls of the plum-flavored candy Rei had liked, while Makoto would bring white Casablanca lilies that she grown for this very purpose.

  Minako had her own gift planned, but for now, she had nothing but the incense stick in her hands. She pulled out her lighter and lit the incense before placing the end into the soft ground in front of the grave. Minako kneeled and clasped her hands together, feeling a little silly to be doing this with no one beside her. These kinds of rituals weren’t at all her style, but she knew that Rei (with her Shinto background) valued them. So Minako would do it.

  “It’s been three years, huh? It feels like barely any time has passed.” Minako said to the empty air, knowing that speaking to the dead was an expected part of visiting their grave.

  Thankfully, her mind was not crass enough to have her guilt-driven image of Rei respond here. The near-silence of the cemetery was all that reached Minako’s ears, though she still had the faint impression of someone standing behind her. Minako took a deep breath, noted the not-altogether-unpleasant scent of the burning incense, and continued.

  “I’d like to say that I’m doing well, but all I can say is that I’m doing the same.” Minako said softly, feeling unusually honest at the moment.

  If Minako hadn’t made much progress in fixing herself during the last three years, she could at least say that she hadn’t managed to destroy herself either. Although they were nights where she desperately wanted to, Minako hadn’t drunk herself into oblivion. She had kept any other appetites from spiraling out of control, though the occasional slipup was unavoidable.

  “You’ll be happy to know that Makoto and I have patched things up, though. I can’t believe I spent all that time blaming her. She really should have kicked my ass to the curb a while ago, but you know how she is. We actually had dinner a couple of weeks back.” Minako explained in an easier manner, not feeling the pressure to maintain an overly respectful air with no one else around.

  As Minako went on, a tightness in her stomach she hadn’t known was there gradually loosening. It felt good to talk here. Minako never let herself converse with the image of Rei her mind had conjured, lest she intensify her delusions. But talking to Rei’s headstone felt…healthy, sort of. It was a feeling Minako hadn’t experienced much of lately.

  “As for Ami, we keep in touch. She’s in her final year of residency. Maybe once her schedule isn’t so hectic, we’ll be able to meet up more than a couple of times a year.” Minako remarked, genuinely hopeful that would be the case.

  Minako’s clearest memory of Ami had been in the days after Rei’s death. Her always-analytical friend had explained to Minako and anyone who would listen that the explosion had been so powerful that Rei likely hadn’t felt a thing, obliterated in an instant as she was. Minako’s response hadn’t been kind, but she was no longer so ungenerous in her thoughts. If Ami was comforted by that knowledge, then Minako was glad. She hoped her other friends were too.

  “Michiru and Haruka are doing great, as you’d expect. We see each other pretty often. I get invited to their house every weekend, but I obviously don’t take them up on it every time. If I don’t go two weeks in a row though, Haruka comes around. She seems to think I need looking after sometimes. I didn’t really appreciate it early on, but now I do.” Minako went on with a laugh, feeling unusually light and airy.

  Though Minako didn’t want to admit it, those standings invitations were an important part of keeping her worst impulses from taking control. She could hardly go on a bender (alcoholic, sexual, or otherwise) without Michiru and Haruka finding evidence of that. Minako wasn’t certain what they would do if she did, but the desire to avoid seeing disappointment in Michiru’s face or what would no doubt be a strenuous attempt to “help” her from Haruka was enough to make Minako not want to find out.

  “I’m sure you want to know about Usagi most of all. We hang out all the time. That hasn’t changed. I think Mamoru is finally getting ready to pop the question. If he hasn’t done it by the time summer’s over, I’ll have to speak to him.” Minako explained, her voice taking on a faux-grim tone.

  Even more helpful than Michiru and Haruka’s ministrations was Usagi’s need for comfort. Though everyone had been hit hard by Rei’s death, Usagi was the only one who had been as close to Rei as she was. Minako couldn’t afford to go to pieces when Usagi needed her. The time they spent together was difficult for Minako, as Usagi’s easy ability to channel her emotions clashed with Minako’s arms-length relationship with her own. But that was why it was so important for Minako to be around her.

  “That about covers it. I…I think you know there were things I wanted to say to you. Things I never got the chance to, and now I never will. I just…” Minako whispered, trying to press on but was suddenly unable to.

  Tears filled Minako’s vision before she was able to shut her eyes. Of course. Loosening the tight grip she had kept on herself was always going to result in this happening. Minako’s first impulse was to grab ahold of herself again and will the tears to stop. But she didn’t. Minako dropped her hands and let her tears come hard and fast, glad that this embarrassing breakdown wasn’t happening in front of her friends.

  It was quite a while before Minako had finished crying. She hadn’t allowed herself to do so in a long time. It was probably only the fact that her tears were not actually limitless that she had managed to stop. Minako wiped her cheeks and took several moments to catch her breath before she felt she was ready to continue.

  “But that’s all in the past, sadly. You can’t change it, no matter how much you might want to. All you can do is use it to impact the future.” Minako said quietly, repeating words of advice that had been given to her.

  They had always seemed like terribly hollow words. But as Minako stood up from the ground and regarded the headstone in front of her, she saw them in a slightly different light. Rei’s existence was entirely in the past now. She was in a place Minako could never reach, but did that mean that her friend had no effect on the world she had left behind? Hardly.

  “I’d say goodbye, but there’s no need. I’ll be back here in a few hours with everyone else. We’ll see if Usagi manages to keep herself from eating all of those candies you like.” Minako said with a wink, reasoning that she might as well try to reclaim some of her famous charm now.

  Minako turned to leave the cemetery. As she made her way through the pathways between family plots, something seemed different to her. Minako couldn’t put her finger on it until she was nearly at the cemetery gates. There were no footsteps trailing behind her. Minako couldn’t sense any presence there at all, in fact.

  The ride back to her apartment went by in a flash, and not because Minako had leaned too heavily on the throttle. The air seemed fresher to Minako, though that was certainly her imagination. The Greater Tokyo Area had not suddenly become more breathable, that was for sure.

  It was with a slight sense of trepidation that Minako entered her apartment. Everything was still, which meant Sanae had indeed left. There were no signs of theft or destruction, thankfully. The only difference Minako had found was a small note left on the kitchen table.

  “I took you up on your generous offer to use your shower. Maybe I shouldn’t have expected anything else, but what’s done is done. I can’t say I’m not a little pissed, but I will say this: Here’s my number, and if you have the guts to call it, I’ll be expecting you to bring a gift to make it up to me. Make it a nice one, okay? -Sanae”

  Minako smiled at the note. What’s done was indeed done. Minako’s admittedly shabby treatment of Sanae couldn’t be changed, but the future was her own to make.

  Now the question was: what gift might Sanae like?

DELECTABLE. SO much of the things I love on display–I’m a huge sucker for the graveside visit, always have been always will be, this idea that we have to say things to people who are gone, even if we don’t think they can hear. I of course love the touches with Haruka, but also this idea that Mina CAN hurt but move on. That it’s doesn’t have stay like this. THank yoU!

[sunfolaursa]

Okay, so I binged all of Galavant recently and I love one (1) King Richard and his very real dragon, Tad Cooper.

(I was briefly possessed, I HAD to sketch this.)

[galavant-song-tournament]

Round 4

Propaganda for Madalena:

Madalena's probably got enough brains, power and suspicion to last a good while. She gets rid of others before they can get rid of her.

She's got magic. That's bound to help.

c'mon now...

Propaganda for Tad Cooper:

In bearded dragon form no one would bother with him since he's nonthreatening. In dragon form he'd be a target but he's also a dragon and breathes fire so he'd certainly be able to fight back. It's established that Galavant has killed a dragon, so clearly there is an in-universe way to kill dragons but it's also told as a brag so it's got to be difficult at least.

tad cooper’s gonna win solely because he isn’t enough of an apparent threat for anyone to kill on GOT until he’s grown up

I think tad cooper’s gonna win solely because I SUPER BELIEVE IN YOU TAD COOPER!

Tad Cooper is a big target by nature of being a goddamn dragon. Everyone and their mother would be coming up with a strategy to take him out. What's worse, he's a loyal dragon--more specifically, he's loyal to Absolute Buffoon™ King Richard. By nature of Richard being a figure in power many would want deposed and his biggest piece of protection being a living WMD that Richard's enemies would be planning to take out first, I'm afraid Tad Cooper is toast.

We've got to remember that Tad Cooper isn't a dragon that no one is after, he's either a totally defenseless little creature that no one's after or he's a threatening dragon that everyone would be after. And even in his defenseless and unthreatening state, he's probably in the blast zone of any attacks on Richard since he's kept in Richard's coat, and let's be real, Richard would be being attacked so much.

He nearly did die in the finale of Galavant when Wormwood smacks him from Richard's hand, he just survives because it's Galavant not GOT.

[swanqueeneverafter]

Sins of the Past Pt.19

Somewhere In The Forest. (After travelling through the night and getting completely lost, Richard decides to lighten Henry’s mood.) Richard: “Psst! Psst! Psst! Henry. Henry! Henry, wake up. (Tapping his chest while leaning over him:) H-Henry! Wake up! I have incredible news!” Henry: “Ugh! Is that news that you've misplaced your toothbrush?” Richard: (Laughs:) “Zinger! No. No, you know how we're lost and if we keep heading into the land of the Giants we’re liable to be trampled to death?” Henry: (Sighs:) “Yes, we discussed it last night in great detail.” Richard: “Well, I have someone here who wants to lay all your fears to rest.” Henry: (Yawns:) “All right, but it better not be that pathetic excuse for a dragon.” Richard: (Turns holding said dragon in his hands:) “Can you believe it? Imagine how our foes will run in terror! What do you think?” Henry: “I think you're a complete idiot. (Throws off his blanket, stands and begins to walk away:) You do realize that I’m further away from joining up with Ella than I was when I started?” Richard: “Well... Hey, where you going?” Henry: “To find Ella... Without you.” Richard: “What? Why?” Henry: “Because I am done. I am done cleaning up your mess. I am done telling you that it's not your fault, because... news flash, Richard... it is your fault. I'm done with your weakness, with your whining, but most of all, I am done with you!” Richard: “Okay. I admit, I'm on a bit of an unlucky streak, but I am destined for great things. You'll see.” Henry: “You have about as much chance of great things as that lizard does of breathing fire.” Richard: “It's a dragon, and it can breathe fire. Show him, Tad Cooper! (Lifts him up:) Show him. Come on. Well clearly you make him nervous.” Henry: “The perfect pair... A dragon that isn't a dragon... And a king that isn't a king.” (Henry walks away.) Richard: “Well, I am done with you, too!”

Storybrooke. Town Line. (While Emma and Regina put up a protection spell at the town line, David concludes his phone call.) David: "That was Kristoff. He, Anna and Elsa are just leaving with a small delegation for Camelot." Mulan: "I understand how Elsa is feeling, but walking into Camelot without a plan is madness."

Ruby: "Elsa has a lot of experience with not showing her feelings. Her plan is to enter Camelot gracefully in order to get Lily and Maleficent out, gracefully." Regina: "That will never work. Are we forgetting about when Elsa first came to Storybrooke? She ended up freezing half the town because she couldn't keep her emotions in check. The sight of Lily being held behind bars is likely to cause Elsa to spiral out of control and send Camelot into a new ice age." Emma: (Considers:) "That might help Morgana and Morgause cool off for awhile." Regina: (Chuckles:) "That was terrible." Emma: (Smiles:) "I know." David: (Agitated:) "You know what, I don't think you realise the gravity of the situation here.” Snow White: “David...” David: “The Queen of Camelot has put a bounty on my daughter's head. Not only that, but it appears that she's kidnapped Maleficent and Lily in an attempt to persuade Emma to turn herself in. So you’ll excuse me if I don't happen to think that this is a laughing matter." Regina: "And you think I do? You think I enjoy the fact my wife is being hunted? Or that there's some rogue knight with magical powers out there waiting to strike and I have no way of finding him? It's been tearing me up since I first heard about the bounty in Neverland. So don't you dare lecture me on how I should feel when you're the one who let Mordred go on two separate occasions!" Emma: "All right, look, the protection spell is up so that means no one is coming in or out of Storybrooke. If we want to catch this Mordred guy, we're going to have to work together. Now I know Hook and Rumple are out looking east and Ruby and Mulan have volunteered to start searching west, which leaves the town and suburban areas. So I say we all head back to town and try to live our lives as best we can for now." Regina: "Agreed." (They break up. Mulan and Ruby heading to the woods while Emma and Regina walk back to Emma's bug. Now alone, Snow pulls David aside to talk.) Snow White: "David, you have got to calm down. You can't go having shouting matches with Regina every five minutes." David: (Sighs:) "I know, but I just feel like this time things might not turn out the way we hope. No matter what she says, Morgana is out for blood. If she has any chance of winning over her people, she has to look strong. And I'm terrified of what that'll mean for Emma." Snow White: "We won't let that happen." David: (Nods:) “I know we’ll try, and I will fight with my very last breath to prevent anything from happening to my daughter. But I gotta wonder how many more chances we have left until our luck runs out."

Wonderland. (Ella and Lizard walk together down the winding road.) Ella: "You're not helping me find Will for repayment of a financial debt, are you?” Lizard: (Stops walking and removes her hat. Shrugging:) “I was on the streets. He took me in, gave me a place to sleep. Taught me everything I know.” Ella: “Well, sorry to hear that.” Lizard: (Laughs:) “Come on, I know he can be difficult, but his heart's in the right place.” Ella: “Sounds like you two were close friends. Unless wait, were you two...” Lizard: “No. Uh, no. I mean... that would never... Will and I we just ran together. You know, stealing. Sometimes for the Caterpillar, and sometimes just for fun.” Ella: “You'd rob people for fun?” Lizard: “Will kind of went through a dark period after the whole Alice in the tower thing. So how do you know Will?” Ella: “Oh, he’s helping me find my mother.” Lizard: “Your mother?” Ella: “Yes, she fled to Wonderland a long time ago. Given his experiences here I thought Will would be the perfect guide but, well, we’ve had some interesting diversions along the way.” Lizard: “Speaking of diversions, we might not know where Will is right now, but if you’re interested, I might know someone who could help you find your mom?” Ella: “Who?” Lizard: “Well, she’s sort of an Oracle. She uses these crystals and... (At Ella’s sceptical look:) yeah I know, but it could be worth a shot?” Ella: (Considers:) “How far from here is this Oracle, because Will did say we’d meet back up at Tulgey Woods?” Lizard: “Oh, well that’s perfect, it’s right on the way. So, what do you say?” Ella: “All right, you’re on.” Storybrooke. Zelena's Farmhouse. (While Zelena dotes on Maria, Regina and Emma smile at each other.) Emma: "Thanks for looking after her, Zelena. We kinda needed our hands free while putting the protection spell around the entire town." Zelena: (Replying to Emma, but speaking to Maria:) "Oh we didn't mind at all now, did we? No, we didn't." (Emma and Regina exchange looks, Emma motions towards the baby and Regina shakes her head.) Emma: (Sighs, awkwardly:) "So, um, thanks again and we'll just take her and be out of your hair." Zelena: (Finally looking up:) "Oh, so soon? It seems I hardly get to see my niece much anymore." Regina: "Well we just figured with you helping Robin out at the bar and any alone time you wish to spend with Robin Hood..." Emma: "We didn't want to impose." Zelena: "It's no trouble at all. I can take her all day if you'd like?" Emma: "Well..." Zelena: "It's just so hard sometimes, thinking about all those years I missed out on with Robin. Between Gothel's aging spell and... that unfortunate incident with some enchanted onion rings... I feel as though my time spent with Maria gives me at least a glimpse at what those precious years of motherhood could have been like." (Running her tongue across her lips to stifle a smile, Regina looks up at Emma, who realises she's being played.) Emma: "I... if you think it wouldn't be too much trouble..." Zelena: (Her attention already focused on Maria:) "I'll have her back before dark." (Under the distinct impression that they've just been dismissed, Emma and Regina make their farewells and leave the farmhouse.) Sheriff's Station. (Sitting with his feet up on one of the desks, Rumplestiltskin watches as Hook paces angrily up and down.) Rumplestiltskin: "You'll wear a hole in the floor, you know." Hook: "That's the problem! I don't know anything. I don't know if my wife and daughter are alive or dead!" Rumplestiltskin: "I understand how you're feeling. When the Jabberwocky took Belle and Gideon from me, it was all I could do not to lose my mind. But we must be patient." Hook: "Patience is not something I'm used to. Action has always been my answer." Rumplestiltskin: "Well it can't be now. At least not yet. Despite the fact that we would be crushed if we attempted to go up against Camelot's army, we don't know what capabilities Morgana and Morgause have."

Hook: "Emma and Regina can tackle any magical force that comes their way." Rumplestiltskin: "Not necessarily. Don't get me wrong, their combined magic is stronger than any I've encountered. It is far more powerful than even the Darkness could've hoped to be. But these two women, they have honed their magical craft under the Old Religion." Hook: "So?" Rumplestiltskin: "There is a reason I stayed away from Camelot all those years. The Old Religion encapsulates the entire history of magic, light and dark. It goes back even further than Merlin's time. Without truly knowing what we'd be up against, I'm afraid caution is the only correct course of action we have available to us right now." Walking Through The Forest. (Still angry about his fight with Henry, Richard trudges through the forest talking to his pet dragon.) Richard: "You can't do anything right, Richard. Everything's a disaster, Richard. You've ruined my life, Richard. That's not a real dragon, Richard. Well, you know what? Henry may not believe in you, but I do. I super believe in you, Tad Cooper. ♪ Hey, little fella, I know just what you're thinkin' ♪ ♪ Nobody gets you or sees what you could be ♪ (He walks through a field to the bewilderment of several sheep:) ♪ But pluck up your courage and turn that frown up ♪ ♪ Soon we will eat this entire town up ♪ ♪ Then they'll believe in my dragon pal and me ♪ (Richard and Tad Cooper now sitting upon a tree swing:) ♪ That's right, little fella ♪ ♪ We'll leave those doubters blinkin' ♪ ♪ We're gonna show 'em a thing or two or three ♪ (Richard now spinning in circles as he sings:) ♪ Imagine the wonder that we'll inspire ♪ ♪ When we are setting their heads on fire ♪ ♪ Then we'll be even, my dragon pal and me ♪ (Crossing a bridge, letting the dragon feel the wind blow through its... scales:) ♪ We'll rise up ♪ ♪ And open their eyes up ♪ ♪ We'll light the skies up ♪ (Back on the tree swing:) ♪ And rain destruction and death on their wives and kids ♪ (Mimicking an attack on a village:) Raar! Raar! Aah! ♪ So, when, little fella, you feel your heart is sinkin' ♪ ♪ Just you remember, one day, we'll make them see ♪ ♪ And when they are watching, completely flipped out ♪ ♪ As their intestines are being ripped out ♪ ♪ They'll all look up to us, then I guarantee ♪ (More spinning in a field:) ♪ Then they'll believe in my dragon pal and me ♪ ♪ Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo doo doo doo ♪ ♪ Then they'll believe in me ♪ ♪ They'll believe in...Me ♪ (Richard collapses contentedly onto the ground, Tad Cooper clutched against his chest, when a group of men surround him with clubs:) I must warn you... I have a dragon.”

Storybrooke. Goldilocks' Gym. (Rather than sit and do nothing, Regina and Emma decide to work up a sweat at the local gymnasium. Having sparred with Gabrielle and outrun Tinker Bell on the treadmill, Emma searches for her wife. Wandering to the back of the gym where the private rooms are located, Emma glances through each window before finally finding Regina. Entering the room, she finds the brunette doing stretches while wearing a blue leotard.) Regina: (Smiling over her shoulder:) "Good workout, dear?" Emma: (Taking a seat on the floor, wincing:) "I'm definitely gonna feel it tomorrow. (Watches as Regina continues stretching:) So this is what you've been doing, warming up?" Regina: (Chuckles:) "There's slightly more to it than that. I haven't done these kind of stretches in years." Emma: (Leaning back on her hands:) "Well don't let me stop you, I'm loving the view." (Wordlessly, Regina turns to her and, placing her hands beneath her chin in an innocent pose, begins to sink to the floor. When her elbows finally touch the ground, Regina enjoys the expression on Emma's face.) Regina: "I can't tell what's wider, your eyes or my legs." Xena: (Standing in the doorway:) "That's not so hard." Regina: (Lifting her eyebrow:) "Oh really? (Swings her leg beneath her and somehow manages to spin around into a standing position:) Care to try it?" Gabrielle: (Arriving, towel in hand:) "Xena, don't you dare." Xena: (Confidently:) "I've got this, Gabrielle." Gabrielle: "No, Xena. Don't-" (But before anyone can stop her, Xena lets out a yell, flips in midair into a somersault and lands, split legged on the floor. Emma places her hands over her ears at the thudding sound, Gabrielle covers her eyes, unable to watch and Regina covers her mouth, to stifle her snigger of laughter. With her eyes now wider than Emma's were a moment ago, Xena remains in her prone position, incapable of movement, mouth agape. After a brief moment of uncertainty, the three spectators converge upon Xena, each helping the famed warrior princess up from the floor.) Forest. (While looking at a map, Henry walks through the forest and trips over something, landing in the dirt.) Andre: (His voice echoing through the woods:) “Who goes there?” Henry: (Staring up at the men stood at the top of a steep hill:) “Oh, goodness. Giants.” Andre: “State your business, wee man.” Henry: “I'm Henry. I’m completely lost and need to find my fiancee. (They stare down at him, unmoved by his plight:) You know, I'm told your people are among the fiercest warriors in the land.” Andre: “Among? We are Giants, with fists the size of pumpkins.” Henry: “Pumpkins, good.” Andre: “And heads so big, they blot out the sun.” Henry: “Perfect.” Andre: “We love a good war. Don't we, fellas?” Other Giants: “Yeah!” Andre: “Hush! Titan, Colossus, pull him out of there!” (A giant reaches down and offers his hand, pulling Henry out of the mud.)

Henry: “This is great. Thank you so much. Hi. Henry. I'm... Hello. (He looks around, now towering over the giants:) I'm so sorry. Aren't you supposed to be...Taller? I mean, not to be rude, but you did say that your heads blocked out the sun.” Andre: “Yes, they do block out the sun. You've got to catch it at the right angle. Sorry. Can I, uh, just... Here? Uh...There. Complete darkness.” Henry: “Mm. Are you sure that you're giants?” Andre: “Of course we are giants. Just very short giants is all.” Titan: “Fee fie fo fum.” Andre: “Yeah. Well said, Titan. We will join you on your quest... On one condition.” Henry: “I’m quite certain I didn’t ask, but yeah. Go on.” Andre: “You must prove your loyalty by helping us fight our most hated enemy... The Dwarves!” Giants: “Yeah!” Titan: “Stinkin', tiny, awful, high-pitched-voiced Dwarves.” Andre: “Right again, Titan. Tonight, we meet to set the rules of battle, and tomorrow, we fight. So, what do you say? It shouldn't take long. They're only very small. (The giants laugh:) Stop laughing!” Henry: (Takes a breath:) “Yeah. Why not? I'm desperate. Let's do this.” (The giants all cheer.) Camelot. Dining Room. (After a formal greeting between the two Queens, witnessed by courtiers and common people alike, Morgana and Elsa share dinner together alone.) Morgana: "I can't tell you how much it means to me to have Arendelle's support in this troublesome time." Elsa: "Of course. Camelot is a treasured ally." Morgana: "Even so, I realise Guinevere's abdication must have come as a shock?" Elsa: "From my conversations with her, I never had the impression that Guinevere truly embraced her position as queen. She, much like myself, was thrust into the role after the tragic death of a loved one. For me, my parents, for Guinevere, her husband. Your brother." Morgana: "Indeed, but you seem well suited to the role now." Elsa: (Smiles:) "I have my moments." Morgana: "Don't we all. Thank you, by the way. For referring to my brother's death as tragic. Others I've spoken to remember him as a cold and callous ruler." Elsa: "I couldn't comment, we never met." Morgana: "Others say his death was justified, and that Emma Swan was acting in self defense." Elsa: "Again, I couldn't possibly-" Morgana: "You are friends with Emma, are you not?" Elsa: "Yes, I-" Morgana: "Close friends, would you say?" Elsa: "For a time, we were very close, yes." Morgana: "Was that before or after she became the Dark One and killed my brother?" Elsa: "I don't know what you're trying to imply but-" Morgana: "I'm merely asking if you are still friends with the woman who killed this nation's King and refuses to stand trial for that crime under Camelot law." Elsa: "From what I understand, your majesty, Arthur not only threatened Emma directly, but also her family. (Sitting a little higher in her seat:) And frankly, if you want my honest opinion, yes, your brother did deserve exactly what he got. If it had been me, I might've done the exact same thing." Morgana: (Smiles:) "There now. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Elsa: "Excuse me?" Morgana: (Chuckles:) "The one thing I remember vividly from my time in Uther's court is having keep up the pretense of propriety. It was always exhausting and I hated it. We are alone, Elsa. You don’t have to worry about airs and graces with me. I've hated my so-called brother for years for what he did to me. Of course I do not mourn his loss, but you must understand, for me to be truly cemented as Queen in the eyes of the people, his death must be avenged. Now, please tell me why you are really here?" Elsa: (Taken aback by Morgana's mercurial nature:) "I..." Morgana: "Oh come now, I know you didn't just come here to welcome Camelot's queen." Elsa: (Conjures Lily's sweater into her hand:) "My lover is missing. I used a locator spell to find her and the trail brought me to Camelot." Morgana: (Sitting back in her chair, fingers pressed together:) "I see." Elsa: "I have reason to believe that Lily and her mother Maleficent may be imprisoned here in the castle." Morgana: "Maleficent? Her powers are legendary. And you believe me capable of capturing both her and her daughter and locking them away in my dungeons?" Elsa: "Well...I..." Morgana: (Leaning forward:) "I'm not sure if you're aware, but we've had a mass breakout from our dungeons just very recently. Of those who escaped, none of them possessed any trace of magical ability. (Chuckles:) I'm sorry, but to think that I would be brazen enough to house you, your sister and brother-in-law whilst keeping your lover and the mighty Maleficent locked away in my dungeons is ludicrous." Elsa: "So you deny it?" Morgana: (Still smiling:) "Wholeheartedly. In fact, why don't I accompany you to the dungeons so you may see for yourself? (She stands, tossing down her napkin:) Come, I could do with a walk before tackling dessert."

Storybrooke. Swan-Mills House. Night. (With Maria tucked up in bed, Regina sits at the piano. Practicing a few chords, Regina doesn't see Emma as she enters the room. Smiling when Emma rubs her shoulders, Regina leans back against her.) Regina: "Ready to play?" Emma: "You have no idea." (Walking to stand beside the piano, Emma's nakedness is revealed for the first time. The moonlight pouring in through the windows highlighting every breathtaking curve of her body.) Regina: "So you weren't serious about letting me teach you then?" Emma: (Smiles, perching herself against the piano:) "Oh, I thought we might teach each other. You know it's always more fun when we both learn a thing or two." (Slowly rising from her seat, Regina seizes Emma's lips with her own. The keys of the piano playing a cacophony of notes as Emma's body is pressed up against them.) Regina: (Smiling against Emma's lips:) "I think you'll be glad to know, I've already warmed up my fingers." Wonderland. (Lizard and Ella stand at the entrance to the Oracle's garden. The Oracle herself can be seen a short distance away, her back to them.) Lizard: "Are you sure you want to do this?” Ella: “If you were granted the same opportunity, would you not want to meet your mother again?” (Walking further into the garden, Ella nervously approaches the Oracle while Lizard stays behind, watching.) Oracle: “Welcome, Ella.” Ella: “That’s... (Glances back at Lizard then stares at the Oracle:) How did you know my name?” (The Oracle turns to face her, revealing herself to be...) Morgause: “I’ve been waiting for you. I hold the answer to the question that burns inside you. I know what happened to your mother, Ella.”

[loanmeadragon]

For the fic writers meme: 2, 4 & 10!! 💜

2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

Yes! I want to try writing mpreg, but I haven’t yet because it squicks a lot of people but also I haven’t been pregnant so I can’t write from experience like I want to (catch me in a couple of years maybe). I��m really particular about how I want it, otherwise it squicks me as well, so I figure I’ll just write it the way I want it. Eventually.

4. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

WAY TOO MANY TBH. I have a document filled with dumb ideas. Let me poke through it real quick.... okay enjoy a few of my dumber ideas:

“Crossover with Galavant, Merlin accidentally uses his dragonlord voice to call whatever dragon is listening and ends up with Tad Cooper. King Richard and co go on a quest to find him and the whole thing is ridiculous. Merlin spends a lot of time wondering who the hell calls a dragon Tad Cooper.”

“Uther loves to golf. He takes any excuse to play a round, whether it be down time or as a business meeting. When he was younger, Arthur always caddied for him and ended up falling in love with the game as well. Turns out he was significantly better at it, though, and as an adult he’s a professional golfer on the PGA circuit, and is currently the only man from GB in the PGA. He has a club he prefers to golf at (and sometimes serves as the resident pro that people can pay to have lessons with) when he’s not traveling, and they have a new pro shop attendant that Arthur is drawn to for more than the scathingly witty and sarcastic banter whenever the two of them are in the same vicinity. Turns out Merlin only works there so he can use the course without having to pay for it in his off time, as he aspires to become a pro as well. Even knowing that he could be helping a future rival, Arthur offers to work with Merlin to improve his game and his chances of making it as a pro, poorly disguising his romantic interest in him as professional courtesy and a desire to see another countryman on the circuit. Arthur also has one of those really ridiculous pro golfer nicknames (example: there is a golfer on the PGA circuit whose nickname is FIGJAM, which stands for ‘fuck I’m good, just ask me’ and if that isn’t Arthur then I don’t know what is.)”

“Dragon’s Den (Shark Tank but in the UK) AU where Arthur is an investor and Merlin comes asking for an investment for his business and heart eyes ensue.”

10. Which fic has been the easiest to write?

Honestly, for as much as I complain about the writing process, all my Merthur fics have come very easily to me. This ship and fandom is just a neverending font of creativity and the people in the fandom are super supportive and I have loved every second of being in fandom and will continue to write for it for as long as the muse allows, which I hope will be a very long time.

Thanks for the ask, @fervidasaflame!!!

[catsi]

the hardest part of showing Galavant to a friend for the first time is keeping your fucking cool when they go “you know, i super believe in Tad Cooper! i think he’s a real dragon!!” and you have to turn to them and say with a straight face “dude that’s a fucking lizard.”

[tenyatrash]

Galtean Klance AU Meet-Cute

Hello! I’m going through my GDrive and uploading all the pieces that I wrote for apps and then never posted.

Here’s my first ever Klance piece, which is a short one-shot of two guardsmen from different species meeting in an Altean courtyard after a tree-climbing expedition goes awry. Come for bored Galran Keith, stay for smarmy Altean Lance’s attempts to flirt (with mixed results).  

Read it here or below the cut:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19781197

Keith flicks through the security report as his foot skims the purple flowers in the garden below. He’s been ordered to be polite, to be open, to make himself available to their Altean hosts. He wouldn’t half mind, but all the sunshine and pastels are a tad much, and he’s pretty sure he’s developing a pollen allergy.

Still, he’s heard the speech enough times not to bother protesting.

“Guardsmen, you stand in the legacy of Voltron! Voltron: a shining symbol of the peace and prosperity that we can all experience when our races stand together, united by bonds of brotherhood and love.”

Yada, yada, yada.

Look, it’s not like he has anything against Voltron, or the concept of cooperation (at least in theory). But no matter how many speeches the top brass gives or how many weapons they allow the Honor Guard to carry, nothing can change the fact that this is diplomatic duty, and his sworn oath iss...to defend an Altean courtyard.

“To the death,” he snorts in a mock salute to an overly curious honey-catcher that has decided his hair might be some special new flower, worthy of investigation.

A pair of boys with cotton candy hair enter the peaceful enclave, screaming in childish joy as their shared kite takes to the wind (before promptly getting tangled in a tree). They’re soon followed by an older girl who seems more seafoam than Altean, so wild and overwhelming is her gauzy dress and loose-bound hair. The boys pull on her hands and entreat her to rescue their kite from its new home in the iridescent leaves of the Balaa tree. Keith sees her point in his direction and he has to suppress the sudden and intense urge to flee, dereliction of duty be damned. Sure enough, moments later his relatively peaceful existence is shattered by two chattering boys, who fall over themselves as they beg him to retrieve their paper dragon.

“Uh, that’s not really-”

Big eyes look up at him. Holy flames, are they crying? Over this?

He imagines the security debriefing, where he has to explain why Senator So-and-so’s child was weeping about evil Galra, and admits defeat. With his luck, these are probably royal princes and that kite is actually some sacred treasure.

“Alright. Let’s...go climb a tree, I guess.”

The boys scream in ear-splitting joy as they grab two gauntleted hands and drag him to his quarry. This is not what he intended when he joined the garrison and declared his intent to become a great protector. ... Climbing the tree takes an embarrassingly long time.

The Balaa is taller and smoother than it appeared on first glance, and when Keith pulls a dagger to help with his ascent, Ms. Mermaid nearly faints before the boys, (brothers, it turns out), explain to him, as if he’s very young and very stupid, that the Balaa tree is very sensitive and very special and he can’t, under any circumstances, damage it.

Because of course the kite had to get caught in a magic tree. Because that’s Keith’s luck.

He ends up having to give up his weapons, his boots, and his gauntlets before he’s allowed to continue his valiant efforts at conquering the tree. At some point, his audience offers to let him give up, their faith in their hero dwindling with each failed attempt. But Keith is stubborn. This isn’t about the tree or the kite anymore, it’s about his honor. As a Galra. As a man.

That’s how he ends up alone and stuck in a Balaa tree as the sun sets and the moons rise. Soap-bubble leaves seem to giggle at him as he gives up and lays flat on his back, waving his prize in the air, making laser sounds with his mouth as he imagines it’s one of the Empire’s fighters instead of a pastel toy.

“Need some help up there, Ace?”

Keith looks down and locks eyes with one of the Altean guardsmen, a tall man with dusty lilac hair, softly shining armor, and brilliant, luminescent markings that shine like stars in the fading light of the walled garden.

Keith coughs and tries to hide the toy behind his back, which necessitates sitting up, which upsets his balances which...is how he ends up falling directly into the arms of the smarmiest Altean he’s ever met.

Look, mistakes were made. He just hopes none of the other members of the garrison are seeing this.

“Wha-? How?”

He blinks up in confusion, something his rescuer takes full advantage of as the Altean fires off a dazzling smile and leans in close, whispering:

“I’m Lance, and you’re right here in my arms.”

Keith wonders if punching counts as rudeness in this situation. He sighs. Probably. Instead, the grumpy Galra reaches forward and pinches his rescuer’s cheeks, the surprise attack giving him time to find his own feet and to enjoy the positively undignified (and very un-Altean) squeak that Lance lets out as he rubs at his markings and glares at his not-so-grateful comrade.

“Oh, come on! What are you, part snick?”

“Yeah. It’s an ancient Galra secret. We all have secret pincher powers.”

Keith sets down the kite while Lance pouts. If the kids care about it, they can come find it in the morning. For now, he turns away from Lance and starts putting on his discarded armor, hopping awkwardly on one foot as he tries to force a boot back on. Lance, cheeks and self-confidence rapidly re-inflating, tries to make small talk with the very cute, very distant Galra Honor Guard. He’ll woo him right here in a stunning adaptation of the beloved romance opera, “Rielle and the Forbidden Meringue.” This is his chance to showcase his intellect, his ardour, his way with words:

“So...you like gardens? Altean gardens, I mean? You...come out here often?”

Keith, newly rebooted, looks up and quirks an eyebrow. Smooth Lance, real smooth.

“Well, it’s my duty station. So yes, I’m here often.”

Lance waits for a continuation of the conversation, maybe some playful banter, but he’s bound for disappointment. That’s okay though. He’s a stubborn man, according to everyone who knows him and several who don’t, which he considers a point of personal pride.

“My posting too, but I guess our shifts don’t overlap.”

“Lucky.”

“Huh?”

Keith sighs and looks around as he picks up the abandoned security report and looks out across the darkened courtyard, enjoying the way the moons bathe the sleeping foliage in hues of plum and cerulean.

“This is my first time seeing it, but...I like it better at night. The colors, the sounds...it’s more like home. You’re lucky to be alone under the stars instead of suffocating in the sun.”

He blushes faintly and looks away while Lance restrains himself from breaking into song and dance at getting a multi-syllabic reply. He’s the smoothest in the garrison. He knew it!

“Huh..Well, do you want me to show you around, then?”

Keith hesitates.

“Come on, you might like it! And after all, what kind of guardsman would I be if I didn’t try to make you feel more at home?”

There’s a long pause as Keith weighs his options and his interests.

“Fair enough. What kind of guardsman would I be if I didn’t accept the chance to learn more about my post?”

The two men walk in a lazy and winding patrol, their stride occasionally broken by Lance’s antics. First, it’s the way Lance casually slides his arm through Keith’s while explaining the history of a particular birdbath. Then, it’s the way he pulls Keith down to smell a moon-blooming Orva, soft but insistent that his new friend/hostage just has to take a sniff. Keith’s not sure if these are pre-planned or the result of genuine puppy-like enthusiasm, but he finds he doesn’t mind, either way. He’s...enjoying himself, against his better judgment.

They’re at the far side of the garden, where the smooth walls and manicured lawns give way to the trees, when Lance grabs Keith’s hand and pulls him into the forest, heliotrope eyes locked on some small and fluttering thing.

Any protestations that Keith might make die on his lips as he’s pulled into a glade, where a small lunar moth rejoins its fellows, creating an undulating vortex of bioluminescent wings that beat softly around the two guards. Keith feels his mouth tip open as he lets his eyes follow the dives and glides of the creatures against the night sky, their gentle glow tricking his eyes into imagining them reaching all the way to the heavens. Lance has seen the dance of these moths for decades now, but he can’t help but be swept away anew as he watches the way the Galra’s eyes shine like molten gold, the way his lips part in awe as he watches.

He feels Keith’s hands squeeze into his, eyes still bewitched by the patterned and swirling wings.

“It’s...beautiful.”

Lance keeps his eyes on Keith.

“Yes, beautiful.”

Something in the other man’s tone breaks Keith’s focus. He looks down from the moths and the fog clears, pink slowly spreading like a bruise under mauve skin. He’s here, in a glade, in the moonlight, in Altea, holding hands with a stranger, surrounded by…

Wait a second…

He leans in close and can’t resist smirking at the way Lance’s eyes widen at his approach. He’s never been one for romance, but he tries his hand at a seductive whisper all the same:

“Hey, Lance?”

“Un- Yeah?”

“Is it just me, or is this straight outta ‘Rielle and the Forbidden Meringue?’”

And….the spell is broken.

Lance blushes all the way back to the barracks, spastic hand movements and insistences that it was just a coincidence continuing to the unguarded doors just off the side of the garden.

As Keith continues to smirk, Lance jams his hands into the pockets of his cape and mumbles about stupid Galra Diplomatic Envoys and how rude it is to show sacred films to young cadets and ruin the romantic overtures of the native population.

Keith hums to himself as he inputs his security code and turns back to the still pouting Altean. He clicks his tongue good naturedly and reaches out a hesitant hand, first planning to reach for his cheek but panicking at the last minute and instead settling for a head pat.

The rollercoaster of emotions that that simple action incites is enough to break Lance’s mumble-rant.

“Uh?”

Keith gently ruffles the other man’s hair and smiles good-naturedly, hoping he’s not giving himself away too easily. Wow, his hair is soft.

“Film or no, thanks for the tour. Honestly.”

Before Lance can come up with a charming response, Keith leans over and presses a quick kiss against the side of his mouth, nerves and low-lighting throwing off his intended trajectory just a smidge.

While Lance’s brain short circuits, Keith slips into the safety of the barracks, his courage not lasting quite long enough to see how his clumsy attempt at romance was received. It’s a shame, because it means he misses the way the Altean traces the memory of the kiss with trembling fingers, the way he leans up against the wall and smiles up at the moons like a man reborn.

Keith, huh?

[flowerynameslover]

Galavant

Favorite character: Madalena. A female character who’s clever, ambitious, knows what she wants, is ruthless, pretty, but still has her humane moments that actually strengthen her character instead of weaken it? Sign me up! Plus I love the twist of a queen doing all of these dark things instead of the king like it usually is. I’m really annoyed that the show got canceled for many reasons, but mainly because I was so curious about what dark magic she would have learned. The main protagonists may have been Galavant and Richard (aka her two exes) but as far I am concerned, Madalena stole the show.

Least Favorite character: Roberta. Now I don’t dislike her character but rather I dislike how the show handled her. She has a lot of potential and has some good moments but it’s all kinda overshadowed in favor of her being Richard’s new love interest, and she deserves better than that. So yeah, I like Roberta, I am just unhappy with how they limited her character opportunities.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon):

1. Galavant x Isabela - this pairing was pretty obvious from the start and although I could see it coming from a mile away, I still loved it. Nothing special to say, it was handled well and I liked it. Basic but enjoyable, and with plenty of funny twists as per Galavant tradition.

2. Madalena x Gareth - now this was a pleasant surprise. Never saw this one coming and ended up really enjoying it. Surprised me how great these two fit together.

3. Galavant x Madalena - I wouldn’t say I shipped it so much as I liked the twists over the typical fantasy tropes, mainly the song they shared when Madalena tried to convince him to join her and become her boytoy. Again, I love the twists this show used with Madalena when it came to typical fantasy tropes.

4. Richard x Roberta - Don’t mind the pairing, just wish it had twists to it like the others listed above did. It was boring in comparison but I still liked it.

5. Richard x Madalena - I don’t ship it but it deserves a mention for basically driving into motion the plot of the show in the beginning. Otherwise I’d happily throw it into the dumpster.

Character I find most attractive: Our titular character Galavant, enough said.

Character I would marry: Sid. He’s kind, smart, supportive, etc. I adore his character.

Character I would be best friends with: Isabella. Much as I love Madalena, I strongly doubt she’d be interested in my friendship or anyone’s for that matter. I mean, look at how long it took her to open up to Gareth. Isabella seems easier to form a bond with and more trustworthy.

An unpopular opinion: Tad Cooper was pointless. We all knew he’d turn out to be a real dragon in the end. I have no issue with this trope but I am annoyed by how the show used it. By the time the truth is confirmed that he is indeed a dragon, there is just no point in it. The final battle has ended and he’s just revealed as a joke in the aftermath. They should have had his turn into a dragon during the final battle so that he actually served a purpose other than an overused joke.

My Canon OTP: Galavant x Isabela - this pairing was pretty obvious from the start and although I could see it coming from a mile away, I still loved it. Nothing special to say, it was handled well and I liked it. Basic but enjoyable, and with plenty of funny twists as per Galavant tradition.

My Non-canon OTP: I kinda like the idea of Sid x Isabella as a pairing but mostly I prefer them as friends.

Most Badass Character: Madalena. Pretty much exactly what I said above for favorite character category.

Most Epic Villain: Also Madalena. And also pretty much exactly what I said above for favorite character category.

Pairing I am not a fan of: Richard x Madalena -Like I said above, I don’t ship it but it basically drives into motion the plot of the show in the beginning. Otherwise I’d happily throw it into the dumpster.

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): As explained above in the least favorite character and unpopular opinion categories, Roberta and Tad Cooper.

Favourite Friendship: Sid and Galavant. I loved the ending of the episode where Sid had Isabella pretend to be his fiancé and Galavant pretend to be his squire. When Galavant realized how ungrateful and tough he was with Sid, he apologized and promised to keep the secret but he also encouraged Sid to be proud of the man he was. Most episodes like that would have ended with the lie being exposed and the liar being brutally humiliated, but Galavant had enough trust in Sid to learn to be comfortable with himself and honest with his family at his own pace. I think Galavant sees a lot of himself, or who he thinks he should be, in Sid.

Character I most identify with: Isabella. Confident, loyal, kind, but taking no nonsense from anybody.

Character I wish I could be: Also Isabella, for the same reasons mentioned in the previous section. Especially when she twisted the expectations of her speech to her army when they were about to enter a practically hopeless battle, that was my favorite moment of hers.