#transitional episodes in between the big bad fun scary stuff

[samglyph]

I have a theory and that theory is that certain parts of malevolent are better when you’re listening to it all together as opposed to when it comes out. I say that because I’ve seen some people say like oh these episodes of season 4 have been boring, the other seasons were faster! And while I do think that’s partially true since the stakes have certainly been switched up this season I also kinda disagree since there are DEFINITELY slower episodes in all of the seasons, but if you listen to them all together then the edges kind of blur and you might not think “oh that was a boring one ugh and now I have to wait” you just think “alright next episode ooh there’s MOSS now” That’s just my opinion tho. Once season 4 is wrapped up I’ll likely be doing a relisten and I’ll see if that idea holds up.

[twstarchives]

Deuce Spade・Voice Lines

Additional Voice Lines

Star Send-Off Garments event card

Scary Dress event card

School Uniform - R

Unlock Card “An honors student needs to be able to balance both their studies and their club activities.”

Groovy “It’s nice to have friends where you both can lift each other up.”

Home Setting “I’m going to be an honors student.”

Home Transitions “Even now, there are times when I still can’t believe I’m a student at the prestigious Night Raven College.”

“It’s not that I hate the uniforms. It’s just that, uh... in the past, I used to rip my clothes a lot, so wearing them the way they’re supposed to be worn feels uncomfortable.”

“What class do you have next? I’m not that good at doing work... but I try my best because of that.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Are you ready? We’ll be in trouble if the teachers notice we’re late.”

Home Taps “If you haven’t gotten any food yet, want to go together? I recommend getting the cafeteria’s fluffy omelettes.”

“My dream...? Someday I want to become a powerful mage. That’s why I’ve got to study my hardest now.”

“It might seem daunting being in a place you’re not familiar with, but as long as you set your mind to it, things should turn out okay. It’s an experience.”

“Ace ran off somewhere skipping out on his class duties, huh? ...He really is a handful.”

“Stop it, I don’t like being prodded at so much. ...Hey, are you sure you heard me?”

PE Uniform - R

Unlock Card “I feel really sure about my strength. If you don’t believe me, wanna test it out?”

Groovy “You can’t be a mage unless you’ve got muscles! ...That’s what Coach Vargas told us.”

Home Setting “I gotta show off the best sides of me.”

Home Transitions “Moving around feels so nice. I also like that you don’t have to think too hard about it.”

“I heard that Jack hates hanging out with people. He never talks during club meetings either, but... weirdly, we hit it off.”

“Flying is actually pretty hard. I thought it’d be something more like riding a Magical Wheel.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Oh, you wanna go for a run together? Alright. I’ll wait here; you can go get changed.”

Home Taps “You’re bored? Then let’s go on a Magical Wheel ride somewhere... er, I forgot we’d need permission to go off-campus.”

“I was in charge of setting up our landline back home. I hope my mom hasn’t been having trouble with it...”

“Coach Vargas is the supervisor of the Track & Field club. Usually he’s a very passionate, respectable teacher, but when he gets started talking about muscles, he’s kind of...”

“Mud stains usually won’t come off on their own, so you need to hand-wash them before putting them in the washing machine. ...Everyone knows this kind of stuff, right?”

“...Hey! You don’t have to keep poking me; if there’s somewhere you wanna go, I’ll come with you.”

Lab Coat - SR

Unlock Card “There’s a lot of things I don’t know yet. I’m going to learn everything I can little by little.”

Groovy “I’ve made more progress since yesterday! ...I think.”

Home Setting “Alright. I’m gonna put in all I’ve got!”

Home Transitions “The stench of this potion I messed up won’t come off me... I smell like I just stepped out of a medicine box.”

“Diamond saw the grade I got on my test earlier. He wouldn’t stop laughing at it...”

“How is Grim able to hold that thin test tube with his paws? It’s a mystery.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Oh, glad you’re here. I was just thinking I’d like to take a break for a while. Want to walk with me to the Botanical Garden?”

Home Transition (Groovy) “I’m not good at studying. I wouldn’t want to do it if I had the option, but... I can’t run away. I’ve made up my mind.”

Home Taps “It’s nice there’s always something new to learn in our classes. ‘Cause when I was in middle school, I, uh... was absent a lot... ‘cause of this and that...”

“I promise I’m not that awkward, but when people are saying so many things at once, I start freaking out.”

“The best thing I can cook are fried eggs. They can be really complex if you’re picky about them. I like mine over-easy.”

“If you’re stuck on a problem, you should ask Professor Crewel for help. He’ll explain it to you for hours until you completely understand it.”

“Huh?! Did I say something wrong!? ...Oh, it’s nothing? Don’t scare me like that.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “Listen to this! I got some nice feedback on my test just now! It’s thanks to you studying with me earlier.”

Ceremony Robes - SR

Unlock Card “I can’t afford to look away. ‘Cause I’m going to become a powerful mage!”

Groovy “This is the pride of a student of Night Raven College.”

Home Setting “You want to hang out with me? You’ve got a good eye.”

Home Transitions “This academy is way too big! It’d be so much easier if we could move between classrooms through a mirror like how we get to our dorms.”

“Where are you going? Seriously... A teacher will yell at you again if you just wander off for no reason.”

“I’m going to study lots of things, and memorize lots of spells, and then someday I’ll... Ah, it’s exciting, isn’t it?”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Every time I wear these ceremony robes, I think about the entrance ceremony, and how nervou——er, ahem!”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Hey, could we take a picture together? I think it’d put my mom at ease too if she saw I made a friend.”

Home Taps “Night Raven College is a prestigious school anyone would kill to get into. The fact that I’m here is a huge honor.”

“Clover knows so much about everything, and he’s so dependable... I want to be like that someday too.”

“The ceremony robes represent this school. It makes sense that they added this classy embroidering so that other schools can’t make light of us.”

“People say that the amount of magic power you can have is determined at birth. But you wouldn’t have any at all without working hard for it in the first place.”

“Hey, don’t get a single speck on these clothes, alright? My ceremony robes are important to me.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “When I see you, someone who can’t even use magic, trying your best at this academy... it makes me not want to lose either.”

Dorm Uniform - SSR

Unlock Card “I’ll become a committed man, just like a card soldier. That’s what I made up my mind to do.”

“Common sense doesn’t work at our dorm. You need to be prepared.”

Groovy “I would never abandon my friends. You can count on me!”

Home Setting “How are you? Have you gotten a little more adjusted here?”

Home Transitions “Does this outfit look good on me? I’ve never worn something like this before, so I feel a little awkward.”

“Just between you and me... I still feel kinda uncomfortable with the dorm’s tea parties. I’m not used to fancy things like that.”

“Trust me with playing croquet! So you just swing as hard as you can, right?”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Be careful not to break any of the Queen of Hearts’ rules. Especially not when you’re on Heartslabyul.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Isn’t it lonely being at the Ramshackle Dorm by yourself? ...Huh? Oh, my bad. By yourself with one animal.”

Home Taps “Heartslabyul’s rules are strict, but a lot of them really do benefit you. ...Probably.”

“I swear my loyalty to this dorm, just like a card soldier. ...That’s what this button is supposed to mean. It’d be bad if I lost it, huh?”

“That force Dorm Leader Rosehearts has when he gets angry...! He’s a dorm leader alright—he’s not like anyone else.”

“Ace always cheats me when we play card games together, so they’re not fun. If I could just see through his trick...”

“Oh, actually, I’m in the mood to just go off and something too. Let’s go conquer the rose maze!”

Home Tap (Groovy) “If you were in Heartslabyul, it’d be a lot more... Nevermind. The Ramshackle Dorm really does suit you well, though. Haha...”

Duo Magic Deuce: “Ace! We’re gonna teach these guys a lesson!” Ace: “There it is—Deuce’s tough guy talk!”

Tutorial “Now, it’s starting.”

Lv Up “Alright, I think I did well.”

“Yeah, I feel like I got something.”

“I don’t wanna lose to anyone.”

Max Lv Up “I’ve never had anyone join me for intensive training as persistently as you have. I feel like I’ve been steadily making progress ever since I met you.”

Episode Lv Up “Heh... You and I are BFFs. ...Huh? ‘What does BFF mean’? You don’t know? Um... b... best friends, like... really close friends... Nevermind!”

Magic Lv Up “Heh... Maybe a day will come soon where I can start summoning something other than cauldrons.”

Limit Break “It’ll reflect badly on my role as a honor student if I don’t live up to your expectations.”

Groovy “My power is surging through my whole body. This is what it feels like to advance, huh?”

Lesson Select “You’re going to class, right? Let me know if you need anything. I don’t know if I’d be able to help you with your work, though...”

“C’mon, if you take your time choosing, you’ll be late to class. Let’s hurry to the classroom.”

“You just have to jump in and give it your all for whichever class you take. Make sure you’re ready for them.”

Lesson Start “Alright, let’s get started!”

Lesson End “It’s finally over. There’s a lot we have to remember.”

Battle Start “I’ll take you on all at once!”

Battle End “You see? This is the difference between our resolves.”

Other

Profile Quote “Today we’re having an Unbirthday Party. It’ll be off with our heads if we’re late.”

January 2020 Trailer “Hurry up and get over here. If you’re late to the tea party, you’ll lose your head.”

Countdown Poster “I’ll become a committed man, just like a card soldier. That’s what I made up my mind to do.”

Login Bonus “It’s important to just put in a little effort everyday. You know what they say—from little acorns mighty oaks grow.”

Player Birthday Wish “Oi, I heard it’s your birthday today. Don’t be a stranger; you should just tell me. I want to give my friends a huge celebration for their birthdays. Come on, I’ll get you something from the cafeteria.”

Valentine’s Day Gift Letter (2021)

These letters were originally in English. I didn’t translate or edit them in any way. They came with official merch from Aniplex, and are not present in-game.

Friend, Thank you for the present. You surprised me a bit with that since we don’t often get chances to give our classmates gifts. I’m so happy! Today is going to be a great day. I’ll thank you again when I see you in class later!

[deluxinn-works]

[Ever Since Then] Chapter 1-9

【Chapter One: The one who I wanted】

Adelyn successfully escaped from the ski trip.

She softly sat down in the subway and breathed a sigh of relief.

It was sad that she had to miss such a big event, but witnessing the one she wanted laughing with her rival would’ve been even more tragic.

Or so she felt.

Her only lament was knowing the disappointment everyone would have of her since she backed out at the last second.

But there was nothing left she could’ve done at that moment, so she gave up.

The sorrow was her lullaby, and it would’ve led her all the way home.

Martin, however, didn’t let that happen.

Adelyn momentarily opened her eyes and saw him standing there with eyes of melancholy, whilst her eyes filled with agitation.

“Of course the one who I wanted to see the least is the one who shows up. What are you doing here?” she questioned.

“I could ask you the same thing. You looked forward to this trip more than anyone else, so I don’t get it. Why are you on the train back home?” replied Martin.

She looked away with dull eyes.

He stared for a minute then realized an eternity could pass and she still wouldn’t have responded.

So, instead, he took a seat next to her.

“I can’t go back without you. It just won’t feel right.” he said.

“…Are you trying to guilt trip me or something?”

“No, not at all. I just can’t believe the class would have fun without you around. I also don’t believe it’d be right to leave you alone now that I know you clearly wish you didn’t leave.”

“And what makes you so sure?”

“Well… If you took pleasure in ditching us, you would’ve been doing something along the lines of happily snickering or dining at a restaurant, not… Scowling.”

“You haven’t stopped to think that maybe you’re the reason of that scowl?”

“I have, actually. Not for now, though. But for before.”

Adelyn’s eyebrow twitched, and Martin knew he was spot on.

“Aren’t you just the knight in shining armor? Just assuming that people who are alone hate the isolation.” she said in attempt to change the subject.

“There’s nothing wrong with some alone time, but there’s a difference between preferring to have no company and having something preventing you from company. Something like jealousy.”

“It looks like you don’t have to wonder why I hate you anymore because now you’ll know. It’s because you think you know me.”

“Really? I think you hate me because I know you too well.”

“Enlighten me, then. What could I possibly be jealous of?”

“That I was with Winter. The fact that she and I happened to be in the same group bothered you. Before the grouping period, you were just fine.”

Adelyn felt her stomache drop.

She figured that her secret was out.

She felt betrayed.

“Then, why did you ask me why I left if you knew?” she asked.

Martin shyly looked away.

“I just can’t give myself too much credit.” he said.

“To be fair, I thought I hid it well. Giving yourself a little credit wouldn’t hurt.”

“No, I mean… I just can’t believe anyone would actually like me.”

“Like you? What are you talking about, Martin? You know I like-”

Adelyn paused.

Then her face got red with embarassment.

He didn’t know her secret.

But she gave it away.

The two made wide eye contact for a few seconds then slowly turned away.

“Arriving at Dasdun. Dasdun Station.” the transit system said.

As the train doors opened, Martin grabbed Adelyn’s hand and began to run.

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?” yelled Adelyn.

“I was just thinking, you can’t think Winter’s going to wait for you forever. Besides, it’s already November!”  said Martin.

“I can’t tell if you’re talking about the person or the season!”

“Sure you can! Just read the sentence that’s right above your reply! It’s not that hard!”

“You’re an idiot!”

The two headed to the Northbound platform and barely made it onto the train back to the lodge.

“You should be there. I promise Winter will be happier with you around. She was the one that did her best to convince you to come, after all.”

She finally managed to crack a smile to him.

“I guess, in the end, I should be glad you’re a moron.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Even though we only spoke a few times before today, you seriously thought I liked you. And… Without that, I would’ve kept believing you were some stuck up jerk. You could’ve left me, but you gave me a chance to spend time with her again. But…. You should’ve seen the look your face after you found out!”

“What?! You mean your face that was as red as Hide in the last episode of New York Ghoul!”

“I-I’ll show you red!” she yelled as she pulled on his cheeks.

Ever since then, she knew he was her best friend.

【Chapter Two: Falling for you】

“Huh, Adelyn? Where’s Martin?” asked Estelle, not aware of Adelyn’s hour long absence.

“He was insistent in joining the group I was in. Must’ve really wanted to ski with Jaime or something.” she replied.

Of course, this was planned by Martin and herself a few minutes before their arrival. It took him a while, but Martin had finally convinced Adelyn a second time to be brave when it came to Winter.

“Oh I see… So he wants to ditch us for the beginner’s group, huh?” smiled Winter.

“Beginner..?” asked Adelyn.

“Yeah. Don’t you remember? We were split into three groups: Intermediate, Casual, and Beginner. This group being intermediate.” said Estelle.

“Dammit! That lil sackbag used me!” Adelyn thought.

Martin sneezed. After he regained his composure, he graced his eyes upon the bunny hill.

“It still looks pretty damn scary for a beginner’s course.” shivered Jaime.

“Don’t worry man. The trick to not falling is to never stand up in the first place.” said Martin.

“You mean like squatting your ass down on the skis?”

“Yeah.”

“Uhh, that’s missing out on the experience. What’s the point of that?”

“To not wipe out like the dinosaurs.”

Winter and Adelyn stood atop of the intermediate mountain.

“I’m probably not ready for this, Winter. I mean, this is the first time I’ve ever worn skis.”

“I know, Adelyn. Don’t worry. It may look kind of intimidating, but it’s actually the same as the bunny hill. The only difference is that there’s trees and multiple paths downward”

“You mean multiple ways our bones can break while falling down.”

Winter gave a warm laugh.

“That can happen, yes. Even for me. But if it’s falling for you I doubt I’d mind since with every moment of pain there’s a moment of experience to learn from.”

Adelyn’s face beamed and, without her noticing, subconsciously took a step forward and began the downhill journey.

“Oh, shit! Winter! What’s the ‘I wanna freaking stop going downhill’ maneuver?!” yelled Adelyn.

“No! You don’t want to stop too abruptly! Try slowing down first!” Winter shouted back.

“Okay, what’s the slow down maneuver?!”

Winter took a deep breath.

“Hold on!”

She sped down the hill to catch up with Adelyn, and she did it with much grace and such speed.

When the two finally met, they grabbed each other’s hands and they started to slow down.

“Not bad for your first time, Adelyn.” said Winter.

“You too, er, I mean…”

The two shared a gaze for a moment.

After a few seconds, a squat skiing Martin crashed into Winter, causing her to flip twice in the air then roll down the hill.

“What’re you doing?!” screamed Adelyn.

“Losing control! I never thought skiing like this would be so difficult! I also never thought the bunny hill was connected to the intermediate one! Like that just makes no-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Martin crashed into a tree.

In the distance, Adelyn saw Jaime also making his way from the bunny hill to the mountain.

“Ahhhh, Adelyn!” he cried.

He tried to grab onto Adelyn to stop himself from falling, but she dodged, causing him to trip. As a result, though, she slipped on his back and began sliding down the hill while dragging him on her ski.

“Oh God! This hurts a lot more than you think it does, yo!” yelled Jaime.

“You shouldn’t have tried to grab me! What would’ve that done, huh? This would’ve happened anyway, with my head on the snow and all!” replied Adelyn.

The two of them kept tumbling until eventually they flew up a few feet into the air.  

It was then that Estelle showed up and opened up her arms.

“It’s alright! I’ll catch the both of you and then we’ll-”

And before she finished her sentence, they crashed into her and the three shot down straight to the bottom.

【Chapter Three: After you win】

“I’m really sorry. I thought I’d be able to catch the both of you… I have been working on my upper body strength after all.” said Estelle.

“I think you’d require a lot more than that to catch a falling boulder, but…” replied Adelyn.

“Look at all of you so beat up and stuff. As for me? I haven’t got a scratch on me. Oh, a splinter.” Martin said as he pulled out one of the fifty pieces of wood in his forehead.

“I think most of this happened because of you, but…” Adelyn once again replied.

“Yeah, I wish I were more like you, Martin. I’m still working on my balancing. I mean I can’t even do it when it comes to chemical equations either.” sighed Jaime.

“I think those two things are completely different, BUT…!”

“Hey, we can’t be too hard on ourselves. On the bright side, Martin taught me that back flips are a lot less painful that I thought they’d be. Rolling down a hill on the other hand… Well, anyway! With every moment of pain there’s a moment of experience to learn from!” Winter said.

“Then he’s gonna get a full lecture today!” angrily said Adelyn as she pulled Martin from the splinter in his head.

His eyes teared up from the pain of getting dragged from the piece of wood. After the two of them were alone, Adelyn harshly pushed him to the side then began to scold him.

“I thought you were good at skiing! What’s the big idea?!”

“I am good at skiing! But squat skiing’s a new thing for me, so can’t expect a guy to master something that difficult so quickly. Like shuffling, you’re either really bad at it or really good at it, there’s like no in between.”

“Remember when I said I was glad you’re a moron? I think I take that back.”

“Good, because now you’ll be glad to see my genius side.”

“….I’m not sure I follow.”

“That’s also good, because you’re not gonna follow, you’re gonna lead. You see Winter all cold and stuff over there? Now’s a great time to grab her some hot chocolate. I think she’d really appreciate it. Oh and everyone else unless you wanna be all suspicious, which you already are, by the way, since we’re talking right in front of the bathrooms.”

“You trying to get a free hot chocolate off of me?”

“Ye- no.”

“You’re like Aizen or something. I bet me transferring to this school was your idea too. Ugh, I could’ve still been having skiing lessons with her if it weren’t for you.”

“A lesson on death mountain? Iiiii think you already learned that one. Look, I’m sorry about losing control on my squat ski crusade. I didn’t mean to interrupt the both of you, but with one closed door, another one opens.”

“In haunted houses, maybe.”

“And ski lodges. Look around you. It’s warm and cozy, and hey there’s even a fireplace. Wait no, that’s just a flat screen with a heater beside it. Anyways, I think it’s better to have more of a intimate environment when it comes to doing confessions.”

“Confession?! I don’t want to do that yet! I… I just want to get closer to her, that’s all.”

“You could get closer to her after the fact.”

“Why? I mean, it’s not like I have to rush into things.”

“Adelyn, how long has passed since you met her and she still doesn’t know? You could tell yourself you’ll do it someday, but that’s a fancy way of saying you’ll do it never. If you take the time we have while we’re young for granted, you might regret it. I won’t have any time rewinding powers either, so you gotta decide for sure whether or not you want to go another day keeping her oblivious.”

“I guess. But what will I do when I get rejected?”

“You don’t have to be scared of not having hundreds of chapters to delay an inevitable confession. This isn’t Hina Love or koiNise! Readers love when all the filler’s cut out, trust me. You won’t get rejected.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’d date you. She can’t say she wouldn’t date you.”

“Yeah, you’d date me if I were into dicks.”

Martin couldn’t tell if she was talking about genitalia or the type of person. Or both.

After pondering for a moment, he continued the conversation.

“Anyway, you can practice on me. Come on, pretend I’m Winter.”

“Psh. You’re barely Autumn.”

“I-is that a compliment?”

“No it’s not a goddamn compliment!”

“I was mimicking Winter just then because I thought the ‘what if’ scenario already started. Was that seriously what you would’ve said to her?”

“I am so done.”

“Wait! You didn’t tell pretend Winter you like her yet!”

“I’m not gonna tell Winter I like her!”

As Adelyn’s sentence left her mouth, Winter walked into the hallway that led to the bathrooms.

Martin and Adelyn shared shocked expressions and huddled together.

“Quick, help me think of something to play it off!”

“Don’t play it off! Now’s your chance to be honest and just let it out in the open! You can talk to me again after you win! Not many stories continue after the main couple get together, so maybe you can make this one an exception!”

“W-wait, I can’t!”

Winter noticed the both of them and decided to let them know she was there.

“So this is where the both of you were hanging out. Come on, we ordered hot chocolate already. It’ll get cold if you don’t hurry back.” she said lovingly.

“Oh shit. The hot chocolate plan failed like me in math class.” thought Martin.

“Yeah, no kidding! What are we going to do now, order bagels?!” thought Adelyn.

“Wait, I’m thinking this in my head right now! How’d you reply to me, Adelyn?”

“I took your advice and read the text above my sentences!”

“If it’s bagels you want, we ordered those too.” said Winter out loud.

“So she could read our minds toooooooo?!!!” they thought in unison.

Adelyn took a deep breath and began to speak.

“A-about that sentence I said earlier that you heard…”

“Sentence I heard?”

“…I! I meant it! I’ve been in lo- li- lo- like with you since a few days after we met!”

Adelyn was completely flustered. She wanted to turn to Martin so that he’d give a thumbs up of encouragement, but he was gone.

【Chapter Four: The coolest person 】

“That asshole ditched me!” thought Adelyn.

Winter had a calm expression but her face was as red as Rudolph. Rudolph himself, not just his nose.

“Wow…. I don’t know what to say! I mean, I always thought you were the coolest person who ever spoke to me. So, hearing you say this makes me really happy!” said Winter.

“Coolest person? Me? Noo no! W-wouldn’t that be you?”

“Ohh, I got you! Is that a joke about my name?”

“No, but it is a joke about how you tumbled down the mountain.”

Adelyn stuck her tongue out then turned away. It was the first time she felt truly comfortable with casually speaking with Winter.

“Let’s go out!” Winter said with a smile.

“Wait, what’d you say?”

“I said we should go out with each other!”

“You’re not going to reject me and say you want to know me better first? B-but the first time we like spoke spoke was when you convinced me to go on this trip.”

“No… To be honest, the only reason I haven’t developed feelings for you yet is because I didn’t expect someone as cool as you to like me. But now that I do, I don’t want to let go of that, you know? And I’d be happy to get to know you more, so let’s go out with each other!”

Adelyn tried to keep eye contact with Winter but was too flustered.

“I’d be happy to.” she managed to reply.

The two began to walk back to the lodge cafe to rejoin the others.

“So, about us… Do you think we should tell everyone or should we just-”

Before Adelyn could finish, Winter saw their friends and said:

“Hey guys! Adelyn and I are dating!”

Adelyn made an almost inaudible squeal.

Winter looked over and saw that Adelyn was caught off guard with the announcement.

“Sorry! I was excited and I wanted to let them know. I could say I was just kidding if you-”

Before Winter could finish her sentence, Adelyn held Winter’s wrist and shook her head.

“It’s okay, Winter. I want to tell them too. I just didn’t expect you to do it like that.” she said while smiling.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it look like I’m showing us off. Alright, let’s go tell them together!” Winter replied happily.

The two sat down with their friends and let them know of their new status together.

Everyone was excited for them and they held a toast to celebrate. After a good thirty minutes, they returned to the ski lifts and spent time together till it was time to head home.

Jaime and Winter lived near each other, so they took the same bus home. Estelle got picked up earlier at the lodge by her mom. So, that left Martin and Adelyn.

“Why did you ditch me at the most crucial moment, you jerk?” asked Adelyn.

“I didn’t need to be there. It was your special moment, right? You’re dating her, not ‘us’ dating her.” Martin replied.

Adelyn raised her eyebrow then changed the subject.

“Speaking of… How did you know she’d say yes? Are you from the future? You did mention something about rewinding time.”

“If I were from the future, don’t you think I’d change the part where I crashed into a tree?”

“I thought you didn’t have a scratch on you.”

“Yeah, I didn’t have A scratch on me, I had like a million.”

“Hm… Okay, then you’re not my imagination either, right? You seem to be too supportive to me and I didn’t even notice when you left.”

“Imagination? This isn’t Might Club. And I’d be worried if your attention was on me during your own confession.”

“Curious. But I still don’t believe you. Tell me something I don’t know.”

“What? Okay… Uh, a cat’s penis is like a hook.”

“That’s disgusting. Why would you say that? But yeah, I already knew that. Tell me something else.”

“Um… There’s a place called Eromanga located in Australia.”

“Woah, really? That’s actually kinda funny! I didn’t know that one, I guess that means you’re real.”

“Of course I’m real! How else was Winter gonna back flip like that?”

“Practice makes perfect.”

“Mm, yeah that was a pretty perfect moment, I can’t argue with that.”

The two paused then shared a laugh as their train drew closer and closer.

【Chapter Five: Self defense】

“Hey, we should take some self defense classes.” Adelyn suggested to Martin.

“Sounds like fun. Which styles were you thinking?” he replied.

“Hm. Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Jujutsu…”

“Everyone learns those. We should try something unexpected… like Drunken Fist.”

“You mean try sitting your ass in jail.”

“No, I’m serious. I mean there’s gotta be countless assholes who recognize the usual styles so they’d know how to counter us. We gotta be the hipsters of combat in order to survive.”

“Okay… Why don’t you suggest something other than the Drunken Fist?”

“If you say so. Hmm, I know, what about Muay Thai?”

“We’re learning self defense, not how to kill someone.”

“Muay Thai wasn’t designed to kill! Nothing is.”

“Then explain guns, dude.”

“Guns could just be a device that emits a loud noise to warn people that they’re about to get shot by a gun.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure that’s the best example to help your case.”

“Trust me, the best defense is a good offense. Not a great offense though, that’d be too offensive.”

“Okay, fine. We’ll look for a place that teaches Muay Thai.”

“And if we don’t find one, we could always use ThouTube.”

Adelyn narrowed her eyes and glared at Martin.

“You better show up to every class.” she said.

“I will. Unless I have homework- Oh, who am I kidding? I never do school work anyways.” he replied.

Adelyn sighed in response.

“Hey, don’t worry. This whole thing was my idea, I wouldn’t ditch it after all this.”

“You mean our idea. The killing stance was your idea, and self defense was mine, so our idea.”

“Alright. Our idea.” Martin happily agreed.

Thus marked the first activity they have committed to together.

【Chapter Six: Our bar date that’s probably not a disaster】

“So… We’ve been on a couple dates now, right?”

Adelyn took a couple sips of her mojito before she nodded and replied with a “Mhmm.”

“Well, not that I’m counting but it’s been about 2 years, 7 months, and 10 days since our last appearance together so I was wondering… Is why you brought us to a Barcade? To change it up for the reader’s lost time?” asked Winter.

The glass in Adelyn’s hands that was once a steady fellow became more akin to a person at a club, judging from the way it was shaking.

“No! W-Who would care about those two people anyways? Because I do, a lot and I appreciate them but I’ve just been busy with learning Muay Thai that I’ve wanted to become a bit more spicy. You know, pick you up in this bar because I can’t do it physically.”  

Winter stopped her laughter so fast that it sounded like a sneeze.

Though that and Adelyn’s words to made it impossible to suppress the rest of it and let out bursts one after the other.  

“You’re too adorable. You picked me up once already Adelyn. I think you can do it again.” she said while moving closer to Adelyn’s side.

Oh God. I might’ve confessed to her first but I swear I’m not a top. I’m not a top. I’m not a top! thought Adelyn.

“Oh yeah! Totally! All me…!”

Adelyn said that in a convincing voice by the way.

Winter put her hand on Adelyn’s shoulder then slowly slid it down to her hand, interlocking their fingers in the process.

“Let’s see what kind of spicy things we can do here then, shall we?”

I don’t need to be a top.

The two noticed some sort of special event happening at one of the motion sensing game cabinets.

“Come beat me and my partner at TekkSoulStreetVirtuaMortalFighter to get five rounds of shots on the house!”

It was one of the managers with his buddies. Apparently they’ve been beating customers left and right with their incredible skills of getting motion detected.

However, Winter knew she and her girlfriend also have skills of motion. Spicy skills of motion, one might say.

“Alright! We’re gonna kick the ass of the manager and get shot up because of it!” said Adelyn.

Wow that sounds really bad without context she thought.

“Oh yeah?! Just try it! My brother’s aunt’s sister’s nephew’s roommate’s online friend’s cat’s dad’s owner’s made this game and I’m not about to let some awesome paying customer take that away from me!”

“Defeating you won’t take away that fact dude but we will beat you anyway!” challenged Winter.

The four players took their stand at the cabinets and were ready to pick some brass.

A referee began to speak.

“Now the rules are simple. Each character looks different but is exactly the same. They have the same movesets, same specials, hitboxes, et cetera. It’s poetic, really. Just like in this game, we all look different on the outside but are the same in the inside. Amen.”

“Yo why’s a priest the ref?” asked a viewer.

“I don’t know.” said Chris Evans.

The players had a few seconds to check the controls, so Adelyn did what any first timer would do. She flipped the bird. It buffed her character with something called BDE.

“Oh hey, check that out! It’s really radiating with the veiny aura and stuff!” she said.

“Very sexy hot and/or mild! Now let’s flank em!” yelled Winter.

But unbeknownst to them, the manager and his buddy already got the drop on them!

The two made punching motions at their screen which one could probably imagine what happened in the game… It made them kick Adelyn and Winter’s avatars over and over!

“Shit! They did the move where our HP bars go down a little bit!”

“Don’t worry, I have a plan!”

Winter copied the middle finger gesture with both her hands, giving the two of them massive buffs of BDE.

“Wow! She’s going even further beyond?!” asked a hyped customer.

The buff was making their HP heal faster than they were getting damage… No… It made their HP bar grow even bigger than the screen!

“Christ! I didn’t even know that was a feature! But it won’t be enough!” said the manager.

The combo stun locked Winter, making the extra health pointless.

Dammit. Is there nothing I could do…? Wait…

Adelyn noticed something about the base combo.

“Winter! Try moving after the third hit!”

“Okay!”

Winter took the first two kicks of the combo then was able to dodge the third, just like Adelyn advised!

“What the funk?!” yelled the manager’s friend.

“I know the secret of the combo. You’re done!”

Adelyn did a quick kick then stopped. After a half second, she did another one. And another one. The ultimate technique has been discovered: The first hit is a stun! Using only the first attack without triggering a combo allowed the 『True Stun Lock』 to be used!

Winter joined in, making it impossible for their opponents to move, even in real life!

“And the winner is Adelyn and Winter!” announced the priest.

The crowd chanted their names and ordered more shots of their own to celebrate the hype.

“Wow, that was quite the game. I learn new things everyday. Hey, I’d love for you guys to be regulars here. It’s been a while since we’ve got crowds this excited.” said the manager.

Winter looked at Adelyn and smiled. She nodded back.

“Sure. I think we had a lot of fun too.” said Winter.

The rounds of shots just arrived at the bar.

“And I think it’s about to get a lot more interesting.” Adelyn smirked.

【Chapter Seven: Leg muscles】

Adelyn noticed Estelle heavily panting as she struggled to make her way down the hall.

“Woah. You’re looking… Energetic.” Adelyn said.

“Adelyn! Help me!” said Estelle as she fell face down.

“The nurse’s office is right there. You can make it. I believe in you.”

Estelle instantly got up and put her hands on Adelyn’s shoulders.

“Do you remember what you said at the ski trip? I took it to heart!”

“Umm.. What’d I say again?”

“That it’d take a lot more than upper body strength to catch a boulder.”

“Oh-”

“…But now I know! It was leg muscles that I lacked! So I leg pressed 500 pounds for like 40 minutes just now!”

“Now that’s hefty.”

“It sucks now since I could barely crawl. It’s like the opening to Metal Gear Solid V!”

“Yeah, maybe. Though unlike that game, you’re looking like a finished project so let’s get you to that office, ‘kay?”

Adelyn looked around for a second then squatted down reluctantly.

“Come on. We’re doing the anime thing where I carry you to to the infirmary then we have some deep talk.” said Adelyn.

Estelle’s eyes lit up as she hopped on her back.

The two made their way into the office and Estelle was dropped gently on one of the beds. Not even a second after, Adelyn made her way towards the door.

“Marianas Trench.” said Estelle.

“Huh?”

“You said we were gonna have deep talk so I said Marianas Trench.”

Adelyn turned around to hide her smile.

“Not that kind of deep. Though yeah some of their songs get sorta deep.”

Estelle was different though. She couldn’t hide her joy from Adelyn.

She was glad that they got a chance to talk a little more.

“I’ll catch you next time for sure, Adelyn.”

Adelyn nodded and waved as she exited the room.

“I’m counting on it.”

【Chapter Eight: Two years】

“Yo dude. Am I really the right one for Winter?” asked Adelyn.

“We had a two year gap in chapters and you’re only wondering this now?” Martin asked in reply.

“I mean… Yeah. She’s everything I’m not. She’s beautiful, athletic, outgoing…”

“Sounds just like you to me.”

“What? Knowing like some Muay Thai doesn’t count as athletic. Also I don’t really like talking to people if I could help it… And… Did you just call me beautiful?”

“Course I did friend. A Martial Art’s an art and you practice it ergo you are beautiful.”

“Oh. I thought you meant like physically or something.”

“Yeah I meant that too. That’s why I’m not really seeing your point here.”

“The point is I’m just not as composed as she is. I don’t think that I have anything figured out.”

“And you think that she does?”

“Of course I do. Haven’t you seen her?”

“A couple of times I think. Yeah.”

“I don’t know… It just seems that nothing phases her. Everything we do, she’s just so knowledgeable and good at it. I just seem to screw up at everything I do. Even the simple things. Like… Did you know I didn’t even know how to tie a knot till like a couple years ago?”

“I did not know that. But everyone experiences shit at different times anyway. Look at me, I haven’t still haven’t done the fuck word with anyone but that’s just cuz It’s Not The Right Time by Daichi Miura.”

“Well that’s almost the song title.”

“It’s been like a two year hiatus. You don’t think Winter would’ve moved on by now if that’s how she felt? She chose to commit to you. Even if other people are into her, even if she found herself attracted to someone else, she’ll say fuck all that and choose you. You might have to stop and think that maybe she’s just as flustered when it comes to you sometimes.”

It took a second, but Martin’s words really stuck with Adelyn.

He does have a point. Then instead of wondering why she chose me in spite of my flaws, I will focus on what she does like until it drowns out all my doubts. I’ll give to her as much as she gives me and more. Much much more. This I do swear to both myself and Winter.

“Yeah. You’re right. Even if our story isn’t written for two or three or ten more years, I’ll always be Winter’s. I’ll always… Always commit to her!”

Adelyn made her way to the gym where Winter’s volleyball club activities were held. When she got to the doors, she kicked it open and slid in.

“Winter! You go! Be better than Shoyo Hinata!”

Winter noticed her girlfriend cheering from the side and smiled.

“Sorry! What was that last part? I don’t understand French!”

Ah well we can’t all be anime. Yes.

Adelyn waltzed up to Winter after her match, with a nice red Gatorade to quench her thirst.

“Hello Mon Winter, how was your game?” asked Adelyn.

“It was great! Really inspiring to see the talent we got out here… Even better to see you around. I thought you didn’t like going here.”

“Well… Maybe going anywhere you are is a place I’d like to be. From now on. I mean only if it’s chill.”

Winter was a bit surprised and flattered. You see, deep down, Winter did have the similar doubts about herself. She would often go to Martin for advice just like Adelyn did. Everyday she would ask him if perhaps they were too different for each other. Maybe Adelyn wasn’t attracted to someone whose interests were of going out often or speaking to people on the regular. Perhaps she’d find it exhausting. And yet there Adelyn was, willing to and even voluntarily spending time with Winter in an environment she would probably avoid regularly.

“The things I find myself avoiding aren’t because I don’t like them. It’s because I was scared. Scared of… Being too pathetic or being too boring. Being nothing really. But you helped reach out. I probably won’t be able to be good at everything right away so… If you’re okay with walking me through a couple things, I’m here.” continued Adelyn.

“Yeah. Always.” said Winter.

Winter took a sip from her bottle then set it down. She glanced at Adelyn as she pat the empty space beside her on the bench.

The two found that they were both scanning each other. From their legs, chest, shoulders… Then to their eyes.

Winter looked to the side then back to Adelyn’s eyes nervously.

“It’s just that I’m a bit sweaty, so…” she said softly.

What? Wait… Is this…? Could it be that this is our chance?

After our dates and confession.

After all the doubts and promises.

After our broken bones from a ski trip. And after winning free shots…

Will we finally…?

Adelyn’s shaking hands found their way to Winter’s wrist.

She carefully slid it up to her shoulder to her neck, and finally to her cheek.

“I like you, Winter. I really like you. I’ll always…”

Before she finished her sentence, Adelyn leaned in.

The tips of their noses touched and the both of them let out a small laugh.

Adelyn then chomped Winter’s lower lips then they began making out for an undisclosed amount of time.

It was rad.

【Chapter Nine: The narrative perspective】

The reason I’m having this monologue today is to show that I, Jaime, can also have a chapter dedicated to myself. I’m here to show Winter, Adelyn, and Martin that they can’t have all the screen time to themselves! Uh, sorry… Is screen time the right thing to say? I’m not really sure. I suppose technically yes because this  sure wouldn’t be shown on actual paper unless someone printed this or if we got some sort of publishing deal.

But I digress. While everyone else has been ranking up their Social Links and Confidant levels, I have been doing the important duty of studying academics. Yes. Unlike the rest of them, I actually pay attention in class!

I mean my grades aren’t very good at the moment but it’s still my passion. When you learn about the world and its functions, you’ve already attained the most basic foundations to becoming a great help to the rest of the planet!

And learning about curing all kinds of diseases is especially important to me, because you never know who’d need that kind of help.

“Why are you trying to change the writing style to first person, Jaime?” interrupted someone at the lecture hall entrance.

It was Estelle. She took a running start then jumped from her end to Jaime’s desk, skidding on the edges while avoiding everyone’s school supplies except for Jaime’s. His notebook was the only thing that flew off and burst into flames upon her stopping momentum.

“What the feudal are you doing?!” he asked.

“Oooh, yikes. You might need to grab a new one.” she answered, well sort of.

After the room calmed down a little bit, she took a seat on the desk.

The professor was mad yet impressed with her athleticism so they simply ignored her and continued with their lecture of the selfish gene.

“Nice. They’re still going. Come on, you can borrow my tablet.” Estelle continued.

After she handed it to a slightly fuming Jaime, she took out a small sketchbook of her own.

The hell does she have that for? This isn’t an art class…

Estelle crossed her legs and began to sketch. Every so often, she would pause to stare at the professor. After they were done with a point, she continued to work on her picture.

“And that’s all for today! Be sure to blah blah deadline blah blah homework and blah blah exam!”

Most of the students were surprised that the prof actually said blah blah but continued on with their life.

After the class was mostly empty, Jaime went to pick up his banged up notebook. It was mostly okay in that it resembled old and burnt notebooks from a world war, so he was only mildly upset.

“I’ll email you the notes you took- Oh it’s just an angry emote.” said Estelle as she took back her tablet.

“I didn’t take any. It seemed kind of like a philosophy class this session anyway. So… Why’d you come here again? Did changing up the narrative perspective make you hate me that much?” asked Jaime.

“No.”

She held up her sketchbook to show him what she was drawing.

In the picture was an elephant. It lifted a capybara with its trunk to put it on its back. On the elephant’s back was a bunch of fruit and there were plenty of other animals surrounding them in what seemed to be an oasis. There were so many trees. The lake was enormous.

“I just wanted you to know you’re not the only one. It might be a little different from what you’re used to but yeah, it is what it is. It doesn’t matter who’s there to see us, as long as we see ourselves.” Estelle continued.

Jaime realized her picture really matched up with the lesson. Estelle wasn’t trying to interrupt the lecture. She was there to be by his side… To show him that even if he thought he wasn’t in anyone’s spotlight, he’ll always shine somewhere else.

This narration doesn’t need to be in first person. Because it would be too selfish. The only writing style out there needed is the one that has Estelle, Winter, Adelyn, and Martin too.

[aion-rsa]

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Episode 1 Review: Aftermath

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This Star Wars: The Bad Batch review contains spoilers.

The Bad Batch Episode 1

During the opening scene of The Bad Batch, the new animated series set during the rise of the Empire, the The Clone Wars logo burns away. At once blatant marketing and a promise of something new, the logo neatly explains what The Bad Batch is.

As Jennifer Corbett (producer and head writer) and Brad Rau (producer) said during a press junket ahead of the May 4 premiere, this show is a spiritual successor and also a direct sequel to The Clone Wars. The beginning of the new show draws from the epic scale of The Clone Wars‘ series finale (and the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy which it parallels). But while the action and heart are all there on paper, stock characters and a too-straightforward plot drag down the 70-minute premiere.

The five characters of the Bad Batch, lead by elite clone Hunter, never quite fit in. Like many other aspects of technology in Star Wars, cloning isn’t an exact science, and Clone Force 99 are “deviant” or “defective” depending on who’s talking, but they’re very good at their jobs of fighting on behalf of the Republic. But when the Republic transitions to the Empire, they’re immediately asked to start doing messier jobs, such as hunting down human rebels, whereas they’d usually fight droids. As you’d expect, the clones swap sides and, of course, end up having to fight their way out of their home base. A young girl clone named Omega helps them out, and the stage is set for the rest of the season, which will have at least 14 episodes.

Star Wars guru Dave Filoni is joined by Star Wars Resistance writer Jennifer Corbett on the creative side. Her pedigree in delivering stories for the Sequel-era animated show, and her experience in the U.S. Navy, make her an ideal guide for this war story. As military science fiction, The Bad Batch is serviceable, with the creative action and silly one-liners typical of The Clone Wars. The franchise’s approach to animation is always improving, which in this first long episode manifests mostly in impressive snow and a fun depth of field effect. The sharp corners of armor contrast nicely against soft, blurred lights in the out-of-focus backgrounds.

Stream your Star Wars favorites right here!

As far as plot goes, it’s pretty simple, leaving me to want to dig into some of the more weighty sections but not sure whether they’re actually statements. The Bad Batch see the other clones turn on the Jedi during Order 66, but for the same reason their other “defects” make them stronger, the inhibitor chips that should brainwash them according to the Emperor’s wishes don’t work. They choose to let the Jedi in their vicinity live. Future-Grand Moff Tarkin sees their rebelliousness as a good chance to prove the Clone Army is no longer effective. After all, conscripts would apparently be cheaper. But after the Batch uncover Tarkin’s true colors, they defect for good.

It’s cool to see this transition happening. What do clones become after the war? It’s a question hardcore Star Wars fans might leap to answer (they don’t all become stormtroopers, and not all stormtroopers are clones) but we haven’t seen it so directly on screen before. It’ll be nice if The Bad Batch addresses some of the practical questions around that.

Meanwhile, Tarkin’s clearly willing to shed civilian blood in a way the Jedi generals weren’t, replacing the clones bred for war with human volunteers. Like many other Star Wars stories set during the Prequel era, the Batch’s choice presents a moral decision with no right answers. The “good” choice here would be to maintain a status quo in which tens of thousands of people are born solely to fight wars with droids, which, while technically enemy soldiers, are also sapient. And while I can generally get lost in the military camaraderie fantasy here, the fact that other clones don’t like them makes what exactly the Bad Batch is fighting for even more muddled. Maybe this is about giving this squad a new cause they believe in outside of the definitely-bad Empire.

Or maybe the fact that it’s hard to tell the Republic’s policies from the Empire’s is the point. This is how the Republic fell after all: gradually.

The strongest character beats involve the characters learning to trust each other in new ways. Team leader Hunter’s superpowers are “enhanced senses,” although that isn’t really on display much. He begins to distrust team sniper Crosshair when Crosshair becomes over-eager to follow their grim mission by the book. Their arguments were most compelling before the inhibitor chip was introduced: while I know it fits with the lore, it defangs the story a little to have the main antagonist’s motivation be “he was brainwashed,” and I was a little unsure of how much the show was willing to either pin blame on him or absolve him of it. Either way, we haven’t seen the last of Crosshair.

The Bad Batch can’t even trust the Kaminoans, their creators and stewards of their beloved home. The one who shows this the best is team heavy Wrecker. His tendency to scream about blowing stuff up I generally find more annoying than funny, but toward the middle of the extended episode he adds pathos without getting away from this broad characterization. Wrecker isn’t programmed, he insists. He likes what he likes. His determination to hold on to a sense of himself as a person with free will feels like the real stakes of the show. It’s a section of the episode that quickly jumps back into goofy, fun action, but for a moment gets at something more serious and scary. Wrecker’s determination to hold on to his individuality shows exactly what Tarkin hates most about the clones. Ironically, in Tarkin’s estimation, he needs stormtroopers that can be even more tractable.

Unfortunately, the moments most important to this theme are undercut by repeating information the audience already knows. If you’ve watched The Clone Wars, you probably know about Fives’ discovery of the inhibitor chips and how Ahsoka helped Rex remove his. But moments like the one above sell the fact that the clones would be shocked to learn the truth about their new Empire.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The brand new member of the group is Omega, a young teenage clone introduced as both audience surrogate and mystery. (She’s also a particularly noticeable example of how the Empire is whitewashing the clones — those further from the Jango Fett template have lighter skin.) She’s a big fan of the Bad Batch because, like them, she’s an altered clone. It’s implied that she’s never really been able to make friends with other humans before, so it makes sense she’d latch on to the other unique clones in her orbit. Her fondness for them sometimes reads like a script for how much the audience is supposed to be fawning over the headliners, but the show never quite really shows the world from her perspective. Nevertheless, I think it’s overall a less jarring introduction than Ahsoka’s, who became a great character as she got more involved with the rest of the saga. It’s a “wait and see” with Omega as well.

I am a bit wary the series might be hurrying to repeat the sleight-of-hand pulled with Rey, presenting a character as both a point of view and a mystery at the same time. The first two episodes provided for review hint something bigger is going on with Omega, and how grounded that thing might be might determine whether it works. It’s become a bit tiring to use “who is this character?” as a jumping-off point rather than providing an answer in the first place and building from there.

As far as connecting to other Star Wars characters we do have answers for, The Bad Batch instantly announces that this will be a cameo-heavy episode, and…that’s okay? Now that they’re not being as coy about it as Rebels was, it’s a lot of fun to see Saw Gerrera and a young Kanan Jarrus. (Even if the latter cameo does instantly contradict the Kanan backstory comic released by Marvel a few years ago.)

When the Bad Batch were introduced in The Clone Wars I found them boring, their action figure-ready powers not any more compelling than the clones and Jedi we already had. They still seem a strange choice for headliners when characters like Ahsoka are operating at the same time. More so than The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch feels like a deep cut, a completionist tale that may struggle to hold fans. While comparisons between the avuncular Batch and Omega’s relationships with Din Djarin and Grogu are inevitable, this is no The Mandalorian in terms of either content or accessibility.

The post Star Wars: The Bad Batch Episode 1 Review: Aftermath appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3h0ihwc

[pines-troz]

List of my (unpopular?) Gravity Falls opinions

- My top three favorite episodes are Weirdmageddon Part 3 (satisfying conclusion that ties all loose ends and goes out on a high note), Northwest Mansion Mystery (great character development from Pacifica and Dipper, creepy atmosphere, Pacifica overcoming the emotional abuse from her parents, wonderful background art, the kids dress up in fancy attire) and Society of the Blind Eye (Fiddleford McGucket was fantastic and became a key player in the show’s main plot, great and creepy portrayal of cult, explains why most of the citizens of GF are unaware of the supernatural happenings in town, the memory gun as a brilliant metaphor for addiction). 

- While I do love Stan and Ford, I sometimes feel that the GF fandom focuses a little too much on them. 

- I wish the show developed Wendy and Pacifica more. While I do respect Alex for wanting to tell the story he wanted and ending the show on a high note, I wish he was able to expand on their characters a bit. Wendy is a great character in her own right (loves hanging out with the Pines, is a slacker, will kick ass when she needs to), I wish the show explored more of her flaws (using her chill persona as a front to hide her stress and anxiety, how her mom not being around anymore affected her). And while I love seeing Pacifica becoming more humble, it would have been cool to see her hang out with Dipper and Mabel more. Maybe the Graphic Novel will develop Wendy and Pacifica, but who knows.

- I do love how the show handles romance with none of the main characters getting together with anyone (with the exception of Soos). I like how Dipper and Mabel grow and learn from their failed romantic endeavors, with Dipper and Wendy being friends, Dipper learning that you shouldn’t force someone to love you and that you should strive to be someone worthy of loving, Mabel learning that not having a boyfriend isn’t the end of the world and learning to love yourself is more important. Even Stan of all people learns how pick-up artistry doesn’t work. I believe that these are all important lessons that viewers, especially kids, should take away from the show. 

- Bill is a great villain, but he is also a shitty demon. The dude tries to manipulate Ford through his charisma alone, he’s super cocky and confident that his plans will work and when they don’t he’s prone to procrastination, and he’s super impulsive whenever he tries to obtain something he wants to the point where he ignores everything else. Sure Bill can be scary and threatening, but he also has some weaknesses. It baffles me how some people place him on this pedestal of ‘oh, he sees everything’ ‘Bill is super smart and powerful’, when in reality he’s been duped by humans not once, but three times! Namely, two twelve-year-olds and a pair of old men! There’s no way Bill’s pride recover from something this embarrassing! Overall, Bill Cipher the perfect mixture of a petulant toddler, a used car salesman, and a college frat-boy who only wants to party and ignores his homework until the last minute. 

-Gideon was a fun villain in season one. While Bill overshadowed him in the evil department, people tend to forget how intimidating and creepy he was (not only his obsession with Mabel, but he was abusive to his own parents) all while being a funny parody of televangelist preachers and child stars. He was a great foil for the Pines family (Dipper and Mabel could have ended up like Gideon, but the twins had their compassion for family and their moral compasses in the right place). Plus he was an amusing business rival for Stan. 

- Roadside Attraction was not a bad episode. While it does have some issues with how the plot the presented, there was enough good stuff in it that I really liked. I loved seeing Dipper and Stan bond (the ‘we’re both failures’ scene is one of my favorite moments), after episodes of Stan being woobified in ATOTS and Stanchurian Candidate it is nice to see him acting like a wacky criminal again, Darlene was a cool villain, and I liked the whole road trip aspect to it (another perfect example of childhood nostalgia that the show perfectly emulates).

- Boss Mabel and The Stanchurian Candidate were my least favorite in my opinion. While there was plenty of humor in both episodes, I personally did not like the ‘moral’ presented in Boss Mabel (in order to run a successful business, you have to treat your workers like dirt). And while I understand the main conflict in Stanchurian Candidate (Stan feeling overshadowed by Ford and jealous of his twin, Stan wanting to prove his worth to his family), I feel like the plot of the episode could have been executed better. 

- I am not a big fan of trans!dipper headcanon for a few reasons: Mabel’s incessant teasing of Dipper’s masculinity (I know it’s just her being innocently insensitive, but that would be harmful behavior if her brother was transitioning), Dipper’s real name is Mason, and Dipper was seen without his shirt a few times in the show and he has the physique of a typical preteen male. Even though this is my opinion, I will not dismiss other people for headcanoning Dipper as a trans boy. 

- I do support the idea of Grenda being a trans girl. While the show does have a few issues of trying to present her without being a walking punchline, there are some admirable qualities to her character. She’s confident, fun-loving, and cares about her friends. There is never a moment in the show where Grenda is mistaken for a boy. And I appreciate that she does end up surprising Mabel and Candy, who were initially dismissive of Grenda’s flirting, by winning over Marius with her bold attitude and becoming his girlfriend. It may not be a perfect representation, but I understand the intent of the writers wanting to positively portray a trans character and Grenda is a step in the right direction.  

- While the parallels between Dipper and Ford / Mabel and Stan are quite obvious, I find the parallels between Dipper and Stan / Mabel and Ford to be more fascinating. Dipper and Stan not only share similar flaws (insecurities over themselves and feeling like the lesser twin, both lie to protect their family (the portal/the rift), both willing to get their hands dirty to achieve a goal) they both share their best traits (putting all of their effort in protecting their family, sarcastic sense of humor). The same goes with Mabel and Ford with their flaws (more self-absorbed, innocently insensitive at times, believe their ideas are the right ideas) and their strengths (confident in themselves, very creative). 

- I am not a big fan of the majority of AUs. Monster Falls doesn’t really appeal to me, the whole Stan is actually Bill theory irritates me. I especially don’t like Relativity Falls because of how it slaps Dipper and Mabel’s sibling relationship onto Stan and Ford’s when in actuality Dipper and Mabel have a much healthier sibling relationship and it would be out of character for them to act otherwise. But there are some AUs that I like (Mystery Trio AU, Big Dipper AU in which Dipper an older brother to Mabel, any positive GF/Rick and Morty crossovers).  

- All ships involving Bill are disgusting and you can’t tell me otherwise. 

[groundramon]

It’s really interesting to look back on the old chapters of Oneiromon when I’m not going through a depressive/self-loathing spell

It’s only been a year, but I feel like so much about how I want my writing to read, what I want Oneiromon to be, where I plan to take the story, what I’m doing with certain characters, what I prioritize in the story, ect has changed.

I always intended Oneiromon to be a ��scarier” and “more realistic” version of Digimon or Narnia, in a way.  There are plenty of stories where regular human kids get transported to a magical lang and forced into some magical destiny, but there are so few that actually show those kids dealing with the stress of said magical destiny.  Narnia explores it a little, Digimon explores it pretty extensively in its first and fourth seasons (I feel like other seasons didnt do it as well as the first season, including the fourth season but it still tried), but I still feel like the characters accepted their magical destinies too easily (besides maybe Edmund, but even though he had an arc leading up to his acceptance, he was still too quick to accept the White Witch as a normal and good thing).  You can only scream about weird monsters for so long, but suddenly becoming a superhero is just...unrealistic.  Sure they might get used to the world in the first few episodes (although they’re probably learning new stuff all the time unless whoever they meet is a walking encyclopedia and exposition disposer) but taking it upon yourself to save an entire world, especially one that you dont even know and possibly has been hostile to you?  You have to be an awfully selfless yet prideful person to do that - you’d have to have the selflessness to put your life on hold for people you dont even know, selfless enough to risk your own life over and over, and yet prideful enough to think you have a chance at winning.  That is...not a common combination, especially in minors.  One of the big things in Oneiromon for me was making the transition between “I didnt sign up for this shit” and “okay I’ll help” gradual; to show the humans only acting out of self-preservation (and by that I mean helping each other) until they start making friends with other Oneiromon.  And to show which human characters are quicker to agree to it than others.  As for the scary part, well, lets just say that there are a lot of oneoff character deaths and they tend to be pretty violent.

But when I started off, I wanted to make people feel things.  Sure I wanted to go into it gradually since going into angsty shit off the bat is just bad writing by anyone’s standards (unless your point is to show how cruel the world is, not to make them feel things), but still.  Now I’m trying desperately to find a balance between the two.  Because things got wayyy too heavy in Arc 1 and I feel like that dulled the ending of the arc and could dull the experiences in Arc 2.  Arc 2 is all about me trying to get that back on track, trying to redeem all the fuckups I had in Arc 1 and balance the story out a little bit so I can have a fresh start with Arc 3.  I’m super excited for Arc 3 because either it or Arc 4 is my favorite arc in the story, and the ending of Arc 2 was a solid ending to work off of.  Now I want to make a more light-hearted story that frequently gets dark, despite coming upon the darkest part in the story in the next arc or two.  And I really wish I was better at writing humor because that would help lighten the mood a LOT but.  I’m not.  So oops.  (”But Stormy...you’re...you’re Stormy...how could you be bad at writing comedy” haha have you read Oneiromon, that story is more angsty and fun-less than Shiro)

For ages I’ve been trying to dissect what themes I often include in my writing, to see what I prioritize in my stories.  The best I had came up with is either that I prioritize friendship since so many of my stories revolve around a group of people who become friends/are friends, or I just dont have any themes/messages I include in my stories.  Which, while those are still pretty accurate, there are some things I want to get across in my stories.  Unless I’m specifically writing a kid’s show that focuses on morals, I will never force morals into my stories, or revolve my stories around a moral.  My stories are meant to be fun entertainment at their lightest and exploration of psychology and other “fun” shit at their darkest.  First and foremost they’re meant to be enjoyable experiments for me and for others, where you love the characters and enjoy the story.  Not saying I achieve that buuut I’m trying, and hey at least I love my characters (except Sarah she sucks...jk i love her too she’s just fun to hate) so I think that’s pretty good.  But for the few themes I do include...I want to preach acceptance and self-love.  I want to include good coping skills that my mentally ill characters learn and start using, I want to walk the diversity talk by including people from all kinds of different walks of life, I want to teach kids (when I’m writing for them) that its okay to love themselves and be proud of their accomplishments as long as you arent mean about it.  Because I dont want another generation of kids to grow up being told that pride is a vice and if you value yourself at all, you’re doing it wrong.  I dont want kids to be conditioned to think low self esteem is a virtue anymore.  That pride, self-love, and arrogance are three different things.  And these things are woven into the narrative, not just explored out of nowhere, in case you’re wondering.  Like I said, I dont do morals.  I just try to teach people through example, either through my example or my characters’ examples.

And the characters...whoo boy, the characters.  Sarah and Mich have completely swapped “roles” in the story, so to speak; Mich was supposed to be the brash, brave one, while Sarah was more cautious and intelligent.  Mich is still the ditzier of the two, but Sarah rules with her heart instead of her brain despite being a smart girl and lets her stress over the whole thing rule her entire demeanor.  They feel almost like completely different characters, or Sarah does anyways, but...hopefully I can just excuse it as “Sarah was on her best behavior before because social pressure, but now she’s out of steam and can’t put on a nice, calm facade anymore”.  And Devin?  I never knew what I was doing with Devin.  But then I found an amazing angle for him and honestly...I think I relate to him the most out of any of the characters now, although he might be tied with Mich.

I dunno, its just interesting.  I hate that it’s so inconsistent but oh well, I’m still learning.  Maybe some day I can rewrite it into something much better.

[stevenuniversallyreviews]

Episode 50*: Full Disclosure

“I want to be a part of your universe.”

Steven Universe is a hero, but is he a superhero? Sure, his powers are magical, and his enemies tend to be more monstrous than villainous, but the same could be said of fellow Steve-with-unusual-surname Stephen Strange. Steven certainly evokes your typical sidekick, and the Crystal Gems have a cool team name that sounds more like the Justice League than the Jedi Order or the Fellowship of the Ring. Most importantly, Steven lives in contemporary times despite his sci-fi/fantasy adventures, and lives a dual life between the weird and the mundane.

He doesn’t fill quite enough tropes for me to firmly put him in that category, but I bring it up because Full Disclosure uses a plot straight out of superhero lore: keeping a secret to keep a loved one safe. This secret tends to be the character’s identity as a hero, which has frankly been done to death; great shows like The Flash (well, its first season is great at least) grind to a halt as our lead continually lies for no actual reason (why would your friend let villains know that they’re prime kidnapping material?), and the plot point has been brilliantly deconstructed by the likes of Brian Michael Bendis’s Ultimate Spider-Man and Mark Waid’s Irredeemable. Steven Universe similarly subverts this story, thankfully in the span of a single episode, to show us just how childish this self-distancing really is.

Not that Steven’s reticence isn’t understandable: Greg, who we’ve seen worry about his son plenty of times before, has a massive freakout after hearing what Steven went through in The Return and Jailbreak, and any kid could make the logical leap that their friend might have a similar reaction. Greg’s message of support through his hyperventilation is everything to this scene; Tom Scharpling really can dad with the best of ‘em.

From here, we have a rare stretch of Steven alone and introspective. This isn’t Samurai Jack we’re talking about, so Zach Callison is either talking to a hypothetical Connie or singing about his feelings. Regardless, we have poignant moments of silence as his rambling falters to the physical aftermath of Homeworld’s attack. 

Ronaldo makes his way into the plot, and does exactly what Ronaldo should do: act pompous and give lousy advice. Scenes like his are why I can never be too hard on the guy, because he has a role to play that no other character can, and he plays it well. His speech is a nice dose of comedy in what could be a bleak sequence, but nonetheless captures Steven’s internal struggle. Most importantly, he doesn’t overstay his welcome!

It’s unfortunate that the song that follows has to come on the heels of Stronger Than You, because it’s one of the show’s finest but it sorta gets lost in the fray:

Integrating the ringtone we’ve been hearing since the end of Jailbreak into an actual song is unspeakably clever. While the workmanlike lyrics aren’t too special compared to other Steven Universe numbers, it’s a welcome return to Steven singing; we may have gotten a taste in On the Run and The Message, but he hasn’t gotten a full-length solo song since all the way back in Island Adventure. Steven may just be singing what he’s obviously thinking, but between Zach Callison, the visuals, and the instrumentation, I’m good.

The sequence has two flashback montages of sorts: Steven looking through past pictures of hanging out with Connie to reestablish their history, and actual events we’ve seen in the past two episodes. Even if these episodes are fresh in our minds, Steven’s specific memories highlight just how much he’s witnessed: Garnet’s destruction, Lapis’s imprisonment, the menace of Peridot and Jasper, the crash, and the formation of Malachite. Note that the headbutt that gave him his black eye is omitted, because Steven is most upset about bad things happening to other people, which fits right into his concern about Connie and his dad.

After some fun with the Gems, we immediately see how childish Steven’s behavior is, first using exaggerated vocabulary and then sloppily avoiding Connie rather than confront his feelings. Episodes like this are the reason Connie is so surprised to learn that Steven is older than her in Steven’s Birthday, because her maturity saves their friendship; Grace Rolek even incorporates a little Doctor Maheswaran as she admonishes Steven for making her worry. But not before this perfect little moment:

Full Disclosure’s insistence on letting destruction speak for itself is wonderful, considering we just got a song that spells out Steven’s exact thoughts. After seeing Steven shocked into silence a few times earlier in the episode, Connie’s wordless run through the hall of the ship as she chases Steven hammers in just how big of a deal Jailbreak was. Moreover, the visual storytelling reinforces her character: this alien stuff is confusing and a little scary, but she’s more focused on her friend than sating her curiosity.

The staging of their confrontation builds enough suspense that it made me a little worried in my first watch, which is pretty impressive considering Steven and Connie obviously aren’t going to stop being friends. I love that we don’t see Steven explain what happened, not only because we saw it and got his summary already when he told Greg about it, but because it allows for one of Full Disclosure’s departure from the show’s signature style. Beyond the reverse star wipe opening, we get not one but two fade-out transitions—one after Steven’s song, and the other during this implied conversation—and both enhance the pensive tone of this aftermath episode.

All this worry makes the conclusion that much more satisfying. On the micro level we see that Greg has calmed down, and on the macro we see the whole town coming back together. It’s not Ocean Gem’s three-cheers-for-Steven ending, but what he needs after such a life-changing finale is a little relief.

And yet.

Act I of Steven Universe is over, with Steven having a major victory that marks a turning point in his growth. Considering the shape of things to come, it’s fascinating that his first adventure post-Jailbreak involves him keeping the truth from loved ones in the exact way his mother did. And it’s fascinating that he’s so concerned about others that he's willing to put his own happiness on the line for their sake, because that’s the self-destructive martyr complex that drives his actions after the story of Rose shattering Pink is revealed. And it’s fascinating that Connie debunks both of these notions well before they become major themes in the show’s third and final act (not counting the movie and epilogue series). We’re playing the long game, and the seeds of the angst that consumes Steven after Back to the Moon are planted right here, but Connie has already revealed the solution to Steven’s eventual problems: trust is the antidote to Rose’s legacy of secrecy, and love is the antidote to Steven’s sacrificial mindset.

Future Vision

Steven gets a taste of his own medicine in the aftermath of Wanted, where Connie ignores his calls and texts. Both incidents are sparked by Steven going to space without her, but her differing reactions speak volumes about her character development: here she’s worried because she’s out of the loop, but by the time he goes to Homeworld she’s furious and hurt that he let her go through it again. Ignoring how far their partnership has come to take on danger by himself betrays how hard Connie’s worked to be a part of his universe, and I’m thrilled that the show addresses this. 

See below.

I guess you could read it that way…

If you watch Full Disclosure first, the knowledge of the Temple’s fence is foreshadowing. If you watch Story for Steven first, it’s a callback. I gotta go with the foreshadowing on this one.

We’re the one, we’re the ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!

As the unofficial third act of a two-parter, Full Disclosure suffers a bit compared to individual episodes. But tone is still king for me, and I welcome any portrayal of the immediate aftermath of major episodes. Characters in serials tend to be unrealistically resilient when it comes to episode after episode of drama and trauma, and a big part of Steven Universe’s second season is establishing just how much these past events we’ve seen (versus the first season’s focus on past events in a character’s history) affect our leads.

While Full Disclosure itself doesn’t make the cut, now that we’re fifty episodes in I’m expanding the Top Ten to a Top Fifteen. Congratulations to On the Run, Warp Tour, Maximum Capacity, The Test, and Ocean Gem for getting out of the runners-up slot!

Top Fifteen

Steven and the Stevens

Mirror Gem

Lion 3: Straight to Video

Alone Together

The Return

Jailbreak

Rose’s Scabbard

Coach Steven

Giant Woman

Winter Forecast

On the Run

Warp Tour

Maximum Capacity

The Test

Ocean Gem

Love ‘em

Laser Light Cannon

Bubble Buddies

Tiger Millionaire

Lion 2: The Movie

Rose’s Room

An Indirect Kiss

Space Race

Garnet’s Universe

Future Vision

Marble Madness

Political Power

Full Disclosure

Like ‘em

Gem Glow

Frybo

Arcade Mania

So Many Birthdays

Lars and the Cool Kids

Onion Trade

Steven the Sword Fighter

Beach Party

Monster Buddies

Keep Beach City Weird

Watermelon Steven

The Message

Enh

Cheeseburger Backpack

Together Breakfast

Cat Fingers

Serious Steven

Steven’s Lion

Joking Victim

Secret Team

No Thanks!

     4. Horror Club      3. Fusion Cuisine      2. House Guest      1. Island Adventure

[kidsviral-blog]

Community Post: Ranking The Seasons Of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" From Worst To Best

New Post has been published on https://kidsviral.info/community-post-ranking-the-seasons-of-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-from-worst-to-best/

Community Post: Ranking The Seasons Of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" From Worst To Best

See who lands on top. Warning: Spoilers abound.

1. Season 7

View this image ›

The WB

Pros: Spike with a soul is a joy to watch (and not only because James Marsters was arguably at his most gorgeous here). His struggle highlights the fine line between sanity and madness and also touches on the shock of change and depression. Marsters is probably the finest actor of the season. Xander hits full maturity and becomes the true hero we all knew he could be. Andrew Wells makes for some pretty quotable one-liners (“Where have you been? This funnel cake is kicking my ass!”). And finally, we got one of the greatest, most moving series finales in television history. Ladies, we know we have the power. Cons: With the exception of two or three actors, everyone felt very bored and tired. It’s understandable, especially from Sarah Michelle Gellar’s point of view, but it still hurts to watch a show that used to be filled with such joie de vie fade out like that. Plus, “The Killer in Me” and “Him” were actual episodes. Best Episode: “Chosen” (7×22)

2. Season 1

View this image ›

The WB

Pros: Lots of fans are really down on Season 1 and often call it the worst season, but it’s really not that bad. Buffy and her new friends tackle vampires and demons alike, but the stories are representative of things much greater than fantasy adventure. By episode three, we’re deep into mentally abusive parent-child relationships, and by the season finale, Buffy performs her first Christ-like sacrifice to save the world. It’s a solid foundation for the series to come and contains great bits of clever writing. Plus, Buffy’s dress in “Prophecy Girl” is legendary. Cons: The makeup for the demons is pretty bad, and the soundtrack is the musical equivalent of Velveeta macaroni. The quality of the film is worse than even season two, which premiered only a few months after this season ended. “I Robot, You Jane” was an allegory for Internet safety so obvious, it may as well have been a public service announcement. Best Episode: “Prophecy Girl” (1×12)

3. Season 4

View this image ›

The WB

Pros: Buffy’s in college! This transition was handled realistically – well, as realistically as a show about slaying vampires could be. The drift among the Scoobies was written and performed so naturally, it feels like you’re drifting right along with them. That’s how it happens in real life, too, isn’t it? This is also the first season in which Spike is added to the main cast, and his sudden inability to harm people is one of the show’s best bits. Willow and Tara got together this season in the first female-female romance of network TV, which is still a colossal deal in television history. This was also the only season where the writing was nominated for an Emmy. Cool stuff! Cons: The way Buffy acted around her new boyfriend, Riley Finn, felt a little hollow and un-Buffy. Seth Green’s Oz departed from a show in a terrible cheating scandal. The overall arc of the Initiative and Franken-esque Adam was a little weak and underdeveloped. Of course, the reason behind this was probably because no one wanted to apply that much makeup to the guy… or look at the finished product for very long. Best Episode: “Hush” (4×10, the series’ landmark silent episode), but “Restless” (4×22) is an honorable mention.

4. Season 6

View this image ›

The WB

Pros: THERE WAS A MUSICAL EPISODE. Better, there was a musical episode that actually tied in with the themes and character hardships and strengthened the sentiment that where words fail, music speaks. Also, the stages of grief and depression that Buffy went through were written poetically and portrayed beautifully by Gellar. The theme of addiction was addressed in Willow using too much magic, which is probably the best and most honest performance Alyson Hannigan gave on Buffy. The fact that Willow turned out to be the Big Bad of the season was shocking yet natural, and it’s still in the top ten most heartbreaking moments on the show to me. Spike and Buffy made for some pretty hot stuff. And the overarching theme that sometimes, the scariest demons are inside you was handled in a way that felt real, not cheesy or forced. Applause, applause! Cons: TARA DIED. Worse, she got shot by Warren Mears, a villain more horrible than Caleb the preacher (Nathan Fillion) from Season 7. She died, and nobody really reacted to her death except for Willow and Dawn, which was a rude testament to the lovely character. Spike tried to rape Buffy in the same episode that TARA DIED. Xander left Anya at the altar when that seemed like the last thing he would ever do. Honestly, Season 6, it’s just depressing. Best Episode: “Once More with Feeling” (6×07)

5. Season 3

View this image ›

The WB

Pros: Enter Faith, dark Slayer and one of the best examples of character foil I’ve ever encountered. Eliza Dushku has to be one of the best actors the show ever had because when you hate Faith, your blood boils, and when you love Faith, your heart swells. That’s performance, baby. This season featured Mayor Richard Wilkins, the coolest and perhaps funniest villain of the seven seasons. It was also the culmination of the show’s main message: High school is hell. The show was starting to explore more mature themes while also staying in touch with its light, funny reputation, and it was executed well. Cons: Does anyone remember “Bad Girls”? The episode where Buffy embraced her darker side, and she had to try and defeat McDonald’s… I mean, that really fat demon in a Jacuzzi? Yeah, that’s probably season three’s weakest point. That, and Xander and Cordelia broke up when they could have been a Lily Evans and James Potter-type romance. RIP, Xandelia. It’s 2014, and I still have strong feelings about this pairing. Best Episode: “The Wish” (3×09), but “The Zeppo” (3×13) and “Doppelgangland” (3×16) come very close.

6. Season 2

View this image ›

The WB

Pros: Although not the first season, season two of Buffy was where it all really began. The Scoobies became stronger friends and better fighters of evil. Romances heat up when Willow met taciturn musician/werewolf Oz and Xander and Cordelia finally gave into their sexual tension. Giles fell in love with technopagan Jenny Calendar (RIP). Plus, this was when we were introduced to Spike, who would eventually make the show the legend it is today. The dialogue is on point this season. It’s both witty and emotional, with just as many Buffyspeak quips as truly heartfelt moments (Let’s talk about Whistler’s speech at the end of “Becoming, Pt. 1”, for instance.). The overall plot of the season about Buffy sleeping with Angel and consequently losing his soul is both terrifying and a hyper-realistic portrayal of accuracy. Seeing Angel turn to Angelus is scary, but it’s also kind of fun – props to David Boreanaz in this character. Cons: Because it was the second season and many things were still rough, there were some filler episodes where essentially nothing happened. “Killed by Death”… Buffy gets sick and can only fight while sick. Counterproductive! “Reptile Boy”… Buffy and Cordelia get taken advantage of by a bunch of fraternity boys when they should have been able to tell they were bad news by their frosted tips. I would say “Go Fish”, but at least that was kind of about how attractive Nicholas Brendon is/how well he can pull off a Speedo. Amen. Best Episode: “Becoming, Pts. 1 & 2”

7. Season 5

View this image ›

The WB

Pros: All of it. Primarily the writing. Season five was the season Joss Whedon and Co. was meant to write. While not my personal favorite season, I can still argue that season five is the most finely crafted year of Buffy that ever was. Everything on the show led up to this season. Let’s zero in on the foreshadowing, shall we? In season three, Faith says to Buffy in a dream, “Little Miss Muffet counting down from 730.” In 730 days, Buffy would willingly give her life to save her sister, Dawn (who in 5×02 is referred to as “curds and whey”). In a season four dream, Faith and Buffy make a bed for “little sis” and in another dream, Tara carefully remarks, “Be back before dawn.” The scrutiny and the detail of this are insane. If anyone tries to tell you that Buffy was just a silly action show, point out these careful details and how well they actually played out. Additionally, season five gave us “The Body”, which according to some critics might be the finest hour in television history (and yet neither Whedon or Gellar received even nominations for their brilliant work). Bravo, Buffy season five. Your writing and acting are phenomenal, bordering on flawless. Cons: Very few, but it was a little difficult at first to accept the Dawn thing. It was that shocking. Once the show made it clear, it was all too easy to hop on board with little Summers. Also, the fact that Riley turned out to have a vampire bite fetish was, for lack of a better term, really gross. And Xander’s hair. It just seemed mean to wear it that way. Best Episode: Since “The Body” (5×16) is TV’s finest, it’s “The Gift” (5×22).

Read more: http://www.buzzfeed.com/bprofitt/all-the-seasons-of-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-ranke-v954