#the five commandments of storytelling

[melbatron5000]

More crap about story rules

I dunno if this is helpful, but I read somewhere that Tumblr is just talking to yourself until someone goes, "Oh, I like this," so here goes. It helps me to get this sort of stuff out and be able to reference back to it.

I'm a novelist. I write speculative fiction, primarily urban fantasy with a dollop of mythopoeia (wanting to lean more towards the mythopoeia, but anyway). Neil is definitely a role model of mine, and has been since I was 19. Terry came a little later for me, in my mid-twenties. I'd read Good Omens by then, but believed Neil had a heavier hand in it than Terry did (Ha!). Once I finally picked up some Discworld, I was hooked for life.

I also recently learned I have ADHD, so not only is traditional institutional academia not my thing, I also have trouble sussing out meaning and details from things unless I have specific instructions on where to look. Once I have that in hand, I often go on a tear and find things that I never imagined were there, and frequently surprise not only myself but others. But I absolutely have to have that first step laid out for me in order to make more of my own.

When I first started writing in the 80s (yes, I'm old), I started looking around for the elusive "story structure" I'd heard about vaguely from other writers. I really couldn't find anything written down about what constitutes the steps of a story, the journey a hero must take for a story to be told start to finish. The other writers I'd heard discuss it didn't have concrete ideas for me (lots of hand-waving and "oh, you know"s), so I figured I'd find it in a book somewhere.

I found a little something about structure from Greek philosophy, but that mainly boiled down to stories needing a "beginning, middle, and end," like, duh, and not a lot about what made those three parts up. As a very basic story-telling model, it is incredibly concrete and important, but it's something we've known for thousands of years by now so it doesn't exactly light up the night sky with insight anymore. It's become such common knowledge that it almost doesn't seem like knowledge. I found more from Joseph Campbell, but a lot of what I found written by him was very airy and sort of dream-like, and hard to follow. So I gave up and muddled along the best I could.

About ten years ago now, I decided to try again, and found a whole ton of stuff written about story structure, from Greek philosophy decoded to Shakespear's five-act structure to The Hero's Journey first talked about by Joseph Campbell to modern Hollywood 3-act structure. Around about 2010 there was an explosion of work done on story structure, and damn if it wasn't eye-opening.

My favorite book so far on structure is The Story Grid by Shawn Coyle, because he has broken down all the various types of structure into very concrete, easy-to-comprehend steps that make sense. He talks about exactly where there is wiggle room, exactly where there is not, the general shape of a story in comparison to the general shape of the five stages of grief, what precisely constitutes a scene and what the sequence of scenes has to be to tell a whole, complete story. (In case you're interested, my next favorite book on structure is Save the Cat! Writes a Novel. It fills in a few holes that The Story Grid misses, and together they make a beautifully complete map of how to tell a good story.)

My favorite, in particular, are the Five Commandments of Storytelling. Each scene, each act (however many you want, I like 4), and the story as a whole, all have to follow the Five Commandments. These are elements that have to be present for a scene to work, and for a story to reach its beginning, middle, and end satisfactorily.

Inciting incident. This is something that happens that forces the main character to change course, take action. It has to be either an Act of God, or another character acting on the main character.

Progressive complications. The main character forms a plan to put life back in order and tries it, but is blocked. They have to regroup and form a new plan. Threes in storytelling are always good, but the main character must be blocked until they reach the Turning Point Complication, where they realize that in order to move forward and have a hope of getting where they want, they must make a hard choice. Often the hard choice is that they must do The One Thing They Didn't Want to Do, though the introduction of new information will drive this decision as well. New information can come from another character, or be realized by the main character as a result of the action.

Crisis. They reach the decision point, where they must choose one thing over another. The decision must be between two irreconcilable good things, where they can't have both; or the lesser of two evils, where they can't escape both. The Crisis can also be boiled down to a "what will they do?" question. They're going to have to pick, but they're going to resist before they choose, and that creates tension which keeps the reader invested.

Climax. They make their choice. It's really that simple. They pick.

Resolution. The consequences of their choice are laid out. In a scene, this means the inciting incident of the next scene is introduced because of the character's choice; in an overall story, this leads to the end of the tale where our hero emerges, having learned whatever it was that the author deemed they needed to learn.

For example, Aziraphale is listening to music when a knock comes at the door. (Inciting incident) He forms and enacts a plan -- answer the door, probably hoping to get rid of whoever it is quickly. It's Gabriel. (Complication) He forms and enacts a new plan -- find out what Gabriel is doing here. Gabriel says he doesn't know. (Complication) Gabriel asks to come in. (Complication) Aziraphale forms and enacts a new plan -- tell Gabriel no. Gabriel says oh-kay and turns to the people on the street. (Turning point complication) Now Aziraphale has two bad choices -- bring Gabriel inside, or leave him to wander naked around Whickber street doing God only knows what. (Crisis) He chooses what he thinks is the lesser of two evils -- he tells Gabriel to get in. (Climax) Now Gabriel, possibly Aziraphale's worst enemy, is inside his home, the book shop. (Resolution) And because this is a scene, this Resolution is also the inciting incident of the next scene.

This can go different routes, as when the inciting incident rouses curiosity or creates a promise of something the character wants, instead of inflicting discomfort -- although if a character wants something bad enough, deciding to say no to pursuing it could inflict discomfort, so that counts, too. The inciting incident just means that something happens so that the main character can no longer keep living life as it was. Something has to change, and they have to change it. In the end, it all boils down to something outside the main character knocking them off course, them deciding how to try to get back on course and failing, and what happens as a result. (Beginning, middle, end!)

A good way to create a mystery is to hide the Inciting Incident from the readers/viewers. Or at least, the Inciting Incidents of certain character and scenes. In the above example, we see Aziraphale's Inciting Incident, but we don't see Gabriel's until episode six.

I believe we haven't seen the Inciting Incident of Crowley and Aziraphale's storyline for season 2. It seems like Gabriel showing up is the Inciting Incident for the entire season, but I believe his arrival is a Complication, not the Inciting Incident. As far as what the original Inciting Incident was, well, first and foremost, the Resolution of season 1 would naturally lead into the Inciting Incident of season 2, just as a scene would do for the scene following it. So there's one Clue. As for the answer -- we just have to keep looking where the furniture isn't.

I hope this story breakdown was interesting to someone. I find it completely fascinating, but I am a story nerd, so maybe what I like and find interesting isn't up everyone's alley.

Cheers!

[urhoneycombwitch]

your ideas on dm eddie!!!!?????

like i need more of him being in charge and reader just is like no no

replying to this with another anon

18+ mdni

he would be so easily corruptible. like one session you all have to stop mid-game (it’s been 4 hours but everyone got so lost in the storytelling!!) to get the kids home before curfew. and it was just getting good, too- the knight’s brigade with you as their commander, riding on proud horseback into the rumored-to-be-dragon-infested-forest.

and later that night, after you’ve carpooled everyone to their respective homes, you settle in at Eddie’s for a movie.

but it’s not five minutes in until you’ve got a hand under the band of Eddie’s sweats, fist slick around his cock. you’re biting at that hotspot behind his ear and he’s trying to be good, keeping his hips down even though he’s longing to just fuck up into your tight hand.

Eddie lets out a little whine when you thumb at his slit- and then your voice is low at his ear, murmuring, “no dragons in that forest, right baby?”

he can’t be faulted for not answering right away, ‘cuz your other hand has slipped to cup his balls and your thumb is pressing into indecent places-

“h-what?” Eddie pants, stomach flexing, using real effort to stave off coming. “no dragon… where?”

“in the forest, baby,” you coo, patient in tone but speeding up your jacking-off rhythm.

his cock throbs in response. Eddie moans.

you sink a lovebite into the dip of his shoulder before you continue, saccharine- “gonna make it real easy on me and my knights tomorrow, right?”

and he didn’t have a choice, goddammit, you’d jacked him right up against a wall, he had to strangle out a “yes” so that you wouldn’t stop your pretty hands from moving.

“come.” as soon as you whisper the command at him he’s gone, spilling thick ropes of pearly white into his sweatpants, letting his hips jerk forward as you coax the last of his spend with a squeezing upwards twist.

his head lolls against the back of the couch, chest heaving, bright spots of pink in his cheeks. “vixen. witch. you’re a sorceress.”

“nope.” you pop the p before sucking the mess from your fingers into your mouth, Eddie watching with lust-blown pupils. “I’m just a knight with a slut for a DM.”

[prickly-paprikash]

One of my favorite things about Denis Villeneuve's style is how utterly masterful he is at subtle storytelling. Using the visuals to tell a tale that, even when you don't figure it out explicitly, one feels it immediately.

In Dune Part 1, my favorite form of this is at the very beginning when the Herald of the Change arrives to formalize the transition of Arrakis' ownership from the Harkonnens to the Atreides. The procession is full of pomp and posturing, with the Herald speaking in this loud, bombastic voice just to announce what is already a given, and Leto responds with his own spectacle—the armies of Atreides, chanting as one. It's all a show, since at this point House Atreides has been commanded by the Emperor. The contract is a legal formality; the costly procession on Caladan was (un)necessary showmanship. In the books, showing off the illusion of power and authority is vital in maintaining this cruel, unyielding power system, and without bringing mention of it, the film shows this off too. Then, once the Duke has sealed the form with his signet ring, everything just... drops.

Leto looks at the Herald in the eye, and asks, "So, it's done?"

And just as Leto replied to the grandiose display of the Emperor, the Herald now replies with the levity the situation truly deserves.

"It's done."

Both the Herald and the Duke know what this truly is. It's not a reward. It's not a show of love. The Herald, at this moment, is looking at a dead man walking. Millions of their currency sunk into this process, barely five minutes in total, and all to simply declare it all "done."

You can even feel a sense of satisfaction from the Herald.

The Emperor, in his paranoia and envy, guided the hand of the Atreides into a trap. And the Atreides know it is their doom, but they have no choice. They are popular and loved by the Great Houses, but they are bound by honor. And bound by might.

And all of this, narrowed down into one brilliant scene.

Once again, this subtle, visual storytelling is in full display in Part 2, and my favorite by far happens on Giedi Prime.

The Bene Gesserit Sister, Lady Margot Fenring (who is also a Lady of her own House in the books), watches on as one of their prospects, Na-Baron Feyd-Rautha engages in ritual combat for his birthday. Afterwards, in a hallway lit by only the fireworks outside, she stalks the Harkonnen heir, and Feyd catches on immediately.

Here's the thing: barring other Sisters of the Bene Gesserit, Paul Atreides, and some very gifted Mentat Assassins—you will never know if a Sister of the Order is stalking you. From the beginning, she had wanted to be caught by him. A lure. A tantalizing bait, perfectly designed to entrap the feral Feyd.

And he sinks in immediately.

Here is where my favorite visual storytelling comes into play.

In the hallway, we begin with a fully covered Margot. She is veiled completely in shadow, with the oil fireworks illuminating only her visage.

Next, Feyd strikes and holds his blade to her neck, revealing her face. But only her face.

Slowly, the scene shows off little by little her skin. In the hall, I believe the most we see is her throat, and I could be mistaken. The light flashes erratically, and we see her the way Feyd must see her.

In the shadows, a threat. In the brief sparks of light, a curiosity.

And when Margot confuses him, leading him to the Guest Wing where she stays, the light fully shows her off. She's still in formal clothing, but now we see her dress. It reveals a plunging neckline that barely shows off the top of her chest. Her top is sleeveless, showing off her shoulders and the soft musculature of her arms. In the dark, we could clearly see her wearing a veil that covered her body.

And the light mimics her, stripping away and revealing something beautiful. Irresistible, especially to Feyd, who despite his high intelligence and skill, is just as brutal and animalistic as his uncle and brother. All three so easily give in to their vice, and Feyd is no different.

He is allured by her. He lusts after her.

And all this without a word hinting towards sex in their entire shared dialogue.

Just the use of light, shadow, and body to tell a story.

Afterwards, Margot speaks to the Reverend Mother and Princess Irulan, revealing that she has secured a child from Feyd in her womb, which again without saying anything specific immediately shows that the Sisters have such power over their own bodies that they can ensure fertilization and have complete knowledge over their pregnancy. They even control what sex the child will be, as alluded to in Dune Part 1 when Jessica, out of the love she had for Leto and his desire for a son, rebelled against the Bene Gesserit's orders and sired a male.

Again, without info-dumping, we immediately understand that this religious order engages in Eugenics, and uses sex, fanaticism, and more to control the Great Houses.

Please watch Dune. Please read Dune.

[mysimsloveaffair]

Figuring out the age of Sims in the Sims 4 is tough. Sims don’t have a set ‘birthday,’ and they age up based on life stages, making it hard for legacy players and storytellers to narrow down exactly what ‘age’ a sim is. Let’s face it: there’s a big difference between a child who is five years old and one who is twelve.

I’ve been a legacy/storyteller for years. Previously, I relied on the in-game ‘normal’ life span for my sims. However, I often felt rushed to get my sims married and have children. This was to avoid the problem of my elder sims dying off before meeting their grandchildren. This issue became even worse when the Discover University Expansion was introduced. If I want to send my sims to college, it takes up even more of their young adult years. Consequently, the marriage/child ‘rush’ becomes a bigger issue.

Eventually, I turned to the MC Command Center mod to solve this by creating my own age ranges, giving each life stage ample time to pursue their goals, develop as characters, and later find someone to spend their lives with. With some tweaking over the years, I came up with the life stage breakdowns you see above. I tried matching the number of sim days in each life stage with an ‘age’ that matches what we’re used to in the real world. I am sharing this because it might be helpful for anyone else who is struggling to ‘age’ their sims. And while it’s not perfect, it could be a good starting point, and I hope it helps!

A large/printable version of this graphic is available on my website here: My Sims 4 Lifespan**

**Link takes you to my WordPress website

Thanks to @storiesbyjes2g, as always, for her feedback!

[onwhatcaptain]

It's been ages since I posted a snippet from my K/S novel, so I'm back with one from Chapter 15!

“Well, I haven’t even asked you anything yet, Doctor.” He snorts. “And for your sake, you probably shouldn’t.” They make a small expression of sympathy that he’s getting far too used to seeing and they walk in silence for a few moments. “I understand you’re going through a lot right now, but I have a responsibility to at least try and ask you questions, Doctor.” “And why’s that?” “Because this story deserves to be reported fairly and accurately, and your perspective on the matter is missing. I think you might have some valuable insight and I just want to understand. To shed light on the matter.” “And what exactly needs my input?” “Doctor McCoy,” they ask, “were Commander Spock and Captain Kirk merely colleagues and friends? Or was there something more?” McCoy stops in his tracks without turning to face them, nearly tripping on the gravel lining the path. “What?”

If you are curious, my fic "I Shall Do Neither" is here at AO3.

I Shall Do Neither (87406 words) by onwhatcaptain Chapters: 16/26 Fandom: Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock, James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock (Star Trek), Leonard "Bones" McCoy Additional Tags: Romance, Angst, Heavy Angst, Loss of Control, Psychological Trauma, Mutual Pining, Five Year Mission (Star Trek), Episode: s02e05 Amok Time, Post-Episode: s02e05 Amok Time, Pon Farr, Pon Farr Aftermath (Star Trek), Unresolved Sexual Tension, Friendship, Grief, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Sexual Tension, Sexual Content, Unreliable Narrator, Vulcan Biology, Tarsus IV (Star Trek), Vulcan Mind Melds, Non-Linear Narrative, Storytelling Through Vignettes, Missing Scenes Between Episodes, Plot, Cover Art, Canon Divergence, Digital Art, Illustrations, In spite of the description Kirk features heavily in this novel Summary: In the wake of the kal-if-fee on Vulcan, Kirk is dead. When T’Pau tells Spock to live long and prosper, he knows he shall do neither. This is a story about men who love each other, and the lengths they will go to for one another. - Foolish, he thinks. I have been a fool. How he had wanted so desperately to prove his Vulcan side. How all his life it had felt like a performance, and yet, to be finally subject to the most Vulcan thing of all destroyed him. The stripping of logic. All sense torn from him. His carefully constructed barriers had collapsed like a flimsy house of cards. To be granted his wish this way was a type of mockery. How he had wanted to be fully Vulcan. To prove that the blood which runs through his veins was not so human. How wanting had been better than having. - This story is told in two parts across 25 chapters, and will be updated on Sundays.

[pyreo]

I know there's people who like their fantasy storytelling to take a few steps away from reality, you know. Nothing that verges on allegorical to the stuff we worry about in real life. And I think I'm on the opposite team to that and y'know, the further away we get from gw2's original core story the more I see The World Summit instance as more pivotal than it appeared.

It's the part in the middle of Season 2 where you bring the world leaders together to try and insist that they need to aid you fighting Mordremoth, a primal force who's only just now awakened and started causing disruption and deaths. Mechanically, it serves to show the various cultures being made aware of the upcoming antagonist for mostly the first time.

But there's something that grips me to this day about the realism in that segment. You know full well that this thing is beginning its warpath and will kill those around you. You and your guild know that you need to take action immediately before it gathers itself together to a point you cannot fight it any more. I don't think the scene serves much more than obligatory scaffolding in a narrative sense but it echoes the way I feel in real life all the time. It's the focal point where I've never felt more aligned with my Commander.

Smodur: They're plant creatures! How hard can they be to fight. One good flamethrower and…

Knut: Mordremoth is not yet as close as the Sons of Svanir. They press in around our homesteads. That is more important.

Phlunt: Are you saying we should put ourselves on the line to protect all of you? We are safe in Rata Sum.

Jennah: I'm not ashamed to admit that I don't see how this will work. What are you asking of us?

It's not easy to ask the Main Five Peoples to get anything done together - they do come from legitimately incompatible cultures and there's bad history between humans and charr, and sylvari and asura. But you have to present an argument to each one to convince them this is the most important thing to devote resources to.

It's been about ten years since this was written and it still feels exactly like every conversation that deflects from the reality of climate change. The 'we have bigger things to worry about', the 'it's not that bad', the denials, the giving up, the ones who have enough to feel secure individually and don't really care.

That and the way the narrative turns from 'you're the hero, slay the dragon' to a domino effect that cannot be stopped, wrenching the planet off its hinges and it was all down to you. There's a big difference in changing the threat from ancient dragons awakening to devour all life... and it being the Commander's fault that the stabilising effect those dragons had is unplugged. The allegory becomes undeniable - you doomed the world. You have to chase down that tether and pull the weave back from unravelling even if it'll tear you apart. And even if nobody realises how close their lives are to ending, even if nobody respects you for it.

You have to look the most powerful people alive in the eye and plead with them to fucking help you for god's sake knowing it's a crisis and if you don't take action right now instead of waiting for it to get worse... being able to tell them 'I told you so' will be no solace at all.

And fuckin.... if fantasy stories are there to give us hope for ourselves, nothing hits as directly as the journey from "It's not that bad, why should we put anything on the line for you?" to

That hope means something very real to me.

[helix-studios117]

Halo Reloaded: Make-A-Wish

The pediatric wing of the hospital had transformed into an impromptu superhero headquarters, with Spartan supersoldiers from Blue-Team and Silver-Team taking cautious, elephantine steps through the sea of tiny, eager faces. The formidable figures of John-117 and his comrades were sheathed in gleaming armor, a stark contrast to the vibrant drawings and soft pastel colors of the hospital walls.

John, the Master Chief himself, stood slightly to the side, his towering form casting a long shadow.

Despite his stoic appearance, there was an unmistakable tension in his posture—not from discomfort at being surrounded by children, but from the simple uncertainty of what to say or do. His comrades, however, took to the scene like ducks to water.

Silver-Team, consisting of Vannak-134, Riz-028, and Kai-125, brought their own brand of quirky heroics to the hospital’s pediatric ward, weaving a tapestry of delight that was equal parts whimsical and touching.

Vannak, the powerhouse of the team, had discovered his knack for balloon artistry, though his massive Spartan fingers struggled with the tiny rubber. Amidst a colorful explosion of balloon swords, dogs, and hats, his serious facade cracked into a grin as a particularly stubborn balloon squeaked and twisted under his efforts.

“Operation Inflate is tougher than I anticipated,” he declared in mock-seriousness to the wide-eyed audience of children. Each successful twist was met with cheers, and every popped balloon was a dramatic “casualty” that had the kids in stitches.

Riz, always the quick-witted and agile thinker, turned a simple game of "Simon Says" into an epic adventure. “Simon says... act like you're low-gravity moonwalking!” she’d call out, demonstrating with exaggerated, floaty steps.

Her commands got sillier and sillier, from “Simon says pretend you're a sleeping Brute” to “Simon says dance like a Grunt throwing a tantrum.” Her energy was infectious, and soon she had a conga line of giggling children (and a few adults) snaking through the ward, each mimicking her inventive and hilarious instructions.

Kai, meanwhile, had set up a storytelling corner, but these weren’t your average fairy tales.

Armed with a digital projector and her vivid imagination, she transformed the stories into interactive shadow puppet shows using the kids’ own hands. “And then, the brave little Spartan faced the giant space dragon. Let’s see your dragons, everyone!” Kai would narrate, her voice filled with excitement as the children's hands cast monstrous, wiggling shadows on the wall.

Every child became part of the tale, their shadows merging to defeat space pirates, rescue alien princesses, and explore mysterious planets.

Fred, often the tactical brain of operations, had now turned his strategizing skills to the decidedly non-military task of organizing a children’s scavenger hunt. With a twinkle in his eye, he handed out makeshift maps, each marked with cryptic riddles like, "Seek where tired Spartans rest," directing them to a pillow fort under a table in the playroom.

With the gravity of a general but the grin of a mischievous uncle, Fred supervised the mission. "Alright team, remember, silence is your ally—sneaky steps!" he whispered dramatically, causing a gaggle of tiny sneaker-clad feet to tip-toe comically around the room. The children giggled, whisper-shouting as they discovered each "hidden" part—a glove, a helmet visor, all cleverly placed out of service’s way.

Meanwhile, Kelly, the speedster of the group, had turned a hospital corridor into an impromptu race track. "Okay, racers, on your marks!" she declared, lining up a motley crew of wheelchairs and walkers at the starting line.

With the flair of a seasoned sportscaster, she provided running commentary, "And they're off! Look at Tommy go—zooming ahead like a rocket! And here comes Ellie, oh, what a comeback!" Her laughter mixed with theirs, echoing down the halls. Each race ended with high fives, and Kelly making a big show of checking her watch and declaring each time a new "world record.

"In a quieter corner, Linda had set up a photo booth, not with costumes and props, but with a challenge to capture "the unseen beauty" of the hospital. She handed out digital cameras, kneeling to be at eye level with her new apprentices. "See this? It’s just a shadow, right? But watch this..." She helped them adjust the angles until the shadow looked like a wild, dancing creature.

"You’re the artist—you get to tell the story." Her station became a mini art gallery, kids snapping everything from the superhero reflection in a spoon to a dramatic, noir-style portrait of a teddy bear.

In the midst of this, a small boy broke away from the crowd. His approach was slow but determined, his hospital gown billowing slightly as he marched straight toward the Master Chief.

The chatter seemed to quiet a bit as all eyes followed this tiny figure confronting the legend.

“Hey, Mister Chief!” the boy called out, his voice surprisingly strong. He stopped just a foot away, craning his neck to look up.

John bent down, the servos in his armor humming softly as he adjusted to eye level with the boy. "Hello there," he replied, his voice modulated to a gentle rumble by his helmet.

“You’re Master Chief, right? Like, the real Master Chief?” the boy asked, his eyes wide with a mix of skepticism and hope.

“That’s right. And what’s your name, soldier?” John’s tone held a warmth, prompted by the boy’s earnest gaze.

“I’m Danny. And you’re my hero, Mister Chief. You’re my favorite!” Danny declared, stepping forward as if presenting a medal.

John paused, the compliment catching him off guard. “Am I now?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Yeah! You fight aliens and don’t afraid of anything!” Danny exclaimed, his grammar slipping in his excitement, which made a couple of nearby nurses chuckle.

“Well, I can assure you, I do indeed afraid sometimes,” John corrected gently, eliciting a laugh from Danny.“Can I... can I give you a hug, Mister Chief?” Danny asked, his voice dropping to a more serious tone.

John hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his visor's reflection.

But then he nodded, and as Danny wrapped his small arms around John’s armored waist, John’s own arms came around to return the embrace, enveloping the boy in a gentle, protective circle. “Thank you, Danny,” John said, and it wasn’t just his voice modulator that shook slightly.

“Are you gonna be my friend now, too, Mister Chief? Not just my hero?” Danny looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

“I think I’d like that very much,” John replied, his voice firm with a promise.

As Danny scampered off, probably to boast about his new ‘best friend’, John straightened up and scanned the room. The children were now looking at him with less caution and more curiosity. Kai nudged him lightly with her elbow, a small smirk playing on her lips beneath her helmet. “Looks like you’re not so scary after all, huh, Chief?”

“Seems so,” John conceded, allowing himself a rare, small smile. “Let’s make sure no one feels left out.”

[ericdeggans]

My Best TV of 2022: A (Unexpectedly) Long List

This is not a problem I expected to have, early in 2022.

Back then, the quality of TV shows was so disappointing, I considered writing one of those cranky, old-school critic’s columns complaining about how the glut of shows in our modern, streaming-fueled media environment was ruining everything.

I should have just waited around a bit. Because, even though I was mightily disappointed by some of the biggest TV projects on the docket – everything from CNN+ to Lords of the Rings: Rings of Power (the repetition in the title should have been warning enough) – lots more TV shows surprised and delighted me this year. Too many to fit on a top ten or top 12 list.

In fact, there were too many to fit on this excellent roundup prepared by me and five other critics at NPR.org (we each got about eight choices). And I will fess up now – I didn’t vibe with FX’s Reservations Dogs in its first season, so I didn’t keep up with the second and it’s not on my list. Many apologies to devoted fans of a show I’m very glad exists and so many love. But I’m not among you devotees (at least not yet).

Here's my list of fave shows from 2022, in no particular order. It’s by design very subjective, so I welcome debate, but it’s about what touched ME on TV this year:

Andor (Disney+) – Started slow, but turned into a masterful reinvention of the Star Wars universe, focused on the gritty, merciless beginnings of the Rebel Alliance. Who knew a Star Wars show with no lightsabers, no Jedi Knights and no Force could be just what the franchise needed? REVIEW

Atlanta (FX/Hulu) – The last two seasons, both released this year, weren’t nearly as impactful as its first two. But this show remains an excellent showcase for creativity and ambitious storytelling in portraying the lives of a quartet of Black millennials.

Here’s a Q&A I moderated w/Atlanta cast and producers at SXSW

Better Call Saul (AMC) – This Breaking Bad spinoff stuck the landing in series finale that capped both the origin AND ending stories of criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. REVIEW

Abbott Elementary (ABC) – Sidesplitting mockumentary-style comedy about teaching in a Philadelphia school that is so good, because it’s absurd humor is so close to the actual truth. PROFILE of star Quinta Brunson.

The Patient (Hulu) – Steve Carrell delivers his most impressive dramatic role as a therapist interrogating his own messy personal history while kidnapped and forced to help a serial killer. REVIEW.

The U.S. and the Holocaust (PBS) -- Star documentarian Ken Burns reveals how antisemitism in America busted the myth that the U.S. was always on the side of the angels as Adolf Hitler took power in Germany and began implementing his Final Solution.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+) – Focused on the Starship Enterprise 10 years before James T. Kirk would take command, it’s a welcome return to a rollicking, adventure-a-week series that recalls the spirit of the original Trek series better than any other modern reboot/revival. REVIEW

Severance (Apple TV+) - for review, click here

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) - REVIEW

Euphoria (HBO) - for review, click here 

A League of Their Own (Prime Video) -REVIEW

This is Us (NBC) - interview w/creator Dan Fogelman here

Sidney (Apple TV +) - REVIEW here

Under the Banner of Heaven (FX/Hulu) - for review, click here

We Own This City (HBO) - for interview w/EP David Simon, click here

Barry, season three (HBO) - for review, click here

Stranger Things (Netflix) - REVIEW

We Need to Talk About Cosby (Showtime) - PCHH discussion here

Harley Quinn (HBO Max) - 

The Sandman (Netflix)

As We See It (Prime Video) - REVIEW

The Good Fight (Paramount+)

The Dropout (Hulu) - 

The Crown (Netflix) - DISCUSSION here

The Handmaid’s Tale, season 5 (Hulu)

Ozark, season 4 (Netflix) - REVIEW here

Ms. Marvel (Disney+)

[supremechancellorrex]

Now, I gotta say, I find it interesting how there are some people that target you for stating your opinion on fiction. I've had this same Jedi-stan user sending me tens and tens of comments which are based on denial and opinion rather than any logical argument. Now, they're telling others not to read my arguments because... what, it's too scary? They literally reblog my post with a quite insulting argument and then quickly block me because they don't want me to respond.

Well, too bad.

This isn't even an argument based on logic. You just stated your opinion and acted like it was a fact, anyone else who believes differently is doing so "foolishly", more "foolishly" than a child apparently. Because despite much evidence to the contrary in children's media, apparently 'villains' never have any depth or say the truth ever, according to you.

Slick: "Yes, she offered me money. But she offered me something more important, something you wouldn't understand: freedom!"

You know the one thing Slick doesn't actually have? It's freedom. Because, he is a slave, that is a fact. Let's go through the fact that slave isn't a title you award but a state of existence and being, a slave by definition is: "a person who is forced to work for and obey another and is considered to be their property; an enslaved person." That is the clones to a T. Just because Slick was selfish doesn't just invalidate he described a situation which still has not been refuted and instead has been only proven over and over again.

Now, you say "the clones are property of the Republic", and they are under the command... of the Jedi, who are generals and part of the Republic command structure. Legally, the Jedi may not have a say in the fate of the clone troopers other than being in charge of their daily actions and organisation for years, but illegally? Are you claiming that the Jedi could not even think to organise a mass desertion? When the law is unjust, you challenge it, you break it. Now, you try to absolve them here by saying that they had no choice because the Separatists were a threat to the Republic, an institution that supports slavery for its own ends. You may hate it but "Cool motive, still slavery" still applies here. Any institution that supports having an enslaved army does not deserve to exist, and that includes the Jedi Order's support of the Republic.

As for your non-sequitur on the placement of the episode, this is just pointless. There is no basis to discount an episode just because it wasn't in Season 4. This adds nothing to your argument and is just a complete fallacy.

You can't really make this argument on a number of basises. One, the writing intentions have clearly changed since that initial George Lucas' quote decades ago. Not only this, but George Lucas doesn't even own Star Wars anymore and Disney are now in charge, with Dave Filoni and a number of other writers making significant contributions.

Dave Filoni: "So I think that trying to draw these paths of the Jedi and the choices they make and how they wind up good or bad … Yoda isn’t afraid in the prequels to say the Jedi are flawed and that they’ve become greedy and self-interested and arrogant. That helps you understand why they’re going to lose the Clone War and why they’re so ripe for the picking."

I think this quote speaks for itself. Also, I think it was very clear that George Lucas, a man well-known for changing his mind and who was still the executive producer, was on Ahsoka's side in the Wrong Jedi Arc. Otherwise at some point the narrative would have refuted her assertions on the Jedi Order, that's just basic storytelling.

Now, onto the clones. You essentially admit that the draft is essentially slavery in the clones' case. The clones are property and are referred to as such, they can't leave, they can't vote, they have no rights and this has been the case since they were fetuses in tubes. Let's look at Umbara again.

Fives: "We did it. We took Umbara."

Captain Rex: "What’s the point of all this? I mean, why?"

Fives: "I don’t know, sir. I don’t think anybody knows. But I do know that someday this war is gonna end."

Captain Rex: "Then what? We’re soldiers. What happens to us then?"

Considering the fact that the Senate are voting on whether to "decommission" the clones like a product in the Bad Batch, I think it's safe to say that Captain Rex's fears were confirmed. Senator Riyo Chuchi, an actual good person in a bad system, is literally fighting to give the clones any rights at all in the Bad Batch, and she is a lonely voice.

Riyo Chuchi: "[The Clones] are not droids to simply be shut down. These are soldiers who defended us, defended our worlds"

Meanwhile, when the Jedi wax on about the end of the War, they just assume they'll be fulfilling the same duties they did before the war. This is because the Jedi are privileged and are treated as citizens during the War, able to walk around completely uncumbered and engage on a conversational level with the elite. They can also leave the Order, especially if they break the code, which is not something allowed for the clones. They may be servants, but they aren't property, and they have more tools to push back and fight the Senate, which they can walk around freely in a venerated position. You practically say this throughout your argument. Over all, the Jedi are drafted, the clones are slaves. There is a difference in the power dynamic.

The Clone Wars waived the right to be dismissed solely as "It's just a superificial kids show, don't criticise" when it decided to deal with dark, serious topics, including the Republic's growing authoritarianism, political maneuvering, slaughter and murder. All those cases of the Jedi challenging their leaders simply make it more egregious that the Jedi never advocated for the clones to the same level. The fact Mace Windu is willing to fight tooth and nail for the Zillo Beast, however demonstrates no passion to fight for the clone rights, who are slaves soldiers under his command, is actually a pretty bad look. There are also clones that died around the same time as Even Piell, yet they get no rites either.

It's funny you mention Qui Gon Jinn because his opposition to the Jedi Council has been noted previously and it is a critique of the Jedi Order.

Dave Filoni: "I think Qui-Gon in a lot of ways represents the kind of path the Jedi are supposed to be on. He’s the one that’s the most compassionate. But he has no ambition to be part of the council. He feels he can’t do what he needs to do if he’s a part of that. That thinking and that philosophy is from what Dooku taught him. Dooku was a free-thinker and was looking out for people."

Oh, you know Dooku too? The guy who said "The Jedi blindly serve a corrupt Senate that fails the Republic it represents." Looks like he imparted some spirit to his Padawan. Ultimately, this actually supports my arguments that the Jedi Order have lost their way as an institution. Now, earlier you say it "sucks" the Jedi can't allegedly speak out because of the draft, at the same time you... have Jedi speaking out on every topic that isn't clones. Hmm.

Well, mademoiselle-cookie, you have crossed into antisemitic territory here and it's shockingly disgusting of you. The Jedi should not be considered an expy of Jewish people, because that would be really racist of the writers and very misrepresentative. Jewish people are not a fictional order of magic monks that wave lightsabers around, fighting wars with state-owned clone slaves, believe it or not. Going through your argument until now has been bearable, but this really takes the cake. I've warned people to stop using real-life minority groups as meat-shields for their fictional favs, however it seems that privileged people will often use minority groups instinctively for their benefit. The fact you accuse me, a mixed race gay man, as being the type to fall for Nazi lies because I critique the Jedi Order is just the icing on the cake.

Also, you argue "it's a kid's show" and then it's a direct allegory for the Holocaust, one of the darkest periods in human history, at the same time, huh? If this were the case, it would mean it's portrayal is even more important to critique without exception.

But, moving on from your just completely inappropriate allegory. So, the Jedi have a "choice" as you just state. That's much more the clones ever had and that is a privilege. You're essentially arguing for the Jedi to stand back and do nothing by choice while earlier you also argued that the Jedi had to do something in regards to the War as it was the moral choice but also that they 'don't' have a choice. Meanwhile, the Jedi were shown to be willing to overthrow Palpatine given the 'proper motivation', but due to their lack of compassion I guess the enslavement of millions of men such as the clones just wasn't important enough. Your argument falls apart because the Jedi did try to overthrew Palpatine in the end, just not for the slaves.

Using the "Bad guys lie" trope in an absolute capacity is also not an argument. You're just stating your opinion as a fact again and it's very 'convenient' your metric. I could reply "Good guys can be wrong and don't always tell the truth" and we'd, like your point, get nowhere.

Finally, an interesting point. There's no denying that Ahsoka did not make the situation as squeaky clean in her desperation, however ultimately my point still stands that Mace Windu, and I quoted him, said "I understand your sentiment, Obi-Wan. But, if the council does as you suggest. It could be seen as an act of opposition to the Senate. I'm afraid we have little choice."

At the end of the day, the Jedi do have a choice despite what Windu says. The choice was political. The ruling isn't unanimous, because doubts are expressed, but as Mace Windu says what they view as important in response to Obi-Wan saying things don't add up regarding Ahsoka is to focus how it looks to the Senate, a Senate that supports authoritarianism, corruption and slavery. The Jedi arguably lie to themselves and say they support justice, but they don't ultimately. As Jedi Master Dooku, the described "free-thinker", says: "The Jedi blindly serve a corrupt Senate that fails the Republic it represents."

Hmm, you don't seem to understand what an "unreliable narrator" actually is. With your use especially, every single character ever could be described as an unreliable narrator, I can describe Mace Windu as an unreliable narrator or Obi-Wan. I could literally flip your argument and claim the Jedi are unreliable narrators who only think they're doing good because they were raised in an environment which told them this from a young age and ultimately they were propping up a failing, authoritarian, corrupt 'Republic'.

I don't think you realise that Ahsoka's story would not have been presented the way it was in Season 7 if the narrative was not on her side. There were key cues in its structure and quotations that were critical of the Jedi Order, who were mostly in opposition to Ahsoka narratively.

Ahsoka: "This is why the people have lost faith in the Jedi. I had, too, until I was reminded of what the Order means to people who truly need us.” 

What a coincidence that Obi-Wan, a man gifted with the gab, fails to counter this criticism as well. Just like Slick.

We literally see the Jedi propping up the Republic system for the near entirely of the War. They allowed "the destruction of innocent life-forms", the clones, men brainwashed and forced into combat. They also conducted military investigations, deferred to the Senate, and I think it's very telling that Rex did not reveal Cut Lawquane's location to either the Jedi or the rest of the Republic. As Generals, they are a part of the hierarchy, and they support the Republic, a hegemony of laws and demarcations. Also, last I checked, Satine isn't a slave, I only wish Obi-Wan had gone out of his way to protect the clones as people, but I guess he only does that for citizens.

As for Order 66, again, this isn't an argument on your part. I'm well-aware of events, nor did I say they deserved to be murdered. The Jedi Order, specificially their leadership, made "poor choices" and it screwed them over. I also find your Nazi allegory more disgusting personally, but whatever. Now, let's see what the Jedi are actually doing.

Dave Filoni: "They’ve, as an institution, existed for a very long time. It doesn’t mean they’re evil or bad, but they’re making a lot of poor choices, and they can’t get out ahead of things in part because they’re desperately attempting to do things the right way and take an even stance.”

The centrist stance the Jedi take on most matters clearly contributed to their downfall. They made "poor choices" and I am critiquing them for it because allowing slavery at the heart of the Republic is not just a poor choice, but a stupid and immoral one. They are 'desperately attempting to do things the right way', but they don't, and this is why actual criticisms are levied at them. Again, I never argued the Jedi were evil, I argued they should be held accountable for their flaws and mistakes, like everyone should be.

I like how you completely misunderstood my point here despite many other people getting it. The problem is that the Jedi do have a choice, it's just a difficult one. However just because doing the right thing is difficult does not mean you shouldn't do it. The problem with the Jedi allowing countless clones, who are slaves, to die for years and that not prompt them to confront, combat or even overthrow the Republic is it makes them very morally bankrupt. As soon as the Republic said it was going to utilise slaves, the Jedi should have realised the Republic was the enemy of human decency itself. But, as we know from just watching Star Wars media with basic critical thinking or this exchange in Rebels...

Ezra: "Master Yoda, you’re powerful. You must know a way to destroy Vader and his Inquisitors.”

Master Yoda: “Padawan, thousands of Jedi once there were. Then came war. In our arrogance, joined the conflict swiftly we did. Fear, anger hate. Consumed by the dark side the Jedi were.”

I think you need to add more depth to your idea of "good". The Jedi were complicit in their own downfall. The fact you have to jump through so many 'logical' hoops to 'explain' and 'absolve' them is evidence enough. The fact you also dismiss all criticism of the Jedi as anti-Jedi propaganda, even when coming from its own members, from Yoda to Ahsoka, who clearly the narrative sides with. Now, as for your 'the citizens did nothing too' whataboutism argument? Yep. So, if you're arguing the Jedi are as bad as Republic citizens who also enabled clone slavery, then sure, a little 'harsh' of you, but that's what you're actually saying here. Plus, you keep both stating the Jedi have a choice and don't have a choice when it suits you throughout this argument.

And, regardless of whether the SW writers verbally acknowledge the word slavery, it is the story they present by saying the clones are "property" who "have no representation in the Senate". You should watch the Riyo Chuchi episodes in Bad Batch again, because this should be impossible to miss in the discussion of "clone rights". Your attempted use of 'rhetorical' questions instead of an actual argument is also pretty uninspired.

You literally didn't "debunk" anything, mademoiselle-cookie. As usual, you used ad hominem attacks, misused terminology, made antisemitic allegories, and now you're upset someone expressed an opinion you dislike. The fact you warn other people not to read my opinion as if you're the guardian of Jedi stan tumblr and they couldn't bear having someone make a post they don't agree with is also hilarious, I would hope people are full of sterner stuff. After all, people always have a choice, whether to read or not.

[sadruru]

In-character character development questions for Melissa!

🔮 CRYSTAL BALL — what is a core memory from your childhood that you think defines you today?

😶‍🌫️ FACE IN CLOUDS — is there something you're hiding from the people you love? if so, how urgent is it for them to hear it? what's holding you back from sharing it?

Thanks for the questions! I've already decided how I'm going to answer them, it's going to be a bit experimental 😈

Melissa will personally answer questions. Expect a cameo ~

😶‍🌫️ FACE IN CLOUDS — is there something you're hiding from the people you love? if so, how urgent is it for them to hear it? what's holding you back from sharing it?

"Well, well... All right! It's a miracle you could convince me, and I'll repay you for the drink and song. I don't like to stay in debt. First of all, let me say I'm not a very good storyteller, and my stories aren't very sweet. You won't be in Drezen for long, right? I doubt I'll see you again in the future. If I started telling my story, believe me, it would take a few nights. Hold on, what do you mean calling you by your name, sugar-voiced Lark? I won't, because it's more interesting!

…I hide a lot of things from those closest to me. If I have any. I often hear from others that I change topics too easily, especially from one restless boy. I've never liked looking into the future, because you never know what will happen tomorrow. On one hand, it sounds a little scary... Maybe one day I'll tell them, and him too.

I had too much shit behind me. So much that I should shut up. I don't think you'd believe me the first time.

You know, I used to not really care about this Crusade or the people around me. You should have seen how everyone reacted to me at first. The obscure bandit turned knight-commander, the tiefling, who looked like “ a succubus” or “ a whore”. Or whatever those "noble" paladins and knights called me for my looks and temper. Never mind. I've been called worse in the River Kingdoms. But now I see that they look at me with hope, despite what I do... It gives me a bitter taste in my mouth. I don't... I don't want to seem weak to everyone. It's really annoying.

Hmm… Did you see the adorable little elf with the burns? Ember. Sometimes she draws a crowd of onlookers. Her eyes, words and actions... When that girl looks at me, it's like she sees right through me. These moments make me feel pretty… Vulnerable? Oh, no. Too many bad thoughts in my head again. Now you owe me another pint!"

🔮 CRYSTAL BALL — what is a core memory from your childhood that you think defines you today?

"Ah, come on! Another tough question again? I really don't know! I had a lot of good and bad moments.

I don't know about you, little Lark, but my childhood ended quickly and darkly. I'll tell you about the good one. When I was five years old, I saw my dad carving something for me. It wasn't just another wooden toy, and he didn't say what it was. To be honest, I wanted a dragon toy so bad! I begged him long and impatiently until he finally finished and hung a simple amulet around my neck. The amulet bore the symbol of Cayden Cailean. Then he said to me, "Be brave, strong, and believe in good as always, Lissa. I can feel the spirit of adventure in you. Perhaps in the future you will continue our family business, or travel to other countries. That's your choice."

My first piece of jewelry... Ha ha! After that, I pounced on my mom's stuff and started imagining myself as a rich lady in a dress, with lots of gold rings and precious bling. I dreamed of getting rich, making our tavern bigger, buying a big house near the sea, with lots of servants and cats, maybe even finding a handsome husband and living happily ever after! Uh... My parents scolded me severely for making such a mess.

Believe in good, right? And foolish childish dreams... As you see, something went wrong."

Why little Lark? Because Siavash is half elf and taller than her 🤣

I hope I portrayed her character well. I don't know about the second question. Many memories in her childhood defined her. So I decided to show one of them - about her childhood dream of a good ending.

How it ended: Fluffy steals meat from hand.

Better not look at what's going on in the background. I just like to draw funny sketches in the background. I wonder if people recognize their kids? Hehehe...

[mincedgrief]

Working my way through all my D&D characters. Here's Shanty Strangeway!

Twenty five years after he washed up on the shores of Sandspit with nothing more than a name and a single copper coin, Shanty has become a man of substance. Armed with both a flair for the dramatic, and a reinforced lute, Shanty looks to become a master storyteller. This wooden-armed bard tries his best to give a commanding performance, and when the fights end, he'll weave the action into an epic yarn for a rapt audience of whoever’s still conscious. 

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

random question but now that Louis has mostly toured 2 albums (obviously he still has latam to go but for now), he’s grown so much vocally in these few years and is also just singing things that suit him far better than 1D stuff, I was just wondering if you have like a top 5 or so specific performances you keep going back to watch

Confession: I don’t really rewatch performances except ones like the London Livestream (unavailable to purchase … why) and the very first AFHF.

Here are five performances that ripped me from my seat:

1. Louis singing We Made It as he ran out to the Crystal Palace stage at AFHF 2021. I can’t even watch it without feeling emotional. It was a long. fucking. time. coming. Louis was so beautiful, so alive and human, so in command of his audience and his music… everything at the height of Louis’ achievement up to that point. A validating, triumphant, heart-bursting moment.

2. Louis singing Too Young at Sirius XM. Louis had been working diligently with Helene Horlyck up to this point and it shows. His vocals here were better than vocals on FITF tour. The studio is the most revealing, challenging type of room— acoustic instruments, live audience, small space, soundscape designed to amplify every sniffle and cough. To say Louis smashed it is an understatement. He sang a simple ballad like it was no big deal, like a walk in the park, in the most challenging situation. And he looked sexy as hell.

3. Beautiful War, Live From London Livestream. If I could list every song from LFL, I would. This was the show that sold LTWT tickets, and Louis deserved every single kudos (Guinness Records and otherwise). The production was also immaculately done (thank you, Charlie and Dave Lightening), the arrangements, everything about this show. This song, in particular, shows Louis’ control of pacing, storytelling, drama, and theatrical instincts. Singing it is a little bit like musical theater— it tells an intense love story. And he does it brilliantly, again and again, 80+ times on tour.

4. Copy Of A Copy Of A Copy, LFL.

The staging here is perfection. Perfect storytelling, perfectly elegant and understated performance, and his vocals are the best he’s ever sounded. I would include the Copy Of A Copy performances from LTWT because the graphics are so on point.

5. Always You, LTWT Barcelona

The exuberance and joy in starting tour at last, with this song that should have been a single in 2017 and deserved to be toured in 2017-18. The feeling of liberation in the chorus and in the crowd singing it vibrates through the screen. Thank you, Mary Jane, for capturing it!

6. Honorable mention: Change, AFHF 2021

No words can describe how I love this song. This is an underrehearsed and flawed performance, but it is beautiful and raw, and I treasure it.

[richincolor]

Book Review: The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha

Publisher’s Summary: Kai Song dreams of being a warrior. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her beloved father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But while her father believes in Kai and trains her in martial arts, their society isn’t ready for a girl warrior.

Still, Kai is determined. But she is plagued by rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the infamous nine-tailed fox demon who was killed by her father years before.

Everything comes crashing down the day Kai learns the deadly secret about her mother’s past. Now she must come to terms with the truth about her identity and take her destiny into her own hands. As Kai desperately searches for a way to escape her fate, she comes to find compassion, and even love, in the most unexpected places.

Set in sixteenth-century Korea and richly infused with Korean folklore, THE FOX MAIDENS is a timeless and powerful story about fighting for your place in the world, even when it seems impossible.

My Thoughts: Kai is a character that readers will not soon forget. It’s not just that she crosses paths with Gumiho, though that plays a part. Beyond that, it’s Kai’s persistence and belief in herself that is remarkable. The rules of the society are strict when it comes to class and gender and Kai has to fight against a lot, but she refuses to back down.

Before the story begins, the author provides background information about Gumiho. There is also an overview of the societal roles which have an effect on everything that follows. Throughout there is plenty of action, stealthy creatures that hunt, multiple violent deaths and a lot of other things going on, but readers can’t help but constantly notice how pervasive the gender and class structures are in this time and place. Women–poor women especially–have very few options. While this is a grim truth, it’s not the only truth. Kai and other women do sometimes find ways to work around or through the system to get what they need or want.

There is a young woman who has noticed Kai and it is interesting to watch that unfold. The love interest is not the main part of the story for a majority of the book, but becomes increasingly important over time. I would have liked there to be a little more attention to developing the relationship because it feels a little abrupt, but it’s still a nice element of the story.

Along with an intriguing storyline and relationships both familial and romantic, the illustrations are gorgeous. The design is striking and the colors are used very effectively. When scenes are in the present timeline during the day, the five traditional Korean colors are generally used–red, blue, yellow, white, and black. A slightly brownish monochrome is used for scenes that take place in the past and sometimes a single pop of color is included in a panel or two. The night scenes are usually grays and blacks with one or two accent colors. This helps the reader easily transition from one scene to another. The chapter divisions kind of break this pattern. They may have colors beyond the traditional palette and generally have a softer, more romantic look to them.

The book is a feast for the eyes and the storytelling both through text and images is compelling. I can tell I will be reading and re-reading this one many times.

Recommendation: Get it soon especially if you enjoy historical K-dramas, Gumiho, and/or thrillers with a dash of love. Check out the peek inside below to get a taste of the story and art.

Extras:

Peek inside the book at Epic Reads (first 17 pages)

Book Trailer on Instagram

Robin Ha shares her drawing process, talks about her first two graphic novels and then shares a brief bit about THE FOX MAIDENS in this video.

Publisher: Balzer & Bray Pages: 320 Review copy: Digital ARC & final copy via publisher Availability: On sale February 13, 2024

[neon-dynasty]

Sometimes I think about how interests come and go in waves, and I wonder why things happen the way they do. Right now, for instance, I can't think of a single Western animated series that has the same kind of fan energy that, say, Steven Universe or Gravity Falls or the Owl House did. I'm sure they're out there, but there's also something that's missing in the field, largely due to the animation industry being on a general downswing in America. (Yes we're all hooked on Dungeon Meshi and Frieren right now, but that's another story.)

Likewise, it feels like the Magic the Gathering story fanbase has been in a rut. And there are a lot of factors for that, but I want to point out what I think are the two biggest culprits: the overprinting of Legendary cards for Commander and the decentralization of the story branch of the creative team at WotC.

It's on my mind today because the Thunder Junction Epilogue stories by Alison Lührs (one of the most loved writers from the most recent high point and arguably the best professional author of Jace x Vraska there's been) were a breath of fresh air. They came out and gave fans what they wanted in Magic story - character-driven narratives.

Sure, the endpoint was Jace and Vraska adopting an adorable plot device baby to bring the story into its next arc. But we got to learn more about Jace and Vraska, as well as understand why they think the way they do and why that makes them act the way they do. Laying there dying, Jace faces his guilt and begs his mother to save them. When the topic of marriage and children comes up, they're completely in sync and Jace knows exactly where to find a parentless child. But the most important part is that we're with these characters while they act out the plot, rather than watching characters react to the plot. As much as I love, say, Kaito and the Wanderer, neither one of them had much agency over the story as it marched steadily toward invasion.

I truly hope that we get more storytelling like this. I hope that we can see the characters be themselves and see why that's important in the ongoing sagas.

But it wasn't just Jace and Vraska we fell in love with back in the time of Ixalan. We had Chandra and Nissa and Ajani and Gideon and Liliana and Jaya and Kaya and Teferi and Ral and so many others. Hell, Bolas was the most fun villain I'd seen in any media in a long time specifically because we spent time with him as he plotted and schemed.

And that was the grand promise of the Lorwyn Five, wasn't it? A storyline that could follow our favorite characters, and have them make choices that affect the entire narrative. Even if it were years between appearances, it felt like our favorite characters could show up at any time. Now with the mass desparking and the Omenpaths, that doesn't feel like such a good thing anymore.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I hope that going forward we get more of the character-driven narratives that defined the best period in the history of Magic's story. I hope that this isn't a one-off, bringing in an author who clearly still has that way of writing. I'd love to see more about how characters and planes are recovering from the Invasion and the existence of Omenpaths.

But more than that, I want the fans to be excited about Magic Story again.

[thecrenellations]

Top five moments from the QT books. :3

ASKING THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS! (Yay, thank you.)

I’m going to do this without thinking too hard and inevitably remember one million more that I love just as much, and I’m going to exclude roof scenes for a change of pace, but …

QoA ch. 9 storytelling scene with Gen, Helen, and the magus, specifically Gen saying, “She wants the commander to have a good shot at you.”

Gen and Helen as he leaves to steal Attolia: “My queen?” “Only for that.” (I have to, it’s my blog title, which I remembered after adding it to this list)

Kamet making a face in the library because he picks up a dusty scroll and Pheris including this in his history book (as Kamet does NOT in TaT)

Costis vividly imagining himself sinking into the collapsing floor during “I love your eyes, I love your ears, and I love every single one of your ridiculous lies” (which is pretty great, too)

Ion ineffectually leaping in front of Gen to save him from Sejanus’s arrow, which wasn’t even aimed at him (or however that precisely goes down), before the battle at the Naupent

[loopy777]

What was the yangchen scene that infuriated you so much?

I'm glad you asked!

(I say as if I didn't leave that last one as bait.)

But I'm warning you, the explanation is going to be underwhelming for my level of rage. I'm just so sick of this kind of thing. Spoilers below the cut for both Dawn and Legacy.

In Dawn, the weapon Yangchen had been chasing the whole book turns out to be a trio of Combustion Benders working for the villain. This is treated as something completely unheard of, and no one is even capable of speculating how it might be possible.

In Legacy, Yangchen follows up on this and eventually tracks down the training site for the Combustion Benders. It turns out that the villain hadn't just been trying to churn out Combusters, she was training and researching several different possibilities. Yangchen doens't learn the full extent of what was going on there, but she does encounter the following:

The Combustion Benders

A girl whose bare-handed blows can incapacitate limbs and disable Bending

A chamber with a shackling chair and the remains of a circular metal track that would allow something to travel around the chair; elsewhere in the book, the villain speaks a code phrase and brings a reluctant subordinate completely under her control, compelled to follow her every command

Just- would it have been too much to have one slushing thing that wasn't taken from Aang's adventures? I'm almost surprised there weren't a pair of hook swords at the site or something about lightning-bending or lightning-redirection! By the time Avatar fiction is finished and the franchise is finally dead, do you think there will be one single thing in all of AtLA that won't have its history revealed in a story about a previous Avatar? Just like how everything Korra experiences needs to be explained in a story about the maturing gAang, everything in AtLA needs to be tossed out as chum for fans who can't be trusted to just enjoy a good story.

Combustion Bending can't have just been something that happened over there, it had to be part of Avatar History (TM). Chi-blocking can't just be a rare skill, it had to have been developed by a think tank run by an Avatar's arch nemesis. And Koh forbid Long Feng or the Dai Li actually invented some aspect of their brainwashing themselves- no, it turns out they lifted everything, right down to using a light on a circular track, from a textbook that was written four to five hundred years before they were born.

It's just so, so tiring. It's one thing when the garbage has to toss out this kind of fan-service in order to distract from its terrible character writing, but why does even the good stuff like the Yangchen novels have to devolve into this lack of creativity? It adds nothing to the story and took me straight out of what should have been a harrowing scene.

But Loopy, you say, what harm does it do? Lots of people like to have their fans serviced in this way, so maybe this is just a You thing, and it doesn't necessarily hurt the stories it's in just because Gene Yang was terrible at it.

Well, 'you,' I'd say that it actually does do harm, even in the hands of a good storyteller like F.C. Yee. See, one of best parts of this franchise is the sense of history it evokes. In most fantasy, thousands of years can whizz by with no change in culture, geography, language, technology, or education. But in Avatar, things change. The Fire Nation wins wars by developing new weapons. The Water Tribes go up and down in health and power depending the conditions of the world. A whole new nation is developed as a result of colonization, which itself spurs rapid development of technology. When we jump back to the beginning of time, the very world itself is made to look like a moving historical painting. And, as we increasingly explore the franchise, we find that each Avatar comes of age mostly by dealing with the problems left behind by their predecessors.

And every time something from AtLA or LoK is shoved into contrived circumstances in another era so we can have a pointless fan service moment, we chip away at that unique aspect of this franchise. We make each era more like all the others, so that no matter what Avatar you're dealing with or what era of history you're in, there will always be a Chi Blocker (TM). It takes something we all fell in love with due to its uniqueness and turns it into a formula. Instead of a scene that works by itself, we have a round of Spot The Reference.

And it happens in so much fiction these days. People used to make disparaging jokes about how every character in Star Wars, even the stupid nameless walk-on roles, has their own book. But at least it was their own book, and not the story of how it turns out Anakin Skywalker was best friends with this random alien decades before they randomly walked across his son Luke's path. We measure a storyteller's suitability to contribute to a franchise based on how much of a fan they are, not because being a fan might lend them insight into what made that franchise great in the first place, but because they can pack their stories full of continuity so that it turns out the entire history of an entire world turns on 20 people spread across a single family tree by the time subsequent generations are done marrying each other.

I'm just so sick of it. And being ambushed by it in 'Legacy of Yangchen' just made me groan, especially since I was enjoying the story so much.

Please, let's have a little self-respect as fans, okay?

...

I warned you this was going to be underwhelming.