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doomonfilm · 3 years

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Ranking : Andrei Tarkovsky (1932-1986)

One of the biggest breakthrough moments of my lifelong film fandom was the deep dive into The Story of Film : An Odyssey, a 2011 documentary from director Mark Cousins and the Glasgow-based Hopscotch Films. The 15-part documentary stepped outside of the realms of Hollywood (which usually finds itself as the sole participant in many documentaries that center around film), and instead, focuses on how film has been developed and evolved throughout the many other countries and cultures that participate in the medium. I was vaguely familiar with Russian filmmakers, but I’d yet to hear about Andrei Tarkovsky, so when the footage of Stalker found its way to the screen, I was as blown away as one could be from a 60-90 second clip from a 3-plus hour long film.

From there, I moved forward with seeking out a copy of Stalker, and along the way, I found copies of Solaris and Nostalghia as well. I also found a contender for favorite director, and a formidable rival to the love I’d developed for the likes of Stanley Kubrick, Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman, John Cassavetes and the other small handful of cinematic magicians that cast their visual spells upon the masses. The Tarkovsky bag of tools is truly awe-inspiring... at times, it seems as if he has the ability to give nature itself direction in order for it to be best captured through his lens... his camera moves and framing almost always end up putting his locations and actors in positions that resemble the paintings he clearly loves, admires and finds inspiration from... his famous color-timing choices are stunning, and most of his films employ several different looks throughout the course of their run... and, perhaps most importantly, there is a sense of religious fervor that is palatable and very much foundational without stepping into the realms of indoctrination. To put it simply, you watch the films of many directors, but you feel the films of Andrei Tarkovsky.

With the recent reissuing of Mirror to the Criterion Collection, Tarkovsky felt like a suitable candidate for the DOOMonFILM ranking treatment, and with such a short but powerful catalog, what I thought would be a quick revisitation and discovery session turned into one of the most inspiring catalogue crawls I’ve ever taken part in.

7. Ivan's Childhood (1962)

While Ivan’s Childhood is quite the amazing-looking debut film, compared to the rest of the Tarkovsy fare, it looks and feels a bit like a very well made episode of The Twilight Zone. That being said, the movie certainly takes standard narrative and production conventions and pushes them to their creative limits without going full abstract or expressionist. There are definitely hints of the Ingmar Bergman style in this film, but more importantly, we get our first glimpses at shades of what would become staples in Tarkovsky’s work : the persistence and presence of memory, the use of dreamlike sequences and the framing of shots to mirror the aesthetic of paintings are all key to Ivan’s Childhood. The use of unique looking locations to communicate a war-torn environment (not to mention war-torn lives) is stunning, with at least two of the locations being indistinguishable between being well-made sets or lucky finds. Aspects that would normally symbolize shortcomings for other directors still manage to be compelling through the Tarkovsky filter, which is a testament to how truly skilled he was from day one... interestingly, it seems that the film actually gets more technically adept as it progresses. As a poetic rumination on responsibility and romance in the face of war, Ivan’s Childhood is top notch, and once the “twist” is revealed at the film’s close, all of these ruminations are brought back down to Earth with a truly sobering dose of reality.

6. Nostalghia (1983)

Of all the Tarkovsky films, Nostalghia was the one that left me the most intrigued prior to seeing it. As his first film of the 1980s, and a follow-up to the truly breathtaking Stalker, the film sets itself up as an examination on the burden of beauty on both the creator and the people he is connected to. While faith and religion are nothing new to Tarkovsky, this film is perhaps the closest that the director comes to an outright examination of faith and its place within the constraints of religion (particularly for women), not to mention self-doubt and self-identity, before taking all of these concepts and exploding them onto a much grander cultural, spiritual and ideological level. As a seasoned veteran of using different color-timing to convey tonal and narrative shifts, it is no surprise that the tool is present here, though it is used more as a way to blur the actual past with personal memories the characters have, and the scattershot manner in which they are interjected helps simulate the way the mind does the same thing. There are also some very interesting observations on the translation, adaptation and interpretation of art that come from the aforementioned approach. In terms of specific elements, the flooded room is one of the most amazing sets outside of the numerous Stalker locations, and props must be given to Domiziana Giordano for her extremely nuanced but spirited performance in a very still and cerebral film. The climax is perhaps the most jarring in all of Tarkovsky’s films, though it is not his first (or last) foray into the symbolism of fire. All in all, Nostalghia very much feels like a transition piece between the earlier worldly (and at times, otherworldly) reflections of Tarkovsky into what appeared to be a much more inward focus for his future works. It is a shame, in this sense, that Nostalghia turned out to be his penultimate film.

5. The Sacrifice (1986)

As the final Tarkovsky film, The Sacrifice found itself thrust into a role of unfathomable importance, so it is fitting that the film would be Tarkovsky’s take on trying to accept and take action in the face of an apocalyptic event. With that as the bordering concept, plenty of room is left to explore the struggles (and occasional breakthroughs) of intergenerational communication, not to mention attempts at discovering and understanding yourself while navigating your ties to those who love and care about you. The way that aesthetic and color-timing are used to convey a fractured state of mind is somewhat new in the Tarkovsky bag of tricks, and the way it all disappears when the characters (and ourselves) are finally forced to face reality as our protagonist makes his break from it works extremely well. There is an admirable fearlessness to this film, be it in the jarring fourth wall breaks, the aforementioned ways that state of mind are communicated, or even the jarring sound design that shakes us out of deeply contemplative moments. The Sacrifice feels very much like a deeply personal rumination with touches of horror sprinkled in, and with Tarkovsky’s record of seemingly being able to direct nature to do his bidding, the final moments of the burning house stand as a beautiful and fitting way to remember a film legend.

4. Andrei Rublev (1966)

Perhaps the most epic of all the Tarkovsky films in its ambition and execution, Andrei Rublev is a true masterpiece. In terms of cinematography, the film was very much ahead of its time, with the awe-inspiring tracking shots, steadicam shots and insane way that depth of field is used all feeling way ahead of the curve. Breaking this very long film down into a book-like structure of chapter breaks seems simple from the outside looking in, but much like the story of anyone’s life, it helps us understand the progression and importance of such a large sequence of events. The respect for the stories that are told is not only felt in Tarkovsy’s direction, but in the performances and the cinematography as well, with the highly artistic black and white lighting working well in tandem with the deeply moving and expressive color photography. The film is definitely a deep rumination on faith, but interestingly, it seems to take the approach of examining the faith of the individual, specifically in the face of despair, rather than looking at faith from a belief point of view. With so much narrative, theoretical and literal ground covered through the course of Andrei Rublev’s run, it is hard not to look at this film in any other light other than that of the sprawling epic that it is (in the truest sense of the term).

3. Solaris (1972)

Solaris, in my humble opinion, stands as perhaps one of the most romantic (specifically heartbreaking) science-fiction film offerings ever committed to the silver screen. One thing that immediately pops out is how rich the color-grading of Solaris is in comparison to the other films that Tarkovsky directed, especially in the way that it makes the natural aspects of the film stand out aggressively. There is a very practical and grounded approach to futurism, very similar to the way that Stanley Kubrick was able to portray the future in films like 2001 : A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange. On a personal note, I love the way that the video phone and car traveling sequences play out, as they not only look cool, but they give us a taste of the mundane prior to the very jarring insertion of the space portion of the narrative. Speaking of this transition, the film is purposefully disorienting in terms of how it presents the reality that the astronauts are forced to deal with, which in turn creates tension for us as viewers based on our inability to discern who to trust. It took many many years (and many viewings) to pick up on it, but I am now wholly in love with the way that the fabricated versions of loved ones open up the conversation for whether or not the act of love is inherently selfish or not. Of all the films on this list, Solaris was the one I had the hardest time placing, and for good reason, as it may be the most ambitious of all the Tarkovsky narratives, and one of the most well-executed, as the film very much still stands up to this day.

2. Mirror (1975)

Sometimes, the true testament of a film isn’t found in the words that critics and viewers can summon to praise a work, but in the way that the film speaks so soundly for itself that the need for additional thoughts seems moot. In this sense, Mirror is very much the Andrei Tarkovsky film that not only manages to be painfully beautiful, but the one that does the most in terms of speaking for itself, its beauty and its worth. While aspects of love are present in most every Andrei Tarkovsky film, Mirror is the one the gives the clearest example of what unconditional love looks and feels like, mainly through its haunting dreamlike personal remembrances that time the film together. As with every Tarkovsky film, the usual suspects are here, but some of my favorite examples I use to illustrate them to others can be found in this film : the wind in the grass shows Tarkovsky’s ability to seemingly manipulate nature to do his bidding; the integration of his father’s poems are not only narratively strong, but they show the clear-cut admiration felt for his mother; perhaps most importantly, the switches between looks and styles give us different (but equally powerful) perspectives into already strong performance by Margarita Terekhova. After years of hearing about this film, I am happy to report that it certainly lives up to the hype, and if not for the film where Tarkovsky totally steps outside of himself to present us with a perfect piece of media, Mirror may have found itself in the top spot.

1. Stalker (1979)

For anyone who knows me, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Stalker sits at the top of my Tarkovsky list. As a long-standing and undying fan of science-fiction media, Stalker is without a doubt one of the most grounded and natural science-fiction films I’ve ever seen. The classic Tarkovsky style switches by way of color-timing and color-grading were never better than they were in Stalker, with our journey towards The Zone being punctuated by these bold and jarring shifts in reality. The wonderfully dynamic and kinetically expressive trio of leads provide us with a deep exploration into the different shades of masculinity without succumbing to aggressive energy or pointless posturing. Our leads also give us the opportunity to look into a symbolic presentation of the differences (and similarities) that come with searching for inspiration in both artistic and scientific endeavors, ultimately showing that there is not much difference between both journeys. Every Tarkovsky film manages to show out in terms of capturing landscapes and locations, but Stalker finds a way to illustrate danger and beauty in equal measure in perhaps the most natural way of any Tarkovsky film. The film also has a wonderfully ambiguous ending that leaves your jaw on the floor, leaves the film very much open-ended and, most importantly, leaves you thirsting for more story. I’ve missed a couple of opportunities to see Stalker on the big screen, but one of these days, I hope to remedy that.

#ChiefDoomsday #DOOMonFILM #AndreiTarkovsky #IvansChildhood #AndreiRublev #Solaris #Mirror #Stalker #Nostalghia #TheSacrifice

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solohux · 6 years

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Do you have a list of famous/must read fic, since I'm knew to the Fandom I'm just overwhelmed buy the amount of fics lmao. (I've already read Honeycomb, loved it)

Ahhwelcome to the fandom! Gladly! I’ll just clarify my list first, though. If youwant famous, then I suggest just starting at the top of the Most Hits filter of theAO3 tag.

Personally, what I consider famous and what Iconsider a must read are different so I hope that’s okay! This will be alist of my favourite must read fics though it’s by no means exclusiveand it’s just my own personal opinion. Enjoy! (•⊙ω⊙•)

(and apologies to mobile users! I know the Read More function doesn’t always work on mobile and this is a long post!!)

- allthat you love will be carried away by @ceruleancynicHux, sent to retrieve Kylo Ren from the dying Starkiller Base,has lost almost everything, and has little patience or tolerance left foranyone or anything–particularly not Snoke’s pet pseudo-Sith and his amateurtheatrics. But you do the job that is in front of you, to the best of yourability, and you hold on as long as you can.

- WakeUp, Sleeper by @penpenhoorayIt would seem odd that the Resistance should always seem to get theirinformation just a bit faster than the First Order. Of course, General LeiaOrgana knows the risks her mole is taking by sending her life savinginformation. Luke was confident in his padawan’s ability to infiltrate theFirst Order to destroy it from the inside, and he trusted his pupil’sinstincts. And Hux? Well, he’s spent over a decade as a sleeper agent withinthe bowels of the First Order when he feels an awakening in the Force, and he’sdecided it’s time to begin the destruction of the First Order. And he’s goingto bring Ben back to the Light if it’s the last thing he does.

- Reconditioningby @jinxedambitionsBen Solois one of the FBI’s most promising young agents. While he’s had a fewdisciplinary hiccups, he’s intelligent and not afraid to do what needs to bedone. His personal life is a mess, and he may not look like your typicalfederal agent, but he might be the only man for this job. Ben’s looking for apromotion and something like the glory his parents always talked about beforehe was born. The FBI is looking to take down one of the country’s most elusiveprostitution rings, specializing in the types of sex that Ben’s boss has onlyread about in the novel his wife hides under the bed. Ben is going undercoveras a “slave” in order to gather information on the ring’s leaders,purchasing a premium package from the agency. 30 days as a slave to aprofessional Master, and a guaranteed sexual experience of a lifetime. Hegets chosen by Hux, or the General as he insists Ben call him, and he quickly realizesthat no training could have prepared him for this experience. Every day, Ben,or Kylo as he is known at the club, finds out more and more about theorganization, but the more he learns the less he wants to destroy them.

- Tothe Pure by @kdazraelDear siror madam, I am General Hux of the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer Finalizer. Iwas recently strong-armed by a colleague into joining an order of mysticknight-warriors and now they want me take part in their team-building orgies.Please advise.

- Bodies,Can’t You See? by sual When Hux sees the positive result on the pregnancy test scanner, he comes toseveral alarming realizations all at once. One: that his birth control has beentampered with. Two: that the baby is Kylo’s. Three: that this is his truepunishment for Starkiller’s failure. And quietly, in a weak, tiny voice in theback of his mind, the unsettling conclusion that he wants to keep it. He’ll diebefore he lets anyone near his child. He’ll tear apart anyone that tries to getin his way. Even Kylo.

- FollowingOrders by @redcoleSnoke decides that Kylo needs to produce an heir so they can continue hisline and Hux finds himself lined up as the other father.

- Sevento One by @anorlostHux is trying to keep everything under control as he suddenly has seven Rens tocontend with. As he tries to keep them from destroying his ship, he failsto notice that the Knights of Ren have other plans. Plans thatinvolve…cuddling.

- Flickerin the Void by @mothdustmouthHux watched in silence as the light swept over his body. The power stunned him,as did the bright jet of flame as it licked its color into his eyes. This wasnot the calm brightness of last night in the presence of Kylo Ren. This was adifferent sort of light altogether, massive and deadly. It overwhelmed him. Fora moment Hux felt an aching regret deep within himself, the sob of someone heused to be, bubbling up from the cold.

- Progenyby @geishacombGeneralHux has not allowed the Supreme Leader back into his bed since the events ofTLJ. But when he does, the consequences are far graver than either he or Rencould have ever imagined.

- ASong of Crows by Ficlet-Machine (Wordsmith) (WIP)WarchiefHux has just buried his trusted Crow, and, if the Gods still favour him, a newone will find their way to his lands. Hux may be young, but he is a good leaderfor his people. He is ready for the commitment, the responsibility, the changesthat come with a new child of the Gods at his command. The clan needs it, needsit spiritual leader if they are ever to claim ownership of all the lands fromhere to the Core Kingdoms. Raised a warrior, he is more than ready to paint theworld red in honor of his gods. He may, however, not be entirely ready for whathe will feel the first time he meets the haunted and tormented eyes of theyoung Crow called Kylo Ren.

- TheEmperor’s New Consort by @redcoleThe First Order is in control of the Galaxy, in a last ditch effort to savethose who are left, they request negotiations. Only to find that for theResistance to survive they only need to give up one thing small thing - the angry Senator Ben Organa.

- herecomes the first day by @inguThe moment Hux threw himself in front of the blaster shot meant for Kylo Renwas the moment he realised that he had well and truly gone out of his mind.(Or, the one where Hux tries to save the life of Kylo Ren and accidentally saveshimself in the process.)

- volitionby @bygoneboy“Kylo Ren,” Hux says, feeling humiliated as the words leave his mouth, “is notinfatuated with me—” “My apprentice is easily led,” Snoke continues, as if Hux hasn’t spoken. “He isdriven by impulse, emotion. These fixations are distractions to his true path,and they are things I will break in him, when he is ready. In the meantime…” Hewaves a knotted, spider-veined hand toward Hux, as if in dismissal. “You willassist me, in sating his desires.”pre-tfa. hux is issued orders to seduce kylo ren. chaos ensues.

- WeHang Side By Side by @reserveBefore Kylo Ren can complete his training, he must retrieve a Sith artifactfrom the Bothan System. Hux goes along with.

- ExMachina by sualAn AUinspired by Ex Machina where Ben Solo never became Kylo Ren, General Hux is adroid that used to be human, and they might just be what the other needs.Warning for a whole lot of robophilia and cruel and unusual uses for droids.

- FriendsWith Renefits by @moonwalkingcrabThe Rules:1. Just sex, no feelings2. The arrangement lasts as long as is beneficial3. Either party can choose to end the arrangement, no questions asked4. No kissing

- Starfuckerby @agent-nemesisKylo Renfollows a suspicious noise and finds a secret room. When he makes it inside, hecan’t quite believe his eyes.

- AnAlpha’s Pride by @sinceyouaskedmeforataleofHux hasgotten Kylo pregnant, and is infatuated with his changing body. He is sodistracted by the way Kylo’s belly is rounding out beneath his robes and hispectorals are swelling in anticipation of nursing that it takes everything inhim to keep from fucking him right on the bridge.

- Babe,I’m Here Again by @sinceyouaskedmeforataleof (WIP)It’s 2008 and graduate student Armitage Hux has no idea why hes still hangingout with that nerd of a second year Ben Solo. Surely he had better things to dothat sit around planning Dungeons & Dragons adventures with this not-at-all-attractiveAlpha who he definitely doesn’t think about constantly. A tale of illness,heartbreak, unexpected gifts, new beginnings, and rediscovery. Featuring twoidiots who don’t realise how much they love each other until its almost toolate.

- Bittersweetand Strange by @obsessions-and-dreamsIn a castle surrounded by a forest, lived a prince who became a monster.In aquiet village on the other side of the woods lived an unhappy young man withbig dreams.A Kylux Beauty and the Beast AU.

- Sunstrokeby @ballvvasherSupreme Leader Snoke gives Kylo Ren a mission to strengthen the Knights’ of Renhold on the First Order. Set several years before the events of Episode VII.Story contains mpreg, medical torture, and sexual assault.

- TheGuilty Bystander by @cthene “You like this story, don’t you Ren? It’s awfully romantic. Let’s pretend it’strue. Let’s pretend we conspired together to overthrow him.” Hux gets inover his head.

- Psychomachiaby @longstoryshortikilledhimBy thetime the events of SW:TFA unfold, Armitage Hux and Kylo Ren are bitter exes.This is what happened before.

- TheFall by @rosensilenceWhen Resistance smuggler Kylo Ren is captured and brought aboard the Finalizer,General Hux gets more than he was expecting. It isn’t long before thingsare spiraling out of Hux’s usually tight control.

- Unexpectedby @gonna-pop (WIP)After twenty years together, Ben and Armitage have gotten comfortable. Thereare no surprises left in their marriage, and nothing new to learn about eachother. That is, until Armitage unexpectedly goes into heat while they’revacationing on a resort world — and a few days of renewed passion changes thecourse of their lives.

- Convivial Society by @vadiannaLeia doesn’t know what to think when she sees the report about two First Order prisoners taken by surprise. They are suspected First Order officers, but the field can’t verify this.She understands better when General Hux is brought before her, obviously caught in the middle of some rather intense sexual intercourse. She has to ask.

- KnockedUp by @agent-nemesis“Areyou ready?” Kylo asks Hux stupidly, realising the question is moredirected at himself.Hux answers with a cry, and then his panic rises again.Kylo hunches over him, cocooning him protectively. “You can do this,” he whispers. “I know you can do this.”“I can’t,” Hux whimpers, shaking his head. “They’re too big. Ican’t.”“You’re a general of the First Order,” Kylo says softly in his ear. “TheGeneral. The strongest man I know. You can do this.”

- GameOver by limit_breakerLate one night in the officer’s lounge, Kylo Ren challenges General Hux to agame of billiards. That might have been a mistake.

- Pillarsof Salt by @francisthegreatIn whicha young priest learns the meaning of temptation.

- AcademyStyle by @eralkfang“It’s nota question of desire, it’s a question of logistics.”

- SoSoft (And So Terrible) by @theearlgreyalphaGeneral Hux realizes that maybe he’s capable of being a little compassionateafter all, when Kylo Ren winds up in his doorway in the middle of the night.

- Don’tBe Shy (You’ve Been Here Before) by @cut-off-the-grainThe call of the Light, the call of the Dark, have never been so tempting asHux’s hands in his hair as Hux wrangles him this way and that with only thegentlest of touches against his scalp. Hux moves him, moulds him, guides him,in the same exacting manner he does battle plans and blueprints, but with alanguidness which has no place in warfare. Instead of harsh words and reprimandsfor failure there is only Hux whispering “shh, darling, calm down, norush" until Ren is trembling and desperate, his hands and his mind full ofHux, Hux, Hux.

- bodiesagainst by @brawliteGeneral Hux buys himself a present. He ends up sharing said present with theKnights of Ren, who shamelessly barge in on his personal leave time.

- Pasiphaeby @vadiannaWhile depressed one night, Kylo Ren decides to jerk out his sorrows to hisfavorite holoporn vids, starring Major Fuxx and his parade of alien partners. Major Fuxx bears a striking resemblance to General Hux, which is part ofthe appeal, but he suddenly realizes that they may have more in common thantheir looks…

- ForgetHow to Feel by @onewhositswiththeturtlesHux grewup being told that feeling emotions was weak and shameful. If he ever wanted tobe successful he would need to dispel them or use Sinaffec, a drug that mutesemotions. Now Hux has been appointed General of the First Order and relocatedto Starkiller Base. It has been years since he needed Sinaffec to control hisemotions but that changes when Snoke’s apprentice, Kylo Ren, arrives.Ren seemscapable of invoking every emotion in Hux - first irritation but then other,deeper emotions Hux refuses to acknowledge. But when Ren starts talking aboutsoul mates and force bonds, Hux can only deny his feelings for so long untilhis must make a choice: take Sinaffec indefinitely or surrender to his emotionsand see where they lead him.

- MeetMe Halfway by @callmelyss“I don’tdo that,” Hux responds in an undertone before he realizes. He flushes—hard—andscowls. “If that will be all, Supreme Leader…” He turns on his heel withoutwaiting to be dismissed and starts to stalk back the way he came, grateful, asever, for the wide sweep of his greatcoat, the padded shoulders making him feelless—small.He’s halfway out of the room (and what a waste of space) when what he said mustcatch up with Ren: “You mean you…never?”He freezes, every muscle in his body tensing. Won’t say it out loud. No, heemphasizes, clear as he can. Knowing Ren will hear, knowing he will see itregardless, terrible nosy busybody that he is. I haven’t.

- Bombshellby @cosleia Departmentstore employee Ben Organa learns something new about the gorgeous redhead whoalways requests his help selecting lingerie.

- Touchby @kyluxtrashpit When Huxfinds himself falling into bed with Kylo Ren, he wants nothing more than tocompletely take Ren apart. He finds a way to do just that.

- Carpetburns by @ellstra Hux’sfascination with Imperial officers is not only professional. Kylo decides Huxdeserves to relieve the pressure of command for once, and buys an Imperialuniform from Space ebay™.

- In myveins by @ellstra Hux hadbeen hiding his Force-sensitivity for years, using it sparsely and with greatcaution, but it only takes one mission gone wrong and all his carefully builtdefences shatter to protect Kylo. Snoke is always eager to use up all power hecan get.

- Understandingby @onewhositswiththeturtles Throughthe Force Rey accidentally witnesses an intimate moment between her twogreatest enemies, Kylo Ren and General Hux. Despite her hatred towards the twomen for what they’ve done to the Resistance, Rey is forced to learn andunderstand that everyone is fighting for something.

- LifeThrough Glass by @moonwalkingcrab Hux’s life is fairly simple, he has his work, he has his cat, and he has hisflat. Now it seems he has a new neighbour. With windows so close together it’seasy to fall into the world of Kylo Ren.

-and lead us not into temptation by @liesmythHux looks him up and down, this Resistance golden boy, gangly and ungraceful and so appallingly soft. Takes a drag of his cigarette. “You’re weak,” he says.Solo looks up at him. “Please.” He draws in a long, broken breath. “Please.” Or: General Hux thinks about Ben Solo a lot more than he probably should.

- The Interrogation Game by @jinxedambitions Kylo Ren finds himself strapped to his own interrogation table, getting a lesson from General Hux. Pain isn’t the only interrogation technique, perhaps not even the most effective. Strapped down with nowhere to go, Kylo is at Hux’s mercy. If he just tells Hux what he wants to hear, he might find relief from this overwhelming pleasure…but it isn’t that simple.

- Forceless by @sinningsquire Ren has lost the one thing that defined him from before he was even born. Somehow this results in a mad dash through the Galaxy, with more bloodshed that two men should be able to bring on, and with one happy ending under a starry canopy of a summer night.

- Like a Vicious Dove by @thevulcanpresidentIt has been a year since Hux destroyed Snoke and took the galaxy for his own, a year since Kylo Ren pledged his service to the new emperor. When Hux gets kidnapped, he trusts his knight to rescue him.

- Rule by @thez1337After the events on the rebel base, and the escape of some of the highest commanding rebel leaders, Kylo Ren takes Snokes place as head of the First Order. General Hux seeths, and his own secret ambition at ruling the Galaxy isn’t quite so secret.

- All’s Fair… by @nonsensicalsoliloquy "You missed me.“ Hux frowned, “I did not miss you, Ren. I didn’t miss your arrogance, petulance, or destruction of my ship anymore than you missed me and my refusal to cow to your whims.“ Ren only leaned in closer, his frustratingly large body nearly flush with Hux’s slender one. "What makes you think I didn’t miss you?”OR: The tension’s been building and building seemingly every day since the moment they met, and it appeared as if Ren had decided it was time it ended.

- Take Me or Leave Me by kyluxicle (LadyCamillus), oorsprong When Kylo Ren returns from training with Leader Snoke, he comes back more collected and focused. While Hux appreciates this newfound control, he misses the passion that Ren used to have—especially towards him. In attempt to get Ren back into his bed, Hux sets his sights on a lesser officer in order to bring out Ren’s jealousy. Either Ren will snap out of this cold persona and take him back, or Hux will have to settle for less.

- Politics by @sithofrenHux has an unusual request for his birthday. He wants to ‘capture’ Senator Organa-Solo. Kylo Ren agrees.

- Game Over by @onewhositswiththeturtlesHux has a combat simulation program developed for all First Order personnel and has a sim of himself as the final boss. He congratulates himself when the program becomes a massive success, unaware of the fact that hackers have changed the coding to dress his sim in increasingly scandalous outfits. When Hux finds out that Ren is spending a large amount of time in the sim he gets suspicious and pulls up the video logs of Ren’s sessions, only to realize that Ren is seeking much more than combat training from Hux’s sim. After some thought and planning, Hux decides to give Ren the real thing.

- The Lingerie Incident by @thesunandoceanblue Hux doesn’t want to be thinking of Leia while he’s tugging down his pants. Instead he thinks of Kylo, and how he’d react to this. He’d be terribly jealous. His secret revealed. To his mother of all people. Hux grimaces in amusement as he shimmies his pants down with one hand, the other holding his coat.

- Fractured by @kyluxtrashpitWhen Kylo returns from a meeting with his master broken and wrong, it becomes clear that Snoke has gone too far. Hux is left to not only pick up the pieces, but to put them back together again while considering the past and the future.

- Generosity by orphan_account Dressed down to his undershirt – which had become far too crinkled for his taste – Hux sported his uniform pants, minus the boots, however, left in his warm, black bed socks (He doesn’t like cold, okay?). And he also had his tongue buried in Kylo Ren’s ass.

- Sweet Redolence by @jakathineWhat happens when the desire to best your opponent turns into a desire to bed them instead…and then fate pushes you together rather Forcefully.

- A Vulpine by any other Name by levitheking & @omega-hux Hux wasn’t fully Human, his Vulpine Heritage plain as day with his ears and tail. His new co-commander turns out to be a Vulpine as well. Tensions are high and compromises must be made. Until Hux comes up with his most devious plan yet.

- My Own Breath by @saltandlimesHux has only ever caught glimpses of Kylo Ren’s face, short moments when the knight’s helmet is off. After an incident in the hangar, he realizes he needs to see more.

- Matches to Paper Dolls by @ctheneOn a mission from Supreme Leader Snoke to recover a lost Jedi artifact from the Smuggler’s Moon of Nar Shaddaa, Kylo Ren and General Hux are accidentally drugged. In addition to spice, it seems, the Hutt crime lord Grakkus was also a purveyor of powerful black market aphrodisiacs. With no choice but to copulate immediately, Hux must talk a terrified virgin Ren through the whole unpleasant, humiliating process. Upon returning to the Finalizer, Hux is ready to pretend nothing happened. Ren, however, deeply affected by Hux’s kindness to him throughout the ordeal, can’t put the experience behind him so easily.

- Who’s Your Master? by @groffictionHux murmured softly, “You don’t need punishment tonight, Ren. You need rest.”“But, I want… I want this… need this,” Kylo protested weakly, reaching around to nuzzle at Hux’s boots.

- tender is the night lying by your side by @thethespacecoyote Emperor Hux misses his mate dearly, even when he’s away clinching their reign. Thankfully, an alpha as powerful as Kylo Ren can overcome even the furthest reaches of the galaxy to tend to his omega’s desires.

- Forced Perspective by @gamebird Kylo Ren and Hux are stranded on a jungle world after negotiations go bad. Kylo is badly wounded, his life resting in Hux’s treacherous hands. His take on the reasons for his survival are very different from Hux’s.

- Chosen Ones by @babbushkaIn the middle of the night memories come rushing back, thankfully Hux and Kylo have each other to hold when they do.

- Zip it by @centurytwitch Hux feels that his contributions to the First Order are worthy of an award. He’s not expecting a new rank, though that would be nice. What he really wants is a new uniform to acknowledge the mental wear and tear he endures, the duty he fulfills every cycle.Kylo thinks otherwise.

- Putting you Back Together but Betterby @techiehuxThere is value to Hux yet, besides being a minor nuisance and occasional source of entertainment. With a few… improvements, he could be ferocious on the battlefield, commanding respect and demanding it in turn.

- No Rest for the Wicked by @embershxKylo sees Hux sleeping in their bed and can’t help himself.

- The Escape of the Fox by @theweddingofthefoxes After the First Order is defeated and Rey becomes Leia’s heir, Kylo Ren and General Hux are both fugitives, and they haven’t seen one another in years. Ren settles into a hermetic existence selling kyber, but when he learns Hux is still alive, he goes to find him under the pretense of staging a coup. But there’s another reason he wants to see Hux again….

I’m going to leave it there! I’ve been at this list on-and-off for about 2 hours, looking through my bookmarks and favourites, and there are still a tonne more but this felt enough to satiate you, anon! Remember, this list is just my personal recommendation of what I believe are must-read fics for a newcomer! They’re fun, they’re all written brilliantly and all amazingly represent the two space nerds that we love!

I’ll make a part 2 if anyone is interested but for now, happy reading!!! ❤️

#kylux #fic rec #remember to read the tags beforehand!#there's a hell of a variety in here

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justaramblingromantic · 6 years

Text

sun and moon

Characters/Pairing: Kobayashi Rindou, Tsukasa Eishi, Tsukasa Hi’en (OC), Tsukasa Chouko (OC)/EiRin

Type: Fantasy/Medieval!AU, Dragon Heart!verse, Freestyle

Word Count: 2911

A/N: Dragon writing practice, of sorts.

Chouko was about two when the Change came over her for the very first time.

It was very abrupt. One moment, the little toddler was happily tottering around the nursery with her mother watching her exploratory antics with amusement, and the next, she tripped, fell on her rump hard enough to scare herself, and then she promptly poofed.

One moment, the white haired little one was a cute, precocious baby, and the next, she was…a cute, precocious baby…of an entirely different species.

In place of where an inquisitive human child had been earlier was now a hound-sized…winged lizard.

To be more precise, a dragon. A baby dragon.

True to her dragonic heritage, she looked like a miniaturized version of her mother and older brother in their Other forms, only that the kit’s scales were moonshine white, taking after her Knight father’s fair coloring, and they rippled beautifully with every shivering movement she made. She glowed like a little moon. Her extended wings; soft, leathery skin stretched taut over delicate, talon-tipped bones that were still far from fully developed, flopped clumsily on the ground – she still did not know how to fold them in neatly against her back yet. Her tiny claws, untried but razor sharp and hard as diamonds, dug into the carpeted floor, slicing through the thick woven fibers like they were made of butter, leaving deep gouges on the stone slabs beneath in the wake of her rising distress.

Still in shock over her own bewildering transformation, her mouth opened to cry for her mama but instead of words, only a shrill, screechy wail came out. The unexpected loud, sharp sound that emerged out of her own throat had scared her too, and she abruptly snapped her narrow, elongated jaws shut, hunching like a beaten dog, pale, slit pupiled lavender eyes quivering piteously, not understanding what was going on at all.

The tiny, newly awakened Queen swiveled her slender, triangular head and lifted it with some difficulty- suddenly, it felt heavier than she was used to, and she had to exert more strength just to hold it upright to seek out her mother. Everything was overwhelming – there was so much noise everywhere crammed into her pounding head and her nose stung with a myriad of new and strange smells. Her eyes watered. She whimpered, cowering back low on the ground and frantically trying to bury her trembling snout beneath her paws, her long, prehensile tail whipping about everywhere in panic, toppling nearby stacks of toy blocks and tossing aside ragdolls with each powerful, haphazard sweep, crying the entire way.

“Oh…baby,” Rindou breathed in surprise as she hurried over to console her terrified butterfly child. She…had not expected this. They had all assumed that Chouko was more human than dragon – she had never showed any signs of Change before…until now. Unlike her older brother, who had popped into his dragonic form suddenly too…at barely six months of age. Hi’en had been very, very young when his dragon blood roared awoke and he started switching fluidly between two forms, hence he had adapted faster and taken to the Change easier, to the point where the young boy seemed to be more dragon than human at times, much to the dismay of his aristocratic (human) relatives.

Chouko was just also going to have to learn to live with this side of her inheritance, now that it too had chosen to rear its head. It would be a bit more difficult for the sensitive, shy child but she would be fine…because she was not alone.

The redhead deftly avoided her kit’s volatilely lashing tail, swiftly crouching down by the distressed child’s side. Her hands reached out, nimble fingers running over the little dragon’s back and flanks and wings, swiftly checking to see if she was hurt. She seemed physically unharmed, but was still making little miserable growling sounds and trying her hardest to claw at her ear flaps-

Ah, Rindou was quickly beginning to figure out what was ailing her daughter. The castle, with its sprawling complexes densely filled with many people and sounds and smells, must have been overwhelming for the child who had yet to learn how to control and filter her senses. Rindou could sympathize, and there was only one way to deal with this problem, and that was to physically remove her from it.

“Mama’s gonna help you feel better-”

She released her control over her human form- there was a throb of unearthly power as it surged and rippled over her, and she Changed fluidly. She landed lightly on all fours beside her kit, glittering red gold scales and large, unfurling wings that she quickly tucked tight against her back, long, powerful tail curled around herself. Unlike her young child, her Other form was at least fifteen times larger, which was why she did not like to transform indoors and often tried to avoid it if she could.

Today was an emergency, so the servants were just going to have to forgive her for making a mess.

The crimson Queen stretched down her long neck and nosed her daughter, trying to nudge the young kit into movement. Chouko was still all hunkered down, head lowered, butt planted firmly on the ground, completely reluctant to move. Rindou pushed her snout harder, this time directly against her daughter’s unwilling rear end. When the little white dragon lifted her head briefly to see the source of disturbance, it was not with recognition as her eyes landed on the large dragon hovering over her, but shock.

Chouko had never seen her mother in this form before.

The infant squawked and leapt back clumsily, nearly tripping over its own ungainly paws as it hurried to retreat from the potential threat. Her baby neck frills bristled straight out in alarm and she crouched down against the floor on sheer instinct, ear flaps pressed flat against her skull. A scratchy, defensive growl escaped her, lips nervously peeled back, revealing rows of sharp little baby teeth.

Her mother was unimpressed by her show of false bravado, huffing softly instead.

Chouko paused in her display, her nose twitching frantically as she struggled to separate and identify the various scents. This familiar, beloved smell…

…Mama?

The red female was careful as she parted her jaws and then closed them gently over her child’s nape. She lifted the kit effortlessly, and while the baby cried out in fright at first, she did not struggle, instinctively curling up into a ball instead, her tail swinging beneath her. Slit lavender eyes studied the foreign extension with distracted surprise, a quiet, querying chirp escaping her – what was this fat, white thing coming out of her bottom…?

Rindou turned and started towards the balcony. The equine-sized dragoness glided forward with soundless, predatory grace, yet the ground tremored lightly with every step she made. They were on the fourth story, but the dragoness did not hesitate for even a single second as her hind legs bunched briefly and she vaulted right over the balustrade, launching them both into the air. There was a brief sensation of free fall as gravity immediately pulled them down…but then those large, wings spread wide open and started to work, powerful muscles displacing huge gusts of air with effortless ease, keeping them aloft.

There was a brief furor and muted exclamations of surprise as the inhabitants of the castle witnessed their flight, but that eventually died down soon enough. It was well known that the lord of the land had defied tradition and married a rare and beautiful dragoness; even the heir apparent was dragon – so such sightings were no longer as rare as it once used to be. It was still astonishing to have something so big suddenly appear in the sky, though.

Rindou made a mental note to apologize to the household for startling them later, but for now, she had an upset child to soothe. Chouko, surprisingly enough, was not crying with fear and panic anymore. Dangling safely from her mother’s mouth, the dragonling was staring at her surroundings with stunned wonder and childlike delight.

She screeched happily, batting her paws at the colorful scenery spread before her, trying to catch it. Her tail wiggled with joy at this new game that mama was playing with her. Fun!!! She screamed gleefully again, even louder, her earlier hysterical episode forgotten.

Her mother was very amused by the kit’s reaction. Now that they were out in the open, the baby was no longer overwhelmed by sensory overload and was happily enjoying her world again, which had suddenly become a lot bigger. Just to entertain the little one, the dragoness made a few more circuits around the castle grounds, dipping and weaving lazily across the skies, sometimes diving low, other times pulling up high enough that the livestock that lived in the surrounding pastures and fields were but mere dots spread across the land.

And through it all, her young daughter shrieked and chortled merrily, fearless, elatedly, embracing her dragonic roots.

It was a while later when the redhead decided to land, though she did not stop too far from home. A nearby hill situated a short ride away from the Tsukasa castle, just far enough that her Other form would not alarm or hinder those working on the grounds, but still nearby that the guards would not panic because their lord’s lady and daughter had gone missing.

Rindou touched down gracefully amongst the grass, her huge wings folding behind her. She gently lowered her precious cargo on the ground. The little white dragon toddled her first few steps unsteadily, not used to moving about on four limbs yet. Her mother left her to figure it out, and went to seek a nearby patch of nice, warm grass to stretch out in. It was a cloudy afternoon, but the sun was up and it was a good day to be sunning outside. The red Queen circled the ground a couple of times before finally sinking down happily on her chosen spot, resting her narrow, angular head on her forepaws, her gold slit eyes watchful of her youngest.

Chouko was nosing the grass curiously, and then batting at a dandelion. The sunny yellow stalk of flora rebounded back and tapped her on the muzzle, and a funny look crossed her expression…before she sneezed, the loose pollen tickling her sensitive nose something fierce. A tiny tongue of flame fizzled out weakly between her parted jaws, briefly disconcerting her…but then she was swift to dismiss it because it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

She had more important things to pay attention to…such as the tail that had suddenly reappeared in her vision, audaciously bold and fat, taunting her with its presence.

Rindou rumbled with silent laughter as she watched her daughter chase her own tail, so determined to catch the devious snake-like appendage that she was practically spinning in circles.

The dragonling entertained herself thusly for quite some time…at least until a commotion overhead distracted her from her happy game.

Rindou had already heard the approach a while back, and therefore was hardly alarmed as the sounds grew louder and louder.

It wasn’t very long before her puppy-like offspring skidded over clumsily, eyes wide, her wings dragging behind her in flustered dishevelment, instinctively trying to flap them to fly yet still not quite old and strong enough to manage the feat, bawling with panic as she quickly scrambled into the safety of her mama’s embrace, wriggling into her side and trying to seek shelter beneath one of her parent’s much, much larger wingspan, both currently spread out on the grass to take advantage of the sun and soak in as much of the warm rays as possible.

A flash of red burst into the clearing short moments later, half bounding up the hill, half gliding through the air, wings fully spread. Hi’en was still not old enough to achieve full flight yet, but he could stay airborne for very brief periods of time and traverse short distances now if he picked up enough speed on the ground and took advantage of a good tailwind. The heir of the Tsukasa House was about the size of an adult ram in his Other form, and it wouldn’t be long before he overtook his own mother in size and weight class; the males of their species were always significantly larger than the females.

Her son sauntered over once he crested the hilltop, his leathery, crimson wings folding behind him, inquisitive gold eyes meeting his dame. He had taken after her coloring in every way, with the same sleek red, gold scales and streamlined, aerodynamic form. The young boy crooned softly at his mother in greeting, and then his gaze centered on the white little behind poking out from beneath her wing. Rindou’s tail waved slowly with faint amusement. Hi’en treaded his way towards her, and then he sat down between her front paws, rubbing his head against hers. Though a full two years older than his sister, he was also her baby. Even when he eventually grew to adulthood and became bigger than the family castle in the future, he would still be her baby.

He emitted a series of enquiring little chirps, directed towards his infant sister. He had never seen Chouko like this before, but he could easily identify her by scent all the same. He warbled cajolingly, trying to entice his baby sibling out to play.

It didn’t take long before there was a reaction. Timid movements could be heard rustling from beneath their mother’s spread wing, and then…a pale white snout slowly poked out from beneath the shadows, twitching as she learned to use her nose too…

Is…nii...-chan…?

The rest of the little Queen followed soon enough, slinking out shyly to greet her brother. Once she had really ascertained for herself that it was indeed nii-chan, she squawked excitedly and quickly bounced out the rest of the way. It wasn’t long before the two kits were tumbling and roughhousing together – two tails were better to chase than one, after all, and Hi’en taught his imouto how to be a proper dragonling through play and games.

Rindou presided over her children’s antics serenely, and was not the least surprised when the last member of their family calmly approached, too.

Since Hi’en was here, then that meant his father would not be far behind. Besides, he could sense whenever she Changed – the intricate bond they shared as mates ensured so and drew him to her unfailingly, just to check that she was not in any danger. It was a persistent habit left behind from the recent past, back when civil war still ravaged the kingdom of Tootsuki and every Change meant that she had plunged into battle to fight their foes.

These days, Changing held a different, more peaceful, idyllic implication. It was a very welcome adjustment. They had fought hard to protect and bring forth this precious peace to the present, after all. Their children would not know blind hatred and prejudice the way their parents had in the past. They would be free to be whatever they wanted to be, to love whoever they wanted to love.

Her human heart quietly came up and sat beside her. She swiveled her long neck and rested her head on his lap, heaving a deep, contented sigh even as he leaned into her side, entirely comfortable even surrounded by the large, powerful fire breathing lizards. His scarred, callused fingers stroked her smooth, delicate scales shimmering beneath the ridge of her temple, blunt nails gently, affectionately, scratching that hard-to-reach spot just behind her ear flap. Having a human hand to give her ear rubs when she was full dragon was the best, she could not help but think blissfully.

Her mate had accepted her in all the forms she possessed, and in turn she had fallen for him all over again and promised to spend the rest of her life with him.

She raised her head eventually, and he watched wordlessly as she shifted.

Her fireproof, armored exterior blended and gave away into soft, creamy skin, the blood red of her glimmering scales condensing to sheer vibrant hue in the form of her long silken hair. Her wings and tail retracted and disappeared altogether, reptilian features melted away, replaced by a breathtakingly beautiful face; full red lips, high cheekbones, a graceful nose, mesmerizing eyes. Her dragonic form shrunk until she was slightly smaller than him; willowy and supple, all long, slender limbs and womanly curves.

The magic of the Change protected her material possessions during the transformation and kept her clothes undamaged, something which she was always grateful for; being vulnerably naked in the aftermath of switching from dragon to human would have been very annoying all the time. Her lord and husband reached out and took her hand. They sat side by side on the grassy hilltop, watching their children frolic and scamper about.

“She’s beautiful.” Was the first thing he said, quiet, his soft gaze resting thoughtfully on the little white dragon that was his daughter. The delighted toddler was enjoying her newfound freedom and trying to dogpile her amused brother, who was letting her scramble up his back as he flopped on the ground and took a brief rest from their playful antics.

“She is, isn’t she?” Rindou could not help but grin happily.

“We made her, after all.”

#Shokugeki no Soma #Food Wars: Shokugeki no Souma #EiRin #Tsukasa Eishi #Kobayashi Rindou #freestyle #my fics #EiRin: Dragon Heart AU #[ tfw you ended up writing an epilogue for the series you haven't even started yet ]

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delkios · 6 years

Text

Come Sail Your Ships Around Me (DC TV)

Title from The Ship Song by Nick Cave. This is essentially a prologue (that i'll never continue) from an idea I had a good while back inspired by the first season of Alice Isn't Dead and the first two episodes of Eureka. Title: Come Sail Your Ships Around Me (And Burn Your Bridges Down) Fandom: DC TV Rating: PG-13 Word Count: 2360 In Responds to: ColdWave Weekend 2018: Friday the 13th Characters: Mick, s2 Legends Summary: There's a temporal anomaly following the Legends. One capable of writing things out of the timeline. The first time it showed up the thing nearly killed Ray. Not that any of them had know that at the time, it had just shown up in the middle of a fight against anachronistically armed hussars during the War of Austrian Succession. Reinforcements had shown up for the hussars, one of which had a goddamn rocket launcher that he had fired into the skirmish without thought for his allies. Ray had flown into its path and Mick had lunged after him. Ray's armaments had been damaged earlier in the fight and Mick knew a sacrifice play when he saw one. But inches between Ray and the explosive the air ripped open with a sound so loud and distorted, folded in on itself until it was like reality was tearing itself apart. The tear pulled back into a ragged, shapeless opening that swirled in blues and greens with deep fingers of purple crackling around a humanoid silhouette like a halo. The projectile disappeared inside its chest and, with the same terrible roar that announced it, it vanished. Everyone had frozen, staring at the spot the thing had occupied. Except for Mick. After so many years working as the Time Masters' bounty hunter, he knew how to work through weird, using it to his advantage. He fired a gout of flame at the hussar's already terrified horse, not aiming to hurt it, just spook it. It reared back, throwing its rider to the ground before bolting, a couple other horses following its lead. Once they were clear, Mick fired again, this time detonating the remaining ammo in the hussar's bag. The explosion broke through the mass stun and the hussars that didn't immediately surrender out of fear threw down their weapons and ran.

Clean up was fairly easy after that, word of mouth claiming the Legends were slaughtering anyone using these 'magic gifts'. When they finally trudged back onto the Waverider the only answer Gideon could give as to what happened was 'a massive temporal distortion'. "What does that mean?" Sara asked. "I'm afraid I cannot be any more specific. I have no records of any similar event." When Sara turned to Mick, he just shrugged. Jax said to the room in general, "So this is definitely something we're gonna have to deal with eventually, isn't it?" Sara sighed and pushed away from the console. "I don't doubt it." It showed up again almost a month later as a time pirate ambushed a couple of them checking a crashed ship in pre-history Nepal, swinging what looked like a machete-shaped lightsaber at Mick. The air ripped open again, flickering briefly around everyone like it was trying to find the correct spot- right in front of the pirate. She twisted, trying to maneuver around the thing but her arm brushed against the swirl of color, the purple immediately crackling along the limb, dragging her into the tear. When the pirate's hand brushed against the silhouette it was like she'd reached the event horizon of a black hole. Her body stretched, limbs turning into ribbons that twisted as she was pulled in and in. Her scream was the only thing that lingered as it thunder clapped out of existence. In that time, Nate had grabbed Mick and Amaya, dragging them against him as he backpedaled against the side of the ship, all three stunned silent. It took him a while to find his voice, announcing into his comm, "Uh, Sara? We saw the thing again." And it kept showing up. Again and again and again, each appearance coming quicker than the last. At first it seemed to happen only when the Legends were in a fight. Then it started happening outside of any overt threat. Then, according to Gideon, it started showing up before or after their arrival, the temporal distortion lingering for days, on one occasion an entire week before they came. Sometimes it stayed in one place, sometimes it flickered to different spots, the length of its appearance ranging anywhere between instantaneous to a minute long. It didn't seem to care about casualties, of the people or things it sucked into its body, one time appearing over top an injured man. The Legends hadn't heard him scream or seen him vanish, but he was gone all the same. To make it worse, the victims weren't merely killed, they were erased from the timeline. Each and every one, no matter how Gideon scoured her records, not even Rip's team able to go back and find any trace of them even before they vanished. In response Sara had gotten more cautious in assignments, dividing the team into groups when they went out and told to call in the moment the thing showed up. Or maybe it was less caution and more trying to figure out the anomaly's pattern. She'd called Mick into the study after a particularly harrowing encounter, the anomaly seeming to follow the Legends back to the Waverider for a mile before stopping just outside of the Waverider's weapon range. One wall of the study was taken up by a board that had the locations of each encounter as well as the names of who saw it underneath. Mick didn't have enough time to parse the list before Sara said, "Are you sure you don't know anything about this thing?" Mick gave her a mildly irritated look. "Sure as I was the last four times you asked." Her mouth pressed into a thin line, looking like she was trying to figure out the best way to phrase what she had to say. She settled on, "I think it's after you." His brow furrowed. "What?" "You're the only one that's witnessed every single appearance and whenever it intervenes in a fight, it's almost always when you're in direct danger." For a long moment Mick didn't say anything. Couldn't think of what to say. His mouth worked soundlessly for a moment before asking, knowing she wouldn't have an answer, "Why?" Sara shrugged, looking helpless. "I don't know. But I don't know if I should let you back into the field unless necessary. At least until we figure out how to deal with this thing. I don't know if it can track you while you're on the ship-" The alarms blared. They looked at each other, both acutely aware of the timing, before charging into the hall to meet the sudden danger. "It's on the ship!" Jax called out over the ship wide com. "Holy crap, it followed us into the timestream!" Mick and Sara skidded to a halt. There, at the other end of the hall, was the anomaly, flicker as it stopped by each door as if it were peering inside. Thankfully it didn't seem interested in the crew, having ignored the fact it had Ray and Jax cornered in their respective rooms before it moved on. It flickered again, suddenly jumping halfway down the hall to appear within a yard of Mick and Sara. Then, for the first time, the silhouette moved. Its arm lifted and reached out, the rift reshaping itself around it. Its hand and fingers outstretched, as if it was going to touch Mick's cheek but Sara pushed Mick behind her, firmly putting herself in the anomaly's way. With a snap her staff extended, held at the ready even though she knew what would happen if it touched her. But the thing stilled, head tilting slightly to one side. And vanished. For a long moment no one spoke. Then Ray said, forced brightness in his voice, brittle around the edges, "Well, that was terrifying!" "Gideon," Sara said, absently patting Mick's arm as if to assure herself he was still there, "any damage?" "None, Captain Lance," Gideon replied. "However, given the anomaly's ability, it may be best to have someone confirm that." Jax nodded to her. "I'll get on it." Nate heaved a sigh. "I did not need to know it can show up in the timestream." "I'm actually a little glad it showed up," Amaya said. "Something about the noise it makes has been bothering me but I haven't managed to get a recording of it. Gideon, were you able to do that?" "Yes, Miss Jiwe, though I am not programmed to do complex noise filtering." "Perhaps I can be of assistance," Stein said. "I have some amount of experience in that area." Nate grinned, equal parts amused and disbelieving. "You?" "Like any good nuclear physicist, I have a number of friends in SETI," Stein said matter of factly. "One of whom took the time to show me how to filter out noises surrounding potential signals." "Is that really a typical association?" "Absolutely." No one could tell if he was being sarcastic. "Alright, then," Sara said. "Gideon, set him up with a soundboard and let's see what you can find." Gideon had one fabricated and waiting in the study and as Stein went to it, Mick followed. Stein paused, looking a bit unnerved at the company. "This may take a while, Mr. Rory. Rest assured, I'll have Gideon alert the crew once I've gotten something." "I'm the one being stalked by Space Ghost," Mick told him. "I'm gonna be there when you figure out why." Stein looked to Sara who just shrugged back. Stifling an unhappy sound, Stein continued on his way with Mick right behind him. After a moment, with no one having anything better to do, the rest of the Legends followed. It took some time before Stein got anything. Long enough for Mick to wander off and bring back a bottle of stout and a bottle of bourbon, the latter he placed next to the chair he claimed, the former he cracked open and drank from. After a little longer, Ray went out and came back with a tray of sandwiches he passed around to everyone. Then Jax returned with a clean bill of health for the Waverider and, not much longer after that, Stein abruptly froze. Jax, feeling his apprehension, asked, "You find something, Gray?" "Indeed I have," he replied, voice strained. "This... will be upsetting for most, if not all of us, but Mr. Rory is likely to be the most affected." In reply, Mick leaned over the side of his chair to pick up the untouched bottle of bourbon. He flopped back into his original position, took a long pull and said, "Hit me, Professor." Stein removed his headset, pressed a button and a faint crackle filled the room. He pressed another button and a voice said, "Mick" Mick abruptly sat upright. Sara, her posture stiffening from her place against the wall, asked, "Was that..." Stein held up a hand. "There's more. Much more." He started raising sliders, layers and layers of voices- of one voice -speaking over each other, each layer looping through a single word or phrase over and over again. "Mick" "where are you" "you and me partner" "I'll find you no matter what" "don't leave me" "I'm coming Mick" "That... that's Snart," Ray said softly, glancing at Mick for confirmation. Mick wasn't looking at anyone. He took another drink from the bourbon, hand shaking. Nate's brow furrowed. "Wasn't he the guy that killed that alternate-" Ray cut him off with a sharp jab of his elbow and Nate, catching Sara's glare, said, "Not the time. Right." "My immediate hypothesis," Stein said, turning off the voices, "would be this anomaly resulted from Mr. Snart's presence at the Oculus explosion. The question is: is this anomaly an echo of his consciousness or is it actually Mr. Snart in some form? Is he aware that he's been following Mr. Rory? Or even of the danger he's presenting? Or is the echo merely chasing the presence of the most important person in Mr. Snart's life?" Mick pulled a face. "I ain't the most important person to him." The others gave him odd looks. "Evidence points to the contrary," Jax said dryly. "Nah. That was always his sister." "Is her name Lisa?" Amaya asked. Mick's jaw went hard and eyes sharp. "How do you know that," he growled. "It was in the voices," she said, stepping up next to Stein. "It was very faint. Can you turn them on again?" Stein did as she asked and Amaya studied the waveforms for each channel. "That one." She said, pointing it out. "I think it's on that one." Stein put on his headset again and fiddled around again. "My god, you're right!" He shut off every channel but the one that said "don't leave me" and in real time the others heard the words fade and another gradually coming out of it. "Lisa" Mick stood up, the bourbon falling to the floor and splashing under his feet as he strode swiftly through the hall. "Gideon," he barked out, "get us to Central 2017." "Belay that order, Gideon!" Sara called, chasing after him. "Override CHR-A31163DC. Central City. 2017. Now." "Understood, Chronos. Setting course." Sara brushed passed Mick, planting her feet and putting a hand to his chest. He probably could've barreled over her if he really wanted- she probably would've found a more painful way to stop him in that case -but Mick stopped. "You need to calm down." "You need to get outta my way, Blondie. I damn near helped Snart raise Lisa. She's as much my sister as she is his." "Mick," she said firmly, eyes intense on his. "I'm not saying no, I'm just saying we need to think about how we're going to do this. She already hates most of us for what happened to Leonard and you, that means you're the only one that she'll listen to." Mick's jaw twitched but he stopped straining into her hand. "I know she's a spitfire, I know she's independent. I'll get us to her, but you need to think about how to convince her to let us protect her." His eyes traced over her face, looking for even the slightest hint of a lie. His shoulders slumped and he said, voice low and tight, "She's all the family I got left." Sara's expression softened, hand moving to squeeze his shoulder. "Then let's go get her." --- Easter egg- the code Mick gives is the date of Atom 3 which marks the first appearance of David Clinton aka Chronos

#dccoldwave #coldwaveweekend2018 #fic 2018 #mick rory #dc tv

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velkynkarma · 7 years

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The Quintessential Paladin Armor Guide

Hey guys! We’re 5 seasons in now, and I thought it would be useful to put together this reference sheet for everything we know the paladin armor can do to date. I’ll also update this guide when new seasons come out and we learn more armor functions, too. Currently, this guide has been updated for Season 5. I provide references to episodes where each ability is used for samples of an ability, and visual examples for some abilities as well. This guide is primarily intended to be factual, with hard evidence from the episodes. However, some parts of the armor are still open-ended or have some degree of speculation surrounding them. I will indicate this as well if something about its abilities is unclear.   This guide contains a large number of screenshots, so all observations will be under the cut. For general reference, the guide is arranged in the following order:

General Armor Observations

Breakdown of individual armor pieces and their abilities

Helmet

Shoulders

Cuirass/Chest Piece

Jetpack

Gauntlet

Belt

Thigh/Leg Armor

Boots

General Bayard Observations

Character-specific notes regarding armor/bayard usage

Conclusion

Let’s take a look at what this armor does!

GENERAL

One size fits all: Despite Hunk’s misgivings (S1E1), the armor appears to fit itself to any body type (with the exception of the helmets, which Hunk appears to struggle with sometimes). This is further established in the wake of S3E7, where we see five different races with five different distinct body types and sizes, also wearing a variation of the paladin armor

High Durability: The armor is fairly durable. The only case we’ve seen of it being broken (outside more fragile extra pieces such as the jetpacks) is when Keith takes a direct hit from a druid’s blast (S1E10). Even when Lance shielded Coran at point-blank range from an explosion, his armor appeared to have held itself together and likely saved his life (S1E4), although it was severely scuffed and likely had still taken significant damage. The same is true when the entire team holds scaultrite in S2E5 for the teludav (their armor is scuffed but not broken) and when all of them are hit by dark energy/electricity (S4E6, but not entirely clear if they’re being struck with electricity or magic). It is also at least moderately resistant to acid, since Keith is able to swim in the Weblum’s stomach for a short period without being digested (S2E9), although it’s made clear this won’t last forever. It does appear to be somewhat weak to electricity, as Pidge is effectively stunned/injured when struck by an opponent using this attack (S4E2).

Full Environment Functionality: The armor is fully functional both for space environments as well as underwater environments. It is not clear if the suit also accounts for underwater pressure, although in S2E2 both Lance and Hunk were perfectly safe underwater in their suits.

Other Minor Observations:

The armor can be made in any color, regardless of whether or not it matches with a Lion’s color (S3E2, Allura’s pink armor, although there is no Pink Lion). They appear to only traditionally match the colors of the Lions.

Bayards, “the traditional weapon of the paladins of Voltron,” are distinctly color-coded and linked to a Lion. There are only 5, regardless of how many variations of armor we’ve seen.

All the bright blue/teal lines on each piece of armor appear to be lights and will glow in low lighting (S1E4). Most of this appears to be for aesthetic, or possibly to help with visuals in a low-lighting situation. However, at least one set of lights actually has a functional purpose (the ones on the upper leg/thigh armor), which is where bayards are “sheathed” until needed.

Presumably the armor is designed to get into very quickly, as the paladins appear capable of going from casual gear to armor in the elevator ride from the bridge of the Castle of Lions to their respective ziplines (S1E2)

In S1E7 Allura mentions that “there are already sensors built into your suits” when they are discussing dropping the BLIP-tech sensors in order to be able to scan for the enemy. It’s unclear if she means the sensors are used to read the BLIP-tech readings, or if the sensors are there to track where each paladin is.

The armor used by Shiro, Keith, Hunk, Lance, Pidge, and later Allura, is not the exact same design as their predecessors (S3E7). There are distinct differences in the design of the helmet, chestpiece, belt, and boots, and the original paladins do not appear to have the thigh-sheath lights. However, the armor of today’s characters was stored away in cases in the Castle of Lions, implying these may have been later designs.

The original paladins’ armor is slightly different than the designs we know today, although it isn’t clear if it had any functional differences.

HELMET

Space Capable: The helmets are capable of fully sealing shut and providing oxygen (or, presumably, any other needed gas for the species in question) and protecting from the elements. This also applies to underwater (S2E2). It is unclear how the helmet filters oxygen/breathable gases as the armor does not appear to have any kind of tank. It is also not clear how it recognizes what breathable gasses are necessary for the species in question wearing it. It is also not clear if the helmets will automatically seal when the paladin enters a breathing-poor environment, or if they control this in some way. Communications: The helmets have audio communications (like a radio frequency). Paladins seem capable of talking to each other individually or in a full group depending on the situation at hand. Communications can be disrupted in the wrong types of environments if the signal is interfered with (S2E1, Shiro had to get to higher ground before his comm would work, S3E3, the gas interfered with their communications so they could not hear each other). The communications can also be used to some degree even when not wearing the helmet—as long as it is relatively close by, the paladin can be heard and hear others (S1E6, Lance was not wearing his helm but could still be heard when he shouted). Visuals: The visors of the helmet are capable of displaying imagery and data for the wearer in overlay readouts that don’t obstruct their vision. The data can be transmitted two ways. The paladin can transmit what they are seeing to another team member or back to the Castle of Lions (S1E10, Keith displays the quintessence processing chamber to the others).

Keith (S1E10) sharing what he’s seeing with the rest of the team.

Or, data can be transferred from someone else to the paladin (S2E4, Pidge scans the entire building for signs of life and transmits the results to Shiro, who uses it to find Lubos).

Shiro (S2E4) receiving Pidge’s scanned information and using it to track Lubos.

The paladins have also used a variation of this in combination with their gauntlets to create visual communications (S1E8). One paladin will use his/her gauntlet to display visual feeds from another team for something like video chat.

Blackout Training: Used only once (S1E2), this feature is remotely activated not by the paladin but by their trainer. Used to block visuals completely so that the paladin is forced to rely on the Lion’s senses. It’s part of an “expert level drill that really shouldn’t be attempted until you’ve been flying for years.”

Lance (S1E2) is not okay with blackout training helm when he realizes he can’t see.

Team Tracking: In S2E1, Keith is able to track a signature with a special layout on his visor to know what direction to run in when searching for Shiro. Note, it’s not clear if he’s tracking the Black Lion, or Shiro, although the signal appears to center directly over the Black Lion when he gets a visual of it.

Keith (S2E1) following a readout on his visor to find Shiro and the Black Lion.

Translation: In S4E2, Pidge is able to read the rebel monument despite it being in a language she does not know. The helm highlights the text, produces an Altean version of the text on the visor readout, and then reads the script out loud to her in her own language. Note, this may possibly be a newer feature, as in earlier seasons the characters have difficulties translating Galra text; alternatively, it’s coded for other kinds of languages, but not Galra.

Pidge (S4E2) using the helm translation to read her brother’s “grave.”

Composition Scanning: In S4E6 Hunk is able to look at a sample of soil in his hand, and the helmet is able to scan it and determine what particles made up the soil.

Hunk (S4E6) using the helm to identify dangerous explosive material in the soil.

Unknown: On occasion the paladins are shown not having their helmets in one scene, or having left them behind, but then going into battle with them shortly thereafter (Ex. S3E4, the team runs down the halls and fights the Altean sentries without any headgear, and they are not wearing helmets when alternate-Slav opens the airlock. However just seconds later they are shown flying out with sealed headgear for space). It’s unclear if the helmets have a function like the bayards (when they can be stored away on the armor until needed), or if this is a detail oversight.

SHOULDERS

No notable attributes, other than possibly being one of the more distinctive pieces of the paladin armor and color-coded by paladin.

It should be noted the color-coded pieces are not actually attached to the collar. There is a distinct strip of gray-black for each paladin that matches the undersuit they wear.

Hunk (S2E4) shows how the colored shoulder guards aren’t attached to the collar.

CHESTPIECE

No notable attributes, other than possibly being one of the more distinctive pieces of the paladin armor and color-coded by paladin. Each one is marked with the Voltron “V” symbol, although it should be noted a very similar design was used for the alternate-universe Alteans, so this may also be a notable Altean symbol.

Lacks protection for the stomach, which has been a source for one of the major injuries in the series so far (Shiro’s side-wound, delivered S1E11, prominently seen S2E1). This seems to be a notable weakness in the armor’s design.

JETPACKS

Jetpacks are part of the chestpiece, but have their own entry for a few reasons.

The jetpacks are extremely fragile and can break if put under enough pressure (S1E5, Pidge gets shot by Galra fire in the jetpack and it bursts, S1E11, Shiro’s breaks after flying through zero gravity and hitting the wrong way). However, they do appear to provide some extra insulation or armor from the back, since as stated Pidge is shot point blank in the back and lives through it.

when not in use, the jetpacks are retracted against the paladin’s back, which is their standard setting. When they are in use, two “wing” pieces extend farther away from the body, and can sometimes be seen visibly over the characters’ shoulders.

Pidge (S2E1) gives a good example of how the packs extend when in use

The jetpacks appear to be primarily designed for maneuvering in zero gravity and can do so decently well, even in combat scenarios (S2E10, gravity was turned off to allow better maneuverability for the paladins) or with multiple individuals (S2E6, Keith is able to tow Allura with him fairly easily).

They can also be used in an environment with gravity, but to a more limited degree. Generally they appear to be used to slow descent in a fall (S2E4, team Voltron airdropped in for a rescue), or to allow for rapid sudden movement horizontally (S1E3, Pidge and Shiro escape a ship’s crash) or in short vertical distances (S2E3, Keith uses the jetpack to catch Ulaz and strike).

They do not appear to let you “fly” in a gravity environment. This was made pretty clear in S2E1, when Keith could not just fly across the chasm with his jetpack. He launched himself partway and was able to use the jetpack to supplement his movement, but even then he barely made it. He also has to keep touching down in the geyser field despite the obvious danger touching the ground here represents. This suggests the packs are supposed to be use for short distances at best

Weight does also affect the jetpack’s power in a gravity environment to some degree. In S1E3 both Pidge and Shiro jump off the same point in the downed Galra ship when trying to reach the computer. Shiro sinks fairly quickly while Pidge flew significantly higher and came down much lighter. Along a similar vein, in the same episode Shiro was able to carry Pidge out using his own jetpack, but only for a short distance, and he had to touch down at least once and re-jump using it.

They can also be used underwater for enhanced maneuverability (S2E2). Additionally, they do not appear to produce any kind of jet-wash or super-heat the water, so their users are not boiled alive in the process of using them.

Jetpacks are frequently incorporated into combat as well, for short bursts of speed, maneuverability, or height. Keith uses it the most in combat to leap in close very quickly, or to ricochet off walls (ex. S2E3 against Ulaz). Shiro will use his the same way to enhance parkour maneuvering or get in close enough to use his arm (ex. S2E10). Lance has also done this once (S2E10, to shoot at an opponent from the air).

Keith (S2E12) using his jetpack for extra speed and force while fighting sentries

Currently it is unclear how the jetpacks are fueled. They do produce some kind of blue flame, but it is unclear how they do so, if they have unlimited power, or where fuel is stored if needed.

GAUNTLETS

Holographic Computer Interface: The gauntlets can create a holographic computer interface that can be used for a variety of tasks just like a normal computer. Some samples for paladin uses are interfacing with and downloading Galra data (S1E3), using the gauntlets for video communications (S1E8), create maps or plan routes (S1E4, S2E10), analyzing escape options or possible next steps (S1E5), generating holographic distractions (S1E5), or transmitting data to or from the Castle of Lions, the Lions, or each other (S1E7, S2E10, S2E4). Pidge has also used the gauntlet for hacking in a variety of forms, from standard hacking (most eps), to generating a facial recognition hologram from an image (S2E10), to remotely hacking the Castle of Lions (S1E5 for the invisible maze) or Shiro’s arm (only once, in the comics). She has even hacked Galra technology via other paladins’ gauntlets, such as when she uses Shiro and Lance’s interfaces to pass her data in order to let her hack a closed system in the Beta Traz prison (S2E10). However the limit of her hacking is questionable, as there are times when Pidge brings her laptop along to perform some of the same functions (S1E10).

Shiro (S1E8) projecting imagery from Coran to Hunk and Keith

Scanning: The gauntlets are able to scan items or systems and can be used functionally in this regard both to supplement the computer interface or for additional needs. Pidge used it to scan another computer interface in S1E5 to examine the data and manipulate it. It’s also used in “reverse” this way in S2E10, as Lance and Shiro scan systems to let Pidge connect, and then are able to project codes back into the same system to let them unlock doors. In a non-digital setting, the gauntlets can also be used to scan items or people, such as when Lance uses it to scan the warden’s face in S2E10. Often works in conjunction with the computer interface, but appears to be functionally different, so I’ve put it in its own category. Energy Shield: The paladin armor can create energy shields generated from the wrist to protect its paladin. The shields have so far been demonstrated to block Galra firearm attacks (multiple eps), immobilizing foam (S2E10), distress spores (S2E4), acidic creatures (S2E9), explosions (S2E12) and even druid lightning blasts in one instance (S1E10) so they are pretty durable. Keith has also used his shield as a protective wall in at least one instance against the Weblum’s defense laser (S2E9), although it should be noted in this case it was not used to deflect a direct hit, but rather as an extra bit of protection when he and Acxa were already hiding in a side chamber. Hunk has also used his shield as a weapon on at least one occasion (S4E5) by using it to slam a sentry into a wall. They do appear to have some limitation however, as after being struck by druid magic in S1E10 Keith does not try to summon his shield again, and the attack appears to have broken it. A similar instance occurs in S4E2, when Pidge uses the shield as a defense against a falling boulder; it does not stop the boulder and throws her backwards, and the shield disappears afterwards. Shields can be generated in a large number of sizes, from small for training exercises (S1E2) to full body length (S1E7). Energy shields can be used with both the left and right arms. 

Keith and Shiro (S2E4) summoning shields on both the right and left arms

Energy Disruption Taser: Only used once by Pidge so far in S1E1 to stop the drone she eventually turns into Rover. Fires a beam or pulse of some kind that scrambles enemy technology.

Rover’s pov (S1E1) as Pidge incapacitates it prior to being converted to Team Voltron

Wrist Grappling Lines: In S2E10 Shiro and Pidge fire grappling lines that attach to a surface and reel them in to it in open space. These appear to be for use in zero gravity only as they have not been seen again since with the paladin armor, and are never used to pull or lift a paladin in a situation where they have weight. (It can be noted that Keith used a similar technique in S4E1 with his knife while operating with the Blade of Marmora, so this appears to be standard maneuvering practice in space).

Shiro (S2E10) firing his wrist grapple in open space

Flashlights: Gauntlets come equipped with flashlights for particularly dark areas that the glowing strips on the armor aren’t enough to illuminate (S2E2, S3E4) Medical scan: In S4E2, Pidge uses her gauntlet to scan Te-osh’s body for injuries. The scan works similar to an x-ray and reveals several broken ribs, which the scan tech also highlights. This suggests the technology can not only provide imagery of an individual’s internal organs or skeletal structure but can also correctly interpret if there is an injury, regardless of the species it scans.

Pidge (S4E2) scanning Te-osh and identifying injuries with her gauntlet Search function: In S4E2, Pidge is able to use her gauntlet to scan the ground and locate a doorway that leads to the base Matt is stationed at. Note that it is not a passive feature and she had to actively search for it after deducing that something was there, however the scan did locate the anomaly once set to look for it.

Pidge (S4E2) scanning for possible doorways or anomalies while searching for Matt Matter Compression: This is more speculative, but based on other forms of technology we’ve seen from Altea. Shiro’s glove appears to change when he’s in paladin armor and uses his prosthetic to fight, as though the glove material retracts or disappears (S1E4). There have been other incidents of Altean technology doing something similar, such as the pod “doors” appearing out of thin air to close or dissolving when opening (S1E4), or the way the gladiator seems to dissolve into bits of data when defeated (S1E9 when Keith destroys it). It is possible, but not confirmed, that the gauntlets or paladin armor in general are also capable of this.

BELT

No notable attributes at this time. As of Season 4 we still have no explanation for the gray boxy structures that rest on the right and left sides of the belt. It is not clear if they are there for decoration/aesthetic, if they are the power source for the suit, if they are some form of pockets/pouches/storage, etc.

THIGH/LEG ARMOR

Bayard Holster: The most notable feature for this armor is it’s where the bayards are “sheathed” or “holstered.” The glowing strips that rest just below a paladin’s hips appear to hold an un-summoned, energized form of the bayard. The paladin can summon and return it at will.

Keith (S1E1) summoning his bayard clearly for combat

BOOTS

Heel Jets: In S2E2, Lance uses a set of jets in the heels of his boots a few times: first, to repel baku-brainwashed Hunk during their fight, and then later to fight another mer-soldier. Note that he is only seen using this as a form of attack, not a form of propulsion. Also note that this ability has not been seen again since and was only used by Lance.

Lance (S2E2) using some form of heel blast to repel an attacking mer-soldier

BAYARD

As stated, bayards are limited, and appear to be specifically connected to the Lion in question (ex. Allura now has the blue bayard for the Blue Lion, even though she’s wearing pink, and there is no pink bayard).

According to Allura in S5E3, bayards “amplify each paladins’ life force.”

Bayards can be held by a paladin piloting a different Lion (S3E2, Lance hands over the blue bayard to Allura although he had been piloting the Red Lion). They can also be held by someone not currently piloting at all (ex. Zarkon), and it is possible to be a pilot without one (ex. Shiro, S1 and S2).

Bayards can be used to form a weapon for the paladin. The weapon in question is paladin-specific regardless of which bayard they have (ex. Keith forms a sword with both the red and black bayards). Although they do tend to form the same type of weapon, there may be differences in build and design. Bayards can even evolve over time for a single individual as well, even if they never change hands: both Hunk and Pidge’s bayards change appearances between seasons 2 and 3. See these other meta posts for more in-depth details.

As of S5E2, Lotor has been seen using the black bayard as well. This raises two questions: does this mean Lotor is also capable of piloting the Black Lion? Or, is it possible to use a bayard even without being directly linked to its respective Lion? S3E5 shows Allura holding the red bayard as Lance’s sword form, but it immediately returns to its base form; it is not clear if this means a person unlinked to a specific Lion can’t use that bayard, however.

Lotor (S5E2) holding the black bayard. His base form, sword and chainsword all resemble Zarkon’s.

Bayards can possibly adjust shape or type as well depending on user skill. Lance was able to change his bayard from a rifle form into a sniper rifle form and back at will (S3E6), which is the first indication of this happening in the team.

As of S5E3, he is also now capable of transforming it into an Altean broadsword; see this analysis for more detail on the weapon. It should be noted this has only been witnessed once, and it is not yet clear if he can change it back to a rifle. Lance himself states he does not know how he changed his weapon.This marks Lance as the first to change his bayard to multiple forms from different “families” of weapons, and also makes it clear this is a skill all of the paladins could develop in time.

Zarkon is the only other example we’ve had so far of changing bayard shape, and not just within the same “family” of weapon but into a different kind entirely (ex. S1E11, where he forms a sword, chain whip, shield, polearm, and cannon; see his bayard analysis for more detail). Lotor has also managed to change weapon shape but still prefers swords or sword-variants.

Zarkon’s bayard also appears very differently than the others (S1E11) and changes shape when Shiro regains it even in its base format (S2E13). Lotor’s bayard form takes approximately the same shape. Again, unclear if this is due to Zarkon’s skills and/or bloodline, or the individual in question. Zarkon’s corruption is another possibility having an effect on the weapon, but if this is the case, it would mean Lotor is also corrupted in some form.

Shiro (S2E13) holding Zarkon’s version of the bayard compared to his own

As of S5E2, Lotor has revealed he is also capable of using the black bayard. When he holds it, it takes the same form spiky base form that Zarkon’s does, and he displays a few of the same forms that Zarkon uses (a chain sword/whip and a regular sword). Note his abilities with it appear to be somewhat limited compared to his father still, as he does not use any other forms such as the cannon, polearm or shield that Zarkon exhibits, and he does not used ranged moves with his regular sword.

As of S5E2 it should be noted that the shape of Zarkon’s bayard cannon also appears to have changed. It is not clear if this is indicative of any kind of character evolution or change, especially since Zarkon has displayed several variations of the same weapon in the past (for example, 2 different swords).

Bayards are also used to interface with their specific Lion, in order to form a weapon in Voltron (this only works with Voltron, and not in individual Lions)

Ex. Yellow Bayard creates a shoulder cannon similar to Hunk’s own bayard when activated

Like a paladin’s solo combat, the weapon formed for Voltron is paladin-dependent, not bayard-dependent. Keith still forms the Blazing Sword even when using the black bayard in the Black Lion (S3E6), and the sword is not formed at all in S4 after Keith leaves the team. (There is some possible discrepancy to this, however it may also be an animation error).

As of S5E4, Voltron is seen using its sword again even though Keith is not with the team, which may suggest that Lance is now capable of summoning it due to the new form his bayard has taken. This is not officially proven yet however as we have not actively seen Lance summoning the weapon for Voltron.

This suggests (but is not yet confirmed) that Voltron’s weaponry could be near-infinite, depending entirely on the paladins piloting it and which ones activate which bayards, although there is possibility for some overlap (for example, Alfor and Keith both summoned a sword for Voltron—S3E7). This would also suggest that Voltron is particularly dependent on its paladins for advanced weaponry.

Currently, we have only seen 3 cases of bayards being used to form weapons for Voltron: Hunk forming a shoulder cannon with the yellow bayard, and Keith and Alfor (and now possibly Lance) both forming a sword (with either the red or black bayards). It is currently unknown what form of weaponry might be produced for Pidge, Allura, and Shiro, or if the former paladins besides Alfor formed anything unique. It is also not clear if Lance is capable of producing another bayard form besides the sword.

Bayards can additionally be used in conjunction with each other to power up individual weapons. This is first seen in S2E6, when Keith summons the Blazing Sword with his red bayard, and then Pidge, Hunk and Lance all use their own bayards to make it much larger and more powerful. With the addition of Shiro’s bayard (S2E13) this becomes an extremely powerful upgrade to the point when the sword was literally on fire/emitting energy. However this has only been seen in Season 2 with the sword, and it is unclear if this type of upgrade can be applied to other bayard weapons (such as Hunk’s shoulder cannon).

A similar function occurs in a more defensive nature when all five bayards are used together. Instead of powering up a weapon, all five bayards used simultaneously can give Voltron itself a power boost, which may be strong enough to drive out invasive attacks such as viruses (S5E3).

It should be noted this results in each paladin being transferred to a combined Voltron mind-space. It is not clear if this is a function of the bayard, a function related to Voltron, or if this was an odd side effect. It is also not clear if it functions for all paladins, or only in specific circumstances, as Shiro admits he has no memory of this incident in S5E3.

It is not clear how a person’s original bayard form is determined, or if it is based on an individual’s personality, quintessence, etc. However, as of S5E3, Allura comments that Lance’s new Altean broadsword bayard is showing him “you have greatness within,” and later on in the same episode mentions that bayards amplify a paladin’s life force, which could possibly imply they can adjust based on personal growth, potential or changes in a person’s life force.

If a bayard is knocked out of its owner’s hands it will change back to its original base form (S1E9). However it does have some fluidity of movement in other aspects, as it can be manipulated to some degree in its energy form (S3E6, Keith shifts his sword bayard from his left hand to his right while fighting Ezor). Presumably the difference is whether or not a paladin is holding concentration on it, however this is not confirmed.

Keith (S3E6) moves his bayard to his right hand when his left is restrained

Sparkle power: Bayards can also apparently perform minor illusions or cast sparks, as seen by Lance. It should be noted it is unclear if this is an actual ability each bayard has, or if this was a visual gag in animation to emphasize Lance fooling around.

Lance (S2E10) makes his bayard sparkle

Bayards appear to revert to the base form upon death, even if the user is still holding it (S2E5)

CHARACTER-SPECIFIC NOTES WITH ARMOR/BAYARDS

Some of the characters have so far shown specific quirks or uses for their armor that not all of them use.  

Pidge uses her gauntlet the most often. The rest of the team generally only uses it for communication, or at Pidge’s direction to get or send data for her.

Shiro’s gauntlet is flexible enough to allow him to use his Galra prosthetic without damaging the armor. Additionally although only his hand lights up, the glow will go all the way up to his elbow (note: this only occurs when he is in paladin armor. When he activates it in civilian clothing in both seasons 2 and 3, the glow is usually contained to his hand).

Although Lance will frequently hit targets with his bayard, the strength of the blasts appears to vary, as some targets he will hit multiple times but they won’t take damage. (Ex. S1E2, the gladiator, or S2E10, the warden). Possibly the most notable example is a direct hit to Sendak that did not kill him. In other cases his first shot will completely destroy a sentry.

When in combat with both sword and shield, Keith typically uses the shield on his right arm and sword in his left, but he has been seen using both shield and sword on both arms

Keith has also been known to throw his sword-bayard (or Marmora blade) at opponents, with surprising accuracy. (S1E7, S2E12, S3E4).

Note: The Voltron Show (S4E4)’s depictions were bypassed for the sake of this guide, as most data shown in this episode regarding the armor is subject to embellishment, stage illusion, or other forms of trickery not actually accurate to the armor’s real functions

CONCLUSION

That’s it for now! As stated, I will continue to update this guide with new relevant information whenever more data is given to us on paladin armor functions. Hope it’s useful to all you writers, artists, and fans out there! ~VelkynKarma

#voltron #voltron reference #long post #lots of screenshots #phew!#I've been working on this for a while guys #hope it's useful!

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tech-battery · 4 years

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Galaxy Book Flex review: A pretty QLED laptop with a useful S Pen Samsung’s laptops are coming into their own.

Samsung has had a troubled past as a laptop maker. Its ATIV, Notebook and Odyssey machines were underwhelming, and in the late 2010s the company consolidated its efforts into the Galaxy Book line. Instead of competing against the usual PC makers like Dell, HP, Lenovo and ASUS, Samsung focused on making more mobile-friendly machines. It prioritized thin-and-light designs and great displays, and it added an onboard stylus, borrowing the features that made its smartphones the industry favorites they are today.

With the Galaxy Book Flex, Samsung continues to show improved self-awareness by showcasing its superior display tech. The Flex is the first laptop with a QLED panel, which promises more colors, deeper blacks and greater brightness. It also comes standard with an S Pen and a wireless-charging pad built into the trackpad. Two models -- 13 inch and 15 inch -- are available, and we received the smaller version, which costs $1,349. The larger is just $50 more, and both are available today.

Engadget Score

Pros

Beautiful build

Useful onboard S Pen

Trackpad can wirelessly charge other devices

Comfortable keyboard

Cons

Limited configurations

Middling battery life

Summary

The Galaxy Book Flex is a gorgeous, powerful laptop with a vibrant QLED display. Though its battery life isn’t as long as some of the competition, the Flex is still a capable machine with a helpful S Pen onboard.

Design

I gotta give Samsung props. The company has seriously stepped up the design of its laptops over the past few years. The Galaxy Book S and Galaxy Chromebook both had super sleek builds, and the Flex is no different. This thing is all clean lines and sharp corners, with gleaming edges that give it a polished look. The deep royal blue of my review unit is refreshing: I’m used to boring silver, black or gray laptops, so my eyes welcome this change.

Though it’s impressively thin, the Flex feels solid and dense. It’s still pretty light though at just 1.15kg (2.53 pounds). In comparison, the new MacBook Air and the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 are both heavier at 2.8 and 2.9 pounds, respectively.

The Flex’s 13.3-inch screen is surrounded by minimal bezels on the top, left and right sides, with a fatter chin at the bottom. That thicker bottom bezel is still common in laptops, though Dell managed to do away with it in this year’s XPS 13 -- maybe the rest of the industry will catch up soon. Samsung still managed to squeeze a webcam above the Flex’s screen, although it sadly doesn’t support Windows Hello logins.

Along the edges, you’ll find a headphone jack, a microSD card reader, a push-to-release S Pen slot and three USB-C ports (two of which are Thunderbolt 3 compatible). That’s one more USB-C socket than the XPS and MacBook have, with the Apple laptop lacking the card slot the other two offer. As a consequence of offering more connectivity options, the Flex is also slightly thicker than both of those laptops. Still, it’s compact enough to fit in most of my work bags.

Display

I’ll be honest: I can’t tell the difference between an OLED and QLED screen of the same size and resolution. And you might not be able to either. That is to say, you won’t have any complaints about the Flex’s full HD display in terms of color reproduction and vibrance. I watched several episodes of Amazon’s new show Upload. The rich, autumnal colors in the leafy forest settings were stunning, and it was easy to make out details in even dimly lit scenes.

My apartment gets a lot of light, so it can sometimes get hard to see any laptop’s screen. The Flex’s Outdoor Mode is supposed to combat that by bumping the brightness an extra 200 nits to 600 nits. But switching it on via the keyboard shortcut only helped a little bit. However, it was much more useful on a slightly gloomy day.

I wish Samsung hadn’t made this a mode that you switch on or off and instead offered it as a few extra levels on the built-in brightness scale. Sometimes I needed a little bit more than the built-in max, but in those situations I had to use Outdoor Mode, which scorched my retinas. Still, it probably conserves battery to only bump up brightness by that much for short periods of time rather than encourage you to use it for an extended stretch.

Outdoor Mode also added a weird yellow cast to the screen, as if it turned on a blue-light filter. This wasn’t a big deal other than when I needed to edit photos for color temperatures. In those cases, you’ll have to turn off Outdoor Mode and figure out some other way to see your display without that brightness boost.

Keyboard and trackpad

Because it’s so slim, I was expecting the Book Flex to have shallow keys, but Samsung was able to offer a surprisingly deep amount of travel here. The keyboard is well laid out, with no undersized buttons save for the right-shift key, which is a little less wide to make room for the fingerprint sensor next to it.

My one gripe would be that the left-shift key seemed a little sticky, and too often I would try to uppercase the first letter of a word and end up getting the first two letters instead. I’d blame it on my lazy pinkie, but I haven’t encountered this on any other laptop.

A quick note on the fingerprint scanner: It was fast and accurate, usually unlocking the laptop without delay. Since it’s Windows Hello-compatible, I also used it for authentication on programs like Google Chrome. While the placement is uncommon -- most laptops place their fingerprint readers on the top right of the deck or embed it into the power button -- Samsung’s choice didn’t feel too odd.

Below the spacebar sits the Flex’s trackpad, which is fairly roomy given the laptop’s small footprint. Smaller notebooks often have cramped trackpads, but the surface area here is generous. It’s not as tall as the XPS 13’s or MacBook Air’s, but it offers enough vertical space. Aside from being large, the Flex’s touchpad is also responsive and smooth, and gestures like scrolling or pinch-to-zoom worked well.

S Pen

One of my favorite things about Samsung laptops is the S Pen. It’s not only fun for drawing self-portraits or scribbling down notes but also helpful for signing urgent PDFs. I just had to open the document, select “Add a Note” from the toolbar and sign on the dotted line.

The Flex offers the same onboard stylus as the Note 10 -- don’t expect the bigger, more pen-like version on the Galaxy Tab S series. Still, it’s comfortable enough to use for hours while drawing a self-portrait. Fans of Samsung’s Air Command menu on its Note phones will be pleased to know it pops up here too when you slide the S Pen out of its slot.

Performance and in use

The Flex may look like a dainty machine, but it actually packs a powerful 10th-generation Intel Core i7 processor. My review unit came with 16GB of RAM, which is double the 8GB configuration you can buy in the US. (The 15-inch model has the same CPU but 12GB of RAM.) Bear in mind that this means my experience, at least when it comes to performance and speed, isn’t going to be representative of what you can expect.

With these guts, the Flex deftly dealt with my daily workflow of Slack, dozens of Chrome tabs, spreadsheets and the inescapable Zoom calls that permeate our lives now. The laptop also kept up with my new at-home needs, like executing my podcast-recording setup and uploading large files for review videos. I also played several rounds of League of Legends after rediscovering it, and the Flex never let me down.

That is, until I decided to turn on Samsung’s Silent mode. This is meant to keep the laptop’s fans quiet if you’re bothered by them. It’s pretty easy to activate: Just slide a switch in the Samsung Settings app. You don’t have to go into Boot mode to access it. I never found the Flex too loud, but I guess those trying to get work done in bed next to a light sleeper or just really hate white noise might.

I did notice a significant decrease in sound when I enabled Silent Mode, though it seemed to throttle CPU performance. When I tried to continue playing League afterward, the system lag made it nearly impossible: My character could barely make it to the first turret before I gave up and restarted (with Silent Mode off). This is somewhat understandable. You can’t expect high-speed performance when the fans are turned off without the computer running too hot. Silent Mode is more useful if you’re bothered by the noise and aren’t running anything intensive.

Battery life and wireless PowerShare

Thanks to the Flex’s QLED screen and 69.7Whr battery, Samsung promises up to 20 hours of runtime. In reality though, that number is a lot lower. Our video-looping battery test drained the Flex in about 13 and a half hours, which is better than the MacBook Air but falls short of the XPS 13 2-in-1’s 14-and-a-half hour mark. In real-world experience though, I saw power levels plunge below 20 percent after five hours of heavy use. To be fair, that involved energy-sapping processes like video playback and more-frenzied League games.

One of the new features of the Flex is its trackpad’s built-in wireless charger that can deliver power to Qi-compatible devices. It’s the same Wireless PowerShare feature that debuted on the Galaxy S10. You can’t use the trackpad while you’re charging something, which makes sense, since something is literally obstructing the usable area. I’m not sure how helpful this feature is, since wireless charging is typically too slow to be meaningful. I placed the Galaxy S20 Ultra on the trackpad (after the requisite first step of turning on the feature in Settings) and watched as its battery level climbed painfully slowly from 79 percent to 85 percent in 20 minutes.

For something smaller, like the Galaxy Buds, I could see this being useful in a pinch (say, in an airplane when you’re running low on juice). Otherwise, wireless PowerShare isn’t something I’ll use a lot.

Wrap-up

I’m enamored with the Galaxy Book Flex. It’s a pretty machine with a nice display, powerful guts and useful S Pen. But I wish there were more configurations (for each size) to make the base price lower. Sure, $1,349 for a Core i7 processor and 8GB of RAM isn’t the priciest, considering the new MacBook Air tops out at $1,199 for a Core i5 and the similarly specced XPS 13 2-in-1 costs a lot more at $1,700. But with the competition offering options starting at $999, that’s tough to swallow.

Still, if you’re looking for a gorgeous, beefy laptop with a good screen and don’t need it to last forever, the Galaxy Book Flex is worth considering. More important, it proves it’s time to take Samsung’s laptops seriously again.

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isoufianelmoussaouius · 5 years

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DaVinci Resolve Studio 16.1 Portable +Multilanguage +Setup (v16.1.1.5)

Revolutionary tools for editing, color correction, audio post and nowvisual effects, all in a single application!

DaVinci Resolve 15 is the world’s first solution that combines professional editing, color correction, audio post production and now visual effects all in one software tool! You get unlimited creative flexibility because DaVinci Resolve 15 makes it easy for individual artists to explore different toolsets.

With a single click, you can instantly move between editing, color, effects, and audio. Plus, you never have to export or translate files between separate software tools because, with DaVinci Resolve 15, everything is in the same software application!

Whether you’re an individual artist, or part of a larger collaborative team, it’s easy to see why DaVinci Resolve 16 is the standard for high end post production and is used for finishing more Hollywood feature films, episodic television programing and TV commercials than any other software.

What’s New!

Fully built in Fusion visual effects and motiongraphics, incredible new Fairlight audio tools and nearlya hundred enhancements focussed on speed and quality!

DaVinci Resolve 16 now has full Fusion visual effects and motion graphics built in! The Fusion page gives you a complete 3D workspace with over 250 tools for compositing, vector paint, keying, rotoscoping, text animation, tracking, stabilization, particles and more. With new Apple Metal and CUDA GPU processing, the Fusion page is faster than ever! Fairlight audio gets a massive upgrade with new ADR tools, audio normalization, 3D panners, audio and video scrollers, a sound library database, and built in cross platform plug-ins such as reverb, hum removal, vocal channel and de-esser. There are also dozens of new features and improvements that editors and colorists have asked for. These include a new LUT browser, shared grades, multiple playheads, Super Scale HD to 8K up-rezzing, stacked timelines, on-screen annotations, subtitle and closed captioning tools, better keyboard customization, new title templates and much more!

Introducing Blackmagic Raw

Blackmagic RAW is a��new and modern codec that gives you stunning image quality and blazing fast performance in an intelligent new file format. Featuring advanced de‑mosaic technology and a revolutionary intelligent design, Blackmagic RAW gives you both the quality and benefits of RAW with the speed, ease of use and file sizes of traditional video formats.

The Blackmagic RAW codec features an intelligent design that moves part of the de-mosaic process into the camera where it can be hardware accelerated by the camera itself. This gives you incredibly efficient encoding and small file sizes. Blackmagic RAW files are much more than just a simple RAW container because they combine image data along with information about the unique characteristics of the camera’s sensor. This gives you much better image quality, even at high compression settings. Plus, you get total control over RAW settings such as ISO, white balance, exposure, contrast, saturation and custom color spaces. Blackmagic RAW also includes extensive metadata support including user customizable sidecar metadata files, plus GPU and CPU acceleration, new Blackmagic Design Generation 4 Color Science, different encoding options for constant quality or constant bitrate and more!

With Blackmagic RAW you can shoot, edit and grade projects all from a single file format. Picture adjustments and settings that you make in the camera will come into DaVinci Resolve via metadata and are completely editable. You can even make changes to the RAW settings in DaVinci Resolve, open the files in other applications that support Blackmagic RAW and automatically see the settings. You get a consistent look and controls between software applications, even on different platforms. Blackmagic RAW is the world’s fastest and highest quality RAW format.

Professional Editing

DaVinci Resolve includes everything professional editors need to cut blockbuster films, television shows, and commercials. It’s perfect for both offline and online editing. The high performance playback engine makes editing and trimming incredibly fast, even for processor intensive formats such as H.264 and RAW.

Fusion Effects

Fusion brings the world’s most advanced compositing software for visual effects artists and motion graphic animators right into DaVinci Resolve! So now you can create cinematic feature film quality visual effects and stunning broadcast motion graphic animations without having to switch software applications!

Color Correction

DaVinci Resolve has been used on more feature films and television shows than any other grading system! You get the industry’s most powerful primary and secondary correction tools, advanced curve editor, tracking and stabilization, noise reduction and grain tools, ResolveFX and more.

Fairlight Audio

With Fairlight audio built in, you get a complete digital audio workstation with professional mixer, automation, metering, monitoring, sample level editing, new ADR tools, a sound library database, native audio plug-ins and more! You can even mix down and master to multiple formats, including 3D audio space formats such as 5.1, 7.1 and even 22.2!

Media and Delivery

DaVinci Resolve 16 makes importing, syncing and organizing footage fast! Whether you’re going out to the web, tape, or theatrical distribution, DaVinci Resolve features everything you need to deliver projects in virtually any format! You’ll be able to get to work quickly and output files fast, so you’ll never miss a deadline!

DaVinci Resolve Studio

for even more creative tools and options!

The free version of DaVinci Resolve has all of the professional editing, legendary color correction and Fairlight audio tools you need for SD, HD and Ultra HD work at up to 60 frames per second. DaVinci Resolve Studio adds support for 4K and higher, along with frame rates up to 120 fps. It also includes dozens of additional image processing features and filters that are not in the free version. This includes film grain, temporal and spatial noise reduction, amazing new face enhancement tools, lens flares, lens distortion correction, optical quality blur and mist effects, deflicker, dust busting, warping and much more!

New High PerformancePlayback Engine

Fly through edits and colorcorrection with up to 10x the performance!

DaVinci Resolve features an incredible new video playback engine with CPU and GPU optimizations, lower latency, faster UI refresh, support for Apple Metal, and more! These upgrades combine to make DaVinci Resolve faster and far more responsive than ever. Working on long timelines with thousands of clips is incredibly fluid and editing is even more precise. Scrubbing and playback are instant, often starting before you lift your fingers off the keyboard! Powerful acceleration for processor intensive formats, like H.264, makes it possible to edit 4K material on a laptop in realtime! Whether you’re working in HD or 4K, with ProRes, H.264 or even RAW images, DaVinci Resolve is completely responsive and fast enough to keep up with your every move!

Legendary DaVinci Quality

Unique YRGB 32-bit float image processing!

DaVinci Resolve’s Emmy™ award-winning image processing technology features deep 32-bit float processing combined with unique, patented YRGB color science that processes luminance independent of color. This allows you to adjust the luminance of video without rebalancing the color of your highlights, midtones, or shadows! The massive internal color space is also perfect for the latest HDR and wide color gamut workflows.

This is a multi-package portable.

I can add updates/plugins via .svm files, just request plugins or notify me about new updates.

FILES:

- DaVinci Resolve Studio 16 Portable.exe = main program and data file

ADDONS:

Addons can be added via .svm files by me, or via normal files by you.

Show how .svm files work and how to add plugins

Sandbox folder: "\Sandbox\DaVinci Resolve\roaming\modified\@PROGRAMFILES@\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\"

Languages:

Multilanguage version! All available languages included. Change in settings. English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Russian, Chinese, Japanese (I guess).

Portable features:

No installation required

No Admin rights needed

Pre-activated

100% Offline, completely safe to use, no firewall needed

Sandbox folder containing modified settings, delete to reset

portable

setup

Just run it and enjoy!

via Blogger https://ift.tt/2r4hVg8

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siliconwebx · 6 years

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43 Best Responsive WordPress Themes (2019)

Are you looking for the best responsive WordPress theme for your website? Most modern WordPress themes are fully responsive out of the box. However, there are so many of them that it becomes difficult to choose one.

In this article, we have hand-picked some of the best responsive WordPress themes for you to choose from.

What is a Responsive WordPress Theme? Why You Need it?

A responsive WordPress theme is designed to automatically adjust itself to the user’s screen size. This means that your WordPress theme will look equally great on mobile phones, tablets, and desktop devices.

In the last quarter of 2018, mobile devices made 52% of all global internet traffic. You should expect that almost half of your users will be accessing your website using a mobile device.

If your website doesn’t fit their screen or looks ugly on their device, then they will immediately leave and may never find your website again.

This is why you must always use a responsive WordPress theme for all your websites.

Not only it improves user experience, but it also has a significant SEO advantage. Search engines like Google rank mobile-friendly websites higher in the mobile search which brings more traffic to your site.

Getting Started With Your Responsive WordPress Website

If you are just starting out, then you need to make sure that you are using the right platform for your website. Take a look at our guide to understand the difference between self-hosted WordPress.org vs WordPress.com.

For a self hosted WordPress.org site, you will need a good domain name and the best WordPress hosting. Your domain is the address for your website and hosting is where your website lives on the internet.

We recommend using Bluehost because they are giving our users over 60% off discount and a free domain name. Not to mention, they are one of the largest web hosting companies in the world, and they are officially recommended by WordPress.org.

Next you will need to install WordPress. Don’t worry, we got you covered there as well. We have a step by step guide on how to start a WordPress blog the RIGHT way!

Once you are up and running, you can pick a theme from the list below and install it. If you need help, then see our guide on how to install a WordPress theme.

Having said that, let’s take a look at some of the best responsive WordPress themes.

1. Divi

Divi is a drag and drop WordPress theme and page builder that comes with over 20 different layouts and templates for different kind of websites.

You can create and save your own Divi layouts. You can also export a layout from one Divi installation into another. Divi also comes with tons of elements that you can drag and drop anywhere in your layout.

2. Hestia

Hestia is a free WordPress responsive theme with powerful features. It includes easy theme setup with the help of a companion plugin which adds testimonials, services, and homepage sections to your website.

It is ready to be used with popular free page builder plugins and supports WooCommerce out of the box.

3. Astra

Astra is a popular multipurpose theme that can be used to build websites and blogs that look great on all devices. Built with the best coding standards, Astra offers a rock solid platform for WordPress websites, irrespective of the source they are coming from and the device they use.

Besides being a responsive theme, Astra offers advanced options like the Mobile Header module that lets you adjust header breakpoints, set different logos, menu styles, colors, etc. for mobile devices. All of this is easy and user friendly to set up since Astra adds all its options within the customizer and allows you to work around without a single line of code.

So, if you are looking for a feature-rich, stable and high performing theme that makes your website look great on all devices, Astra assures all of this along with a lot more flexibility and ease that you would need.

4. OceanWP

OceanWP is a powerful WordPress responsive theme with an impressive set of features. It is designed to be used for any kind of website, so it works for business websites, eCommerce stores, and even for simple blogs.

It comes with a clean layout that you can easily customize with widgets, page templates, and other theme settings. You can choose from multiple layout choices, and it also has full WooCommerce support.

5. Tusant

Tusant is a mobile responsive WordPress theme made specifically for podcasters, music, and video websites. It comes with native support to beautifully display your podcast episodes, vlog entries, audio playlists, and more.

It includes several layouts to display your podcast episodes in grid and list views. There are extended settings for customizer allowing you to change theme colors. It also supports page builder plugins allowing you to create landing pages with simple drag and drop tools.

6. Ultra

Ultra is a powerful multipurpose WordPress theme with a built-in drag and drop page builder. It comes with dozens of built-in designs, layouts, and templates that you can use as a starting point to build your own website.

Ultra is packed with features like parallax scrolling, animations, counters, Google maps, slider, and much more.

7. Authority Pro

Authority Pro is a WordPress theme made specifically for influencers to showcase their expertise and explore new opportunities. Its homepage features a modern layout with prominent call-to-action to help you boost conversions.

It is eCommerce ready, which allows you to sell online courses or build a membership community. Most importantly, it is built on top of the Genesis framework which is known for rock-solid code and superior performance.

Other notable features include a vertical social menu, flexible header layout, custom widgets, and multiple-page templates. It is easy to set up using theme options panel which allows you to quickly get started.

8. Parallax

Parallax is a beautiful single page WordPress theme. It comes with parallax scrolling and backgrounds, fly in elements, built-in portfolio and team post types.

It has easy to add animated progress bars, list and grid layouts, and infinite scroll. Parallax can also be used to add image filters like sepia, grayscale, and blur. This allows you to add image filters without using Photoshop.

9. Prime News

As the name suggests, Prime News is a responsive WordPress theme for news and magazine websites. It features a clean minimalist layout allowing your news articles and images to take all the spotlight.

It comes with a sticky navigation menu on top and one collapsible sidebar menu. It has a header widget area, breaking news ticker, featured content area, and more. It is easy to customize by adding widgets and choosing colors, most theme options would just work out of the box.

10. Essence Pro

Essence Pro is an eCommerce ready WordPress theme designed specifically for health & wellness and lifestyle businesses. It features a beautiful modern homepage layout with a large header on top and prominent call to action.

It comes with several page templates including landing page template. It is also optimized for Gutenberg block editor allowing you to create your own content layouts that look consistent with rest of the theme.

11. Allegiant

Allegiant is an elegant responsive WordPress theme for business websites. It features a modern layout with large typography, prominent call to actions, and flexible customization options.

Each page on your website can have a different layout with easy layout switching options. It also supports WooCommerce and comes with beautiful product, product category, and shop templates.

12. Nozama

Nozama is a beautiful responsive theme for WooCommerce stores. It comes with full WooCommerce integration with a highly customizable storefront.

It also includes several WooCommerce custom widgets, beautiful templates for product and product category pages, social media integration, and more. You can also use it with any popular page builder plugin to create landing pages for your website.

13. Breakthrough Pro

Breakthrough Pro is a fully responsive WordPress theme for advertising and marketing agencies. It features a minimal design with beautiful typography and bold accent colors.

This WooCommerce ready business theme is built on the Genesis framework, which is known for quality code and optimal performance. It is also optimized for WordPress block editor allowing you to create stunning content layouts for your articles and pages.

Other features include a custom theme options panel, customizer support, flexible header, 9 widget ready areas, and a portfolio section.

14. Float

Float is a highly customizable WordPress responsive theme with parallax scrolling and a built-in page builder. It comes with dozens of layouts and multiple ready to use templates to create stunning pages.

It is also packed with all the usual features you would expect from a premium WordPress theme. This includes social media integration, custom backgrounds, unlimited colors, custom widgets, and much more.

15. Spencer

Spencer is an elegant WordPress business theme with a fully responsive design. It features a fully widgetized homepage layout that allows you to just drag and drop widgets to set it up.

It also includes multiple page templates, full-width page template, custom widgets for social media and content discovery features. It can be easily set up using live customizer and supports all popular page builder plugins.

16. Elara

If you want to start a food blog and looking for an appropriate theme, then take a look at Elara. This elegantly designed fully-responsive WordPress theme is made for food bloggers and recipe websites.

It features a modern spacious design with beautiful typography and elegant display of images and media. It has built-in ad-spots, featured recipes sections, sliders, banners, social media integration, and easy drag and drop widgets. It is quite easy to use even for absolute beginners.

17. Benson

Benson is a fully-responsive WordPress theme for photographers and portfolio websites. It comes with the built-in capability to add video and image slideshows and supports multiple image layouts.

It has separate sections to add your portfolio items, show client testimonials, blog page, and more. Other notable features include eCommerce support, contact form, social media menu, and support for all top page builder plugins.

18. Feltmag

Feltmag is a responsive WordPress news and magazine theme with tons of awesome features. Its homepage layout comes with an optional full-screen header, which is followed by your recent articles as users scroll down.

It comes with two navigation menus on top, immersive featured images, multiple layouts, header styles, social media icons, and more. It is super easy to set up and most options just work when you activate the theme.

19. Responz

Responz is a multi-purpose WordPress responsive theme. It features a beautiful three column layout with elegant design and great typography.

It has multiple layout options like 2 sidebars, 1 sidebar, or a full-width homepage. You can also choose from the list view or grid view post layouts. Apart from that, it has all the usual features of a premium theme like custom background, flexible headers, custom widgets, and color options.

20. The Traveler

The Traveler is a responsive WordPress theme for travel and tourism websites. It comes with a beautiful grid-based layout for the homepage. It also includes a beautiful Instagram feed, which allows you to display your latest photos from Instagram directly on your site.

The theme also includes 5 layout choices for archive pages. It is very easy to set up, even for absolute beginners.

21. Landing

Landing is a WordPress landing page theme that allows you to build landing pages using drag and drop Themify Builder. It comes with 25+ ready to use builder templates that you can use as an starting point.

It has multiple header design options, portfolio management, events, and full WooCommerce support to start your own online store.

22. Compass

Compass is a multipurpose and fully responsive WordPress theme for blogging, news, and magazine websites. It comes with a highly customizable homepage with a featured content slider, dynamic homepage builder, featured categories, and 1-click demo content installer.

It has a built-in breaking news ticker, multiple page templates, custom colors, fonts, custom logo, and background. The theme also comes with several custom widgets and multiple sidebars and widget ready areas.

23. Mustache

Mustache is a beautifully crafted WordPress theme for business websites. It has built-in sections to add your clients, testimonials, services, and team members. It looks equally beautiful on all devices and it is fully optimized for speed and performance.

You can also use it as a single page theme and easily setup the homepage using built-in drag and drop widgets.

24. Prologue

Prologue is a beautiful WordPress magazine theme designed to showcase your content with elegance. It comes with featured content slider, video slider, featured categories area, and ad spaces.

Other features include custom logo upload, social media integration, multiple page layouts, and several widget ready areas.

25. Resume

Resume is a stunningly beautiful WordPress portfolio theme. It can be used as a single page theme where all your sections are on the same page. It can also be used as a blog and a multi-page website.

Resume comes with a built-in portfolio management area, custom widgets, and a simple theme options panel.

26. Total

Total is a free WordPress theme for business websites. It has a clean and simple layout to easily showcase your products and services.

Its homepage contains different areas to add slider, about us section, progress bar, portfolio, testimonials, and blog posts. It also includes multiple widget-ready areas and full customizer support to easily change theme settings.

27. Composition

If you are looking for a stylish photography theme for your WordPress site, then check out Composition. This elegantly designed theme is fully mobile responsive and gracefully adjusts photographs on smaller screens.

It includes masonry layouts, custom widget areas, unlimited galleries, and slideshows. It also includes a simple yet very flexible homepage layout, which is easily customizable from theme settings.

28. Alpha

Alpha is a powerful WordPress multipurpose theme suitable for an online magazine or a content-rich website. It comes with two skins and each skin will radically change your site’s layout and you can choose the one that meets your needs.

Among other features, it comes with a breaking news ticker and a custom slider. It also comes with a video widget to showcase your video content on the homepage.

29. Roxima

Roxima is an elegant WordPress theme for business websites. It is fully responsive and comes with multiple custom widgets and layout choices.

Inside you will also find about, services, portfolio, client, and team sections which can be easily added to the homepage using drag and drop. It has a beginner friendly theme options panel to help you quickly build your website.

30. Moesia Pro

Moesia Pro is a beautifully crafted one page WordPress theme for business websites. It comes with a drag and drop page builder with different content blocks. You can add and arrange the blocks to easily build your homepage. It also has slider, page templates, Google fonts, and all the features you would expect from a premium theme.

31. Paperbag

Paperbag is a fully responsive WordPress blogging theme. It features beautiful large featured images and comes with multiple layout choices. It is very easy to setup using the live theme customizer.

It also comes with 20+ color schemes, and you can also create your own color schemes. It is also highly optimized for SEO and speed.

32. Elite

Elite is a beautiful WordPress theme for business and ecommerce websites. Its homepage features a fullscreen background image with a call to action button prominently displayed.

It includes custom logo support, unlimited colors, Google fonts, and multiple page layouts for blog posts and pages. It is easy to use with a widgetized homepage, customizer support, and custom theme options page.

33. Pepper+

Pepper+ is an all-purpose WordPress theme with several turnkey designs for businesses and blogs. It takes a modular approach to design and comes with modules that you can just drag and drop to create different layouts.

Pepper+ is a retina ready theme with support for WooCommerce and multilingual websites. It offers a beginner-friendly user experience with simple 1-click installers and quicker theme setup.

34. Foodica

As the name suggests, Foodica is a WordPress theme for food blogs, recipe websites, and restaurants. This beautifully designed theme comes with 10 color schemes, recipe index, beautiful featured slider, and full WooCommerce integration.

It has built-in ad zones to display ads on your website. It comes with an easy theme options panel which allows you to easily setup your website.

35. Igloo

Igloo is a responsive WordPress theme for restaurants, cafes, and food websites. It comes with a built-in menu management section allowing you to beautifully display restaurant menu on your website.

It has beautiful large features images and a stunning homepage slider with a bold call to action button. It comes with different sections to easily add customer testimonials, beautiful galleries, contact form, and sliders.

36. Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a premium WordPress theme for hotels. It comes with all the standard features you would expect from a premium theme.

Bordeaux is fully responsive and looks equally great on all devices and screen sizes. It is highly optimized for speed, performance, and SEO. All theme settings can be easily set up with an intuitive theme options panel.

Apart from the standard premium features, Bordeaux comes with features specific for hotel websites. It allows you to easily integrate popular hotel booking systems into your WordPress site.

37. Kale Pro

Kale Pro is a beautiful WordPress theme for food blogs, recipe websites, and restaurants. It comes with a beautiful homepage layout with a slider on top, which is followed by your featured content.

It also helps you easily add recipes by using the recipes shortcode builder. It has dedicated areas to display banner ads and custom widgets to add content on your homepage and sidebars. For quicker setup, you can use its 1-click demo content installer and then replace dummy content with your own.

38. Corner

Corner is a well-designed WordPress theme for creative types. It comes with built-in support to display your portfolio, display photographs, or use it as a personal website. The theme supports unlimited color variations and comes with tons of customization options.

39. Hueman

Hueman is a free multi-purpose WordPress theme. It is mobile responsive and comes with a ton of features. It has its own theme customization panel which makes it super easy to set up.

It comes with multiple page layouts, custom header, background, logo, and color options. You can select from two or three column layout and use multiple templates for pages.

40. Bento

Bento is a free multipurpose WordPress blog theme with flexible features and fully responsive design. It works great with most page builder plugins and even recommends installing one upon activation.

For a free WordPress theme, Bento comes packed with great customization options. All of them can be accessed using theme customizer.

41. Elegant

Elegant is a responsive WordPress theme for artists, photographers, and designers. It comes with built-in modules to add your photo galleries, sliders, video, audio.

It also comes with an easy to use drag and drop page builder. this allows you to create your own page layouts or edit existing built-in layouts. Elegant features tons of options that you can easily set up to your requirements.

42. Angle

Angle is a clean WordPress multi-purpose theme with a drag and drop builder. It comes with a built-in portfolio section, sliders, visual theme customizer, and multiple layout choices.

Angle is optimized for performance, SEO, and ease of use. Its layout makes it a perfect choice for a portfolio or blogging theme.

43. Dixie

Dixie is a well-crafted WordPress theme for podcasts, video, and music websites. It is fully mobile responsive and offers your users a great multimedia experience even on smaller devices.

Theme setup is quite simple and most features work out of the box. It comes with options to change colors and layout, but you can also use page builder plugins to create your own landing pages if needed.

How to Test a Responsive WordPress Theme?

Before you install a responsive WordPress theme, you would want to see how it looks on mobile devices. The easiest way to do this is by browsing the theme demo using your mobile phone.

Some WordPress theme shops may already have theme demos with a toolbar allowing you to switch to mobile view directly from your desktop browser.

You can also use the Inspect tool in your browser to see how theme demo looks in different screen resolutions.

There are also online cross-browser testing tools that you can use. Simply enter the theme’s demo URL into any of these tools to run the test.

We hope this article helped you find the best responsive WordPress theme for your website. You may also want to see our practical tips on how to easily get more traffic to your website.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post 43 Best Responsive WordPress Themes (2019) appeared first on WPBeginner.

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sheilalmartinia · 6 years

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43 Best Responsive WordPress Themes (2019)

In this article, we have hand-picked some of the best responsive WordPress themes for you to choose from.

What is a Responsive WordPress Theme? Why You Need it?

In the last quarter of 2018, mobile devices made 52% of all global internet traffic. You should expect that almost half of your users will be accessing your website using a mobile device.

If your website doesn’t fit their screen or looks ugly on their device, then they will immediately leave and may never find your website again.

This is why you must always use a responsive WordPress theme for all your websites.

Getting Started With Your Responsive WordPress Website

Next you will need to install WordPress. Don’t worry, we got you covered there as well. We have a step by step guide on how to start a WordPress blog the RIGHT way!

Once you are up and running, you can pick a theme from the list below and install it. If you need help, then see our guide on how to install a WordPress theme.

Having said that, let’s take a look at some of the best responsive WordPress themes.

1. Divi

Divi is a drag and drop WordPress theme and page builder that comes with over 20 different layouts and templates for different kind of websites.

2. Hestia

It is ready to be used with popular free page builder plugins and supports WooCommerce out of the box.

3. Astra

4. OceanWP

5. Tusant

6. Ultra

Ultra is packed with features like parallax scrolling, animations, counters, Google maps, slider, and much more.

7. Authority Pro

8. Parallax

Parallax is a beautiful single page WordPress theme. It comes with parallax scrolling and backgrounds, fly in elements, built-in portfolio and team post types.

9. Prime News

10. Essence Pro

11. Allegiant

Allegiant is an elegant responsive WordPress theme for business websites. It features a modern layout with large typography, prominent call to actions, and flexible customization options.

Each page on your website can have a different layout with easy layout switching options. It also supports WooCommerce and comes with beautiful product, product category, and shop templates.

12. Nozama

Nozama is a beautiful responsive theme for WooCommerce stores. It comes with full WooCommerce integration with a highly customizable storefront.

13. Breakthrough Pro

Breakthrough Pro is a fully responsive WordPress theme for advertising and marketing agencies. It features a minimal design with beautiful typography and bold accent colors.

Other features include a custom theme options panel, customizer support, flexible header, 9 widget ready areas, and a portfolio section.

14. Float

15. Spencer

Spencer is an elegant WordPress business theme with a fully responsive design. It features a fully widgetized homepage layout that allows you to just drag and drop widgets to set it up.

16. Elara

17. Benson

Benson is a fully-responsive WordPress theme for photographers and portfolio websites. It comes with the built-in capability to add video and image slideshows and supports multiple image layouts.

18. Feltmag

19. Responz

Responz is a multi-purpose WordPress responsive theme. It features a beautiful three column layout with elegant design and great typography.

20. The Traveler

The theme also includes 5 layout choices for archive pages. It is very easy to set up, even for absolute beginners.

21. Landing

It has multiple header design options, portfolio management, events, and full WooCommerce support to start your own online store.

22. Compass

23. Mustache

You can also use it as a single page theme and easily setup the homepage using built-in drag and drop widgets.

24. Prologue

Prologue is a beautiful WordPress magazine theme designed to showcase your content with elegance. It comes with featured content slider, video slider, featured categories area, and ad spaces.

Other features include custom logo upload, social media integration, multiple page layouts, and several widget ready areas.

25. Resume

Resume is a stunningly beautiful WordPress portfolio theme. It can be used as a single page theme where all your sections are on the same page. It can also be used as a blog and a multi-page website.

Resume comes with a built-in portfolio management area, custom widgets, and a simple theme options panel.

26. Total

Total is a free WordPress theme for business websites. It has a clean and simple layout to easily showcase your products and services.

27. Composition

It includes masonry layouts, custom widget areas, unlimited galleries, and slideshows. It also includes a simple yet very flexible homepage layout, which is easily customizable from theme settings.

28. Alpha

Among other features, it comes with a breaking news ticker and a custom slider. It also comes with a video widget to showcase your video content on the homepage.

29. Roxima

Roxima is an elegant WordPress theme for business websites. It is fully responsive and comes with multiple custom widgets and layout choices.

30. Moesia Pro

31. Paperbag

Paperbag is a fully responsive WordPress blogging theme. It features beautiful large featured images and comes with multiple layout choices. It is very easy to setup using the live theme customizer.

It also comes with 20+ color schemes, and you can also create your own color schemes. It is also highly optimized for SEO and speed.

32. Elite

Elite is a beautiful WordPress theme for business and ecommerce websites. Its homepage features a fullscreen background image with a call to action button prominently displayed.

33. Pepper+

Pepper+ is a retina ready theme with support for WooCommerce and multilingual websites. It offers a beginner-friendly user experience with simple 1-click installers and quicker theme setup.

34. Foodica

It has built-in ad zones to display ads on your website. It comes with an easy theme options panel which allows you to easily setup your website.

35. Igloo

Igloo is a responsive WordPress theme for restaurants, cafes, and food websites. It comes with a built-in menu management section allowing you to beautifully display restaurant menu on your website.

36. Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a premium WordPress theme for hotels. It comes with all the standard features you would expect from a premium theme.

Apart from the standard premium features, Bordeaux comes with features specific for hotel websites. It allows you to easily integrate popular hotel booking systems into your WordPress site.

37. Kale Pro

Kale Pro is a beautiful WordPress theme for food blogs, recipe websites, and restaurants. It comes with a beautiful homepage layout with a slider on top, which is followed by your featured content.

38. Corner

39. Hueman

Hueman is a free multi-purpose WordPress theme. It is mobile responsive and comes with a ton of features. It has its own theme customization panel which makes it super easy to set up.

It comes with multiple page layouts, custom header, background, logo, and color options. You can select from two or three column layout and use multiple templates for pages.

40. Bento

Bento is a free multipurpose WordPress blog theme with flexible features and fully responsive design. It works great with most page builder plugins and even recommends installing one upon activation.

For a free WordPress theme, Bento comes packed with great customization options. All of them can be accessed using theme customizer.

41. Elegant

Elegant is a responsive WordPress theme for artists, photographers, and designers. It comes with built-in modules to add your photo galleries, sliders, video, audio.

42. Angle

Angle is a clean WordPress multi-purpose theme with a drag and drop builder. It comes with a built-in portfolio section, sliders, visual theme customizer, and multiple layout choices.

Angle is optimized for performance, SEO, and ease of use. Its layout makes it a perfect choice for a portfolio or blogging theme.

43. Dixie

Dixie is a well-crafted WordPress theme for podcasts, video, and music websites. It is fully mobile responsive and offers your users a great multimedia experience even on smaller devices.

How to Test a Responsive WordPress Theme?

Before you install a responsive WordPress theme, you would want to see how it looks on mobile devices. The easiest way to do this is by browsing the theme demo using your mobile phone.

Some WordPress theme shops may already have theme demos with a toolbar allowing you to switch to mobile view directly from your desktop browser.

You can also use the Inspect tool in your browser to see how theme demo looks in different screen resolutions.

There are also online cross-browser testing tools that you can use. Simply enter the theme’s demo URL into any of these tools to run the test.

We hope this article helped you find the best responsive WordPress theme for your website. You may also want to see our practical tips on how to easily get more traffic to your website.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post 43 Best Responsive WordPress Themes (2019) appeared first on WPBeginner.

from WPBeginner https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-responsive-wordpress-themes/

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softrls-blog · 6 years

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Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Studio 15.1.2.8

DaVinci Resolve 15 is the world’s first solution that combines professional offline and online editing, color correction, audio post production and now visual effects all in one software tool! You get unlimited creative flexibility because DaVinci Resolve 15 makes it easy for individual artists to explore different toolsets. It also lets you collaborate and bring people with different creative talents together. With a single click, you can instantly move between editing, color, effects, and audio. Plus, you never have to export or translate files between separate software tools because, with DaVinci Resolve 15, everything is in the same software application! DaVinci Resolve 15 is the only post production software designed for true collaboration. Multiple editors, assistants, colorists, VFX artists and sound designers can all work on the same project at the same time! Whether you’re an individual artist, or part of a larger collaborative team, it’s easy to see why DaVinci Resolve 15 is the standard for high end post production and is used for finishing more Hollywood feature films, episodic television programing and TV commercials than any other software. What's New! DaVinci Resolve 15 now has full Fusion visual effects and motion graphics built in! The Fusion page gives you a complete 3D workspace with over 250 tools for compositing, vector paint, keying, rotoscoping, text animation, tracking, stabilization, particles and more. With new Apple Metal and CUDA GPU processing, the Fusion page is faster than ever! Fairlight audio gets a massive upgrade with new ADR tools, audio normalization, 3D panners, audio and video scrollers, a sound library database, and built in cross platform plug-ins such as reverb, hum removal, vocal channel and de-esser. There are also dozens of new features and improvements that editors and colorists have asked for. These include a new LUT browser, shared grades, multiple playheads, Super Scale HD to 8K up-rezzing, stacked timelines, on-screen annotations, subtitle and closed captioning tools, better keyboard customization, new title templates and much more! Professional Editing DaVinci Resolve includes everything professional editors need to cut blockbuster films, television shows, and commercials. It’s perfect for both offline and online editing. The high performance playback engine makes editing and trimming incredibly fast, even for processor intensive formats such as H.264 and RAW. Fusion Effects Fusion brings the world’s most advanced compositing software for visual effects artists and motion graphic animators right into DaVinci Resolve! So now you can create cinematic feature film quality visual effects and stunning broadcast motion graphic animations without having to switch software applications! Color Correction DaVinci Resolve has been used on more feature films and television shows than any other grading system! You get the industry’s most powerful primary and secondary correction tools, advanced curve editor, tracking and stabilization, noise reduction and grain tools, ResolveFX and more. Fairlight Audio With Fairlight audio built in, you get a complete digital audio workstation with professional mixer, automation, metering, monitoring, sample level editing, new ADR tools, a sound library database, native audio plug-ins and more! You can even mix down and master to multiple formats, including 3D audio space formats such as 5.1, 7.1 and even 22.2! Media and Delivery DaVinci Resolve 15 makes importing, syncing and organizing footage fast! Whether you’re going out to the web, tape, or theatrical distribution, DaVinci Resolve features everything you need to deliver projects in virtually any format! You’ll be able to get to work quickly and output files fast, so you’ll never miss a deadline! Multi User Collaboration DaVinci Resolve 15 completely redefines post production workflows! Assistant editors can prepare footage while editors cut the picture, colorists grade the shots, effects artists work on VFX, and sound editors mix and finish audio, all in the same project at the same time! You no longer have to waste time conforming and you no longer have to wait for a locked edit before starting color and audio work! That means picture editors, visual effects artists, colorists, and sound editors can now work in parallel, leaving more time for everyone to be creative! DaVinci Resolve Studio The free version of DaVinci Resolve has all of the professional editing, legendary color correction and Fairlight audio tools you need for SD, HD and Ultra HD work at up to 60 frames per second. DaVinci Resolve Studio adds support for 4K and higher, along with frame rates up to 120 fps. It also includes dozens of additional image processing features and filters that are not in the free version. This includes film grain, temporal and spatial noise reduction, amazing new face enhancement tools, lens flares, lens distortion correction, optical quality blur and mist effects, deflicker, dust busting, warping and much more! New High Performance Playback Engine DaVinci Resolve 15 features an incredible new video playback engine with CPU and GPU optimizations, lower latency, faster UI refresh, support for Apple Metal, and more! These upgrades combine to make DaVinci Resolve faster and far more responsive than ever. Working on long timelines with thousands of clips is incredibly fluid and editing is even more precise. Scrubbing and playback are instant, often starting before you lift your fingers off the keyboard! Powerful acceleration for processor intensive formats, like H.264, makes it possible to edit 4K material on a laptop in realtime! Whether you’re working in HD or 4K, with ProRes, H.264 or even RAW images, DaVinci Resolve 15 is completely responsive and fast enough to keep up with your every move! Legendary DaVinci Quality DaVinci Resolve’s Emmy™ award-winning image processing technology features deep 32-bit float processing combined with unique, patented YRGB color science that processes luminance independent of color. This allows you to adjust the luminance of video without rebalancing the color of your highlights, midtones, or shadows! The massive internal color space is also perfect for the latest HDR and wide color gamut workflows. Hardware Control Panels When you have a client looking over your shoulder you need to work fast. DaVinci Resolve control panels are designed to give you fluid, hands-on control over multiple parameters at the same time, allowing you to create looks that are simply impossible with a standard mouse! All controls are logically placed near your natural hand positions and are made out of the highest quality materials. You get smooth, high resolution weighted trackballs, along with precision engineered knobs and dials that feature the perfect amount of resistance so you can accurately adjust any setting. DaVinci Resolve control panels let you instinctively touch every part of the image! Fairlight Professional Consoles Fairlight mixing consoles provide high quality tactile controls for nearly every parameter and feature in the software. Unique user interfaces and dynamic configuration changes provide fast to use buttons and controls that are optimized for the task at hand allowing you to work faster with Fairlight audio than any other tool in the world. With the modular design you can start with a larger console frame than you need and add more modules to meet the growing needs of your facility. Open and Compatible With all of the different workflows and systems out there, you need a post production solution that’s compatible and open enough to handle anything! DaVinci Resolve has been designed to work with all major file formats, media types, and post production software. You can use XML, EDLs, or AAF to move projects between DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, and Premiere Pro. Deep integration with Fusion makes it easy to send shots out for VFX work, or you can roundtrip with software such as After Effects. For audio, projects can easily be moved between DaVinci Resolve and ProTools. When you’re on a tight deadline, you can count on DaVinci Resolve to “just work!” Minimum System Requirements for Windows: • Windows 10 Creators Update • 16 GB of system memory is recommended and 32 GB is recommended minimum when using Fusion • Blackmagic Design Desktop Video version 10.4.1 or later • NVIDIA/AMD/Intel GPU Driver version – As required by your GPU • RED Rocket-X Driver 2.1.34.0 and Firmware 1.4.22.18 or later • RED Rocket Driver 2.1.23.0 and Firmware 1.1.18.0 or later Download Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Studio 15.1.2.8 (Windows x64 | Languages: English | File Size: 1.05 GB) https://rapidgator.net/file/d01a699b321e00abdda4339e04092e17/.DRS.15.1.2_softrls.com.part1.rar.html https://rapidgator.net/file/5a3f145e80836ccf4cdfd24209ea5eb4/.DRS.15.1.2_softrls.com.part2.rar.html http://turbobit.net/b488y24i12p8.html http://turbobit.net/pctfxit1a40u.html Read the full article

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laurendzim · 6 years

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Book review: Denver comic Adam Cayton-Holland digs deep, finds healing in “Tragedy Plus Time”

Adam Cayton-Holland has often seemed like one of those people who has everything.

The 38-year-old stand-up and former Westword scribe, who returns for Season 3 of his truTV sitcom “Those Who Can’t” this fall, comes from a well-educated, well-off family in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood.

After years of proving his talent and work ethic in the city’s DIY comedy scene, he broke through to a national audience and managed to remain true to his Mile High City roots, all while cutting a path for other local artists to follow.

That’s the public version, anyway.

As Cayton-Holland reveals in “Tragedy Plus Time” (published Aug. 21 on Touchstone), it all meant nothing after his younger sister Lydia committed suicide in the summer of 2012.

“I’m a 32-year-old stand-up comic from Denver who just sold his first Hollywood script,” Cayton-Holland writes five pages into the memoir, which crackles with his on-stage confidence and aches with his vulnerable worldview. “I’ve never been more devastated.”

“Tragedy Plus Time” (named after the comedy axiom “Comedy is tragedy plus time”) may be a memoir, but its present-tense tone and trembling details give it an in-your-ear immediacy.

Cayton-Holland’s parents instilled a sense of righteousness in their children early. His father, a civil rights attorney, and his mother, a former investigative journalist, taught their trio of offspring — Anna, Adam and Lydia — to expect a lot out of themselves and each other. As Cayton-Holland writes, this encouraged great achievement (Anna, the eldest, was nearly a professional ice skater) but also obsessive-compulsive disorder and hypersensivity to the world’s ills.

Cayton-Holland is prone to airing these memories in bright flashes, cutting between interwoven scenes one can easily envision on the big screen. (He’s working on adapting the book into a movie, according to an interview with Medium.) It often amounts to a showcase of horrors and absurdities, particularly as he threads death and inequity through the earlier chapters — less foreshadowing than a peek into the alternately noble and morbid air he breathed at home.

But the care with which he approaches the subjects never betrays their gravity. This is simply how little Adam — painfully aware of his privilege, but also privy to things most kids will never see — experienced the world: filtered through episodes of “The Simpsons,” private-school culture, world travels, his parents’ hippie ideals, the odd legal jargon. Not exactly typical.

Lydia, whose childhood is also recounted in sharp flashes, was too sensitive for her own comfort. A vegetarian from age 9, she successfully lobbied her parents into changing their landscaping plans because she feared the existing plants would get torn up. She kept a menagerie of animals and talked to them. She lived in South America for a time. She felt deeply.

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Cayton-Holland analyzes this and other memories to stunning degrees, an armchair psychologist leaning so hard on the furniture that it creaks under the effort. But it’s built into his personality, and one can easily see why his subsequent experiences in school, from discovering his class-clown potential to vandalizing his college campus in alcohol-fueled blackouts, were less spoiled brat than tortured aesthete.

As Cayton-Holland captures his childhood in Spielbergian freeze-frames of ’80s youth, then traces his rise in Denver’s scrappy alt-comedy scene (which he helped create) onto mainstream clubs like Comedy Works, he’s soaked with the sense that something violent and defining will happen at any moment.

Sometimes you find those things by looking for them, but more often they wash ashore.

Lydia, emotionally alluring and often joyous but intimidating in her intellect, became haunted. Shrinks and prescription drugs and living a Bohemian lifestyle — none of it helped. Adam invited her into his newfound comedy career, letting her run the door and the tech rehearsals at Denver art spaces while he ran his stand-up showcases.

(It’s a period I witnessed firsthand, chronicling Cayton-Holland and his Grawlix comedy trio members’ rise locally and nationally. I shared conversations with Lydia outside venues and chatted with her on social media. She was always an acquaintance, but the most harrowing parts of the book — where she’s admitted into the psych ward at Denver Health after overdosing on pills, and where she takes her own life with a gun, only to be found later in her bed by her brother — were mostly unknown to me.)

“It made us laugh, the insanity of it all,” Cayton-Holland writes. “We Cayton-Holland three baffled and tickled at how we were suddenly seeming to exist in the sad works of art on which we were fixated. But those moments gave way to teary panic when we removed the rose-colored, indie-film lenses from our eyes. This was just our little sister. Struggling. In a psych ward.”

These parts of the book, roughly from the second-half on, justify the glowing praise on the jacket. In crisp and measured prose, Cayton-Holland explores the tragedy that in many ways is still defining him. The grief process, including the anger and the self-blame. The speculation about a family that feared mediocrity more than failure. The unimaginable first-person details of Lydia’s decline and death. The drinking, professional help and career triumphs that followed for Cayton-Holland, even as Lydia was always on his mind.

It’s a lot to digest, both for author and reader, but Cayton-Holland never chokes. Perhaps owing to his three seasons of sitcom writing, he bandies around too many clichés at times. It never detracts from the narrative, but one can’t help wishing he had used them more sparingly, given his obvious command of language.

Then again, this is a book one can hear being read out loud (as Cayton-Holland did for the audio version), and readers familiar with his engrossing, conversational stand-up will hear his voice in their heads the entire time.

“Publishing a book has been my dream forever,” he told The Denver Post in March, just before the debut of his first half-hour special on Comedy Central. “I wish it was under different circumstances. That said, I needed to write it. It’s been a part of me every day since, and it’s a good tribute to her.”

Indeed. But “Tragedy Plus Time” isn’t simply a window into grief. It’s also a flag, firmly planted, signaling his family’s resolve. Cayton-Holland is doing well these days (his High Plains Comedy Festival, the region’s biggest stand-up event, returns Aug. 23-25). Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper tweeted a video last week from Cayton-Holland’s book-release party at the Tattered Cover, lauding the “hilarious/heartbreaking” new tome.

That’s a fine endorsement, but Cayton-Holland doesn’t need it. Not only because his work stands alone, but because his existential evolution, which emerges in the last few chapters, has found him at a place of humbleness. He looks for meaning in red-tailed hawks and an “empath” friend, frequently visiting a bench in City Park that his family had dedicated to Lydia.

It all amounts to an affecting portrait of a family struggling to contain its feral grief, and finding themselves the more united for it. A tower of cat hair and trampolines and inside jokes and blood and laughter, leaning crazily to one side. Silly and sad, clever and crude. And above all, true.

If you go

“Tragedy Plus Time.” A discussion with Adam Cayton-Holland by Colorado Public Radio’s Ryan Warner at Gates Concert Hall, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. 7-8:30 p.m. on Sept. 13. Tickets: $12 via bit.ly/2BFQgXN

Journalism isn’t free. Show your support of local news coverage by becoming a subscriber. Your first month is only 99 cents.

from News And Updates https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/24/book-review-denver-comic-adam-cayton-holland-digs-deep-finds-healing-in-tragedy-plus-time/

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jimblanceusa · 6 years

Text

Book review: Denver comic Adam Cayton-Holland digs deep, finds healing in “Tragedy Plus Time”

Adam Cayton-Holland has often seemed like one of those people who has everything.

That’s the public version, anyway.

As Cayton-Holland reveals in “Tragedy Plus Time” (published Aug. 21 on Touchstone), it all meant nothing after his younger sister Lydia committed suicide in the summer of 2012.

“Tragedy Plus Time” (named after the comedy axiom “Comedy is tragedy plus time”) may be a memoir, but its present-tense tone and trembling details give it an in-your-ear immediacy.

BOOK REVIEW: “The Cadaver King” unveils ugliness of justice system in the South

Regional Books: “The Removes,” “Zebra Skin Shirt” and more

Meet the Sherlock Holmes of the ‘hood in Joe Ide’s “IQ” detective series

Book review: Florio’s “Silent Hearts” takes us into the heart of Afghanistan

Sometimes you find those things by looking for them, but more often they wash ashore.

If you go

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from Latest Information https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/24/book-review-denver-comic-adam-cayton-holland-digs-deep-finds-healing-in-tragedy-plus-time/

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janetoconnerfl · 6 years

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Book review: Denver comic Adam Cayton-Holland digs deep, finds healing in “Tragedy Plus Time”

Adam Cayton-Holland has often seemed like one of those people who has everything.

That’s the public version, anyway.

As Cayton-Holland reveals in “Tragedy Plus Time” (published Aug. 21 on Touchstone), it all meant nothing after his younger sister Lydia committed suicide in the summer of 2012.

“Tragedy Plus Time” (named after the comedy axiom “Comedy is tragedy plus time”) may be a memoir, but its present-tense tone and trembling details give it an in-your-ear immediacy.

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Sometimes you find those things by looking for them, but more often they wash ashore.

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from Latest Information https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/24/book-review-denver-comic-adam-cayton-holland-digs-deep-finds-healing-in-tragedy-plus-time/

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rebelians · 7 years

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In my previous post about Presentation, and positive Representation, I listed many of the first times I saw Myself. Because of shows like The Cosby Show and A different World, we now have so much Black Love and Excellence seen on TV today. I am proud to be a youth in a society where my people are renaming what is is to be Black, the ivtersectionalities that exist in our community. I am proud to see a vast color spectrum, a variety of Continental Africans, Western African Americans, Caribbean, and West Indians. The fact that I can choose which beautiful melanin drenched scripted magic that enforces our Glo. It is trailblazers like Donald Glover, Issa Rae, Ava Duvernay, and Mara Brock Akil, that continue to push us forward and make it alright for us to Shine. This list encompasses my favorite shows that promote healthy living healthy black plight and success in the black community. The shows don’t glamorize or dehumanize black people to un-attainable level but rather show the real in the black community, giving real models not role models. I’m blessed to have such positive and real representations in my life that are relatable while being a guide and versions of what life can be in both negative and positive reinforcements. The first of the many beautiful productions is Queen Sugar.

“Queen Sugar is a visually stunning production, making the most of the waterlogged bayous and swampy farmland of rural Louisiana.”(Saraiya) This colorful description of how Queen Sugar’s production is a visually pleasing aesthetic that takes the mud and swamp and makes it powerful and poetic. Queen Sugar is epic with its glossed frames and natural back drops. Using the actual land to bounce of the melodic skin tones of its leading stars Rutina Wesley, Dawn-Lyen Gardner, Kofi Siriboe playing the conflicted Bordelon siblings. The rough lives of community organizer, wife coping with adultery and separation, and a convict turned business man makes for many interesting tales. This contemporary drama, created by Ava Duvernay (my shero) with writing credits from Anthony Sparks, and on Oprah Winfrey’s network, stands in the sun and speak Confidence. I am Here is the theme for almost all of the positive shows on this list. The impactful and strategy dedicated filming is important to note. From the director of photography Ava Berkofsk of Insecure, to executive producer Ava Duvernay of Queen Sugar new tactics of shaping black faces has become major in creating these needed figures. “The sunlight filters through the clouds and over the shoulders of the Bordelon family with celluloid fluidity, rendering everything within the frame weirdly beautiful”(Saraiya). The importance of Queen Sugar is the humanizing of the south and the softening of our stereotype’s of it. The south is gorgeous, hot, sweaty, has good food, ghetto/country people, very masculine, behind in the times, and all about cooking, farming, and family. These are many stereotypes and fantasies of what the Black South life looks like. Queen Sugar stands up to the bar in order to show some discourse in the dehumanization of people with African ancestry. Although Aunt Vi can throw down and prepare food for her family she has aspirations for her talents. Being an ex-con doesn’t make Rah an unjust person it doesn’t take away from his heart. He is the personification of Tough Times not Lasting but Tough People lasting. While Nova likes to dance and enjoy the herb of the earth she also stands for a cause that isn’t just herself, she stands for her people. To be honest we all found Charlie extremely strong, to leave Davis, along with others I thought she was a role model of how to act with strength in abundance. But that over examination of black women has been in our movies, shows, and literature. Charlie’s character defies this. Having moments of breaking down, and being vulnerable is okay, and even better we will go on. I thank them for the tearing down and rebuilding of the black face. Thankful for the representation.

“…Because the lens so actively humanizes the Bordelons even as others in the narrative would diminish them.”

If we don’t tell our stories and show our face who will?

Continuing to look at how production and media representation is changing, the next show that is standing in truth and reality is Insecure. The white director of photography on Insecure, Ava Berkofsk, wants every scene to be aesthetically pleasing, like a photograph or painting. She says “When I was in film school, no one ever talked about lighting non-white people. There are all these general rules about lighting people of colour, like throw green light or amber light at them. It’s weird.”(Eweniyi)

The reason for this teaching is because the world we live in and the society we stay in have said white people are the worthy, they are going to be the ones on tv shows and movies so we need to not worry about how to light black skin because there will be no black skin in our all white cast. It is important that we are treated and seen as the prepossessing, light defying kings and queens that we are. Insecure captures that. With its writing on real issues that affect young black adults navigating who they are in their communities how to impact their communities and societies for the better, how women are viewed especially black women, and who is the narrator of our experience. The show brings to the table discussion of sexuality and how women are hindered by what they pursue, and how double standards afflict the black community by destroying itself from the inside out. It touches on losing our selves on the journey of life and how we can find our identity once again. There is talk about this show alone saving the “Black Sitcom,” and I believe in it. The ideals of teaching lessons thru humor and good dialogue are what our 90s Black sitcom was built on. The resurgence of genuine music and reality balancing each other out is giving us Soulful renditions of our movies and childhood. We are yet again given a model who exemplifies what is it like to be flawed and living in it day by day. Issa has repeated over and over that she didn’t want to create a show about “the struggle of being black,” but rather, one about “regular black people living life.” Which is a poetic way of giving different perspectives into how we live and continue to rise higher. I am thankful for this representation, and I am thankful to Issa Rae, Melina Matsoukas, Yvonne Orji, Amanda Seales, Natasa Rothwell, and Ava Berkofsk, I see you.

Honorable Mention: On January 10, 2018 at 8:30 on Freeform formally known as ABC family, Grown-ish the clever spin-off of Black-ish will premiere. The parallel of Cosby Show and A Different World, Brownish is exactly what college students like me are looking for. Similar to Denise’s story on The Cosby Show, Zoe goes to a fictional school, away from home leaving behind her younger siblings. Gratitude for this much needed series is more than overdue. For young-adults like me who love A Different World and aspire to be like the characters, having our own A Different World will be powerful. We Thank You Kenya Barris.

Dear White People, even with the freaking title we stepping on necks. Like honestly, this show was one of the best things to come out of this terrible year. With the alternative perspectives and new faces the meaning of what it is to be unapologetically black push through. The show is close to my own experience now, besides the bomb ass love life Sam has, with the pulling of many black groups, the division we face at PWI’s both from white people, disconnect with authority, and the hard journey of one of our most thought of attributes. Being black isn’t saying Dear White People you all are racist, insensitive, horrible, malicious people, but the show focuses on the pointing out of differences not ignoring them but the steps to readjust and fix the oppression that continues on our community. From intersectionalities and finding oneself through characters like Lionel, to the common feeling of trying to make black parents proud despite your goals in Troy, the outright nobility and courage in Reggie, the fear of failing and heavy value on americanization in Coco, and the restlessness and eager spirit of liberation and logic of Sam. Dear White People excels. I’m thankful for the experience of a black community at a White Institution. For me going to Towson is similar to DWP description of Winchester College. Issues like having more Black organizations than you can recall, and all being different in their own right, to slightly being attracted to a white boy, and feeling this betrays your Pro-Black personality, to the dynamic of having all white classmates who aren’t remotely close to you and all under the direction of a White Male teacher. So I thank Justin Simien for your bravery and transparent authenticity.

Another Honorable Mention: Survivors Remorse gives us a glimpse into why many of our pro athletes go broke, get caught up, or loose the bag all together. This show has taken many turns but I am glad to say I still love it- Even tho they killed off my Unc Julius. Still salty on that one.

Everyone’s favorite show to hate and love, Power always ignites a fire in black people to see a Boss like Ghost battle with keeping his footing in his place with success. From Black mothers being mad because Ghost starts falling in love with a white girl (who isn’t even really white, but because she isn’t black- she’s white), and siding with Tasha. To Tommy being a completely impulsive and un-resistable tough guy, who men love to watch. To Ghost making us fall for his charisma, fear his ambition, and be weary of his choices. Only one word sums the feeling of this show- Power.

From Mahershala Ali’s unforgettable, incomparable, and unbelievable performance as Cotton-mouth in only seven episodes, to Mike Colter’s irresistible stone face, Luke Cage makes us proud to be one of the newest Black Supper Hero series.

Honorable Mention: The Get Down and The Life of Jessica James. The series takes place in the Bronx during the 70s, and is all about the discovery of self through the arts, essentially music.

The parallels of different in the black community which usually end up being represented as weird. The fashionable love the 5 Kings have for each other. The rejection aesthetic that Jessica toys with. The love for the moments they all encompass. I’m thankful for both of these representations. I was initially so sad, and heated that Netflix pulled this all POC/black show, due to ‘funding,’ because I felt this was about race. But the way we can look at this is in the aspect of shows like Freaks and Geeks who only had one season and stand as Iconic, so Will the Get Down. Also sidebar Jessica James should be a series, she is literally a style, and self icon. I appreciate the representation.

This show made me wish the people who left my life wellness, had me write a new post-it every minute I felt ANYTHING, and made me see a glimpse of what my life could maybe consist of. Being Mary Jane. A show that doesn’t get enough attention or notoriety, but doesn’t need it. It pulls its weight in dialogue and interest in the community and isn’t affected by its lack of awards nor nominations. Of course as a day one fan of the show since the movie/pilot, I wish that one year my girl Gabriel Union would’ve swept best actress, or we would’ve won best Drama, but so is life. Being Mary Jane does a purposeful job and is deliberate. Of-course it has its times where we do not agree with the subject matter or find it demeaning, but this is seldom. The show gives us enough to be proud of and even more to relate to as growing black women in our careers. It gives light and passion on who we are and can be. I am thankful for this representation of a successful women who truly doesn’t have it all together, a real model. I praise you Mara Brock Akil and Gabriel Union.

Lastly and principally on the list is Golden Globe and Emmy winner, Atlanta. A dream winner who deserved all the accolades we wished them. This epic triggered so many emotions and did so in only one season. Remarkable is the only word to describe the progress. Many counted the rapper Childish Gambino out, thinking how can a rapper know anything of how to make a realistic and interesting show. But the realness Donald Glover brings to the screen is unbearable. From the light and cinematography to the use of trap music, rap, and social issues that strictly matter to the exploration of self, Atalanta is a crazy representation for real life. I praise Donald and Stephen Glover, Lakeith, Zazie, and Brian.

As I said in the first part of this two series epic, these beautiful people continue to promote positive energy for us as adolescence and young adults. It is major to my perspective especially, going to a PWI, that I have loved forced on me in different ways. The shows and short film up top have done just that. As the great hood scholar Tupac Amaru Shakur said “Marvin Gaye use to sing to me, He had me feeling like BLACK was the thing to be…” These souls are speaking to me and re-enforcing in me that Black indeed is the thing to be. We are More than Enough, Worthy, Beautiful, Important, and Needed, we continue to Shine, and to be amongst this ensemble of historic past and future makes me intensively proud each day. Peace x

Positive Representation: How We continue to Shine In my previous post about Presentation, and positive Representation, I listed many of the first times I saw Myself.

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