#unintentional foreshadowing for the win guys

[stunticonbreakdown]

Fun Breakdown Fact of The Day: Unfortunately there's a line in War for Cybertron where he says something along the lines of "watch the face!" because he doesn't want his face to be ruined. This is the same Breakdown who got captured by MECH.

[findingjoynweirdstuff]

Dream SMP Underrated Memories/Moments

Everyone’s always talking about the wars, but I wanted to just gather a list of some of my favorite lesser-appreciated moments that aren’t remembered as much! I’ve been thinking about this list for a while and thought this might be a nice time to post it, seeing as it’s really the start of something new :’)

Just some of my fond memories from the past several months

---

- Shortly after the first revolution, Tubbo announces that he has finally seen Hamilton and understands all the references. He, Tommy and Wilbur then spend like 15 minutes arguing which characters they are. Wilbur explains that Tubbo most resembles John Laurens, and everyone’s like “oh cool” until they remember that that would mean that Tubbo has a tragic death in the future. Tommy says, “Let’s not foreshadow the next WAR, GUYS!” in a joking manner. Haha, very funny Tommy.

- Dream and his parrot. The parrot dies, Dream instantly ends stream, then starts it again and builds a memorial, heartbroken. Rest in peace.

- Sapnap borrowing Spirit only to instantly lose the horse to a creeper explosion, THEN accidentally crafting some leather into an item frame that was meant to hold Spirit’s leather. No wonder Dream no longer keeps pets.

- Theropay and premium bonds

- The original L’manberg war being pushed back a day for Dream’s serious stream, and Tommy reacting to it live in the most hilarious way possible. 

“No, George and I are not dating--” - Dream

“--NOOOOOOOOOOO” - Tommy, immediately

- In the days leading up to the L’manberg war, Tommy builds a fight club underneath the embassy but gets distracted with speaking Dutch to Fundy, eventually leading to him wandering around the Prime Path putting signs down that say “The green bastard shall die!” in different languages, as propaganda to Dream’s viewers who may be able to speak those other languages

- Wilbur asking Dream out on a date with Tommy as his wingman (before he joined the SMP? I think? Not sure), leading to the most infamous conspiracy/plot that would go on to stretch all the way to the ELECTION. New fans...you have no idea how lucky you are to have missed the torture.

- Wilbur and especially JSchlatt joining the SMP in general. Tommy being in awe of his SMPLive heroes. The SMPLive Cuck Shed is replicated in the Dream SMP. Wilbur logs off for what was going to be his last time in the community house, giving Tommy ownership of his ball house. Schlatt is kicked and banned.

- Tommy gives a surprisingly good performance of Macbeth and then Hamilton to Dream while held at gunpoint, winning over Dream’s favor with the power of music. Dream mentions Heathers in game chat, but Tommy doesn’t know what that is. Is there a word that means “unintentional foreshadowing?”

- Tommy and Wilbur construct a park composed of alleyways and drug pits to attract drug dealers and women, instead attracting a mysterious Dream. They challenge Dream to a trivia contest and he loses to Wilbur, then jumps off a cliff in despair. We should’ve known trivia was his greatest weakness. Again, is there a word that means “unintentional foreshadowing??” 

- Tommy is ecstatic at Jack Manifold being whitelisted after the L’manberg war, only for Dream to try and get Jack to join the Dream SMP side instead through bribery and secret-code-filled books...and it kinda worked?

- Fundy gathers obsidian for the new Manberg flag, leading to the hilarious sequence of him desperately trying to google common English phrases that Schlatt says, as he doesn’t know what they mean.

“I’ve taken a few pages out of his book” - Schlatt

*Fundy googling “take a page out of his book meaning”* “Yeah”

“do you know what 'idioms’ are?” - Schlatt

*Fundy immediately googling what an idiom is* “uhhhh yeah yeah - yeah, of course”

- Niki joins the SMP after the L’manberg war. They take down the original Camarvan, and Wilbur performs the L’manberg anthem for the first time. 

- Tommy getting Quackity into a VC to try and intimidate Skeppy (he fails) before asking Dream to whitelist him. Dream promptly does.

- That one day that Quackity felt that Tommy was giving more attention to his new pet Henry than to the cartel, so Quackity kidnaps Henry and forces Tommy to play a cruel Saw-like trivia game to bargain for Henry’s life. Tubbo betrays Tommy and cheers on Quackity for the entertainment. It ends in bloodshed, but thankfully Henry is safe... Yeah, we all just kinda forgot about that day, huh?

- Tommy and Tubbo building the nuclear war bunker

- The birth of Big Law at Fundy’s trial over the mysterious disappearance of Beenis. “Be careful, I’m a lawyer!” 

“What do you do for a living, Tubbo?”

(After proclaiming that he’s a lawyer for 30 minutes) “I paint...sofas”

- Karl joining the SMP, creating a new ugly beautiful Minecraft skin...and putting it on backwards

- Purpled starting his stream right before Eret betrays L’manberg in the war, having no clue of what’s going on. He occasionally joins the VC to hear things without context, and stumbles upon where people are gathered, only to be baffled at what’s happening.

- That early on stream where George texts Dream’s mother that he’s Dream’s boyfriend, and she replies. He and the other SMP members spend an hour going back and forth on how to respond.

- The entire Church Prime stream. Honestly the funniest stream I’ve ever seen, no doubt. I was literally crying tears of laughter at times while simultaneously on edge worrying about them getting cancelled.

- The original Deal or No Deal stream where Tubbo won his Happy Meals

- The hunt for Taco Bell

- Drista. Enough said.

- Fundy joining L’manberg, and Tommy accusing him of plagiarizing the L’manberg outfits due to his crayon suit, only for Wilbur to explain that Fundy is his son. Tommy is, as expected, quite confused.

- Dream giving Fundy and Tommy hundreds of dollars in gifts in the most intimidating and nerve-wracking way possible, holding them at gunpoint.

- Purpled’s fall trap at the Socializing Club causing multiple people, including Dream, Fundy and Tommy to all fall down and die, causing their items to get mixed together, leading to arguments and drama.

- Tubbo’s Stress Relievers

- Tommy and Tubbo, during the Pet War, going up Punz’s tower to defend Fundy. They aren’t in VC, and start saying identical things in chat in Perfect Grammar while in full netherite, ominously looking slowly back and forth at each other, looking like evil twins straight out of a horror movie.

--- Feel free to add on with your own :)

[cecilyneville]

the spanish princess ep 3 the margaret and mary show:

i feel like charlotte hope is trying to aim for a claire foy-esque performance - taut jaw, wide eyes - but while claire is able to say so much with a single blink, charlotte just...yeah ok you know what i’m getting at here, there’s no point in saying it any more.

why would catherine call wolsey “chaplain”? that was his position, not his title, and honestly by 1513/14 (idk what year we’re supposed to be in) i don’t think that was his position anymore (ok he got the promotion later this episode. i still think calling him “chaplain” is dumb)

“am i being punished?” yes catherine, you are! emma frost has made this perfectly clear!

god, i just hate her so much. i can hardly even look at her. yes i’m being mean but also i’m right

“you only get one first time catherine” LOOOOOL

honestly at this point we are one episode away from henry putting a bag over his head lord snowden style

what is this bullshit about henry guaranteeing margaret’s regency? it was laid out in james’ will jesus christ you can’t even give me this

angus physically picking up james v? love me some (probably unintentional) foreshadowing, also as to his anglophilia

the scots are barbarians who can’t help brawling in council! give me strength

lina and oveido named their kids thomas and BARNABY??? 

the writers room being like “what’s the most english name we can give this kid” / “uhhh idk how about the name of the guy from midsomer murders”

catherine saying “i am [a] better [politician than wolsey]” IS THIS A COMEDY

WHY DOES BRANDON CALL MARY HORSE I HATE THIS

emma frost wants us to be mad at henry when he tells catherine off but he’s 100% right and she deserves it

MEG ASKING CATHERINE FOR ADVICE? HATE IT LOL

tsp denied me a hot angus and i won’t forgive them (the guy who’s playing him is a good actor, but i feel as if he’s playing angus too nice)

“have you had any more dreams?” meg he just wants to know if you dream of sexytimes with him lol

“everything good comes out of england” oh they are laying it on THICK with the angus anglophilia

angus showing up next episode in a union jack t-shirt and a teapot shaped like the tardis like some superwholock fan from 2013

oviedo in the background just like “fuuuuck catherine lol”

“before i came to england i was told the english never washed” / “it is a little true, i HATE bathing” - ok this was actually really funny, mostly thanks to sai bennett’s delivery

STOP MAKING ANGUS NICE, WHERE ARE THE FUCKBOI ENERGIES

look i know this letter/monologue is supposed to highlight catherine’s grief but fucking hell shut up, meg’s busy trying to rule scotland she doesn’t need your whining

meg: catherine help me / catherine: MY LIFE IS SO HARD WAAAHHH

i know i’m asking for too much but it would have been nice to see joan guildford attend mary, but women over like 40 don’t exist at the tsp version of the tudor court and if they do they’re evil

STOP CALLING HER HORSE IT IS SOOO CRINGEY

why is he calling her that? is it supposed to be a pun on mary/mare? they would be so cute if it wasn’t for this 

the people of edinburgh are about to riot, but unfortunately they could only afford to put like 20 people in the scene

i can’t stress enough how much i deserved a hot angus

this speech is stupid but i love georgie. also it would have been better if the crowd had joined in with her song

I ALSO DESERVE A HOT ALBANY AND TSP DENIES ME THIS

👏 GIVE 👏 ME 👏 HOT 👏 SCOTTISH 👏 DUDES 👏

can’t believe this is the network that brought us outlander. jesus, couldn’t give richard rankin a role in this??? he’d make a great albany

i expect expository dialogue in historical dramas but this is something else

maggie saying “the queen said it was not the best time to ask, you are not at your happiest” - how am i expected to believe margaret pole is THIS stupid

actually surprised at louis being nice to mary and vowing not to hurt her, this is one up on the tudors’ gross portuguese king

for a show that airs on starz the sex scenes are so dull

mary just trying to induce a heart attack in louis is so funny, love her so much

“you are the greatest queen scotland has ever known” look i love meg to pieces but somewhere, st margaret is turning over in her grave

“you don’t favour one clan over another” OH LORD

i like how they have lina speaking spanish but it just drives home how much better stephanie levi-john is at this

i like henry’s green doublet

oh yeah you go girl! clench that neck and win back your husband from that evil wolsey! girl power!!!! this ending is so anticlimactic but what else should i expect

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Moriarty 5 - 7 | HypMic 10 - 11

Moriarty 5

Saito’s Moriarty and Gentaro voices are quite similar, now that I compare them.

“…he’s a good egg at heart.” – LOL, never thought I’d be reading subtitles that said that.

Oh, so that was Frida on the bridge?

I wonder, is Moriarty like Bon and nursing a weak leg with that cane? Or is the cane just a symbol of nobility?

Moriarty 6

The Titanic? Wasn’t there a Black Butler arc based on it?

LOL, these people in the foreground are CGI.

…is that the grapefruit guy? (Beats me, I haven’t watched this in weeks and am only returning to it because Scott keeps mentioning spoilers. The only thing I’m keeping up with properly is HypMic and my Kanon watch with #AniTwitWatches…and soon I’ll add the final episodes of Sailor Moon to it.)

Found him! Sherlock Holmes! I sort of triangulated from buzz around me that he appears in this episode.

What’s with the skull ring Holmes wears?

…ah, the golden ratio!

…Oh, this is gonna get interesting! You can tell this Holmes is adept in fighting due to his build, but…how did Moriarty figure out Holmes played the violin? Calluses on his hands?

Is this Holmes a womaniser…? I thought the guy was often characterised as an asexual, or at the very least aromantic. That’s part of what makes the guy so intriguing to me - because he still has Irene.

A colliery is a coal mine. It’s been a while since I heard that word.

Moriarty 7

The anime’s sense of colour is probably one of the most striking parts of this. Not just red, but blue and green where it counts too.

Not a fan of the 1st person cam…

That knife came out pretty clean for something so blood-stained.

I wanted to say “’Right,’ said Fred”…but Fred didn’t talk, so I can’t do that. (Dangit!)

I somehow found it slightly funny that France was ahead of Britain (America?) in forensic pathology, although I dunno what made it funny exactly.

I squealed (…just a little bit) when the iconic quote came up: “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” I have it memorised from my Detective Conan days still, see?

Next time: A Study in S (according to stuff I read, the S stands for Sherlock this time).

HypMic 10

…I can’t believe it’s almost over already. I’ve basically been in a dream this entire season…but then what happens once the anime is over…? Waiting for the 2nd DRB to happen, I guess.

I didn’t even realise, but Jiro’s varsity jacket has an owl on the bottom of the logo.

…”[H]it the head”? Wassat mean? *checks up* Oh, so it means to go to the bathroom…Right. It’s US slang, which might explain a thing.

Notice Ramuda uses “Jakurai” and not “jijii” or something like that during his time with Ichijiku. Also, there’s a lot of his deep voice going around…

You can see MTR on the poster behind Ramuda at one point.

*anguished noises* Ramuda!!! Please don’t do this!!!

LOL, Sadamezuka and Kazuha.

Is “bum-rush” even an appropriate word for this situation…? US slang is weird…

…Doppo’s performance almost seems like a Rosho foreshadowing. Also, I love how Doppo’s screens disappear with his motivation.

…I saw a spoiler today on Twitter regarding Dice and meat…now I get it.

“detarame” – I know this word means “nonsense”, but for some reason I memorised it as meaning “s***” at one point due to the context of Scenario Liar. I find it interesting Hifumi used a word from Scenario Liar in the first place, even though it’s not necessarily meant to be taken in that context.

“the King of Normies” – For some reason, that made me laugh pretty hard. That is an accurate translation of “riajyuu no ousama” though.

Gentaro’s smile puts a smile on my face as well.

“colours you’ve dyed” – Note Shibuya is constantly referred to by colours, including how PCCS (in the Shibuya 1st DRB team song) apparently means “practical colour coordinate system”.

I find it interesting that Saburo was the one who mentioned holding hands as a sign of camaraderie first in the anime and then the Funi translation makes Ramuda use the same symbolism here. It may have been unintentional, though.

…the subbers keep using “OMG” and I’m like ????. Is OMG outdated slang in 2020?

…wow, that holy imagery…they really went all-in on Jakurai’s godliness there.

…even when knocked down, Jakurai’s hair is still 100% gorgeous.

I noticed one of the lyrics the translators cut out of Doppo’s rap was “borderline”.

Ahhhhhhhhhh! This anime just kicked me where it hurts! (<- As in, it used the trope I love so much – where the underdog causes a sudden turn-around in the battle and they’re not even aware of it!) This is why I love you, Doppo!

LOL, FP spent their countdown gossiping. That’s such a FP thing to do.

Hifumi seems to carry the beat in MTR’s Kizuna. Jakurai gets drowned out quite a bit, although Riou (who has a similar voice) was less drowned out.

“No pain, no gain.” – That’s a good saying.

HypMic 11

2 episodes until the end! (Yikes!)

I still take some issue with subbing the laughing. Well, then again I’ve been half-deaf lately with my ears being clogged (accidentally clogged my ear up again…), so I guess I shouldn’t complain.

If I’m hearing it right, Ramuda goes “nee-san” and not particularly anything to do with “Beauties” or “Beasts”, which seems to be exclusive to the subs.

Stone guardian? I guess this has to do with jizo in Japanese. Hifumi does go “namu” (short for “namu amida butsu”) towards Doppo at the end there.

That bed is…why is it so empty if it’s meant to be the room someone’s staying in?

Is Jyuto’s hair black or brown? I’ve been colouring it a deep brown because I think that looks nice, but it might actually be black…

I have a newfound respect for Komada ever since I found out his birthday is [secret censored – maybe if you follow the hints I leave behind, you might find out what I mean].

LOL, I spotted the fire extinguisher in one corner and was immediately reminded of how someone once translated “fire extinguisher” to “hand grenade”.

…how does Jakurai’s hair work from the back? There’s this coil of hair that seems to go places it shouldn’t be…

For some reason, the subbers keep translating “sensei” as “the good doctor”…or is that the first and only time it happened?

I think it’s appropriate they discuss bonds on the day Kizuna (the ED) goes out on streaming.

…*thinks about 2nd DRB, where BB vs. DH is going to happen next month* …Yeah, you better pay attention or your daddy’s gonna come spank you boys.

Jakurai summoning his mic is always freakin’ cool. Aspire to be like this elegant man.

The wolf hand sign again.

There’s a pun between kizukizu (wounds) and kizuna (bonds). Update: The phrase is actually gisugisusa (stiffness, unsociability, coldness [of atmosphere] etc.), but...there’s the same rhyming scheme, so it’s not wrong.

Doppo’s bit about Jakurai(-sensei) being a kasugai (hemostat) is, surprisingly, quite faithful, as you can tell from how those words rhyme. Hifumi’s verse mentions a monkey wrench, though.

…kasumitai ore ga yoi… - that translates to “…[Jakurai is] better than us, who are like scum…” It’s a very Doppo sort of line, noting that kasu literally means “residue”.

I didn’t realise this until now, but Riou has a piercing in one ear (his right). It’s just in an unconventional place in the upper curve, so I never spotted it.

Samatoki’s death aesthetic really contrasts against Jakurai’s healing one. I can see why people really liked the MTC vs. MTR fight now.

It seems the strategy to win in this series is to keep spamming your attacks. It seems hugely suitable for my pseudo-Pokemon AU, which emphasises attack over defence.

Oh! I never noticed the blue gem on Jakurai’s mic!

Note how Samatoki said “lightning rod” – Jakurai’s name means “lonely thunder”. It’s one reason why I fell head over heels for the guy – his stupidly awesome name.

“horse/rabbit/bush warbler” – These refer to MTC. Samatoki, Jyuto, Riou. On that note, ARB currently has an event where Ramuda hangs out with MTC and he calls Jyuto “usa-chan” as a pun. I find that so darn cute!

“And the winner is…Matenro!” - *cue the song, The Champion*

Notice how they put BB and FP before MTC and MTR in the ED…it’s foreshadowing!

[staarkids]

fave things in firebringer act 1!!

i rewatched firebringer and wrote this as i was going along, it’s super long so i’m really sorry!!!! if you read it to the end i can’t offer you a prize but you will win my admiration

the whole ‘privileged fucks’ thing letting you know exactly what kind of musical this is gonna be from the get go

brian holden's lonely nipple

'HEEE CREATED THE UNIVERSE'

zazz keeps touching jemilla when she's talking about Not Wanting To Do The Work Today™ and i'm here for it

tiblyn dancing with her arms up

'how do you guys all know this dance?' she seems genuinely concerned SHDJF

THE ENTIRE WORK DANCE

emberly has The Best Job, confirmed, she said it

'WHEN I'M NOT KICKING ASS I SIT AND STARE AT THE GRASS'

'thank you jemilla, i love you' 'ok'

jemilla not knowing the work dance implies that all the other dances they do have actually been planned and choreographed

is keeri the choreographer?? what's the story here

'the sun? the sun is a man.'

molag's costume in general it's just great

the random ass noises molag and jemilla make at each other

'hold my stick, i know you like that'

'i have loved you from the moment i clobbered your mother to death'

@ JEMILLA AND ZAZZALIL STOP FLIRTING WHILST TALKING ABOUT KILLING SQUIRRELS

ew i hate him

'oh the bag is full good job yum yummmmm'

YIKES LAUREN'S VOICE IN WHAT IF SBDBDBDJ

how many times do you think zazzalil has ranted to keeri about jemilla??? how many times has this exact conversation taken place

keeri mirroring zazzalil's movements sometimes

keeri is Senior Tribe Nut Collector™

the way keeri says 'bullshit'

zazzalil getting genuinely excited about slaughtering animals,, what

CHORN AND SMELLY BALLS HAVE A HANDSHAKE

joe walker's ducker voice!!!!

'oh.... Hell Yes'

jamie's acting bc i genuinely didn't even register who it was to begin with,, like i had to take a minute to realise it was her the first time i watched this

'and i'm like..... Shwoopsie'

chorn being canon non-binary

'SO GROSS.... we could eat that'

'sometimes you've gotta get your head out of the clouds and stop thinking so much about romance' *intensely romantic stare*

THE NOISES GRUNT MAKES WHEN HE CAN'T SPIT THE BERRY OUT ARE SO FUNNY TO ME

THE MOST realistic representation of what you do when someone can't hear your name properly

i know grunt and emberly are The Hetero Couple but just a taste is a BOP and i love them

emberly is singing about grunt in just a taste, but grunt is definitely singing about food at the beginning and that's a BIG MOOD

these two have just met and they're already dancing together

jemilla fuckin BEATING HER CHEST cuz she's so pumped about scaring off an outsider,, you go girl

tiblyn assuming that emberly was the one wasting her life 

progress pleases the duck

he is looooord the duck is looooooord

ducker's lil 'what the Fuck?'

'jemilla..... *dark voice* you don't have the guts'

DUCKER'S FACE IN THE BACKGROUND WHEN THE SKY DOESN'T FALL

zazzalil going 'heeeyy jemilla' EVERY SINGLE TIME she has an idea,,, she always shows them to her straight after keeri and you bet it's because she wants to impress her

zazzalil built this weapon with the full intent of killing things, she doesn't know what it does, and yet she decides to whack jemilla round the leg with it for fun

'OW FUCK MY FUCKING LEG WHAT THE FUCK'

'what are you Fucking Nuts?'

where are all of the elders aside from molag??? we can only assume that she killed them ALL

'an elephant NEVER FORGETS'

it's Banned™

'don't be mean to lauren'

LAUREN WALKER HAS SUCH GREAT STAGE PRESENCE I LOVE MOLAG

this tribe has such a thing for naming things like we got Peacemaker, Warmaster, Firebringer, Snarl the Great Devourer, Trunkell the Water Spirit,,, i love it 

smelly balls' interpretative snarl dance at the beginning of the night belongs to snarl

in fact the entire first verse of that song sounds oddly like a james bond song and this isn't really a fave thing i just really think it does

THE NIGHT BELONGS TO SNARL IS SUCH A JAM

that one shot at the end of the song with the big snarl eyes and mouth.. his mouth looks like a cave which is some Subtle Foreshadowing as to where he hangs out + the big ending scene and also it looks awesome as hell

i love the idea of having an open mic in the cave every night..... if chorn sticks around with the tribe do you think it does some cool singing for them all with shwoopsie’s dandelion mic??????

*ANGRY KISS*

to begin with, the tribe laughs at shwoopsie's joke and the audience doesn't, and then it swaps around in the cave scene as the audience begins to get it and it grows tired on the tribe

tiblyn is BITTER

'yeah i mean it's like DO MY BALLS EVEN SMELL???'

'we don't need to question everything...' 'jemillaihaveaquestion'

JEMILLA FREAKING THE FUCK OUT ABOUT ZAZZALIL IN THE STORM

jemilla always does these random noises when she's upset

'it's too late for zazzalil fuck her'

'i've got nothing else to live for so i may as well' BIG MOOD

smelly balls constantly repeating 'hell yeah' like it will solve All Problems because it worked for him once when jemilla told him to and jemilla knows best

*incredibly high pitched voice* 'jeMILLAAA'

FUCK YESSSS INTO THE NIGHT YESSSS

WHY IS HER VOICE SO INCREDIBLE

the lil voice crack when zazzalil sings 'you stupid fucking storm' that was probably unintentional but kinda illustrates how she's feeling!!!!!!

ALL OF THE MUSIC IS SO WELL INCORPORATED LIKE THEY FIT THE LYRICS FROM DIFFERENT SONGS TOGETHER SEAMLESSLY WHICH MAKES THIS REAL GREAT OVERALL MOOD

molag says that zazzalil not knowing about the duck makes the appearance of fire seem crazy as fuck, so does this mean zazzalil thinks the duck blessed her with fire?????? does she still think this??????? does she think she's like the new ducker???????? did anyone EVER TELL HER????????????

the cool ass dancing to transition from spear to fire which is just cool as hell i love it

'now that was real abstract'

the whole joke about 'i don't even know what' is completely disregarded when molag talks about ice cream cones,,, which can only mean that for some reason the entire tribe has ready access to ice cream

jemilla being so relieved like 'ZAZZALIL THERE YOU ARE' and then trying to mask the concern by telling her off

'time is frrozen noooow'

the whole time is frozen sequence implies that everything that happens with molag instructing zazzalil is going on in zazzalil's mind... does zazz have like a tiny molag in her head when she tries to figure things out??? that is Cute as Heck and shows the respect they all have for her as a Person Of Knowledge™

zazzalil acting like she planned this all along you're doing amazing baby

'i wanted everything you had, and for you to have nothing'

'do you know what we do to babies in this tribe? uh oh WE EAT THEM' 'let's..... eat...... JEMILLA'

'in my opinion.. it's too hot' are you talking about zazzalil or the fire

WHY IS SMELLY BALLS OBSESSED WITH FIRE RELATED THINGS SECRETLY BEING MEN, GIVE HIM A MAN

zazzalil doesn't stop the tribe from worshipping her the way jemilla did when they tried to, which shows the difference in their personalities and how zazzalil lets the power go to her head. a NICE TOUCH!!!!

fuckkkkk i love the night belongs to us it's SO GREAT

jemilla singing 'me' and everyone singing 'us' to show how she's Alone Now

SUCH A GREAT SONG IN GENERAL I LOVE IT A LOT

stay tuned for act 2 folks

[flauntpage]

MLB's Postseason of Chaos and Gamesmanship

On Monday afternoon, as the Dodgers and Brewers got ready to start Game 3 of the NLCS, Brewers manager Craig Counsell announced that Wade Miley would start Game 5 on short rest. Miley had been supremely effective in his Game 2 start, pitching two outs into the sixth without allowing a run. He’d also been successful when facing the Dodgers in the regular season. And his one previous career start on three days’ rest, while more than six years ago, set a good precedent: six innings, seven strikeouts, no runs. Whether the Brewers would be looking for a series win or looking to avoid falling behind 3-2, Miley was as solid a choice as any to get at least the first few outs of the game. Nothing seemed amiss.

The Brewers won Game 3, putting them ahead 2-1 in the series, before losing the 13-inning marathon that was Game 4 by a score of 2-1. With the series tied, then, Miley took the mound in the bottom of the first in Game 5. To counter him, Dave Roberts sent out a lineup stacked with right-handers, save for Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger—the latter making a rare appearance out of the leadoff spot. Miley walked Bellinger on five pitches. And then out came Counsell. He made the call to the bullpen. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff was coming into the game.

One would be forgiven for being a little confused. The game had already featured a managerial challenge and a call on the field overturned. To have an unprompted first-inning pitching change on top of that seemed a little much. But this had been Counsell’s plan all along. Miley was never going to actually start Game 5. No, Miley had always been intended to start Game 6 on regular rest. It had all been a ploy, trying to gain whatever slim advantage they could over the Dodgers by pre-empting Dave Roberts’ platoon-matched lineup. The Brewers were so committed to the deception that even the Brewers’ own position players weren’t aware of the plan.

To listen to John Smoltz tell it on the broadcast, the Brewers were trying to introduce an element of chaos to the game: “They want chaos to win this series,” he said, as Brandon Woodruff prepared to make his first pitch to Justin Turner. Smoltz, of course, is a noted hater of baseball in its current iteration. His comment was likely meant to disparage the Brewers’ strategy: They were trying to win via cheap disorder, rather than by good old-fashioned honest baseball, the way they played it back in Smoltz’s notoriously controversy-free 90s heyday. But there was an element of truth to Smoltz’s analysis, though it might have been unintentional. Because this postseason, and these championship series especially, have had an uncharacteristically large focus on the exploitation of chaos—players and teams doing their best to affect variables of baseball that go beyond the mechanics of the game.

The most obvious instance of this was the Astros’ apparent attempts to steal signs, sending various team employees into the field-level camera well, having them film opposing dugouts using their cell phones, and presumably relaying information back to someone else who could then pass it on to the Astros dugout. The Astros first did this in their ALDS sweep of Cleveland, who warned the Red Sox that something similar might happen. (The Red Sox themselves, one might recall, were caught using an Apple Watch for similar trickery last season.) And, sure enough, an Astros-affiliated man named Kyle McLaughlin was removed from the camera well at Fenway Park during Game 1 of the ALCS. The Astros claimed that they were merely making sure that the other teams weren’t cheating. MLB decided to take that flimsy defense at face value, and considers the matter closed.

According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, the Astros aren’t even the only team accused of employing shady sign-stealing tactics this postseason. There were reports of an illegal coach on of the benches in the Red Sox-Yankees series. There were further accusations of sign-stealing in the NL West tiebreaker played between the Dodgers and the Rockies. Sign-stealing and accusations thereof have been part of the game for as long as there have been signs to steal. But with the technology and equipment available to use for spying now, the practice—and the paranoia surrounding it—has taken center stage in the narrative of this postseason.

And it’s not just teams who’ve been trying to exploit whatever advantages they can find, spirit of fair play be damned. Players on the field have been finding ways around rules, or through them. Who could forget Javier Baez’s double play-preventing hug in the NL Wild Card game? It was an astute, successful bit of psychological warfare from Baez: Arenado instinctively reacted to the unexpected hug by hugging Baez back, cloaking the interference in a tender embrace. The hug, and the fact that interference wasn’t called on the play, ended up being a non-factor in the outcome of the game. But if the Cubs had gone on to score and win that inning, the hug would surely have become one of the most-discussed pivotal events of this postseason.

There’s also the matter of Manny Machado. Machado has been hitting well this series for the Dodgers, with a .316/.409/.526 line. He’s scored four of their 16 runs. He’s also been drawing attention to himself for employing a style of play that other players have described as “dirty.” Like in the Dodgers Game 3 loss, when he grabbed Orlando Arcia’s leg while sliding into second on a double play ball and was called for interference. Or like in Game 4, when he kicked Jesus Aguilar in the ankle as he ran out a grounder to first, an incident that resulted in the benches clearing and Machado getting fined.

Machado, for his part, didn’t deny that he was trying to interfere with Brewers players, or to mess with their heads. Instead, he justified his attempts to do so because they were done in the service of winning ballgames. "We’re trying to win," he said. “[Aguilar]'s trying to do whatever he can to help his team over there, and we're doing the same over here." Which echoed the remarks made by Astros president of baseball operations Jeff Luhnow when asked about the sign-stealing incident: “We’re playing defense. We’re not playing offense. We want to make sure it’s an even playing field.” More conciliatory words, but a similar sentiment: We’re just doing what the other guys would have done to us. We’re just playing the game.

Only a few years ago, there were still front offices in baseball who didn’t employ a full-time analytics department. Certain teams were quite literally years ahead of their competitors in their data collection and use of analytics, and could use this to strategic advantage. Their understanding of the game was simply better than others’. This is no longer the case. The analytical playing field is much closer to level, and the gaps in knowledge from team to team are negligible. Which might be why teams and players seem to have been making more concerted attempts than usual to find any possible competitive edge—whether through unidentified men in camera wells, mysterious extra coaches in dugouts, unexpected hugs, or false starters.

It remains to be seen whether this is a theme that will extend beyond this postseason. As in the case of bullpen use in the 2016 postseason, we’ve seen the playoffs foreshadow the broader trends of baseball before. When all was said and done, though, Counsell’s gambit couldn’t save the Brewers in Game 5. Their lineup couldn’t solve a sharp Clayton Kershaw. There are still some things in baseball that even the cleverest of gamesmanship can’t overcome.

MLB's Postseason of Chaos and Gamesmanship published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

[doctorwhonews]

Doctor Who - The War Doctor Vol 4: Casualties of War

Latest Review: Written by Guy Adams, Andrew Smith and Nicholas Briggs Produced by David Richardson Directed by Nicholas Briggs Big Finish Productions, 2017 Stars: John Hurt (The War Doctor), Louise Jameson (Leela), Jacqueline Pearce (Cardinal Ollistra), Joseph Kloska (Schandel), Julia Hills (Sera/Spokesperson), Mark Elstob (Editor/Old Man), Lizzie Roper (Rosata Laxter/High Minister), Chris Porter (Skaul/Freel), Alan David (Castellan Kanteer), Jane Slavin (Panopticon Guard Lintok), and Nicholas Briggs (Dalek Time Strategist/Daleks/Assault Team Leader) “I’m the stuff of nightmares! I’m a murderer, a warrior, a demon let loose in the time stream, a man who’s lost his conscience, his friends – even his name!” The War Doctor The latest – and possibly last – instalment in Big Finish’s The War Doctor saga, Casualties of War, has an unintentional poignant edge to it – it is the last Doctor Who-related work of the late, great Sir John Hurt. Hurt delivers such a lively, commanding, sometimes weary and at other times profound portrayal that it is hard to believe the owner of that distinctive, gravelly voice will no longer entertain us with his gift. As co-star Louise Jameson remarks in the CD extras, his voice is “perfect for audio … so full of character and a life lived!” Hurt clearly enjoyed doing drama on audio; he could project his wonderful voice and deliver some great oratory. Indeed, in an interview with BF supremo Nick Briggs (that is available as part of a tribute podcast that BF released not long after his death), Hurt talked about the advantages of radio drama over television and the theatre. “I love sound for a start,” he told Briggs. “I’ve always enjoyed voice work, I’ve always enjoyed doing radio, I think, because it’s very akin to film and less akin to stage … You can cut between this time, that time … You can play with it the same way you can in film but it’s more immediate. You have to have a sensibility for it, you have to hear it in your head, you have to know what your voice is sounding like and how it comes across.”  There is no doubt that Hurt was in his element in The War Doctor saga and in BF’s adaptation of HG Wells’ The Invisible Man. Despite Hurt’s dedication to his art, Casualties of War won’t ever be a tour de force, nor is it the best of BF’s four War Doctor volumes. However, it would be unfair to judge it too harshly in the context of Hurt’s passing. It is an entertaining collection, and it brings The War Doctor saga to a satisfactory, if somewhat predictable close. Just as the titles of the last couple of box sets reflected loose themes – eg the lengths to which Daleks and Time Lords alike would go to find an edge in Infernal Devices, and the machinations of third parties in Agents of Chaos – so Casualties of War explores the impact of the Time War on worlds, societies and even other realities unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire. The war’s effects through time have been explored in other Doctor Who audios (notably the Eighth Doctor serial The Sontaran Ordeal) but this box set does a sterling job of putting the Time Lords, the Daleks and the listeners on the front line. Pretty Lies, the first of Volume 4’s tales, largely resumes from where Vol 3 concluded, with the Doctor and Time Lord War Council strategist Cardinal Ollistra (Jacqueline Pearce) on the run from the Daleks. In some respects, the story setting is reminiscent of an old Western – as a couple of strangers “mosey” into an isolated township on a remote frontier planet and inadvertently defend it against marauders. After crash landing on Beltox, the Doctor and Ollistra meet Schandel (Joseph Kloska), a time-travelling war correspondent. Schandel, with the aid of an AI conveniently called Editor (Mark Elstob), has anticipated their arrival and is aware of their roles in an impending Dalek attack on the human township of Fairgill. Reluctantly the Doctor and Ollistra must use their wits and Fairgill’s scant resources to buy themselves time and save as many lives as possible against an all-out Dalek assault. Throughout almost two decades of BF’s Doctor Who range, we’ve come across a few journalists and war correspondents in its serials (notably in Colditz and The Angel of Scutari). Whereas those characters were largely unlikeable and unheroic, Schandel is clearly naïve. In fact, given his unbridled enthusiasm upon meeting one of his idols – “the legendary Doctor”, “the greatest hero of the Time War” and an “inspiration” – it’s clear Schandel is more of a clueless, overexcited fanboy than a detached journalist. “I’m not normally this giddy!” he confesses to the Doctor. “I really am a bit of a fan!” There is no doubt that scribe Guy Adams has based Schandel on a variety of Doctor Who fans he’s met but he doesn’t let the character get too out of control. Adams uses Schandel to show, much to the Doctor’s chagrin, how truth can indeed be one of the first casualties of war and how the camera can sanitise war for the sake of entertainment. Indeed, the Doctor is horrified when his words are edited and presented in a context that make him out to be a hero (the one thing he insists he’s not). Adams devises a clever ruse at the climax which also ties in with his underlying commentary on the wartime role of the media. It’s not necessarily an original climax (indeed it’s very reminiscent of a ruse used to fool Pearce’s former persona Servalan in the Blake’s 7 TV episode The Harvest of Kairos) but it’s effective and dramatic. The second instalment, The Lady of Obsidian, sees the War Doctor and Cardinal Ollistra again on the front lines of the Time War, as the Time Lords make a stand at the planet Grend. While Ollistra seeks to amass a Gallifreyan time fleet to head off an impending Dalek strike force, the Doctor goes in search of the mysterious “Lady of Obsidian” to recruit her guerrilla faction which is attacking Dalek forces in the sector. It isn’t long before the Doctor realises the so-called “Lady” is in fact his former companion Leela (Louise Jameson). But this is a very changed Leela from the “savage” we knew in the classic era of Doctor Who and indeed in BF’s Gallifrey spin-off series. Her psyche has been scarred  –  both figuratively and literally – by the Time War. While Leela’s affliction – a “time wound” – is not entirely convincing to the listener (anyone else in her position would probably be driven mad by the condition), Louise Jameson turns in a persuasively tortured, anguished, confused and uncertain portrayal. In the subsequent tale, once restored of her faculties, Jameson portrays the naïve, instinctive and curious huntress that we’ve loved for more than 40 years. In the 2009-10 two-parter The End of Time, the Tenth Doctor spoke of other factions joining the Time War, including the “Could’ve Been King and his army of Meanwhiles and Neverweres”. Lady of Obsidian writer Andrew Smith delivers a variation on this one-off line, creating the Unlived, hostile beings from a rift in the space/time continuum. While the Unlived, led by the Gollum-like Skaul (Chris Porter), are described by Leela as an even greater threat than the Daleks, they are for the most part unconvincing and one-dimensional. It could be argued the Unlived are meant to be vague beings but that shouldn’t make them caricatures as well. Just as Pretty Lies borrows ideas from the Western trope, so The Lady of Obsidian draws heavily from space opera influences, notably Star Wars and Star Trek. This is evident in the dogfights in space between Dalek saucers and Battle TARDISes, the Doctor’s recruitment of a cocky former soldier-turned-smuggler, a guerrilla group that hides deep in a nebula (not unlike the Maquis in the Trek spin-off Deep Space Nine) and an “evil galactic empire” (the Daleks) intent on crushing all “non-Dalek life”. The final instalment – The Enigma Dimension – is also reminiscent of a Star Trek episode (particularly DS9’s opening episode Emissary). Like The Lady of Obsidian, Nicholas Briggs’ script foreshadows significant concepts in the modern Doctor Who TV series, principally the Dalek containment sphere (or void ship) which graced Torchwood One’s Canary Wharf HQ in Army of Ghosts/Doomsday. The Doctor, with the TARDIS back in his possession and Leela once more at his side, returns to Gallifrey, to be confronted with a potential threat: the extra-dimensional, non-linear Enigma, a life form unlike any he has encountered before. It is no coincidence that the Enigma arrives as reality on Gallifrey starts to shift; there are reports of “phantom Daleks” appearing in the Time Lord Capitol, portending an imminent invasion. Needless to say, the Daleks’ “prime objective” to win the Time War is more ambitious than mere conquest … Briggs – who again voices the Daleks, including their deep-throated Time Strategist – quite rightfully resists the temptation to end The War Doctor saga on a space opera tour de force. Instead, he delivers a script that is quite surreal, ethereal and (excuse the pun) enigmatic – but definitely not to the extent that the listener loses track of the story. Indeed, some of John Hurt’s best work inevitably comes to the fore in The Enigma Dimension, particularly in the climactic confrontation with the Time Strategist. Hurt’s performance is no doubt bolstered by close friend Jacqueline Pearce as Ollistra. As a reluctant sidekick or “helper” (her word for the Doctor’s erstwhile companions over many centuries), the cardinal is the perfect foil for the jaded, cranky War Doctor. No doubt due to her recent travels with the Doctor in Volumes 3 and 4, the character’s disposition has softened since she was first introduced in Only the Monstrous. She even shows signs of altruism. Ollistra passes off defending Grend as being a strategic advantage for Gallifrey that “by a pleasant coincidence … also happens to be the right thing to do”. However, she is also clearly shaken and emboldened enough by Beltox’s fate at the end of the Fairgill engagement to ensure that the Daleks do not repeat their atrocities in the Grend system. Ollistra’s ruthless, calculating streak really comes to the fore in the climax to The Enigma Dimension when, to the Doctor’s disgust, she seizes an opportunity to ultimately turn the Time War in the Time Lords’ favour. Again, Pearce’s performance cannot help but be compared to her Blake’s 7 alter ego Servalan;  regardless she is an outstanding actor. And while this volume has debunked my theory (first postulated in my review of Vol 2) that “the unhappy woman” (as Leela cheekily calls Ollistra) is not a Time War incarnation of former companion Romana, it is great that Pearce’s Ollistra will continue to be a foil in the forthcoming The Eighth Doctor – The Time War series. Aside from Hurt, Pearce and Jameson’s outstanding performances, Volume 4 of The War Doctor saga again provides great performances from some of Big Finish’s lesser known artistes – in particular, Julia Hills as Fairgill’s governor Sera and Lizzy Roper as smuggler Rosata Laxter – as well as excellent sound effects and incidental music from Howard Carter. In The Enigma Dimension, Carter’s blending of the iconic Dalek throbbing sound effect (which dates back to the pepperpots’ very first TV appearance in 1963-4) with the incidental track is particularly inspired and foreboding. It’s a masterstroke that Murray Gold has not even attempted in the modern TV series. While not as memorable as the first three volumes in The War Doctor saga, Casualties of War is nevertheless entertaining and there are plenty of striking moments and performances – not least from Hurt himself. His confrontation with the Time Strategist in the climactic moments of The Enigma Dimension is both humorous and sublime. One moment, the War Doctor is describing the Daleks’ extra-dimensional destructor beam as “startlingly imaginative … Does what it says on the tin, I expect. Hardly surprising from a race of tin cans!” The next he is waxing lyrical about what fear means to him and the Daleks: Perhaps I do fear ... Perhaps I do but not you yourselves. I fear what you can do. Yes, I fear that – the death, the pain, the suffering, the merciless, senseless destruction of … well, everything that isn’t you! Yes, I do fear that. But as for you, the Daleks fear powerlessness, defeat and in everything and everyone you ever encounter, you see your fear staring right back at you! Whilst Hurt’s dialogue is extremely well written by Briggs, it succeeds because of Hurt’s wonderful delivery. Some of his final words as the War Doctor are equally as memorable: We Time Lords have fought too long and too hard to be anything other than warriors … If the Daleks alone were to be destroyed, I think we would find someone else to fight now! I think that’s my real fear – that the war will never end! Sadly, with Hurt’s passing, such wonderful monologues and dialogue is gone forever. It can only be hoped the great man’s departure doesn’t entirely close the door on the War Doctor’s adventures. BF has announced that the next four volumes of the Eighth Doctor’s adventures will focus on the beginnings of the Time War, which should compensate for the vacuum The War Doctor series leaves. However, why couldn’t there be more volumes of The War Doctor in the long-term? Yes, John Hurt won’t be there, but the absences of the actors to play the first three Doctors and Christopher Eccleston’s self-imposed exile from all things Who have not stopped BF delivering further adventures for each of those incarnations. Hurt’s Doctor shouldn’t be an exception, particularly as Ollistra, Leela and Veklin (Beth Chalmers, who appeared in Vol 1 and also makes a cameo in Vol 4) could all play parts in future narratives. Hurt’s passing need not entirely mark the end of what has been a great series – and what better tribute could there be than to continue the adventures of a character whose artiste was so beloved by generations of viewers and who will even be long remembered by some Doctor Who fans as the noblest Doctor of them all? http://reviews.doctorwhonews.net/2017/06/doctor_who_the_war_doctor_vol_4_casualties_of_war.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr