#they're making me express shrimp emotions

[averyspoopedcorgi]

r u having a certified mayoai moment

....yeah

[ladyzirkonia]

The Crossing

This one is for you my beloved @lightwise. I wrote my thoughts down while the episode was released and decided to take some screenshots. Not profread just copied the text and added the pictures.

This is still one of my all time favorite episodes.

Well, first of all, the scenery, the planet, the colors, the music that really appealed to me. You have to know that as a geologist I love deserts and sandstone formations. Unfortunately we don't have much of that in Europe, I was in America for three weeks once, that was the most wonderful thing I've experienced from a geological point of view.

Back to geology. The mine and that mineral they're supposed to extract. Needless to say, I would be there right away? Super interesting, I would of course pee my pants with fear, but what the heck. That sounds like an adventure to my taste.

I can't stop staring at Tech's tight Star Wars ''jeans''. This episode it's even a bit dustier and dirtier from the environment. Please don't blame me! (Where the thirst started ;))

I just have to mention again how beautiful these sandstone formations are. I read somewhere that someone wrote about Space Utah and I think that's 100% correct.

(And just a random Sergeant picture for you, because he's hot and we can, look at this man.)

And then comes the absolute lion king moment! That can only be intentional, right? I was really scared for a moment because I associated the scene so closely with The Lion King. It was one of my favorite movies as a kid and the scene where Mufasa dies still makes me cry sometimes. I mean, those critters literally look like space antelopes, don't they?

Oh man and I felt SO sorry for Wrecker! How heartless Tech sent him back down to get the Ipsium. ''What about protecting me?'' I just wanted to shout I protect you. And again a very uneasy feeling watching the animals trample over him, maybe that traumatized me more than I thought as a child.

And how Tech then just take the container himself, hello? I mean we already talked about him being a good fighter just like his brothers. But you're just not used to the autistic nerd being so physically fit. That's pretty hot. (Edit: Still a shrimp, we love it)

And the next argument between Tech and Wrecker. It's hard to defend Tech because he's really acting like an ass. You can tell how depressed Omega is in this situation and Hunter is just trying to hold everything together. I really feel sorry for him because I can't imagine he's doing really well, but as a parent, you always have to hold back your emotions. But isn't it clear here that the group has been thrown off balance? That they obviously care that Echo is gone, as some have complained after the last episode?

''What is your issue'' really wanted to make me scream.

And Omega's angry face afterwards. I just want to jump in and smooth things out. I mean it's nothing new that kids get traumatized in Star Wars. Boba didn't exactly have the dream childhood either, but I don't think it was worked out anywhere and thought about it, it's so wonderful.

And props to Wrecker I had to laugh SO MUCH as he looks at Tech afterwards and shakes his head in slight disappointment after she left just wonderful, so many little details anyway and the facial expressions just lovely.

And then comes THE moment. I mean this man just doesn't hesitate for a second and jumps after Omega, into the dark, into the unknown, he could just die but he doesn't hesitate. I'm just so speechless, if this isn't even a complete unconditional love father/brother moment I don't know what is.

It just seemed to me, but the way Hunter looked after they both fell, it felt like he could really sense that something was wrong and that they were both in danger, which I found really interesting.

The cave they end up in is so beautiful. But apart from that, I would have died of fear if I had been pulled under the water like that. And the moment when Tech is on the ground and lifts his goggles slightly to let water run out, another cute little detail!

And then comes the conversation, I don't even know if I want to go into all of this here, you could probably write an essay about that alone. I'll just sum it up, it was wonderful, it touched me and I think a lot of people who can identify with it did too. That there isn't just one way to express your feelings, that just because you don't show obvious feelings doesn't mean you don't have any or don't care. Most of the time when I'm feeling really bad I don't talk to anyone and you might think the same thing that I don't care about anyone and don't care, but that assumption couldn't be more wrong. I feel for Tech, I feel his words, I think that's one of the best lines of the season as well as his ''Understanding you does not mean I agree with you'' from season one. I'm jealous that despite everything he can express exactly how he feels, that he doesn't know how to feel about the changes.

And the first time, the first time they say they're a family, not just a squad, and Tech confirms it, that made me so happy. The scene is so beautifully acted, the facial expressions are so good. How Tech falters in the meantime and struggles for words, not at all self-confident and precise as usual. That made me so happy.

I may process moments and thoughts differently, but it does not mean that I feel any less than you. The sentence!!! And if he feels that way about Echo, how about Crosshair? His brother, who he's known since they were little? I'm crying! I really can't wait to see you all again Crosshair, it's getting so emotional!

And that it's just Tech who is allowed to shoot the Ipsium, no, not Hunter but Tech, how he holds the blaster with both hands, yes, we already had the topic of weapons, but that's just hot too. Now imagine some target practice with Tech or Crosshair, or best of all with both, I'd be a nervous wreck!

Did I mention that Tech sometimes walks a bit stacked, like a giraffe? It's hilarious, I had to remember that Penny once called Sheldon a giraffe. These tall, lanky nerd boys, I'm in love. (Here comes the shrimp again!)

And the perfect ending as Omega just uses Tech's words to keep morale up and he gives her a slight smile. Bonding mission successfully completed I would say!

Lot's of love and may the force be with you my space sister.

[orangetintedglasses]

Finale: Kotov Syndrome

The silence that hung between them for a few long, terrible moments was tense and heavy; Vash watched as his brother's eyes filled with fear for a split second, then quickly boiled over into betrayal and rage.

"You'd dare point that coward's tool at me? After I let you keep it?" Nai nearly spat the words out, his voice penetrating the silence the same way a rock crashed through a window, making Vash's shoulders twitch. His stance remained firm despite it, eyes locked onto the other Plant's, his firearm steady and unwavering in it's position. No desire to shoot him, just... keep him there and buy everyone enough time to get out of the city.

And buy himself some time to think of an actual plan...

"... it truly hurts to see you like this, Vash." Nai said, that softness returning to his tone, almost a coo. It made his chest ache. "Those monsters have been exacerbating your sickness. They're using you--"

"QUIET!" he snarled, the sound tearing out of him faster than he could process. Vash grit his teeth and felt himself force the barrel of the gun against Nai's forehead before quickly withdrawing it, taking a step back and settling on just aiming the firearm at him, now. He'd never been this angry before.

"YOU'RE the one who's using me, Nai! This whole time, I've--" God, he didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think about any of it-- "--I've been hurting people! I've hurt EVERYONE I care about because of you...!"

"Anyone you've 'hurt' was hurt because they interfered with your recovery, Vash." Nai replied, looking unimpressed. "It was their own fault for--"

"It was YOUR FAULT!" another crackle of energy between his teeth, this time igniting the patterns on his skin. Wisps of energy lifted from the delicate lines on the right side of his face-- wisps that took on a feathered shape that made Nai's eyes widen, face contorting with disgust.

"Look at what they've done to you..."

"STOP!" Vash's hands were trembling, now, emotions and borrowed power both rumbling in his chest like the beginnings of a storm. He squeezed his eyes shut-- he had to end this! Whatever needed to happen next, he had to do it-- and if that involved killing his brother, h-he-- no. No, he couldn't kill him, even... even after all of this. He couldn't do it, there had to be another way--

A hand suddenly touching his cheek yanked Vash out of his thoughts, eyes popping open to see Nai in close proximity. One hand on his face, the other on his shoulder, in... some cruel mockery of comfort? Or was it real? Nai's expression felt like a mask of calm and understanding more than anything, but despite that, Vash stilled under the touch-- a spark of hope fluttering in his chest, brought tears to his eyes...

"Nai..."

Thmp.

... his breath caught in his throat, and warmth blossomed at the small of his back.

Thmp. Thmp!THMP!THMP!

White-hot pain exploded in rapid-fire bursts, one by one up the trail of his spine, like fireworks.

"My poor baby brother... even after all of this, you still need me to do everything for you..." Nai cooed, pulling Vash closer to him as something else flooded his body. That familiar feeling, cold and all encompassing... spreading out from where bladed vines had buried themselves in his back. He shouldn't have let his guard down.

He shouldn't have let his guard down.

Vash would try and struggle against the connection, shrimping back and away as far as he could-- the renewed energy from Vet would be more than enough to help him fight him off --but one last vine pierced all the way through his shoulder, wrapping around his collarbone in the most literal way imaginable as Nai tightened his hold around him, blood spattered on his face.

"Don't worry, Vash. We'll fix this."

The cold spread up, up, up... blurring his mind and his senses, making him weak at the knees and lean heavily into his twin.

"I'll just have to help speed things along..."

The blades dug in further, twisted in deeper, and Vash felt himself scream.