#we talk as if we aren't in the early 2000s anymore

[ensfortress]

When did our generation become so obsessed with the past we stopped living?

Bring back 80s fashion we say, 90s hairstyles, 2000s music.

What about 2020s? Do we have nothing to share? Nothing to show? Nothing to hold on to?

Why are we still living in the pandemic, unable to move forward? How long are we to mourn the ages we lost? How long will it take to embrace that we'll no longer be, no longer are the kids, the teens we were supposed to be?

Do we ever get out? Does the darkness ever end?

[decolonize-the-everything]

Why do terfs find the transandrophobia community such an easy target for recruitment?

....you don't think lesbians are especially prone to being targeted despite so many of them being (political) lesbians?

But yeah okay I'll humor your disingenuous question.

They are drawn to transmascs for the same reason they think trans women are oppressive.

TERFs fundamentally have no respect for them or their gender identity. They pretend to be respectful, but disregard it completely. Why? They want to unify with transmascs over something they call "sex based oppression."

It's their latest psyop to try erasing trans people. Their goal is to exploit uneducated transmascs into thinking they experience oppression because of their sex and not their gender identity.

If you can get transmascs to parrot that point, then eventually the logic will reach transfemmes who will undoubtedly be discoursing with them about it. Suddenly the trans community is debating whether our oppression is even due to gender.... And well if that's the case does it Matter if we identify as trans? Should laws even recognize gender over sex at that point?

For obvious reasons TERFs can't "bond" with trans women over "sex based oppression" and manipulate them with the same methods. They also don't want to since they see trans women as men; as The Enemy.

See, idk if you know this but TERFs don't believe transmen are men. They think they're mentally ill women who need to be saved as fellow women. To a TERF this is the same as just having Awful self esteem. Which is so relatable because you know who tanks the self esteem of women?

Men. Only men could make women hate themselves so much that they don't want to identify as their own sex anymore. To a TERF every trans man is a tragedy that gets more pity from them from anything. They think they're helping. They feel sorry for transmen and see them as something that needs to be saved.

So no.

It's not that the transandrophobia community are easier targets than anyone else is.

They aren't targeting transmen because they Like transmen. They don't target them cuz it's Easier to make men hate transwomen.

They target transmen who wanna talk about their experiences because (as people who don't think transmen are real) they want to poison the well that they think is making so many "women" sick in the head in the first place and if it helps hurt "men" in the process then that's better for them.

But like I said at the beginning of the post, this isn't a special exception. It's been a well-known fact that TERFs we're behind early 2000's exclusionary discourse, behind bi/pan discourse, and now seems to be the Cause of transandrophobia discourse.

This isn't new for them or the queer community.

What IS new is that TERFs seem to have successfully convinced yall that some trans people IN the trans community shouldn't be given the permission to create language to talk about their experiences.

At the very least they've already done That much damage.

Their little psyop is literally working and you are in my asks asking why trans men begging to be heard out are easier targets for TERFs?

[bunnakit]

last twilight e8 thoughts, feelings, and tears

ok i cried for like 10 minutes after the episode ended so forgive me if this isn't up to par of what i usually do. apparently i'm fragile today.

there was a lot i liked and didn't like about this scene. in the past we've seen Day cling to the idea that someday he'll see again, that this is all temporary. instead of reiterating that, instead of talking about the cornea transplant, he instead asks "what can i do?" it's such an insanely massive sign of his growth. i'm so fucking proud of him. it made me so fucking emotional because while he's still upset, he's still hurt, he's still angry, he realizes his reality and he's making steps to move forward with that.

what i didn't like about this scene was once again Day's mother acts like Day's life is ending. she's been the number one person to coddle Day and to reassure him of this surgery that may never happen. i know she means well but fuck. this has to stop.

i also fucking hated the doctor for this. Day isn't fucking dying, there's still so much he can do even once his sight is completely gone. sure, he'll have some limitations, i get that. i can't swim in the ocean or rivers anymore. that fucking sucked to learn right before going on my honeymoon to the beach. but you know what i could still do? walk across the beach to the little hidden tide pools, sit on the jagged rocks, and watch the crabs and fish and anemones and everything thrive in this tiny little ecosystem. it was still amazing and something i may not have done if not for my disease keeping me from going in the water.

we're limited by our disabilities but we aren't fucking dead - life goes on around us and we can either participate in it or wallow in our fate. i'll talk about this more later.

you can skip this next paragraph if you don't want to see me babble on another personal anecdote.

i will say i saw a lot of myself in this moment. something similar happened to me a few weeks ago. i learned my disability is no longer responding to the treatments and i'll have to have multiple surgeries next year to close some year old wounds and will probably need some skin grafts. my disease is no longer managed but once again getting worse. when the doctor told me i just nodded and discussed the game plan. meanwhile, my mom was heartbroken and kept asking if there was anything that could be done. (nothing that i'm not already doing.)

sometimes we just have to nod along and accept what's happening. we can cry about it and get pissed later if we have to.

ohhh there's so much i want to talk about here. Day's mom infuriates me, probably because she's the opposite of everything my mother ever was when faced with my disabilities. her constant refusal to address Day's blindness is so painful, as if it's somehow a reflection of him as a person or a stain. it's just a fact of life and her denial is doing so much more to hurt Day than to help him. as much as i hate it, though, it is realistic. it can be so hard for those close to us to acknowledge what's going on, especially when they can't experience it for themselves or they aren't around day to day.

which brings me to the part that frustrates me the most. i'm going to get REALLY personal here.

TW FOR SUICIDE AND MENTAL HEALTH ->

i'll put another message when this little anecdote is over so ya'll can skip to that.

i've been diagnosed with major depressive disorder since i was 15. when i was 16 i tried to kill myself. my mom didn't know until last year, but at the time she knew my depression was getting to a concerning level of bad. you know what she did? she quit her job. she made any sacrifice she could to stay home with me and make sure i was safe and felt heard and taken care of. granted, she wasn't a single mother at the time but we also weren't rolling in the money. my dad was a construction worker in the early 2000s when construction work was struggling HARD.

but that's what you do for your kids, that's what you do to take care of them and make them feel heard and loved and cared for unconditionally. my depression and desire to die wasn't a stain on who i was, it was my mind holding me hostage with no way out because they couldn't give me medication until i turned 18.

OKAY IT'S SAFE NOW ->

anyway, where i was going with that is that Day's mom, as a famous chef, clearly makes enough money to take time off work, to be there for her son, to stay home and make him feel loved and cared for. there's likely a lot going on on her end of being a single mother, of feeling like she needs to prove herself and show the world she can do this alone - but her son doesn't have to do it alone just because she wants to. he needs a support system and right now all he has is Mhok.

Day's anger is so real and so justified. he must feel abandoned by his mother, by the one person that should be there to comfort him and keep him safe. her love has become conditional on the state of his eyesight.

and then she tells him he can't go? he's not a fucking child. he's a full grown man and he was just told to do things while he still can see at least a little. i told my mom the exact part of the plot and her response was "well fuck her, he's gotta go." you're god damn right he does, mom.

everything Night does feels like repentance. i need know what the story is, i need to know what caused this massive fissure between them. i don't want to comment or speculate too much but at this point i can no longer condemn Night. he's trying, he's clearly trying so fucking hard, and he clearly has so much love for his brother.

and him giving Mhok money and letting him and Day escape because he knows Day will be happier? i really hope that is a step in the right direction of mending whatever was broken between them. there are only four episodes left and i hope bare minimum half of them deal with what is going on here.

The sea remains the sea. The sand remains the sand. The sky remains the sky. Though I can't see, everything remains the way it is.

and here we are. being diagnosed with a disability is a massive change in our lives, a huge hurdle we have to climb, but at the end of the day the world still turns, life still goes on, and we can either go with it or remain stagnant. this is the culmination of everything Mhok has shown Day. Mhok has constantly brought Day out to participate in life, to learn how to navigate the world that remains unchanged. while Day's world has changed it remains the same in so many ways. this is such a beautiful moment of acceptance and peace, of healing and moving past the hurt. once again, i am so proud of Day.

he's going to be okay.

i've seen others mention it but fuck this once again drove home how soft and caring Mhok is, something that's been so constant in this episode from his willingness to help Day, to the keychains, to the escape, and now this. this little act of asking for permission, of giving Day permission, of almost asking Day 'will you kiss me?' and then Day does. Day gives Mhok the first kiss initiated by him. until now it's always been Mhok but this time Day reaches out to Mhok in this gritty, sand filled kiss. (disgusting but still lovely)

and this really drove home how safe Day feels with Mhok. they're somewhere completely new and unpredictable but he suggests they drink and participate in the party - and i love that he doesn't ask for permission but rather says 'why not?' because Mhok has never made him feel like he needs to ask for things, not things he's fully capable of deciding for himself.

and they do! they act like the young adults they are and have an amazing night of just fun and laughter and love and i fucking love that for them. how many times have we seen Day get to act his age and be carefree? it's remarkably telling how free Day feels the further he gets from home, how free his love is when he isn't worried about his family. when he's away from home Day really becomes the sun.

(also i think i might make shirts like this with my husband as a fun activity because that's really cute.)

i'm fine, i'm fine, i'm fine. (i'm lying.) the amount of love they have from here on is almost palpable. the fact that Mhok takes the time to tell Day he looks good, that he's admiring him. fuck. it makes me think of just a bit before, where we see Day linger with his fingers against the mirror. Day hasn't seen his own reflection in over a year, he has no idea what he looks like anymore. he won't get to see the way age changes him, won't get to see the wrinkles and laugh lines form on his face.

but Mhok will be there to tell him, to say how handsome he is, and without fully seeing Mhok Day will know he is equally as handsome because he knows Mhok's voice, his character, and sure he knows what everyone has said about Mhok's appearance but who he is has always been more important.

and then for them to essentially say their own vows in the light of the setting sun? oh, my loves.

Day is starting a new chapter in the book of his life, a new chapter with Mhok and hope and confidence. he's taking back control and paving his own way and no matter what comes he'll face it head on.

i started crying here and didn't stop, P'Aof please i'm sending you bills not for my therapy but for all the water i have to buy to rehydrate myself from all my tears. once again, fucking hell i'm so proud of Day.

and he tells them to have a kid soon! so he can help raise it!! just like he'll probably help raise Porjai's kid. because he no longer sees himself as incapable, as someone unable to help. Mhok has shown him how capable he is, how much he can still do.

please allow me a moment to - AAAAAAAAA.

personally i cannot wait for all the gifsets we're going to see of this moment. they danced so perfectly together because they know each other. Mhok knows Day better than anyone else, they've gone through so much, and they move so intrinsically together. i'd say they know each other better than anyone else but there's still so much of Mhok left unexplored. there's so much Day still doesn't know, so much pain Mhok is still hiding.

i can't wait for them to truly know each other inside and out (not like that, but hey it looks like we're getting that next ep eeeyy)

i'm not really going to comment on the dad showing up at the end. i feel almost nothing about that, i'm just waiting to see how that turns out and reserving my opinions for now. (i had a shit dad, i'm a little bais.)

man, i'd hoped this would be brief with how raw i was feeling and how busy i am with work but GUESS NOT. thanks for reading as always tag loves: @nutcasewithaknife @benkaaoi @callipigio @infinitelyprecious

[trans-axolotl]

Perisex person here, asking purely out of curiosity: why are there so many different terms for not-intersex? Like dyadic, perisex, endosex, juxtasex. Are there differences in meaning or connotation? Is there some kind of complex history behind it or do people just not agree? It's interesting that there isn't a consensus for one word. Also, while I'm at it, is there one you personally feel would be best for me to use?

Hey! So they are slightly different in meaning and usage, even though they all basically mean the same thing. I'll share what i've learned, but other intersex people please feel free to add on your intepretations-a lot of this is going to depend on what intersex spaces you're in. There's not one right answer and I only have one perspective!

Dyadic: have seen this used online at least as early as 2011, most likely was being used earlier than that. some intersex people don't like it because they think that since it is based in the prefix "dyad" which means two, that it still reinforces the sex binary. I personally really like the term compulsory dyadism and think that's an incredibly useful concept, but don't use dyadic as much anymore because I don't think it is as popular a term and I want to avoid confusion.

Perisex: coined on tumblr around like....2014? Seems to be used mostly on tumblr. I don't think I've ever seen any in depth critiques of the term but I tend not to use it as much because it hasn't really caught on in any other intersex spaces. nothing wrong with using it, just my preference. Some people in the notes added on that it’s the preferred term in their country, which is awesome!

endosex: coined by Heike Bödeker, a German intersex activist in 2000. Endo means "inner" or "internal" and is used to signify that someone fits within the constructed sex binary. This is the term that seems to be most widely used in physical intersex spaces, and also is used more internationally. For that reason, this is definitely the term I prefer-although we aren't at a consensus in intersex spaces, this seems to be the most popular term in the region I'm in, and lots of resources, materials, language guides, etc, are starting to use it. Of course, that could always change and that's fine!

juxtasex: have never heard it before now. i never have problems with intersex people creating more language to describe our experiences, but am not familiar with it at all!

I would personally recommend sticking with endosex--I think that is the terms you are going to get the most recognition with. It hasn't really become popular on tumblr, because most of us who blog about intersex stuff use perisex or dyadic, but I think that endosex is a really good term to use irl if you want to talk about intersex topics.

as always other intersex people feel free to add on or disagree!

[randomnameless]

"even if IS just said she was the villain and needed to be stopped, clear as day, people would reject it." Let's be real: the moment people started using "death of the author" to reject the Nintendo dream interview where IS confirms Supreme Leader is the villain, that's when we should've realized that people have already made up their minds and don't care anymore. It's like telling a flat-earther that the earth is not flat or trying to debunk a conspiracy theory to believers of that theory.

Tbh, I agree sometimes with disregarding the author's intent, especially in some games where the "author" wants to push "feels" and tells the olayer how they should react.

Take Berkut for instance, for a reason I still don't understand, SoV wants to paint him as a tragic figure, who ultimately redeems himself dying. You're supposed to feel bad for Berkut and sad for what happened, to the point where Alm, the Hero - who was challenged on earlier opinions - plainly states Duma is the reason why Berkut turned sour, and no one is here to tell him "uh no sorry to tell you but your cousin was a bona fide asshole".

Ditto for the devs's lunar interview about Clout's story being a "heart-warming story", like no, sorry, no matter how much you push for it, I personally don't think his story is heart warming, rather it's blood boiling.

Does it mean I use the "death of the author" like the people we're talking about?

Yeah, maybe!

But what is more gratting about those people isn't how they use DoA to make up their own canon and story (everyone can make headcanons!), but how they push their headcanon on everyone's lawns and asking for everyone else to treat it as the truth - the Aeneid is the perfect example, people really rec this fanfiction to have a "better understanding" of canon characters, or some people said it understands the characters better than the canon does. For a fanfic, sure, it's cool and all*, but to treat this as canon?

Like, there is no discussion possible between people who argue canon and others who argue using headcanons and imo that's the crux of the discourse bcs FE Fodlan is vague about 70% of its worldbuilding.

I don't like Berkut and believe he toasted Rinea because he loved being Rudolf's heir more than he loved her, but FE15 makes it uwu clear that Berkut apparently loved Rinea a lot and apparently torched her just because Duma promised him power, which makes somehow Duma the reason why Rinea was Bernie'd.

But you won't see me pop up in a discussion about FE15 or people talking about their favourite ships in that game to point out how Berkut burnt his fiancée at stake for "power" on his own volition - canon is canon - even when it blows - I'd rather rant about it and have my own HC in this space rather than piss canon-lovers/users with it.

Saying in your hcs Supreme Leader isn't the villain of the game?

Sure, do whatever you want, have a nice day, eat a sandwich, whatever. Maybe some people will join you, share your sandwich and you'll have fun developping hcs!

Saying in canon Supreme Leader isn't the villain and disregarding the dev's interviews?

That's going to be more problematic, in a way that this specific interview isn't subjective or open to interpretation (thus hcs, like Sylvia being FE4!Claude's relative or not), so people are going to disagree and be more vocal about it.

Some other blogs already explained it, but it seems like FE Fodlan attracted a lot of persons who aren't used to fandom, as in a place with transformative works and where making OCs and fics and having headcanons isn't "BaD" - so they try to retrofit canon in their headcanons because "fanfics" and transformative works are BaD etc etc (insert the general dislike for fanfictions from the early 2000s (?) and the regular/usual insults towards people who write fanfiction from the same era (them being fujos, etc etc)) so they're not writing fanfictions or arguing headcanons, no, they're just writing "totally meta pieces that are better than the canon".

Imo, the second you're disregarding canon to write something about a work, you're writing a fanfic (let it be a "real fic", random hcs, etc etc etc) and that's totally fine! You're not a "fujo degenerate" for not liking the canon and "rewritting" scenes, or building more stories about a character your like!

What's not "fine" is forcing everyone to adopt your headcanons and fanfictions - if the flower is red, you cannot force people to admit the flower is blue, otoh, if you write a story where the flower isn't red but blue, it's your story and you can whatever you want with it! Ditto with fanfic writers when someone argues canon against them, dude, you're reading a story where the author wrote the flower to be blue, like they gaf about the flower's canonical colour to be red - it's a fanfic!

Don't like, Don't read!

*not withstanding with the actual quality and body of the Aeneid, which isn't something I'd personally call cool or "alright", but that's another debate.

[thattimdrakeguy]

Frankly if you asked me, all of that unnecessary misdirection and twists that left poor Tim at the ‘make him angsty and edgier’ block for later writers to force upon him was the result of the whole darker and edgier train that permeated not just the Batbooks but the whole industry throughout the decade he was in.

Basically short, in my honest opinion, Tim Drake was the perfect character at the absolutely wrong time.

The 90s edgier nonsense (as foreshadowed by the marvelous competition’s hefty promotion of Venom, Cable and other like minded antiheroes, Early Image having a foundation built on that) made possible with the Batmania (since he’s naturally the perfect candidate for darker and edgier due to both his gothic aesthetic and his insane popularity) unfortunately gave the writers of that era and the 2000s the impression that since it’s Gotham, things in universe are just miserable and sucky

And since Tim lives in Gotham, despite meant to be the counter to that misery that permeates the city he helps defend, it was only a matter of time before that wrong impression got to him too

It’s why to this day, my preferred Tim Drake is that original Fanboy we saw in A Lonely Place of Dying since in the end, that’s what he’s meant to be, beginner or not and why I am still reluctant to get anything Dixon related on both him and Nightwing since those runs are built on that train of thought that says ‘misery in setting and edgier characters means compelling and mature storytelling, especially in Gotham’

I know, long winded, I just needed to vent. You may ignore this if you wish to

Bro, I just asked #cats what a raw potato tasted like, I don't feel like ignoring much.

And, I wouldn't say Tim was in the wrong time. He has his great successes in the 90s. The main reason he's talked about past people's obsession with one story in Red Robin, that has slowly lost popularity 'cause of people realizing it wasn't the best Tim--is 'cause of the 90s.

There was plenty of people who were sick of the big overexaggerated 90s crap even if it did infest Tim a bit when they'd draw him way buffer than he was clearly meant to be.

It's all just a matter of writers with the ability to do better either not advancing to the right places in comics, or throwing their talents down the toilet to be there.

It's all about good writing. That's it, really, that's the big secret.

Why is Dick a massive joke of a character now? 'Cause the writing got bad.

Why did Batman look like a total maniac more like usual for a while? 'Cause the writing got bad.

Why is Damian totally unrecognizable a lot of the time on nearly every single level for over a decade now(Though I have heard some aspects like art have been getting better, or so I've seen thankfully, but I'm still not trusting that all the way because now this fucking fucking hell)? 'Cause the work got bad.

Why is Jason just a fan fic edgy woobie fuck a lot of the time now? 'Cause the writing got bad.

How did Steph go from edgy, determined, "vigilante vixen", who was morally kinda questionable at times go to acting like a 12-year-old sometimes? 'Cause the writing got bad.

No matter what in the end. It's all down to the writing, and also art.

There's always been good movies in every decade no matter the taste, because people with true talent and knowledge, and know-how where out there to make so happen.

Comics being a dwindling medium that's how a down-turn in quality going on for a long time? It's just not a business worth getting into anymore. Passion or not, people just aren't good writers. And that can happen in any era.

But back to the main point, Tim was at his most popular in the 90s in an era you wouldn't think he'd fit into with all the Rob Liefeld stuff. Like he got an 80-page-giant in the late 90s over some characters you think would actually get one because he was so naturally popular.

But what made him work then isn't dated. It's timeless. They just haven't had good enough writers to make him work, and it sucks, but it's how it is.

The reason Tim really got changed so much isn't down to tastes in an era. It's down to the taste of a few people in specific positions. Things that made Tim work were still working wonders in other places.

[thelonesomequeen]

Hello! I listened to this garbage so you don’t have to! —Part 2 (April 6, 2023)

I typed up a transcription from the podcast that I will post below. I typed quickly, so please excuse any typos I might not have caught. Don’t drag me for the grammar. That’s all DM talking. I just typed it out the way she said it. For those of you wanting to hear it for yourself, she starts at 52:30.

————————————————————

DM: Well. I did a little poll on Instagram. Because I posted that Chris Evans is Boston’s hometown hero. And I did a little pill for the Bostonians. I said Who is your hometown hero? Ben Affleck or Matt Damon, I grouped them together, Chris Evans, Mark Wahlberg, or Hilaria Baldwin who I just threw in for good measure. And Matt Damon and Ben Affleck won the poll by a landslide and I just need to clarify for my Boston followers, I didn’t realize that Chris Evans didn’t grow up exactly in Boston, he grew up in Sudbury which

Lex: Yeah, Like a suburb.

DM: Which is like right outside of Boston, so I had someone write in and say “grew up in Lincoln Sudbury, was about 8 years behind Chris, but fully agree with this.” so the Sudbury people, and I hope I’m saying that right, they do think that Chris is Boston’s hometown hero.

Lex: Right.

DM: This person says “Lincoln Sudbury” I’m assuming that’s the school “was obsessed with Chris and our whole theatre department was like a shrine to him. He’d come home frequently to visit his family in the early 2000s and we’d see him at the local Natick mall. Him and his family are super suburb-normie. Like I think his dad coached youth soccer when we were all younger. He’s for sure a Sudbury hero, but not Boston. Just a star that loves Boston and Massachusetts." so I felt like I needed to make that distinction because I didn't realize that before I claimed Chris Evans as the...

Lex: I love this distinction. You know, any chance to talk about Chris Evans is a chance I'll take.

DM: Bost (laughs, cuts off word). Wait, I was just going to say! Aren't you, don't you love Chris Evans? Do you still love him so so much?

Lex: I mean, I do but it's so hard because I'm not getting enough content. That's why I posted, you posted those like high school or elementary school, his like bowl cuts year book photos and I was like "I needed this today!" I feel like we never see him anymore because he's got his girlfriend! But we're gonna get some press soon, right? Because he's got that movie coming out on Apple with Ana de Armas again.

DM: Yes. And he's in New York right now with Alba.

Lex: I mean, yeah, like in my, I don't know what the rumor is circulating or blah blah blah, but like, I just feel like they've been engaged since last year. He would not do the People magazine, come out about his love life, again, you wanna talk PR game. That is all strategic to keep the crazies at an arms length...

DM: You think so?!

Lex: satisfy the beast, but still maintain his privacy. Yes! Yes, yes ,yes!

DM: So you think that their relationship is PR?

Lex: Oh no! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I think their relationship is real.

DM: Got you. Got you.

Lex: I think he gave...he's normally very private, but he like gave the PR the big, uh, People's Sexiest Man Alive and blah blah blah to then double down and then drop his relationship so that it's like, you know, he's given, he's giving us, he's breadcrumbing us a little bit and then he can still have his life.

DM: You know, I had heard People magazine was pissed about that. Because he didn't disclose to them..."

Lex: Stop, that he was in the relationship?

DM: When he was....yes. Yes.

Lex: Oh my God.

DM: Mhmm. And he did the photoshoot, did the article, was in the magazine, was in the article, and then was like SURPRISE! I'm in this relationship and they were kinda like...why didn't you just tell us? Like you were just on this huge cover and...

Lex: Talking about what you look for in a relationship...

DM: Yes!

Lex:...and like, what you want in a relationship.

DM: Yes, yes. They were like what the f-ck, but whatever. I mean, you know, happy for him. He seems really happy. I'm still...

Lex: So happy.

DM: in the...

Lex: I'm devastated.

DM: I'm still in the camp that if they do get engaged, or if they are currently engaged, I would not be surprised. I'm still in the camp.

Lex: Same. A thousand percent, I agree.

--and then they move on to the next topic.

[finitefall]

Something I noticed in the third phase of the season (is it right to call it phase three?) is how purposefully they seem to age Olivia (who is obviously young) and all I thought about was middle-aged actresses saying they miss out on opportunities because they're not 20 anymore years old. Easily Olivia could be the younger version and an older actress playing an older Alicent, if they followed the books. She looks ridiculous next to her "children", when clearly they are close in age.

Hi nonnie, first please be careful when you talk about "middle-aged actresses saying they miss out on opportunities because they're not 20 anymore", please? I'm not saying you were being insulting, but the way you say it can not be taken very well as it's a very sad reality that women aren't allowed to age. Now, when book!Viserys died at 52 years-old, book!Alicent was 41. I guess it's the third phase you're referring to? I personally don't consider a 41 years-old woman as middle-aged, but I looked it up and indeed the early middle age is apparently between 35 and 44 years-old.

There are two parts of the season: episodes 1 to 5 with Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as younger Rhaenyra and Alicent, and episodes 6 to 10 (post time skip) with Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke as adults Rhaenyra and Alicent.

Book!Alicent is first introduced when she's 15 and we know she's 9 years older than Rhaenyra. She marries Viserys at 18. In the show, they're both 14 in the first episode, although played by older actresses (Milly was born in 2000 and Emily in 2003). In episode 6, after the time skip, they're supposed to be 28 and are played by actresses who are only one or two years older than their characters in the show (Emma were born in 1992 and Olivia in 1993). Since some years obviously pass between episodes 6 and 10, they end up playing characters older than them.

I've only watched HOTD once, but I didn't notice they made Olivia Cooke look older? For me, she doesn't look old at all in the very last episodes. I'm only a year older than her (30 since October and Olivia will turn 29 this month), and without knowing her age when I watched the season, I certainly didn't think that she looked older than me. Did someone else notice this?

In any case, Olivia being the younger Alicent would have seemed weird to me, personally. Although I'm used to adults playing teenagers all the time in tv shows, that's one thing I can't criticize about HOTD. It's true however that she doesn't look old enough at all to be the mother of any of her children (Aegon is played by Tom Glynn-Carrey who was born in 1995, Aemond is played by Ewan Mitchell who was born in 1997, and Helaena is played by Phia Saban who was born in 1998), but it's not really something that bothered me to be honest.

[nsfwhiphop]

🚨 IMPORTANT REMINDER: 🚨 Music Industry is not the same anymore. There is an Evil agenda now, evil men run the business now. Beware of what type of music you listen to. Not all music is good for your ears.

To my cherished readers, particularly those who reminisce about the golden eras of the 80s and 90s music scene, I pose a crucial question: Have you noticed the stark degradation within the music industry? Can you recognize how the once pristine quality of lyrics has plummeted into a sea of mediocrity?

Let's face the stark reality: The music business, currently helmed by nefarious entities, is orchestrating a sinister agenda. They are actively eradicating any semblance of mercy from our musical landscape. Love ballads, altruistic anthems, and community-minded tunes are being ruthlessly suppressed.

Gone are the days when songs served to uplift, educate, and inspire. Instead, a troubling trend has emerged—a relentless push towards the propagation of malevolent messages. They inundate the airwaves with glorification of drug culture, senseless violence, and degrading discussions on trivial matters.

This is a wake-up call, a clarion call to arms against this insidious manipulation. The powers that be do not wish for you to indulge in music that nourishes the soul. They crave your consumption of depravity, feeding you a steady diet of negativity and amorality.

The rap and R&B communities, in particular, find themselves ensnared within this web of suppression. They are shackled, forbidden from expressing kindness or mercy through their lyrical prowess.

So, my friends, heed this warning. Realize that the melody you hear today is not the melody of yesteryears. It is a discordant symphony, orchestrated by those who seek to poison the hearts and minds of our society.

Stand vigilant. Demand better. And let us strive to reclaim the purity and compassion that once graced our musical landscape.

Together, we can usher in a new era—a renaissance of music that uplifts, empowers, and inspires.

#WakeUpCall #MusicRevolution #DemandMercyInMusic 🎶🌟

P.S:

Here is a ghetto version of this speech for my ghetto readers:

IMPORTANT REMINDER:

"I want to give a reality-check to my readers, especially the ones from the 90s era and 80s era, I want to ask them a question, have you noticed the degradation of the music industry? Did you notice how the quality of lyrics have gone from good to very bad quality? This is the agenda of the criminals running the music business, they don't want to see any songs that have merciful lyrics in them, no more love songs, no more altruistic songs, no more protect the community songs, no more teach your knowledge to the youth songs, they refused to see any of this mercy in our songs, they blocked all lyrics that have mercy in them, all they want to push is evil lyrics, do drugs, kill each other, talk about stupid topics like ass and titties, this is the agenda they're pushing in the music industry nowadays. That's why I'm giving you this wake-up call, you have to realize that they don't want you to listen to good music, they want you to listen to evil music only, it's happening to the Rap community and the R'n'b community as we speak, they are not allowed to be kind in their lyrics, they are not allowed to be merciful in their lyrics."

Guess what? Oh, yeah, I said it, sue me, see if I give a fuck, I'm telling you that you all listen to garbage music, just because it's on your TV screens doesn't mean it's good music, I encourage you to turn off that garbage.

Listen to the 90s and early 2000s music when the artists were allowed to be kind, loving, full of mercy in their songs, nowadays they aren't allowed to have any merciful lyrics, all they talk about is evil topics.

Do you see what I see? Or are you just dumb? Which one is it?

Back in 1980s:

The Principles of Hip Hop was: Peace, Love, Unity, and Having Fun

Nowadays in 2024:

The Principles of Hip Hop is: Violence, Hate, Division, and Having drug addicted listeners.

A lot of people don't know because they're dumb, stupid, they are the sheep that are being misled and you have to help the sheep by warning them to not listen to this evil music business anymore and go back to the 90s era, when the music business was full of mercy and kindness, it was all about having fun and good manners, but nowadays they are pushing only evil topics now.

Christian quotes :

#1 - If sheep do not have the constant care of a shepherd, they will go the wrong way, unaware of the dangers at hand.

#2 - The mere presence of the shepherd puts the sheep at peace. When he is near, they don't panic, and they don't fight. They can lay down in peaceful slumber.

The older generation are the sheperds.

The new generation are the sheep.

You have to teach them and show them the way or they will never know, they are all sheep, they are sleeping, you have to give them this wake-up call.

I encourage you to read this wiki page and learn the meaning of the term "Each one teach one", click on the link:

WATCH THIS VIDEO:

The Principles of Hip Hop: Peace, Love, Unity, and Having Fun

Inspire positive change in young people through an exploration of the roots of hip hop culture with Hip Hop Fundamentals! This ensemble of dynamic and energetic dancers use breakdancing and abundant audience participation to explore hip hop’s rich cultural history and how Black youth changed the world. The performance focuses on youth empowerment, creativity, and working together embodied by hip hop’s four principles: Peace, Love, Unity, and Having Fun!

[hifilounge]

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96 & 0/93 with Western Electric 91E Now On Permanent Demo, Simply Stunning!

Hi Everyone,

Now I will try to contain my enthusiasm for these speakers, especially when partnered with the new Western Electric 91E amp we now have on demo but I have a feeling that I will fail miserably.

Firstly I must say that after 10+ years of being involved in HiFi sales I feel I have heard most things but it is so good when something comes along that has the ability to make your hairs stand up on end and make an emotional connection and I don't know what it is with these DeVore speakers but they really do something to me, in talks with Wendy at the moment to see if we can convert our snug at home to be a listening room so I can accommodate a pair myself.

I borrowed a pair form Absolute Sounds early last year and wrote a blog so I won't go over the same ground again, you can read my original thoughts below, but I was curious now that we have our demo pair if I still had the same thoughts 12 months on and unsurprisingly I do, I just find them absolutely captivating with just how open and uncoloured they are, they really do make you want to listen to all your favourite music again as it is like you are hearing it for the first time, for vocals I really don't think I have ever heard better.

I am jumping ahead of myself a little here though as I should have said that we now have our demo Orangutan 0/96 speakers here along with their baby brother the 0/93's, as you have gathered I am rather fond of the 0/96's but last week was the first time I had heard the 0/93's and in all honestly they are just as enjoyable, for a smaller space these would be perfect or if the budget can't quite stretch to the 0/96's, these are a really nice place to be. To get them up and running as quickly as we could we hooked them up to the new Naim Classic 200 kit, now I had heard that DeVore speakers work best with a low powered valve amp so Naim couldn't have been further from that but as a combo it really does work, extremely engaging and musical so it shows me the DeVore speakers, although extremely efficient, will work with any amplification, it will depend more on the presentation you prefer.

Western Electric 91E now on Demo!

So knowing that I was in love with the 0/96's I wanted an amp that would get the very best form them and it was suggested that I should look at the Western Electric 91E with its 300B valves delivering between 14-20 watts, firstly I was smitten on the looks but once hooked up to our 0/96's I was totally sold, it really is a sound you get totally lost in. Over the last few days I have had a few people in listening and everyone has said the same, it really as if the performer is in the room, you just can't ask for more than that.

I won't go on anymore as I could bore the pants of any audiophile about how great this speaker and amp combo is, all I can urge is that you come in for a listen as in all likeliness it will be a sound like you have never heard before.

My plan is to have pretty much the full range of DeVore speakers on demo soon and I will be arranging a DeVore open day asap as I just want everyone to hear these speakers so watch this space but for now please find their speaker range in the link below + some pics -

Cheers,

Paul.

Western Electric 91E 300B Integrated Amplifier

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan 0/93 Speakers

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan 0/96 Speakers

[heavyhitterheaux]

These Edibles Ain't Shit

AN: Have any of my Urban heauxs wanted to get high with him?

Synopsis: You want to get high with your boyfriend Urban and get a hold of some edibles from your cousin Tamia. Urban tells you to listen to him on how much to take and you end up in a situation when you don't.

Pairing: Urban Wyatt x Reader

Please do not repost my content anywhere

"Baby! No! Don't take that much. It'll be a week before your high wears off."

Well you didn't know.

You were new to this thing.

"Well how much should I take?"

You simply handed Urban your laced rice krispy treat you got from your cousin and he tore off a small corner and handed it to you.

You simply stared at your hand in disbelief before looking back up at him.

"Are you... are you serious? That isn't about to do anything."

"Trust me mamas. It's enough."

"Urb... I want to get high and this cannot be enough."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course, wouldn’t be doing this with anybody else."

"Then don't eat anymore after you eat what I gave you."

You rolled your eyes and complied.... at first.

About ten minutes later you still weren't feeling anything and was starting to get annoyed.

"Mamas, I'll be back. I'm going to get snacks for us. Anything you want in particular besides your big ass bag of gummy bears?"

"Nope. And that's why I keep you around Wyatt. You know the way to my heart is with food."

All he did was laugh before kissing you and grabbing his keys.

Once you heard the door close, you grabbed another piece of your edible and popped it in your mouth.

"These edibles ain't shit. I don't know what Tamia and Urban were talking about."

Those were your famous last words.

When Urban returned he found you sitting on the living room floor staring at the wall and was thoroughly confused.

He called out to you but you weren't answering him.

Just rocking back and forth hugging your knees. He turned you around and your eyes were red as hell.

"Ohhh fuck. Y/N did you take more when I left?!"

"Urb, everything is in slow motion. I can't feel anything. I think I stopped breathing."

"Didn't I tell you not to take anymore?! It's your first time doing this and you need to take it slow. Besides you wouldn't be talking to me if you weren't breathing."

"I wasn't feeling anything!"

"Baby, you have to wait until it kicks in. How much more did you take?"

You simply pointed to where the edibles now sat on top of the living room table.

Urban went to inspect how much you had taken and you heard him quietly mutter "Oh fuck." Under his breath.

"Urbbb, I have to work tomorrow this shit needs to wear off. I don't like this game anymore."

"Uhhh mamas from the looks of it, you won't be going anywhere tomorrow."

"Whaaaat? What do you mean?"

"I've never even taken as much at one time as you did."

"URBANNNN, I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

"Baby, you aren't going to die. We just have to wait until it wears off."

"I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO MARRY YOU YET!"

"I promise we will."

You were now curled into the fetal position and Urban picked you up to place you back on the couch.

"Urb..."

"Yes?"

"Why are there four of you? I thought I was only dating one of you? You're not a quadruplet and didn't tell me, right?"

"No, there's just one of me."

"Someoneee please call 911." You belted out singing Wyclef Jean's song and all Urban could do was laugh.

"What you laughing for? I need the paramedics."

"I promise you that you don't."

"I'm about to kill Tamia when I see her."

"Don't get mad at her, you're the one who can't follow directions."

"Urb, make it stopppp."

"What you want me to do? You already ate it so it's not like I can go get it out of you."

You sighed before sitting up and trying to get your shirt off.

"Umm, mamas you need some help? And what are you doing?"

"I'm hot now."

Urban helped you get your shirt off leaving you in your sports bra and you simply laid your head in his lap.

It was silent for a few minutes before you started singing.

Urban was convinced you had been listening to your 90s and early 2000s playlist again.

"Tell me whyyyy! Ain't nothing but a heartache! Tell me whyyy! Ain't nothing but a mistake! Tell me whyyyy! I never want to hear you say I want it that wayyyy!"

"Oh lord."

Then you suddenly switched to Lil Scrappy and Trillville.

"What it is hoe? A wassup? Can a playa get in them guts?"

All Urban did was sigh and let you continue with your little concert.

"Urb, you can get in my guts anytime you want."

"Thank you for that, Y/N."

"Likeee right now."

"Uhh, maybe later."

"Whyyyy?"

"I have to make sure I keep you alive."

"YOU PROMISED ME I WASN'T GONNA DIE!"

"Okay wrong word choice. You aren't but just... I need to keep an eye on you."

"You can keep an eye on me as you eat me out."

"As tempting as that offer is, no."

"You're no fun."

You had eventually fallen asleep and Urban decided to call your cousin Tamia who gave you the edibles and tell her how far gone you were. 

"She took HOW MUCH?"

"She's sleeping so I'm hoping at least a little of it wore off."

"Her dumbass just doesn't listen, does she?"

"No and I told her not to take anymore than what I gave her."

"Well call me back if she doesn't wake up in two days. Better yet, call 911."

When you finally came to it was light outside and Urban had his arms wrapped around you knocked out.

You had no idea where you were, what time it was, or what happened after you broke off that last piece of your edible.

Oh.

The edibles must have worked.

A little too good in your case.

You were tapping Urban to wake him up and when he did all he did was stare at you.

By the look on his face you could tell he was annoyed with you but concerned at the same time.

"Welcome back, princess."

"Urby... what happened yesterday because I don't remember?"

All he did was sigh.

"Y/N, when I tell you not to do something just listen next time. And you mean the day before yesterday."

"I'm confused what did I do? And wait... I SLEPT THROUGH AN ENTIRE DAY!?"

"Yes, yes you did, and what didn't you do is the question."

"Well can I have some more when I get home from work?"

"HELL NO."

"Fine, I'll just call Tamia."

"She said you're banned from getting edibles from her ever again."

"Yall aren't any fun. Can we smoke next time?"

"The way you acted the other day lets me know there probably shouldn't be a next time but..."

"So yes?!"

Urban threw off the covers before sitting up and looking at you.

"We're going to need two bags of gummy bears for this."

Tag List:

@harlowsbby

@babyharleezy

@hoodharlow

@stefansalvatoresgf

@jackiehollanderr

@primadxna-girl

@dessmxsworld

@cockslutslurper3000

@raelorns21

@variety-fangirl

@gbaabyyyy

@kamorsstuff

@sinsandsuccubus

[essercipertuttienonperse]

does anyone feel like truly "iconic" and timeless things aren't being made anymore?? like we still listen to music from the 70s and that's 50 whole years ago but personally I can't see any of the stuff that's on the radio right now being played/remembered in 5 years from now, let alone 50!! and I feel like the last few songs that will be remembered were made in the late 90s/early 2000s. and same for movies as well! and I'm not talking strictly about critically acclaimed stuff but also just things that everyone knows and remembers like the Christmas classics! those are all at least 10 years old and I'm like?? isn't that weird?? also all the stuff that became kind of iconic despite not being very good but we still all love and remember it because of the nostalgia like Twilight! or high school musical! or all the iconic pop songs ! like those are all things that a whole generation of people grew up with and still remembers fondly. and maybe I'm just not paying attention but I feel like there's nothing like that being made anymore you know? like in 10/20 years will anyone still remember/listen to/watch things from these years? is there anything that connects everyone (apart from the world dying)? and I could say the same about fashion too!! think about the fashion in history! even just taking the last century, the 50s/60s/70s/80s/90s (and in their own ways also the horrible fashion trends of the early 00s that we love to look back to!)those eras are so iconic and distinguishable that we can recognize the dates of photos just by the clothes! and we love them so much we even have parties/events that have those eras as themes! but the fashion that's been around now and for the last like 5 years?? there's literally nothing that will make it distinguishable or unique/iconic imo and half of it is just recycling trends from those past eras bc we have no more ideas apparently!! can u even imagine a 2020s fashion themed party in the future?? just a bunch of ppl dressed like the Kardashians??! no!!!! why is this happening!!! also the songs/movies/fashion etc themselves seem to be made with the awareness that they won't last long! it's all just for getting as much success as soon as possible before putting out the next thing! and it's all feeding the cycle ! idk where I'm going with this I guess my question is just... how did this happen!!???

[recurring-polynya]

Happy (belated) New Year! Thank you so much for making my re-entry into Bleach fandom so enjoyable. You're actually one of the people who made me realize "wait, tumblr still has an active Bleach fandom?" Even before we started our blog, whipplefilter and I found your posts and would talk about them. xD And by complete coincidence, last year when I was dipping my toes back into different tumblr fandom communities, I found your Abhorsen/Bleach AU?? I was looking for Abhorsen things, because I had recently re-read the series which was a formative part of my adolescence. Only much later did I realize that you were ALSO the person who had wonderful Squad 6 headcanons. And then I was like OMG THIS PERSON AND I VIBE ON A DEEP LEVEL. You always have the best tag commentary, and it makes me wish I were half as witty or insightful. Thanks for making Bleach tumblr so great!!

Happy New Year to you, too!

I probably could have picked something else than a 20-year-old manga to get into when I waded into the ash and ruin of post-purge Tumblr in 2019, but you don't choose your hyperfixations, and it's been a good time, overall! It's so wild to me that the anime is coming back (and possibly also more manga??) I feel very well positioned for when the fandom returns, eager for my hot takes on Gotei 13 workplace dynamics.

I actually read the Abhorsen novels at the same time as I initially watched Bleach, in the early 2000s, so not only were they both incredibly formative to me, but they're sort of inextricably linked. I was also running an undead-heavy D&D campaign at the time that I cribbed *so heavily* from both sources. We used to have dinner and talk about what had happened on Bleach that week before we played, and I still distinctly remember losing our minds at the Isshin-was-a-shinigami reveal.

GOSH, I loved that Abhorsen AU, Renji was so crusty on the outside and so soft on the inside.

The tags are literally the best part of Tumblr, and I really hope the current kerfuffle passes quickly, because I absolutely cannot live without the ability to slip my dirtbaggy commentary into the marginalia of the river of shiny baubles that constitutes my blog. The way I figure, a lot of people will end up reblogging the same stuff, witty tags are the added value I provide.

People tend to come and go on Tumblr, and, while there are some people who aren't around anymore that I miss intensely and think about every day, I've met a lot of great people in 2021, and the @bleachbleachbleach blog is my absolute #1 fave, your senses of humor are so on point and in line with my own (I think you are just correct that we vibe, because there is no other way I can explain how much things like the Squad 7 Three Wolf Moon Shirt and Detective Byakuya and that time you made tai yaki and posed them with a Renji action figure just... resonate with me)

Anyway, I guess I am just trying to say, thanks for being friends with me here on tumblr dot com! I really look forward to all of the horrible things we come up with in 2022!

[scarlettaagni]

dumb bitch walked into my job going like "oh this teacher was told not to use red ink on grading because it was 'too intense' for kids, this is how our kids are being raised and why they won't go to war and serve this country, because they're scared of shit like pens"

like first off, lady, this is a deli, and second— I hate to break it to you but that was a stupid rule made by stupid adults and literally no kid asked for that. Kids aren't ""coddled"" because they want to be, adults just like to assert themselves with what THEY think is appropriate. They're not responsible for how they're treated by others??? Especially when those others are ADULTS and they are children¿¿¿

third, we're talking about current children right? It'll be a fucking decade till whoever this pen rule applies to can join the army, was "oversensitive coddling" thing happening in like the early 2000s, the subjects of which WOULD be draft age now?? I don’t fucking think so, considering I'm one of them. You're complaining of how children are being patronized NOW to complain about people who are adults NOW???¿¿¿

fourth, fuck you, I and other kids are not fighting for this sewer hole, and not for your idiotic approval either. And besides the point, SO FUCKING WHAT IF A KID IS "SCARED OF PEN INK"? what does that have to do with ANYTHING? Are we just disqualifying people based on random neuroses? I guess Kevin can't drive the tank anymore, he's scared of clowns. What? That has nothing to do with anything? Yeah I know

truly the stupidest tidbit of old people bile I've had to sit through at this job thusly

[notebookmuseum]

Journaling When Your Life Feels Too Boring

(This is something of a departure from my usual posts here, but I figured I'd suggest some journal prompts for anyone who needs them ☺️)

So I read a lot about people who want to take up journaling, but are too intimidated by it. One of the most common reasons is they have nothing to write about - your life is dreadfully boring and nothing fun or exciting ever happens to you anymore. (Cue the "I'm being attacked" from millennials and generation z)

If you hate the tired old advice of writing about your day or complaining about your relationship troubles, maybe I can help. And I should know, I have an embarrassingly large plastic storage box in my room full of roughly 20 years' worth of journals.

The most important thing is that you're journaling for YOU, not for Tumblr or Instagram or YouTube. It's okay if you don't journal every day or if your notebook looks like it got run over by a car, as long as you're actually using it. Nice but empty, unused notebooks make people sad :(

1. Pretend you're a space alien - I can't take full credit for this one, I got the idea from an art journaling guide I found at a secondhand bookstore. If you try to describe your everyday life to a Martian (or some other nonhuman being like a robot or an ogre or a ghost from 17th-century France), it's going to look a LOT less boring.

2. Useless trivia and history - A side effect of #1 is that your imaginary audience might start asking questions about where things come from or why certain human practices are the way they are. If you're anything like me, you'll probably start Googling out of curiosity and wind up down a one-hour Wikipedia hole about liberation theology or bleeding heart doves or ruby chocolate. You can't go wrong with writing about the weird or neat things you've learned.

3. Describe your hobby - No, I'm not just talking about the usual like book or movie reviews. Go into really fun stuff you can't find on Wikipedia, like hobby in-jokes or shipping (or how silly you think shipping is) or petty internet drama. This has the added bonus of you secretly laughing (or losing faith in humanity) from all the dumb things going on while you're too busy swooning over Chris Evans or Taylor Swift.

Note: If you're REALLY clueless about what to write, the nuclear option is to take a random TV show or movie you're into right now... and look it up on tvtropes.org. I apologize for everything that comes after.

5. Moderate your greed (with apologies to early 2000s Philippine politics) - Agonizing over those fancy shoes you'd been eyeing in the mall? Arguing with yourself over getting the latest iPhone? You can try getting to the bottom of those desires by journaling about that thing you want or why you want it. This can help you come up with reasons to quell those desires - or backfire completely and accidentally convince yourself to buy it after all. Exercise with great caution.

4. Why aren't you doing _____ - Lets face it: we all procrastinate. So be honest and write about the secret, shameful reasons why. The __ can be as simple as why you haven't washed the dishes yet, or something big like why you still haven't gone backpacking through Asia like you always dreamed of.

6. My toes, my knees, my shoulders, my head - This is a common mindfulness exercise to help you calm down when you're stressed: sit quietly for a moment and do a mental inventory of how you're physically feeling right now. Has that small cut on your leg healed yet? Do you need a haircut? Do you feel like crap because you haven't been getting enough sleep? Go ahead and complain about all those things on paper.

Trigger warning: For those of you struggling with body image issues, this prompt might have the side effect of dredging up all those old insecurities. Be very cautious when approaching those thought processes, and remember to take care of yourself.

7. Don't write at all - You probably have a spot in your house full of things you can't quite bring yourself to throw away: movie tickets, family photos, bus tickets, shopping lists, post-its from the office, a wrapper or label from the sweets your aunt brought home as pasalubong. Or you probably make stick figure doodles all the time about all the gruesome things you want to do to your boss. All of those can find a place in your journal. Journaling doesn't have to be just writing; it's meant to be good for you, not to make you even more stressed or pressured.

Note: "Pasalubong" is a Filipino word for gifts your friends and relatives take home from their travels, like t-shirts or fancy chocolate or bottles of lotion and perfume. Yeah, this is really common in Philippine culture, you can look up the (sometimes tragic) history of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) for context.

[bearpillowmonster]

Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

The gameplay is the stuff we know from Academy but let me say that this is a GAME! This is the kind of stuff that you'd see in a trailer in the early 2000s then tell your friend how cool it was. There's a straight up moment where you infiltrate a detention center and break out all these prisoners but in order to do so, you have to fight up a staircase filled with imperials then afterwards hold one of the commanding officers hostage and lead him into other rooms to unlock the gate, it's so epic! It's just so sad that we're finally there in terms of technology and things that they could do for Star Wars games (if Disney granted rights) but RavenSoft and Vicarious (who worked on these games) are forced to work on Call of Duty, smh.

I don't know if I'm just dumb or...actually no, I take that back, if a game can't properly show me how to get through a level then it's questionable level design, not a judgement on my IQ. There were points where I'd walk around aimlessly only to look it up and learn that I have to shoot a box in the corner of the room or jump on top of the ship to get onto the ledge to shoot a vent. It's not always obvious. Especially when there are things that you wouldn't think to be practical for a video game, which makes it hard to believe that this is a game from 2002 sometimes, it keeps up that trend from the last game.

As for story, it's in Kyle's perspective this time. Which @sparrowsabre7 notified me that it's actually a prequel to Academy but all the assets are there, everything feels similar even playing as an FPS for a good chunk (or 3PS if you feel so inclined to switch it).

The story this time around is about some leftover Empire scum trying to force infuse the force into people using lightsaber crystals...ok that sounds pretty bad but I imagine a lot of things that this game tries to use wasn't established in the lore yet. (That's like saying swallowing Clorox will give you better immunity to viruses) It's still up in the air whether anybody can be a jedi, if you're chosen, if you obtain the force over time, or what. I've seen all sorts of versions throughout the lore but let's forget the villains right now and talk about Kyle.

This story is very interesting, because he's not quite sure what to think anymore. It calls back to the overall arc of Star Wars and attachment, because for the Jedi, they aren't allowed to have attachment but in Anakin's case, it was his strength and he proved that it could work. In Kyle's case however, he lost his comrade.

So he's kind of a secret agent of the Rebellion to which he does those missions with his partner, Jan. As for Jan, there isn't much to say about her, she doesn't get much development but she's apparently a pretty cool chcracter in other Legends stuff. There's a lot more that I don't know about the full story because Kyle isn't just in these two games, he's in A LOT of them so it's pretty cool to see his story carried over throughout different series. Those titles are mainly FPS which is exactly how this game starts out and it's quite a bold and pretty great decision because it psychs you out however this game is more of a hybrid than the last game. In the last game you could do pretty much everything with just a lightsaber but this time, the guns are implemented are lot more practically. It's cool because I love games with a variety of play styles, so other than the villain, the story isn't that bad, it's kinda charming.

Back to the baddies though. Desann is the new bad guy and he's a Chistori. He was one of Luke's students that went bad so kinda like Kylo. They fit out these dark jedi (which, might I add, is a popular choice among sequel EU writers) that they're making with the crystals in these "Shadowtrooper" suits (which is also a popular choice among sequel enthusiasts) but there's a certain charm to fighting a bunch of troopers with similar suits to Vader, I almost wish it was almost verbatim. That way it could make for a mean fanfiction where they cloned Vader the same way they cloned Jango but they're still working everything out so they don't have the same level of force powers and their suits are mere fragments of what Vader's was, maybe progressing throughout the story. Or perhaps mixing Maul's design in with it, that would be insane! Kinda like the Mandalorian armor that does the same thing.

Now, notice I mentioned "lightsaber" crystals and not "Kyber" crystals specifically, because that's how they explain it but in the story they actually use "Artusian crystals" which I'm not sure whether they can canonically be made into a lightsaber or not but they're also in TOR so... It's not really anything to take seriously but it's fun for multiple reasons especially with the dated models and animations. In that aspect, personality, I find it better than Academy but in terms of level design, Academy has this one beat, so neither game completely overshadows the other or seems objectively better in my eyes. It's a good successor and even though I might've wanted something a bit different, it's still a pretty good game.