#I love both Maria's but I honestly think one's ending is much more tragic than the other

[bedofthistles]

The Little White Horse: Maria

An analysis and comparison of Maria Merryweather in both The Little White Horse and The Secret of Moonacre

TL;DR

Oh my darling Maria. I honestly love both versions of Maria. This girl has gone through so much, has done so much, and she deserves the world. 

However, Maria is a tad bit different in The Secret of Moonacre than she is in The Little White Horse. While both of their stories are endearing and impactful, I do believe one is more harmful than the other. 

Maria Merryweather, as described in the book, is a sweet, relatively happy girl, who is pure-hearted and brave. She is shown to have a love for her animal companions, the boy from her dreams who she played with as a child, her governess, her cousin, and Moonacre Valley. Her vices, however, are her vanity and a natural curiosity, or at least, those are the vices Goudge has told us are her vices. 

“In this year of grace 1842 [Maria] was thirteen years old and was considered plain, with her queer silvery-grey eyes that were so disconcertingly penetrating, her straight reddish hair and thin pale face with its distressing freckles. Yet her little figure, small as that of a fairy's child, with a backbone as straight as a poker, was very dignified, and she had exquisite tiny feet, of which she was inordinately proud. They were her chief beauty, she knew, which was why she took, if possible, a more burning interest in her boots than in her mittens and gowns and bonnets.” 

Maria is a lady born and bred, and already quite humble at the start . After her description, it's stated she knows that she qualifies as ‘plain’. She does take an interest in her clothes to make up for the fact that she is ‘plain’, however she is scolded for this almost immediately by the parson. 

“Neatness of attire is to be commended in a woman," he told her, holding her hand in a grip of steel. “But not vanity. Vanity is of the devil. And excessive female curiosity is not to be commended either. Nip it in the bud, my dear, while there is time." So he had seen her patting her pelisse and stroking her muff. So he had noticed her trying to see over the door of the pew.”

After this moment, besides when she tries on her wedding dress and looks into Loveday’s mirror and sees the visage of the first Moon Princess, Maria doesn’t express as much care in her appearance or attire. Beyond describing the costumes laid out by Loveday, Maria’s opinions on her clothing is laid aside. The lesson being that she has put aside her ‘vanity’.

However, this is not true vanity. 

In the myth of Echo and Narcissus, the Greek figure is described as so handsome that the first time he sees his own reflection, he becomes so enamored with it that he can not look away. So much so, that the nymph, Echo, who loved him, could not call him away. So engrossed was he with his reflection, that he fell in love with himself. This is true vanity, a gross, and over exaggerated self-love. True vanity is caring about yourself first, and is not limited to appearance, but can also concern the mind, intelligence, talent and many other things. It is valuing yourself over everyone. 

Maria adjusting her skirts during a church service is not vanity, nor is acknowledging her small feet as her best quality. It may very well be that the Parson is warning her of a growing vanity, to not become so enamored with her appearance and looks, but again, Maria knows she is plain. I don’t think she’s at risk of falling in love with her reflection. 

Furthermore, Maria is accosted for her ‘female curiosity’ not only by the Parson, but by Robin as well, who is so opposed to her pestering questions, that he will abandon her when she asks too many. 

“Maria choked down her curiosity, for Robin had always hated being asked questions, and if she asked too many would disappear, and she did not want him to disappear just yet.”

“There was no answer, and looking up she saw that Robin had disappeared, even though as far as she knew she had not asked a single question.” 

As well as other characters, and the narrative itself.

“Her own soul and stomach do not allow her to indulge in that feminine curiosity about the affairs of others which renders her presence so trying to the males whose domicile she shares." - Marmaduke Scarlet 

“Maria was by this time getting used to living in a perpetual state of astonishment, and used to curbing her curiosity, so that at this startling piece of information she just nodded, and one question only escaped her.”

“I am afraid she was rather a bad-tempered old woman as well as a curious one…” -Loveday Minette

It is not only curiosity that Goudge is protesting, but specifically ‘female’ curiosity. However, I can’t imagine why Elizabeth has this gripe. She is a well-educated woman, having attended finishing school and college, most of the plot of LWH revolves around Maria finding out the truth of the Valley and all the evil that occupies it. Maria is constantly pursuing her curiosity, she finds the kitchen she was not shown, she learns who was leaving her biscuits and dresses, she learns the truth about Loveday and Sir Benjamin. 

“Maria suddenly saw it all. Her curiosity was satisfied.”

It is an odd contradiction, for Maria to be scolded by a religious figure - who is only ever seen as wise, knowledgeable, and trustworthy - and for Maria to be punished for her curiosity by Robin, while the narrative revolves around her curiosity pushing the story forward. Without her curiosity, she never would have learned the truth about Loveday and Benjamin, about Marmaduke and the black cat Zacariah, and about how to bring peace back to the valley. 

Goudge also writes Robin as queerly uncurious. 

“Robin, haven't you any curiosity?" Maria demanded almost passionately. “Haven't you asked Loveday?", “No," said Robin. “Why should I? It isn't any business of mine. How I could manage to visit you in London was my business, and so I asked Mother about it. But it was nothing to do with me about her not wanting Sir Benjamin to know she lives here." Maria heaved a great impatient sigh. Truly the non curiosity of men was beyond her comprehension. As for herself, she felt that if she did not get to the bottom of what was between Loveday and Sir Benjamin before she slept tonight her curiosity would most certainly be the death of her. But it was no use asking any more questions of Robin.” 

In the end, Robin M promises Maria that he will always tell her everything so that she will not have to ask him anything. And here, the pieces put themselves together. While Maria is reprimanded for her constant questions and female curiosity, she still needs to learn the truth, and the answer is quite simple: 

“And I'll tell you," said Robin. “If I didn't you'd ask me so many questions that life would not be worth living."

Goudge does not argue that women cannot obtain knowledge, simply that it should come to her, that it is better to be told things than to ask and inquire after them. At least, this is how I have interrupted Maria’s story, and why the narrative punishes her for asking questions, while at the same time is required to give her answers in order for the story to continue. 

Maria Merryweather, as presented in The Secret of Moonacre, is completely different. 

The Little White Horse begins with Maria’s trip to Moonacre, while The Secret of Moonacre begins with the procession of George Merryweather’s funeral, switched from being Sir Benjamin’s cousin, they are now brothers, and we see Maria is distraught by this death. Not only did she lose her mother when she was young, but she has now lost her father.  In LWH, the death of her parents and her orphanhood are plot devices used so that Maria can be a new comer to Moonacre, Goudge does not divulge Maria’s feelings on the passing of her father, and beyond the mention of his death in the first chapter, it is never brought up again. 

Maria (TSOM) however, is seen to have dearly loved her father, she is proud to be his daughter, and defends him to her Uncle when he is called a coward. Maria moving from London to Moonacre is shown as a hard transition, she is used to the comforts and luxury of the city, and her preconceived notions about the country leave her in a despair. 

“How could I possibly go to live in the country? Its full of… the countryside!”

When Maria arrives, Sir Benjamin very rudely brushes her and Miss Heliotrope’s concerns off. 

What’s more, TSOM allows Maria her emotions, while LWH does not even consider the loss of her father to be a big deal, it severely impacts Maria. She is not only moving across the country, but she is dealing with grief. She also learns the truth about her father, that he was not as honorable as she believed, that he was murdered over his debts, and left his only child with nothing but a book. So now, as she deals with his death, she also has to reconcile this new understanding with her love of him. 

From the very first few scenes, we learn that Maria is prideful: she is proud of her name and her father, her position and standing in life. That Maria is arrogant: she swipes dust off the walls of her tower and makes a face, she picks up a dated dress and rolls her eyes at it. That Maria is brave: when faced with four bandits she stands her ground against them. That Maria is curious: she asks her Uncle questions about the house, she wants to know why she isn’t allowed in the forest, she wonders about who is leaving her biscuits in her room, she’s curious about the white horse she sees. That Maria is a lady: that she is proper, and cares about her appearance. She is stubborn as she raises her voice against her Uncle, she is fierce as she storms a castle all on her own, she is just a young girl trying as hard as she can to save a place that she has fallen in love with. 

The Secret of Moonacre does deal with Maria’s curiosity, however it is dealt with and punished in a different way. Maria (LWH) asks questions, and annoys Robin Minette, Maria (TSOM) asks deep, cutting, personal questions, and learns that doing so can hurt the person she is asking. Maria (TSOM) is not punished for her curiosity as much as she’s punished for being callous. 

In the end, Maria is right for asking these questions, for pushing, because without doing so, she never would have been able to understand the Valley, nor her Uncle. 

For a brief interlude, I want to talk about the Sir Benjamin’s. In the book, Sir Benjamin is a jovial man, who is kind and loving to Maria as soon as she arrives. In the movie, Sir Benjamin is a deeply wounded man, heartbroken due to his actions in regards to Loveday and the fact that his brother has just been murdered, despite doing all he could to try and save him. Sir Benjamin offered his brother a loan, enough for his debts to be covered, but George, and his “foolish pride” rejected this offer. 

Sir Benjamin is doing his best, but is dragged down by his past, he is punished for his anger and how he dealt with Loveday, and is haunted by his brother’s death. He loves Maria, I would argue he loves her from the start, but he is in such turmoil, he cannot deal with her properly. He tries to keep her safe by telling her to stay out of the forest and by taking the Chronicles of Moonacre book from her, but struggles with going about it the right way. 

Sir Benjamin in the book is just sexist. He’s proud of the fact that his home has been ‘woman-free’ for twenty-years, he is not distraught by the death of his cousin, nor is he very upset about having lost Loveday. While he still wears the coat she embroidered for him for their wedding day, Sir Benjamin doesn’t show sorrow or heartbreak, and it is very possible he is wearing it because it was well-made and he would not let it go to waste. 

The big lesson of the movie is about letting go of one’s pride and stubbornness, and it is something that all of the characters struggle with. Maria’s pride in her name, Sir Benjamin’s stubbornness keeps him from Loveday and moving on, Loveday’s pride and stubbornness keeps her from returning to Sir Benjamin or her family, Robin’s pride in his clan, and the Coeur De Noir’s stubborn need for revenge. 

I don’t think there is a singular moment in which Maria gives up her pride, such as Robin deciding to help her despite their names, but rather that there are a series of little moments in which she sacrifices her pride and stubbornness for the betterment of Moonacre Valley. 

Stripping down to her underthings to escape Castle Black, she puts aside her ideas of what a lady can and cannot do by riding a horse, she takes care of Serena despite never having an animal to care of before, she tracks Robin down and asks for his help, begs for it practically, because she knows she cannot do it on her own, and of course, her ultimate sacrifice by jumping off the cliff is her putting aside all pride, and giving up her life (she doesn’t know she’s going to be saved by Unicorns!) for the sake of not only her family, but everyone in the Valley, including her ‘enemies’. 

However, Maria never sacrifices herself for the sake of others. And, yes, I do know I just said Maria sacrifices herself by jumping from the cliff. 

Maria (LWH) is told off for her vanity and curiosity, she is told, and learns, to cut off pieces of herself to become more accommodating and tolerable for the world around her, and, really, the men in her life. Maria silences herself, her voice, parts of who she is, to make the world easier for others. 

Maria (TSOM) is prideful and stubborn up and until the very end. 

“At the 5,000th moon I, Maria Merryweather, Moon Princess of Moonacre, do remove the curse that darkens this valley, take back what is yours!” 

This is a very prideful statement, she is still prideful of her name, she is prideful to be the Moon Princess, and is very demanding of the Moon. Which is why when she throws the pearls, they return to her. Not just as a result of her own pride, but because everyone else still refuses to bow to the other. 

“The 5,000th moon, the curse is coming true. If you can sacrifice your pride, we can save our families.” - Maria

“You first” - Sir Benjamin

“No, no, after you!” - Coeur De Noir

“I must do this myself.” - Maria Merryweather 

When Maria jumps, and returns the pearls to the sea, and therefore the Moon, the Curse is broken. However, not because the pearls are returned, but because of her sacrifice, because she puts aside her pride. 

When she returns - resurrected or resuscitated, however you would like to look at it - she is still Maria. She asks “Were you worried, Robin?” She stands tall amongst her peers and family, knowing that she accomplished what no one else could. She is filled with happiness and joy, and is rightly satisfied - or, prideful - at what she was able to accomplish with Robin. I believe the end of the film shows us that the Valley has been saved, not just through Maria’s sacrifice, but through everyone doing the same. 

Robin listening to her in the forest, everyone running to the cliff’s edge, Benjamin asking for forgiveness and Loveday’s hand, Coeur De Noir stepping back and allowing the Merryweather’s their victory, choosing peace over revenge. The Secret of Moonacre’s final lesson is that peace can be reached through everyone working together, that the burden is not just on one person’s shoulders, and while, yes, one person can be a leader among the masses, the one forging ahead and fighting for peace, it is not one person and one alone that accomplishes this goal. 

Maria Merryweather, in LWH, however, is laden with the burden of finding peace for everyone. It is her alone in the forest with Mr. De Noir, showing him the little white horse, her alone who brings Loveday and Benjamin together (with the help of others, of course, but it is primarily her plan), her alone who cuts off pieces of herself, sacrificing herself for the sake of others happiness. As Moon Princess - or Moon Maiden, as she is more commonly referred to as in the novel - she is the sole purveyor of peace and happiness for the Valley. 

Both, Maria from TSOM and Maria from LWH, sacrifice themselves for the greater good. However, whereas Maria (TSOM) gives her life in a final act of love for Moonacre, Maria (LWH) gives up parts of herself to become more manageable. 

One Maria is met with love and honor, while the other bows her head, and submits, shouldering the weight of Moonacre on her shoulders. 

Prev | Final

#Maria Merryweather #I didn't talk about the miniseries because its irrelevant #the little white horse #the secret of moonacre #TLWH dissertation #I love both Maria's but I honestly think one's ending is much more tragic than the other

[syrnyj]

do you ever replay one of your favorite childhood horror video games and think to yourself

i can make a (mildly to moderately to severely cursed) crossover with my current obsession out of this

anyhow, tasm / mad father au

⚠️mentions of human/animal/child abuse⚠️

STARRING

The Cast of TASM1 as Horrible People

Peter Parker as Aya Drevis

- The 11 y.o. son of the Parker family. Loves his father and (deceased) mother very much. In fact, he loves his dad so much he's more than willing to overlook all the unethical research the man very unsubtly conducts in their basement. Not so willing to overlook Richard fucking someone who's not Mom tho;

- May have inherited his parent's.. passion for science and casual attitude towards human and animal lives;

- On the night of his mother's death anniversary Peter finds his father mysteriously gone and their house overrun by monstrous creatures (some living, some undead), the fruits of Richard's many years of labour, determined to take their revenge against the Parker family;

- And then, with only the power of Love and a child-sized chainsaw on his side, he sets out on a quest to a). find out what the fuck happened and b). find and save his Dad, of course;

- Makes his way through the mansion helping some of his dad's victims to find peace and their souls to move on to the next world and inflicting horrible violence on others.

Richard Parker as Dr. Alfred Drevis

- Part-time respectable researcher, full-time mad scientist;

- Spends his days in his basement lab with his assistant creating chimeras, both purely out of animals and with human components;

- Thinks Peter would make a great test subject once he's grown up just a little bit more;

- One day, Richard makes a mistake by talking about his plans to experiment on Peter within Mary's hearing range. When his wife, disgusted by his willingness to use their child as a guinea pig, threatens to take Peter and escape, Richard kills her, telling Peter her death was an accident afterwards;

- Snaps completely in the second half of the story, decides that the time to make Peter into a chimera has come and begins chasing him with a chainsaw.

Mary Parker as Monika Drevis

- A woman so unhappy with her husband's life desicions that she decided to come back as a ghost and drag him to the afterlife with her;

- A long time ago, Richard's disregard for medical ethics and willingness to commint atrocities have bewitched her body and soul, but turning their own child into one of her husband's experiments is just too much;

- She's the one who cursed their home, ressurecting all of Richard's former test subjects and freeing the ones that were still alive;

- After Peter disrupts her plans and drags Richard back to the real world, she tells him what his father's real plans for him are. This causes Richard to lose whatever sanity he had left and go after Peter immedeatly.

Curt Connors as Maria

- Richard's assistant/lover;

- Struggles between his loyalty to Richard and his wish to protect Peter;

- imma be real with you he's supposed to have a tragic backstory that explains how he became richard's assistant and why he's okay with killing people but i honestly have no idea what it could possibly be

- After Richard goes on a rampage looking for Peter and Curt fails to find the boy, Richard attacks him with a chainsaw, cutting his arm off and leaving him to bleed to death;

- Peter helps him take care of his wounds, they commiserate with each other on their loyalty to the man who does not care for their lives or well-being and make a promise that they will get out of this together;

- Later, when Richard captures Peter, Curt kills the man.

Gwen Stacy as Robin

- At first she came to the Parkers' mansion as an apprentice to Richard, but in the end she became one of his test subjects;

- A spider-human chimera, has multiple spider-like eyes on the right side of her face, which she hides under bandages;

- Revived by Mary and tasked with aiding and protecting Peter;

- Helps Peter avoid the more hostile undead, and tries to convince him to flee the mansion with her. Peter refuses because he Needs To Save His Dad;

- She's the one who sets fire to the mansion in the end.

The Hat Man From Post-Credit Scenes as Ogre

- Shady guy in a hat just walking around, being shady, making shady deals with other characters;

- What's his deal? Is he human? Who knows!!

Freddy the Mouse as Snowball the Rabbit

- Peter's pet!! <3 Accompanies the boy on his journey, helping him solve various puzzles;

- Technically, not the first "Freddy" that Peter had had. Previous ones may or may not have died at the hands of their owner.

THE ENDING

As the mansion and Richard's corpse are consumed by flames, there are three figures standing in the front yard. Gwen and Peter say their goodbyes to each other and Gwen asks Peter to never forget what transpired in this horrible place and to always remember those whose lives were taken by his father. With these words, she kisses him on the forehead, giving him one last blessing, and watches and Peter and Curt leave together, on their way to find a place to build a new life.

As years pass, the two settle down near some faraway, secluded town. They open a clinic where they provide medical care for free for those who need it most and everything is Good :] There No More human experimentation and Curt Does Not see more and more of Richard in Peter with each passing day :]

This is a Good ending :]

#tasm #mad father au #finally got this shit out of my system now i can rest

[akumahoshojo]

What is your personal opinion about the Maria SOTN x Alucard ship?

This is a tough question, honestly. Essay incoming!

I wouldn't call myself an Alumaria shipper (I'm more about exploring the canon CV friendships/partnerships than anything), but I also wouldn't say I'm as opposed to the basic concept as most others in game fandom are lately. The age difference is ridic on the surface, but I think it's actually pretty likely that Alucard himself could've been around SOTN Maria's age at the time he went into the coffin, putting him around the same mental age at the time they meet if we're playing by unrealistic fantasy vampire aging rules. I also love both characters, and I think the dynamic of the series' tragic hero with its OG joke character has a ton of potential for fun interactions.

What really weakens the pairing in my eyes is, ironically, the official media that attempts to promote it. Richter more or less suggesting Maria fix Alucard's depression at the end of SOTN feels iffy, despite me really liking the line about Maria being able to "save his haunted soul." The radio drama portrayal of Maria as an inept wannabe housewife and Alucard as The Worst Roommate In The World really isn't endearing. It's actually kind of sad to see such a fun and independent character like Maria reduced to having her entire life revolve around gaining Alucard's favor, especially considering how young she is, as well as seeing just how petty Alucard actually becomes on a daily basis now that he no longer has to worry about saving the world.

I think there really are some good themes in the drama—the fact that problems like depression and self-loathing can't be fixed overnight, the concept of Alucard and Maria possibly forcing themselves to play domestic roles that don't fit them, Alucard putting up a front to prevent himself from hurting others again, etc. The problem is that these themes receive so little focus compared to stuff like the two of them arguing over Maria's terrible cooking or the radio drama’s OCs, and some of them might not have been intended at all.

So while I do think the pairing could have potential, I think Konami's portrayal did enough damage that fans who are interested in it pretty much have to rebuild it themselves. There's a lot of great fic and art out there that does this! I also think there's not enough focus in the fandom on them just as battle partners and (especially) friends, and the adventures they might have after SOTN.

I probably won't go as far as shipping it myself in future CV stuff I write, but I think their dynamic itself is really intriguing, and I'm excited to one day explore it!

Thanks for the ask!

#castlevania #alucard #castlevania alucard #maria renard #alumaria #mariacard #symphony of the night #nocturne of recollection

[womenofwonder]

Option on RWBY ships:

Btw, I don’t usually ship characters. Romance is usually the least interesting part of the story for me so expect a lot of meh.

Arkos: obviously I love this, it’s perfect

Blacksun: ehh, it’s cute. I started out feeling kinda meh, it was sweet but not really interesting, but now it’s growing on me. Ironically the same thing is happening with Bumblebee, although I still like Blake and Yang better platonically

Bunanas: so this is a ship between Velvet and Sun, and it’s honestly really cute to imagine even if it is completely random. I like it better then Blacksun…I think?

Candy Cane: this is just weird. I can’t imagine Nora being anything but a older sister to Oscar. The age gap makes it creepy too, not the four years is much of a gap, but when your teenagers it’s a big gap.

Chocolate Arc: this is hilarious to imagine but obviously yeah, Coco isn’t going to fall for someone like Jaune

Cinnabun: I barely know anything about Yatsuhashi but he and Velvet are cute, I guess? Still like her better with Sun

ClockRose: heck no!

Coconuts: again, can’t see Sun doing anything but annoying Coco. I really don’t like the whole ‘badass jerk of a girl falls for goof ball trope.’ It always ends up feeling sexist in several ways

Combat Boots: honestly outside of an AU I can’t see Yang ever forgiving Mercury much less falling in love with him. Also Mercury just doesn’t deserve her

Combat goggles: I feel like Yang and Neptune would have fun causally dating each other and slowly realizing they actually like (Blake/Sun/Jaune/whoever) and become each other’s wingmen. That fanfic better be lying around somewhere

Crimson Lotus: okay, if I didn’t love Renora and Rosegarden so much I’d probably ship this. It’s really cute

Crimson Sun: this feels like an excuse to write lemons of the two hottest characters

Crimson wings: look I understand most of the shipping heroes with villains because they’re both hot and the villain/hero dynamic is always fun. But Cardin…he’s not even hot. He’s not even interesting. And yet people ship him with Ruby? Why?

Daddie Issues: you know I see where this is coming from but they would just end up murdering each other.

Dairy Farm: obviously this is downright creepy in cannon, but in an au where Neo isn’t evil and both are closer in age, this would be adorable. I feel like Neo’s main problem is she’s incredibly lonely—other then Roman no one bothers to understand or talk to her. If Oscar reached out to her, and she began to protect him…it would be perfect. In way even better then Rosegarden because I think Neo would still be a bit of pycho even when good, and it would be fun to see her lose it when Salem hurts him.

Ilia/Adam: I just want to say I am forever grateful the show went out of its way to avoid this obnoxious, cliche ship from being canon

Dragon slayer: I see why people ship Jaune and Yang, I really do. They’re both the team mom/dad of their team, they’ve got the whole goofball/badass thing going (which is a trope I do like when the badass isn’t a jerk), they both have a good sense of humor, etc. But I just can’t see them as romantic. It feels really weird. I can’t even explain why. I understand shipping them but I really can’t ship them myself.

Emercury: I really love this ship, but I also don’t mind at all if the show decides to make them platonic. I enjoy their relationship in general and it works either way.

Oscar/Emerald: again, feel creepy. I love the idea of a sibling relationship and can’t see them possibly being romantic even without the age gape.

Cinder/Qrow: yeah again. Both are sexy and good for angsty lemons. I’m not into that stuff so I don’t ship them

Fall Stinger: I just don’t know why anyone would ship Tyrian with anyone. Unless it was Salem and even that is super creepy

Firerobber: I like villain relationships but Roman already has Neo and Cinder is a hot mess. Literally

Firewall: I don’t know why anyone would ship Watts with anyone. He’s even worst less ship-able then Tyrian

Footloose: I don’t actually ship it but just imagine Mercury and Melanie bonding over weaponized feet.

Freckles: Yeah this is just painful. The two most adorable characters (Penny and Oscar), who go through the worst things imaginable. It’s endless fluff, angst, and whump, and I love cute romance and tragic romances, so this is definitely something I ship.

Frostbite: seriously, this is so weird and toxic. Having Adam fall for Weiss or vice versa. Maybe it would work in an AU or something but it’s just too creepy

Funky Beats: it’s cute, I ship it.

Gelato: yeah I love healthy villainous relationships! Neo and Roman are freaking adorable, and I’m sad that we didn’t see more of them together.

Grandmasters: I obviously don’t ship Salem and Ozpin because that’s just creepy, but I do like their romance. I like tragic romances, and this probably the most tragic one in existence

Greek Lotus: I don’t see the chemistry and crashes two of my favorite ships so…

Green Knight: well, she kinda helped kill his last girlfriend so…unless it’s AU this isn’t going to work. Even if it is an AU. This feels like another ship made solely for lemons

Velvet/Cardin: yeah, a bigot changing his mind when he falls in love with a minority isn’t cute. Isn’t sweet. It isn’t romantic. I don’t even excuse lemons that use this trope. Even porn ought to be above that

Weiss/Cardin: WOULD EVERYONE STOP SHIPPING CARDIN WITH PEOPLE

Hummingbird: it’s hard to ship something when you only know one character, but I was interested in the theory that Qrow was actually Ruby’s father. But then in season 7 Qrow’s description of Summer made me rethink it, and it didn’t sound anything like how you’d describe a romantic relationship. So I don’t really like that theory anymore

Iceberg: this is just cliche and boring. I get them dating but it wouldn’t last that long

Flynt/Weiss: I really love this one, it’s my favorite ship with Weiss. I don’t want it to actually happened in cannon because that would be random, but I feel like it would be fun for both their characters. And they both share an interest in music. I’m imagining an AU where he gets her into jazz and she starts singing it at all her concerts to the horror of Jaques.

Iron Maiden: honestly what. Why. Gross

Iron witch: well I definitely see why people like it. I actually wouldn’t mind it being cannon, It’d be a good combination of funny/tragic and I’d like to see Glynda mentoring Winter

Jailbirds: this just feels forced and also Qrow is probably too old for her. I like their relationship and don’t want it to be romantic

Knight fall: lemon ship. Moving on

Knight Life: I feel like Jaune just gets shipped with everyone but this is cute I guess

Lancaster: it’s cute, but I can’t ship it because it feels cliche. I was worried that Jaune was going to be her love interest when they first met and was relieved to see him with Pyrrha instead. It just feels forced and boring to have him end up with Ruby

Pyrrha/Mercury: this really popular for some unfathomable reason. I like Mercury but Pyrrha deserves better

Marrowgold (May/Marrow): I just don’t see it

Nikong: Pyrrha and Sun would be cute together, but I don’t really love this ship. It’s kinda meh.

Nora’s Arc: no. Just no. It technically would work but their platonic relationship is way too good to lose

Old Silver: this is Maria/Pietro, and I think it’s adorable. They both strike me as really flirty for their ages and both are very good mentors. They can be the crazy grandparents of the team

Ozglyn: just don’t see it

Phoenix: yeah Raven was a horrible girlfriend/wife. I don’t ship her Taiyang

QuickSilver: Ruby deserves better than Mercury.

Rehab (Qrow/Glynda): the fact that this is called rehab explains why I don’t ship it

ReNora: yeah, this is probably my favorite ship. I don’t think I have to explain why.

Robotic Knight: I briefly shipped this but now disagree

Rosegarden: I really love Rosegarden, they’re just too adorable together, though the whole Ozpin does make it a little awkward

Rosewick: I can’t see this happening, even in an AU

Coco/Fox: I don’t know enough about Fox to really ship them, but the fact that Coco canonically slaps his butt during battle definitely makes me want to

Mercury/Neo: I could see this working. It would be pretty cute

Silent Knight: again, it would have to be an AU and even then I don’t see it working

Snowbird: so at first I really liked the idea of Qrow and Winter being ex’s, but now that I think about it he has to be at least twenty years older then her. Also, I have to say that while they have chemistry I think they would just end up killing each other

Speakeasy (Flynt/Coco): I got to say I like this ship and could see them having a lot of chemistry together

Strawbanna: I just can’t see Ruby and Sun together. It feels weird

Sunflakes: Can’t see it working

Sunflowyr (Ren/Yang): don’t see any chemistry. Again this just seems random

Tauradonna: this is obviously as toxic as you get.

The Hunt (Cardin/Blake): stop shipping Cardin with anyone!

Mercury/Cinder: Mercury is way too young, and even if he wasn’t this would be really weird. Also Cinder makes him look like a stable, peaceful person, so also no.

Toxic Petals: I swear I’m done with this. No more Cardin, Tyrian, or Watts ships. They too gross

Velveteen Knight: Aw, they’d be cute together

White Knight: I really hate this ship. It’s so obnoxious and boring, and nearly falls into the jerky badass/goofball trope I hate

Winter Soldier: ew, no, Ironwood is like her dad

Wise Dragon: anyone care to explain why this is so popular? Sage barely has any character to him, I can’t ship him with anyone

Yellow rose: Yeah, I kinda ship this, but again, it’s difficult when you barely know one character

IronQrow: I understand why you would ship this but I just don’t see it. Guys can hug without being gay you know

Martial arts: why?

Noah’s Arc: why?

Sea Monkeys: again I understand why you could ship it but I don’t. They’re obviously just friends to me

Shovel Knight: like most Oscar ships it feels weird. Jaune is obviously a big brother to him

TaiQrow: As funny as it is for Tai to sleep with every member of his team, I don’t ship it.

Fair game: I really can’t stand Clover so again, don’t ship it

Achilles heel: Cinder literally kills Pyrrha, why would you ship them?

Baked Alaska: lemon ship

Black glass: annnd, another lemon ship.

Blood Mint: yeah I don’t see Emerald and Ruby ever being a couple

Catmelon: I found Ilia’s crush on Blake kinda cringy and I can’t see them being a couple

ColdMurder (Weiss/Cinder): even in an au I don’t see it working

Cold Steel (Penny/Winter) eeewww, they’re practically sisters

Cream Machine (Neo/Penny): I mean…if she wasn’t evil…and wasn’t so much older…it might work? Maybe?

Crosshares: cute but I feel like Velvet is too much of a doormat for Coco

Digital Clock: Ciel obviously didn’t care much for Penny, and she was barely a character at all. I don’t see it

Pyrrha/Nora: don’t see it, and also can’t stand the idea of breaking up the two best ships

Falling Petals: I get that Cinder is hot, but can we stop shipping her with the kids she’s trying to murder? Because I can see several things wrong with that

Freezerburn: again, for no reason that I can think of this ship just doesn’t work for me. Much like Dragonslayer it just feels weird

Gingersnaps (Penny/Nora): that would be chaotic. I can’t really see them romantically though like most Penny ships it would be cute

Guilty Conscience (Bree/Winter): oh please no. They really don’t have any reason to be together

Ladybug: I just can’t see Blake with Ruby at all. Blake feels way to old even though she’s only older by two years.

Milk and Cereal (Ruby and Pyrrha): I guess it would work but I just don’t any chemistry

Mint chocolate (Emerald/Coco): if Coco managed to forgive her for everything that happened at Beacon I could maybe see this happening. There is some chemistry

Mommy issues: Nah, can’t see this working out.

Monochrome: Blake and Weiss have never had any romance chemistry despite plenty of opportunity to have it, so again, I see them as strictly platonic and shipping them feels almost like incest. I know that doesn’t make sense

Nordic Winter: I can’t see Weiss handling Penny, but again, any Penny ship is pretty cute

Nuts and Dolts: I would ship, but I like them together platonically too well. Definitely understand the ship, though I find it funny that Ruby, who insist she likes weapons better then people, would fall in love with a personified weapon. I know that’s probably racist against robots

Overheating (Penny/Cinder): I take back what I said about every Penny ship being cute

PennyWeiss: but this one is pretty cute

Pink Lemonade: can you imagine the chaos of Yang and Nora dating each other? They both need someone with a cooler head to keep them in check

Scheenoks: with Weiss’s fangirling I can definitely see were this is coming from, but Weiss is too mean for Pyrrha

Steadfast: I really don’t ship any of the ace-ops with anyone. I found them all boring and annoying except for Marrow

Strawberry Shortcake (Neo/Ruby): not seeing it

Sugar Rush (Ruby/Nora): Again, too much chaos. They both need chill partners. And I love Rosegarden and ReNora too much

Thunder cat (Blake/Nora): don’t see any chemistry between them

WhiteRose: I can see why this is shipped and I don’t dislike WhiteRose shippers. I just prefer Rosegarden, and find Weiss and Ruby working better together romantically

Bumblebee: again, I see this working better platonically, not romantically. It kind of annoyed me at first, but it is growing on me, much like Blacksun. I still like Blacksun better though

Enabler: No.

#Rwby #rwby ships #bumblebee #blacksun #rosegarden #roman/neo #WhiteRose #Arkos #Renora #ruby rose #wiess Schnee #snowbird #qrow #winter Schnee #fairgame #blake bellodona #Yang Xiao Long #oscar pine

[sinsbymanka]

Character: Bianca Davri

I’m sorry I took FOREVER to do these. <3 I hope it was worth the wait!

Break their Ass Down: Bianca Davri

How I feel about this character

I like and respect her. We don’t know a lot about her, but what we DO know is kind of badass. She’s probably about Varric’s age (40ish), and we can assume the bulk of her work has been completed in about 20 years (from her 20s through to the present day) and in that time she’s completed MULTIPLE life changing inventions that are honestly pulling Thedas into the industrial revolution if you look at OUR world history and compare what happened when similar inventions were created that revolutionized the backbreaking labor of agriculture and manufacturing. 

She is absolutely a genius, and she knows it. That confidence and her reputation/skill makes her sexy and powerful. But there’s hints that she didn’t have the power she has now in former years. I think if she had met Varric now, when she’s older and more established, their romance wouldn’t be such a tragedy. But there’s something undeniably compelling about a brilliant young woman who runs away from at least one wedding to take off with a dashing rogue before she realizes she has to do what everyone wants her to do. 

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Varric - up to a point and in canon-divergent AUs. I think their tragic romance is really beautiful when they’re young, but I think by the time it reaches DAI it’s clearly toxic for bother characters (is Bianca holding onto the one thing she ever really picked for herself to spite her family? is Varric so caught up in a story he can’t handle reality?) However - I think they’d work really well together in a universe where they don’t meet until they’re older and it doesn’t go sideways quite so badly. 

Bogdan - we know absolutely nothing about him except that he was stood up at the altar at least once and that he helps Bianca with selling her inventions. In my writing, I’ve never been able to nail down what exactly I want his character to be. I wrote him as kind of an idiot in my first Varric/Cadash fic, set him up to be a minor antagonist in GwtAT (in both fics he’s quite possibly emotionally abusive or at the very least neglectful), but I’ve always written him as forgiving and loving. I very much love the idea of a man who also wasn’t sold on marrying a woman clealy in love with someone else, but they work it out and form a strong, solid partnership. I would ship that version of Bogdan with Bianca in a heartbeat. 

Dagna - this is a crack pair I am super invested in emotionally and has been gifted to me by @jarakrisafis once. I love the rivals-to-lovers aspect of it. Two brilliant women in competition before the sexual tension escalates and then they form a brilliant partnership? sign me the fuck up. 

Nobody - I said it. In both my first Cadash/Varric fic and in GwtAT, Bianca ends up alone and free. I think that’s quite a happy ending for her - she doesn’t need a romantic interest, she lives a happy and fulfilled life making the world better free of the drama. 

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Varric - Post DAI I really like the idea of old lovers becoming friends and realizing they’re better that way. I don’t think anyone knows either of them as well as the other one does, and I find it hard to imagine that Varric ever quite leaves Bianca’s life even if it’s platonic. 

Dagna - they should be friends. that’s it that’s all. 

My unpopular opinion about this character

Bianca isn’t an asshole, fandom is just mean to complicated female characters. 

Bianca does some shady shit during DAI. That red lyrium thing was CLEARLY a mistake, and she knows it, but I don’t blame her for not admitting it right away. She’s a genius - so her mistakes are correspondingly huge as well - she doesn’t play for small stakes. She didn’t double cross Varric as much as go around him to try and help him - a thing Varric is VERY guilty of doing for his friends as well but nobody ever calls him out on it (paying off the gangs to leave Anders alone even though Anders says not to? Trying to get Fenris a job he doesn’t want? Annoying Merrill to go outside until she’s ABSOLUTELY aggravated with him?) 

Bianca’s mistake was made with good intentions, and while she may have helped Corypheus, I’m pretty sure he’d have found a way without her. In fact, it’s a little known fact Bianca actually shows up at that keep in Emprise du Lion to help clean up the red lyrium as an NPC. Check out this post by @pikapeppa to see the dialogue (thank you for compiling this by the way I’ve used it as a resource a hundred times)  

Yeah. She fucking stays with the Inquisition to clean up a mess she helped cause. The most brilliant woman in Thedas, literally two votes away from being a surfacer Paragon, stays in the worst fucking place in Thedas to help the Inquisitor.

Nobody ever takes that into consideration when bashing her. 

What I think people really don’t like is Bianca threatening to rip out your Inquisitor’s eyeballs if they get Varric hurt and using them to clean up her mistake. And you know what, fair, you don’t have to like your OC getting threatened or used. 

But Varric arguably uses the Inquisition to clean up Hawke’s mess, and if he would have threatened your OC for Hawke, I don’t think anyone would have cared. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

A lot of the information about Varric and Bianca’s relationship seems almost...optional to find? And it’s so many throwaway lines. We see Varric and Bianca at one of the worst moments in their relationship, but we don’t see how they got there. And because the moment is caused by Bianca’s mistake, she comes out looking worse than Varric, but I don’t think that’s true either. 

I truly believe that Varric and Bianca’s relationship is/should be over by the time DAI ends, it’s run it’s course, but I don’t think either of them are the SOLE cause for it being over. They both contributed to an increasingly untenable relationship and Varric got off way too easy for his part of it in game, leaving Bianca to take the hit. It’s unfair. 

I’ll still take these break the characters down asks! I’m working my way through them, but here’s who I have on deck:

Maria Cadash

Varric Tethras

And who I’ve done: 

Velanna

Bianca Davri 

#manka rambles #bianca davri #varric tethras #dragon age #dragon age 2 #dragon age inquisition #break a character down #fandom critical #but only slightly #and it's been a long time since I saw bianca bashing cross my dash #but maybe I just made it all go away #sorry this one is long I have a lot of opinions

[empty-dream]

70-72 commentaries (No pic, spoilerific nonetheless)

The most important thing: S3E70-72 have no visual for Hockney's face. I, as a Hockney fan, can not deny my disappointment. Though his head from the back does something to soothe my ache.

I want to scratch Yasratcha's face so much.

So I googled and found that the name of the game, Gakjadosaeng (각자도생) literally translates into "Self-Help", and is an idiom meaning "Each one tries to make a way out of it." Fitting. Tho I’m actually surprised Yasratcha doesn’t name the game “Cat Game”

This entire kill-the-prisoners-who-just-wants-freedom-to-get-what-you-wish-for thing is not gonna do Bam good. It's foreshadowed already.

I have a feeling the special gift Yasratcha prepares in Yama's map are the same canine species as Yama. Either way, being Yama is gonna suck now.

I wonder what Evankhell's map is like since it's not shown. And also what's up with Kallavan's map, the goal is right in front of his face?

White: "I can't believe I had to get my feet wet." Me: I can't believe that's the first thing you say after 1 year hiatus.

White as an enemy is an anoying trash talker. White as an ally, however, is a satisfying trash talker. I forget if he's always able to honestly admit his pride gets hurt when someone blocks his sword, or if this is because of White's Clone effect on him? Last time I remember, as Hoaquin he exploded when Boro did it.

That Lyborick minion is so fucking unlucky to run into both Dowon and Karaka. This duo is not what I expect to find here but now I'm looking forward for their dynamic. She actually calls him "Kid." I know she’s ancient and all but. still. Karaka. A KID. LMAO.

I have no basis to say this but what if AA will face Maschenny's minions and they give hints about Maria and lit up the path to Khun Family Arc. I don't think said little brother is Ran, tho. The Wiki states Ran wants to kill Maschenny, and I feel like she is the type that will sardonically call any Khun male younger than her as "little brother."

Hansung really says "Me? Wanna be a hero? Nuts."

But anw, what is 'Where it all began?' Why is he "the only one mad for Jahad and the Great Families for turning their back against morals'? Am I forgetting something about Hansung's past or is it really not touched upon yet?

I still can't believe I start with "I hate Yu Hansung" and now I'm all "I love Yu Hansung."  Or the fact that Hansung, Karaka, White and Kallavan, all antagonists from previous long, long seasons, now are allied with Bam. What kind of fever dream is this.

Flash news: Yasratcha is into mixed furries.

*Haratcha spewing those words on Hansung* Me: Wow he really hates heroes huh *Haratcha's past is shown* Me: Wow he really hates himself huh.

So Haratcha's past is basically Elaine's but so much bloodier. And it's tragic in a different way because unlike Elaine's family, the Rashangs didn't start off such greedy bastards. They were just a good minority group that was being persecuted. But when they got to taste wealth, comfort and power for a bit too long, they became cruel and lazy.

And "How People Change" is a common theme in TOG. Just look at Bam in general, or Floor of Death arc with Joe, or Jahad and the Great Family Heads who, as Data!Eduan and Data!Jahad stated, were not like *that* before.

Haratcha's dying scene is unnerving because of how much this stays true. The ghosts (?) of the Rashangs are still so greedy. But when he offers them the only thing he has left, his mark, they just curtly say 'we have that already.'

His dying thought is correct: The Rashangs had no ambition. They never learned. They were given multiple chances to go back to living normally and safely, but they busted them all. They had passed the point of salvation because, as narrated, " They could no longer stand it if anyone had even a little it more than them. They developed a habit of demanding equality, but they made no effort to make things truly equal."

But that didn't go one way. Haratcha was the one enabling the Rashangs to depend on him and eventually leech him off. He said "I will give you power"; he never said, "Let's become strong together." He shot himself on the foot by becoming their wish-granting machine. Just like how he accused Hansung of doing, Haratcha was trying to be a hero for his marginalized people. But one fundamental mistake and several unfortunate things kickstarted his downfall.

Hansung himself also highlighted this. Hansung was not a hero trying to save anyone. He encouraged races trampled under Jahad to stand up for themselves, he made use of people, he left those dragging him. All of these were not things Haratcha did.

Said fundamental mistake, at least for me is that it got worse for Haratcha because unlike Elaine who still had her subordinate, he was alone. He was the lone leader of the group and the only one Yasratcha transformed into a feline. There was no one to raise with him nor to fall with him. No one understood what he really wanted, no one truly asked or argued more with him.

So when the pre-greed Rashangs worried about him and he waved them off with the words "Ask me anything, I'll give it to you!" they believed him and took it literally. After that he just kept giving and giving despite everything until it drained him and led him to kill everyone. And the reason why he couldn't be as harsh as Hansung is, why he is the wannabe-hero one, is because it was out of unconditional love that he did everything for his people.

(I'm just a fan of Hero Deconstruction so don't mind me spitballing about one minor character's past.)

By the way, SIU's narration and drawings to show Haratcha's past is insanely good and chilling. Right to the very end, it was *chef kiss* God I miss SIU so much it's so good to have him back.

#tower of god #tog spoilers #random saying

[eolewyn1010]

3 seasons of Charité - upsides and downsides

Includes spoilers for all three seasons!

What I like about Charité, season 1:

- Ida is a relatable and stubborn woman, and while I think the protagonists of the newer two seasons are written better and more interestingly, she makes for a good central character

- Behring is great to watch, complex, enthusiastic, arrogant, passionate, desperately forlorn, sweetly encouraging, irascible, honest, and I’m always torn between loving and hating him with all my heart

- he also stands in for how badly society was suited to handle people with psychological issues back in the day

-  actually, none of the characters are simple or one-sided; expectations are often subverted – Behring is not heartless, but he can’t just be “saved” either, neither Koch nor Virchow are as benign as they seem at first, Tischendorf is not the sweet young Prince Charming who’ll give Ida the dream life she deserves, Hedwig is not a brainless little floozie with no deeper thoughts or feelings, neither Therese nor Martha are all the strict boss ladies they want to be, Edith is not just a snotty bitch etc.

- medical history of that time, a blunt look on methods and circumstances

- the rivalry between the doctors; it’s fun to watch them passive-aggressively piss on each other

- the staging of the Tuberculin scandal was really effective, with all the hyping, the downfall and the consequences

- we get sweethearts! Stine is a sweetheart, Else is a sweetheart, Therese is a sweetheart, Dr. Kitasato is a sweetheart, and most of all Dr. Ehrlich. I like kind people, ok? Especially in a setting where so many people are asses

- the music is atmospheric and quite nice

- despite two options of marriage, the female protagonist remains single and gets to focus on her career, even in a time and setting that’s not supportive

- I’m having a blast with Minckwitz – he’s such a bitch, I love it

What I hate:

- the lesbian dies for no good reason

- did our main character really have to be a tragic, left-all-alone orphan in debts? Would you like some cheese with that whine?

- the big, hammy speeches get on my nerves after a while

- my sweet lesbian Therese dies, awfully, of frickin’ tuberculosis

- say what you will, Ida and Behring could have made it work; I think they would have been good for each other. Kinda disappointed

- Else Spinola deserved better

- poor Therese dies, thinking that God punishes her for being in love with Ida

- those weird slo-mo shots between scenes don’t serve any purpose

- what’s with the random fortuneteller scene? What was that good for?

- THERESE DIES! We go with f***king Bury Your Gays??? F*** YOU!

_________________________________

What I like about Charité, season 2:

- Anni and Dr. Sauerbruch – different than with Ida, we get two focal characters who aren’t presented as doubtlessly morally good. On the contrary, Anni starts out as quite the happy-go-lucky little Nazi follower – and then we get all the character development; hell yeah!

- Anni chooses to keep and raise her disabled baby herself, come hell or high water; damn, she fights for that kid. And Martin is positive disabled representation, too – thanks for giving me a handicapped veteran who’s not a bitter, drunk wreck just whining about what a cripple he is! He’s got a grip on his life, and the leg only ever comes up on three occasions; it doesn’t define him

- Otto, Martin, Doc Jung, Margot, Maria Fritsch and Kolbe are more clearly positive characters, but they aren’t one-sided, either – like, Otto plays that bright sunshine, but there’s so much seething in him. My sweet baby boy

- same for the negative characters, because they aren’t flat either; Artur, de Crinis and Christel are super interesting, all different levels between quiet, only semi-aware compliance and full-on, not-so-blind fanaticism. Gawd, those shitheads, but they’re fascinating to watch

- all them relationships – Margot-Ferdinand, Otto-Martin, Otto-Anni, Artur-Anni, Margot-Doc Jung, Ferdinand-Doc Jung, Anni-de Crinis, Bessau-Artur, Martin-Christel, Otto-Christel, Anni-Martin… there are so many interplays, so many dynamics that influence each other! SO many layers!

- the acting is better, I think; the characters altogether feel less wooden, much more human than the first time around – perhaps because it’s not 19th century manners anymore now, I dunno; I’m getting really emotional over shit, and I love it

- incorporation of the political and social situation into the hospital setting – much more than in the first season, the state ideology influences the way the doctors can do their work, and many of them do their best to still hold onto their duty when everything around them falls apart, which is beautiful

- power struggles between the characters in charge and ideological / political nuances are more subtle; nothing is black and white

- but there’s nothing subtle about the presentation of Nazi crimes and how many people actually just went along willingly – that cold bluntness is just what that subject needs

- interactions with patients are better this time; they’re more now than passive, pitiable creatures who quietly die their way, they’re characters with their own minds and drives (Lohmann, Magda Goebbels, Hans von Dohnanyi, even Emil)

- the music is even better than the first time around, I love it – so gentle most of the time, but it can also really help to build the tension

- we get a very sweet, functioning queer romance between characters who consist of more than “well, they’re gay and it troubles them”, and they both live – THANK YOU for learning your lesson; there was no good reason to have the gay character die, so Otto and Martin get a happy end. Was that so difficult?

What I hate:

- Yrsa von Leistner is so effing random. Who the hell wrote this? If you can’t incorporate a character properly, why bother including them in the first place?

- the passivity and anonymity of the disabled children – why didn’t Artur or Anni ever get to perceive one of them as a person? That girl Traudel for example, Anni could have talked to her

- there’s a slight tendency to “I’ll just tell the character next to me” exposition – Artur when he and Anni wake up together that one morning (why wouldn’t Anni know yet what he’s working on? That long-winded explaining sentence just came off as awkward), Peter Sauerbruch to Margot about the Dohnanyis and Bonhoeffers

_________________________________

What I like about Charité, season 3:

- I’m all pro ProPro! Honestly, that man is a treat, both how the character is written and how the actor carries the situations and interactions he’s in. He’s arrogant and narcissistic, but he’s also principled, insightful and caring, unpolitical in a smart way and honest in a quiet way, and he gets how people are, and his mentorship of Ella, how he supports and encourages her and also bluntly gives her the dressing-down she needs, is a thing of beauty. And that she has to earn his attention first

- I have a personal soft spot for the scene where ProPro is doing his sports and going jogging while talking with Ella, and then just has her run along. That man’s hilarious, I love him

- Ella’s spirited, and while I don’t love the protagonists of this season as much as those of the second, she’s still great in her own right – the dedication to her research, the strength with which she handles the shit that’s thrown at her

- everyone’s so snarky!

- the wider focus on medical history and research; we see a lot past surgery now

- everyone’s taking shit in stride – staff is running off to the West? Ok; rest gets double shifts. We don’t have a senior doctor on the ward this morning anymore? We do shit ourselves. An illness we’re not prepared to treat anymore because, actually, there should be vaccination enough? We’ll make do. I love that spirit

- positive disabled representation! Rapoport’s daughter actually interacts with people, is presented as a person, has dreams and strengths and can handle her issues – yes, please!

- we get an intersex character, not for long and the story isn’t treated with the care and attention it should have, but props for the effort, I guess

- the setting allows for Ella to focus fully on her work and passion, not really giving much on romance and marriage without that seeming out of place – Ida’s conversations most often revolved around a man, Anni was considered a Nazi role model for being married and a mother, but Ella, while the relationship with Kurt is an option, never prioritizes this and never needs it

- personally, I’m smelling threesome subtext between Ella, Kurt and Alex Nowack – that may just be me, but I like it

- how everyone handles situations, how the changes happening in the country are incorporated into the world the characters live in, how they are able to cope with stuff and make decisions, in the end even without shifting blame

- even more so than in season 2, I really like how human the patients and their relatives are, that interacting with them in the right way is made an important part of the doctors’ work, even when some of the patients are asses

What I hate:

- people are mumbling – it’s not dialects, it’s not accents; they’re mumbling. They never were in the first two seasons

- the cancer stories were really no favorite of mine; what’s with the teary melodrama and the sudden gory shock value? Come on, Charité, you can do better. Presenting the human side of everything has always been the strength of this series, so why going so overboard now?

- I dunno, the crime cases ProPro investigates don’t seem to be incorporated that well? I suppose they’re there to establish his main field of pathology, but they spend a lot of time on that “Biter” case, and I’m not sure why

- would have been nice if Inge Rapoport had gotten to interact a bit with important characters other than her husband, Arianna and Kraatz – she’s a lovable, strong female character; why keep her so one-sided?

- what’s with the black’n’white painting? You showed us how conflicted and nuanced people under the Nazi regime could be; why now the clear line between “those people are good” and “that one sold his soul to the Party”?

- you show us an intersex person, introduce her as a character, make us sympathize, show us her hindrances and possibilities – and then she’s just gone? What about her treatment? Positive development? Making Kraatz’ interactions with her a counterpoint to his interactions with Doc Rapoport? What WAS that?

#Charité #personal opinions #comparable review #Charité at War #Charité season 3

[some-lists]

Marvel Side Characters I Want to See More Of

Here’s a list of side characters I’d like to see more of in the MCU. These are characters that have mostly been in the background and have not gotten the screen time they deserve.

This does not include characters about to get their own Disney Plus series (no Bucky, Vision, etc.), because we will be seeing more of them.

10. Sif

Sif was a great side character and a strong female warrior. The Dark World hinted at a love triangle between her, Thor, and Jane Foster. Then she disappeared and was never heard of again. I don’t miss the potential love triangle, but she was a cool character back when the only other female fighter was Black Widow. It would be nice to know what became of her. Valkyrie ultimately replaced her, but who says we can only have one strong female warrior per movie? It’s a stupid rule and I think she needs a comeback in the MCU. (Personally, I would’ve preferred her for a female Thor instead of Jane Foster.)

9. Nakia

I didn’t want to include love interests on this list, but now due to the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman, we don’t know what will happen to Nakia. She was absent in Infinity War and Endgame, and I would’ve loved to see her fight in the big battle scenes. Will she appear in Black Panther 2? I hope they do not write her out along with T’Challa (assuming they don’t replace him with a new actor).

8. Bill Foster

Bill Foster is far more likable than Hank Pym, IMO. He’s a fellow genius and a good man, who is occasionally willing to do morally ambiguous things to help someone he cares about. It’s actually a great parallel to Ant-Man himself. Laurence Fishburne was a welcome addition to the Ant-Man cast. The fools at The Matrix didn’t ask him back, and I hope Marvel doesn’t make the same mistake. More Laurence Fishburne in everything, please.

7. Maria Hill

I seriously need to see more Maria Hill. She was great in The Avengers and The Winter Soldier, but we didn’t see her again until the end credits scene in Infinity War. That’s a huge gap! She never got a chance to show us what she’s got. Personally, I kinda wish they used her instead of Sharon Carter in Civil War (minus the weird kissing scene). She’s way cool, has played an important part in previous films, and I just felt more invested in her than Sharon. Now that Samuel L. Jackson has returned to the MCU after a long absence, I’d like to see Maria Hill return too. Not just a brief cameo here or there, but with a real job to do.

6. Ned

Ned is Peter Parker’s loyal best friend. Jacob Batalon and Tom Holland have great chemistry together, and he’s super funny. Ned’s in on Peter’s secret identity and it makes it even funnier when has he has to cover for him. His one line in Infinity War is hilarious. I want to see more goofy buddy moments between Ned and Peter in future movies.

5. The Grandmaster

The Grandmaster made his appearance in Thor: Ragnarok and I need to see more of him. Taika Waititi geniusly got Jeff Goldblum to essentially be himself, and it’s glorious. I don’t know if we’ll ever see him again, but he’s way too entertaining for just a one time appearance.

4. Luis

I mentioned before that Drax was the funniest character in the MCU, but I might have to take that back. There isn’t a moment with Luis that isn’t absolutely hilarious. He asked Hope for a suit in Ant-Man and the Wasp and I think he should get one. Someone get this man a suit. Promote him. Just more screen time for this awesome character, please. Honestly, I think it would’ve been great if he had rescued Scott Lang from the Quantum Realm instead of some dumb rat. Can you imagine the 5 year recap he would’ve given Scott? Talk about perfect for this pandemic. It would’ve been too good.

3. Mantis

I love Mantis. She’s such a unique and interesting character. She’s unlike anyone else in the MCU. She’s wonderfully weird, awkward, funny, and adorable. Her relationship with Drax is both hilarious and sweet. James Gunn has said he wants a Drax and Mantis Disney Plus series, and so do I. Those two are too interesting to toss aside. Especially since Mantis has only been in two films, there’s still so much room for her to grow. I’d like to see her awkwardly learn more about emotions and social interactions. Mostly, I’d like to see her feel her own emotions instead on feeling through another person. How would she handle her own feelings of sadness or anger? And how would her powers grow as well? Will she learn to use them more aggressively? There’s so much potential here.

2. Wong

Wong is seriously underrated. He has the same awesome sorcery powers as Dr. Strange. Unfortunately, he’s stuck in a stoic Asian monk stereotype. He’s been sidelined in every film so far, and he deserves better. With Wanda scheduled to star in Doctor Strange 2, I fear Wong will be sidelined yet again. Benedict Wong is an incredible actor capable of so much more than what he’s been given. If you need proof, check out his performance as Kublai Khan in Marco Polo on Netflix. This guy should have Emmys. He has great chemistry with Benedict Cumberbatch and is funny in his brief moments. I think Wong deserves the chance to be fleshed out as a character instead of being designated the token Asian sidekick.

1. M’Baku

Endgame left a lot of my questions about Wakanda post-Thanos’ snap unanswered. I wanted to know who took over while T’Challa was gone. We saw in Infinity War that both Okoye and M’Baku survived. I hoped it meant we’d be seeing more of them as they stepped up in his absence (perhaps that was the plan for Black Panther 2?). I was disappointed that neither had much of a presence in Endgame. M’Baku was a delightful surprise in Black Panther. He’s a formidable opponent to T’Challa, a powerful leader and warrior, but also crazy funny! I hope he has a much larger role in Black Panther 2.

Again, I don’t know what’s going to happen with that film now. It’s a sensitive subject at this time. I hope M’Baku will be utilized to preserve the traditions of Wakanda after whatever changes are made in that film. Especially since T’Challa was such an important, positive male figure for the black community, I hope M’Baku can rise up to fill that need as well.

#marvel #marvel mcu #marvel sidekicks #marvel side characters #lady sif #bill foster #maria hill #jacob batalon #jeff goldblum #ant man Luis #dr strange Wong #benedict wong #mantis #mbaku #nakia

[bthenoise]

We’re Starting To Lose It So We Made A Fake Music Award Show To Remember The Quarantine By

We are losing our minds and we aren’t talking figuratively like The Pixies. Every morning waking up in quarantine feels like an episode of Punk’d. 

Where is Aston Kutcher -- oh right, it’s 2020 -- Where is Chance The Rapper? we ask ourselves as we peel ourselves out of bed for what feels like the millionth time.   

Seriously, though. We know you guys are feeling the same way too. We read the tweets. We see the TikToks. Ya’ll are losing your goddamn minds just like us. 

The good thing is, to help with this sense of craziness as best as we possibly can (which isn’t saying much, we aren’t doctors after all -- shout out to all the amazing medical teams out there!) we have constructed the first and hopefully last 2020 Noise Quarantine Awards.

Featuring highly coveted awards such as Best Soundtrack To Fuel Your Hatred For The Government and Best Song To Steal Toilet Paper To, the awards below are meant to shine a light on all the positive things to come out of 2020. 

We know it sounds like an impossible task to put “2020″ and “postive” in the same sentence but somehow we did it. 

Check out the awards below.   

Fantastic Features Award

Silverstein - A Beautiful Place To Drown

Honestly, there are probably about ten different awards we could give Silverstein’s sensational LP A Beautiful Place To Drown. From start to finish, this is hands down one of the band’s best albums yet. However, for the sake of this very serious and very made-up award show, we are happy to present the scene staples with the Fantastic Features Award. 

Not only did the band include familiar favorites such as Beartooth’s Caleb Shomo, Simple Plan’s Pierre Bouvier and Underoath’s Aaron Gillespie, but they also went out of their way to include other artists such as emerging rapper Princess Nokia and Intervals’ guitarist Aaron Marshall. Now if that doesn’t deserve an award, we don’t know what does.  

Back Off Pit Daddies Cause This Song Slaps Award

A Day To Remember - “Mindreader”

But there’s no breakdown! How am I supposed to mosh to this? Would you quit your whining? It’s pretty much impossible for A Day To Remember to write a bad song. And sorry to break it to you pit warriors, they definitely didn’t start with their newest track “Mindreader.

Best Album To Eventually Soundtrack The Next Matrix Movie

Code Orange - Underneath 

Does this one really come as a surprise? Essentially creating their own genre of technology-influenced metalcore (computer core, maybe?), Code Orange’s Underneath is the perfect soundtrack to any type of action-packed, dark web-based, sci-fi thriller like The Matrix trilogy. Now would you like the red pill or the blue pill?  

The Welcome Back, We Fuckin’ Missed You Award

The Ghost Inside - “Aftermath”

A world without new music from The Ghost Inside is a world we don’t want any part of. Thankfully, for the first time since their tragic bus crash back in 2015, the metalcore maestros have returned with the hard-hitting and incredibly emotional track “Aftermath” taken from their soon-to-be-released self-titled album. So for that, the least we could do is present the band with the Welcome Back, We Fuckin’ Missed You Award.  

Honorable Mention: D.R.U.G.S (aka Craig Owens) - “King I Am”

Best Song To Listen To On Repeat And Realize You Successfully Killed Two And A Half Hours Of Your Quarantine

Loathe - “Screaming”

There is nothing made up about this whatsoever. We seriously thank Loathe for creating mind-altering music that transports you to a new dimension.  “Screaming” is a gem and the band deserves to be awarded for it. Oh, and also, I Let It In And It Took Everything is an amazing record everyone needs to hear ASAP.

Best Album To Get Drunk And Talk About Your Feelings To

Violent Soho - Everything Is A-OK

We’re not sure exactly what it is about Australia’s Violent Soho but they always seem to bring the deepest and darkest emotions out of us. Their latest LP Everything Is A-OK is no different. From track one to track ten, the band’s first new album since 2016 is an emotional magnet attracting feeling after feeling leaving us desperate for a drinking buddy and a good cry.

The If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It Award

August Burns Red - Guardians

August Burns Red has been a prominent staple of the heavy music scene for years. Since bursting out of Lancaster, PA with 2005′s Thrill Seeker, the two-time Grammy-nominated act has been a constant source of inspiration with their bruising, top-notch musicianship. Fifteen years later, with the release of their ninth studio album Guardians, the metalcore vets are still as heavy and hard-hitting as ever deserving of our If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It Award.   

Best Album To Eventually Soundtrack The Next Season Of Black Mirror

Enter Shikari - Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible

Enter Shikari is easily one of the most unpredictable bands in our scene. One minute you think you have them and their eclectic sound pinned down, then the next they release their genre-shattering LP Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible. With cinematic twists and turns from the rock-oriented opener “THE GREAT UNKNOWN” to the cosmic tornado that is “{ The Dreamer’s Hotel }” and circus-themed “Waltzing Off The Face Of The Earth,” Enter Shikari’s spellbinding LP is a perfect fit for something just as fascinating as the next season of Netflix’s Black Mirror.

Best Album To Get Your Medical Degree To

Vermicide Violence - The Praxis Of Prophylaxis 

We understand it’s not easy to comprehend deathcore lyrics. However, if you’re in need of a good study buddy while you prepare for the boards, look no further than Jarrod Alonge’s new parody album The Praxis Of Prophylaxis. Covering high-end medical topics such as vaccines, gingivitis, asthma and more, Vermicide Violence’s new LP is sure to help a lot more than those Grey’s Anatomy re-runs.    

The Tasmanian Devil Award

Rotting Out - Ronin

The Tasmanian Devil award is a highly coveted prize (possibly one of our most coveted) given to the album with hands down the most circle-pit-inducing tracks. While there have been some pretty good options this year, the record that stands out the most is Rotting Out’s first new album in over seven years, Ronin. Without going too far into detail -- because honestly, it’s pretty obvious why we picked this record -- if you’re able to stand still while listening to these fiery ass songs, you’re probably a cop.

Best Album To Get Drunk And Talk About Your Feelings To Part Two

Spanish Love Songs - Brave Faces, Everyone

Really? You’re gonna complain we used the same category twice in a made-up award show only created cause we’re stuck living fucking Groundhog Day over and over again? Instead, how about you put that same energy into enjoying Spanish Love Songs’ brilliant, tear-jerking album Brave Faces, Everyone. You won’t regret it.

Best Soundtrack To Fuel Your Hatred For The Government

Anti-Flag - 20/20 Vision

Regardless of if you’re really into politics or not, it’s practically impossible at this point to not swear at our so-called “leaders” up in Washington DC. So if you’re looking for the best album to fuel your hatred for the Head Cheeto In Charge and all his helpless minions, look no further than Anti-Flag’s powerful 20/20 Vision.

Honorable Mention: The Homeless Gospel Choir - This Land Is Your Landfill

The Album Most Likely To Get You Out Of Mosh Pit Retirement

Polaris - The Death Of Me

This record is the definition of “slaps.” From beginning to end, Polaris’ punishing new album The Death Of Me is a heavy-duty rollercoaster ride that will leave you with a melted off face and an endless desire to jump back in the pit and crack a few skulls.  

Best Album To Rip A Phat Riff To

Hot Mulligan - You’ll Be Fine

Hot Mulligan are a bunch of jokesters but there’s nothing funny about their new album You’ll Be Fine -- alright, maybe a few of the song titles are a little silly. The band’s latest release is a guitarist’s delight with ringing mathcore-like riffs that will leave you both jubilant and jealous. Case in point, give the infectious opener “OG Bule Sky” a spin and get back to us.   

Honestly, Fight Us, This Song Is A Bop Award

All Time Low feat Blackbear - “Monsters”

We know what some of you cool cats and kittens are thinking: But this isn’t pop-punk!? Since when does Blackbear get a scene pass? Listen up. No, this song isn’t “Dear Maria, Count Me In” but who cares? It’s 2020 and musical genres are dead. Enjoy the good music while you can before we’re all dead too, okay?

Honorable mention: PVRIS - “Deadweight”

Best Song To Steal Toilet Paper To

The Chats - “Drunk N Disorderly”

If you haven’t had the fear of potentially wiping your ass with a washcloth over the last few months, this award probably isn’t for you and your 30 extra rolls of toilet paper. However, for us regular folk who have a limited supply of TP, The Chats’ fast-paced High Risk Behavior track “Drunk N Disorderly” is the perfect song for stumbling into someone’s home and swiping a roll or two.  

Wow We Didn’t See That Coming Award

Falling In Reverse - “The Drug In Me Is Reimagined”

Ronnie Radke has never been afraid to push boundaries musically. Whether it’s rapping on a track or dropping an upbeat, synth-laced single like “Bad Girls Club,” the former Escape The Fate frontman always seems to have something new up his sleeve. This year, to help celebrate 2011′s The Drug In Me Is You becoming gold-certified, Radke and Co. released an epic piano-lead version of their fan-favorite title track. The results? A majestic dream-like experience worth repeating over and over again.

If You Hurt Mother Earth One More Time We Swear You’re Dead Award 

In Hearts Wake - “Worldwide Suicide”

There’s been a lot of talk about global warming over the past few years. Recently, while we’ve all been stuck at home, skies have become clearer than ever as wild animals roam the barren streets. This is a dream come true for earth-friendly metalcore act In Hearts Wake. 

Now as some cities start to reopen, let us remind you: If you even think about going back to your wasteful, pollution-heavy ways, we and In Hearts Wake will come for you with the same force and brutality as heard on their newest track “Worldwide Suicide.” Watch your back.

Sure It’s Different But Still Kicks Ass Award

The Used - Heartwork

This isn’t The Used you knew in junior high. Bert McCrackin and Co. have returned with a fresh-faced 2020 LP that is sure to make you feel some type of way. Featuring guest appearances from members of Blink-182, FEVER 333 and Beartooth, The Used’s latest is a heavy-yet-dancy addition to their beloved-and-never-stale catalog.  

Better Not Sleep On This Record Award

Charmer - Ivy

Look, you literally have nothing but time on your hands. Why not spend it discovering new music from bands who deserve your attention? Seriously, turn off Love Is Blind and Too Hot To Handle and give Charmer’s moody 11-track release Ivy a try. You can thank us later.

Honorable Mention: Big Loser - Love You, Barely Living

Holy Shit We Can’t Believe That Just Happened Award

Dance Gavin Dance - “Calentamiento Global”

Four words we’ve all been thinking since Dance Gavin Dance dropped their highly anticipated album Afterburner: Tilian can speak Spanish!?

Giving the entire Swancore community a jaw-dropping moment with their new experimental track “Calentamiento Global,” in the song, DGD’s brawny frontman shows a little latin flavor with lyrics like “Te adoro, mi reina. Eres la única que veo.” Unsurprisingly, like most Dance Gavin Dance (or should we say Baile Gavin Baile) experiments, the post-hardcore act totally nailed it. 

The Back To Basics Award

The Amity Affliction - Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them

The Amity Affliction caught a lot of flack for their experimental 2018 release Misery. While entirely unwarranted as the metalcore vets were just looking to expand their sound, for their 2020 LP Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them, the Aussie outfit returned to form with their breakdown-heavy musicianship and brooding lyricism. Still have doubts? How about you give “All My Friends Are Dead” a spin or two.  

Skankin’ Pickle Award

Skatune Network - Ska Goes Emo, Vol. 1

Here’s a fun one. Adding to the list of things we never thought we’d see in 2020, go ahead and add a ska record covering some of your emo favs like My Chemical Romance, Paramore and Blink-182. Already known for his creative covers, Skatune Network really outdid himself this time around with his Ska Goes Emo LP. Who would have guessed you could skank so well to “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)?” 

The 2020 Glow-Up Award

The Word Alive - Monomania

The Word Alive has seen a lot of change over the course of their ten-year career. From 2010′s hard-hitting album Deceiver to this year’s impressive LP Monomania, the band has really grown into who they are today. For the first time, instead of putting out the music they’re expected to release, the Arizona act really stepped out of their comfort zone and dropped the music they wanted to make resulting in one of this year’s freshest and best so far.

Chocolate Covered Cranberries Award

Four Year Strong - Brain Games

For five long grueling years, we went without new music from easycore noisemakers Four Year Strong. This February, that all changed with the release of the band’s killer seventh studio album Brain Pain. Bringing the guitar-lead heaviness fans have come to love over the years along with their infectious pop-punk-leaning songwriting, Four Year Strong’s new record is the perfect balance of sour and sweet -- like chocolate covered cranberries! Who’s hungry?    

#Vans Warped Tour #Four Year Strong #The Word Alive #Skatune Network #The Amity Affliction #Dance Gavin Dance #Charmer #The Used #In Hearts Wake #Falling In Reverse #The Chats #All Time Low #Hot Mulligan #Polaris #Anti Flag #Anti-Flag #Spanish Love Songs #Rotting Out #Jarrod Alonge #Vermicide Violence #Enter Shikari #August Burns Red #Violent Soho #Loathe #Code Orange #A Day To Remember #The Ghost Inside #Silverstein #interview

[atissi]

Viktor Kain :)

How I feel about this character:

Well. I simply. I simply love him very much and that’s the end of it. I just love h

If you look at my track record of favourite characters, there’s like, a worryingly high number of boring old men (and I won’t call myself out by listing them. If you know who they are You Know). And I wish I could say I like Viktor because his relationship to familial duty is interesting (which it is) or because the details of his marriage is a fun mystery (even though it is) or because there’s fascinating parallels between him and his son (which there are) or because his design is good (…no comment) but in the end? In the end? I just vibe with him. I think he’d be nice to hang out with. He’d stand up when you enter the room and shake your hand, then sit back down on his desk and ramble somewhat anxiously about clocks for an hour exactly. And I think that’s nice.

His complexities are less flashy than other characters in Pathologic but I think that’s why he appeals to me. There’s subtleties to the way he talks or carries himself that I could (and have) analyzed for hours. I love that he wears his heart on his sleeve compared to the other town leaders. I love the quiet resentment when he talks about Khan leaving for the Polyhedron. I love that he’s the least weird Kain and still manages to be creepy. I fucking love when he says “…If I’d learned about this earlier, I would have torn his head off already.” Oh, shit, I love this voiceline: “Let’s open the box carefully, and sum it all up” (Viktor you’re talking about Pandora’s box right? You want to open Pandora’s box carefully?). I love that he paces circles alone in his office. I love that he asks for exactly 35 seconds to think about things. I love that he’s political head of one of the most powerful families in Town, widowed husband to the one of the most powerful women, and every single time he’s in a leadership position he looks viscerally uncomfortable. God, what an awkward, fascinating motherfucker.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Someone’s already asked me about Saburov so I’m saving half of my rambling for there, but yeah, it’s no secret, I sell out for Viktor/Saburov. It’s so funny because if you asked me three months ago what my favourite ships were I’d say “Clara/Capella? Tentatively” because I just didn’t care. And now I religiously reread the same three fics that focus on Viktor and Saburov’s relationship because, like, oh my god. Small town political leaders falling into an uncomfortable, secretive pseudo-relationship at the point where they both should’ve ended their romantic careers, except 1) Viktor’s wife is dead and his family is distant and he craves intimacy from anyone bothering to check on him, 2) Saburov is in a loving but uncomprehending marriage to Katerina where he can neither help her nor discuss their mutually blatant infidelity without admitting to himself that his life is a mess, 3) the repressed homosexuality. The Repressed Homosexuality, 4) the drama of falling for a rival while both of your public reputations are on the fritz and you’re both constantly overworked. They’re such painfully lonely people who need each other for intimacy and external validation, but engaging with those needs in the first place can be shameful.

And they really play off each other’s beliefs in that regard! Saburov cares a lot about tradition and Viktor breaks tradition as part of his job. Saburov covers up his gnawing internal conflicts with formalities, while Viktor expresses his conflict through those formalities. Saburov, at his heart, is wildly emotional, and Viktor can’t let himself be emotional in a way that would interfere with his work. But they’re both men who are duty-bound, highly principled, well-meaning (incompetent), and ultimately, needing a friend. My only wish was that their speaking styles were less boring. But I guess it works for the types of character they are.

Nina and Viktor is also quite good because it’s an intellectual exercise. Why the hell did Nina pick him of all people? Why would Viktor “Tax Form Personified” Kain want to marry Nina? My theory is that they promised freedom for each other: Nina would never be restrained by her husband and Viktor would have an outlet for his less sane, more obstructive interests. I’d love to see a slowburn for them where they marry for freedom alone but gradually Nina grows to appreciate and respect Viktor on his own terms (obviously this would be one-sided because it’s impossible not to fall in love with Nina at first sight). I don’t even need a good dynamic to like this ship, though. They love each other to the ends of the earth and I think that’s sweet.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

Obviously Viktor and his kids. Some noble souls asked for my Khan and Maria opinions so I’ll discuss this later, but basically, Viktor as a dad is both tragic and tender. I want them to get closure, somehow.

Viktor and Katerina (by proxy of Saburov) is honestly delightful. Bee writes very good angst about them and their mutual relationship to Nina, but I also like them as casual friends. They’re two of the most lowkey people in their social circles and they both like crafts. There’s room for bonding.

There’s also this post I made in a Discord server: “…not to reference niru’s “black pearl” again but…in all seriousness i love the concept of viktor going around the capital hunting for talent on his brothers’ behalves, following newspaper scandals and pulling strings to assemble the weirdest heist team in existence but the heist is the laws of reality. viktor getting coffee with yulia in an austrian cafe. viktor dealing with mark’s bullshit at an opera theatre. viktor having to break into the stamatins’ shared loft because neither of them answer their mail or go outside. itd be a fun montage” So I imagine Viktor is acquainted with all of the outsiders in the town!

[Spoilers for Mark Immortell’s backstory in the next paragraph]

Although, in Mark’s case, I guess Viktor tried to recruit him and Mark said “Not right now. Wait until I get fucked up by a Caravan scandal and come running to your Town for refuge” and Viktor was like “??? k.”

My unpopular opinion about this character:

It’s not strictly canon and mostly based on how I type him in the Enneagram (9w1), but I think he has a lot of pent-up anger! He regularly gives up his personal interests out of familial duty, and he’s expected to be relaxed and professional about that. Never seeing your son for years because your brothers told you it was important for his Spiritual Progress has, uh, got to sting! And maybe he feels betrayed by Caspar for leaving him, and then resents himself for being angry at his pre-teen son, and he feels betrayed by Simon for encouraging Caspar to leave, then resents himself for being angry at a dead man, and he gets angry at Georgiy for being so callous about the townspeople’s wellbeings, but resents himself for being angry at his last surviving brother, and etc. etc. etc. Actually my unpopular opinion about him is that he should retire and get a therapist.

One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon:

Full transparency, I haven’t finished Pathologic 2. But I’m fairly sure we don’t see Khan and Viktor’s reunion in either game and oh god, I desperately want to see that. I don’t need it to end happily, I just need them standing next to each other, similar appearances, similar voices, similar tics, in the aftermath of the Plague and having an honest discussion about their future with or without each other. I would cry. IPL, you have the power to kill me in one shot.

#askmeme.txt #inbox #cw infidelity #wow....viktor. i can and will talk about him for ages

[neeterloveschenford]

Why I’m Not Worried About Malex

I think I’ve made my feelings on “the scene” well known, so I don’t want to go off on another rant about that. This time I want to talk about why I am not worried about Malex. Most people that show up on my dash fall into one of three categories right now. 1) Worried about Malex, 2) Not worried about Malex and 3) Screw this show I am so done and I give up on Malex. While, admittedly, the day that episode aired I fell into the last category. That lasted for a day or two, but I eventually decided I would not give up on something that has gotten me through the last year. Even with no Malex in the last episode and the headache inducing comments from certain people involved in the show, I have decided to look on the brighter side and prepare myself for the epic, cosmic reunion I know we will get. 

I’ve said this before, but at the end of the day, Carina may be the showrunner, but she does not have final say about how things go down. The CW knows what's what and they’re primary goal is to make money. Yes, they are different from the other networks. They aren’t so much about ratings as they are about selling their shows into syndication and to streaming platforms like netflix. But they know that they will get more views for years to come if they make the majority of viewers happy. I talked in another post about Arrow and how they changed course in the love story of the title character. They not only didn’t go with the original plan, they went against comic book canon because the original plan was not engaging viewers. The show ran for 8 seasons and spawned the arrowverse that includes 4 other shows. Malex has a huge presence on social media. And from what I’ve seen, Malex has a much bigger presence than Miluca. Even if Carina wanted Miluca to be endgame, I don’t think the CW would let her. At the end of the day, it’s all about the $$. I must have watched season 1 on netflix over a dozen times during hiatus. I think I legit watched episodes with major Malex moments 50 times a piece. I have been that obsessed. I will keep watching the show no matter what because I love and am invested in other characters like Isobel, Kyle, Rosa and Liz. But I would probably never re-watch the show if Malex never got back together. Most people would feel the same and it is all about the re-watch with the CW.

Another thing that keeps me hopeful, is Vlamburn. Since that episode aired, Tyler has repeatedly said that he wanted and expected Malex to be endgame. While Vlamis isn’t that blunt, he has also made comments about how he hopes our boys end up together. They are both captains of our ship and I don’t think they would be saying these things if they actually thought there was a chance of Miluca lasting. It’s just not going to happen. Do all the actors have to promote what they are told to promote? Absolutely. But I think they know that there is so much panic over the current state of affairs, that they are doing everything they can to reassure the fandom. And it’s not just them. I mean how much did Jeanine gush about Malex and compare them to Echo in the instagram takeover last Monday? I don’t pay attention to every cast member all the time, but honestly, the only one that I have heard talk about Miluca as a legit couple is Heather. Whenever Vlamis talks about them, it is always tied to Michael’s trauma. I know I have heard at least Jeanine, Lily and Amber talk about how much they love Malex. Why would they talk about how much they love a particular storyline, if it wasn’t going to continue?

The last thing that makes me hopeful, is that no tv show puts that much effort into a tragic star-crossed love story and not follow through with it. The only thing that changes a storyline like that is if an actor leaves the show. I don’t see that happening. Tyler and Vlamis both seem very dedicated to the show and very protective of their characters. I can’t see either one of them leaving anytime in the near future. Carina has spent a lot of time crafting a tragic, heart-breaking origin story for Malex. They are the closest thing this show has to Romeo and Juliet. You don’t put that much into their backstory, if you’re not going to do something with it. I have a friend who only recently finished season 1. She actually finished the night that 2x06 aired. She’s never gotten into any of the ships. The thing she enjoyed most was the mystery of the fourth alien. But she will tell you straight up that she thinks Malex is endgame. My 65 year old mother can’t watch the show live and is waiting for season 2 to be on netflix. She will tell you straight up that Malex is endgame and Miluca won’t last. She even told me that the other day when I warned her about the threesome. Will we have to go through some stuff to get there? Yes. (hopefully nothing this bad ever again.) And will it be poorly written at times? Probably. Even I’m not that optimistic. But I choose to keep the faith. Despite the fact that he’s not drinking the way he was in 2x01, Michael is still spiraling. His entire relationship with Maria is based on hiding his feelings. He’s going to wake up one day and realize that Maria isn’t his cosmic connection and that nothing she does will ever compare to the way Alex makes him feel. And despite the fact that I think Forrest will be good for Alex, I think he will realize that no one compares to Michael. To quote The Notebook, “It wasn’t over, it still isn’t over!”

#roswell new mexico #malex #michael guerin #alex manes #anti miluca #anti carina #it's only my opinion

[burnouts3s3]

Bloom Into You, a Blu-ray review

(Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit unprofessional blog post written by an unprofessional blog poster. All purported facts and statement are little more than the subjective, biased opinion of said blog poster. In other words, don’t take anything I say too seriously.) Just the facts 'Cause you're in a Hurry! Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP): 69.98 USD How much I paid: 45.99 USD , the pre-order price Animation Studio: TROYCA Licensed and Localized by: Sentai Filmworks Audio: Japanese Audio with Subtitles and English Dub available.   English Cast: Tia Ballard as Yuu Koito, Luci Christian as Touko Nanami, Shanae’a Moore as Sayaka Saeki, Amber Lee Connors as Akari Hyuga, Brittney Karbowski as Koyomi Kano, Patricia Duran as Riko Hakozaki and Samantha Stevens as Miyako Kodama. Number of Episodes: 13 Episodes Length per Episode: 25 Minutes on average. 21 Without Intro and Ending song. Number of Discs: 2 Blu-ray discs Episodes per Disc: Episodes 1 through 9 on the 1st Blu-ray Disc. Episodes 10 through 13 on the 2nd Blu-ray disc. Does this come a digital voucher to redeem?: No. This only has the Blu-ray discs. Are there plans for a DVD release: Not as of the writing of this review. Also on: HiDive, Sentai Streamwork’s Streaming Service. Bonus Features: Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation and two Japanese Promos. Notable Localization Changes: For the most part, Bloom Into You sticks as close to the original Japanese script as possible. Which Edition are you reviewing: The Standard Edition, that comes with just the Blu-rays. What does the other Edition come with: The Premium Box Set comes with a Special Book, Storyboard Book, Original Scriptbooklet, 6 art cards and Rei’s receipe for cheesecake. (Yes, really). It is priced at 149.98 USD. My Personal Biases: I’ve seen Kannazuki no Miko, Strawberry Panic, Maria Watches Over Us, Kase-san and Morning Glories, Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl, Simoun, Citrus, Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Yurikuma Arashi, Sweet Blue Flowers, Whispered Words and others. To say I’ve been waiting for something like Bloom Into You would be an understatement. My Verdict: Not only does Bloom Into You stand amongst the pinnacles of Yuri anime, it outshines some regular romance shows in the process. Yuu and Touko feel like fully fleshed out characters instead of the usual stock types and gives ample amount of time to not only developing the main girls but the rest of the cast as well. My hopes is that the success of this show will spawn a 2nd season. Buy it! A/N: SPOILERS for this show and other Shoujo-ai shows below. Bloom Into You a Bluray review

I honestly think many newcomers to the Shoujo Ai genre don’t know how good they have it nowadays. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. Before the 1-2-3 Punch of Strawberry Panic, Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl and Simoun in 2006, Kannazuki no Miko was considered the pinnacle of Yuri Anime. But in 2018, Yuri anime seemed to make a comeback in full force with the 1-2-3 punches of Kase-san and Morning Glories, Bloom Into You and, yes, Citrus. The three adaptations of manga titles managed to be an oasis in the desert after titles such as Simoun failed to find an audience, Sweet Blue Flowers ending on a cliffhanger and Whispered Words bombed so hard, it was rumored to have killed the Yuri anime genre for years. Even titles after that such as Yurikuma Arashi and Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid didn’t manage to find a larger audience other than the converted niches they were aiming for. But then, Bloom Into You came onto the scene and became a revolution, for both longtime fans of the genre and newcomers. Bloom Into You didn’t just manage to be a critical success, but also managed to be a commercial juggernaut, spawning a stage play, multiple light novels and having numerous books of its manga sold. Freshman high schooler Yuu Koito has always loved shojou manga, so she is aware of what she ought to be feeling if she were to receive a love confession. But when a junior high classmate confesses his feelings for her, she somehow does not feel anything. She delays her response, and ends up entering high school, still unsure of how to respond to those type of feelings. While there, she happens to see the student council president, Touko Nanami, elegantly turning down a confession. Yuu is inspired to ask her for advice. She finds out that Nanami has never accepted a confession because none of them has ever made her feel anything in particular. The two bond over their similarities. Nanami realizes that she could be falling in love with Yuu, so she suddenly confesses her feelings to her. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the upperclassman and lowerclassman (or the Senpai and Kouhai) relationship. We’ve seen countless pairings with Sachiko and Yumi or Shizuma and Nagisa or Amane and Hikari or Utena and Anthy or Asuka Rei and Nanako or… you get the idea. (I watch a lot of Shoujo ai). Even when it’s established both girls are of the same age such as Kannazuki no Miko’s Chikane Himemiya and Himeko Kurusugawa or Kase Tomoka and Yui Yamada, there’s a notable class difference between the popular girl and the unpopular girl. But Touko and Yuu take all those past pairings and put them to shame. Yuu actually does feel like a fully fleshed out human being with her own agency and thoughts (a far cry from the naïve Himeko Kurusugawa and Nagisa Aoi). Yuu isn’t sure if she’ll ever be in a relationship and we’re treated to her inner monologue of whether she is capable of loving Touko the same way Touko loves her. At the same time, the more we see Touko, the more the outer exterior falls apart. Interior voice-over is said to be a lazy storytelling technique in fiction, but Yagakimi uses it to explore the very real and unsure feelings of Yuu. Yes, the trope of ‘the popular girl isn’t perfect after all’ trope has been done to death with Chikane, Shizuma, Shizuru, Asuka and others, but Touko feels particularly tragic as she’s locked in arrested development. Touko’s been trying to live in the footsteps of her deceased sister who was also Student Council president, only to find out that her sister wasn’t the image she always had in her head. It’s up to Yuu to find a way to save Touko from herself. Also, no one rapes or tries to rape each other. So, you know, progress! Also a breath of fresh air are the additions of other queer characters such as an older lesbian couple living together and Sayaka Saeki, Touko’s classmate who also harbors romantic feelings for Touko. Sayaka has been a fan favorite in the franchise and even has a Light Novel adapted after her. (Though spoilers indicate she’s to join the ranks of ‘lesbian best friend who is friendzoned by love interest’ alongside Strawberry Panic’s Tamao Suzumi and Yaya Nanto, Hajimete no Gal’s Ranko Honjou and Cardcaptor Sakura’s Tomoyo Daidouji). Sentai Filmworks did the localization of the show and for the most part, it has been a very solid translation to little or no changes. Luci Christian (who’s voiced Honey-sempai in Ouran High School Host Club and other lesbian characters such as Himiko from Shattered Angels) really brings a lot of range to the character. But Tia Ballard (who performed Teruhashi from the Disastrous Life of Saiki K, Marron in Dragon Ball Super and Lady Rain from Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid) manages to wring out real depth through Yuu. Her performance is subtle, slow and has enough energy to make it feel real. Rounding out the cast are familiar voice performers. Amber Lee Connors (who voiced Mei Aihara in Citrus) is nice to hear and Brittney Karbowski turns in a surprisingly toned down character, a far cry from some of her more energetic performances. JAPANESE AUDIO WITH SUBTITLES IS ALSO AVAILABLE. CAVEAT:  Through Shoujo-ai’s vast, incredible and at times, problematic, history, we’ve seen milestones and steps being placed into BiY’s direction. Slowly but surely, the path was being placed as every woman love woman anime placed its mark to getting here. From the tragedies in the past, to the slice of life shows to the shows pandering to titillation, Bloom Into You is not only an accomplishment in its own right, but a climax to every other shoujo-ai show out there. My only hope is that we get the much deserved 2nd season and adapt the rest of the wonderful manga. Verdict: Full Price!

#bloom into you #bloom into yuu #yuu koito #sayaka saeki #touko nanami #sentai filmworks #tia ballard #luci christian #lgbt #shoujo ai #yuri

[havenoffandoms]

Once Upon a Time in New York City (Loki x Reader)

Pairing: Loki x Fem!Reader

Fandom: MCU (yeah, I’m trying something here)

Summary: Stargazing was, in a way, therapeutic for you.

Warnings: mention of death of a parent through cancer

Stargazing was, in a way, therapeutic for you.

It was the only thing you missed since moving into your dad’s home six years ago. New York was not the stargazer’s favoured location, and not even Tony Stark’s money could change that fact. The light pollution sometimes made it difficult to make out the moon on a clear night. Ok, maybe it was not that bad, but it was close.

You missed stargazing with your mother. The only reason you had moved in with your father was because your mum succumbed to cancer. You were fourteen at the time. It could have been worse, you reminded yourself. They could have made you live with crazy aunt Maria. Instead, you ended up with a billionaire dad who readily gave you everything you wished for. Perhaps Tony Stark's generosity was motivated by love, perhaps by guilt… you did not really care. The only thing you ever asked for were books, anyway.

Reading did not truly replace stargazing, but at least it allowed you to escape reality in a different way. Being Iron Man’s daughter was not always easy, especially when you had become a target for his enemies to use as leverage against him. The whole Avengers team adored you, and would hate if anything happened to you. Natasha had even offered to train you so you might join them one day, but you were not a fighter. You would rather stay backstage and lead the operations from behind the scenes. You could not imagine yourself killing anyone in cold blood, even in self-defence.

Your head jerked up when you thought you heard a rustle behind you. You quickly scanned the area, making sure you were still alone. You gently chastised yourself for being so paranoid. Who in their right mind would come looking for you on the roof of the Stark Tower? You were not even sure if your father knew about your favourite reading space. It was eerily quiet at the top of the sky-scraper, the only sound that of the wind gently blowing through your hair. You returned your attention to your worn copy of The Great Gatsby.

“It seems awfully dangerous for a mortal young lady such as yourself to be sitting at the top of a very tall tower unsupervised,” you heard a calm, smooth voice talk to you, startling you a second time. You instantly recognised the British accent as being Loki’s. You had never truly had the chance to speak to the God, seeing as your father kept him as far away from you as humanly possible. The only thing you really knew about the God of Mischief was that he had nearly destroyed all of New York three years ago. He was technically the Avengers' prisoner, and was not allowed to leave the Stark Tower alone and only if it was absolutely necessary. Were it not for Thor, you were convinced Loki would not even be permitted to roam the premises freely. 

“It’s not dangerous if you know what you’re doing. See, I’m away from the edges.” Your comment earned yourself an amused chuckle from the mischievous being.

“Perhaps so. I’m sorry to have intruded. I was not aware that someone else was here.”

The polite tone sounded highly artificial, but somehow it did not surprise you. Despite his boisterous attitude, Thor spoke in pretty much the same old-fashioned way. You supposed that the brothers had been raised to use language appropriate for princes, and prospective rulers of Asgard.

“Tell you what, if you promise not to breathe a word to my dad about this, I’ll let you stay,” you joked, a small smile tugging at the corner of your lips. You could not help but feel slightly intimidated by Loki, and that reaction was certainly justified considering his past actions. At the same time, you did not feel like he consisted a threat to your life. You were curious to find out more about this mysterious character your father had expressly forbidden you to talk to.

Funny, you had never been the rebellious kind.

“If it pleases Milady,” came the soft reply. You noticed the blank expression on Loki’s face as he sat down several feet away from you, raising his gaze to the sky. Only then did you notice his eyebrows furrow in confusion. You observed his actions briefly, glancing at the sky to see what had caused the puzzled expression. You were merely met with the same starless view that you had become accustomed to.

“Whatcha looking at?” you asked the God of Mischief. Loki’s bright eyes briefly met yours before gazing at the soulless sky above him once more.

“Is it typical not to see the stars out here?” he inquired, genuine concern lacing his tone. You felt your heart clench at the innocence this supposedly dangerous God displayed.

“Yes, I’m afraid so. I hate it, too,” you admitted, closing your book and resting it flat on your lap. The action caught Loki’s attention, who immediately rested his eyes on you again.

“What’s that you’re reading?”

“This? It’s The Great Gatsby. It was my mum’s favourite book. Whenever I miss her, I read it again to remind me of her.” You were not too sure why you felt like sharing this information with Loki, but if the God minded, he did a good job at hiding it.

“I’m not familiar with Midgardian literature. Although I suppose that since I’m a prisoner in this world now, I should probably get acquainted with the most famous writers. Tell me, who are the main authors I should read to get a basic understanding of your literary culture?”

You shot Loki an incredulous look.

“Dude… is that a serious question?”

“Of course, I’m always looking to educate myself further.”

“No, I’m meaning… there’s just too many influential authors to just name a few for you to read. There’s different genres, different writing styles, different theories, and contradicting point of views. It would take centuries to read all of the works ever written on Earth.”

Loki seemed to take a minute to process your words, pondering what he was about to say next.

“I see… in that case, which book would you recommend, personally?”

His question was asked without malice. Of all the books at his disposition in this world, Loki wanted to start with your personal favourite. He honestly wanted to know what your favourite book was, with the intention of reading it as well. You forgot when the last time was that someone had asked you for book recommendations.

“I suppose you could start with this one,” you said, placing the unfinished book in Loki’s lap. He looked down at your mother’s copy of The Great Gatsby, picking it up delicately like it could fall apart any minute. Loki opened the book and noticed the words your mother had written on the inside of the cover. You were in two minds about snatching the book out of Loki’s hands. To your surprise, the God looked up at you with uncertainty shimmering in his green eyes.

“Are these words meant for your eyes only?” he asked, pointing at your mum’s handwritten note. You felt your throat tighten at her memory. You did not have the strength to speak, so you merely shook your head and shot Loki a reassuring smile. The God read the words on the cover that you had come to learn by heart after reading them hundreds and hundreds of times after your mum passed away.

To my dearest daughter,

You can be everything you want to be. I love you, and that’s the beginning and end of everything. Never forget that.

Love,

Mum.

Loki closed the book and was silent momentarily. You were not too sure what to say.

“You must miss her terribly,” Loki told you, causing you to frown questioningly. “Apologies, I assumed…”

“It’s ok,” you interrupted quickly, “you were right to assume so. She was very ill and passed away several years ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” There was genuine honesty in Loki’s voice, which surprised you, although you would never admit it.

“Yeah. Everyone was sorry.”

An uncomfortable silence settled between the two of you, during which you both wondered where to take the conversation from there. Thankfully, you had mastered the art of deflecting from a young age.

“Do you like stargazing too? It always calmed me down when I was a child.”

“I find the company of stars appeasing, as well,” Loki admitted, leaning back on his hands to stare at the sky with what you believed was a sad expression on his face. “It’s tragic that you cannot appreciate their beauty and wisdom in New York.”

“Yeah…  I sometimes understand why you wanted to destroy this city,” you joked, but instantly regretted your words when you noticed the way Loki’s features hardened. You were about to apologise when he spoke up again.

“Is that what you’ve been told? That I meant to destroy this city?” You were not sure whether to lie or not, but decided to stay true to your honest nature.

“Yes. That’s what I’ve been told.”

“Well, you’ve been fed wrong information. I merely wanted to rule this city as a benevolent God.”

“Oh.”

There was not much else you could say. Your cheeks heated up as you blushed a deep crimson. Frankly, you did not consider his explanation any less tyrannical than your initial assumption, but something about his admonishing tone made you feel like a child being scolded by a teacher. You felt like apologising, but you knew deep down that he was not expecting you to.

“Forgive me,” his voice whispered almost inaudibly, “I didn’t mean to snap at you. Unlike everyone else here, you’re the first one who’s treated me with nothing but kindness. You deserve the same treatment in return.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m more resilient than you think,” you assured him with a wink.

“Oh believe me, I can tell. You appear to be a very strong and bright young woman. As much as I hate to admit it, you seem to have inherited your father’s brains. And I can only assume that you’ve inherited your mother’s kind nature.” Your heart swelled with pride at the compliment, and you felt yourself blush a deeper shade of red.

“And I’m starting to see why they call you silver-tongue,” you told him in a mischievous tone that matched his. The grin that appeared on his face sent chills down your spine.

“Sweet dove, you have no idea what things this tongue can make you do,” he said, his voice lower and more sensual. You could not hold back the disbelieving snort that pushed past your nostrils.

“Easy there, cowboy.” The frown on his face told you that he did not understand that reference, which made you laugh even more. “It means, easy with the flirtatious attitude, my Lord. Need I remind you that there’s a whole team of Avengers ready to pounce on you at the slightest sign of danger…”

“No, you don’t,” he grew serious again, “but need I remind you, Milady, that you’re technically not allowed to speak to me?”

“Fair point.”

Loki smiled softly to himself as he stared at you pensively. You cocked your head to the side, curious as to what was on the God’s mind.

“I know I’m not supposed to use magic, but… I believe this will be worth getting into trouble over.” Before you could question his words, you noticed Loki wave his hand at the sky, and not before long, you could see the smog and light nuisance fade away to reveal the stars hiding behind the veil of pollution. Your mouth dropped as your eyes took in the beauty of space. You had never, not even in the countryside, ever seen a sky so beautiful. The stars shone brightly, and you could make out several shooting stars, and perhaps even a few planets. You tried to make out constellations, but your mind constantly wandered back to the mesmerising beauty Loki had conjured for the two of you to enjoy. You wondered if any pedestrians had bothered to look up, and if the view had taken their breath away just like it had yours.

“Wow…”

“That’s the effect I generally have on people,” you vaguely heard Loki comment, which earned him a punch in the shoulder from you. The look of utter shock the God sent your way was priceless.

“You hit me!”

“Oh, don’t be such a drama-queen. It wasn’t even that hard,” you defended yourself, forcing the proud smirk off your face.

“That is beside the point! I am a God of Asgard, I could crush you with my boot.”

“Yeah, I suppose you could,” you casually granted, scooting closer to the God and resting your head on his shoulder, “but before you do that, let me take one last look at the stars.”

You refrained from smiling victoriously as you felt Loki relax against you. During the days that followed, neither of you mentioned what happened that night. It was as if your conversation had never even taken place. You had even convinced yourself that you had dreamt the whole encounter until one day, you found your mum’s copy of The Great Gatsby on your bed, a neatly handwritten note attached to it.

If you ever feel lonely, just look at the stars. For I will be looking right at them, too.

#mcu #mcu fanfic #mcu fanfiction #loki #loki laufeyson #jotun loki #loki x reader #loki x y/n #fluff #stark!reader #stark!daughter #avengers #loki x you

[stydiaeverafter]

So no one likes love triangles, but Carina does, and it’s her show so who cares?

Why does everyone make love triangles out to be romantic? Like, they hurt people and screw with relationships. Plus if someone was like I love you so much, but I’m actually going to date your best friend.... then I’d tell them to go fuck off and it’s over. Poetic cinema? Nah. I think it’s ridiculous. And Carina KNOWS Alex and Maria are close, and she’s still doing it. That’s what bothers me the most. All for the angst? Really? That’s the angst you want to go for...?

No, I don’t like love triangles, I never have (someone always gets hurt so badly), but what really bugs me is that it’s with Alex’s “best friend,” and I put up quotes because honestly, what best friend? Neither of Alex’s human friends have been there for him. He’s been there for both of them, especially Maria. The only one that has since he’s returned, is Kyle.

That makes this whole thing even more tragic and quite honestly, puts BOTH Michael and Maria in a very bad light. Lets start with her. I’m so disappointed in Maria’s character. She was my favorite in the OG. And I love Heather, so nothing against the actress, but I don’t like her storyline in this show. She seemed so full of life and fun, had a cool story with her mom, her intuitive powers, and seemed to be a good friend in the beginning. But I began to see she was only a good friend to Liz. Not to Alex. She was at first telling him that home can be a person. She was there for him. But then that all drastically changed when she and Michael hooked up. What bothers me is after they hooked up, they were fun and the banter was great. Should’ve left it there and built a cool friendship. But what I’m failing to see on the show, is how she fell so hard when she found out that Michael is the love of Alex’s life. Okay, so maybe she had feelings for a long time (they couldn’t have hooked up over the course of 10 years?) but I still think it’s pretty shitty she’d do this to Alex. Especially when she’s sitting there telling Alex, “it’s never going to happen again.” Like she looked in his eyes while saying that and saw his, “okay.” He didn’t say, “it’s okay, we’re over. Go for it...” no, because he’s hopeful and so in love. And Maria KNOWS that. She said it herself! I get she doesn’t know what Michael feels for Alex, but what about her intuition? Why can’t she feel that?! They’re cosmic! And that’s Michael’s choice not to tell her, but regardless it doesn’t matter because she KNOWS HOW ALEX FEELS. I don’t care if feelings are involved, it’s wrong, and start using your head! How will this affect Alex? He’s had a hard enough life. A little friendly support would be nice. So yes, I hope she does feel guilty and I hope his so called “best friends,” step it up.

And before you attack me for going off on Maria, don’t worry, I’ll go off on Michael, too.

Yes, I get it, Michael is hurting. Went through a tremendous loss. Him wanting space is not the issue, him going for Alex’s best friend behind his back is. ESPECIALLY after Alex poured his heart out. No, I’m not expecting that to magically fix everything—I know he’s having a hard time with their love right now, but he’s being so selfish to go for one of Alex’s friends. BEST FRIENDS. Like does he even care about Alex at all? He knows Alex has been bullied and abused his whole life... and he cherishes his best friends. Again, I don’t care if feelings are involved, that’s really shitty to do to someone you supposedly “love.”

And yes, Alex left him, repeatedly, and yes, that hurt. He deserves to be mad at Alex for that. So maybe he feels like I really don’t owe the guy anything. But does he respect Maria? She keeps saying no, and yet he keeps pushing. Is he that selfish? They both have feelings, but what about her friendship to Alex? Is he even thinking what this will do to Alex? Probably not. Which hurts so badly. Does anyone think of Alex? It’s seems like no. Even when Liz was talking about Michael to Maria—they didn’t care what it would do to Alex. That freaking hurts. Where is the OG human friendship trio we used to have?!? I don’t like where this is going. Alex was just alone and forgotten. And Michael didn’t even have the balls to go and talk to Alex first. I know it would’ve been hard to leave him, but to say “we’ll talk tomorrow,” and then nothing. I know we haven’t seen everything yet, and he still may go talk to Alex. But he honestly wanted to go see Maria first to what? See if she’d finally say yes? What if she hadn’t? Would he go and say fine, and just kiss Alex? So that would make Alex what? His second choice? Alex Manes should be someone’s first choice.

So at the end of this annoyed Ted Talk—I think Carina is going about this so wrong. No, it’s not my show, but what’s wrong with friendship? Why couldn’t Maria and Michael just be way good friends? Why couldn’t Alex’s best friends be there for him? I get Michael needs space, and Malex cannot happen right now. It may kill me, but I get the narrative. But bringing this love triangle in with the best friend, is certainly not the direction she should be going.

She says Malex’s story will always be important, I love that. What I don’t love is seeing it drawn out for unnecessary angst when she could write a healthy, loving, and cosmic couple. They love each other!! Love isn’t easy, but what she’s doing is making it even worse. Why does it always have to be so messy? Young people are watching! We can be better than just this CW trope. And I really don’t want to see Maria and Michael happy-go-lucky for what could be an entire season, not giving a shit about how this affects Alex. And while he may say “it’s okay I support you both (which I hope he doesn’t), he’ll be actually sitting there completely broken-hearted and depressed—without love or friendship.

Sorry, to me, that’s not love. And that’s not beautiful.

#i feel better then read something like this #annoyed at carina #malex #alex manes #alex manes deserves better #protect alex manes #michael x alex #i hate love triangles

[salmonthestoryteller]

That Darn Love Triangle

So I’m going to throw my two cents in on the love triangle of Alex/Michael/Maria. But first a few quick links to relevant previous posts:

My previous A/M/M thoughts (Mid season):

My post about Maria’s POV: 

My post about Michael’s Headspace in 1x13

My post about Maria’s plotline with her mother:

And I did highjack this post about small town dating:

All of which are relevant to my final view.  I also have two views - that as a storyteller viewing the narrative and as an audience member trying to understand the characters headspaces and interactions. This got really, really long.  Here’s the short version.

Storytelling - I don’t like the choice of a love triangle involving these three characters. I don’t really see it as moving the plot or character development forward right now - which is the whole point of a plot device.  Not just random drama, but plot and character development.  I’m a ship and let ship gal - I can see the appeal in both ships - I’ve written fics for both ships.  I just wish things had been handled slightly differently.

Character Headspace:  All three characters are to blame for the mess they’re in.

Then there’s the long version.

When it comes to the set up for the love triangle, it all comes down to one main factor.

Alex and Michael’s complete silence over their relationship

While Max and Isobel seemed to have figured out Michael’s feelings for Alex over the years (possibly due to the pod squad’s psychic connection), the relationship doesn’t truly come to light to anyone else until the present day.  The silence when they were younger is pretty understandable - especially given Jesse Mane’s actions.  However, there’s definitely a hint that they’ve met up since that fateful day as teenagers, and that comes from their words at the drive in:

Michael:  Guess you’re still the guy looking for any excuse to walk away

Alex:  Maybe, but you’re still so good at giving them to me.

Seeing as I don’t see these lines referring to Jesse attacking them in the shed, this hints that there’s definitely been at least one more meetup.  Either before Alex joined the Air Force, or some time during the ten years that followed.  Their continued silence into the present day is part of how the triangle is set up.  With nobody knowing how Alex and Michael are connected, it changes viewpoints and dynamics that otherwise would have existed between them and their respective friends and siblings.

Which brings me to the second part of the set up, and I am firm on this.

Alex ends their relationship at the drive in.

Sorry, but the words:

Alex:  This isn’t going to work out.

Is pretty much classic break-up speech.  I count the drive-in as a date for them, despite the three feet retained between them on the truck flatbed.  (Feel like making a Quiet Man reference here.  The proprieties shall be observed at all times. No patty fingers.)  (And the lack of shared funnel cake.  No, I’m not letting that go.  Seriously, who doesn’t share funnel cake with their date?)  So I feel they were viewing their latest interactions as the start of a relationship.  Alex actually refers to them as us in the trailer that same morning.

Alex: Wait, does she know about us?

If they didn’t consider themselves in a relationship, he could have asked that question in a variety of ways.  Does she know about this?/Does she know that I’m here?/Does she know we’re having sex?  All phrases that could have easily been used to indicate he didn’t consider them to be anything serious.  Instead he terms it like a relationship -  Does she know about us.  So when Alex then says it’s not going to work out, that’s a break up.  He follows it with a line I actually find a lot of fault with:

Alex:  I’m an Airman, I can’t be with a Criminal.

His line about Michael’s side hustle is fine with me.  If he doesn’t approve of how Michael is living his life - than, sure - it’s a legitimate excuse to end a relationship.  These words, though?  They cross a line for me.  They aren’t - I don’t like what you’re doing.  They’re - I’m better than the likes of you. Which, whoa, objection.  Alex basically just called the guy he’s in love with trash, which is not okay.  I definitely feel this is Jesse getting to his head, but like with so much of what follows for all the characters, the reason why may give the audience an explanation, but it’s not an excuse.  It’s still a shitty thing to say to someone.

Despite this, Michael attempts to approach Alex again over two months after the drive in, and Alex won’t even engage him in a conversation.  When he goes to leave, Michael asks where they stand and if it’s really over.  And Alex confirms that, yes, it is.  Which leaves Michael in a position to pursue a relationship, regardless of who either still have feelings for.  Feelings are not a relationship.  Relationships require mutual consent, not just mutual feelings.

Small Towns Views Dating in Social Circles Differently

Because of my viewpoint of small towns - which given Liz’s soliloquy in the pilot as well as the general atmosphere of the town during the show I feel Roswell is presented as - I don’t really have an issue with Michael choosing to pursue Maria.  If Michael had ended the relationship, I may have thought it was a questionable choice.  But he didn’t - Alex did.  That changes the dynamic.  Especially since Maria occupies a space in both their social circles.

Frankly if I had friends/acquaintances  A, B & C, and A broke up with B, then B got into a relationship with C months later, and A came to me to complain?  I’d tell A they were being a little bitch, and to grow up. Considering workplace relationship drama, I probably am guessing I may even have said that sometime in the last ten years.  If A was upset about it, I’d tell them to reconsider their feelings for B, but that they really still had no claim on B.  That’s kinda part and parcel to the whole dumping thing.

That brings us to Michael and Maria, for which I have two things to stress.

Maria does not know about Michael and Alex’s history at first

Michael and Maria’s relationship is not based on a one night stand

I think the second part is what is throwing some people off.  All they want to equate is that Maria and Michael slept together.  To me Maria crying on Michael’s shoulder was in no way romantic, and more about Maria shattering under the realization she can’t save her mother and Michael shoving his own pain about Isobel aside to comfort her - making the scene doubly tragic.  However, it’s a scene that changed both characters views of each other.  Michael had never seen Maria vulnerable til then - and let’s not forget that MIchael has a positively huge hero complex - and Maria had never seen Michael as someone capable of kindness and selflessness til that moment.  That starts the change to their dynamic, which then continues into friendlier banter when he fixes her sign, followed by them flirting in Texas.  All this leads up to the one night stand, which isn’t truly romantic, either.  Both are upset about the outcome of the trip in regards to helping their mother/sister.  In that moment both of them are looking to grab onto something to take away the pain.  Let me stress that, even.  Both are looking to grab onto something to take away the pain.  Remember that, because I feel it’s very important for what happens in 1x13.  However,  the moment their viewpoints of each other change, that’s what starts them towards a relationship - not the one night stand.

Honestly, from a storytelling standpoint, I think this is actually not the best choice for setting up a love triangle.  I see plenty of relationship set up, if this relationship was set between two characters whose relationship stands alone.  However,  I think having the relationship between Michael and Maria be new wasn’t a smart storytelling choice in this case.  They could easily have had them have a previous relationship during the ten years Alex was away, and fall back into the relationship after Alex dumps Michael and Michael comforts Maria.  I just feel in terms of a love triangle, the two relationships are unbalanced because more history and episode time are given to Michael and Alex.  You don’t generally build that big a back story, and have huge moments involving romantic confessions in the middle of a building that’s about to explode with a couple you don’t intend to end up together. (Short of killing one)   That makes how the love triangle will play out transparent, and makes me doubt how useful it will be as a plot device. Moving on.

Alex claims his feelings are past tense to Michael

After Jenna brings the Alien Serial Killer to their attention, and Kyle knocks some sense into Alex both about teetering on the edge of drinking his father’s kool-aid about the pod squad and his feelings for Michael  (Thank-you, Kyle.  Everyone is seriously hopeless on this show.  At least someone has perspective.), Alex does go talk with MIchael.  Despite Kyle calling him on the fact that his feelings are current, twice, Alex places their love in the past tense when talking to Michael.  I’d say he’s both right and wrong about how well they know each other, because while his only known random fact about Michael is his dislike for Mars Attacks, the conversations they did have when younger were far deeper than fav movies or foods.  Alex shared that his own home life was bad and offered his bolt hole. Michael told him about his chaos and music, and his lack of belief in humans just being kind to each other.  Those are heavy conversations, tbh, and worth more than fav colors.  Still, starting to get to know each other from scratch isn’t a bad idea.  However, I still feel a miscommunication is going on over what Alex wants from Michael in this moment, and I feel Michael misunderstood why he chose to leave when he did.

Maria lies to Alex about her feelings

This is one of Maria’s biggest errors.  While I feel it comes from two places.  (Guilt and denial over her own feelings) - she still left Alex with the impression that she doesn’t care about Michael.  At all, really.  Do I think Alex suspects she’s lying?  Yes, I do think so.  I also can see why Alex wouldn’t have pressed that matter.  He doesn’t want Maria to admit she likes the guy he’s in love with.  I think overall this is Maria’s biggest contribution to the mess of the love triangle.  At some point, when she began to realize pushing Michael away was hurting her feelings, she should have come clean to Alex. This is her moment of an explanation is not an excuse.

Storytelling wise they don’t give them a single scene past that confrontation, which makes the confession impossible.  They could have made time for it, though, and I feel a second conversation on the subject would have gone a long way to making this love triangle less about random drama and open the door to it actually being used for character development.

Michael tells Maria he and Alex are over

Because their relationship is over.  Refer back to previous facts.

Alex dumped Michael

Alex confirmed they were over when Michael flat out asked him

This is why breakups can be messy.  One party can still have feelings - even both parties can still have feelings.  Relationships require more than feelings.  They require consent, the ability to build a life together, effort; communication. (That last one is a huge issue with these two)  Michael and Alex are not on the same page at any time post breakup.  So, Michael was telling the truth to Maria.  Alex feeling hopeful is great for Alex.  If Michael doesn’t feel that way, even if he still loves him - that’s Alex’s tough luck.  Love isn’t an obligation.  Until Michael is ready to be in a relationship with Alex again, Alex doesn’t have any say in Michael’s life.

Alex confesses at Caulfield, and seeks him out a few hours later

While Alex’s confession is huge, especially for his character, it comes at a desperate time.  They are both minutes away from dying when Alex manages to finally tell Michael how he currently feels, but Michael fails to return Alex’s confession, instead focusing on trying to shut him down and send him away to safety.  MIchael is desperate to save his people or die trying - until his Mother talks sense into him.  (Thank-you, Mara.  Damn, for such a short scene you really steal everyone’s hearts.)

This leaves their relationship on an edge, with Alex being the one whose put his heart on the line, and not sure where Michael stands.  It’s not surprising he seeks him out again, both to ensure he’s alright and to try to get clarification on that.  The problem is, they are again not on the same page.  Alex is messed up about Caulfield because his family was running a house of horrors, and he nearly lost Michael.  MIchael is traumatized by what happened to the rest of the people on their ship and the loss of his mother after finally finding her.  Alex’s desire to finally talk about his past choices and the problems he’s currently wrestling with would be a great step in their relationship, if it didn’t occur at a time when Michael is not in a good mindset to receive it.

Michael tells Alex they will talk the next day, but doesn’t speak to him before going to Maria

While I admit, Michael is traumatized, and storytelling wise I don’t like him being in a relationship with anyone right now, this is another of those an explanation is not an excuse moments.  Alex was definitely going to kiss him, and Michael did not look like he was planning on pushing him away.  While I do have objections to Alex approaching him in that moment when Michael is pretty messed up in the head, Michael should have spoken to Alex first the following day.  Even if it’s just to tell him he can’t be with him - it still should have been his first stop.  Trauma or not, it’s a jerk move.

Maria accepts Michael’s overtures to a relationship in 1x13

I see a lot of people saying they don’t understand her choosing Michael over Alex.  That’s how they see this choice. Friendship vs Crush.   That’s not what I see.  To me, she isn’t choosing Michael over Alex.  She’s choosing herself over Alex.  That’s a very different thing, and occurring for a very different reason.

This choice is likely to damage her friendship with Alex, and hurt his feelings.  So in terms of her friendship with Alex, it’s wrong.  However, all of them are single.  This isn’t adultery.   She is not “stealing” Michael.  He is not an object to be stolen to begin with. Her accepting a relationship with him is not inherently wrong.  Nor does it make her a bad person. It means, just like Alex and Michael through this whole love triangle mess, she’s making a call that’s going to hurt somebody else.   It means she’s human.

So, the real question is - why is she making this choice?  Let’s refer back to my earlier statement of why they slept together in 1x09:

Both are looking to grab onto something to take away the pain.

Every complaint I read about Maria’s choice seem to look upon this action as if Maria is in a happy, chipper place.  Like her life is hunky dory, and she has no reason to be in anything but the best headspace.  I’m really baffled by this interpretation.  So, let me enlighten you.  She’s not in a good headspace.

Will you step away from alien drama and take a good hard look at Maria’s life?  Let me give you the shorthand.  She has been solely responsible for her mother as her health failed for years.  She’s emotionally and mentally exhausted from that - we witness that in 1x07 and 1x09.  She is financially unstable despite owning the bar she also works at due to her mother’s medical bills. (Mentioned in 1x07)  Her own mother no longer recognizes her. (Stated in 1x09). And three days ago, considering the only questions Deputy Evans asked her that evening, she believes she was targeted and drugged by a serial killer.(Noah taking control of her and using her to steal the serum in 1x11)

Seriously?  How good a headspace do you think she’s in?  Chipper and well adjusted right now? Hell to the no.  Just like Michael, she is falling to pieces right now.  They are both in pain, both experts at fake it til you make it,  and choosing to grab onto something new that seems to promise happiness with no pain attached.  Do they honestly care about each other?  Yes.  Is it love?  No, I don’t think it is anywhere near that level yet.  If it weren’t for life really sucking right now, would they make this choice?  We don’t know - because that’s not the story we’re given.

From a storytelling standpoint, I actually wonder why they chose to reveal Alex and Michael’s relationship to her in 1x10, rather than hold out for second season.  It would have been easy not to do that scene, and have them get involved in an actual relationship before she found out.  I really don’t see how that would have hurt their relationship more than them putting them into a relationship and then her finding out, say,  Michael is an alien. (Still do not approve here.)  Liz found out before she got into a relationship with Max present day.  Alex found out during their break up, and before he chooses to pursue Michael again.  Even Cam found out after she split with Max.  Other than Noah, who doesn't really count anymore due to being an evil manipulative murderer who already knew anyway, nobody found out during a relationship.  How is that not going to be way worse a secret to reveal in the middle of a relationship?  Not to mention that her two best friends are also keeping this secret from her.   Right now I don’t see this plot ending happily for Maria, on any fronts.   So from a storytelling standpoint, especially as a fan of Maria, I hate this love triangle.

From a character headspace - All three are having potentially the most miserable year of their lives since they were seventeen, and are really effing things up.

#roswell new mexico #alex manes #Michael guerin #maria deluca #love triangles #malex #miluca #marichael #roswell nm #roswell cw #everyone is to blame for this mess #I still don't like this triangle set up

[oetravia]

elizabeth chynoweth, og max evans, tess harding, rnm kyle valenti

Oooh, you’re trying to make me controversial??

Elizabeth Chynoweth

How I feel about this character?

Sad. Sad is my main feeling when it comes to Elizabeth. She made a lot of mistakes, many of which were definitely avoidable, but, more than anything, she was simply a product of her time. Which apparently an abhorrent crime where a lot the Poldark fandom is concerned.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I’m not sure how much I ship her with any of the men she’s romantically connected with, if I’m being perfectly honest. None of them had a clear picture of her, and actually coveted whatever ideal they had created in their heads rather than Elizabeth herself, and that’s just tragic. 

With Ross, I wish so much in their relationship had gone differently, and more than anything, I wish they’d both had the strength to let the other go completely.

With Francis, I wish they’d had a better chance. Once Ross came back their’s was never going to be a happy marriage, but they could’ve had a chance if Francis in particular had gotten out of his own way. I genuinely think if he’d lived, they’d have ended up okay. They’re such an almost relationship it’s painful.

With George, I just wish Ross hadn’t gone to Trenwith that night, I wish Agatha had thought of the broader consequences of her actions than just hurting George, and I wish George himself had had a clearer understanding of Elizabeth when he’d married her (and that part of his desire for her hadn’t been about hurting Ross - because, while I genuinely believe he did love her, I think that was always part of what made her so desirable to him).

My non-romantic OTP for this character

I don’t think I have one. I just wish show!Elizabeth’s friendships hadn’t been all about other narratives (particularly Ross). I especially wish her dynamics with the other female characters had been more positive; especially Caroline.

My unpopular opinion about this character

Ross’s visit to Trenwith wasn’t her fault. Could she have handled the whole situation with Ross finding out about her engagement to George better, absolutely, but the placing the entirety of the blame for that night on Elizabeth’s shoulders is absolutely unfair.

One thing I wish had happened with this character in canon?

I wish she’d gotten to raise her daughter. I wish Valentine hadn’t lost his mother, and been left to deal with George’s shifts in attitude towards him alone. I wish she’d gotten to meet Amadora. 

Max Evans (OG)

How I feel about this character?

He deserves a LOT of the criticism thrown at him, but I think a lot of it being directed at the character is unfair, and should instead be levelled at the uneven writing and characterisation of S2/3

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Liz Parker. That’s it. Sorry. He was so focused on Liz, even when they weren’t together that I don’t think any other relationship would’ve ended happily.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Michael, obviously. Their bond is absolutely incredible, and they make me cry so many times over the series.

And also Maria, because Maria. The development of their relationship between S1/2 was so unexpected, but so welcome. It’s such a gorgeous dynamic. I love that they not only support each other, but are 100% willing to challenge one another. It’s incredible. I wish we’d gotten the pea-pod scene from the books.

My unpopular opinion about this character.

Max made a whole bunch of mistakes, and behaved like a five star prat a lot during s2/3, but I think a lot of people forget how young the character is supposed to be. He’s, what, 17/18 by the time the series ends. Imagine yourself at seventeen, could you have dealt with all the pressure he was placed under without screwing up, and being an utter muppet sometimes? I highly doubt it. I certainly couldn’t have dealt with everything he had to deal with at 17.

That’s without mentioning the fact that he spends a large amount of S2 being manipulated by many of the other characters (even Liz; though her actions in 2x05 came from a good place. But she ensures he sees her with Kyle, effectively breaking his heart, and quickly wants back into his good graces). By the time Alex dies, he probably doesn’t know if he’s coming or going.

And bonus mention; he never gets to properly deal with the trauma of the white room. Granted, we see he’s in therapy (at least, I assume as much from the start of S2), but it’s not as if he can be honest about his problems, is it? We see that in the cold open of S2. Even in therapy, he is having to lie about his trauma. And, as we hear in the Christmas episode, the trauma of what was done to him lingers through S2.

Now, none of this is to negate his actions or behaviour, but context is important.

One thing I wish had happened with this character in canon?

A real frank discussion with everyone about what had happened during s2, and again during S3. We never really got one, just quick apologies that were pretty quickly forgotten. 

Tess Harding

How I feel about this character?

She was unfairly treated by the writers, and I’m still bitter about how her character development was thrown out the window like that. But…I loved Alex, so I’ll never be able to like her. 

All the people I ship this character with romantically

I did like her with Kyle…but I loved the family dynamic she had with the Valenti family more.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

The Valenti family + Tess was so heartwarming. 

I also wish she’d been allowed to have a better relationship with all the female characters. I think it would’ve been really good for her - especially if she’d been able to have a relationship with Liz (and Maria) that wasn’t about their respective feelings (or imagined feelings - sorry but I don’t believe for a second Tess ever really cared for Max as a person. She’d been told she loved him, and so she thought she did. I don’t think she ever really wanted to get to know him as a person, as Max…she only cared about who he had been, and who she hoped he would be again when they got back to their planet. Max with added humanity was of no consequence to her - only to enable her plan to get home) for Max.

My unpopular opinion about this character

I honestly don’t think I have any unpopular opinions about her. Other than maybe what I said above about her feelings (or lack thereof) for Max? But I don’t think even that would be particularly unpopular.

One thing I wish had happened to this character in canon?

I wish she hadn’t had to sacrifice herself to have some sort of redemption arc. 

I wish she’d realised it was okay to care for humans, and to feel safe and happy around them, the way she did with the Valentis, and had a realisation, like Michael’s, that home didn’t have to be their planet. It could be Roswell, where she’d found a family.

Kyle Valenti (RNM)

How I feel about this character

Kyle Valenti is the best person in Roswell, and we don’t deserve him. I said what I said.

Honestly though, he’s just the greatest isn’t he? Wonderful character development, both on screen and off it during the ten years we haven’t seen yet. And he’s not afraid to admit he was wrong, or own up to his mistakes. A MAN.

(I mean…the boy does get confused between Star Wars and Star Trek, so he does have some flaws…)

All the people I ship this character with romantically

Hmmm, I still ship Kyle/Liz a little bit, even though Max/Liz are the clear winners there. The fact that he supports her no matter what is lovely, and he makes her feel safe which is so tender, and important. I just love their dynamic, romantic or otherwise.

And how could I not ship Kyle/Alex. Their relationship is just so great to watch, and now that he’s done the necessary growing since high school (and apologised sincerely for his behaviour towards Alex during those years), I genuinely think they could have an interesting, healthy, and meaningful relationship. And Alex could get him to actually watch Star Wars, because BOY.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Also Kyle/Liz and Kyle/Alex, to be perfectly honest. 

Make it Kyle/Alex/Michael because that dynamic was hilarious, and I very much hope we get to see more of it!

My unpopular opinion about this character

Again, I don’t have any, I don’t think.

I mean, he’s probably the character I feel has most in common with his OG counterpart, and it works very well (in a way that making the other characters more like their OG selves wouldn’t), but I don’t think that’s unpopular…

One thing I wish would happen with this character?

Give Kyle a love interest worthy of him! Don’t leave him as Liz’s second choice/handy on call hookup. Trevino’s acting is too good for that, please don’t waste his potential the way it was wasted in TVD (bitter? me?!)

My gosh this got long! Sorry! But thanks for the characters, Lucie, this was fun!

#ask #(not going to put this in the tags because yikes) #lucie tag