#token back to brooklyn

[davisexplainableart]

Half-O-Ween Show Recap

Hope everyone had a happy Half-O-Ween yesterday.

Actually, I'm currently typing this on the Saturday after our show, since I'm gonna be very busy tomorrow (my family and I will be celebrating my younger brother's 18th birthday at a baseball game), so I'm typing this out in advance.

Since this is a holiday similar to Halloween, most of us were in costume (the horn section did not dress up):

Me - Liam Gallagher (dressed in the costume I wore for a Halloween concert in 2021)

Footi - Ghost

Chao - Vampire

Ash - Drawn-on mustache, just like Dan Miller many years ago.

Blip - Marty Beller

Vulk - Disk jockey

Glomp - Evil scientist

As mentioned back when the show's theme was announced, we played nearly every song off of TMBG's Haunted playlist in order (we didn't play Untitled because it's just a recording of some weird conversation between 2 people), as well as some extra stuff.

Due to the huge amount of songs, I will be re-blogging this in order to fit most of the songs into the tags.

But before we begin, here is a sort of key to explain certain things in the text below…

This means that I sang a song and no one else.

This means that Footi sang a song and no one else.

This means that I sang a song with Footi on backing vocals.

This means that I sang a song with Chao on backing vocals.

This means that Footi sang a song with me on backing vocals.

This means that Footi sang a song with Chao on backing vocals.

When “->” is shown right before a song’s name, it means that we went right into that song, with little to no banter.

Alright, here was the show's setlist (with some notes for a few songs):

1. Marty Beller Mask

Just like TMBG concerts, this song was performed in B Minor.

Despite the costume, Blip didn't actually wear a mask onstage.

If any song had a music video to go with it (like this one), it would be played from a projector onto a large screen.

2. Dead

3. Turn Around

First song of the show to feature our horn section: Koggpact on the trombone, Burnard on the saxophone, and Rocky on the trumpet.

4. Careful What You Pack

5. Now Is Strange

6. Where Your Eyes Don't Go

7. Lake Monsters

During the portions with no singing, I shouted out names of actual lake monsters of legend (including the ones from the song's music video).

8. When Will You Die

When mentioning the band names, I replaced "Marty" with "Whitney" as a reference to Marty Beller Mask.

9. Tesla

No, not the Tesla of modern times. The song is about the engineer Nikola Tesla, known for his work with alternating currents and X-rays.

10. I Lost Thursday

11. Hate The Villanelle

12. Hall Of Heads

13. Am I Awake?

For this song, we performed with a backing track so that the song's electronic instrumentation wasn't lost.

14. I'll Be Haunting You

("Detour" portion of the show, but also containing mostly creepy songs)

15. 25 O'Clock

Surprised this wasn't in the playlist, I think it'd fit perfectly.

16. -> (She Was A) Hotel Detective

W/ Chao on the saxophone.

17. Token Back to Brooklyn

W/ just Blip and Vulk playing instruments.

18. -> I'm All You Can Think About

(back to the songs included in the playlist)

19. Spines

W/ just Footi and Vulk playing instruments.

20. -> (She Thinks She's) Edith Head

Footi sang the high octave, while I sang the low octave.

21. Canada Haunts Me

Only backed by the horn section for this song.

22. -> The Spine Surfs Alone

23. Road Movie To Berlin

W/ Footi adding in the extra verse that was absent from the studio version.

24. Chess Piece Face

Only backed by the horn section for this song.

25. -> Skullivan

26. Last Wave

Footi sang lead for the "make out with a biplane" verse, due to my fragile vocals.

27. Dig My Grave

28. -> Rat Patrol

29. Havalina

Footi sang the "walking in the breeze" verse, due to my fragile vocals.

30. A Self Called Nowhere

31. My Evil Twin

32. The Fellowship Of Hell

For some reason, Footi changed the name of the baby of rock to "Paul" to better rhyme it with "all".

33. -> Mrs. Bluebeard

34. Whistling In The Dark

W/ Footi playing the chest-mounted bass drum.

Played in C Major, since we performed the song with our horn section.

35. Hypnotist of Ladies

Right before the song, Footi announced that our June 6th show at the Tabernacle in Atlanta will be an all ages show for families. That predictably got us some boos and jeers. Oh well.

(Encore #1)

36. Don't Let's Start

37. James K. Polk

38. Frankenstein

The reason for the lack of colored text here is because this is an instrumental song.

(Encore #2)

39. Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

Technically this was Footi on lead, with me on backing, but it could also be vice versa (you could go either way, really).

W/ an acoustic guitar intro by Ash.

40. They Got Lost

Technically we played the "medium version" of the song, but in this case it was what I like to call the "1999 variant" (I'll explain further sometime in the future).

For the 3rd verse, I sang "Chao said to Blip..."

[thewingedwolf]

i think i did a legends cast last year before reindeer games was announced but i was thinking about how i miss the people’s princess cedric and decided to do a bb: second chances cast

[gelarshiesprofruitboarder]

????????????

[vimbry-moved]

I'm pretty sure you can make an entire album out of their new york* & england-related music

prev. kind of what tmbg is like to me also

[jimblejamblewritings]

Nothing But Trouble | 1

Summary: Belonging to a mafia family wasn't something you were interested in. The moment you were given the opportunity to jump ship, you did. Yet, somehow, you were in the pockets of every syndicate in New York City. More importantly, Brooklyn's Commandos and their leader practically kissed the ground you walked on. But betrayal always tastes bitter. But Bucky never expected the first real love he's ever had to be behind the trigger of that betrayal. However, you keep maintaining your innocence.

THIS IS A DARK(ish?) FIC!

Warnings for the Series: 18+ only. Angst. Hurt/Comfort. Assault. Violence. Mentions and depictions of Non-Con and Dub-Con. Psychological Trauma. Not Canon Compliant. Manipulation. Hydra.

Pairing: mob!Bucky x reader, eventual Stucky x reader

Word Count: 4.6k

A/N: I don't really know if anything about reader's race will be brought up but I like to always note that at the beginning because black readers deserve stories too so if hair or culture does start to get brought up, it doesn't just come out of nowhere.

(Series Masterlist coming soon)

Mob life was never really your thing. Surprising, considering who your family was. The Rumlows ran their territory with an iron fist. You weren’t sure if you were the number one crime syndicate in New York City but your family was definitely in the top three. When people muttered about The Avengers Syndicate, the HYDRA family’s name appeared right behind them. So, it was a shock to the world of organized crime when HYDRA’s princess invited them all to a gala. 

The gala was nothing new. Balls made for perfect neutral territory no matter where they were held. And you had done a good job of inviting so many random citizens that there would be no justifiable way for anyone to start something that could only be ended with violence. Slightly tipsy and with full bellies, the heads of all the families — along with some of their children — happily obliged your request to meet in the private conference room of the hotel that the gala was being thrown at.

They had expected this to happen once they realized that you planned the gala for the same night as your sixteenth birthday. It was a common date for their children to choose. Either the 16th, 18th or 21st birthday. Eyes went wide as you pulled off your gloves and took off your necklace and bracelet with your family’s symbol. 

“I’m going to culinary school. I don’t know if I’ll be accepted here or not but wherever I go for school, I’m coming back to New York afterwards and I want to open a bakery. If you ever need to make a deal when my father has passed then please speak with my brother and not me.” 

Eyebrows raised. Brock was adopted when your parents found out that both of them had fertility issues that made conception near impossible. Not impossible enough because only a couple of years after adopting Brock, they had you. A lot of families wondered if he was going to be kicked to the curb but he stayed just as loved as he was before you. It was no secret that you were going to take over the family as the biological child.

However, when you confessed to your older brother that you didn’t want this life, Brock was overjoyed at the chance to be the head of the family. He made it a mission throughout middle school and most of high school to come up with a plan for you to get the life you wanted. You felt confident enough in his plan to host a gala and enact it. 

“I’d like to propose my bakery as neutral territory. A token of good faith and belief in my words. I’ll open it away from Harlem, in one of your territories, and pay a protection fee split amongst all the syndicates. If you need to make a business deal or discuss plans, please feel free to use my space as a permanent neutral settlement. No appointments needed. A code to the backdoor will be provided.” 

“Who’s territory are you suggesting?” one of the women asked. 

“Whoever will have me? I’m willing to move into an owned building or pay an additional rental fee simply for being there.” 

You were surprised at how many families were suddenly interested in what you were proposing. From the other end of the table, your brother gave you an approving nod. No one received a reply the night of the gala. Your family took time to look at everyone’s proposals and deals. In the end, your parents believed that it would be smart to pick one of the more central territories in Manhattan even if it involved higher charges. A central location that was convenient for all of the mobs was more likely to keep you safe no matter what. And that was how you found yourself working in Chelsea for years. 

Was your bakery the most popular in the city, let alone the neighborhood? No. But it was stable with lots of customers and plenty of regulars. And true to your word, the back door was always available. It was a rocky start at first. You sometimes forgot and thought people were breaking in. Sometimes the mobs would forget that you were running a completely legitimate business and weren’t spying when you would stumble into the backroom for another bag of flour. But the flow you settled into was one that offered you complete comfortability. 

There was now a shelf for guns right by the door whenever they entered, knives were still allowed as long as they weren’t throwable. You added a little tv in the room that connected to some of your security cameras so they were aware that you were coming in. One of your little neon signs that almost blended in with all the other decor only lit up when the rooms in the back were in use. All in all, it was a good situation. You thought as much even as you nearly jumped out of your skin when you looked up from the display case to see Steve Rogers walking in like he owned the place despite the ungodly hour. 

Steve smirked as he waited for you to finish up your little decorating and start up the espresso machine. He wasn’t sure why you were so afraid of him, although he had a few ideas. He never bothered to clean up before showing up to any meetings which meant more than once you’d seen him covered in blood splatters. Or maybe it’s because you happened to be picking up a flour shipment at the actual manufacturing warehouse at the same time that the Avengers were interrogating a man. Steve laughed to himself at that memory. 

None of the guards watching out front had warned you of the scene inside. Everyone important knew your face. So while the Avengers were prepared for you, you were unprepared for them. Sam had finished handing Steve a thicker pair of pliers before asking what you needed. 

You feebly held up your receipt as you watched the man in the interrogation chair get another one of his fingernails ripped out by Steve. The Avengers all chuckled at the squeak that left you when the man’s nose crunched underneath the blonde’s fist. You were only able to look away when Sam came back with a wagon full of flour, telling you to just leave the money for the factory owners on the table with the torture tools. They almost thought you could have been a track star with how quickly you ran out of the building. 

“Here,” you said, trying to steady your breathing. “Mr. Barnes’ usual and dark roast cappuccinos for everyone else.” 

“Thanks, doll.” 

He was almost out the door when you suddenly called his name. You came from around the counter with an envelope in hand. 

“I almost forgot, I’m going out of town for a family vac— I mean for personal time.” Steve snorted at your horrible attempt to cover up that you accidentally told him the entire Rumlow family was going to be out of New York at the same time. You delicately placed the envelope between the coffees in the drink tray. 

“There will be a temporary employee here and he doesn’t know about all this. He’s already been given specific instructions and I moved all of the ingredients to the hallway and locked the room door on my side but he doesn’t know about the money either. Can you make sure all the fees go to everyone, please?” 

“What am I your little errand boy now?” 

“N-no, no I’m sorry, I ju—” 

“Rumlow, relax. I’m just fucking with you. Everyone’ll get their money, can’t have the best bakery going under for some stupid shit. See you when you get back from your… personal time.” 

Steve walked out with the coffees, leaving the bakery empty once again. While your bakery had never crossed anyone, Bucky still only trusted his closest friend to pick up his drink. There was a small but real possibility that someone might tie you up in the storage room and poison your inventory just to get back at someone without being caught easily. Or that one of his own was bought out and replaced his coffee with something else. Or a whole host of reasons Bucky could think about. So, every morning he sent the second in command to head into Chelsea specifically for the team’s coffee. 

Most of your regulars were, in fact, syndicate members. The neutral territory meant that you could be trusted for a meal with no questions asked. Most of your menu was at request of them. They did good on keeping their neutral meeting ground safe and afloat. Which is why you were surprised to see Bucky Barnes himself and the heads of nearly every other syndicate in New York City sitting in the cafe portion of your bakery when you and your brother walked in the morning that you got back from your vacation. 

“You can’t just be hiring anyone when you want to take a vacation, Rumlow. Your little employee was busted stealing from the safe. One of Drysdale’s men,” Bucky said, throwing your brother the bags of money stolen from your safe. 

Your blood ran cold. Ransom Drysdale was well known to you. He wasn't from New York which meant he didn't play by New York rules. It wasn't common to be messed with from outside the territory but lately Boston syndicates wanted a piece of the real estate that was New York crime. You wanted nothing more than to play the dumb little naive girl about why your bakery was a target but you couldn't. You left the inner workings of mob life but you never left the life completely.

Not when you struck this deal so you could pretend to be a normal civilian. Not when you allowed the storage rooms to be meeting places. And not when you were the only business not directly owned by a syndicate that they could scrub clean their dirty laundry through. The obnoxious amount of money in your safe was a testament to that. 

It shouldn't have been there. And even if you were the most famous bakery in New York, it should have been deposited properly in the bank before the amount got too large. But no, you agreed to exchange the money bit by bit whenever customers paid and give the syndicates clean money they can use without raising suspicion. Another way to ensure you were protected but a dirty job nonetheless. All these little things add up if someone looked hard enough. Clearly the Drysdale's, maybe more Boston mobs, had been looking. 

“From now on, our men work here. Pick as many as you like. You need something, you tell them and they'll report back to us. Got it?” 

All you could do was nod. You were very aware of the new nickname that had been whispered behind your back for years now. You went from being HYDRA’s princess to the syndicates’ princess. It was something you would roll your eyes at before but now you actually felt like it was a nickname come true. Here you were in the middle of the bakery with the offer of nearly every man and woman in the city’s syndicates to be at your disposal. 

“Whoever you choose, I’m reassigning Zemo and Pierce,” Brock said. “They arrive before you start work and they don’t go home until you lock up.” 

“I don’t need babysitters.” 

Your brother snorted. “You think you would have outgrown this stubbornness. They’re bodyguards not babysitters. What if next time Drysdale’s men show up you’re here, huh? It’s not forever, okay?” 

“Two months.” 

“It’s not going to be that quick either. They’ll stay out of your way.” 

“Fine.” You went back to facing the other families. “Um, I’ll take Peter, MJ, and Wanda if that’s alright?” 

“Perfect,” Tony and Bucky said at the same time. 

You figured it was safe to use their people. The Starks and Barneses were essentially one family even if they denied it. Everyone was well aware of their ironclad alliance and the fact that they both worked under the Avengers identity — Bucky in charge of Brooklyn’s Commandos faction and Tony in charge of Tribeca’s SHIELD faction. In their entire existence, there was only one mild fallout that occurred and was resolved before the holidays even came. You knew their men got along and figured that would be nicer to deal with daily rather than near warring factions. 

“Parker and MJ will pick up Wanda every morning. They’ll be here by opening,” Tony ordered, looking to Bucky to see if it was okay with him. “Great. See you tomorrow, Rumlow, get some shut eye.” 

The first week of your new life wasn’t easy. Unlike what your brother had claimed, you were very aware of Zemo and Pierce’s presence. To their credit, they did try. But you were aware of their every movement. At least teaching your new employees wasn’t so bad. Wanda and Peter seemed to really enjoy baking. MJ, despite the near permanent scowl, had great customer service. And the three of them weren’t complaining at all when you made them every meal fresh. Neither were their bosses. Every time Peter, MJ, and Wanda came to headquarters, they brought huge catering boxes with them. 

Bucky rolled his eyes as everyone dug in like rabid animals. Although, his curiosity was piqued at the newest dessert sitting in the corner of the box. He wouldn’t admit it but Bucky was starting to develop quite the sweet tooth, specifically for your bakery. He knew every dessert on the menu. And these cherry tarts were new. He blinked when Wanda set the dessert in his hand. 

“She made this for you.” 

“Me?” 

“Yeah, her brother is hosting some large party for New Years’ and plans on inviting everyone. Y/N wants to know everyone’s favorite desserts and I might have mentioned that you liked cherries. There’s a survey in here somewhere to fill out.” 

“Since when were you on a first name basis with Rumlow?” Nat asked, taking another croissant to hide away for later. 

“She’s so nice,” Wanda gushed. “Mob life was definitely not made for her. Poor thing couldn’t even remember how to handle a gun properly until MJ showed her.” 

“Are you serious?” 

The woman nodded. “She said it’s been ages since she last handled one. Her family isn’t too pleased about that.” 

The Commandos all nodded. Your family wasn’t wrong. Self-defense was still important to know even if you never had to worry about it between all the syndicates watching over you. Bucky bit into the cherry tart, savoring the flavor, as he made a mental note to ask if you needed a gun safe for the bakery. There was no way he could ever let a place with such amazing pastries go under. 

The cherry tart wouldn’t leave Bucky’s mind no matter how much he wanted it to. Sam and Steve wouldn’t stop sharing knowing looks behind his back or teasing him to his face. They weren’t sure if it was truly the dessert or the baker behind it. Their friend could deny it all he wanted but they knew the truth. It was confirmed when Bucky was up earlier than he ever had been before, telling them that he was coming with them to get the coffee. 

“Welcome to Th— oh, hello, Mr. Barnes,” MJ said, making you turn with a quickness from the display tray that you were setting new cookies in. 

“We were thinking of sitting in today. Would it be too much to trouble you for some pancakes, doll? I know you took those off the menu a few months ago.” 

“No trouble at all,” you blurted out. “I’ll be right on it, Mr. Barnes.” 

“Take your time.” 

He settled into the booth closest to the counter and kitchen. Up close, Bucky could see what Wanda meant. It was almost hard to believe that you were Brock’s sister. Rumlow had never even stuttered in the presence of others but you were a nervous wreck. Maybe it was wrong of him but he found it kind of endearing. Not the nerves themselves but just how the deer-in-headlights look made you even prettier. A sort of softness that contrasted against the gruff of his everyday life. 

You came back out with a tray of drinks and pancakes. The three men noticed how you refused to look Bucky in the eye but also avoided getting too close to Steve with a vengeance. Sam was the safe option. The only naturally friendly face. Sometimes you weren’t sure how he was in the mob. There didn’t seem to be a darkness or violence behind his eyes like with the others. 

If they weren’t afraid of scaring you, they might have laughed when you noticed the bit of blood on Steve’s rings and gasped way louder than you intended. The blonde pocketed the jewelry, muttering that he must have forgotten. Neither Bucky nor Sam could understand why Steve scared you so much. Sure, he was usually the one getting his hands dirty but your brother’s work wasn’t exactly nice and clean. Of course, they didn’t know that you had never discussed family work whenever you visited your parents or brother. 

You gasped for a second time when you realized that nearly jumping out of your skin at the sight of the bloodied rings caused you to spill some coffee right onto Bucky. He froze up when you grabbed his metal arm without hesitation, dabbing it dry with as many napkins as possible. Even Sam and Steve stopped smiling to just watch the scene in front of them. No one but them had ever touched Bucky’s prosthetic. Not only was it a sore spot for the mob boss but it simply freaked others out. He was the prototype for Stark Industries latest start-up in partnership with Wakanda’s outreach program. 

Tony saw a way to kill two birds with one stone back in the day. He earned the cleanest and most legitimate business possible in the tech field with this partnership, washing his money through a foreign country without raising an ounce of suspicion from law enforcement. And he also had a token of good faith to make up with the Commandos. Bucky received the very first iteration of their prosthetic arms, with a lot more tech than what was going to hit the market.

Everyone was aware of the extra perks in Bucky’s model and that made them hesitate to get close to him. But you didn’t even think. You just reached for the metal limb and tried to clean it off before any coffee got into the grooves between plates. 

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Barnes. I di—” 

Bucky covered your hand with his other one, taking the napkin. “It’s fine, doll. Thank you.” 

You nodded. “I’ll be back with a refill for your coffee. On the house.” 

When you came back, Bucky couldn’t help himself. He lightly touched your elbow under the guise of keeping you steady so you wouldn’t spill on him again. All three men observed how you didn't flinch at all at his touch. It was almost like you didn't even notice the metal. Steve and Sam gave each other knowing looks. Even if he didn't admit it now, they knew Bucky was going to be a goner for you.

Their friend wasn't shy by any means. He had plenty of men and women over the years, especially women, before the accident. That didn't stop just because of his new limb but Bucky was aware of how it made all the interactions different. Even the workers at his clubs couldn't help themselves but freeze up or flinch when the vibranium brushed against them unexpectedly. 

Throughout the impromptu sit-down breakfast, Bucky kept finding reasons to touch you with his metal arm. Sam shook his head in exasperated fondness. You were being tested and you didn't even know it. And with each stage of the test, you passed in a way Bucky had never experienced before outside of his immediate inner circle. 

Ever since that morning, Bucky incorporated eating proper breakfast at your bakery before it opened into his schedule at least three times a week. He would go every day if duty never called. But he never went long without showing up, even once the holidays rolled around. Sometimes it was just him, other times him and part of his inner circle. Steve and Sam tagged along the most frequently. You had gotten used to seeing the mob boss at the table near your counter that seemed to be his permanent spot in the cafe. So used to the sight that even his second in command didn't frighten you anymore. 

You were still scared of Steve but it was more of a wariness than a proper fright. You knew what he was capable of and that didn't just go away overnight. But now, you no longer gasped at the suddenness of his arrival or flinched at every one of his movements. You simply avoided orbiting too close and rarely met his eyes if you had spotted any blood or dirt on his clothes. It wasn’t right for them to revel in it. But, Steve did like knowing that he still had a fearful reputation. Amongst other mob members, especially his own team, it was hard to tell if he still had that edge sometimes. You more than confirmed that for him. 

However, he and Sam didn’t get how you weren’t afraid of Bucky. Or more specifically Bucky’s arm. If Clint brought a shiver up your spine when you almost brushed against the hidden knives in his jacket sleeve then surely the very obvious and very deadly hunk of vibranium that rested on the table and drummed its fingers should have had you running for the hills. It was a couple of days before the New Years’ Party that your brother was throwing and Sam couldn’t take it anymore. He had to know the truth no matter how much glaring he would receive for the next few weeks. 

“How come you never jump whenever metal man puts his hand on you?” 

“Huh?” You looked down to see Bucky’s fingers retreating quickly from where he held your elbow steady as you prepared pour over coffee for their table. “Am I supposed to be afraid of a prosthetic?” 

“Most people are,” he murmured quietly, blue eyes narrowed at Sam instead of focused on you. 

“Well, that’s fucking dumb.” You ignored the snorts that came from all three of them. “You’re right-handed, aren’t you, Mr. Barnes?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then people should be more afraid about your knife skills and trigger finger rather than an arm that can be thrown in the dishwasher.” 

Neither Steve nor Sam could hide their laughter. Even MJ, Peter, and Wanda were snickering in the back. The only thing Bucky could do was give you a lazy up-down, not even trying to hide that he was doing so. Sure, he might have finally admitted the other day that he kept coming because you were attractive. But he never gave his fantasies any thought past bending you over the bakery’s counter and fucking you until your legs were shaking and you’d have to be carried to the car for round two back in his bed. You seemed too naive or fearful past that, even if Wanda testified otherwise. But here in front of him was a bit of that wit that he heard about. And Bucky really liked it. 

“Doll, this thing is too precious for the dishwasher.” 

You scoffed. “I’ve washed necklaces worth more than that in my dishwasher since I was seven. Opal, soft stones. Never damaged. I think a little vibranium will be just fine. Would you like to try it, Mr. Barnes?” 

The entire bakery went quiet when you held out your hand expectantly. MJ had half a mind to jump over the counter and pull you into the kitchen before you got hurt. Steve was preparing to talk his friend off the ledge while silently communicating with Sam to get ready to push you anywhere but within their friend’s reach. No one touched Bucky Barnes’ arm without his permission. And no one had ever requested he remove it.

Even Steve and Sam rarely saw him without it in the privacy of their own home. Not a single one of his lovers were given the privilege, having never gone far enough in the relationship for him to grant them that. Bucky just stared at your hand for a moment before flitting back up to your face. There was no teasing, no hint of malice, no demands. And yet he felt like he was being commanded nonetheless. As if you knew he would hand it over simply because you asked for it. 

One corner of his mouth started to pull up. Bucky knew exactly what he was about to declare with such a simple gesture. He knew he was fucked and yet he didn’t seem to care. In fact, he was sure that he might be enjoying it. 

“You’re trouble, princess,” he said, twisting ever so slightly on the arm so it would pop out. “And it’s Bucky.” 

“I’ll be right back, Mr. Ba— Bucky.” 

You cradled the arm gently, setting it in the top shelf of the dishwasher. As if it was one of your speciality bakes, you set a timer so the arm could be returned to its proper owner in a timely fashion. Bucky watched you flit around to finish cleaning and organizing before going back to his meal. 

“Are we going to talk about that?” Steve asked. 

“Nothing to talk about.” 

“Like hell there isn’t, Buck.” 

You came back roughly fifteen minutes later with a freshly cleaned arm. Bucky paused as he popped it back into place. The faintest hint of peppermint dish soap still lingered on the metal. He wasn’t sure how long the scent would last and he found himself not caring. 

“Thanks.” 

You weren’t sure where the sudden rush of confidence came from. But as the three men stood up to pay and then leave, you adjusted Bucky’s collar and reached into his coat pocket to pull out his wallet. Peter, MJ, and Wanda watched on in shock as you pulled out all the cash from the folded up leather and replaced it with cleaned money from the cash register. 

“Any time you want that cleaned, let me know. Free of charge.” 

“I’ve got to give you some sort of tip.” 

“Be my date to my brother’s party.” 

“Me?” Bucky asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“The only other man I talk to as frequently as you is Peter and he’s taken if you hadn’t noticed. Wanda scored a date with Mr. Stark’s tech guy Vis or something so she’s off the market as well. I thought you all said I was a princess. Well, now I am requesting a knight in shining armor.” 

Bucky let out a laugh, a genuine one, when you gestured to his prosthetic. He swiped his wallet back from you and dug through it until he found his second set of business cards that only had a blank slot for names and a print of his signet ring that he liked to use as a stamp. Scribbling your name in the blank, Bucky handed the card to you. 

“The driver will pick you up at five thirty. You can get ready in Brooklyn. I’ll see you soon, Trouble.” 

“It’s Y/N.” 

“I know,” he said with a lopsided grin. “I think Trouble suits you better.”

✭

(part 2 coming soon)

[tmbgareok]

In addition to making its official debut on Long Tall Weekend, "Token Back to Brooklyn" was a hidden track on Factory Showroom. Considering the latter album is an Elektra release, how were you able to put it on Long Tall Weekend?

JF: because hidden tracks are not technically included in what we "delivered" to Elektra as a finished album.

[live-with-love]

Official John Wick Major Arcana tarot cards featuring Chapter 4 characters

Art by Julien Rico Jr, in collaboration with Lionsgate.

Sources: nerdsloveart, behance

Image descriptions below the cut:

[Start ID: 22 images featuring characters and locations from the movie "John Wick: Chapter 4" as Major Arcana tarot cards. The drawings are in black and white against a sandy beige background, and has plenty of circle motives. Roman numerals are at the top, their corresponding card title at the bottom, and the movie title "John Wick: Chapter 4" on the bottom left margin.

0: The number zero, or unnumbered, tarot card features Killa Harkan played by Scott Adkins as "The Fool". Killa is holding a 2 of spades between two fingers while giving a smug smile that shows off his set of golden teeth. He wears a ring on his right hand and the other hand is holding a stack of cards. Behind Killa is a minimalistic design resembling a casino token with details such as the diamond and clover symbols, as well as the numbers on the dice. In front of Killa is a table with two piling stacks of casino tokens, a gun, and the shadow of John Wick's head looming over a large portion of the table.

1: The number one tarot card features The Tracker or Mr. Nobody played by Shamier Anderson as "The Magician". Mr. Nobody has a smug expression on his face and is holding his rifle in a way that lets it rest slung over his shoulder. By his side is Mr. Nobody's Belgian Malinois. The backdrop consists of simplistic, grayish graphics of map vectors cropped into several circles of different sizes. There is a white-coloured infinity symbol on top of Mr. Nobody's head.

2: The number two tarot card features Rooney, aka The Ballerina, who first appeared in "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum", as "The High Priestess". Rooney's back is facing towards us as she's performing a ballet move on a circular stage. Rooney is wearing a white crown and a dress that shows the cross tattoo on her back. In the backdrop, where Rooney's face is looking towards, are curtains with the initials "JW" written on the far ends of the frame.

3: The number three tarot card features Katia played by Natalia Tena as "The Empress". With a cool expression on her face, Katia is leaning forward against a set of railings, giving off a domineering aura. Katia is wearing a metallic necklace and a cross on her neck. Behind Katia is the crest of the Ruska Roma and a line in Russian circling around it.

4: The number four tarot card features The Bowery King played by Laurence Fishburne as "The Emperor". The Bowery King is sitting on a throne, but behind him is a pair of eyes staring menacingly at us. In front of him is a logo design with the same pair of eyes, though rendered smaller and appear less menacing, with an X crossed in between and a horizontal line capping the top of the X. At the Bowery King's feet, a few pigeons are shown in the foreground while the Brooklyn Bridge appear in the background.

5: The number five tarot card features The Elder as "The Hierophant". Behind the Elder is an Islamic floral design which extends into a more geometrical pattern. Standing in the background are two of the Elder's men.

6: The number six tarot card features John and Helen Wick, played by Keanu Reeves and Bridget Moynahan, as "The Lovers". John and Helen are smiling brightly towards each other in front of a New York night cityscape backdrop, with the Empire States building separating them at the centre. Above John and Helen is a silhouette of them pressed against each other about to kiss in front of a bright sun with the Brooklyn bridge in the background.

7: The number seven tarot card features John Wick driving his 1971 Plymouth Barracuda as "The Chariot". There is a bullet mark on the front glass pane of John Wick's car. On top is a closeup of John Wick surrounded by a circle of road markings and bullet marks.

8: The number eight tarot card features Charon played by Lance Reddick as "Strength". On top of Charon's head is the infinity symbol, and behind is a design reminiscent of a timepiece neatly decorated with knives, guns and bullets in a circle. Further behind is a faded image of the reverse side of the Gold Coin. Filling the bottom of the frame is the New York cityscape backdrop illuminated by the sun.

9: The number nine tarot card features Caine played by Donnie Yen as "The Hermit". Caine wears sunglasses and is holding a cane in his left hand and a pistol in his right. Caine's head is illuminated by a circle of bright light, which is surrounded by a dimmer, slightly bigger circle with Japanese wave patterns and then large protruding rays of black. In the backdrop are two winding trees along with a city landscape of Osaka, but they are overshadowed by Caine's black rays.

10: The number ten tarot card features L’Arc de Triomphe as "The Wheel of Fortune". The location is illustrated in such a way that looks like a clock, with the monument at the centre and twelve roads leading towards it. Surrounding the Arc de Triomphe are the letters from John Wick's name arranged in the exact order of north-west, north-east, south-west, south-east, west, north, east and south directions.

11: The number eleven tarot card features The Harbinger played by Clancy Brown as "Justice". The whole illustration is framed as if the Harbinger is contained inside an hourglass, with a half-body portrait of the Harbinger at the top and a full-body silhouette of him forming at the bottom from the sand flowing downwards. Behind the Harbinger's portrait is the Latin quote, "si vis pacem, para bellum", whereas next to the Harbinger's silhouette is a crescent moon. Along the sides of the hourglass outside are two duel pistols facing opposite directions on each side.

12: The number twelve tarot card features Koji Shimazu played by Hiroyuki Sanada as "The Hanged Man". Except for his feet, Koji is portrayed as an vertically-inverted reflection of himself on a pool of water. Koji is holding a katana and his head is surrounded by a circle of dim light and a brighter, slightly larger circle made of Japanese wave patterns. As seen in the reflection, behind him are cherry blossom trees and the Osaka city landscape.

13: The number thirteen tarot card features John Wick, aka the Baba Yaga, played by Keanu Reeves as "Death". John Wick is holding a pair of nunchucks in his right hand. Behind John Wick is a city landscape of Osaka lighted by the moon while his head is surrounded by a row of skull pictograms and two rows of bullets. There is also an faded image of the reverse side of the Gold Coin behind John Wick.

14: The number fourteen tarot card features Winston played by Ian McShane as "Temperance". Winston is holding up a wine glass with a capital C labelled on it, and there are multiple swords projecting from his back like wings. Behind Winston is the hotel name "Continental" and numerous halos of various fonts and patterns, along with the cityscape of New York, with the Statue of Liberty and the Empire States building in sight.

15: The number fifteen tarot card features The Marquis, Vincent Bisset de Gramont, played by Bill Skarsgård as "The Devil". Behind the Marquis is his signature emblem with two black knives crossed behind his head. The emblem is surrounded by two rows of knives. In the background is the night cityscape of Paris with the Eiffel Tower in view, illuminated by a moon that is surrounded by a snake or serpent that's chasing its own tail.

16: The number sixteen tarot card features the New York Continental Hotel as "The Tower". The top floors of the Continental Hotel are being set on fire as the small dark silhouette of John Wick and the debris carried along fall from its rooftop.

17: The number seventeen tarot card features Akira played by Rina Sawayama as "The Star". Illuminating behind Akira is a star resembling a six-pointed shuriken with two Japanese stork paintings on its left and right, which is further surrounded by a circle of alternating arrow fletchings and four-pointed shuriken. Akira is holding a bow and arrow and standing tall as the bodies of two men lie dead around her. In the background are the branches of cherry blossom trees and the sun or moon shining behind Akira.

18: The number eighteen tarot card features John Wick's and Mr. Nobody's dogs as "The Moon". The two dogs are staring up at the crescent moon, which is shaped as if John Wick's head is covering portions of the full moon. Surrounding the crescent moon are small stars and a illustration of the cycle of the moon phases. The two dogs are sitting on a road leading into an ambiguous city landscape in the background.

19: The number nineteen tarot card features the Sacré-Coeur as "The Sun". The rays of the sun spread out far and wide as wisps of clouds drifts behind the giant church. A dark silhouette of John Wick can be seen on the top open window of the Sacré-Coeur.

20: The number twenty tarot card features Chidi played by Marko Zaror as "Judgement". Behind Chidi is the emblem of the Marquis with a black knife cutting across behind his head. Below Chidi are the High Table's heavily armoured soldiers who are backdropped by a big splatter of sandy beige.

21: The number twenty-one tarot card features John Wick as "The World". John Wick's back is facing towards us with his head glancing back, showing us his face. Overlayed on top of him is his surname "Wick" with the "I" replaced by a bright silhouette of a walking John Wick. A circle of bullets surrounds John Wick and bullet marks scatter around him as the emblems of the High Table, the Marquis, the Adjudicator, and the Gold Coin fill all four corners of the frame.

./End ID]

[anarchic-miscellany]

Reading "One Piece" for the first time: Part 10 Alright, sorry for the delay. I was at a concert and getting engaged. This week our "heroes" make some progress at this "Grand Line" place. The towering monsters rising from the ocean are actually pretty cool, but the goofy googly eyes make it look like a child has gotten into a bag of googly eyes and their sibling's toybox. It's a bold art style. One of the morons calls out "let's fight it" when a whale blocks their path, but we don't see who. Place your bets now! It's not going to be Meme in Progress, he's off the hook. Honestly, this whole gang reads like a bunch of 10 year olds playing a tabletop roleplaying game. Wait, they have a cannon? Who gave them a cannon, where did you find that, Idiot? Put that down! In a classic of the "pirate fairy tale genre": they get swallowed by a whale! Huzzah! I am actually hoping for stuff like this: whimsy and charm and weird little quirky bits, battling to flee the belly of a beast. They meet an old man, and The Himbo immediately wishes to kill him when he gives his star sign and blood type: honestly, same buddy. This is the first time that the Himbo has been relatable. I wish we spent more time in the whale, this was a fun side plot and tangent, and of all of the ways to deliver lunacy of the exposition (magnetic fields on every island essentially mean that they have to do side quests on every island: I honestly respect that. At least there are rules) this is among the least boring. The story of the whale is cute, and the Idiot punches it in the face to stop it from giving itself depression headaches. A cute, in character way to end it: making it promise to kick his ass next time he comes back this way. Netural thoughts on this Croup and Vandemar double act of "9 and Wednesday", but also not disliking them either, which is a good sign. There are far worse Mihawks, I mean characters.

So we sail off into the snow: my one complaint here is that it's genuinely a fucking dick move to smash Meme in Progress' snow lady here, Idiot. Like, why? Are you a psychotic 4 year old? I just answered my own question here. The Cartographer with a Brain Cell is leading them with her compass game, but I hope that they don't just make her the "token straight woman" to the wackiness of the gang. Even Jules got to be insane in "Psych" and Amy Santiago was hilarious in "Brooklyn Nine Nine". They pull up at cactus island (I find the art here appealing, and appreciate the contrast between winter weather and a desert island of cactii) and are welcomed by clearly evil Mayor and his drunken townsfolk. Naturally the Idiot, The Giga Chad and the Meme in Progress run off to enjoy them, and Cartographer with a Brain Cell (unsurprisingly) stays behind cautiously. The big surprise is that the Himbo stays back as well. Presumably because he cannot find a thing to murder yet, or cannot find a sword to fight.

[cheruv-ii]

The Nublar Six as Songs from my "This Shit has me Ascending" Playlist

Darius

A House in Nebraska - Ethel Cain

Kenji

Take Me Back To Eden - Sleep Token

Ben

Not Gonna Die - Skillet

Yasmina

Heavy - Peach PRC

Sammy

Beside You - Marianas Trench

Brooklyn

Hello - Evanescence

[tmbg-tournie]

TMBG BEST SONG VIII ROUND 1 PART 7:

ALBUM: Long Tall Weekend (1999)

[giggledome]

i love my new (kind of, it’s a year old at this point) cd player because i can access secret tracks on some CDs! this is they might be giants’ factory showroom, and it has this neat little secret track (token back to brooklyn) that you can get by rewinding a little less than one minute before the first track.

i love little easter eggs in physical music like this, i wish things like it were on more albums (even if it makes ripping this album into MP3s a lot harder. lmao)

[alexanderlightweight]

hiiii,, i would love to see more of the frost of fury or more of the same sky if you're so inclined,, just also wanted to say i love your cider verse so much and am very eager to see what you do with the sequel

thanks!

i'm curious as to what i'm going to do with it too ^_^

i hope you enjoy

<3 lumine

the frost of fury

-

Magnus barely allows more than a day to pass before he’s sending a fire message to Alexander and demanding his presence and containing his address. The message itself will be enough of a token for his shadowhunter to pass the wards and it's a demand because he Magnus knows it will be obeyed and he wants it to happen now.

The presence of a nephilim against his wards catches his attention and a moment later there is a steady knock on the door of his balcony. Alexander stands there, a wry grin on his face but no true shame at the fact that he was so impatient to see Magnus he scaled the wall and knocked at the balcony instead of waiting to go to the front.

“Punctual,” Magnus teases with delight, because he’s honestly thrilled at how swift Alexander was to respond.

“I didn’t think you’d wait long, I made sure I’d be ready.” Alexander admits and he shrugs as he takes off his jacket and casually folds it over the back of a chair. “I put my hunters on notice that I’d be taking an impromptu leave. It’s good training and it was easy enough to get my paperwork and schedules done ahead of time. Things are calm for the moment, every thing that was causing me problems I sent to Idris. With good time to test my new seconds skills and way of command without going so far as to Idris or another Institute.”

“Aren’t you clever,” Magnus finds himself murmuring as he steps closer and cups Alexander’s jaw.

There is flicker of delighted pride at the compliment and Magnus wants to stoke it until Alexander can glut himself in freely given and well deserved praise.

“And what do you want, darling?”

“What I want?” Alexander smirks teasingly at him, “one thing at a time, Magnus. I can’t tell you what I want until you get what’s owed you.”

Magnus chuckles and leans forward to press a daring kiss to Alexander’s cheek and then his jaw. There’s a moment where Alec’s eyes flutter and then he’s watching Magnus from under lowered lashes. There is a predatory glint to his eyes and Magnus teases the promise of another kiss before pulling away instead.

“And what is owed to me, Alexander?” Magnus is breathless as he finally gets his hands under Alexander’s shirt and feels how Alec steps closer and arches happily into his touch.

“Whatever you’d like to take.”

— Sending Fray through to Idris along with Hodge was worth the extensive paper work for the feel of Magnus’ hands under his shirt and dipping under the band of his pants.

Alec wants more though.

He’s wanted more since he first saw the High Warlock of Brooklyn in person.

Magnus’ mere presence set off every single primal instinct that Alec was capable of feeling and he feels acknowledged and appreciated in a way that he’d once given up on.

“You know how dangerous open ended vows are,” Magnus warns but there is a vicious glee to his voice. Alec’s already let the vow take him at his word, Magnus’ warning comes far too late and they both know it.

Not that Alec was unaware of his actions.

Alec sent his brother, sister and two entire teams of shadowhunters back to Idris — with the excuse of escorting both Fray and Hodge — in the wake of a secret agreement. The clave has agreed that every shadowhunter Alec sends through as a guard will be cycled through various Institute’s for remedial training before Alec will consider taking them back.

Even if they are his own kin.

Alec deserves kisses after the exhaustion of the last thirty-six hours.

Alec deserves more than kisses and he’s rather desperate for Magnus to follow through on the promise.

Magnus could have asked for a great many things and Alec would have been beholden to follow through. It would have been deserved, keeping the mundane away from the shadowworld was too important to be stingy.

That Magnus chose to ask for Alec, well it’s incredibly flattering considering what he could have asked for and Alec wants Magnus to show him what he sees in him.

In fact he’s desperate for it.

[adelle-ein]

god knows there's a lot of antisemitic microaggressions from "friends" that i'm willing to let slide. genuinely my standards aren't that high. which is obvious based on the people i was friends with pre-oct 7th lol. but like i do have limits and those limits have been crossed by

expressing a desire to join hamas/the houthis

expressing open support for hamas and oct 7th

referring to oct 7th as "legitimate resistance/oppressed rising up/revolution/freedom fighting"

denying oct 7th happened at all

insisting shani louk is alive (she is not, while her family had hope at first they have since found pieces of her she could not have survived losing)

joking about october 7th

joking about the holocaust

saying jews didn't "learn their lesson" from the holocaust

denying the holocaust

denying other jewish genocides

mocking the hostages and their families

wishing death on the hostages

using "zio"

saying israelis need to go back to brooklyn/florida/poland/etc

saying jews were and have always been well-treated in MENA regions

openly fetishizing and lying about mizrahi/sephardic jews

saying antisemitism doesn't exist/is over

saying ashkenazism don't face antisemitism

saying judaism is a dominant world religion

saying zionists/AIPAC/israel are controlling companies/the government/biden/trump/US military/US police/hollywood

mocking hebrew and jewish culture

mocking jewish holidays

treating jewish holidays as inherently evil

saying that israeli government crimes are being done in "our [jews'] names" and we bear the guilt for it

saying "happy [jewish holiday/memorial day] now stop doing genocide!!!"

saying diaspora jews are okay but not israeli ones

saying all israelis need to die/deserve to die/are settlers who therefore deserve to die

saying jews have no culture/stole all culture from muslims/arabs/christians

open insane blood libel conspiracies about (for example) israelis kidnapping blonde palestinian children or digging up graves for organ/skin theft

referring to israeli "blood money"

spreading and endorsing neo-nazis

spreading and endorsing holocaust deniers and other bigots ie norman finkelstein

spreading and endorsing avowed tankies, NK/russia supporters, and deniers of the ukrainian/uyghur/armenian/syrian/etc genocides

spreading rhetoric from other hate groups ie neturei karta

sharing cartoons of octopi, big-nosed evil men, netanyahu and co eating babies, etc

spreading conspiracy theories about spotify or tumblr or what the fuck ever being controlled by """zionist""" CEOs (and even explicitly stating they're jewish when they often aren't)

belittling ANY anti-antisemitism movement as anti-palestinian

using terms like "zionist rats/pigs/filth"

"all zionists should die/kill themselves/aren't human/should be gassed"

"the zionist entity/zionist state"

"hitler loved israel/was a zionist"

"[x] is worse than the holocaust"/"the holocaust is the only genocide that's taken seriously bc it's a genocide of white people"/"get over the holocaust"

being creepy and ogling about the token good jews that meet your insane standards

weighing in on deeply personal intracommunity jewish discussions in horrible ways

telling Good Jews that you’re so sorry about how isolated they’re being by the majority of jews, which are Bad Jews

saying not to donate to palestinian aid groups bc it could make israel money bc israel controls all the aid groups apparently bc they're just so greedy and want so much money

did i mention je-isra-zionists really love money

movements against "zionism in medicine" and other witch hunts against "zionist" (jewish) people in professions

participating in mass harassment movements and callouts against random jews online asking people to stop being antisemitic

openly calling for violence against jews and/or israelis

claims of dual loyalty against diaspora jews

support the american south bc they're victims of their government too (true) but kill all the israelis bc they definitely support every action taken by their government (hm)

jokes and memes. the fucking memes. you're monsters

"but lace, this is hyperbole, surely nobody is actually saying these things " -- these are all literally, exactly, personally things my "friends" and mutuals have said and reblogged/retweeted since october 7th. if you're reading this now there is a 99% chance you are one of them.

and yes i fucking hate the israeli government. what is happening in palestine is evil. i'm a nonzionist jew.

but i know that's not enough. unless you're a token in "jewish" voice for """peace""" willing to say "kill every single israeli and the holocaust wasn't a big deal and 10/7 didn't happen and antisemitism isn't real and i have never been afraid as a jew in my life" you're one of Them. Being pro palestine or even antizionist isn't enough, you have to want your whole family dead and you can't say a fucking word about the way you're treated by your lovely leftist "allies". oh and you better post about it! constantly! 24/7!!!! or you're secretly a zionist who loves dead palestinian babies! probably personally killing them yourself! you filthy ki- er, zionist rat!

so, yeah, if you think i'm one of Them, that's fine. feel free to block me, i'd much prefer if you did. and let me be clear that jews are not exempt from this either. it's reprehensible regardless

i am not your fucking good jew. If you have ever thought of me as one, fuck you. You are not my good goy, either. Fuck your bugs bunny "i wish all my jewish mutuals a happy rosh hashanah." Fuck your "pictures of African Jews worshipping" tokenism and "jews fighting god" memes. Fuck your nazi punches and your Anne Frank headcanons. Fuck all your disgusting pats on the back and keep my fucking name out of your mouth. If you can't stop reblogging blood libel then I don't want to see another goddamn WORD of it.

[takemetoutah]

thoughts on even in arcadia release day

despite being a big fan of the band sleep token, i am only a casual member of the fandom. i'll reblog stuff occasionally, i'm a member of the subreddit, i've listened to the singles, i've read/listened to others' thoughts about the lore, and i briefly (and valiantly, might i add) fought ticketmaster in attempt to get floor tickets to their show in brooklyn. but i don't share much of my own thoughts about the music.

this is partially because of intimidation—as much as i love music, i worry sometimes that i don't have the precise vocabulary for being a successful critic—and partially because i'm largely uninterested in engaging with modern fandom culture.

this is not a dig at anyone who is engaged with the fandom on a larger level than me; nor is this only an issue for sleep token fans. i'm just saying it's not for me personally. why? the problem is a lack of nuance. i think a lot of people these days have a hard time with nuance when it comes to enjoying different types of media because we take things so personally. either a.) you love it so much that you can't possibly fathom that someone would hate your fave, or b.) you think it's so shallow/pedantic/whatever that you can't possibly fathom that someone would have profound reactions to and appreciation for the thing you hate. and anyone who disagrees with you is wrong! and bad! and dumb! this only gets worse as the internet is further enshittified and as echo chambers proliferate.

we often forget that reactions to art are subjective, not objective. we put way too much stock into ratings. we're, for whatever reason, unable to say, "i don't think X is for me, but it doesn't make it bad." or, "i love this, but others are free to disagree without lessening my enjoyment of X."

back to sleep token—particularly in the wake of the lyrics of "caramel," there have been a lot of discussions of what it means to be a "real fan" of the band, which, to me, feel unproductive and uninteresting. perhaps we can all agree that you're a "real fan" so long as you aren't one of the assholes doxxing the band members or trying to cause them real, material harm, yeah?

all of this to say, i've seen some mixed reactions to the new album. some fans are thrilled, and others are disappointed. i personally find myself in the thrilled camp—the lyrics on tracks like "even in arcadia" and "provider," the lush instrumentation, the balance of different musical genres, the callbacks to previous tracks and albums, the way this seems to be a logical predecessor to this place will become your tomb—and i can't wait to see what'll be revealed to me on my second, third, fourth, and six hundredth listens. i guess my point is that if you have strong feelings about this new album, take a breath before you shame or hate on someone who feels differently. remember that we're all just trying to get through this hellish world by connecting with art that makes us feel something. just let people enjoy things—or disengage!—in peace!

[oscardrillandthebits]

“The token back to Brooklyn fell between the grating, and we're just watching it sinking. The fare went up to one hundred dollars, and we can never go home again! The bill collector's drinking lighter fluid, and says he'll tell our parents! Our feet start running at a furious pace, but we can't get away.”

Token Back To Brooklyn - They Might Be Giants - Long Tall Weekend (1999)

[adamwatchesmovies]

Gargoyles the Movie: Heroes Awaken (1994)

Back in 1995, I distinctly remember seeing a VHS of Gargoyles: The Movie at the video rental store. I picked it as my movie of the week and was disappointed when I realized it was only the 5-part series premiere edited together. This means we’re not really talking about a movie here, but we sort of are as well. Let's consider it a made-for-TV movie for this review's sake. As that, how does this fare?

In 994 A.D., Scotland, Castle Wyvern repels any invaders thanks to its stone gargoyles, which come to life at nighttime. Despite his frightening appearance, their leader, Goliath (voiced by Keith David) desires only cooperation between his clan and the humans who defend them while they are petrified during the day. Following a betrayal from within the castle walls, most of the gargoyles are destroyed and the few survivors are frozen in stone until the castle they defend rises above the clouds. A thousand years later, in Manhattan, billionaire David Xanatos (Jonathan Frakes) has moved the castle above his headquarters. Awoken in an unfamiliar world, they find a friend in Elisa Maza (Salli Richardson), an open-minded police detective.

Don’t expect the visuals to rival a theatrical production or even something like Nickelodeon’s The Last Airbender. While the characters are consistently on-model, I spotted at least one coloring error in the second half of the picture and there is more than one instance of the stone gargoyles looking pretty different from their awakened state - the "statues" are painted as static background elements so the stone texture and the angles of their muscles/limbs are much more detailed than anything in the moving foreground. Finally, this is a pilot so while it is self-contained, many threads will only pay off in later seasons, such as the gargoyle eggs Goliath leaves with Princess Katharine (Kath Soucie) and her wizard (Jeff Bennett) (not sure why he did that, in hindsight). That said, this is a strong debut.

There are many characters in this story and the gargoyles other than Goliath - they name themselves Lexington (Thom Adcox Hernandez), Hudson (Ed Asner), Brooklyn (Jeff Bennett again), Broadway (Bill Fagerbakke), and Bronx (Frank Welker) - are more established than given character arcs. This makes Goliath the protagonist and the others supporting characters. I’ve found that in most children’s television series, the leader turns out to be the least interesting member of a team but that’s not the case here. Goliath is at once trusting of humans and wary of opening up. He can be calm and collected but is also prone to fits of rage and frequently talks of vengeance against those who’ve wronged him. He adapts well to his new setting but shows no affinity for modern-day tech like some of his comrades. He's many things at once, which keeps you watching and wondering what's next. There are no obvious character arcs within him.

Gargoyles rather elegantly uses the limitations imposed upon it as a boy’s property to its advantage. All of the gargoyles in Manhattan are male, guaranteeing there won’t be any weird “should we start repopulating?” discussions. It also adds an extra level of tragedy to the story by making them the last of their kind. Conveniently, this makes Elisa the lone female hero of the show/film without making her a token. If there’s a secondary protagonist, it’s her (which gives you a bit of a Beauty and the Beast vibe) and unlike other shows, her status as a colored woman does not make her feel like a quota. It should also be noted that Xanatos is a person of color as well, making this a show with more POC than Caucasians. It may be because most of the cast are non-humans but that’s still something I feel is worth noting.

The story features plenty of varied action. There are battles set in 994 and others in the present as well - some of which don’t include the gargoyles at all and allow the human characters to shine. There are twists and turns as allies become enemies and new partnerships are formed. The general tone is tragic and adventurous with a few bits of comedy thrown in here and there. Best of all, this is a wholly original property. The show was conceived as an answer to Batman: The Animated Series but rather than dig up some available superhero property (this was years before Disney acquired Marvel), it's is something new.

My favorite scene of the film is an interaction between Goliath and his mate, Demona (Marina Sirtis), who managed to survive the thousand-year slumber. During a mission for Xanatos, she prepares to throw an unconscious guard out of an airlock to his death but is stopped by Goliath. “The centuries have made you weak, Goliath,” she says. The thing is, very little time has actually passed for the winged warrior. He’s been frozen in stone. He HASN’T changed but that one sentence shows how much she HAS. It’s a nice subtle exchange.

I am coming into this review biased. Though I haven’t seen the show in years, I remember it well and certainly, remember how it made me feel in 1994. It played right into my fascination with mythology & monsters and I attribute my affection for Shakespeare (the series draws inspiration from Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others) to the show. It had a lasting impression on me and I believe it has the power to enchant young audiences once more. (July 28, 2022)