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opalgelance · 4 years

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thoughts on steven universe future

td;lr overall opinion: steven universe future is better than most of the original steven universe, especially seasons 3-5, but there are still some real iffy plotlines in future

i hate that the diamonds were redeemed but at the same time, the happy clouds blue and yellow putting gems back together scenes were so pure

it simultaneously warms my heart and infuriates me

but we finally got a blue diamond song, god i love her voice

EDIT: also steven basically tortured white diamond and nearly killed her and it was pretty disturbing bc steven is 1. in a really bad mental state, like way darker than i thought they’d show him go, since this is technically a kids show and 2. was also kind of trying to hurt himself, which both hit me really hard bc i had similar periods of blazing anger, wanting to self harm and harm others that i felt had wronged me when i was a teenager, but its also what white deserves

ncsndlljklkcndkls i want to enjoy this show so bad but,,, steven having ptsd makes him a violent douche??? diamonds killed who knows how many gems in their reign and never really felt bad about it in original su but now they’re supportive life coaches??? no thank you

on more positive notes, i loved how priyanka described mental health and how she treated steven throughout the entire check up, she was so nonconfrontational and whenever he felt stressed she deescalated the situation,,, it was so good

the animation is the best its been since season 2. the poses are clean, very well drawn, and on model. there are more action scenes than like 90% of steven universe and they’re animated way better, like theres actual fighting and motion asjksacbcbj no one is stiffly posed, no one has strange proportions, no one is drastically changing sizes in between shots (well besides steven in growing pains onward but when he does change size its supposed to be like that lol)

i liked seeing the real roses but didnt love it? i wish we saw more of the roses designs up close, and i wish they fit a little more with the other quartzes? it might be just because its era 3, but the roses were all way more unique than jaspers and amethysts generally seem to be. i like that they were more unique designs and had different personalities, but surely the diamonds wouldnt have tolerated that back in era 1 or even era 2, had the rose quartzes not been bubbled? also i get that they’re reminiscent of pink bc she created them, but hippie and superfan were so naive, more so than other quartzes. if each quartz group was slightly different, it would make a little more sense tbh like if quartzes were the entire gem army, but each group was slightly different. i always liked the idea that rose quartzes were either the defense or the healers of the gem army.

little homeschool and guidance were fun and genuinely enjoyable, considering not a whole ton happens in them. i wish townie episodes had been more like them. like you could replace the gems with random humans, but it would still be a fun episode? idk, maybe involving the humans in gem stuff wouldve made better townie episodes, like lars and the cool kids. it wouldve probably helped steven feel more “human” too, if the human and gem worlds collided a bit more in the series.

bluebird was... an ok episode, but im not sure how well it will fit into what i feel like the end will be, where every episode of future featured someone steven helped or affected in some way, and they all come together to help steven when he corrupts. or rather, i guess if bluebird did say something, it would feel more hollow bc steven didnt help them lol the gems and universes were just friendly to them, and thats it. it wasnt as bad as a very special episode (my least favorite episode of future), but it felt like a townie episode with no townies LOL at least we got a new fusion i guess

a very special episode was just,,, infuriating. there was that weird football scene where they just like,,, talk about screen resolution for a minute then play the full commercial for little homeworld we just saw last episode???? i did genuinely enjoy the rainbow scenes, but it just built up to not nothing. oh no, it was something alright. the whole episode was just future vision and then theres like a minute long psa??? it felt like that wacky randomness that would have happened in like, ok ko, teen titans go, or clarence jaskjcbkcjbskb

mr universe is tied with dear old dad episode as my least favorite greg episode. i get how both of them feel. greg wanted to tell steven about how he escaped from his miserable childhood and remade who he was, no longer a demayo but a universe. the problem imo was that greg became way too absorbed in the past. it reminds me a bit of s1 pearl, how she’d proudly recount gem battles and basked in the glory of fighting for their freedom, but she struggled when she had to recount the more unsavory parts of war. and that really affected amethyst, since she didnt fight in the glorified war pearl told her and steven about. amethyst was the byproduct of one of the bad parts of the war, and that became part of her identity, until on the run, where pearl finally realized that she needed to tell amethyst that she wasnt bad. amethyst’s creation may have fractionally hurt the earth, but that wasnt her fault. it wasnt her fault that she emerged too late to fight either. and it wasnt her fault that she existed. sounds familiar to to stevens rant in the van.

steven didnt ask to be made. he didnt ask to be the half gem half human son of a diamond. but he grew up being told about how great his mom was, and that while no one would ever say it, she was gone because of him. to create steven, rose had to die. it was roses decision, but as the product of that decision, steven feels responsible. not only that, but being told constantly about his amazing mother, steven felt like he had to live up to her, had to be like her, had to replace her in the gems and greg’s lives. throughout the series, steven is constantly either trying to be like his mother, until he realizes its ok to be himself. but then the question is posed; is steven even himself? or is he still part of rose? and once he finds out that he’s steven, and has always been steven, he’s still reeling from the realization that his mother was pink diamond. and that really shows in future, where steven is becoming like pink. at first he doesnt even know, because besides the jungle moon dream, him and the audience never knew about this side of pink. this angry, short tempered, diamond who lashes out mostly physically. and unlike before, no one’s telling steven about pink (besides pink pearl) hes finding out firsthand, and this pink mode is basically being forced on him by his gem. steven has little to no control over this form. hes not trying to live up to his mother, or wondering if he is her, like before. now, he’s losing control to whatever programming is in his gem.

but back to mr universe. in the van, greg is going on and on about how lucky steven is, and how free steven is, but how can either of them compare their lives to each other? the similarities just arent there. steven is right, greg and pink were “raised” in very similar “households”. both had their wishes and desires suppressed by controlling, abusive parents. we know pink was abused mentally, verbally and physically (being physically dragged away from the screen by yellow in jungle moon, stevonnie being grabbed and thrown into the time out cell by yellow, when she still thought steven was pink), but greg at the very least was mentally assaulted. but they diverge from here. as greg said, he thought disco was back. rose started a war. you cant compare them any further.

but at the same time, steven was raised completely differently. he was raised in a home with love and freedom, but he was also not given the opportunity to be a normal kid. theres a difference being forcing your kid to do something and not giving them the chance to try something. steven was never given the option to go to school (well in the comics he was but i guess thats not canon now since it seems like steven wishes he went to school?) he was never given the option to live in a house, or go to the mall with friends. the only other kids he knew were the boardwalk kids, but even then, he doesnt seem very close with them. for such an outgoing, friendly kid, steven wasnt given many opportunities to make friends. steven’s upbringing was very relaxed, yes, but it was too relaxed. he needed more structure, and more importantly, more humanity. i always thought it was weird, how little steven seems to have interacted with humans before connie, considering that his mother so desperately wanted steven to experience being human. yes the show is about gems, (and yes, i dont like most townie episodes), but steven was never shown doing a lot of “human” kid things inbetween episodes. the episode never started with him coming home from a friends house, he hardly ever spent time with friends other than connie in little scenes. like he was never called for a mission while playing cards with peedee, or coming home after an after school activity. any scenes like that were either just steven by himself, or with greg, and occasionally connie. but connie is a new addition to his life. how many years has he been doing fun stuff with only his dad for company, or by himself? yknow, “non traditional” childhoods and living situations are becoming more and more common in media, rather than the “two parents in a suburb house” thing, but steven’s life is beyond any unusual childhood any other kid would have. i mean he’s never even been to the doctor! which is probably for several reasons, like the fact that he apparently doesnt have a ssn, he can heal himself, has a damn gemstone in his stomach, and is half alien. but still, thats not something he has in common with other kids. no matter how much love and freedom he was given, steven was raised as an outcast.

i agree with the notion that both greg and steven were both right and wrong in mr universe. i guess they both have that in common with rose lol

greg should have read the room better, realized that his pep talk wasnt the support and apology steven needed to hear. but steven shouldnt have acted out in the way he did. i get that’s the “theme” of steven’s spiral, maybe for the younger audience to better understand how steven is acting? but crashing his dad’s van that gregs been living in for like 20 years? fucking SHATTERING jasper? that’s going way too far to prove a point. it would have been better to maybe mirror story for steven, where marty and greg are arguing, marty is watching the road and they narrowly avoid hitting a car. but crashing the car could have been pretty serious, especially for greg. now jasper, that episode shouldnt have been approved. steven should not have shattered jasper. he fucking killed her. rose/pink didnt even shatter anyone. and if it wasnt for steven getting another superpower out of nowhere, jasper would have stayed that way. he should have just cracked her gem, poofing her in the process. the rest of the episode wouldve played out exactly the same.

anyways ive been writing this for like 2 hours but i feel better letting it all out. if you enjoy future keep enjoying it! it’s definitely more like a B+ compared to season 3-5′s general C-/D+. but please take into consideration future has some themes that people personally relate to, like mental health, and that you shouldnt shit on someone elses opinions that are based on their own personal experiences. especially if you dont have mental health issues, dont keep pushing your opinion and telling people that personally relate to future’s themes that they’re wrong? thats fucked up man

#suf #steven universe future #suf spoilers

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shipperbelle · 6 years

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Second rewatch of the Timeless done... can finally form complete sentences...

Before I begin, this is my blog which means it’s filled with my perspectives and opinions. So there’s that... Second note- my cat is being super lovey right now so if there are typos it'll be in large part because her paws or butt hit the keyboard... anyway on to my venting session:

Firstly, THAT FINALE WAS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW A SHOW SHOULD FINALE! Every. Single. Thing. was ON POINT!

Harriet Tubman was an absolute gem. I literally have never heard half of the story they told on her, and I feel so happy that I learned more about this amazing woman. The second half, although not focusing on a historical figure, really highlighted the mistreatment of the Chinese and was extremely interesting. These writers know how to tell a story!

On to the good parts...the characters!

-Lyatt:

These babies have been slaughtering my feels since the pilot episode. There is so much chemistry between Matt and Abigail it’s almost painful. Like seriously. They just stand in the same room and its fire. Now. Wyatt has been battling a hard impossible situation since Hollywoodland. Honestly y'all. We learned Jessica was not only his wife, that he grieved for for six years, but also his high school sweetheart. That is a long history for any couple, even a couple whose relationship is as toxic as theirs, which makes the whole “he should've just broken up with her” argument so invalid. His decisions do not mean he doesn't love Lucy, nor does it mean that he's “too little too late”. Lucy got hurt. That much was unavoidable, but does that mean theres no going forward. HELL NO. If anything that pain will create a stronger bond, because almost losing Lucy for good is a hell of a motivator for Wyatt to do some hardcore groveling. But is she open to it?

That hug! That beautiful, glorious, and emotional supportive hug speaks soooooo much more than words. Her face when Wyatt FINALLY drops those three big words we've been begging him to say... and umm hello! Future Lyatt! Yea... I'm pretty positive she's more than open to some groveling from Wyatt and some amazing times with Wyatt.

People seem to be so hung up on Wyatt being jealous and possessive, which apparently is a bigger sin than actively trying to harm/kill, but lets think about this for a second. Wyatt is a man. And sorry, but men are not known for handling intense emotions particularly well. He's so torn between what he should do and what he wants, finding out his wife isn’t what he remembers is his wife, and is confronted with the reality that his relationship with Lucy is basically changed dramatically. Thats a hell of a lot for anyone to handle. So yea, does he lash out in ways that seem abhorrent? Obviously. Is it right? Hell no. Is it something that should cause us to pick up our torches and pitchforks? Well thats up to you, but honestly in the grand scheme of the show? No.

I’m hoping like all hell that we get a season 3 because after all this angst I am so ready to see some smooth sailing.

-Flynn:

Let’s not get it twisted. I do really love Flynn. I like the dynamic he brings to the show. I love how his character plays with the others. He’s a great addition to this season. However, no I don’t play into the idea of romantic g*rcy. Platonically speaking, it’s great. They both understand each other because of shared loss and can be someone the other can turn to. But I both don’t see it romantic, and hope like hell it never becomes romantic because:

-He literally put his hands around her throat and choked her! Threw her around like a rag doll. Held her at gunpoint. Shot at her. Kidnapped her. Etc,

Many people excuse this away because “he had his reasons” or “but he didn't actually kill her”. Ya no... sorry not ok. Ever. Reasons being he was grieving over his wife, or trying like hell to get her back... umm but he had the journal saying they would eventually work together which means he still went out of his way to harm Lucy.

Also... I’m over love triangles (and it would be a triangle because Lyatt has been building since the pilot and is so unresolved) and I really think at some point Lorena and his daughter will come back into play. (which would repeat this seasons dramatic storyline).

Riya:

SAVE RUFUS!!! These two absolutely killed it. Jiya became an absolute badass and it was great. Her scene with Mason at the end broke my soul a little bit... and I'm still not ok about Rufus (ill have to expel those feels a little later)

Random Thoughts:

For awhile I was so frustrated with how long the Jessica storyline was being dragged out. It seemed like something that should've taken maybe 3 episodes max to resolve. However, it now makes a little more sense. They had to keep her around to the finale because I truly think that next season Emma and Jessica will become the “big bads” of the season. She obviously has a deep history with Rittenhouse (as does Emma) and now there is no clear leader, which means either they work together or we’ll see Emma v. Jessica. Ok... I see you writers.

-She was drinking at least twice. Theres no way she could've known she was pregnant because it'd be super early (math is our friend), and I doubt there are sensitive early pregnancy tests laying around the bunker... She so not pregnant. She’s a LIAR!

-Emma- HOLY SHIT! I felt for her a lil in the Suffragette episode and thought (as most of us did) that perhaps she was coming around.. but NOPE. She went full on murderous megalomaniac crazy!

#timeless #nbc timeless #lyatt #Wyatt logan #I had so many feelings #still have so many feelings #seriously tho we need at least 5 more seasons #save rufus

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rouge-the-bat · 6 years

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Your OTP for the ask meme?

YEASS itsss shadouge timee :33!!!!!

Who hogs the duvet: neither !! rouge doesnt have much fur so she needs the extra warmth and shadow isnt accustomed to the cold, and neither want to leave the other chilly so they try to make sure theyre both getting plenty of the duvet (which is easy if theyre snuggled right against each other :3)

Who texts/rings to check how their day is going: both, rouge checks up on shadow often bc his mental state isnt exactly in the best shape with all the shit he’s been thru - and shadow maybe does it a bit more often with her bc he gets a bit worried easily (also bc of all the shit he’s been thru djdhfjd)

Who’s the most creative when it comes to gifts: defintely rouge, shadow typically just goes for gems and jewelry to gift her (no going wrong with those lol)

Who gets up first in the morning: probably shadow mostly, if rouge is up in the morning before he is its likely that she was just awake all night dhishfjd (bats are nocturnal so,,, plus nighttime good for thievin)

Who suggests new things in bed: i mean itd have to be rouge bc shadow wouldnt have the slightest idea about that sorta stuff fibdjfhfe

Who cries at movies: rouge probably cries at movies a bit less than average amount, shadow on the other hand can be stone cold thru the entirety of an extremely sad movie but then some small moment in an otherwise cheerful/funny movie will send him trying to stifle down tears but completely failing, it depends on what happens and if it hits close to home with his past or fears (tho if its not just him and rouge then he’s much better at keeping himself from crying at all - but when he’s alone with her he’s more comfortable being more emotional and doesnt feel the need to hide it)

Who gives unprompted messages: both, but more often rouge bc she usually does it to relax shadow when he’s tense, which he often is. shadow tends to do it more on the lines of thinking like “this feels really good and i want rouge to feel good too”

How they are when they’re sick: shadow doesnt really get sick ? but when rouge is sick she’s typically kinda grumpy (i mean being sick is annoooyyying) and shadow refuses to leave her side except to get her something until she feels better

Who gets jealous easiest: i dont really see either getting jealous much really ? rouge is flirtatious by nature obviously, which shadow would probably get a bit bothered seeing her flirt with others but it doesnt get to him too much bc he knows that she uses it as a tactic to mess with and even steal from people (and its just kinda ingrained with how she talks normally)- besides, she’d keep any flirting with others to a minimum if shadow’s around anyways

Who collects something unusual: hdkdjdhe well rouge collects gems lol

Who takes the longest to get ready: rouge, i mean she has the hair, makeup, and clothes to do while shadow maybe just has to smooth out his quills. unless he happens to be dressing up too for whatever reason, but still rouge would take longer regardless since she’s more interested in her appearance than shadow is with his (i dont see her taking like a super long time tho)

Who is the tidiest and organized: maybe more shadow by just a bit, i think theyd both like to keep things organized tho

Who gets most excited about the holidays: definitely rouge, shadow just isnt really a festive person lol

Who is the big spoon/little spoon: i think theyd often switch, maybe rouge is more often the big spoon ? its a good position to give him little ear smooches and she can also wrap him up in her wings :3 his quills might be hard to deal with normally but i tend to draw them super poofy so she probably can easily just use them as pillows lol

Who gets most competitive when playing games and/or sports: they both get super competitive but shadow definitely more so

Who starts the most arguments: umm maybe shadow ? it might kinda source sometimes from him misunderstanding certain things or something, misreading what something means, or like taking things too seriously

What are their nicknames for each other: rouge calls him shad/shads sometimes, other times she’ll probably use stuff like handsome, cutie, sweetie, hun, etc. shadow doesnt really use nicknames much but if theyre alone he might occasionally call her something he knows just kills her- liiike whispering “good morning, my love” in her ear while theyre cuddling and just waking up in the morning :3

Who suggests that they buy a pet: neither, i see it more like shadow just comes back one day from babysitting cream with a chao egg and hes just like “im sorry she offered it to me i couldnt just say no” gdisgf they both (and omega too) end up loving the little guy to pieces tho. ofc it becomes a shadow chao ;p and with bat-like wingss

What couple traditions they have: ummm idk maybe just like traveling a lot ? bc back on the ark shadow always wanted to experience what the world was like and im sure he still has that curiosity to check out everything (and im sure rouge would find it incredibly fun to go out traveling the world too)

What tv shows they watch together: tbh i barely watch tv anymore itd be like impossible for me to match any shows with them lmao. shadow probably just watches whatever rouge watches (thas how shadow got into anime fjdhifhd)

Another couple they hang out with: i mean probably none, shadow doesnt like to hang with people much besides his team lol

How they spend time together as a couple: i suppose if theyre not working or on an adventure saving the world or whatever theyre probably either hanging out at home or at someplace that’s not crowded, rouge is probably often times showing shadow things hes never seen before or never experienced in person since all he knows is whatever was on the ark 50 years ago (also thered be lots of cuddling and smooches going on too :3 less so in public bc shadow doesnt like bein all mushy with others around but rouge would still be doing a bunch of stuff to get him to blush)

Who made the first move: i can imagine several ways this going down but one way i see is its just rouge making all the moves all the way lol. like shadow notices these feelings he has for rouge but he doesnt really understand them and isnt sure how to handle them, so he just becomes an extremely blushy dork whenever she’s flirting, trying to act unfazed but its so clear that he likes her- and of course rouge would notice this. so what does she do? flirt with him even more lmao, she just keeps it up and keeps being more flirtatious with him until one day she actually kisses him and that sorta just kicks off their relationship officially

Who brings flowers home: S H A D O W fihdihf i took that thing from lego dimensions and fuckin ran with it lmao. shadow loves flowers fight me. he makes rouge flower crowns

Who is the best cook: rouge by a landslide fhdihfih shadow can make…. hot pockets lmao. things he make typically either: 1. taste awful/comes out completely ruined or 2. is some weird combination that somehow tastes good to him

Who snores: uhh idk, i dont really see either snoring tbh

god uhhhhh i spent way too much time on this than i should’ve lmaooo. anyways thanks for the ask !!! it was fun to answer :3

#shadouge #shadow the hedgehog #rouge the bat #hhhooooooooooo i love these two so mucchhhhhhhhhhhhhh #just. hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

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solarpunksoftie · 7 years

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Mark Isn’t Dead

(step-by-step spoilers ahead!)

Y’all. Y’all.

My bro and I, the theory sibs, had a 5 hour jam sesh and have been pouring over the last 3 chapters and have come to the conclusion that Markiplier isn’t dead. This is gonna be a really long post, but basically we got a plot, a scheme, and the staff and detective are in on it.

Ok, So I guess I’ll go as chronologically as I can with my evidence, but there may be some mobius double reach-arounds.

so going in TRUE chronological order. I’ll start with the security tapes. The eye is drawn so quickly to the Time Stamp because, obviously we’re looking for time, but watch:

on the footage that ACTUALLY MATTERS the TIME doesn’t mean anything at all. It’s the DATE that should matter. 3 days before the party and subsequent murder. Mark discusses the trustworthiness of the staff that will be at the party. Note he doesn’t bring up the groundskeeper at all, presumably because he shouldn’t be present.

WHY DOES MARK FALL FROM THE CEILING. GENUINE QUESTION. I DONT UNDERSTAND.

Anyway, from there, the lightning upon discovering the murder draws THREE people to the scene, specifically the three discussed in the scene from 3 days ago. They all react rather similarly. YOU are then immediately accused of murder. The only wild card in the room? trying to wrap things up quickly? Hm.

There’s then a lot of talk between the three of them, mostly confirming each others validity in their positions and agreeing. You’re made the partner, possibly to keep a better eye on you so you don’t wander off on your own.

Damien doesn’t discover the scene until after the crime scene has been established properly, and seems realistically distraught. He has the most genuine response in this situation imo. I’m convinced he’s at the very least not guilty.

From the time the crime scene is established onward, we don’t see the body again. It’s under a very bulky sheet. could be anything under there

This seems like such a lazy and obvious slip-up??? There is only one guest not present and that is the Colonel. Seems like he just needs an excuse to leave,,, after the detective disbands them. Why would he really need an excuse? Why would he lie so poorly? is it code?

Again, a genuine distraught friend. Not suspicious. A bean who needs a hug and a cry. I’ll stop talking about this genuine man. The only person actually acting like an old friend just died. Just know in my book he’s clean.

So now we get some repetition, to drive home an idea, only it seems to be completely disregarded. But its not. It’s deliberate as hell.

He leads us to the wine cellar. And he doesn’t just lead us there, he makes a show of it. He narrates the whole thing, talking about evil and seeming afraid of the cellar. Why? The chef is right next to us in the kitchen, just off screen.

He knows every inch of this house, the Colonel says you’ll find answers in the house, and you’re shown a room exactly once immediately after. He makes such a show of running down the stairs, wailing “If only he was still alive!!” loud enough for half the house to hear, probably.

He’s giving us hints, serious hints, but if the others find out he’s telling us he’ll be in deep shit, so he has to make a show of being emotional and opaque.

So we creep out of the basement, bump into the cook who says some vaguely incriminating stuff, probably to distract us from the house and get the focus back on the people. He shows us the security animatronic (theres no way you can convince me thats not what it is), likely expecting us only to look at last night and find nothing, not to flip back several days and find conspiring.

Now in the middle of all this I’m gonna jump to the first chronological Jim short, Suspect With a Shooty?!

On our timeline, this is the longest stretch of time we are away from the Detective while the body’s whereabouts are still presumed. As he leaves the living room onto the balcony, he keeps checking over his shoulder. Presumably to be sure he could be weird in peace. Jim babbles on as he has his private weird moment (which he is later loathe to discuss as to why he wasn’t watching the body and why I place this Jim first in the sequence). At the end of the video, something seems to alert the Detective that he may not be alone, and he runs off very specifically away from the eyeline of the area where you meet Damien. One can presume what alerted him was Damien exiting onto the balcony.

Next we take a wander outside and get some NPC conversation from Damien, leaving us on “We’ll talk later, I need to think.”

And then we see this:

Why hide behind a bush? Why sneak around away from Damien?

Why Colonel, what an advantageous spot. What a lovely overlook to spy on Damien and y/n’s conversation. What a good distance to talk to someone down on the porch below. Maybe warn him that company was arriving?

But Gene, you ask, i thought the conspiracy was between Mark, the detective, and his staff? Yes, reader I did, just bear with me a little longer. Or a lot. It’s gonna be a double reach-around, don’t worry.

Then as you know, we find the lack of body in the living room and the chapter ends.

So chapter two begins with just us and the Detective standing around the missing body. And then, in the same order as before, with just as much rehearsed regularity, the Butler and Chef enter. Once again, none of them act distrustful of eachother.

But then, right on our heels, the Colonel (its so hard not to call him wilford) pops up, with the same pacing and obfuscating energy as the other’s entrances. He says some mystifying things regarding re-murdering a decidedly mobile corpse before excusing himself to go zombie hunt.

The Butler points out the fact that the Colonel and Mark are the same age. So they do acknowledge that they look the same. The Detective follows the Colonel’s exit by blatantly saying he doesn’t trust him, or anyone for that matter. The Butler and Chef make some... odd reactions.

The Detective asks us to walk with him, presumably so he can give us some insights in confidence.

“Why Tonight”???????? That could be a writing slip-up, a mistake, but knowing what we know now about the events later that evening, I don’t think so. Sure I think the character made a fruedian slip, but I don’t think the writers did.

This whole monologue. Why give it to us? To tell us he can’t be trusted.

This one line alone tells us a few things. He’s lying to us to get us to stop asking questions. He doesn’t trust us. There is ONE (1) other person he doesn’t trust, who can be considered a wild card or meddlesome. Well, headcount, we have the Butler, the Chef, Damien, yourself, and the Colonel. So other than you, who has the Detective been avoiding? Damien. Hm.

So as you walk he continues to blow smoke up your ass until you get to Mark’s destroyed room.He leaves you to look for evidence when suddenly,

the Colonel pops up. My, my, how does he get around so quickly? Hm.

The Detective hands you over to his vaguely threatening conversation that runs and rambles and utterly distracts you from looking for anymore clues or finding any answers, always conveniently disappearing when Damien appears. Why is everyone avoiding Damien? Or is he trying to lead us into a private conversation with Damien? A conversation he knew would have to happen, since spying earlier revealed that Damien had more to say?

Eventually Damien pulls us away from the Colonel and finally has a very important conversation with us. One where he starts to hint at some suspicions of his own, regarding the Detective And The House.

Hiding in the house? Hm.

So we hear gunshots, run inside to see the altercation between the Detective and the Colonel, and in the frustration and heat of the moment we get this golden gem:

in my own home

In My Own Home

IN MY OWN HOME.

Mark IS the Colonel. At least sometimes. He made a plan with the Detective and his staff to fake his death. The Colonel never interacts with the dead body in any way, and once the sheet is down we can’t even visually verify there’s a body under it. He repeatedly tries to stop the investigation by shouting it down and defaming himself to dishearten us.

But how does he get around so fast? Well, what does every good Mansion have? Secret passages. Ways to pop up unexpected in your own home. He’s been in the house the whole time. In the walls, spying, corralling us and Damien for something. Maybe the Real Colonel is tied up in the basement somewhere. Who knows?

So we start off with the entrance of Selene. And the Colonel responds very uncharactaristically soft.

He sounds more like himself, like Mark, for a moment, in his surprise before composing himself and acting erratic again.

Selene starts dishing out exposition, the Jumanji line drops giving us a possible explanation to the space-time bending ways of the Colonel, the boys play with lightning.

Flash Forward to the Oracle sight sequence. Its prefaced with “Keep your enemies close.” A phrase we’ve heard a few times. I think the visions warn us of not only things to come, but of our “enemies.” And who is featured in not one, not two, but Three of these visions as the point of interest?

THE COLONEL.

At this point we haven’t seen the Colonel in person since the round table scene, but one more interesting thing occurs between the plotting three. Once the groundskeeper is revealed the Detective loses all of his cool. Flashback to the first point, Mark and the Detective had a conversation about this days ago and Mark didn’t tell him about any groundskeeper. This is a wildcard who could ruin whatever they have planned. Then he and the Butler have a weird exchange specifically regarding the Colonel.

The way the Butler’s lines are delivered is everything here. “Well,,, he appeared Tired... and went back to his room.” Tyler gives a lean and a nod and everything short of a wink wink nudge nudge. They’re talking around something right in front of you. A way of telling each other “he’s doing what he should be, he’s safe and out of the way.” without giving away that something more covert is happening. I only caught it because I’ve watched this 12 times at minimum.

I dont know what they’re planning, maybe it was for Selene, maybe it was different and Selene has thrown a wrench into things, who knows. Maybe Damien is the true wildcard, knowing them all so well it threatens the plan and he must be avoided. But something Is Going Down And Mark Is ALIVE.

#who killed markiplier #who killed markiplier?#wkm #hkm #markiplier #long post #theory #analysis #spoilers

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eli-reviewsthings · 7 years

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10 Ten movies of 2016

Hey everybody. That hellish year is over, and now we can spend some time looking back at all the shit things were made that we were forced to sit through, and appreciate the great ones!

10. The Lobster: Not gonna lie, I was tempted to not put this and number 9 even on this list, but god. So many bad movies came out I kinda didnt have much else to put on here. Not saying the Lobster is a bad movie, it is not, just. Difficult. This movie was difficult to watch, and probably the second most uncomfortable movie I saw this year. There were a plethora of scenes that were made me squirm in my very uncomfortable seat. The most notable of which is a woman viying for the affection of the main character botches a suicide attempt and sits, dying slowly on the ground screaming while the main character attempts to flirt with a hot sociopath. And thats kinda a lot of the movie; violent and awkward. Much to my surprise, the movie ended up being an amazing look at love and relationships, and actually had some scenes that were genuinely touching, partly because of how cold, sterile, and viscous the rest of the movie was. The biggest problem that I have with this movie however, comes from my frustration with the ending. It goes in line with movies like Birdman, that just dont seem to know how to end. Note to future directors and writers: Ambiguity is a fine tool, but understand that not having a satisfying ending is not always a good thing.

9. The Neon Demon: Whatever about the actual movie, its NWR (as he’s calling himself nowadays, groan) and I liked it, but. But. I must tell you all about the most stressful day I’ve ever had, and how it made this movie the most nerve racking experience of my life. I was staying at a hotel for anime expo with four other friends, when we were woken up at 4am by three things all happening at once: 1, the fire alarm went off, prompting 2, one of the guys woke up screaming from a nightmare while 3, one of the other guys decided to start screaming FIRE and both took off running down the hall. Later we learned it was a false alarm but I thought we were being murdered. After that I couldn’t sleep so I watched Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared which was disturbing and then the fire alarm went off 4 more times prompting one of the guys to scream every time. The I saw the Neon Demon. And honestly, it was such a stressful experience I have a hard time actually thinking about the movie because all I remember is being on my very last nerve and on the brink of a panic attack.

8. 10 Cloverfield Lane: You spend a lot of time looking at Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s ass and she is the most resourceful protagonist I’ve ever seen. It’s also a Cloverfield sequel which I love and John Goodman is a villain. Literally what more could you want.

7. Rouge One: One of the best Star Wars films by far, I actually really enjoyed Rouge One, much more than I thought I would. It did a good job developing it’s character over the course of the movie, something Star Wars has literally never done without being either extremely cliched or just plain bad. My only complaints were that a, its still way too easy to just beat Stormtroopers with sticks, though I did appreciate the breaking glass, and b, the final fight was almost impossible to follow who was where and where the enemies were coming from. Besides that, fun action movie with some really solid performances and Alan Turdyk which is all you could want from a sci fi film.

6. The Nice Guys: Listening to Ryan Gosling scream after getting his ass kicked by Russel Crowe was one of the funniest things I got to see this year. Honestly though, this was a wonderful little gem of a movie and I really enjoyed every second of it. Not the best plot, and some kinda lame character development but hey, it was the best example of slapstick humor done well I’ve seen in years. Really, just such a fun film to watch.

5. Sing: I’m really surprised myself to see this movie so high on my list but the more I thought about the movie the more I enjoyed it. I’m a theater guy, I have a degree in theater and I’ve been doing musicals since 5th grade, so a movie about the magic of theater was really lovely to sit through. It did an amazing job of taking an incredibly broad array of music and bringing it together, and then making a white kid basically be a British Weekend, but hey besides that I loved the film. Sure it had tons and tons and tons of flaws but, I’m willing to forgive a lot because films are about enjoyment and sometimes you just have to find a film, acknowledge its not the best, and love it all the same.

4. Magnificent 7: Speaking of films that aren’t the best but I loved, this is easily the best action movie to come out in years. Also, one of the few movies to do a large ensemble cast, give all the characters equal development and, almost, equal screen time and have them all feel unique. Top it off with a diverse cast, some amazing shoot outs and you the perfect recipe for a great western.

3. Deadpool: Just go and watch the title sequence. Thats why I love this movie. Deadpool as a character has a tendency to annoy me but damn Ryan Reynolds did a great job walking that thin line and delivered the best iteration of Deadpool I’ve ever seen. The movie is was the only superhero movie to come out this year, that I saw, that wasn’t the exact same garbage nonsense we’ve seen what feels like a thousand times by now. Yeah, I’m looking at you, you piece of utter shit Civil War. Or, as it should be called: We didn’t have a good fight choreographer and uh Bucky can block a shotgun blast with his hand and somehow Caps team which is basically just a bunch of normal dudes and scarlet witch, and somehow they beat iron mans team cause the writers are lazy and just churning out these pieces of shit at this point, no I’m not just angry about Cap making out with that blonde bitch after Peggy died, fuck you that movie was a complete mess and you know it. That felt good, glad I got that off my chest, lets get back to Deadpool, because it has the camera guy from Cloverfield in it and I love him and this movie was a beautiful breath of fresh air and left me very excited about the next guardians of the galaxy because hopefully it wont fall into the same traps the rest of marvel has.

2. Your Name/ Kimi no na Wa: Mokoto Shinkai could animate himself taking a shit and I’d probably love every second of it. Seriously though, I love his work, and this film was the best he’s done since Voices From a Distant Star. It has heart, gorgeous animation, great characters, and a nice dose of humor that is usually absent in his films. It’s an amazing film and if it doesn’t win best animated film at the oscar’s then they’re racist and they have no taste.

1. Arrival: When me and my mom got into the car after seeing this she started bawling. Just sobbing uncontrollably. Normally when my mom gets emotional its over things I consider dumb or just not worth crying over but this time I understood it. This movie might be one of the more moving things I’ve seen in awhile. Way back in the day, I read a book called My Name is Asher Lev, and the book starts with a quote from Kafka: “A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.” This has always been something of my compass for what separates a good thing from a great one. And by god this movie was great. Sure, it is a little cheesy, I’ll be the first to admit that, but I just don’t care. Cheesy or not this film spoke to me in ways a movie hasn’t in too long. I choking back tears so many times during the film and Amy Adams performance was masterful. This is easily the best film I’ve seen this year, and will make my list of best films of all times. I’ve seen almost all of Dennis Villenvue’s films up to Arrival, and his films have a tendency of being very dispassionate and emotionally sterile and it was truly wonderful to see him make a movie that was bursting at the seems with feeling. I could sing the praises of this film forever so I’ll end it there.

So there we have it, 10 films I saw this year and left the theater going, “Man that wasn’t as shitty as some of the other films I saw this year that was nice!” Now theres some films that just didn’t make the cut so heres some honorable mentions:

Finding Dory, Train to Busan, Kubo and the Two Strings, Star Trek Beyond and Girl on the Train.

And now some of the Shittiest movies I had the complete displeasure sitting through: Civil War (huge surprise), Don’t Breathe, Ghostbusters, Jason Bourne, and I’m sure theyre some I’m forgetting cause I don’t want to remember them.

Allin in all there were a lot of films I wanted to see that I didn’t get to, but hopefully this year I can make a list of 10 films that I enjoyed seeing! Let me know what y’all thought and I’ll see you all later with some other list in the coming days!

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tourguideexpert-blog-blog · 5 years

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Best places to eat and drink in Japan: readers travel tips

New Post has been published on https://travelqia.com/must-see/best-places-to-eat-and-drink-in-japan-readers-travel-tips-2/

Best places to eat and drink in Japan: readers travel tips

It might not be hard to find great sushi in Tokyo, or a gem of a saki bar, but where would you go for the best okonomiyaki pancakes, takoyaki octopus balls, gold ice-cream or udon noodles?

Winning tip: Takoyaki, Nishiki Market, Kyoto

Ive eaten the most rarefied meals of my life in Japan, but its hard to beat the charms of a 2 portion of takoyaki fluffy balls of eggy batter studded with boiled octopus, ginger and spring onion in a polystyrene tray. These are anointed with takoyaki sauce (Japans answer to HP) and mayonnaise, then sprinkled with dried pink bonito (skipjack tuna) flakes, which writhe in the heat emanating from the molten core. You spear each ball with a notched cocktail stick and nibble while trying to avoid singing your lips. Its like eating mouthfuls of octopus-flavoured cloud. Osaka invented them, but you can find them pretty much everywhere in Japan. Among the best are the ones served in Kyotos Nishiki Market, where you buy a ticket from a vending machine before placing your order with the cook juggling the golden balls. MoragR

Tofu temple, Kyoto

Photograph: Guardian Witness/MoragR

You need a good-luck talisman (and some instructions printed from the internet) to find Shoraian, hidden in the glorious Arashiyama mountains to the west of Kyoto. To reach it I followed the jade waters of the Hozu river, then took a steep path into the forest to a lonely hillside clearing with a wooden house, which seems to belong in a fairytale. Shoraians fame rests on its tofu-based menu. It sounds ascetic, but this is Japan, where simplicity means invention and elegance. All its tofu is made in-house, which results in something completely unlike the stuff packaged in supermarkets. We ate in a room overlooking the river and shaded by rustling trees. We chose the cheapest of the set menus, at around 25 per head (lunch is always a more affordable option than dinner in Japan). The meal starts with homemade plum wine served with a scoop of tofu as creamy as burrata, served with a pinch of salt. Vegetarian delicacies follow, an artwork on a plate. Then a bowl called sunrise, served with a calligraphy poem, based on a preserved egg as bright as a pocket-sized sun. Then comes yudofu (tofu hot-pot) blocks of tofu simmered in tasty broth. Dessert is tofu ice-cream nutty, toffee-ish and textured. I will never eat a more magical meal. Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, +81 75 861 0123, shoraian.com MoragR

Sushi Tokami, Ginza, Tokyo

Hiroyuki Sato preparing sushi at Tokami. Photograph: Guardian Witness/pfrosty

Ginza is where the best sushi places in Tokyo are found and must be among the best in the world. Sushi Tokami is my pick of the lot, run by Michelin-starred Hiroyuki Sato, one of the young guns of the sushi scene, who loves a joke and is happy to chat and explain while making exquisitely flawless nigiri. The place is a tiny basement affair with 10 seats in total but when you also learn that Tokami means 10 gods then you realise this restaurant is a small but beautiful offering to the world of sushi. Sushi (10 pieces) from 31 including soup and appetiser, Ginza Seiwa Silver Building B1F, 8-2-10 Ginza, Chup-ku, +81 3 3571 6005, sushitokami.3zoku.com pfrosty

Jumanji 55, Roppongi, Tokyo

Photograph: Facebook

You dont get much better than Roppongi for a fun cheap night out in Tokyo. For just 6 you can drink as much as you like here for four hours, and the service is fantastic. It has everything: bizarre interior design, a fine selection of western and Asian music and a real buzz. It also has a great selection of traditional snacks. 3-10-5 Mariner building 1F, +81 3 5410-5455, jumanji55.com Natasha Alexa Searle

Bar Track, Ebisu, Tokyo

Ebisu is known for its izakayas (informal bar and eating joints) and as a cool spot away from the crowds of Shinjuku and Shibuya. A simple sign saying Bar on a nondescript building leads to a warm and hushed interior. Theres a huge selection of rare Japanese and Scotch whiskies and US bourbons. The bartenders play old jazz and blues records from a collection of thousands through vintage wooden speakers. There are simple bar snacks to keep you going banana chips, wasabi peas and rice crackers.

3-24-9 Higashi Shibuya +81 3 5466 8871, on Facebook Sam Seager

Kushiya monogatari, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Photograph: Getty Images/Flickr Open

This is a brilliant restaurant in the Shinjuku area offering a range of tabehodai and nomihodai (all you can eat/drink) options. It specialises in kushiage various meats, veg and fish on skewers. Each table has a small fryer in the middle, you pick out the skewers you want and batter/fry them yourself at your table. The best thing is you can have as much as you want in 90 minutes for about 2,500 (15.50) including drinks. I have eaten in many different types of restaurant in Japan but this definitely ranks at the top of my list. Not only is the food excellent but it is a fun and unique dining experience and great value for money. 1-3-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, 5th fl, Sunflower Bldg, +81 3 5321 6166, sunnypages.jp Roy Searle

Sushibar Hamacho, Nozawa Onsen

Photograph: Alamy

Nozawa Onsen is a great little ski resort, still very traditional. Its tiny streets have a great selection of eating places. My favourite was Sushibar Hamacho, a one-room place with seating at the bar or on the floor of a raised, matted platform. The place is usually busy with seemingly random opening hours. But the fresh, plump salmon and tuna are beautifully presented and of perfect quality, taste and texture. Four of us shared the platter and then polished off another one. Most meals cost around 9. 9519 Toyosato Nozawaonsen-Mura, +81 2 6985 2591 buryboy

Hida beef and sake in Takayama

Photograph: Getty Images/AWL Images RM

Kill two culinary birds with one stone with a visit to Takayama, a historic town in the mountains 200 miles west of Tokyo, famous for both its hida beef and sake. Once youve explored the numerous shrines and temples sprinkled around the surrounding hillsides, keep an eye out for the distinctive balls of cedar hanging from a building which signify a sake brewery; where the cedar ball has turned brown it means the sake is ready to drink. Several of the breweries offer tastings, and tasting cloudy sake is definitely an experience. In the evening, head to a specialist hida beef restaurant, such as Maruaki, to experience the best steak youll taste in your life. 6 Chome-8 Tenmanmachi, +81 577-35-5858, hidagyu-maruaki.co.jp cr7364

Noodles at Gamou-Udon, Shikoku island

Photograph: Alamy

For the true udon experience, go to Kagawa prefecture on Shikoku island. The signature foods here are soup and the al dente udon noodles. Gamou-Udon sits in the middle of farmland, dedicated to serving mainly udon and soba (thin buckwheat noodles) available only during its season from Nov-Apr. The menu is simple: small, medium or large noodles and you can add your own toppings (selection of tempura, fried bean curd and poached egg). I recommend to stay within three toppings to actually enjoy the noodles. This small hut that seats about 15 people gets very busy. People come, slurp the noodles and leave. Locals as well as Japanese tourists queue up during lunch hour. If you go too late, they will run out for the day so go early. It doesnt do dinner. Best udon Ive ever had (Im Japanese). 762-0023 Kagawa-ken, Sakaide-shi Alvin K Shimoju

Somen noodles, Shodoshima island

The small island of Shodoshima off Okoyama often gets overlooked by visitors to the Seto inland sea who favour its nearby arty, even smaller, neighbour Naoshima. Shodoshima, however, is a food paradise, from roadsides lined with olive groves, to the smell of sesame oil wafting through the air; food is central to life here. Highlights for visitors include Yamaroku, a small family soy sauce producer who estimates the age of its business through the ancient barrels its soy sauce ferments in. It is free to visit and you can climb up and look into the dark vats as well as sample a delightful spectrum of soy sauce products. Around the corner you will also find Nakabuan, a local somen noodle-maker where you can watch the thin wheat-flour noodles being hand-rolled, while eating the one dish on the menu, a bowl of fresh somen with dipping sauce. ID5040053

Gold ice-cream, Kanazawa

Photograph: Guardian Witness/Claire Mason

The opportunity to indulge in a golden ice-cream is rare; but not here in Kanazawa. The city was spared from bombing during the second world war and has managed to retain its historic districts and charm. It produces almost all of Japans gold leaf, and there must be a surplus because its even used as an ice cream topping. You can buy the creamy, gold ice-cream from various stands in the historic parts of town. Claire Mason

Okonomiyaki pancakes, Hiroshima

Photograph: Getty Images/AWL Images RM

Street food has been mainstream in Japan for a while now, with variations on savoury pancakes in the 20 or so eateries in Hiroshimas Okonomiyaki building a classic example. Combining whatever ingredients you want fried up with fish stock and cabbage pancake mix is an unpretentious meal, eaten off up-turned beer crates while sat around the hot plate. The snack is highly visual, with a pizza-size lattice of mayonnaise and tangy sauce mingling with oscillating tuna flakes sizzling away. Yours for 7. Tayls79

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us

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aowanders-blog · 6 years

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New Post has been published on https://aowanders.com/things-whitefish-mt/

Things To Do In Whitefish MT

THINGS TO DO IN WHITEFISH MT

Whenever I travel to a new city I’m filled with excitement & a sense of adventure. Discovering the unknown and trying new things. Meeting new people and seeing new sites. Relaxing with a great glass of wine or a chilled pint regaling stories of my days adventures are just one of the things to do in whitefish MT. When visiting ski or mountain towns I’m always suspicious of internet connections, accommodations, dining options & what to do after day 3. Until I discovered Whitefish. Offering small town charm, big city amenities and endless outdoor adventures there are thousands of things to do in Whitefish, MT. This little mountain town makes a great basecamp for multi-day adventures.

OUTDOOR THINGS TO DO IN WHITEFISH MT

The question isn’t what to do in Whitefish MT its how many things can you do while your there? After spending your days in the outdoor playground surrounding Whitefish, Montana; hiking, biking, touring Glacier or fishing you’ll be pleased to return to Whitefish’s cozy accommodations and fantastic food. The city itself provides a variety of attractions and activities including live theater, shopping, local breweries, hockey games, poker, bicycle trails, water parks & acclaimed golf courses. Being centrally located to Whitefish Lake, Flathead Lake, Flathead River, Flathead National Forest & Glacier National Park the menu of outdoor fun is expansive. Hope you enjoy my list of 100 FREE or Cheap Things To Do In Whitefish MT for all your vacation needs. Be sure to utilize my Free Camping Guide too.

1 GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

Glacier National Park offers visitors the opportunity to fish, hike, camp, view wildlife & road trip through one of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. If your in the area you need you to at least drive the Going To The Sun Road once. National Parks do charge a fee ranging from $3-$30, but 10 days out of every year the National Park allow visitors to enter free of charge. To find out which days they are check out the National Parks Website. Want to read more on Glacier National Park?

2 FLATHEAD NATIONAL FOREST

If you want to see the beauty of the area without the crowds make your way to Flathead National Forest. The blue hues are magical, and Flathead Lake is the largest & cleanest lake in North America. The biggest plus for all you fur parents unlike Glacier National Park dogs are welcome on the trails here. Make sure your prepared though. Cell phone service is spotty, and there are no stores, gas or food out there. On the plus side there is no admission fee. Campgrounds are first come first serve no nightly fee, and in most cases you can stay up to 14 days. Want to read more on Flathead National Forest

3 WHITEFISH TRAIL

Like the Appalachian Trail the Whitefish Trail is user supported. The Whitefish Trail is a community asset stretching 36 miles including 10 trailheads and providing natural surface trails in a rural forested environment. The diverse trail system is perfect for families, runners, hikers, dog walkers, horses & an array of outdoor enthusiasts. My prediction is the Whitefish Trail will evolve into the Skyline Trail in Ogden or the extensive trail system in Boulder. To read more on the Whitefish Trail.

4 CITY BEACH

It may not be the ocean or the bays of Alaska, but the city beach in Whitefish MT is pretty remarkable. Mountains surrounding its banks with sugar sand beaches and crystal clear waters. If your looking for things to do in whitefish MT city beach is a must. Parking is free. There is no admission. the views are magnificent, and the waters are inviting. Close to downtown you can walk, bike or run. Bring a book and soak in the beauty for an afternoon. Read more on City Beach.

5 WHITEFISH EQUESTRIAN CENTER

Montana is known for its big sky, fly fishing & beautiful landscapes. This is why I love Whitefish because it has all of that plus a horse show jumping training center. With one indoor heated arena, and three outdoor heated arenas there’s plenty to see & watch. There’s even a heated viewing lounge with cable tv & wifi. You can board your horses here. Sign up for lessons, or pack a lunch take the family and go watch the best train for free. A great afternoon idea when your legs are jello from hiking, and tired of spending money. Need more information on the Whitefish Equestrian Center.

6 HUGH ROGERS WAG PARK

I’m not a dog park person. Kota & I go on enough adventures so dog parks are like going to the gym, and I don’t do that either. The Hugh Rogers Wag Park though is good enough to make me want to move there. Most dog parks are a large open area with a fence. When looking for things to do in Whitefish MT I came across the Hugh Rogers Wag Park. Its out on the east side of town and is phenomenal. Free admission. Large parking lot, and there are 4 gated areas to this 5 acre park.

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The wide open throw the ball and retrieve park. Theres a training obstacle course for show dogs. A small dog section, and a pond section. Theres a covered area with picnic tables to get out of the sun, and the day Kota & I went there were sky diving tours landing in the field on the other side of the parking lot. Plus you don’t even need to bring your own toys. There are balls, chew sticks, ropes, stuffed animals and a variety of other toys provided. Its probably the best dog park in America, and Kota made a ton of friends. It was unofficial Begal day so it was hard to keep track of him. Read more of Wag Park

7 WHITEFISH MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT

Eight miles away from downtown Whitefish, and with 3,000 skiable acres located in the Rocky Mountain this playground requires a visit. In the summer time parking is free and so is hiking around the village or the mountain. Its a really unique ski resort that recently underwent a full makeover bringing it out of the 1970s. Although I wish they wouldn’t have. When the snow melts the trails the slopes make way for alpine slides, adventure parks, zipline tours, scenic chairlift rides, mountain top dining & mountain biking courses. Its a year round resort with two short shoulder seasons. Great for a day of family fun all in one spot. Read more on Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort.

8 WHITEFISH FARMERS MARKET

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When looking for things to in whitefish MT most people look to the great outdoors, but on Tuesdays look right downtown. Every Tuesday from 5pm-7pm from the end of May to the end of September the whitefish farmers market is held at the North end of Central Ave across the street from the library & train station. There’s usually live music, great energy, tons of local vendors, fresh produce & fruits as well as prepared foods from the locals. Best of all if you just want to take in the sites and smells its free to listen to live music and mingle with others. Definitely worth checking out if your in the area on a Tuesday. Looking for more info on the Whitefish Farmers Market

9 FLASHPOINT OUTDOOR LASER TAG

Unlike paintball laser tag is exciting, inexpensive and my favorite part NOT PAINFUL. If your trying to find things to do in Whitefish MT for the kids check out laser tag. Flashpoint Outdoor Laser tag is hosted in a forested setting about a mile and half out of town. The cost is super cheap at $25 for 2 hours. Includes XM7Skinny or MP5 Stinger laser guns, and offers survivor, capture the flag or team elimination games. For directions or more information on Flashpoint Outdoor Laser tag.

10 WILD HORSE ISLAND STATE PARK

If your on the hunt for things to do in Whitefish MT you definitely need to check out Wild Horse Island State Park. Its actually located in Kalispell all of 17 miles away, but worth the trip. There’s no admission, and its the largest island in America. Home to wild horses & rich history. First Nation Tribes such as Salis-Kootenai used to use this island as a pastor for their horses. To protect them from being stolen by other tribes. Accessible only by boat makes it a bit of a challenge, but if you want to add some adventure to your trip we made the swim. Need more information on Wild Horse State Park.

11 HIDDEN LAKE

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This hidden gem is one of the more popular destinations in the park. Mainly because it right across from Logan Pass Visitor Center, and is under 3 miles. Most of the trail is boardwalks all the way to the view point so its an easy hike for the not so athletic. Wildlife including grizzly bears can be seen all along the trail. Wildflowers are abundant, and during fire season expect smoke to fill the air. Anytime after 10am this trail will be packed and the visitor center parking lot will have you doing laps until a spot opens up. The beauty of Hidden Lake warrants the attention. To learn more about Hidden Lake check out my Glacier National Park Blog.

12 PANNING FOR GOLD

There’s a reason why at one point Montana had more millionaires per capita then anywhere else in America. Glacier County has some of the richest mountains on the planet,and bears gems, sapphire & of course golden nuggets for prospectors to find. Recreational gold panning in Montana is a perfect way to spend a day with the family on vacation. Whether your sluicing, panning, metal detecting or dredging there are plenty of valuables still waiting to be found in Montana’s ground. Read more on gold panning blog to find out best times and areas for finding gold.

Would love to hear more ideas of things to do in the Whitefish area in the comments below, and if your looking for the best place for breakfast. If your in Whitefish you have to try Amazing Crepes. I go here every time I am in town. Its a locals favorite, and my first stop.

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wupassman · 7 years

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Reviewing SweetStoryBro’s Review of the Shenmue story

https://twitter.com/sweetstorybro/status/831177322803892225

Some first ofs:

I am writing this directly adressing Sweetstorybro because it feels more natural and less impersonal to address him but that doesn’t mean it’s not intended for anybody else. I am one of the big backers (toy capsule set pledge) so I have a lot to say about this game I fought 14 years for to get that Kickstarter.

I am sorry if this may read a lil bit like a scatterbrained person wrote this. I basically take notes as I listen and since I managed to lose my write up for the first half of the podcast I had to rewrite that from memory too.

I really like the effort and research you put into this, while in places I can add something overall this is very sastisfying for a long time fan and definately a pretty goddamn complete rundown of what the story is about and how its executed. That being said generally if there’s agreement there is not a whole lot more to add so if I don’t outright disagree you can assume I agreed.

Let get to it then:

I think you did a really good job at explaining in which way Shenmue surpasses your average gaming experience, while its clearly a game it kinda goes past playing but experiencing. As you pointed out this game can be a very different experience for each player based on how hard they are looking to find connections and generally explore the world (and progress the story at just the right pace as to not miss a single cutscenes XD It’s not too easy to make a 100% run but if you do, things like Nozomi moving isn't as much out of the blue, yes she basically leaves as abrupt as he does but it's foreshadowed during the convos with her). Yu indeed built a very lifelike world with tons of lil details and NPCs that felt real. I really like how you brought up that book explaining what Yu was trying to do with this world. That was a thing I fan haven't heard of before. Indeed it is a very key aspect to differentiate between japanese and chinese, which of course becomes a much bigger deal in part II even, when Ryo is removed from his stomping grounds but in Hongkong. It's actually p interesting how a game about chinese culture was kinda a main idea from the beginning, as he was inspired to be making Shenmue (then Akira RPG/Project Berkley) many years prior, when he travelled China in order to research martial arts for Virtua Fighter.

As this is a perfect segway I’ll be skipping ahead a little bit here and talk about the fighting system.On of the main genres I always played were fighting games so I personally appreciated the super simplified VF fighting system (try VF3TB from the same time and youll know the difference) and being such a player I wouldnt even have thought of wanting to play this with analog stick. Golden rule of fighting games: dpad = accuracy, analog = wishy washy. That being said I am not at all opposed to change it up for Shenmue III and make it feel more like Sleeping Dogs. After all back in the day it was a different controller not quite as handy for 3D games (the lack of a 2nd stick means a lot). As long as the fighting is tight and responsive it works for me either way, iof there is a change that needs to happen it’s the camera. I am not really holding it against the game cuz it’s really old but the camera screw ups during fights could leave you clueless which way youre facing at times.

I wouldnt worry too much about the thing with the chapters. The games don’t equal chapters. It’s more like arcs/themes (as you later said when talking about the PostMortem). From basically the very start Shenmue was supposed to be split into 5 games and as of yet the plan/hope is that the final game will be Shenmue V. Shenmue I was only 1 chapter but Shenmue II was 3.

At the risk of completly blowing any kind of credibility I might have and just come off as a crazed fanboy: The pacing of Shenmue I had purpose. It very much corresponds with the mental state of Ryo. Feeling of grief and feeling lost. Shenmue I basically is about running into a brickwall and trying a different path until at the end he finally finds a way to get his passage to China. Until then his plans were shattered and ruined a couple of times and it weighs on him. And it should weigh on the player too. It’s part of how you manage to get this deep connection to the character because you as a player are forced to live out the day as is (or just go for the blocking out that your dad was killed and spend all day in the You Arcade). this is further emphasiszed that in Shenmue I theres rarely ever good weather and most of the soundtrack is depressing too. The days getting long is absolutely intentional. I can see how this might not be the most fun kind of gaming for a lot of people, but this is why different games exist. Shenmue’s job is not to appeal to players who can’t enjoy a game where shit doesn’t explode every 5 seconds. It is important to tell people who are interested so they know what theyre in for but its not actually a negative for the game itself because it actually perfectly fullfills what was required for this part of the story.

There is no way to talk about this without explaining how this correlates with the 4 themes Yu brought up and why Shenmue II is such a change of tone. It’s not just the fact that Hongkong is a bustling metropolis. It is very much the fact that due to the unseen part on the ferry and much more so because of all the masters and other freaks he meets in Hongkong that he opens up more. Again the change in tone of Shenmue II is also accompanied by visual and audio cues. THe soundtrack of Shenmue II is overall more upbeat, depressing themes do play in the more run down quarters but overall the game sounds cheerier. Likewise its not just that Hongkong of course is a much more colorful place than the suburban area he grew up in. It’s also basically always sunny in SHenmue II. Granted it makes a lot of sense due to the different seasons the game takes place in but of course with a highly artistic work like this, this is not a coincidence.

Let’s move right into the next part here. Yes Ryo behaves like a jerkass towards a lot of his peers. While there is a chance that the Voice Acting has some to do with it (No dissing Corey Marshall, the man is a hero!) it is still fully intended for him to be as cold and brooding as he is. You can tell by the face animation, which is p goddamn good for a game that old. Every Shenmue player made jokes about how Ryo’s happy face looks the same as his angry face. His moments where he is at least not totally miserable are rare and special. He is consumed with grief in Shenmue I. Shenmue II is about moving forward from that. HENCE DEPARTURE. not just locally but mentally. I really need to compare the interactions he had with the 2 most important females in his personal life.

The first one is obviously Nozomi: These conversations are awkward for more reasons than just them sucking at talking about their feelings (which btw isnt just them being teens but really very much them being japanese in this era too). Keep in mind both are aware of the feelings the other one has so they have a very close relationship. You’d think close enough for him to actually tell Nozomi what hes on and about to do in order to find the killer of his father. He doesn’t He’s very sparse with the information he shares which is entirely rooted in the fact that revenge is highly egoistical (heres a theme that gets such importance placed upon in Shenmue II). That doesn’t even mean hes an egoist, cuz he is not. He is just super preoccupied with his grief and aparently nobody really knows how to help him finding a better way to deal with it (given his age that makes sense too, no complaints there). As I mentioned earlier tho it depends on your play how many scenes with Nozomi you’re going to see (the Shenmue Passport cd is a good reference). Also since it wasn’t actually out of the blue that she would be going to Canada soon it is quite understandable she has a hard time telling him about her feelings too. This is not only a well known story beat but IRL youd think whether you wanna tell someone you love them when you know for a fact you’ll be moving overseas anytime soon. Especially when you consider the circumstance that if Ryo wasn’t on his revenge trip he’d assume his role as patriarch of the Hazuki Dojo.

Now lets fast forward to disc 4 of Shenmue II (THIS GEM!) and inspect the interactions Ryo has with Shenhua. These are amazing. They’re literally the best conversations Ryo has in all of the 2 games. Shenhua’s cheery and innocent, good natured personality makes it exceedingly hard for him to be the brooding jerkass anymore. A lot of that has to do with all the people he met who became his friends/mentors in Hongkong/Kowloon. He grew because of them. But Shenhua’s personality helped a great deal too. All of the sudden there are no distractions. Just the environment and her. What else would he do but chat with her? If you havent played Shenmue II I implore you to just youtube the conversations he has with Shenhua and compare with Nozomi yourself. It’s like night and day and p much the ultimate signifier for his growth throughout the progress of the game. Now this is venturing a into fan theory territory: the fan base is p much split down the middle of what kind of romantic role Nozomi is going to play in Ryo’s future. To me shes the child hood love interest that never became more due to him being preoccupied and her frankly not actually being available either. It would seem sensible to accept this as a chance missed as a part of moving on. I am positive he is going to end up with Shenhua as she resumes transforming him from this brooding dude preoccupied with revenge to a guy who truly internalises the lessons he learnt in Hongkong and adds a big helping of humanity to it.

Not to excuse his behavior towards Ine-san and Fukuhara-san (because you rightly identify them as cold) part of that is also rooted in japanese culture. With Iwao’s death Ryo became the patriarch of the family. Ine-san may scold him but in the end it is not her place to deny him. Likewise Fukuhara-san was Iwao’s student so that kind of transferred to Ryo now. The bigger point here is that he abandons his responsibilities for them. I don’t think it’ll have actual negative impact for him in story, but there is likely going to be a moment of awakening that it is high time he returns home and takes care of the martial arts school.

I am sorry this actually took a 2nd day to finish but I got busy watching Collisions 2017. I only listened to it once but in seghments. Since I am such a huge fan of the game I wanted to be fair and not overanalyze your review and find nitpicks where there arent any.

While the individual play style is entirely up to each player it is my recommendation for everyone playing this, it to give it time. Let it breathe. Just waste your time away doing fun stuff. You’re going to miss out on a lot if you’re playing it in the way youd play most linear games where you just resume with the next goal in the main quest like crossing of a check list. You are not supposed to leave this early. During my fast plays I still never finished before christmas. At best I managed a jan 15 arrival in Hongkong just to see if I manage to arrive on my own birthday lol. But in all seriousness the time limit for this game is so goddamn long because you arent really suppoed to rush through this too fast. Leaving by the middle of January or even by the end of it makes for an overall better experience IMO (lol I just heard the 10 hours thing and I damn near lost it haha. look as I said it’s ok to play it any way you see fit, but seriously 10 hours literally means just the main quest. no goofing off. You’re missing out on stuff and an overall more majestic experience is all I am saying) To me the harbor segment was super fun cuz it was cool figuring out how you get the most out of each day, incl at least some good toy collecting and maybe training (usually didnt need that anymore at this point). By no means I am trying to tell you to like an aspect you didn’t, but to me this very much comes down to how deep you immerse yourself in the world. If you let the time go by slowly (dont run basically😉) such things as working have a deeper impact on how you experience it - then 2h lunch break still feels like 15 minutes. It was literally the opposite for me in that the harbor is when I am p much forced to move the plot forward instead of just goofing off so much. I know people who share this kinda play style feel the same way that the harbor is - to us - where it really picks up.

Before my review of this is over I’d also like to personally recommend the japanese dub over the english dub. Yeah the english dub feels weird at times but this is also intentional. A good comparision to that would be the lines in the Spartacus TV show. Just like that one was speaking latin in english the Shenmue dub was speaking japanese in english if you get my meaning. The VAs talked about this on the SEGANerds podcast during the kickstarter. Of course due to having played it so much it works for me but it’s easy to tell the difference. At the same time I can not praise the english VAs enough for being incredible heroes who promoted the Kickstarter hard, it was amazing. I love all of you guys. Thank you for your passion. Will def play Shenmue III in both japanese and english to honor all of you!

I warned ya it’s prolly a lil bit all over the place. Anyway thanks for the review. give the man a follow: https://twitter.com/sweetstorybro

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