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#High-school sitcom level of crushing
ancientevangelions · 1 year
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Evangelion, LGBT+ Rights and Time
It is fascinating how readings of Evangelion have changed over time as society varies. In 2012-2015 (and to some degree even now), vocal shippers would bully others if they chose the "wrong" pairings. Reminder to everyone that you choose to engage with fan content, and it is 100% your choice to harass and bully people over their views. Shipping fictional characters should be fun and a way to engage on a different level with fandom, not an exercise in who has the moral high ground. There are shows I will not engage with because I find the canon pairings to trigger my C-PTSD, but I block those tags. (It's Madoka Magica; the third movie starts a violent fear reaction).
When I first watched Evangelion circa 2010, a Trans reading of Evangelion, though not unheard of, was less common than it is now. I grew up in Northern Alberta, Canada, where we knew what gay, straight, and bi were. Still, everything else was not mentioned until after I graduated high school and moved to a bigger city for University in 2009. This led to me doing a lot of self-discovery. I didn't fully embrace my non-binary identity until I turned 28 for various reasons, including personal safety (that would be spring of 2019, for those wondering). I knew my gender identity differed from others because of the LGBT+ club at University, where I would hang out and learn new terminologies, identities, and what consent meant. Still, until recently, people did not talk about LGBT+ identity outside of these circles, especially not in groups with aging populations. Fast forward to now (2023) on Tumblr, when there are so many differences in opinions and interpretations. I wonder if people my age (or older) watched Eva and considered the characters could be anything but straight and cis or if they were shocked by Maya's love for Ritsuko when it was revealed in End of Evangelion. 90s media had a lot of ingrained homophobia and transphobia. You don't need to look further than popular sitcoms like the Simpsons or FRIENDS to see the LGBT+ community ridiculed for a cheap laugh. Western society was very anti-LGBT, and though we have made gains with marriage equality laws in 2005 for Canada, there is still room for improvement.
When I watched NGE/EoE, It was at the start of LGBT+ identities becoming more prevalent in Western media. I watched the ambiguous interactions of episode 24, and I remember thinking how sad it was that Kaworu had to die. The interactions between Shinji and Kaworu did not appear romantic or wholesome while I watched. It seemed tragic and doomed to failure (like Shiniji's previous attempts at gaining understanding.) Upon my first watch, I concluded that Shinji's desperation for affection led to his attraction to Kaworu. It did not seem genuine, and I saw it as less romantic and more as a deeply tragic episode where a broken boy is manipulated by lies of exclusion and ultimately heartbroken because he is once again betrayed and left alone. This reading was solidified for me in EoE when Asuka confronts Shinji with the line that anyone will do in Hell's Kitchen. Shinji is even more frantic and desperate for someone to love and save him and is once again rejected. Shinji wants someone to give him love and support and to understand and help him. The fear and desperation of being left alone make Episode 24 and End of Evangelion incredibly twisted and tragic. Shinji's arc climaxes with the tragedy of human miscommunication, desperation for affection, and the desire for love and understanding without the act.
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Hell's Kitchen (End of Evangelion)
There's so much pain in suffering and loneliness. Additionally, I firmly believe Shinji did not/does not love anyone romantically in NGE/EoE. I am not saying he has no potential to love anyone. He is not there yet in his journey. He may have crushes or interests, but romantic love takes Time, communication, compromise, understanding, and so many elements of vulnerability between two people to establish, form, and maintain that connection. Shinji did not have the time to develop a true romantic bond with anyone and was not in a formal relationship. Yes, he kissed Asuka and relied on her for stability/support. He had deep conversations with Kaworu and received unconditional affection. He trusted and depended on Misato. He was curious about Rei and wanted to help her/know more about her. Still, he never took steps to form a romantic partnership, instead preferring to "keep things ambiguous."
Shinji is still figuring things out. The point of NGE and EoE isn't romance. It's figuring out your identity.
This message of misunderstanding and muddling through your identity is likely why it resonates so much with LGBT+ communities because many of us did have to muddle out our difficult questions of identity. It can be intimidating to navigate so much information, especially if you aren't in a safe environment. It feels similar to being attacked by alien forces in a war zone, except instead of Angels, it is hate-filled views, bullying, name-calling, misinformation, and fear. And instead of Evas/NERV, we have GSAs, outreach centres, online spaces, and supportive people that we hope will help us more than they harm us.
I find an element of cultural difference intriguing in Evangelion (and all Japanese anime to some degree). Japanese people interpret scenes very differently from English-speaking Western audiences. Part of the nuance is lost in translation, cultural differences, and the differences in Time that have passed. I highly recommend reading various semi-autobiographical works such as "The Bride was a Boy" or "My lesbian experience with loneliness." to understand the queer experience in Japan better. There are a lot of differences to sort through when we look at different cultures. Unfortunately, Japan has a ways to go on LGBT+ rights, including access to transgender health care and same-sex marriage (which, at the time of writing, is still not recognized in Japan). My point is that culture-to-culture intent in various media, whether written or visual, will be lost. We can, of course, read interpretations, watch video essays, talk to friends, etc. Still, to draw our conclusions, we often would rather watch the source material as "purely" as well as can without interference from other people. This brings in a final theme from Evangelion. We can never understand anyone 100%; only you can completely understand yourself. So whether you agree or disagree with me, remember these are my thoughts and opinions shaped by my life growing up as an LGBT+ Canadian. So be good to yourself, and congratulations.
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bitchlessdino · 1 year
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Hi Nana,
Long time, no see ❤️
What is the love trope you like the most?
Like how would you theoretically like to meet Chan (or any other idol/non idol crush)? 🤭
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PS I hope you're doing well ❤️
Aw hi Kat! I missed you.
This is such a fun fun question and I’m gonna answer it with my top three biases because I have an idea for all of them.
Chan - the classic friends to lovers trope, besides being infatuated with him, I genuinely do see him as someone I would befriend, annoy, and hang out with on a daily basis. It’s not like a normal bestie relationship either, there’s a lot of banter, like KwanChan level of banter (I would give kwan this same trope btw) and it’s like a live sitcom every day. Then comes the childish stuff like watching the shows you’d watch in childhood, or pretending to sneak off with alcohol like you did in high school even though your both legal age now. It’d be a slow burn and neither one of you realize your are slowly falling for each other until it’s boiling point and it becomes this hot inseparable fiery mess of relationship that is unquestionably the most important thing in your life. It’s impossibly perfect.
Soonyoung - He’s an interesting guy, and lately he’s been on my mind lately ngl, but he is just this ‘born to be a celebrity’ type of guy, he knows his angles, he appeals to the masses, he’s very charismatic yet he’s so down to earth? I imagine he meets a stranger knowing his existence for the first time and falling for them head first, like a person he meets on a business trip, or someone he’s trapped with in an elevator. He’s not questioning why they aren’t interested in him like everyone else is, he’s questioning why do I want to know everything about this person, and not even in a normal ‘this person is cool I’d love to get to know them’ no, it’s like he’s constantly think about them and wonder how they see him, like he’s love with someone for the first time? It’s genuine interest that differs from so many of his past relationships.
Seungcheol - mmmh, this man, I swear to god. Everyone wants to get in this man including me and I would be BRAGGING about me getting with this man. Like first glance I’d love a hookup or fwb trope with him, like you can’t get over the fact how hot he is and how amazing he makes you feel in bed. You feel like you’re into him more than he’s into you, which hurts, and also why you don’t want to pursue anything other than physical. But soon you realize he’s more than a sex symbol, he’s considerate and kind and wholesome. He cares about the people around them, does what he can given the chance and you find yourself irrevocably in love with him until it hurts. And maybe one day you’re too late and he ends up finding someone else and you regret not saying anything, constantly thinking about the one that got away.
I have a lot of similar ideas like this for idols outside of seventeen, and even some Korean actors but these are some of the circulating thoughts I’ve had. If it’s wanted I can have that in another post.
anonymously (or not) ask me any question you’d like to know about me
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mejomonster · 1 year
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Thai dramas absolutely knocking it out of the park lately with realistic queer storylines I can actually click with
Yes they're still doing cheesy cranked up level fantastical romcoms like My School President (which is fine and good) and probably others I've not seen since that's just not my fave genre
But like. Never Let Me Go? WOW do i love how it's like 3 Will Be Free, The Players, My Dear Loser, how it feels like a fantastical story yes with rich boy/poor boy and all the romance tropes of that, but also feels like they go to a real school exist in a real world with realistic parents and peers and a society which works the actual way it does in the real world, when they flirt they make moves like I really did in high school, they feel relatable in that they feel like real queer people that might exist outside of romances. (Idk how to describe other than they feel WAY more like Neo and Shin from 3 Will Be Free, compared to say 2gether where the show universe works in a more romcom fiction kind of way)
Moonlight Chicken? It makes me feel like I'm watching Go Ahead but if the parenting father was actually gay, and if one of his kids was gay. It feels like a regular slice of life story about a man running his restaurant and his family/connections - the nephew he's raising and his budding relationship with someone who likes him for him, the crush he meets who is trying to be his friend since Jim's damaged from an ex, the friendly store worker nearby Gaipa who understands his life, the coworker and his fiance who are like family to him. It goes by slice of life genre realism rules, not romcom rules with concerts serenading your love and falling to kiss each other accidentally and magic slow mo music moments as you catch each other (the couples do still stare with tension after almost touching but that's a dramatic version of real tension we feel when with a crush more like Heartstoppers realistic but dramatic version of typical everyday romantic moments). Heck even if we go back to Bad Buddy, which is a touch older now, that drama was definitely a lean from romcom toward this direction of realism instead. It had the romcom tropes, the band singing to your lover the fall on each other the pin to a wall or bed etc, it had the romeo/juliet stuff, the comically dramatized friend group rivalry, the bright sitcom style colors. But as it unfolded both actors and main story conflict (parents putting their own issues onto their kids unfairly) tended to frame even those more silly romcom moments in a more realistic reality. (Again apologies I explain bad lol). I liked Theory of Love (older still) for this reason too, it played wirh romcom tropes and even referenced romcom movies constantly (which was so cool) but it's ultimate main driving storyline is a toxic friendship and fallout and the individuals needing to on one hand heal and make better boundaries and on the other realize he used his friend and do better (and a nice realistic college bi romance on the side I related to lol). Although I'll say kisses and realistic levels of affection for a romance storyline type couple are def being reached more often now ToT (moonlight chicken does a great job at normal life levels of physical touch you'd expect, Not Me did fucking great, Never Let Me Go mostly is doing well except that old couple getting married but I'll forgive it as it's not the focus, and meanwhile ToL was quite conservative - as was the Sotus time before that).
My point is I'm seeing a lot more Thai bl stories go for that realism (ish) vibe mixed with their romances, so more bl are starting to feel like their other genres stuff. Which I think is nice, it feels like they're more willing to make main queer romances in multiple genres now besides just romcom and I always love seeing that broaden.
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riddlesanddances · 3 months
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The crazy misfit crew!
P.S. I promise the story will continue in the next post, bluesettes!
In the bustling city of Seoul, where the halls of Seocheon High School echoed with mysteries and teenage mayhem, an unlikely alliance of five friends embarked on a journey that would redefine the meaning of high school camaraderie. Kim Ji-eun, the spirited leader with a penchant for puzzles, discovered her first friend, Soo-hyun, in the sandbox of kindergarten. Seo-jin, a tech wizard with charisma to spare, joined their circle in 3rd grade, upgrading their friendship to include cutting-edge gadgets and a lot of mischief.
Fast forward to 6th grade, and Min-joon, a sports enthusiast with an unrequited crush on Soo-hyun, added his contagious energy to the mix. The group's dynamic, already resembling a sitcom, took an artistic turn when Hae-won, a bubbly painter, strutted into their lives like a splash of color in a black-and-white movie.
Ji-eun, with her insatiable curiosity and knack for turning any situation into a puzzle, became the de facto leader. Her sidekick-in-crime-solving, Soo-hyun, brought a level-headed analytical touch, probably developed from years of deciphering Ji-eun's cryptic language of friendship. They were the OG duo, the backbone of the group, a friendship so strong it could withstand even the most confusing of teenage emotions.
Min-joon, the charming athlete with a penchant for scoring goals and missing romantic signals, injected doses of unintentional humor. His attempts at impressing Soo-hyun with acrobatic soccer moves often ended in comical disaster, making him the accidental clown of the crew.
Seo-jin, the tech wizard, turned every investigation into a high-tech spectacle. Armed with gadgets that rivaled a James Bond film, he had a knack for making even the most mundane situations feel like an episode of a thrilling sci-fi series. However, his cool exterior masked a growing interest in Ji-eun, turning their friendship into a potential romance with enough sparks to rival his malfunctioning gadgets.
Hae-won, the artistic newcomer, infused the group with her bubbly and unconventional spirit. Her fierce protectiveness and artistic talents brought a unique perspective to their journey. The vivacious Hae-won quickly became the life and soul of the group, adding bursts of color and laughter to their shared moments. In a long-distance relationship since the age of 15, Hae-won's commitment to love and her journey in navigating a relationship from afar added depth to the narrative.
And let's not forget the subplot – Hae-won's long-distance romance that made the group's love lives more complicated than a Shakespearean play. Her relationship ups and downs became the running joke of the gang, a soap opera within the larger mystery they were unraveling.
As they stumbled through high school drama, coded messages, and Min-joon's unintentional pratfalls, the group discovered that friendship wasn't just about solving mysteries. It was about navigating the hilariously confusing journey of adolescence, where each misstep, awkward confession, and technological blunder added a new layer to their sitcom-worthy story.
In the tapestry of 'Notes of Destiny,' the misadventures of this quirky quintet etched themselves into the annals of legend. Laughter echoed through the halls, love blossomed in unexpected corners, and a touch of teenage absurdity painted the backdrop of their unforgettable high school journey. Amidst the chaos, Ji-eun's quest for mystery, Min-joon's unintentional hilarity, Seo-jin's tech theatrics, and Hae-won's long-distance love seamlessly wove together a narrative that celebrated the madness of youth and the enduring bonds of friendship.
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Why Amity fell for Luz: A Theory
Watching all the episodes of The Owl House and reviewing them brought back a lot of thoughts and feelings that I maybe forgot about. We all ship things and sometimes we do it for fun; sometimes for deeper reasons. I just started lumity because it reminded me of Diana & Akko from Little Witch Academia. I loved that show so much that I wanted more, and I thought it would be cool if Luz & Amity did something similar. I had no idea that it was going to go beyond that, so DAMN. To quote a talking science wolf, “For years we ask how, but we should ask why.” I mean, we saw how. But why? Well I can take a guess.
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If we’re are going to start anywhere it’s going to be with the girl in question, Amity Blight.
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As far as I know as of this typing, Amity Blight is a witchling from The Boiling Isles. She lives in Bonesboro at The Blight Manor estate with her parents and her siblings. She attends Hexside School of Magic and Demonics. Good for her.
Amity has an ambitious and competitive personality. She’s always striving to be better and be at the top of whatever she is doing. When she’s introduced in I Was a Teenage Abomination, she’s showing having great pride in being the top student in her abomination class. In Adventures in the Elements, she goes to The Knee in hopes of training to beat her siblings’ high score on the placement exam.
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Amity also has a bit of a temper and gets annoyed easily. In I Was a Teenage Abomination, she sics her abominations on Willow and Luz just because she wasn’t named top student that day. In Enchanting Grom Fright, Amity snapped at the person she bumped into before realizing it was Luz. And later in the same episode, Amity beat up Hooty when he decided to get too close.
But she does have a soft sensitive side. She keeps a diary in her secret room in the library and even reads to kids in her free time. Amity also has a strong sense of integrity. She despises cheating (and cheaters) and feels guilt when she’s forced to break ties with Willow.
So why did someone like this fall for Luz of all people? (see above image)
Enter what I call my Shipping Theory of Compliments
The Shipping Theory of Compliments is that two characters would be shipped and sometimes canonically enter a romantic relationship based on their personalities complimenting each other and fulfilling elements they don’t have alone necessary to developing the character.
People like to use the image of a missing puzzle piece, but I don’t like that comparison because I think it’s a little inaccurate and I don’t like puzzles. Think of it more like the two pieces of the yin and yang coming together and then growing the circles of the opposite colors in them.
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Something like that.
And it’s compliments, not opposites. When you think compliments, think more Star and Marco from Star vs the Forces of Evil. Star wants to go on a magical adventure. Marco also wants to go on a magic adventure. The difference is that Star goes in recklessly while Marco wants to plan it out a bit. They still have their adventure as oppose to Star’s opposite who wouldn’t want to go on a magical adventure. That sort of thing.
So how do Luz and Amity compliment each other?
Let’s start with that they have in common. Obvious stuff aside, they’re both training to become the best witches they can be. The difference comes that Luz is a human who has to learn magic via glyphs that she finds and Amity learns magic the “proper” way on The Boiling Isles. 
Luz and Amity are also both fans of The Good Witch Azura book series. Difference is that Luz is more open about her fandom while Amity tries to keep it a secret. Also petty thing but they’re both fan artists too, but I think Luz might be a better than Amity. But hey, her crosshatching is improving.
Luz and Amity are also (at the start of the series) both lonely people. Luz’s mom says that she doesn’t have any friends, and Amity doesn’t like her “friends.” The difference is that Luz reaches outward to ease her loneliness (being social and friendly, trying new things, etc.) while Amity reaches inward (keeping a diary, staying busy, having a secret spot, etc.). They both also use escapist fiction to ease their loneliness.
That’s all well and good, but now we get into the real speculative parts. 
...complimenting each other and fulfilling elements they don’t have alone necessary to developing the character.
When I was taking acting classes I was taught that the way you see people act is a persona based on their experiences on what it takes to survive and avoid physical, emotional and social death. So now we have to speculate based on what we were given on what emotional/social needs and wants has Amity not been getting before that she has with Luz.
First let me point you to another show called F is for Family. F is for Family is an adult animated sitcom on Netflix that follows a very dysfunctional family in the 1970s. These are legitimately bad characters, not in terms of being poorly written. What I’m saying is that these guys are assholes. But here’s where it gets interesting.
One of the characters is Kevin Murphy, the teenage son of the family. He’s a dim-witted wannabe rockstar who is always yelled at and put down by his parents throughout the entire series. However in season four Kevin meets Alice. Alice teaches Kevin that his favorite band is a big reference to Tolkien and gives him a copy of The Hobbit. They bond over their love of Lord of the Rings and get along really well. Alice calls him smart for being able to read all of Lord of the Rings over a few days and never puts him down. Even in the one time they did fight she never yelled at him or raised her voice which he found weird because he’s so used to being yelled at. Alice gave Kevin the emotional support he always wanted but never got from his family.
Using that as a backdrop, let’s go back to Amity.
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Amity grew up with her parents making her do things she didn’t want to do, making choices for her. Amity wanted to be one way. Her parents wanted something else. Amity’s mother even dyes Amity’s hair green so it matches her siblings. Amity wanted to be friends with Willow. Amity’s parents wanted her to be friends with the mean kids. While Amity does work hard to be the best at what she’s doing, her parents also put pressure on her to make sure that she is at that level. 
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Her siblings are another bag of awful. They constantly refer to her by an annoying nickname that I’m guessing has an embarrassing moment attached to it. They seem to live by a double standard that Amity despises. She has to work hard and follow the rules just to be accepted while they are naturally talented and break the rules with everyone still thinking that they’re perfect. 
Family is supposed to provide unconditional love except it looks like the love of the Blights is based on conditions. Nobody just likes Amity for who she is. She doesn’t have a friend.
Enter: the friendliest person she’s ever met
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Amity has to struggle and work for the simplest things, even affection. Except when it comes to Luz. Luz is naturally friendly and positive. Amity doesn’t have to earn her kindness. Even when she’s bullied Luz before, Luz is always coming back with a smile. I suppose when you live life surrounded by jerks, you’ll want to hang out with the one person who’s always nice to you. Sort of.
Yes, Amity did think Luz was a bully for constantly getting her into trouble. But even at Covention and Lost in Language, Luz kept reaching out to her. This combined with Amity’s awareness of her own behavior is what convinced her to try to reach out in kind to Luz by the end of Lost in Language. “She’s trying to be nice to me, so I should try too,” I’m guessing is the mindset especially in Adventures in the Elements. And then...Luz continued to be nice to her which is kind of a big deal for Amity.
Let’s tally up what we have so far:
Luz and Amity have similar interests (The Good Witch Azura series, art, fiction, learning magic)
Luz and Amity have similar values (work ethic, disdain for cheating, protecting those closest to you, etc.)
Luz gives Amity the positivity and affection that Amity doesn’t normally get anywhere else
They still have differing personalities with Amity being more competitive and Luz having more of a live-and-let-live attitude.
Even with all these things in mind, why was Amity so scared to ask Luz to Grom?
Speculating again but my theory is that Amity wasn’t sure if Luz actually liked her or if Luz is just friendly because that’s how Luz is. Amity was scared of being rejected because she felt that maybe she was just reading the situation wrong. Luz is this ray of sunshine in her gray skies (if you’ll forgive the cliché). People like Amity always think of all the worst possibilities (I know because I do this too). Amity was probably thinking a bunch of what ifs. “What if Luz doesn’t actually like me? What if she’s just being friendly because she feels sorry for me? What if she has feelings for someone else? What if she never actually liked me? What if she’s straight?”
Luz is Amity’s first crush and it is scary as all hell to put yourself out there like that for the first time. She wasn’t expecting to get married at Grom night. She just wanted to dance with the girl she liked.
The dance at Grom was like confirmation for her that it could happen. Amity didn’t have to ask out Luz because Luz asked her. Being with Luz isn’t a pipedream. It’s a definite possibility. And we all know how she reacted to that idea.
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Uh...she’ll be in her bunk.
While Luz and Amity aren’t together as of this typing, I believe it’s bound to happen. Until then, after The Lumity Trilogy, Amity knows that Luz is the girl she likes. 
tl;dr version
Amity fell for Luz because they have similar interests and values, their personalities differ in a compatible way and Luz provides Amity emotional needs and wants that she doesn’t get anywhere else.
Also, round eared girl pretty.
.
Thanks everyone for reading.
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dorizardthewizard · 3 years
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Winx Club season 4 thoughts: part 1
What started as a few thoughts turned into a two-part review, what’s new. Alright so I’d heard some pretty mixed reviews for this season and I was… surprised with how much I liked it! … Aaaaaat the beginning at least…
The setup:
There was a lot of potential! I liked seeing the Winx being more grown-up and learning to live independently, moving them out of Alfea was refreshing. The expanded lore and addressing the lack of Earth fairies that was set up back in season 1 was also very interesting and something I wasn’t even expecting them to do. I do love the Earth fairy designs and I wish we had spent more of the season with them, especially Diana, Aurora and Sybilla. They just seemed so cool and warrior-like and I would have loved to see experienced, adult fairies just doing their thing; I know the Winx are super powerful now but I think some mentorship on the field would have been nice. We spent more time on the revenge plot though, which would actually be a pretty surprising twist if I hadn’t spoiled it for myself earlier, but more on that later.
There’s not a lot of love for the Wizards of the Black Circle but honestly, I liked them well enough considering we didn’t get the Trix again (no offense, they’re iconic but I needed a break from them, especially after all that villain decay they’d gone through). For the previous three seasons, the villains mostly spent their time trying to power up or get some macguffin before the final confrontation, so I guess it was refreshing to see these guys have a more focused (?) medium-term goal of getting the last Earth fairy. Speaking of which, I liked Roxy! Introducing a little sister-like character was a nice way of showing the Winx maturing, and I liked her much more realistic attitude towards becoming a fairy. Her powers were a bit underutilised (like, instead of just controlling animals maybe cast spells with animalistic elements like idk… cat-like claws or a snake’s heat vision or whatever), but she’s a complete newbie so that makes sense.
The Specialists were also really enjoyable to watch because we got to see them interact with each other (without the Winx) a whole lot more this season, from goofing around during Sky’s dramatic entrance to trying to learn how to live on Earth. The sitcom-level shenanigans were endlessly entertaining and now I’m just imagining a spinoff like those high school secret agent shows, where they’re just some random dudes working at a bar until they disappear at random times to go fight whatever monsters attack the city :’D
Only downside of the Specialists in this season is that they brought… a lot of unnecessary drama. Oh boy, here we go.
The drama:
So, romantic drama existed in the previous seasons too to varying degrees of success, but back then it wasn’t so… generic?
We went from Bloom’s crush being revealed as a prince who switched identities with his squire (contributing to Bloom’s already bubbling fears of not being special enough to belong in the magical world), to… jealousy plots that could have come out of any high school drama. To add to the genericness, they make each group share one brain cell and it’s as if no one is allowed to think differently to the rest in their group. Take the first drama surrounding the Winx thinking the guys don’t trust them (which doesn’t make sense considering they were always happy to get the help before, idk why Faragonda thought these grown Enchantix fairies needed their feelings tiptoed around like this). When they find out, it’s really only two or three couples arguing while the others kinda just… stand there looking vaguely annoyed. Ogron could literally absorb fairy magic so they needed all the non-magical help they could get, you’re telling me Tecna wouldn’t mention something like their probability of success going up when the Specialists are there? At least it seemed like Layla and Nabu weren’t mad at each other, but they probably only put that in to make them seem as in love as possible before killing him off.
Then there’s the drama with Andy and the band, where ALL of the specialists (except Nabu I guess) get jealous over THREE Earth dudes? Huh?? They even give Timmy a line saying he’d prefer if the girls didn’t hang out with those guys but like, Tecna hadn’t even interacted with them? She’s not a flirty person at all and they’ve mostly been a stable couple what?? Helia doesn’t say anything either when the Specialists storm off after the repainting incident like, I figured those two and Nabu would at least be a little apologetic before deciding to go with the others since the atmosphere’s been ruined already.
Drama wouldn’t ruin the season for me if it didn’t come at the expense of character development because honestly… I can’t think of there being any individual arcs for any of the girls that I actually liked? But more on that later, this got long enough so I’ll just talk about the characters in a separate post lol
Believix transformation:
I thought the outfits were fitting enough if they were going for Earth in 2009, definitely not a fan of those skirts though. Also hate that pink is so prevalent for Stella and Bloom… where are the yellow highlights? The moon element? I like Tecna’s the most and it kinda makes me wish her Enchantix was a little more utilitarian. Don’t get me wrong it’s lovely, but considering her Magic Winx outfit covered her up from head to toe, it just felt like a bit too big of a jump. Anyway, Musa’s Believix transformation was the most fun, although I also really loved the animation on Tecna’s wings and how they kind of just string into existence, it’s so cool.
As you’d expect I’m not all that fond of there being more transformations above Enchantix, it could have worked if they had Believix simply have a specific power set or be tied to Earth somehow, but instead they had it be more powerful and paved the way for countless transformations and product placement from then on (especially with those sets of wings, good lawd). I remember when Fate came out and people were going on about how the original show was all about pretty transformations and fashion, which was jarring to me because I only remembered the first season, where they had like two civilian outfits. I can see now why that belief prevails ^^; Speaking of those, there were a couple of outfit changes I thought were pretty tacky lol, although not as bad as the next seasons. I do find it funny that the Specialists were getting hung up about getting casual wear like, have you seen what the girls are strutting around in? Some of your outfits could be worn in real life, Riven even wore the freakin’ Union Jack!
One more thing about Believix: I really did not get the powers? They’re supposed to get it by making people believe in fairies, right, but then once they achieved Believix they could just use its powers to make people believe? Not just that, but they basically change people’s mindsets on a lot of other things too, which uh… is basically mind alteration and I don’t think I really like that. At one point Roxy makes the good point that you have to really connect with the people you’re trying to convince but I guess they just took that a little too literally and went digging into people’s brains. Sorry but, you can’t solve Earth’s problems by just completely changing people’s personalities.
Speaking of that, I did not like the whole schtick about Earth being a shithole because all the fairies are gone. In general, I just don’t like when kids shows take big problems like this and solve them in a very simple way (like letting wild animals roam free through the city what??), but I also just don’t get why they’re making a big deal about Earth being “out of balance” because, well, that’s an entirely relative assumption to make. And one that doesn’t make any sense in this universe because like, most of the realms in the Magic Dimension are basically dictatorships? Fancy, royal ones but still central powers with things like entrenched classism on Eraklyon or arranged marriages on Andros… at one point Musa makes a comment about Earth when she sees a homeless dude but like, are we forgetting Musa’s mother literally died because she couldn’t afford medication?? Sorry girl but there are actually some places on my backwards planet where that simply wouldn’t happen.
This kind of carries on with the Earth fairies and their vengeance against humans. I understand why they’d be mad at us for trashing the planet but it felt pretty heavy-handed even for a kids show, with Diana feeling the trees being cut down. I mean, fair enough but you’d think the whole planet was down to its last tree with how thick they were laying it on. I did like that with characters like Diana, Sybilla, Aurora and Nebula we got to see some variation and change in the Earth fairies’ attitudes towards their queen, humans and vengeance, rather than all being a hivemind that feel whatever the plot needs them to. As I said I wish we’d been given more time with them so their change of heart seems more believable and so we could see some of them be more useful in turning the tides. Maybe they could have done this through more interaction with humans; Helia was going on about how fascinating they are but the show never really gives us more detail on what exactly makes Earthlings more different to people in the Magic Dimension. There are some cultural differences of growing up without magic that may have been interesting to look at.
Okay that’s that on that, part 2 will mostly be me rambling about the characters.
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haroldtea · 3 years
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i wrote something!!
soooo I’m a pathological “i have a fic idea and i’m never going to write it or I write a few pages and then fall off” writer buuuut I had this very cute idea and wrote 4k words of it! I wanted to post it here before ao3 because 1) not sure if I’m a fan of starting a multichapter WIP because I still may abandon it like my other stuff 2) i want feedback before i continue!!
here’s the gist: it’s princess prom except it’s a high school au and princess prom is actually homecoming. Adora is very happy and supportive of Glimmer and Bow running for king/queen. Glimmer is very, very passionate about winning. The problem is they’ve naturally got competition, in the form of Perfuma (who is equally as passionate about winning, for her own reasons) and her new girlfriend Scorpia. In a sitcom-style mishap, Adora sort of accidentally signs up to run as well...with Catra, Scorpia’s best friend who Adora doesn’t not have a crush on. The two decide to go through with it with the intention of getting eliminated from the race as soon as possible. Then, their friends come up with a different plan for them.
so, take a read below at 4k of stupidity and let me know what you think, and if you would be interested to read more :) (fyi there is a lot of swearing lol)
“I’M GONNA BE THE QUEEN!”
Adora shrieks, flailing her arms and almost knocking her lamp over in the process. She whirls around in her desk chair to face the intruder, arms raised in karate chop form (she does not know any martial arts), and finds Glimmer, who has flung her bedroom door open and has that crazed Glimmer look in her eyes that only means trouble.
“Fuck! Glimmer, you can’t just sneak up--wait, how did you get in my house?!”
“Didn’t you hear what I said?! Also, the door was unlocked,” Glimmer replies, kicking off her shoes and launching herself onto Adora’s bed, which she had just painstakingly made.
Adora presses her hand into her face, sighing. “I was kind of busy trying not to piss myself. Haven’t you heard of knocking? What if I was, you know...” she says, gesturing vaguely.
Glimmer rolls her eyes. “Please, Adora. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. Anyway--the student council decided to bring back the homecoming pep rally!” she squeals, gleefully kicking her feet in the air.
Adora leans back in her chair, brows furrowed. “Bring back? Didn’t we have one last year?”
“Yes, but after the water balloon thing they weren’t gonna let us have it anymore, but it turns out that one senior who wasn’t gonna graduate did graduate so I guess they figured it would probably be fine, ‘cause like, who’s ever gonna try and top that?”
“Right,” Adora hums, thinking back to last year’s pep rally. Just before homecoming court was announced, a group of rogue seniors had risen from the bleachers, unleashing dozens of water balloons they had stashed in their backpacks. What ensued was a pandemonium Adora could only remember in flashes, resulting in almost the entire student body and the school’s hallways being completely soaked.
The catch was that the seniors had filled the balloons with blue paint. It had taken the janitorial staff weeks to get the gym bleachers, the lockers in the science wing, and the cafeteria ceiling (don’t ask) to look normal again. Classes were cancelled for almost an entire week because the paint had messed up something with the internal plumbing. It was single-handedly the coolest thing Adora had experienced in her living years.
It was all led by the legendary Mara Hart, notorious for sticking it to the man during her K-12 years. The prank had all but gotten her and her friends expelled, but given that she was otherwise an A+ student and no one could technically prove who was behind it (her friends were loyal to each other to the bitter end), she walked at Bright Moon High’s graduation to uproarious applause from her classmates.
Adora knew some of the more grisly details because Mara had been captain of the girls’ lacrosse team last year--effortlessly cool Mara, endlessly caring Mara, definitely part of Adora’s gay awakening Mara--but it had become something of an urban legend at BMHS over the past year.
“Wait, how do you know any of this?” Adora asks, because while she was personally connected to Mara in a small way, she hadn’t been aware that they were going to cancel the pep rally indefinitely.
Glimmer arches an eyebrow. “Um, hello? My mom’s the principal?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“And Mermista totally let it slip when I asked her about it after the student council meeting,” Glimmer adds, then pauses. “Okay, it was more like I didn’t even wanna be there and I wish no one had ever voted for me and I’ll tell you whatever, but still. I’m...” she props her face in her hands and bats her eyelashes, “in the know.”
Adora smirks and rolls her eyes fondly, turning back to her desk to shut her textbook and put her notes away. She can never get anything done when Glimmer’s around. “Okay, so, pep rally’s back--that’s cool,” she says.
“It’s not just cool, Adora,” Glimmer scoffs. “Being homecoming queen is literally all I’ve wanted since I was a kid. I thought my dream had died with Mara’s academic career, but now there’s hope again--it’s meant to be, Adora. It’s destiny.”
Adora had literally never heard Glimmer talk about this, but, “Um, okay.”
Glimmer huffs and dramatically rolls onto her back, flinging her arms out and further messing up Adora’s sheets. Lesson learned, it isn’t worth the effort for Adora to make the bed anymore. “My mom was the homecoming queen like a hundred years ago, and my aunt was the homecoming queen before that. It’s, like, my birthright!”
Adora lifts a shoulder, twisting around in her chair to look at Glimmer. “Okay, then we’ll just get you to be the homecoming queen too. Can’t your mom just...make it happen?”
“Ugh, no,” Glimmer sighs. “I already asked. It’s a student vote.”
“Oh!” Adora brightens. “That’s easy, then. Everyone loves you.”
Glimmer pouts. “I know, but it’s not just a popularity contest--it’s, like, a whole thing. Me and Bow are gonna have to do a talent show, and there’s a relay race, and other stuff that if we don’t do well in we won’t even get to be in the final vote.”
“Wait, what?” Adora doesn’t remember any of that from last year. “What do you mean, Bow? Is...he's running for homecoming queen too?”
“Ha! No,” Glimmer laughs, then her expression darkens, eyes narrowing. “I would crush him.”
“Right...” Adora says. Actually, Bow would make a pretty good homecoming queen. But Adora values her life, so she decidedly does tell Glimmer this.
“No, every queen nominee has to also have someone to run with them as their ‘king,’” Glimmer explains, making air quotes with her fingers. “There’s no boy/girl bullshit, but you do have to be in a pair.”
“I don’t remember any...talent shows, or whatever,” Adora points out. “I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of one of those happening in real life.”
“Well, obviously you never went. It would’ve all been during your lacrosse thingies and you would've been too busy making googly eyes at Mara Hart,” Glimmer replies, wiggling her fingers at Adora.
Adora crosses her arms and blushes a deep red. “I would not. I would’ve been playing lacrosse. And stuff.” Okay, maybe she did make googly eyes at Mara, but only sometimes, as a treat, and Glimmer doesn’t need to know that.
Glimmer flips back over on her stomach and levels Adora with a pout. “Adora, this means a lot to me. We’re gonna need your help to win this.”
Adora has no idea how she could possibly be of any help with this, but hey-- “Of course, Glimmer. Whatever you need. I’m there.”
Glimmer grins, eyes sparkling. “Yaaaaay. Also, my mom’s making meatloaf tonight, you in?”
Adora pumps her fist in the air. “Sweet. Hell, yes.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“This is a joke, right? Like, you’re joking?” Catra says into the receiver as she shoves another handful of popcorn into her mouth.
“I am usually a pretty funny gal, it’s true--but, ah, no. This time I’m serious,” Scorpia replies on the other end.
Catra hoists her phone higher up on her shoulder while she adjusts her grip on her Xbox controller. “Okay, please explain,” she says between chews.
Scorpa sighs, and Catra visualizes her sitting cross-legged on her bedspread, hugging one of her many stuffed animals to her chest. “I know it’s kind of silly, but Perfuma sounded really excited about it, ‘cause I guess if you win, you get to pick what charity the proceeds from the dance ticket sales go to, and...I just couldn’t say no?”
Catra smirks, mashing a series of buttons on her controller as her TV screen lights up in front of her. She’s been trying to get past this level for weeks, but she’ll probably die right before the end again whether she’d answered Scorpia’s call or not. “You are so whipped,” she says.
Scorpia sighs again, but this time Catra can hear a smile in it. “I guess so, kitty cat. Still, it sounds kinda...fun? I mean, it’s more time spent with her, if anything else. She’s talking about writing an original song together for the talent show and incorporating her Tibetan singing bowls into it.”
Catra takes that in and barely suppresses a laugh. Her New Year’s resolution was to make fun of her friends less. Some days are harder than others. “Um, wow,” she says instead. “That’s, uh...that’ll be interesting. Do I have to call you Queen Scorpia if you win?”
“Oh, Perfuma doesn’t believe in gendered royalty,” Scorpia replies. “She wants us to be known as Homecoming Monarchs.”
“Of course she does,” Catra mutters. Perfuma is endlessly kind and patient and makes Scorpia smile, so by default Catra likes her, but otherwise they...don’t exactly share identical values, let’s say. Catra brings her own point home by pressing a button on her controller and chainsawing an alien in half on screen.
“Do you...think it’s a stupid idea? The whole...running for homecoming thing, I mean.”
Catra hears the telltale signs of Scorpia-doubting-herself in her reply, so she pauses the game. “Nah. If it’s something you guys wanna do, you should go for it. Fuck what anyone else thinks.”
“Okay, thanks,” Scorpia says, sounding lighter. “I think it means a lot to Perfuma. It would be cool to win it for her.”
“Well, hey,” Catra continues, un-pausing her game. “If you need any help, let me kn--oh, fuck!”
“Catra?” Panic sets in Scorpia’s tone. “Kitty cat, speak to me--do I need to call 911?!”
“No, no, Scorpia, please don’t do that,” Catra groans, tossing her controller aside. “I just got blown up in my stupid game again, that’s all. I’m never gonna beat this final boss.”
Scorpia sighed in relief. “Aw, don’t give up, kitty cat. One of these days, you’re gonna really give it to--what’s the dude’s name again?”
“Prime something-or-whatever,” Catra grumbled, reaching for her popcorn.
“Yeah, that guy. He’ll never know what hit him.”
Catra snickers into the receiver. “Yeah, okay. Thanks, Scorpia.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The lunch period at BMHS is, naturally, chaotic. Being a regional high school, every inch of the place is usually crawling with students, and the cafeteria is no different. The student population is small enough and the cafeteria big enough to condense into one lunch period, although Adora has oftentimes heard Perfuma lament about the ethics and health concerns of overcrowding.
Adora likes chaos. She likes that the overlapping sounds of chairs scraping and garbled chattering combine to form a comforting din that allows her to drown out whatever weird TikTok plans Bow’s making (ok, to be real, she will be asking about them later) and quietly observe the antics happening at tables around them.
She takes another bite of her pudding and her eyes land on the table to their right where Kyle, Lonnie, and Rogelio from her math class always sit together. Lonnie is mechanically chewing her gum as she stares into a compact mirror, examining her eyebrows with fierce concentration. Across from her, Kyle is holding up something on his phone to Rogelio with one hand and gesticulating wildly with the other as he holds a corn dog. Rogelio is nodding along but is staring down fondly at Kyle rather than at the screen Kyle’s pointing to, one arm hanging loose around Kyle’s shoulders. Lonnie slaps her compact shut and shouts something at them, pointing emphatically to her eyebrows. They all pause for a moment before bursting into laughter. Then Kyle drops his corn dog.
Adora pointedly does not observe the table across from theirs. She’ll gladly watch the Star siblings silently and intensely do their homework for the next period, or listen to Mermista fight off Seahawk’s PDA attempts, but nothing could compel her to look at the table straight ahead.
That table was where Catra Weaver and her friends sat.
Including: Perfuma’s new girlfriend, Scorpia Garnet; Entrapta Dryl, who was dating one of the Hordak twins (Adora was ever completely sure which one); the Hordak twins in question, one of which who usually broods silently and one of which who usually stares around smiling at nothing and everything; the stylish and blonde ruler of the theatre kids who has been nicknamed Double Trouble for as long as Adora can remember; and finally: Catra Weaver. Effortlessly cool, effortlessly gorgeous, effortlessly effortless Catra Weaver, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed, coolly regarding the rest of the cafeteria as she holds court at her table of wonderful misfit toys.
Today’s effortless ensemble: cool jean jacket, a cool crop top, cool black jeans, cool combat boots, she got a haircut recently so--
“Um, Earth to Adora?”
“Huh?” Adora says, jerking her head up.
This is why she avoids looking at Catra Weaver’s table. Or Catra Weaver in general.
“We were talking about homecoming,” Glimmer says from her seat across from Adora, raising an eyebrow. “You were totally spaced out.”
Adora clears her throat, willing herself not to blush. “Sorry,” she replies, digging back into her pudding.
“Glimmer’s trying to convince me not to run for court,” Perfuma continues, crossing her arms.
“What? Why?”
“Because it’s totally lame and stupid and a waste of time,” Mermista answers from beside Perfuma, inspecting her nail polish. She glances up when she senses everyone at the table staring at her. “What?”
“Mermista, you’re on the homecoming committee,” Bow says.
Mermista shrugs. “So? I said what I said.”
“Look, Perfuma,” Glimmer starts, sliding her hand across the table toward Perfuma. “I just don’t want you to be disappointed if you lose. Homecoming’s a really big deal to me, and I really want to win.” She smiles saccharinely, tilting her head at Perfuma, eyes gone wide. Bow and Adora exchange a look.
Perfuma smiles back. “Oh, don’t worry about me, Glimmer! I’m sure our classmates will select the most deserving and talented couple to win,” she says, then goes back to stabbing a fork into her salad.
Glimmer’s eye starts twitching. Bow slowly and gently takes Glimmer’s hand and slides it back to her side of the table. “Glimmer, we’ll do great. The most important thing is to have fun,” he says, patting her hand.
“The most important thing is the charity,” Perfuma mutters.
“That too.”
“Is anybody else we know running?” Adora asks. Glimmer and Perfuma both shake their heads in response, until Mermista sighs dejectedly.
“Unfortunately,” she groans, raising her hand.
“Wait, what?! You just said it was stupid and lame!” Bow squawks.
“It is,” Mermista rolls her eyes. “But the rest of the student council said it would look really bad if I was on the planning committee and didn’t run. I was forced against my will.”
“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?” Glimmer asks, gripping her lunch tray so tight Adora wondered if she was going to launch it at Mermista’s head.
“I don’t know? I guess not? I’m planning on getting cut as soon as humanly possible though, so whatever,” Mermista replies, flicking her hair behind her shoulder.
“We won’t win with that attitude, my love!” Seahawk roars, throwing his arm around Mermista’s shoulder and raising a fist triumphantly. “You and I are going to be the greatest King and Queen this school has ever seen!”
“Oh my god, please stop,” Mermista groans, hiding her face in her hands.
“Picture it: you, me, newly crowned, gliding down the science wing--the students stop and stare! Could it really be our King and Queen in the flesh? The teachers stare too! I am going to give them both straight A’s!”
“Please just sit and eat your sandwich,” Mermista begs.
“Never,” Seahawk says, then kisses her on the cheek and acquiesces, taking a big bite of his sandwich. Adora tries to hide her smirk when she sees Mermista blush a deep red. She elbows Glimmer and nods in their direction so she can see.
“Aw, how cute. I’m going to destroy them,” Glimmer whispers in Adora’s ear.
“I know,” Adora whispers back. “But try to at least be nice about it.”
“No promises.”
“Ok, I have to pee,” Adora announces to the table, grabbing her lunch tray as she stands, grinning at Bow’s groan of TMI, Adora!
She makes her way over to the trash cans by the cafeteria exit, waving to her friends on the lacrosse team as she dumps her leftovers in the trash and sets the tray in the dish bin beside it. She should probably go over and check in with them about practice tonight, but she really has to pee, which reminds her that she forgot her water bottle all the way back to the table and needs to refill it before her next class.
“Damn it,” she mutters to herself, still smiling at her lacrosse friends as she whips around to head back--
And crashes right into someone, their heads knocking smack together.
“Ow!” Adora yelps, losing her footing for a moment. She rubs at her stinging forehead, glancing up as she apologizes, “Shit, sorry, sorry, that was totally my fault, I--”
And stares right up at Catra Weaver.
“I...I...I...”
She blinks a few times, but yes, that is Catra Weaver, rubbing at her own forehead and fixing a few strands of hair that had come loose from behind her ears. Catra Weaver, up close and personal, who she hasn’t talked to since...
“Your forehead is fucking hard. And big,” Catra says, holding her tray in one hand as she narrows her eyes up at Adora.
“Oh, um, you too...I mean! Thanks? I grew it myself,” Adora replies spectacularly, and then promptly wants to crawl into a hole and never come out.
Catra raises one eyebrow at her. “How hard did I hit you?”
Adora scrambles to answer. “Oh, not at all! I mean, not hard. It was my fault. Are you, um, are you okay?” This is going amazingly.
“I’m fine, Greyskull,” Catra replies, sending a tingle up Adora’s spine. She goes to deposit her tray. “Just watch where you’re going.”
Adora grins dopily. “Yes. I mean--I will. Sorry. Again.”
Catra glances Adora up and down, eyebrow still raised, and goes to say something else, when they’re interrupted by a foreboding, familiar voice.
“Ah, Adora! I’m so pleased to see you taking an interest in student affairs.”
Adora turns to see Glimmer’s mom looming over them, hands neatly clasped together. Maybe looming isn’t the right word as she’s smiling brightly down on her and Catra, but she’s tall, ok? “Oh, hi Ang--,” Adora starts before remembering they’re at school, “um, Mrs. Moon. What’s up?”
Angella gestures between her and Catra. “I was just observing how wonderful it will be that Glimmer will have a friend to share the homecoming experience with.”
Adora tenses again, remembering that Catra is still standing very close to her. “Oh, haha, yeah, super great. Wait, what?” Sharing?
Then she notices that her and Catra are standing in front of the wall where the Homecoming Court Signup Sheet is hanging. A sparkly pen tied to the clipboard is dangling within Adora’s reach.
“Oh, um, actually, Perfuma’s already--”
“I think this activity will make a fine addition to your college applications, Adora. And you know how Glimmer gets,” Angella leans in conspiratorially, not bothering to lower her voice. “I think it will calm her nerves to have a friend by her side. A bit of friendly competition, even!” she claps her hands together, delighted. “I remember having so much fun with my friends back in my day.”
“But, I’m already on the lacrosse team...” Adora mumbles, scratching the back of her neck. She glances down at the pen.
“Oh, but you know schools these days, always looking for that something that makes a student stand out,” Angella says, waving her hand dismissively. “And don’t worry, I’ll speak to Coach Huntara about any scheduling conflicts. You’ll get to have the best of both worlds!”
Wait, but lacrosse was Adora’s whole thing--does she not stand out enough? Will she seem boring to UEternia? “I...”
“Oh, Ms. Weaver!” Angella says, as if she’s just now noticing Catra. “I didn’t take you for the...school spirit type.”
“I’m not,” Catra replies, crossing her arms. She smiles saccharinely and adds, “ma’am,” for good measure. God, she’s cool.
“Ah,” Angella says, creating an awkward pause before brightening again. “Well, still, here you are. Are you Adora’s running mate?”
So, sometimes Adora panics.
Look, she’s in a high-stress situation. The girl she doesn’t not have an embarrassing crush on bumped into her, talked to her, and then her best friend’s mom swooped in basically saying that lacrosse is boring and dumb and running for homecoming court will get her into UEternia. At least, that’s what Adora got from all that. And then she insinuates that she’ll be doing that with Catra Weaver.
So, she panics. She panics, and she grabs the glittery pen, and she continues to panic.
“Yep! We’re running together!” she says, grinning.
“Say what?” Catra hisses.
“Oh, wonderful!” Angella squeals, clapping her hands together again. “I must say, I think this will turn out to be a very interesting competition. You’ll have to come dress shopping with us, Adora.”
“Haha, yeah...” Adora says, quickly scribbling Adora Greyskull & Catra Weaver on the signup sheet. Oh fuck, oh god.
“Hang on a fu--” Catra starts, then clamps her mouth shut, because the goddamn principal is still talking to them.
“Oh, I wonder what you’ll do for the talent show! I can’t wait...well, I’m off. It was great catching up, girls!” Angella says, and winks, and does weird-mom-finger-guns, and then she’s gliding away as quickly as she came.
Adora continues to grin and wave awkwardly until Angella is out of sight, then she deflates. That was so weird.
Then she turns and sees Catra reach for the pen that’s still in her hand. Adora has half a mind to snatch it away. Or half a brain cell, at least. “Hey!”
“Cross our names out. Right. Now,” Catra growls through gritted teeth, still trying to grab the pen. Adora tries to hold it up out of reach, but it’s still attached to the clipboard, so the best she can do is weave her hand in and out of Catra’s way.
“Um, no? I just told her we were running!”
“Well, we’re not. Give it to me!”
“No!” Adora grunts, yanking the pen away. “You heard her--she’s gonna talk to Coach Huntara. I can’t back out now.”
“Well, I can!” Catra says, grabbing at Adora’s arm, where she has the pen tucked under her armpit. “Find someone else to run with you!”
“I can’t! They’ll want to win!” Adora says, twisting her body away from Catra. She’s having a slight meltdown over Catra touching her so much, but she’s focusing on the pen for now. “No one’s gonna want to run with me anyway.”
Catra mutters something under her breath that Adora doesn’t catch, then she snakes her hand under Adora’s and takes hold of her wrist. Adora stifles a gasp. “Wait, you don’t want to win?” Catra asks, eyebrow quirked.
“Noooo,” Adora furiously shakes her head. “No, no, no. Glimmer would kill me. She wants to win. I just, um, panicked. I guess?” The heat from Catra’s hand is searing into her wrist.
Catra glances down at their hands and back up at Adora. “So, your friend will kill you if you run for homecoming. And you just signed up in front of her mom?”
“Um...” Adora thinks for a second. “Yes?”
Catra huffs out a laugh. “Wow, you’re even more of an idiot than I remember.”
Adora feels her face redden, shocked at Catra’s casual mention of the past, and glances away. “Look, let’s just get eliminated as quickly as possible and then we can forget it ever happened. Deal?”
“Ugh,” Catra lets out a groan, leaning her head back. She tugs at Adora’s wrist a few times, finding that she isn’t budging. “Fine! As quickly as possible.”
“As quickly as possible,” Adora nods, finding herself grinning as Catra loosens her grip and pulls away. “I’m gonna take this pen home, by the way,” she calls out as Catra begins to head back to her table.
“Fuck!”
After Adora finally pees and refills her water bottle, she gingerly sits back down beside Glimmer. Poor, sweet, deadly Glimmer, who’s chattering away excitedly with Seahawk about some new music video or something.
She says, in a very tiny voice, “So, um...I think I’m running for homecoming queen?”
Glimmer whips her head around, nose flaring. She stands up, slamming both hands down on the table with a smack.
“You WHAT?!”
And then the bell rings.
34 notes · View notes
carriagelamp · 3 years
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I read more books this month than I anticipated. I should probably wait before doing a February book round up, but I already feel like I’m struggling to decide which ones to cut from my list so I’m doing it this weekend instead of next. If I read much next week I’ll bump ‘em up into March’s round up
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Asterix and the Missing Scroll / Chieftain’s Daughter
I got the last two “new” Asterix books out of the library so I could officially say I had read them all. Over all my opinion is… they’re fine! None of these would ever become one of my favourites, but they’re all fine stories. The art is good, it is completely in-line with the original, and the stories are… fine. I liked The Missing Scroll quite a bit more than The Chieftain’s Daughter but I never find a ~hurr hurr teenagers~ plotline that interesting, whereas I do enjoy seeing Romans get chased down by unicorns so that’s probably not surprising. There’s some spark I can’t put my finger on that the new Asterix books just seem to be missing though… a bit of humour or cleverness or something. Still, they’re fine reads if you’ve been hungry for more Asterix and I’m glad I read them. (Though the library gave me the American translation of The Chieftain’s Daughter, something I didn’t realize until I started reading and realized that this is wrong??? I’ve been reading these books since I could read and I know this is wrong??? What the hell is happening??? The I realized the publisher was different and I simmered in fury the whole time I read it — WHY ARE YOU CHANGING NAMES AND WORD CHOICES IN A WELL ESTABLISHED SERIES THAT ALREADY HAS AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION YOU ANIMALS WHY ARE YOU DUMBING DOWN THE LANGUAGE AAAUGH
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The Bride Was A Boy
This one was cute! The Bride Was A Boy is an autobiographical manga written by a transwoman recounting her experience with transitioning, meeting her boyfriend, and eventually getting married. It’s mostly done in a 4-panel style and is interspersed with lots of information about the LGBT community, particularly in Japan. A lot of it was stuff I was already familiar with, but I still found it adorable and a very worthwhile read. it would be a fantastic book for young queer people who are looking for more of an introduction into international queer space
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Cul de Sac: Children At Play
Cul de Sac is just a weird, fun newspaper comic series about the children who live in a small neighbourhood. It fully taps into the children-as-semi-feral-chaos-agents, and there’s something hilariously nostalgic about the whole thing. Lots of times when stories try to portray children there’s always something… wrong about it, something that doesn’t mesh with true childhood, but in this comic I can see glimpses of my grimy, dirty-covered self as a preschooler running around the pages. I would definitely recommend trying them!
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The Cremation of Sam McGee
I reread The Cremation of Sam McGee and The Shooting of Dan McGrew and man, they don’t stop being buckwild. These are two really famous Canadian poems that were then illustrated by equally famous Canadian artist Ted Harrison. Harrison’s style is gorgeous and distinct and given what strangely grisly stories these poems are they fit the mood perfectly. Everything feels just a little tilted and wrong and unsettling. If you enjoy an occasional poem (especially ones that are super fun to read out loud) and haven’t read these before, I would recommend them! Or do what my teachers did, and read Sam Gee to a young child in your life and watch them be baffled and concerned and horrified.
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There are strange things done / in the midnight sun / by the men who moil for gold...
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The Gryphon’s Lair
The second book of the Royal Guide to Monster Slaying series written by Kelley Armstrong; I’ve been eagerly awaiting this book! It’s a very cool fantasy series because it really leans into environmental stewardship and the importance of studying animals and conservation so you can find ways to live alongside a healthy ecosystem. In this book Rowan is officially accepted as the Royal Monster Hunter, which means a whole new set of trials and burdens. She has to contend with a baby gryphon that is becoming increasingly large and dangerous, plotting family members, doubt about her abilities, a potential curse, and a daunting quest deep into the mountains in order to set things right. If you’re looking for some very gentle high fantasy, this series delivers.
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Hogan’s Heroes comics
What to say here. Anyone following this blog has suffered the knowledge that I’ve been rewatching Hogan’s Heroes lately. When I found out that there was a short-lived, shitty comic series in the 60s? Of course I had to hunt them down. And so I’ve read them! And they sure were a shitty comic series from the 60s! They were, shall we say, of wildly varying quality. Some were actually really funny (like #5, it easily had the best art and best jokes imho), others were a slog, and most were fine and amusing enough to read the whole way through but not much more.
If you don’t know what Hogan’s Heroes is about: it was a 1960s sitcom that took place in a WWII POW camp, in which the Allied prisoners trapped there had a massive, complex sabotage/spy ring right underneath the camp. The whole show is about constantly outwitting the bumbling Germans while keeping up the pretense that they’re all just normal prisoners. The show is hilariously funny and I would recommend that, even if I can’t say the same for the comics unless you’re like me and are just really thirsty for more content...
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Magic Misfits: The Fourth Suit (Ripley)
The final book of Neil Patrick Harris’ middle grade series, The Magic Misfits. In this fourth book, the group is fragmented and forced to meet in secret to avoid notice from the mysterious and powerful Kalagan whose cruel machinations have already turned the quiet little town on its ears, putting people’s lives in peril and destroy Leila’s fathers’ magic shop. The Misfits are going to need all their skills to finally unmask this sinister magician and break the mesmerism he seems to have placed over the entire town before it’s too late to save no only the town, but their friendship and trust.
Super charming series, and the illustrations are gorgeous.
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Marsupilami
HOUBA! I watched a very bad TV adaptation of this as a kid that still managed to find a place in my heart, and so I decided to finally try reading some of the original comic! On one hand: it was exactly what I had hoped! The art is cute, the marsupilami is so dynamic and fun to see on the page (and has a way better characterization than he does in the show), and it’s really funny! Unfortunately! It is also pretty racist! Yikes! That seems to be a reoccuring downfall for some of these older Belgian comics... I also tried reading the first book of Les Tuniques Bleues and aye ye ye… I couldn’t actually get through that one. That being said, these were older volumes and frankly, North American media was also real fucking racist at that point so I’m not gonna write them off either. I really liked most of this book, and will probably try to get my hands on one of the more recent volumes of both Marsupilami and Les Tuniques Bleues to see if they get better with time. (If you’ve read either of those series and have volume recommendations hmu)
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The Pagemaster
I’m a sucker for novelizations, I have no excuse beyond that. I recently rewatched The Pagemaster and decided to read the chapter book. And it was a solid little adaptation! It’s about Richard Tyler, a young boy with a head for statistics which unfortunately means he lives in constant fear of (in his opinion, statistically likely) injury or death. However that fear is put to the test when he gets caught in a horrible thunderstorm and has to shelter in a nearby library with halls and shelves that stretch beyond the imagination and with untold perils hidden among the pages of the books. Richard, with only his library card and three novels that hope to be checked out, has to venture through the different genres and horrors housed int he library if he ever wants to find the exit and get home to safety.
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Pumpkinheads
A very charming little graphic novel. Cute art, and really loveable characters. Josiah and Deja work every year at a local pumpkin patch, and are best friends during those weeks. However this is their last year working there before going off to university and as the last day at the patch comes to a close they realize that they both still have regrets. Deja sets off on a mission to avoid work, eat all the interesting snacks around the patch, and get Josiah to find the girl he’s been crushing on every year and has never worked up the nerve to talk to.
After being deprived of human contact for almost a year, this book really hits you right in the heart.
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The Screwfly Solution
A deeply upsetting scifi/horror short story! I read it on the recommendation of a friend and, yes, can confirm that this fucked me up a bit. I honestly don’t even know what to say about this that wouldn’t spoil it, but frankly with everything being as it is, this hit a little bit too close to reality. (That being said, it was very well written, like this is a very good story on a literary level and it does exactly what it sets out to accomplish.) If you feel like reading twenty pages and being really disturbed, give it a go! Otherwise go and read any number of the much happier books on this list!
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The Whipping Boy
This was a book I remember reading as a lit circle book back in elementary school and really loving. After telling myself I’d reread it for years, I finally sat down with it again. If you somehow got through school without reading this one, it’s about a brat of a prince and his whipping boy — since it would be unspeakable to strike a prince, when the prince misbehaves it is Jemmy who gets whipped. Unsurprisingly, there is no love lost between the two of them, because the prince is always intentionally causing problems that Jemmy has to suffer for. Things begin to change though when the prince decides to run away and drags Jemmy along with him. On the run, being chased by highwaymen, and desperately trying to hide their identities, these boys go on a fast-paced adventure beyond the castle walls. It wasn’t as special as I remembered it being as a kid, but it’s a fine little chapter book.
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Shakespearean mc here- what are your thoughts on the different plays? Specifically twelfth night and midsummers night dream since you mentioned characters from those plays plus Macbeth (I’m studying that one in school)
*Cracks knuckles and takes a long, deep breath.* 
Fam I have written entire essays about this for my courses. I have done presentations and powerpoints, not to mention monologues. I have filled journals. You know not what sort of floodgate that you’ve opened. The doorway to my dorkish heart. 
Twelfth Night is my favorite comedy and it was actually the first one I ever saw. The premise behind the show is a farce-like situation, it’s literally one big joke. Viola has a crush, so in order to woo him, she dresses up as a man and goes off to try and convince another woman to date him. Y’know, as you do. But then here’s the kicker - his crush falls in love with the male disguise! I know it’s probably something we all just kind of accept as normal Shakespearian humor at this point, but you must understand how hard Tiny Brandon was laughing when he first saw this, especially since Olivia was played by a friend of mine. (Well I say “friend,” she was a drama coach, but I considered her a friend, so there.) Viola holds a special place in my heart, for being the first protagonist I saw, and I friggin love how she puts it all together immediately and her reaction is just, “I wonder how badly this will all go wrong by the end. Welp! No turning back now!” She’s literally such a mood, and I’m so glad to see her reunited with Sebastion by the end. Speaking of him, I like how he just kind of stumbles upon the plot and passively accepts it. Oliva throws herself at him, and he just accepts. I’ve seen this played multiple ways. In the first production I saw, the guy was bewildered and just kind of went along with it like “Uh...okay?” But later on, I saw a version where my good friend was playing him, and he made me laugh so hard, because he played it like “This total babe wants to marry me. I have no idea why or who she is, but she does NOT need to ask twice.” Also this has nothing to do with anything, but between Oliva falling for “Sezario” and Orsino continuing to treat Viola as a man until they’re married...yeah, this play had characters who were LBGT and didn’t know it. Them’s just the facts. Anyway, I love this little squad, I’d watch a sitcom about them for sure. Oh who am I kidding, the real comedy of this show, the elephant in the room...is Malvolio, and his whole storyline. What a role, and I want it. I wish to play Malvolio before I die. I wish to see fanfiction about him getting revenge on the whole pack of them. I cannot read the cross-gartered scene without laughing. He’s...he’s Percy. He’s literally Percy, right down to how he’s the punch line of the joke, and it’s treated as okay because he’s just that annoying...but y’know I don’t really mind? Like sure, he was wronged. He was most notoriously abused. But it was funny! 
Midsummers is a show that I basically know by the back of my hand by now. It’s one of the classics, it’s like Romeo and Juliet in the sense that it’s one of the shows that everyone had heard of, everyone knows on a basic level even if they hate Shakespare or know little to nothing about his work. And I used to joke that this show was following me. Because everyone was putting it on, and no matter where I went, what company I worked with...inevitably, that show would crop up. If I had any dancing ability or movement training that I hadn’t all but forgotten by now, I would love to play Puck. The ultimate trickster, the ultimate troll. He’s the best. Another classic and cliche plot of course, but that’s because it’s iconic at this point. Like a blend between a soap opera and a farce this time, everything that happens between the four humans in the woods. I love how it’s just canon that Hermia is short, and angry about this. I like how Lysander is kinda witty, “You have her father’s love, Demetrius. Would you marry him?” and y’know, he’s not a bad guy. He does try to get into Hermia’s pants before the wedding, but he backs down when she says no. Demetrius though? He’s a dirtbag. I mean, he’s not as bad as Proteus from Two Gents...but like...are we just never gonna talk about how his love for Helena was artificially induced...and that’s the happy ending? And none of the humans will ever know it? Oh well. There’s also the rivalry between Oberon and Titania, and I always love watching them onstage. They really feel like two deities waging a war, or “playing a game” with each other, with mortals caught in the crosshairs. I believe this romance, I ship it. Titania is a character that I always have high standards for. I expect an amazing performance from her, especially after seeing what my friend Chrissy put in the role. (I doubt you will ever see this, Chrissy, but if you do - shoutout!) Then there's the whole subplot about Pyramus and Thisbe. It’s a little awkward that the production is put on after the whole resolution with the four humans, but I guess it makes sense in-universe. And who cares - it’s always, always the funniest part of that whole show. I look forward to it every time. “This dog. My dog.” 
Don’t get me started on Macbeth. This is my favorite Tragedy and probably my favorite Shakespeare show overall. But it’s not just a Tragedy, it’s a Horror, the very best kind of Horror. A story where the audience is betrayed. The hero that was talked up, named in the show’s title, and introduced as a good man...he does a terrible thing, and it all spirals from there. Leaving the audience stranded, unsure if they’re supposed to still root for him. Not to mention how well this play dives into the psychology of murder. How it changes a person forever, once they’ve done something like that and have to live with it. Macbeth was an ordinary man. He didn’t want to kill Duncan for any personal reason or grudge, it was just because of the obvious reason: Power. He wanted the throne. Sure, every man wants to be king, but once the Witches made it seen attainable, once Lady Macbeth painted that picture in his mind...he made his choice. And it’s so important that he’s ordinary because anyone could fall into that kind of trap. Not to get dark for a second but like...a lot of us have people in our lives who we would probably be better off if they weren’t around. And we probably have at least one person who we could kill and probably get away with it. The monster in the back of the human mind. That is what Macbeth is all about. I know the “Out, damn spot” scene is iconic, but it really demonstrates how different people would respond to trauma in different ways. Then there’s Banquo, who basically figures out the truth but can do nothing about it other than wait for Macbeth to realize he’s a loose end. The mystery of the “third” murderer...and I’ve written essays about who that might have been, too. The hubris of Macbeth not to realize how the witches words could be twisted. I also grew so, so attached to Macduff. The poor guy lost everything, and he was the one who spearheaded the rebellion, and ultimately killed Macbeth. Reading it as a kid, not understanding the line of succession, I remember being so annoyed that he wasn’t made King at the end, because he totally deserved it. Also, as someone else who was, “from my mother’s womb, untimely ripped” I consider Macduff a kindred spirit. 
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number 6 ASKS!!! oop, this one is ironic: What is your lucky number? next one is What is your sexual orientation? next is If you were to fall into an eternal sleep, do you think anyone would miss you? (ME!!! ME!!!! MEEEEE!!!!) next is Your Birthday? next up: describe your personality in three words or less. then describe your aesthetic in emojis. now choose: pastel, boho (idk what that is) tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear? gonna have to do a new ask, to, running out of characte
Hehehe. Alright let’s go
Lucky number? I’ve always been fond of the number six since I was little. When I was doing my math I would have a little sitcom running in my head where six was the main character and 7 was the country boy love interest and 8 was the bully who was always trying to get her attention. 4 and 5 were the parents and 2 & 3 were the younger siblings. 16 was a movie star. The numbers age weird so when 6 got older she would have been 16. They all went to high school but really their job was to create math books. Anyways... so I’d say 6. If not then 13 cause Taylor.
Sexual orientation? See, I swear this changes and it makes me want to tear my hair out. Currently I’ve been thinking a lot because actually being around people again has changed some of my perceptions. Women are STUNNING. But would I want to date one? Idk. Maybe not. Men? Seeming a bit better currently. High school boys 🤢. Just kill me instead. But like, maybe later. The whole acespec makes it hard as well because what everybody else describes as a crush is different. Plus nobody there is dating material anyways so nah.
If I were to fall into an eternal sleep do I think anyone miss me? Well evidently, you, Zach. My mum probably and my sister on some level. Everybody else I think wouldnt because most of them only like me out of obligation. Or maybe some of them would, but if they did it would not be reciprocated by me. Weirdly enough, I think my teachers would because I’m friends with like, all of them. Plus probably (?) the AG or at least Trashie, Eli, May and yourself.
My birthday? June 29 babeyyyyyy.
Describe my personality in three words or less. Charismatic, judgemental, caring.
My aesthetic in Emojis: 🌈🌧🐱🎧🎨🎶
Choose: I’m guessing this is in terms of my personal style which would probably be under the banner of boho primarily. So Boho (bohemian, if you look up boho fashion or style you’ll see).
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4 Underrated 90′s TV Shows
Here is a list of some awesome 90′s shows that were short-lived. They didn’t last long on air, but were fun; I’ve linked their intros because they were cool lol:
ABC
My So-Called Life (1994): This is my fave show of all times! I could totally related to Angela Chase on so many levels!! It’s a teen drama about a girl trying to figure out high school, friendships, family, and, of course, her crush Jordan Catalano. You’ll definitely enjoy the 90′s fashion/plaid in this show! I think most of the 19 episodes are available somewhere online.
Where I Live (1993): What a catchy theme song, ‘We all live togethaaa’ (now stuck in my head lol); Just recently discovered this sitcom a few days ago. Seems pretty chill; three teen buds getting into extraordinary adventures in Harlem, NY. This seems to be the only episode available online; checked everywhere for more episodes, but had no luck, which sucks because it actually seems pretty cool to watch. Ohh well!
On Our Own (1994): LOL another catchy theme song! It’s one of those shows about the importance of family and love. I think all of the Smollett siblings are featured in this one. Some episodes are on YouTube.
FOX
Parker Lewis Can’t Lose (1990):Can’t comment on this show yet, but from what I’ve read online, it was a kinda underrated show. It’s about this cool high-school dude and his friends who all wanna get away with stuff, but their principle is out to get them (kinda similar to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)...gonna check this show out online
If you remember any of these shows or got more to add to this list, feel free to comment :) 
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Favorite TV shows tag game 📺
I was tagged by @call-me-ala and @ginmayo (And a few days after this by @el-pintor​ ) Thank you! These are always great fun 😊 Because anime and Western television are kind of in different parts of my brain, I’m going to exclude anime shows this time. I couldn’t decide where the anime series I love would fit in on the list of my favorite Western shows.
#1 Breaking Bad
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In my humble opinion, Walter White is the best-written TV character. The changes in him are seemingly obvious until even you can’t tell when you’re being manipulated by him. The details that have gone into making Breaking Bad are brilliant overall.
#2 BoJack Horseman
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Listen, listen. I know what you might be thinking. A cartoon? Anthropomorphic animals? Pfft, yeah right. I was like that at first, too. Then this show had the audacity to turn out be one of the realest things I’ve ever watched. Though I can’t binge-watch this anymore because high dosages of BoJack makes me feel too sad and empty inside.
#3 Chernobyl
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My parents had experienced the nuclear disaster and the epic cluster fuck that was the Soviet Union. Those things had always been parts of our history books and lessons at school. But watching non-Europeans reacting to this mini-series baffled me. It seemed not many people were at all familiar with the worst nuclear power plant accident in history, even less with why USSR was so desperately trying to cover the thing up with propaganda. This series is not only amazingly done but also a great history lesson.
#4 Game of Thrones
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Yes, yes, I know. This show fell high and hard, but I don’t think it can be denied it’s still one of the most amazing TV shows ever produced. It took me a long time to jump this bandwagon because I’m not really into the whole Middle Ages, dragons and sword fights thing. But I was swept away by the compelling characters and storylines. If only the last season hadn’t been such a disappointment.
#5 House of Cards
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Look, yes, I know. Most people would probably not have listed this show after what happened with Kevin Spacey, and I can’t blame you. What he did makes my skin crawl. But the man can act. He made this show, and I loved every second of it. Frank Underwood was another brilliantly written character. You started with rooting for him and ended up feeling hella conflicted. Unfortunately, this series also suffered from having a horrendous last season. The fall was high. Robin Wright did an amazing job as Claire Underwood, but unfortunately “F.U.” without the “F” is just a “U”.
#6 Better Call Saul
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Imagine
Breaking Bad
, only with more humor and hustling. A spin-off that shares the same level of brilliant character writing as its predecessor. On good days, even higher than that. And the thing is, we know from the start how Saul will turn out and yet we’re holding our breaths for his life taking another turn somewhere along the way.
#7 Black Mirror
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Another series that took me the longest time to check out. Almost every episode ended up being such a mind fuck. Gave a lot food for thought, that’s for sure.
#8 OZ
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Nope, I’m not talking about the musical about wizards and flying monkeys from 1939 but about the Oswald State Correctional Facility. A gritty show about men in prison and surviving there. No disturbing stone is left unturned.
OZ
is said to have paved way for such legends as
Sopranos
, so it’s definitely an essential part of TV history.
#9 Queer as Folk (US)
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This. show. changed. my. life. The first time I was exposed to LGBT couples on my TV screen and my life wasn’t really the same ever since. I had come for the queer but stayed for the folk! I had the biggest crush on Brian Kinney and went through a pretty intense Britin craze. Ugh, I’m getting the feels again!
#10 Frasier
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I’m not big on sitcoms, but Frasier has always been a feel-good show for me. Comfort food. I know the lines and jokes by heart already but they still make me laugh. Niles Crane is one the funniest TV characters.
I tag: @voatsiperifery @hushmiit @ficsficsficsallfics and @iphanwhenikickthesticks You guys are always keeping my notes up! But no pressure 😊
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cruisercrusher · 5 years
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Okay family comedy au let’s go
- No capes au
- Dick is 17, chilling, riding the waves of high school popularity, having a great time actually
- Jason is 13 and a little rascal but don't let that fool you bc he's a huge nerd good kid and his teachers adore him
- Cass is 12 and in her punk phase, she loves hot topic she buys all her clothes from there, she's also going through a phase where she refuses to brush her hair and is the reason alfred is now completely gray
- Tim is 9, he has an unfortunate haircut but then don't all nine year olds? Super gifted kid, reading level way above his class’
- Duke is 6, he likes paw patrol, marshall is his favourite.
- Damian is a baby, 1 year old, he's teething and he’s a biter. He only likes Dick, Alfred, Bruce, and Talia, and if you are not one of those four people then watch out he has eleven teeth already and is not afraid to use them
- Steph is in Cass’ class and her best friend (and has a huge crush on her but shh she thinks they’re just really intense platonic feelings) and she’s always hanging out at the manor. The grown ups are suspicious of her home situation
- Bruce and Talia are divorced, but Talia visits often to see the kids
- This is when she meets Selina, Bruce’s girled friend, and they’re like OwO
- Talia is always flexing on Bruce. Milf icon
- I have subplots upon subplots upon subplots. I have so many. I don’t even know which is the main plot anymore
- thinking of actually writing it out like a sitcom and every chapter is like a new episode or smth like that. Could begin we’ll see
- Also: when I says Dick is popular at school I mean it, literally everyone knows and loves him he and his friends are the coolest hippest most popular ppl ever. Come senior year he and kori will be shoe-ins for prom king amd queen
- They’re not dating tho kori and Donna are dating
- They’re all in grade eleven except babs whos a senior, she’s class president, and an icon
- She has a cool and mysterious college gf who’s in a screamo band and nobody knows who it is and it’s killing them
- Dick is head cheerleader
- Donna is on the wrestling team
- I heard Dick Graysons hair is insured for $10,000. I heard he does car commercials... in Japan. I heard he met John Stamos on an airplane and he told him he was pretty
- I heard Kori Anders is shredded. That Kori has an eight pack
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My opinion on puppeteer pt. 2
Aka I defend the embrassing scene like a high school debate team.
The good it could bring...it could help lessen her crush a bit to a healthier level and maybe try to get to know Adrien the person..not Adrien the model.
Also if Marinette is more comfortable with Adrien it might bring out her " Ladybug mode". out. Just like Adrien let out his cat noir side while questioning Mari during troublemaker.
Causing him to maybe either connect the dots or to develop a small crush on her.
We all know Adrien as a small crush on Mari if he doesn't realize it yet. The denial is strong in this boy.
Clues to this ..
He tries his best to make her smile even showing her a bit of cat noir in Puppeteer pt. 2 like I usually don't care or seem indifferent if a co-worker or classmate dislikes me. I don't go through a effort to make them smile like that. ( Sure he did it horribly Marinette isn't the only one who embarrassed herself in this episode Adrien did too)
- She's just a good friend - this line is usually used in sitcoms or romance stories to imply that they are denying a crush or deeper connection because Adrien likes Ladybug and will deny another crush. (As much as we cringe at this is a good thing.)
- He smiled at her blushing while she wasn't looking. And smiled when they sat together but sulked with Lila sat with him.
- he asks if just Marinette and him could go back to the rink in Frozier and looks upset when she mentioned bringing other people.
- they have matching bracelets ( yes friends do this too but couples often match. I also want you to consider the colors of the beeds.
- Adrien's lucky charm - pink like her favorite color, green like his eyes or catnoir, red for ladybug, and it is held together with a red string.
Marinette's Lucky charm - blue like her eyes, Yellow for his hair.( Yet again held by a red string)
- He didn't mind Kissing her for the flim even pulling her closer (the only reason I think he pulled away in Puppeteer pt 2 is because it was unexpected and took him off guard)
- His freaking smile when she kissed his cheek during heroes day
- he Gushed about her to Kagami
-During the fencing match in season 1 when Marinette got excited to touch him he laughed.
-He seemed upset when Marinette wasn't going to be in a photoshoot with her in stormy weather.
-How he danced with her in Despair bear is Definitely how I won't dance with a friend
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recentanimenews · 5 years
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Underneath The Butts And The Dancing, Sarazanmai Is Beautiful
  I truly believe that every anime season needs at least one "SHUT UP, DAD. IT'S CALLED 'ANIME'!" show. These are shows that, if a stereotypical sitcom Dad walked in on you watching them, they'd be a little tougher to explain than "This is Goku, and he likes lasers and push ups!" or "Gundam is about robots and anxiety." And that show, right now, is the wonderful Sarazanmai. Full of troubled teens with flashback-heavy story arcs, a parade of butt-related imagery, multiple dance sequences, and an idol character that says "Dish!" a lot, if I discovered it drunk at 2 AM, I'd think I was having a fever dream. 
  But, while it'd be easy to watch the first episode and deem this show as "haha random," the last few episodes have proven that Sarazanmai is a show with a lot of heart. It's hard to accurately capture the exhausting quest for identity that is middle school, but I feel like Sarazanmai does a pretty solid job with it. Its three main characters, Kazuki, Enta, and Toi are all desperately trying to figure out exactly what kind of people they want to be and also bond with each other and the world around them. And that's the toughest part of middle school: How do I become me?
    A lot of times, in fiction, creators choose to tell their coming of age stories with either children (because the metaphors are a little more obvious and it's way easier to make the moral sweet if it's a kid), or high schoolers (because then you can center it around big events that signify obvious growth, like graduation or even prom night.) But in middle school, you're just kind of trapped...with you. No matter where you are in it, you've got at least four more years of school left, so you're not really escaping into the next phase of your life. And you can't really drive, which is another big Adulthood Level Up, or legally drink or smoke, so for the weird years that constitute middle school, you're having some of the most drastic changes of your life as a child. 
  This momentary swamp of existence is hard to convey because so much of it is just the internal scream of "WHY AM I LIKE THIS?" And this is where Sarazanmai excels. Kazuki dresses up as the idol Sara Azuma, something that he hides from even the closest member of his family, his wheelchair-bound brother Haruka. Enta has a massive crush on Kazuki but can't muster up the nerve to tell him, so he lashes out often in weird emotional displays. And Toi is a criminal along with his older brother who (SPOILERS OH GOD SPOILERS) also once killed a man that threatened his big bro. And while this is definitely a little more dramatic than my middle school experience which mostly consisted of eating hambugers, playing Magic the Gathering and passing "Will you go out with me? Check yes or no" notes in class, I get it.
    There's a grappling with your own personality that goes on during this time, and Sarazanmai excels at treating it with empathy. People have the tendency to tell you that the phases that you go through in your life before you reach true Gotta-worry-about-taxes adulthood are unimportant, and that you'll inevitably look back on your teenage and young adult choices as silly. But this outlook is so jaded and dull, because you forget just how honestly you feel everything in middle school. Sarazanmai is a show that deals heavily in that, especially when it comes to discovering your own sexuality. At no point does Sarazanmai dismiss this as "just a phase" or "just figuring stuff out." Instead, it's given weight. It's treated as truth, rather than something that Enta or Kazuki will look back on in shame. 
  And remember the butt stuff that I talked about earlier? That isn't just Kunihiko Ikuhara deciding that it would be funny if these Mighty Morphin' Kappa Rangers pulled orbs out of monster ass. In folklore, Kappas acquire power by pulling the shirikodama, an orb that contains the soul, out of their victims' anus'. This seemingly goofy stuff has mythological precendence, bro. And the catchphrase "Dish"? If it's not obvious already, that's a reference to the dish of water that Kappas have on their heads. Oh, and all of those cucumbers? That's traditionally the kappa's preferred meal. And the dirty cops? That's a reference to, ummm, well, we'll probably have to keep watching to figure that one out.
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    Lastly, Sarazanmai explores the bonds between people and what they mean and, because the main characters are in middle school, how we figure out what they mean. Every episode title starts with "I Want To Connect, but..." for a reason. As a little kid, your purpose is mostly found through your burgeoning interests. For example, my ten-year-old personality could simply be described with "Prefers Pokemon Red over Pokemon Blue" and you would've had me solved. But when you hit middle school age, suddenly you begin to find purpose through others. Friendships become more layered, reltionships become more complicated, and you have to deal with all of it while you're still trying to deal with, well, you.
    Overall, Sarazanmai is my favorite show of this season because along with its great sense of humor, its wonderful visuals, and its absolute banger of an ending song that sounds like it should go on the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack, it's got deep themes about self discovery and connection. It's a show about growing up when you're not quite sure what that means, and about reaching out to others when you can barely reach inward. It's great and it's on Crunchyroll, so go watch it.
  Do you like Sarazanmai? Who is your favorite character? Do you enjoy a nice cucumber snack? Let us know in the comments!
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Daniel Dockery is a writer for Crunchyroll. You can find him on Twitter.
Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!
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Nancy McKeon is sorry about the sudden whirring sound. She has a protein shake to make, perhaps more cheerfully than one has ever blended a smoothie before, seeing as she's in the heart of rehearsing for her Dancing With the Stars debut.
Best known for her role as Jo Polniaczek on the hit '80s sitcom The Facts of Life, McKeon is so nice it's a good thing her return to TV is on DWTS and not Big Brother. The 52-year-old actress is self-deprecating about her dancing skills, utters "Good gravy!" when surprised, enjoys getting schooled on both footwork and social media from her pro partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, and, I'm convinced, secretly bakes chocolate chip cookies for her fellow competitors. If this sounds a lot like your mom, that's probably because McKeon took nearly 15 years off to focus on raising her daughters, 14-year-old Aurora and 11-year-old Harlow, whom she shares with husband Marc Andrus.
The break was well deserved. McKeon started working when she was two, first as a child model and commercial actor before scoring roles on TV, and was acting up until the seventh month of her first pregnancy. "I just love what I do, but I have been given this amazing gift of my husband and my children, and I didn't want to not be there for this small amount of time you get with them," she tells ET. "I can't even believe when I say 15 years. It just feels like a nanosecond. I really wanted to give them all my attention that they deserve."
Though she had a handful of smaller, carefully chosen roles, DWTS will be McKeon's first big return to the spotlight since her Lifetime detective drama, The Division, wrapped in 2004, and she knows you're probably surprised to see her name on the list of season 27 competitors. "This isn't something that I would normally do. It really is outside my comfort zone," she admits.
If it weren't for an important family meeting, she may not have even strapped on dance shoes. "The way to affect change in your life is to move beyond your comfort zone, so I had this conversation with [my daughters] and they said, 'Mom, this is going to be great. You can do it.' Having them as my support team and cheerleaders is extraordinary," she says. "As a mom, I can tell them to be brave and I can say, 'This is how you should be,' but sometimes there's no more powerful demonstration than actually doing it. So I just decided, you know what, I'm going to scare the living life out of myself and say yes and just show up every day and see what happens. Everything changes and moves you, so I'm also excited about all the changes and the different things that I'm learning in this venture as well."
She may have found the perfect partner-in-crime in Chmerkovskiy. Not only is there a clear chemistry and sense of humor between the two already, but McKeon is pretty sure they've settled on the team name of "McVal." "I got top billing so I gave him an extra letter," she jokes.
McKeon has zero dance experience and, despite doing hot yoga regularly and living on a ranch where she averages four to seven miles of walking a day, she says none of her previous roles have helped prep her for DWTS. "I don't think anything can prepare your feet for being crammed into a high heel and then dance across a stage," she says. On top of that, social media wasn't a part of the TV landscape the last time she was here.
Luckily, Chmerkovskiy is an excellent teacher. So far, the pair has put in about two weeks of rehearsals. McKeon feels they're doing well as they run their steps and get their stamina up for the big, first number, and her partner is giving her some very important advice during what she calls "a master class every day." "'Don't have the terror look.' That's a big one," McKeon says. "He said, 'Look at me, but not with those eyes that are scared. Smile! Enjoy!' I love him for doing that because when I work, it's focus and concentration. The last [acting projects] had been drama and prepping for that, and this really needs to just be fun."
McKeon says her and Chmerkovskiy's goal for week one is "just sheer fun and love." This is partially to provide some escapism for fans during these tumultuous times but also because, on a personal level, if she's going to leave her family, it needed to be for a good reason.
"[My daughters] are everything to me, and without them and my amazing husband, then nothing really does have much meaning. I've worked a lot and this is really the first time I've gone away and am spending a lot of time doing something," she reveals. "It's uncomfortable because I miss them, but somewhere [down the line], I think this might be very helpful in our conversations as our lives go on, and I'm interested to see where all that lands too."
"It's funny, you maybe wouldn't put a dancing show or something like that in this sort of category, but it really is a lot more than just dancing," she adds. "You develop this wonderful friendship and partnership with, in my particular case, Val. He's awesome and everybody loves him. I think I feel even more pressure now because he's the show's national treasure, but so far I'm thrilled that people seem to be OK with him being partnered with me!"
Holding family as the most important pillar has been essential in helping the dancing partners connect. Though she hasn't met Chmerkovskiy's brother, Maksim, as he's not competing this season, McKeon has met his fiancee, fellow DWTS pro Jenna Johnson, whom she describes as "dear," "beautiful" and "sweet." McKeon has even dished out some excellent advice for Chmerkovskiy and Johnson's pending nuptials.
"I told him to enjoy the day. I've been married for 15 years, and I can still look back and remember every single moment of [my wedding] day. It was just about 20 people and it was our day, and it was one of the best days of my life," she recalls. "So, my advice to him was, 'It's just got to be about the two of you. After all, the rest of your life is about the two of you.' That's what I did -- there was no stress, no pressure, and it was really amazing. Other than that, I think everyone figures it out for themselves!"
Johnson has popped by rehearsals, bringing smoothies or simply saying hello and providing encouragement, which has helped McKeon have a bit of that familial grounding while away from home. "The family you get welcomed into on this show is extraordinary. Everybody -- from the guys who help you park in the morning and our security to the producing teams -- they literally are all happy to be there and they're rooting for everybody," she explains. "I have never felt like an outsider from day one. What a great thing! I love the atmosphere they've created. Yeah, it's a competition, but everyone's cheering everybody else on too."
McKeon will have some very important faces in the crowd when season 27 kicks off on Sept. 24. Her daughters and husband will be there (she joked that they better be, just in case there's no week two for her!), as well as actress Lisa Vidal, her best friend since they were partnered up on The Division, which also starred then-unknowns Jon Hamm and Taraji P. Henson, along with Parenthood's Bonnie Bedelia.
"I told her, 'Mama, you're going to have to help me with some kind of cha-cha or salsa,'" McKeon says of Vidal. "Lisa is like a sister, but that whole cast -- it really was one of the best times of my life. I loved everybody on that show. We were all supportive of each other and to watch Jon blossom and Taraji just shatter it is so beautiful… It's so exciting to watch such good people get to do what they love to do and just crush it. They're amazing people. It's a joy for me to be an uber fan because [after the show ended], I got to be with the most important people, which is my kiddos and my hubby."
McKeon is the first to admit she's been blessed to work with some incredible people throughout her career. She famously acted alongside Michael J. Fox in the '80s, as well as Mariska Hargitay and Jean Smart in the short-lived sitcoms Can't Hurry Love and Style & Substance, respectively, plus she did take some time out from being a stay-at-home mom to play Demi Lovato's mother on the Disney Channel show, Sonny With a Chance, from 2009-2010.
Though the two haven't spoken in some time, McKeon only had kind words for Lovato, who suffered a relapse and apparent overdose earlier this summer
"I wouldn't presume. I can only send all my love. She seems to be incredibly smart… It was a difficult time during that show and things kind of went on, but I can tell you in my experience, she was genuinely lovely to me and to my girls, who were much younger at the time and very excited to meet her," McKeon says of her onscreen daughter. "I have every confidence that she's going to come back stronger and in a way that is the best for her. She deserves that."
McKeon was side-by-side another big actor during their early days, one whom she gets asked about a lot: George Clooney, whose first real TV experience was as a handyman on The Facts of Life. Though his time with them was short, McKeon says she would see him working on another show on the lot and they remained friends. "He's everything you want him to be," she happily reveals. "He's fun, an incredible talent, and he's loyal as the day is long. He deserves all good things and it looks like that's exactly what he's gotten."
The most important connection she has from those sitcom days, however, was with Charlotte Rae, who portrayed the beloved, wise-cracking redheaded housemother of the fictional Eastland School. She died in early August at age 92 after a series of illnesses, and McKeon chokes up when thinking about her beloved friend.
"That's a hard one for me. It's soon," she says slowly. "Charlotte's one of the most remarkable people I've ever met in my life and we were actually very good friends. If I was in L.A., we were always together and if I wasn't, I came in, even if it was just to see her. She's been at my ranch and hung out with the girls and myself, and I will always be the luckiest person and a much better person for having had her in my life."
The women of The Facts of Life still keep in touch. In fact, McKeon has been texting with Kim Fields, as the actress known as Tootsie danced with pro Sasha Farber in season 22 of DWTS. Though McKeon hasn't watched every season of the dance competition show, she did watch Fields and Farber compete "with joy and amazement."
"She just knocked it out of the park. She's just so amazing. We've been texting and I said, 'Really? Did you have to set the bar this high? Girlfriend, I don't know if I can live up [to that].' She's just a doll and supportive," McKeon says, adding that she's gone back to watch some of Chmerkovskiy's dances with previous partners but had to stop "because he's so good" and didn’t want to get stuck in a brain warp comparing herself to others.
In fact, Fields' best advice had nothing to do with the dancing itself. "'Have fun. Enjoy this week, this day, this rehearsal. Try not to look ahead.' For me, I think that's awesome advice because it's really just got to be about the journey," McKeon says. "There's some amazing people dancing, so it's really not about an end result for me. What I'm looking for is the best I can do on every single day."
"It doesn't matter how sore [I am] -- get up, go back, fight the good fight the next day," she continues. "Have some smile, as my partner would say, and just enjoy that day, because none of us can possibly predict how long any of us have."
Season 27 of Dancing With the Stars kicks off Monday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. 
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