#the backbone of the entire plot

[sevensistershigh]

who is she? - i monster

[kideternity]

Kamen Rider X focusing I assume the latter half of the series on trying to track down blueprints for a sci fi horror godmode invention is surprisingly linear for a showa rider show

[amplexadversary]

fuck it's 2:40 and I have been typing up a ramble about Reinhard von Lohengramm that is in desperate need of proofreading because it has been a HOT minute since I watched LoGH.

Like, the FPA is my favorite faction in that show by a long shot and I'm less into the nobility drama on the other side

but someone else made a post fucking ages ago that I just saw which really ties in well to how I got an impression of Rein as a tragic figure, whose good intentions did not deliver, destroyed him and those close to him, re-enacted the very wrong that kicked off his ambition in the first place onto two different people, and left the whole galaxy worse off than it was before he took power.

[nondelphic]

minor side characters are the backbone of the story because, without them, who else is going to deliver a single line of dialogue that derails the entire plot in a way they never intended?

[thegreatyin]

to extreme TLDR as to why this board sucks in every possible way:

-proposing literally anything to the board requires talking every single member of the board into approving your proposal

-individual members have their own individual opinions on different types of proposals. for example, church-aligned members (the bishops, the reverend, etc) will be Very Difficult to talk into passing a proposal that directly goes against the church

-this means more time spent on convincing those members, which means more actions spent, which means more time spent

-actions recharge at a rate of 1 per every 10 minutes in fallen london

-you can have a maximum of 20 actions at a time as a free account

-on a board with 15+ members, a vast majority of those actions would be wasted on persuasive checks that may not even succeed to begin with (making you take Even Longer passing literally anything in the boardroom)

-thus, the optimal railway board is around 5-6 members or less. you want the absolute bare minimum to keep the railway running. anything more than that and you'll spend way too much time and actions convincing members that 1) do not need to be there and 2) Will strongly oppose being convinced in the first place

-the optimal railway board. is not. 21 fucking people on your railway board.

-i rest my case

ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

YES... HAHA...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[carmenilla]

byler literally WAS the california plot. they were the entire backbone. they were what made the california plot relevant to the story at all, they were the story

why would mike and will's close relationship (and its unresolved issues) be the entire point of the california plot? one of the main subplots of season 4? well

[conflictofthemind]

Montauk, The Project Rainbow, and Experiments in Time

It’s fairly common knowledge that Stranger Things is based on Montauk. The unfortunate part is that Montauk has been attributed to another ‘vaguely MK-ULTRA mind control related side project’ and not the big narrative that it is, with details incredibly close to plot points in Stranger Things that resulted in an attempted lawsuit years back. Montauk does not just set the general ‘spooky scientific experiments on kids’ tone for ST - it is the backbone of the whole lore. 

‘The Montauk Project’ Book / Conspiracy explained simply is that the US government unofficially experimented on humans with ‘great psychic ability’ to allow their psychic brain waves to interact with the normal electromagnetic waves of our world. The end goal being manifesting thoughts into reality, and opening up wormholes in time. This would give the military great advantage and potentially control over the outcomes of war. It then turns out the whole narrative of Montauk occurs within a time loop from 1943-1983, when the disappearance of a ship called the USS Eldridge opened up a wormhole which was connected with by a research subject in 1983. The time loop is self-causing - the entire reason the Montauk experiments take place are to further study the events that occurred on this ship, but part of the reason the ship disappears is because of the Montauk Project. Due to all of the other time travel references within the series - trust, we will get into those - this leads me to believe it’s very unlikely there isn’t time travel / a time loop involved. Here I hope to posit the basic information about Montauk/The Philadelphia Project, how the powers work within ST, Will’s clear involvement in all of it, and the time travel element. 

Ahahaha why does that look like a bowl-cut…

Let’s put this out of the way first: the idea that Montauk/Philadelphia is the direct inspiration for the show is not based on flimsy grounds. The original series the Duffers planned to make was going to be an actual retelling of Duncan Cameron’s (think El and Henry - main research subject of Montauk) story. This was later changed to become the story we know today with the characters we know today, although with different names and the title remaining Montauk. Some of the characters had names from Montauk too… like Mr. Clarke being Mr. Nichols. I’ll save that for a later post. The entire design of HNL is based off of the ‘Camp Hero’ / Montauk lab with the iconic banana-shaped radar disk. El’s Void ability comes from the ‘Seeing Eye’ power Duncan has in Montauk, where focusing on a personal item belonging to a person lets him see into their mind. The research subjects’ power is amplified by white noise and a sensory deprivation chamber - again, seen with El. 

The Rainbow Ship and the Electromagnetic Connection:

The Electromagnetic Spectrum is usually mentioned at least a little in every season. Joyce’s magnets falling off, El needing the radio, etc. Lights are another focus, with the kids in the Rainbow Room being tested on how they can manipulate lightbulbs, and the emphasis on lights flickering whenever powerful forces are being used or the Upside Down is interfering with Hawkins. I expect them to really start pushing it in Season 5, and we can already see evidence of this (below: the WSQK Squawk Van). They’re at a radio station, the Middle School kids are learning about light from Scott Clarke most likely, and you can see the abundance of rainbows everywhere. It’s my opinion that rainbows and light are the mechanism in which these gates open, and also when at high enough power, how time can become warped. ‘Project Rainbow’ is another title basically interchangeable with the USS Eldridge and Philadelphia Project. This was because “the mechanism involved was the generation of an incredibly intense magnetic field around the ship, which would cause refraction or bending of light or radar waves around the ship”. However as we remember, this had the unintended effect of teleporting the ship across space-time. In the ST Universe, this results in the Eldridge being teleported to Dimension X temporarily (without a gate being opened).

The eagle shoots out beams of a rainbow which are meant to represent the radio waves being broadcast. 

It’s a commonly asked question as to how Will ‘blinked’ out of that shed without a gate, considering only El was able to open them at that time. The close-up on the lightbulb is the last shot we see before he just vanishes. It’s not just powers interfering with the surrounding electricity; this bending of light is what took him to the UD. But when this happens, it doesn’t result in a gate. I also believe this will end up being the mechanism for the eventual time-travel plot we’ll be seeing. Again in Montauk, there is a ‘time-tunnel’ made between the Eldridge and 1983 Montauk that was caused by the disappearance. My original post investigating this was me hypothesizing that being able to bend light to travel faster than it could result in temporary anomalies that allow one to time travel. 

Anyway, back to the rainbows. Rainbows are one of the most common recurring symbols in Stranger Things. The Rainbow Room exists of course, and there’s a deliberate costuming choice, especially in later seasons with the brighter atmosphere, to have characters wearing rainbow patterned items. Holly’s room is full of rainbows, and there are multiple rainbow props scattered around other locations (Mike’s basement, Erica’s room, etc). Scott Clarke (seriously what is up with him) is introduced in Season 1 doing a lesson on ROYGBIV. The BTS pictures of S5 Hawkins Middle School have him teaching yet another lesson on the visible light spectrum. And space for some reason. This brings us back to the Rainbow Ship.  Now we know the USS Eldridge is a marine ship, not a spaceship. But for the characters who seem to have some connection to it, it is represented as one regardless.

Will drew something representing the USS Eldridge (which it is mentioned was not from a movie i.e. he came up with it using his own memory and mind). The main fixture of Henry’s playground, where a ‘significant’ memory took place also features this representation of the Eldridge. I suspect there might also be a larger reason it took the form of a spaceship, but for now, consider that the ST Universe’s version of aliens are the Demogorgons. And outer space is Dimension X. The ship ‘flew’ to ‘outer space’ (D-X) and encountered ‘aliens’. In Montauk, that is kind of what happens. It’s more metaphorical in Stranger Things. The comic book Henry is obsessed with in TFS is seemingly changed from the real life Captain Midnight who was an airplane pilot, to be an astronaut. I think there is some kind of “alien abduction” theme with both Henry and Will being suddenly transported to another dimension that is alien in itself. Even when the lab scientists enter the UD in the first few seasons, they use hazmat suits that are deliberately similar looking to spacesuits. Stranger Things is a story about UFOs and aliens that also isn’t exactly about UFOs and aliens. 

And then, I’ll mention the weirdest part of this all - Will knows about the Eldridge somehow. And he knew about it before he was ever kidnapped and attached to the hive-mind. 

This is either possible because 1) he was in fact involved in research projects at HNL, and maybe the Project Indigo before the age of 8 like the original “rainbowshipgate” suggests. Or 2), there is an element messing with time in this situation, just like in the original Montauk book series. Montauk is literally named ‘Experiments in Time’. They’ve nabbed Linda Hamilton from Terminator (a movie about time travel) for this final season. They’re referencing a Wrinkle in Time with the Episode 6 title and Holly plot. Then we have everything else involving Henry’s clock theming that hasn’t exactly explained itself yet. Thinking time travel is a far-fetched idea at this point is a bit ridiculous. 

It really depends on how crazy they go with the whole concept. One of the other main characters from Montauk I haven’t mentioned yet is Al Bielek. Al Bielek was the original “whistleblower” who came forward with his story after supposedly recovering his repressed memories of the events. He claims to have been on the crew of the USS Eldridge in a previous life as Edward Cameron, Duncan Cameron’s brother. When he was sent forward in time he ended up staying in 1983 whereas Duncan Cameron was effectively sent back to where he came. Very confusing. But the story is, the man’s a time traveler. 

I do wonder if Al Bielek is loosely the inspiration for Will’s part in the story. Will who has seemingly repressed memories of many points in his life and has been suggested to be a time traveler many times. His name appears on the grandfather clock. He wears Marty McFly’s outfit in the first season. He has knowledge of an event that happened in 1943. He has lines about “seeing into the future” and Mike calls him a time-traveler in the VR Game where the writing staff had access to scripts and a writer from the show. The Upside Down is stuck on “the day of Will’s disappearance” (in the Duffers’ words), though that one probably has a slightly simpler explanation. 

The exact mechanics of how that would work are unclear. Right now, as young as an eight year old Will needs to have the knowledge of the Eldridge - so this isn’t something he will only end up connecting with this season. My theory is that there is a time loop involved, and Will’s actions in the future of Season 5 have him interfere in some way with the 1943 Philadelphia Project / Project Rainbow. The time loop is cyclical and self-causing. Our Will Byers already has a past iteration in yet another timeline where he already went back and tried to interfere with the past (and likely died trying in 1943). Then he is reborn again in 1971, and awakes a very small portion of his past memories of the previous loops. If that doesn’t make sense, I created this handy-but-ugly flowchart to help you out: 

Basically there is no beginning, since the future causes the past and vice versa (a bootstrap paradox). Every Will would then have memories of a past self(selves). The time loop also gets more complicated than this. Did Henry create the mindflayer? It’s presented like that within the show, but let me remind you that shows with heavy mystery elements can and will purposely deceive you. In the First Shadow, Mr. Newby is attacked by the Mindflayer and produces a drawing of the entity - it’s purposely not shown to the audience, but considering the Mindflayer was supposedly just a black mass then why is that? And regardless, in order to have Henry become possessed by it, the Mindflayer was definitely not created by him in 1979. A few have written up theories about this already, I’ll link to my friend's two posts on this element of the time loop.  

I don't have anything else super definitive yet. But I believe wholeheartedly that this is the right direction to search in and I hope we can put more attention on the subject. All of this makes sense, from the military connections they keep pushing in the show, the time travel hints we have been getting, the origin story of Brenner (whose dad died aboard the ship) and the Rainbow Room, everything ties back to the Eldridge events being incredibly incredibly important going forward.

Here's a link where you can read through Montauk Experiments in Time for free.

[anachronismstellar]

No shade to Shen Yuan, I swear, I love the guy and I respect the hate and the spite, but

Did anyone ever consider that his hate might come from the place of not having been able to create the world he loved so much?

Yeah the story is filled with plot holes and unfortunately at some point Airplane had to sacrifice quality to pay the bills, but at the end of the day he was out there, putting time and effort to make something that turned up to be awesome and, I'm gonna say it again, it was good enough to pay his bills as a writer like holy fuck

Airplane was writing 10~20k words per day (again holy fuck) and Shen Yuan could have done something about it, he could have written fanfic, or idk gotten so mad that he wrote an entire story of his own, but no, he became a critic, and never wrote anything *new*, y'know? (again, no shade, analysts and theory people are the backbone of fandom, specially big ones)

I think that most of the time he was angry because he could see the potential, he could see how PIDW would be fucking awesome if Airplane had the resources to not starve (not that SY knew any of that), but he had to literally reincarnate into the story to be able to do something about it

Idk man, I keep thinking about Cucumber and Airplane friendship and I have so many feelings that I struggle to put into words lol

They are foils of each other, God of Creation and God of Change, one depending on the other to exist in their first and second lifes.

[maxdibert]

and the weight of carrying an entire book series on his shoulders—because, from the fourth book onward, Severus Snape is a fundamental pillar of the entire damn plot.

If you really think about it… He isn’t just a fundamental part of the plot from the fourth book onward—he is the foundation of the entire story. As strange as it may seem, that’s just the truth. Not Dumbledore, not Voldemort, not even Harry or anyone else—Snape.

He starts the story, and he finishes it. Everything that happens after his death had already been foreseen and decided—it was just the final step, the resolution. Snape is the connective thread of the entire damn series. He bridges the past and the future, accompanying Harry throughout his entire journey.

Thanks to Snape, we know more about Harry’s parents than from any other character in the story. From him, we learn what Harry must do in the future.

Snape is the foundation and backbone of the story—that’s a fact, and there’s no getting around it. He cannot be replaced or removed.

That’s why it drives me crazy when people reduce his entire role to just being a sarcastic teacher. He is so much more than just a mean professor, and if you don’t agree… uh, have you even read the books?

There are six fundamental characters in the saga: Harry, Ron, and Hermione as the protagonist and his companions, and then Voldemort, Dumbledore, and Snape as key external forces influencing the protagonist’s journey. The story wouldn’t make sense without any of those three, and people who try to downplay Snape’s role or even consider him expendable either haven’t read the books or have the literary analysis skills of a clam.

[tokyo-debunker-idk]

Crushed | 02

Summary: He's tried to convince Leo that you're a cool person, to which the former just scoffs and accuses Sho of having a crush. Honestly, the reaction is obnoxious – people of the opposite sex are perfectly able to have platonic friendships. Just because Sho's taken to bringing an extra lunch for you on training days so you can eat together after, and he enjoys spending time with you, and you're pretty and smell good even after an hour of sparring, doesn't mean he has a crush.

Pairing: Haizono Sho x Reader x Kurosagi Leo

Genre: Humor, romantic comedy, slowish burn, no real plot, Leo bullying

18+, minors DNI

~~~~~

"Haxs."

Leo is eavesdropping, an entirely common occurrence.

He is eavesdropping on you and Sho, an entirely uncommon occurrence.

Generally, the influencer uses his stigma to uncover juicy gossip or dark organizational secrets. It comes in handy when blackmailing rich, pathetic old men, or gaining influence in important decisions.

Plus, he loves to know things others don't. As soon as he smells anything suspicious, his own curiosity consumes him. Which is how he knows about the interesting issue with a spy amongst the ghouls.

Leo discovered that juicy little tidbit entirely by accident.

The salacious part of him had expected the secret meetings between Alan, the Vagastrom captain and Tohma, the prim and proper Frostheim Vice-Captain, to be some sort of lover's affair, kept secret due to the animosity between houses. He needed solid evidence before wielding the conjecture as a weapon (Alan's remarks about his investigation being incomplete do not rankle), so he used the honor student's ability to bypass whatever anomalous sound-proofing had been done to the beat-up old car the two men had been meeting in.

And he had learned something infinitely more fascinating than he had expected.

That ability of yours is quite useful, especially at Darkwick, where secrets simmer beneath the apparent calm of the status quo. No one wants to talk about the mysterious Clash that led to the dissolution of three houses and the poorly hidden tension in the air. It's obvious that any discussions of actual worth are held behind closed, sound-proofed doors.

To satisfy his itching curiosity, he needs to use the meek, helpful little honor student with no backbone or personality other than agreeing to whatever tasks you're given. The honor student who gets pulled this way and that by the ghouls you're working with, whether trotting documents or being taken on dangerous missions.

The honor student, who isn't as easy and pliable as he had been led to believe.

Leo hadn't taken your insistence on a favor seriously, because he hadn't expected anything substantial. Perhaps a selfie with him for social media, or help with schoolwork – he has top results, after all, and it's not like you've had any time to actually attend any classes. You hadn't shown enough personality for him to expect anything out of the ordinary.

But no, you scratched him with your hidden claws, and now he's lurking by the nearly empty Pit to listen to you and Sho as you unwind after training. Training he had not realized you were doing until the humiliating event he does his best not to think about.

If there's anything Leo hates, it's being out of the loop. Especially when that ignorance comes back to bite him so spectacularly.

He's not eavesdropping on you because he cares about what you think, or because he's curious about what you talk about with Sho. He's merely doing this so he can have something to use against you should you threaten to reveal… undesirable information about him.

Leo ignores the fact that you're not the type of person to do that to others, that even your dislike of him is straightforward and honest, much like yourself.

What is it like to wear your heart and intentions on your sleeve with no ulterior motives, without worrying about being taken advantage of? Aren't you scared? The world isn't fair, and when it rains misfortune, the "good" get just as drenched as the "bad". Potentially more, because he's perfectly willing to shove someone out into the open if it means covering his own ass.

Why is it so easy for you to accept the ghouls and take your own situation in stride? Anyone so blase must be an idiot.

"Ugh, Leo is the worst."

He seems to have tuned in at the perfect moment, as you complain about him to Sho. He rolls his eyes. Do you really think this transparent attempt to turn his best friend against him is going to work?

"He's competent and intelligent enough to make plans, and has the guts to follow through with them. And while he was an asshole about it, he was right about my shortcomings."

Wait, what?

"He has qualities I wish I did, and that's what makes him so much more obnoxious."

Leo misses Sho's response in his shock.

He's used to people judging him, for reasons both frivolous and valid. His good looks and social media acumen give him admirers who think they know him, and haters who think they know him better. Many are jealous of his success, and others who know him in real life dislike him for using people as stepping stones. Either way, he really doesn't give a shit what any of them think.

To have his actual abilities acknowledged in this fashion is both unexpected and surprisingly gratifying. Especially because considering your sour tone, you truly mean it. They're not empty words meant to get on his good side – not that you would even know he's listening. Besides, it's already clear you have no intention of being on his good side. You hate him despite your admiration. Or, more accurately, you admire him despite your dislike.

It appears you're more interesting than you initially seemed. Perhaps he can have a little fun with you.

Deep in thought, he heads back to his room, not even realizing that he's forgotten why he had been listening in the first place.

~~~~~

You're not blind.

Shohei Haizono (you sometimes idly wonder why he hates his full name) is incredibly handsome, with his messy silver hair, dark blue eyes, and snarky smile. The motorcycle and the cooking are only two of his many additional attractive qualities.

And you know that being a ghoul, he's much stronger than a normal human – especially you, someone who has had minimal athletic exposure until you've arrived at Darkwick. It's not lost on you that he and Alan hold back during training, the few times you're actually allowed to spar with them and not just do strength-training exercises while he gets thrown around by the captain.

While you have filled out some, your arms still feel closer to wet noodles than to anything resembling strength, and beating Leo doesn't quite translate to feeling tough because (1) he wasn't taking it seriously until it was too late, and (2) he has the slender physique (and diva-like attitude) of a prima ballerina.

Comparing your strength to a willowy pretty-boy doesn't quite translate to the silent, immovable fortitude of men as thick as oak trees. And you've seen that they are thick, thanks to the blessed few times Alan and Sho have worn shorts to work out.

You know all of this, and yet you realize you haven't grasped just how strong he is, or how much he holds back until seeing him hoist a full-sized, commercial refrigerator onto his shoulder with one arm. He doesn't even look particularly inconvenienced, which only makes it all the more humbling.

And hot. It's also really hot.

Particularly when you know that beneath his Darkwick Academy jacket lies toned muscle and broad shoulders.

Despite his rough exterior, Sho is surprisingly kind. He brings you (delicious, delicious) food, gives you fighting tips, and is so laid-back that time with him isn't draining the way it can be with your other new friends. And he's intelligent, needing to read or hear something only once before it's ingrained in his memory. So much so that he has somehow already learned all your favorite foods (though it's beginning to feel like every new dish of his you try becomes your new favorite).

In short, he is objectively husband material, and the reminder that he could toss you around like a sack of potatoes is not helping the attraction you feel for the ghoul.

"What's that moronic look on your face?"

With a start, you realize you've been ogling. Resolutely ignoring the heat on your face, you try for a casual comment.

"Oh, I was just…" Come up with something viable, YN, you got this. "You're… pretty strong, aren't you?" Goddammit.

Luckily, Sho doesn't seem to realize why you were staring, and you are silently grateful for small miracles.

"Not really. A normie could carry this," he replies with a shrug, though there's a smug undercurrent to his voice.

"Yeah, okay," you reply sarcastically, putting the fridge attachments in your bag so you don't have to be attacked by the way his bicep strains against his sleeve. "Definitely."

As the two of you begin to leave the diner, a shriek stops you.

"What are you doing here?!"

You whirl to see Ren Shiranami, the handsome but dour ghoul from the Jabberwock house.

Hadn't the front of the diner been empty? Where had he popped up from? For a moment you wonder if he had hidden under the counter, before discounting it as too ridiculous to be a possibility.

"Oh? You're the first-year who works here…"

"Who?" asks Sho with a scowl, sounding miffed at the hold-up.

"Huh?"

He looks surprised to be addressed, and you realize his outburst had actually been directed at a red-haired student who has thrown his arm over Ren's shoulder. "Um… hey…"

Ren looks so uncomfortable, like he's being held hostage, that you find yourself feeling somewhat sorry for him. Even if he acts like a crabby grandfather suffering from an arthritis flare-up.

"Sorry we were so noisy last time," you offer, not sure why you're trying to make a peace that you hadn't broken in the first place. The guy looks incredibly out of his element, and if there's any feeling you can sympathize with, it's that.

"It's fine… I don't care…"

His tone is miserable and resigned in a way that makes you suspect the ghoul is just an extreme introvert. He looks vaguely annoyed at everything in general rather than you in particular, and it helps you not take his grumpiness personally.

Huh, perhaps he really was hiding under the counter to avoid interacting with anyone. To be honest, you can't really blame him. You would probably do the same if Jin, Frostheim's demanding Captain, was looking for someone to iron his shirts (again).

"Oh! You're a friend of Ren's? Nice to meet you! Thanks for looking out for him!"

You jump at the loud, enthusiastic voice, and Ren flinches. Before you can even get your bearings, the red-haired stranger is grabbing your hand in a firm, vigorous hand-shake.

"Er… um, sure?"

You look questioningly at Ren, who just shakes his head and rolls his eyes at you.

"This is the worst…" he mutters, looking like he regrets every life decision he's ever made. The contrast between his sullen attitude and the newcomer's chipper demeanor is almost comical.

"I'm Haru Sagara, captain of Jabberwock! It's a pleasure!"

Ah, if he's a captain then he must also be a ghoul. He's cute, if a bit energetic, still shaking your hand as he launches into what seems to be a sales pitch.

You're a bit overwhelmed and bewildered as to what is going on, as Haru tells you about some nature tour and introduces you to the very adorable, round little creature with bunny ears swaddled in his baby sling. And he's still shaking your hand.

"No worries! Starting today you can be my friend! Mates rates guaranteed, whenever you want to swing b–"

"Hey man, back off."

Your hand is wrenched out of Haru's grip and you're suddenly faced by a very irritated-looking Sho. He's glaring at Haru, but you barely notice, because he seems to have unconsciously twined his fingers with yours. Despite the force with which he had yanked you away from the Jabberwock captain, his grip is surprisingly gentle.

A swim ring appears out of nowhere, trapping Haru's arms to his body, but it doesn't seem particularly interesting compared to the insidious warmth of Sho's skin, or the rough calluses on his palm. You wonder if there are other side effects to your flowery curse, because for some reason butterflies seem to have taken up residence in your stomach.

"This is dumb. Come on, let's go."

"Huh?" you're too focused on how warm Sho's grip is to pay attention, and he gives an impatient sigh. He doesn't even seem to notice your mini-short circuit, which is both a blessing and curse. A blurse. Much like your entire time with Darkwick.

"This fridge is heavy."

Fridge? What fridge?

Oh right, the fridge he is holding with one hand, the hand that isn't currently wrapped around your own. That fridge.

You have to jog to keep up with his long strides as he pulls you out the door, completely unaffected. Meanwhile, your own heart is racing, and for the first time you think you might be in some trouble. Imminent death and threats of maiming are one thing. Physical attraction, you can handle.

Real feelings are entirely more terrifying.

~~~~~

"LEO KUSANAGI, EXPLAIN YOURSELF RIGHT NOW!!"

Leo smirks as you burst into the Vagastrom dorm, emanating such an aura of rage that even the toughest thugs in the room suddenly decide that they have things to do elsewhere.

"What's up, Honor Roll?" he asks innocently, lounging on the couch with Sho, the picture of repose. Then he registers what you called him, and frowns. "And it's Kurosagi."

You stomp up to him (and the very confused Sho) and shove your phone in his face.

"Tell me why I woke up to five-thousand notifications on my Instagram," you seethe. "Most of which are from people who seem to think I'm your girlfriend."

Sho makes a choking noise beside him, and whether it's from amusement, shock, or any other assorted mixture of emotions, Leo doesn't really care.

"You're welcome," he replies blithely, giving a lazy stretch as your eye twitches. Seeing you this pissed off is quite amusing, and it relieves some of the stress he's been accumulating by being unable to leave the campus. It also makes him feel a little better about The Event. "Your social media presence was pathetic."

"I–you–" you splutter, clearly at a loss. Yeah, Leo is definitely enjoying this. "I don't want a social media presence! I'm getting death threats."

"Eh, you get used to that kind of thing after a while," Leo responds with a nonchalant wave of his hand, not thinking anything of his response.

"You are such a fucking – you get death threats?"

You actually sound concerned when you register his reply, which is most definitely not the reaction he expected. Your frown has acquired a hint of something that looks suspiciously like concern, and Leo is… very confused.

"It's nothing new and nothing to lose sleep over," he replies dismissively, annoyed and a bit off-balance by the way you're pretending to care. Your response does nothing to allay his discomfiture.

"Are you okay?"

He doesn't get it. You don't even like him. The two of you aren't friends, and have zero rapport to speak of. If anything, you should be pleased that others agree with your feelings.

So why aren't you gloating? Why does it seem like you're actually worried?

Leo told you the truth – he's used to death threats and hate comments. In a twisted sense, it's proof that he's made it, that he's somebody important enough to be angry about. One can't become a semi-famous internet celebrity without developing an immunity to venomous words.

It appears, however, that he has not developed the necessary antibodies to counteract the sincerity in your eyes, because he has no idea what he's supposed to say.

To cover his bafflement, he chooses his default derision.

"A useless normie like you wouldn't understand."

To his relief, the disconcerting compassion disappears from your face, replaced by the scowl he's used to. Sho shifts as if about to say something, and you open your mouth to no doubt begin a new tirade, so Leo continues before anyone can interject.

"Besides, what are a few nobodies compared to the shit you've been dealing with anyway? You can handle it."

You splutter at his words and take a deep breath, looking like you're struggling between calming down or leaping onto the couch to strangle him. Part of Leo hopes for the latter, if only because your taking the higher road would be boring.

Unfortunately Instead, a secret third scenario occurs.

Your phone buzzes, and the contact name "Ice King" flashes across your screen. You groan, immediately forgetting the situation to open your message. Irritation flares in Leo's gut – really, a text from the rich Frostheim prick is enough to grab your full attention?

"When it's not one asshole, it's another," you grumble, shoving your phone in your pocket. Leo momentarily forgets his ire when you jab your finger into his chest, giving him a look of delightfully malevolent intent that only makes him want to rile you up even further. "This isn't over."

The ire returns when you look at Sho and smile. As a master of false expressions, Leo can tell yours is real. And it's annoying.

"See you at lunch?" you ask in a tone so honeyed Leo wonders how Sho hasn't gotten a toothache. His friend grins back – also an obnoxiously genuine smile – and nods.

"Sure thing."

With that you're gone, leaving Leo wondering just how you've embedded your claws into his best friend so quickly.

"She's hot when she's mad," Sho remarks with a wistful expression completely opposite to the way he's ogling your ass as you leave. God, his friend really does have it bad.

"Ugh, you and your stupid crush," Leo replies disdainfully.

He ignores the tiny part of him that agrees.

~~~~~ Previous | Masterlist | Next

[girlactionfigure]

THURSDAY HERO: Queen Esther

Esther was a beautiful Jewish orphan who became Queen of Persia and risked her own life to save her people from genocide.

After losing both her parents at a young age, Esther was raised by her older relative Mordechai. A beautiful young virgin, she was selected for the harem of King Achashverosh. Esther was forced to leave her home and community and move into the palace. Mordechai warned her not to reveal her Jewish identity. Each day King Achashverosh selected a different woman from his harem to spend the night with, and after Esther’s turn came, he was so smitten with her that he elevated her from concubine to queen.

Even in a non-Jewish environment, Esther found a way to live as an observant Jew. She became a vegetarian so she didn’t have to eat non-kosher meat, and she survived largely on fruit and nuts. Queen Esther arranged to have seven maids, each one working on a different day, so she could keep track of the days and observe Shabbat.

Desperate for news of Esther, Mordechai started hanging out right outside the palace gates. He overheard two guards plotting to assassinate the king. Mordechai told Esther and she told the king, enabling him to thwart the plot.

Meanwhile Mordechai incurred the wrath of grand vizier Haman, who was descended from Amalek, the mortal enemy of the Jewish people. Haman demanded that all subjects of the king bow down to him but Mordechai was the only one who refused to do it. Haman wore a pendant around his neck depicting an idol, and as a Jew Mordechai knew that he was absolutely prohibited to bow down to an idol. He took his orders from the King of Kings.

Enraged at the insult, Haman convinced King Achashverosh to kill all the Jews, and the king promptly selected a date for the genocide. Mordechai came to see Esther and pleaded with her to use her influence with the king to save her people. Esther explained that she is not allowed to approach the king unless she is summoned by him, and she hasn’t been summoned in 30 days, which indicated that she may have lost the king’s interest. It was the law that anybody – including the queen – who tried to speak to the king without an invitation is instantly put to death. Mordechai told her that the whole reason for her to become queen may have been for this moment, but if she didn’t step up, the Jews would find salvation from someone else. With the fate of her entire tribe on the line, gentle young Esther showed she had a backbone of steel. She said, “I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” She told Mordechai she would approach the king, and asked him and the Jews of Shushan to fast and pray for three days.

Clever and discreet, Esther knew how to handle King Ahashverosh. Instead of rushing in with her demand that the decree against the Jews be rescinded, she invited him and Haman to a party. At that lavish event, she invited them both to another party. Before the second party, Haman arranged for a huge gallows to be built, on which Mordechai would be publicly hanged. That night, the king had insomnia and was reminded that he never rewarded Mordechai for saving his life. He told Haman to parade Mordechai around town, dressed in royal finery, riding the king’s own horse.

At the party, Esther revealed her Jewish identity to the king, and begged that her people not be slaughtered. Haman desperately begged Esther for mercy and threw himself on her, but the king thought Haman was trying to assault the queen, and he ordered that the vizier be strung up on the gallows he had prepared for Mordechai. The king told Esther that unfortunately the edict could not be repealed, but after she cried from the depths of her heart for her people, the king allowed her and Mordechai to create a royal statement that gave Jews the right to defend themselves and kill anybody who tried to attack them. The statement was sent to all the provinces, and the Jews fought and defeated all those who rose against them.

Esther is a role model to Jews, especially those in the diaspora. Her story teaches that Jewish identity is eternal and internal. What happened to Esther is a Jewish parent’s worst nightmare – a young girl kidnapped from her home and her community, forced to marry outside her faith, trapped for the rest of her life in a non-Jewish environment where she was unable to eat kosher food, celebrate Jewish holidays, observe certain Jewish rituals or pray in community. Yet her Jewish identity remained so strong that she was fully ready to lay down her life for her people.

God is never mentioned in the Book of Esther, but it’s clear that the amazing “coincidences” in the Purim story are part of the Divine plan. Esther’s own name comes from the word Astar – hidden – because God is hidden, just as He often seems to be in our world today.

For maintaining her Jewish identity and saving her people, at great risk to herself, we honor Queen Esther as this week’s Thursday Hero.

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

So I didn't get very deep into tgcf (I tried okay) but I love mdzs and svsss. The weird thing is...I don't think I ever seen a fandom misunderstand the characters so much and in such numbers as it happens in MXTX fandoms. Even the main characters. SQQ words are taken exclusively at face value. It's not like he shows he's unreliable narrator! WWX is judged based only on that other people say, despite book warning specifically against it. Surely if sect leader Yao says he's, like, evil, he can't be better than at least morally gray! (No. Just....no). XL as far as I've seen-the very definition of "kind but boring", innocent as a lamb, absolutely no backbone. I won't even try to speak about other characters.

Just who the fuck comes up with this shit? Is it really just the western fans first time seeing a non-western book and trying to force familiar tropes into it? Is it a case of complete illiteracy? Is it something about MXTX writing specifically?Did I simply didn't notice the stupidity before?

Please send help.

I despise how this fandom uses "unreliable narrator" for every single MXTX shou. They misuse this term constantly, between "Wei Wuxian omitted truths from the characters hence the audience", no that's not unreliable narrator especially because he is NOT our narrator, he is not the one telling us the story and plot as it goes. Xie Lian is called an unreliable narrator for also not stating what he has done in his life from the get go, he is also not the narrator and we would not have emotional built up for the anticipation for why he "fell as a god and was a disgrace to the heavens". Shen Yuan is also not an unreliable narrator because he is trying to work off of presumably predestined information HE has from the book he read and does not realize he has already shifted the plot itself.

To be an unreliable narrator, that entity HAS to be the one we are viewing the major significance through in order to color the plot points in a colored emotional lens of bias. We are meant to question their credibility and veracity due to a reliance of manipulation and distraction of perception intentionally. The most iconic rendition of unreliable narration is of Lolita and Humbert who literally wrote his screwed and warped rendition of his abuse of Dolores with his claims of her seducing him, despite even in his own narration there are holes to his logic and reasoning to his audience that he used his position of control.

This is simply a matter of fans not even understanding what their own literary classes were for and literally trying to change definitions for their own narrative, ironically being the unreliable narrators due to their own bias of thought. And half the time these are due to fans really not liking the main characters and wanting to claim they were villain protagonists all along despite these plots being the exact opposite. And none of these stories still have these men as our focal narrator, they are the protagonist but they are not interpreting others for us.

Infamously Jiang Cheng's tantrum during the meeting after the Wen Remnants have been saved. Wei Wuxian is not even present for this to be HIS unreliable account to the audience because our actual faceless narrator is in the head of Jiang Cheng, and this entire meeting is a bunch of unreliable narrators attacking and demeaning Wei Wuxian due to several biases in the room manipulating, coercing and omitting information and emotions.

Xie Lian is somehow incompetent because he has not revealed any information despite others in his life already having made their own unreliable assumptions about him and choosing to believe that for centuries, Mu Qing, Feng Xin and Lang Qianqiu. Mu Qing wants to be proven that his dislike of Xie Lian is justified and sometimes revels in Xie Lian's struggles and humiliation of failing because he thinks his kindness is due to privilege and is insincere. Feng Xin is only pedestaling Xie Lian's righteous position as a prince and finds his humanity shameful once he sees Xie Lian struggling and Feng Xin stays out of his own pride of duty. Lang Qianqiu believes that it was Xie Lian that slaughtered the seat of Yong-An for power, when the king said he would kill the descendants of Xianle, his own people after the scheming of Qi Rong. Leading to Xie Lian finding it as HIS own failure preventing this in happening and taking the fall to be the culprit in Lan Qianqiu's eyes due to the boy having been friends with An Le the other schemer that felt no remorse for his actions.

And on to Shen Yuan, he is not an unreliable narrator because he is interpreting all of Luo Binghe's actions through the plot that he knows, he is wildly lost when it begins to shift and desperately tries to keep this on point due to the threat of the system prompts. And he does fail in meeting this prompts at times, which leads him to his encounter with the original Luo Binghe, which helps to solidify that his Luo Binghe is nothing like the original. This realization being a catalyst for Shen Qingqiu to navigate his relationship and protection for Luo Binghe with the perception their world has of Luo Binghe, that is once more resentfully biased.

This term of unreliable narrator is misused in place of saying "I didn't fully understand the plot points and the consequences that were not of the protagonist's making".

[sapphic-agent]

Trios that would have been more compelling and less obnoxious than the "Wonder Trio":

Izuku, Tenya, Ochako: This needs no explanation

Izuku, Tenya, Shouto: Again, this really needs no champion vouching for it. The Stain arc and the subsequent character work that came with it will never be matched by any other arc in MHA.

Izuku, Denki, Yuga: These three all have self-harming quirks that can be really dangerous and inconvenient during a battle. It was truly a lost opportunity to see these three bond over their issues. Making Izuku and Yuga being close friends right off the bat would've have been really beneficial in sowing the traitor plot point early on and would've have also been far more devastating for Izuku during the reveal. And honestly, Yuga being formerly quirkless and having a self-harming quirk is a much better narrative parallel than the "Save to Win and Win to Save" bullshit that we got. Denki and Yuga just seem like they'd have really good chemistry.

Izuku, Tenya, Momo: These 3 intelligent specimens would've have been extremely overpowered if Hori actually cared enough to develop them. Also, Momo would get to shine because her quirk is powerful as hell (I actually head canon that she has the strongest/most versatile quirk in 1A and maybe enough the BNHA verse as a whole) and it's a crime that her intelligence and OP quirk went underutilized. Also, Momo and Izuku helping each other through their lack of self confidence would have been really touching and maybe have Izuku reflect on his life and how he was treated pre OFA. Momo and Tenya also seemed really no nonsense in the beginning when she ruthlessly criticized Bakugou, so this could help Izuku cut Bakugou off much earlier and allow him to grow.

Izuku, Tsuyu, Mineta: Yes I know, I know. Mineta sucks. But even so, these three were super compelling and interesting to watch during the USJ arc. The ways in which they used their quirks to escape death has way more charm and personality in their hair follicles than post season 3 ShoBakuDeku have in their entire bodies. Also, since Tsuyu was one of the first to call Bakugou out, I feel like her bluntness would be a really good reality check for Izuku to realize that the way Bakugou (and Aizawa) treat him is not okay. Also, Mineta already idolizes Izuku (which is actually sort of sweet) so this could have been used to develop his character rather than the awful and repetitive perv shtick that we're unfortunately stuck with.

Izuku, Shoji, Tokoyami: Like with the above trio, their forest camp sequence in trying to escape dark shadow has more personality and authenticity in their hair follicles than anything having to do with the stupid wonder trio. After all, the whole thing started because of Tokoyami witnessing Shoji being harmed by moonfish, which feels really raw and touching. Shoji also carrying Izuku on his back is super cute. These three also could've been used to address quirk-based discrimination, which is basically that backbone of BNHA's premise (even if it is always glossed over). Tokoyami and Shoji would've had to be victims of heteromorph discrimination (I think it was even confirmed in later chapters) which could drawn the three to each other. No offense to Shouto (and full offense of Bakugo) the two of them could never really relate to Izuku's trauma especially since Bakugou is responsible for 85% of it. They're both rich, they were both born with extremely powerful quirks. While Shouto is tragic because he was abused, he also benefits from the system of powerful quirks being favored which makes the two of them privileged. I also feel like Shoji and Tokoyami finding out about OFA and Izuku's previous quirklessness would just strengthen their bond and would motivate them to help and protect Izuku in any way they can unlike Bakugou who was a total nuisance the entire time.

Izuku, Mei, Ochako: Again, like with the last two, their admittedly limited time on screen together has more charm and personality than the stupid Wonder Trio.

These are the ones that I could think of from the top of my head. Feel free to add anymore.

These are all so cool! I especially liked Izuku, Denki, and Yuga. I always thought Izuku and Denki should have had more interactions anyway. And of course I love Izuku's scenes with Yuga. This is definitely a more unique one.

I would add Izuku, Momo, and Shoto to the list because I love the thought of Izuku being super intimidated by them only to be like, "Oh, oh no they're just isolated rich kids who have never talked to another kid their age and they're mine now" and adopts them.

Also, Izuku, Fumikage, and Shoto. I feel like they're fun.

It's not an Izuku trio but I'd also love Ochako, Tsu, and Momo just because they're best girls

[mochinomnoms]

i’m curious, how would PTM be if you had chosen to write it as Floyd/Reader instead of Jade/Reader?

i know the basic premise would have stayed the same. the backbone of telepathy drives the plot. however, the allure of the early chapters is that jade acts so differently from how he thinks (and that’s very endearing and humorous).

if you had chosen floyd, would you have done his thoughts much more sweeter than raunchy? or would it had been kept the same formula of lovey-dovey thoughts versus friendly actions?

xoxo mochi

xoxo re-l! it's nice to see you in my inbox! ^^ I like getting questions like these on my fics too I'm such a yapper when I have the time tehehe

So when choosing who to make the love interest for PTM, I was basing it a bit off of the characters from Mousou Telepathy since that was the inspiration. I didn't want it to be an exact retelling with new characters, which is why you can see the beginning is borrowing a lot from the manga while the rest starts taking it's own form. But to make it easier on myself in the beginning, I wanted to pick a character that would be shocking to hear raunchy thoughts from or at the very least funny.

My original list for the "shocking" characters were: Silver, Trey, Azul, Jamil, Vil and Sebek; this was narrowed down to Silver and Azul eventually. The original list for "funny" characters for PTM were: Jade, Floyd, Ace, Rook, and Leona. That got narrowed down to Jade and Leona, actually. Eventually I was stuck between Jade and Silver and I decided to go with Jade because I like my silly eel boy~

I think this worked out for the best, Jade I find is easy to write most of the time and he's a very fun character overall! He's not necessarily super cool or nonchalant like the love interest from the original manga, but he fits the premise beautifully in his own Jade way!

One of the reasons I didn't go with Floyd for PTM was because of the raunchy thoughts. I wanted whoever I set as love interest to be a bit shocking when it came to the dirty thoughts, and I feel that the fandom expects Floyd to be a bit raunchy and blunt. Pair that with the fact that Floyd doesn't really hide his thoughts from others (more so that I think they get misinterpreted at times), I didn't think the story would be as enjoyable with the same premise, and the shockingly erotic thoughts are part of what makes the story so funny!

If I had decided to do Floyd, I would have definitely made his thoughts much softer, more domestic. But from my understanding of Floyd as a character, I think he probably either would've confessed right away (so it would've been more of a oneshot) or the entire story would've been in Floyd's POV wondering why his mate that he totally made obvious that he's in love with and courting (which he hasn't) is being so weird around him and blushing all the time.

I'm quite happy with Jade being the love interest for PTM, it's turned out pretty good and a lot of people really seem to like it! The next chapter probably won't come out for a while since I'm busy with school and smaller stories are a lot easier to finish quick, but I'll try my best!

[dokidokitsuna]

SAY SOMETHING…!!

I’d like to go ahead and finish with this AU series soon…I never really had that much I wanted to draw for it. ^^; So to start off its second premiere, let’s go into some of the details:

This AU is titled ‘Parallel Canon’ mostly because Agent 8’s relationship with that boss forms the backbone of the plot: at first, they simply notice its resemblance to Agent 4, and learn from Marina that it’s most likely a direct copy of them. Then, after being locked in the Spire, they grow to resent it, as if Order is mocking them with these mindless facsimiles of sentient beings. A few hundred climb attempts later, though, Parallel Canon’s leader begins to behave strangely…Agent 8 starts seeing it appear on different floors, watching them battle from afar, and especially while they die.

Naturally, Agent 8’s first thought is that they’re simply hallucinating (it wouldn’t be the first time…) but later they decide to try to interact with it, and discover that it really is physically present. Agent 8 quickly becomes fixated on it, as the only element of the Spire of Order that seems to change its behavior over time, and sacrifices quite a few runs trying to communicate with it…to no avail.

They’re convinced that it’s more than just a copy; that somehow the real Agent 4 is in there, trying to defy Order’s control. They may even be in the exact same position as Agent 8: climbing the Spire in a parallel reality, forced to face off against them on the boss floors, but occasionally reaching through outside of them, if only to let 8 know that they’re not alone.

Agent 8 never really finds out if their theories are correct, even as the PC gradually morphs from an enemy to a silent bystander to an ally, helping them through the higher floors and leading them closer to victory than ever before. Near the end, Order calls it an aberration generated by Agent 8’s mind, proof that even after all the PUNISHMENT they’ve endured, they still haven’t learned “the value of an unchanging world”.

My intention is that the PC really is just a Jelleton, but one with the capacity to observe the person climbing the spire, learn from them, and respond to their emotional state, as Marina likely intended for them to do. Order tampered with its code as it did with the entire Memverse, but between Agent 4’s Palette data (which, as a digitized soul, can’t fully be controlled or predicted) and Agent 8’s excessive repeated climbings, eventually something was activated that allowed part of the Memverse’s original purpose to shine through, despite it all. In that sense, whether or not the PC “is” Agent 4 is really a matter of interpretation. ^^

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - All's Quiet on the BL Front

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

May 2024 Wk 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

Wandee Godday (Sat YT) ep 3 of 12 - I love how were getting a solid depiction of two queers just genuinely enjoying sex with each other. That’s actually rare in BL. In this case, it manages to also be weirdly adorable and cute.

Dee is such a tease. I guess Y likes a brat? 

LOOK at those bedroom eyes!

Linguistics corner: when these two are being serious, sweet, or flirty with each other they use rao/nai which is kind of old fashioned and charming and not common in BL. They move pretty seamlessly into gu/mueng and back depending on the style of convo, tho. It's FUN to hear them talk.

Let the fake relationship commence!

My Stand-In (Thai Fri iQIYI) ep 4 of 12 eps - I HAVE THOUGHTS. I'm really enjoying the sinister backbone of this show. I hope they have the courage of their convictions in that regard and lean into a kind of sexy evil revenge narrative. It was a pleasure to watch the break up and I do not want a redemption arc for Ming or a romance for us. Fuck 'em, let’s just ride a revenge train, okay Joe baby?

That’s said, I totally sniffled at the ending scene where Ming (for two years!) has been paying penance cooking for two and waiting alone. Excellent pathos. Now, I understand how they're gonna make this a full 12 eps. And I’m excited about it. Carry on!

We Are (Weds iQIYI) ep 7 of 16 - I wasn't a fan of Winny & Satang in My School President but I'm loving them in this. The thing with Q, Toey, and Chain had me hooting with laughter. I think I’m finally just easing into the relaxed absurdity of this show. The key is not to expect anything from it. Just them being tiny gay idiots.

Two Worlds (iQIYI) ep 10 fin - Someday I’d like to really enjoy a MaxNat show, but today was not that day. (I feel like ever since Between Us I’ve been generally disenchanted with established OG pairs and what they’re bringing to the table. Perhaps that’s a discussion for another day. Cherry Magic excepted, of course.) 

OK, so this final episode, they sure tried to fit a lot in. But that made the pacing better for me. So I kinda liked this weird cliff notes resolution to the story.

In conclusion:

MaxNat do a credible job with a messy script about parallel worlds, gangsters, and strange diseases cured by forest fruits. It sounds confusing because it is. The chemistry is excellent the side pair is entirely forgotten about, and one could drive a Tardis through the plot holes. Still, I found it modestly enjoyable if not at all rewatchable. 7/10 

Only Boo! (Sun YouTube) ep 6 of 12 - I do love how bold and brash Moo is. He’s truly a great character, such an utter outgoing sunshine puppy focused on his pursuit of his older boy. I'm charmed by his utter harmlessness. They gave us a sweet coming out scene, and an awesome supportive mom. Frankly GMMTV has a good track record with moms. (With a few noted exceptions, of course.)

That said, I do keep forgetting this is a GMMTV offering. It just doesn't FEEL GMMTV. Just me?

OMG Vampire (Thai Sun ????) ep 1 of 10 - Starts tomorrow, will report on sitch next week. LeeFrank are back - not unlike the undead. But how do we feel about it? Unsure given their track record.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

At 25:00 in Akasaka AKA 25 Ji Akasaka de (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - I like it. I like our sulky 2nd lead. He’s pouty, adorable, brash, and adding some much-needed tension to this narrative. The blurring lines between show within a show is a lot of fun. Probably the best I've seen done in BL so far.

Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - I like that we got backstory, but we also sort of already knew it. So this ep felt a bit like filler. They are wonderful when they’re on screen together but when they aren't it's a bit dull. I hope we just get them together for the next 4 eps. But this is Japan, so I doubt it.

Blossom Campus (Korea Thurs Gaga & iQIYI) ep 1 of 6 - The image resolution on this show (via Iqiyi ) is terrible. Meanwhile, awkward crush. Jock nerd pairing. Dorky. Maybe a bit too much awkward/dorky for me? I'm not sold on this one.

Meanwhile the ordering then not eating or drinking of food continues. Very upsetting.

Boys Be Brave (Korea Viki) eps 5-8fin - This show was just never sure what it wanted to be. Slacker sunshine KiSub moves in with nerd JinWoo, mostly because he knows JinWoo likes him but won't confess and that's never happened to him before. It reminded me of some earlier KBLs like Behind Cut, yes is had bones but not much flesh, so it only just hung together and progressed through not very much plot in a jerking rattling fashion like an animated skeleton. All the story and chemistry was with the side couple and none of the screen time. That just annoyed me. What did this BL want to BE? Who tf knows. I, for one, don’t care, and resolve to think no more on it. 6/10 

Blue Boys (Korea Sat YouTube) - This ended at 4 eps on a cliffhanger. Since this is a very small studio I don’t have a lot of faith in there being a part two. But they have bundled both this BL, and the GL, bingable chunks on YT. So if you want to binge it, it’s there. Just be aware that it ends on a cliffhanger.

My thoughts?

Promising reunion romances full of class and coming out struggles but I grade with what we got, not on expectations, and you know I HATE a cliffhanger. So yeah, it HAD promise but as of now it gets a 4/10 - fatally flawed. I reserve the right to change my mind if they amend for damages.

It's airing but...

You Made My Day (Thai YT) ep 1 of 5 - mini series staring the I Will Knock You couple Tar & Bom, started but I couldn't find it. I also didn't try very hard.

Lady Boy Friends (Thai WeTV grey) 16 eps - reminds me a bit too much of Diary of Tootsies only high school. Not my thing. DNF unless it turns a corner and is truly amazing.

A Balloon's Landing (Taiwan movie) trailer - A frustrated Hong Kong writer, Tian Yu, meets a Taipei street gangster, Xiang (Fandy Fan from HIStory2: Crossing the Line), and the two of them embark on a journey to find the Bay of Vanishing Whales. Along the way, they discover unexpected twists and turns and close bonds, which brings out the message that "there is always someone like you in this world who is waiting for you. This released to cinemas in Taiwan, no word on international release.

In case you missed it

A really really thorough and fascinating article on 2 Moons 2 and what happened.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

May Releases

VBL (Taiwan) is releasing 4 'Special Episode' epilogues to their 4 2023 shows every Friday this month on Gagaoolala, Viki & Viu. Not sure on search terms or how to find these. (Or, frankly, if we need them.)

5/10 – You Are Mine

5/17 – VIP Only

5/24 – Stay By My Side

5/31 – Anti Reset

5/25 The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer - HoTae & DongHee are back but unfortunately not in a cinema near me. Side couple from Unintentional Love Story, same actors, same character names. I love them. I NEED TO SEE THIS.

5/28 My Biker 2 (Thai movie YT?) - trailer

5/30 Knock Knock Boys (Thai Thurs WeTV) - I'm hoping I can get it elsewhere since my WeTV account is inactive, but I do love Best and I'm interested in seeing him in a new pairing. That said, I'm not wild about Seng... so I won't be too cut up if I can't get hold of this. More here.

5/31 The Time of Huannan (Taiwan movie) - May not be BL

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

I'm a sucker for this king of casual claiming. (Only Boo)

It me! (Wandee Goodday)

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @sunflower-positiiivity @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious

If ya wanna be tagged each week leave a comment and I will add you to the template. Easy peesy.