#MAN i don’t think i’ve ever been this terrified of an animated villain/antagonist since the Beldam from Coraline

[beif0ngs]

WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF ♪

#Puss in Boots: The Last Wish #Puss in Boots #dreamworksedit #animationedit #filmedit #Death #Wolf #DreamWorks #*mine #MAN i don’t think i’ve ever been this terrified of an animated villain/antagonist since the Beldam from Coraline #like no other animated villain/antagonist could ever strike as much fear as the Beldam did to me as a teen #but Death in this movie def comes in as a very close second...

[problematicwelshman]

Michael Sheen on Good Omens, sex scenes, and why Brexit led to his break-up

28 NOVEMBER 2018 • 4:18PM

Michael Sheen may be 49, and sporting a grey beard these days, but mention Martians and the actor reverts to a breathless, giddy teenager.

It all stems back to one evening when Sheen was about 12 years old. “It was a significant moment in my life,” he tells me over coffee in a London hotel. “My cousin Hugh was babysitting, and he put on Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds.

“I remember us lying there, listening in bed in the dark. It absolutely terrified me, but I got obsessed with it. I’m worryingly into it. I know every single note, every word.”

Wayne’s 1978 rock opera has had a similar effect on countless fans, even if it prompts a bemused shrug from non-converts. Without ever topping the charts, it has slowly become one of the best-selling British albums of all time, and this Friday begins a stadium tour featuring a 35-foot fire-breathing Martian and a 3D hologram of Liam Neeson. It’s a geeky novelty, but one of epic proportions.

When Wayne asked Sheen if he would star in a new radio drama-style version for the album’s 40th anniversary, alongside Taron Egerton and Ade Edmondson, the Welsh actor “bit his hand off”. It had always been his dream. For decades, whether doing serious political dramas such as Frost/Nixon or the great roles of classical theatre – Hamlet, Henry V – the one part Sheen really wanted involved Martians saying “ulla-ulla”.

“When I was doing Caligula at the Donmar [in 2003], I was filming The Deal during the day – which was the first time I’d played Tony Blair,” he says. “I’d be so tired, to wake myself up [before the play] I would do whole sections of War of the Worlds.” He can even beatbox the sound effects, he adds proudly. “The other guys in the dressing room would all be really pissed off with me - but I was playing Caligula, so they had to put up with it.”

Enthusing about an outtake on a collectors version of the album where you can hear Richard Burton coughing, Sheen briefly slips into an impression of the late actor. It’s eerily spot-on. Burton played the role he takes in the new version, which feels apt; growing up in Port Talbot, Sheen was aware of following in his footsteps.

“Coming from the same town as him really helped,” he says. “It’s place you wouldn’t necessarily think would be very sympathetic to acting – it’s an old steel town, very working class, quite a macho place – but because of Richard Burton, and then Anthony Hopkins, there’s the sense that it’s possible [to be an actor], and people have a respect for it.

“Ultimately, though, we’re very different actors - Burton was very much a charismatic leading man, and I’m probably more of a character actor. He wasn’t known for his versatility.” Sheen, by contrast, is a chameleon, as he proved with a remarkable run of biopics from 2006-9, playing Tony Blair, David Frost, Brian Clough, Kenneth Williams and the Roman emperor Nero on screen in the space of just four years.

He concedes that he may have made a “partly conscious” decision to avoid biopics since then. “I’ve been offered quite a few I didn’t do. I did feel, for a bit, it was probably good for me to move away from it – certainly from playing Blair at least, because that’s the one I became synonymous with. I’d quite happily play real people again, but it’s hard to find good scripts and it takes a lot of homework. With some parts I’ve been offered, you might only have a few weeks to prepare for it - and you can’t do that with Clough or Kenneth Williams.”

Despite his best intentions, Sheen is playing another Blair in his next film – The Voyage of Doctor Doolittle, where he’s the nemesis of Robert Downey Jr’s animal-loving hero. “I don’t know if they did that as a joke or not,” he says. “He’s Blair Müdfly – there’s an umlaut that he is very specific about. He was at college with Doolittle, and hates him, and becomes the antagonist because of his jealousy of Doolittle. Müdfly is employed to try and stop him from finding... what he wants to find.” As the film isn’t out for 13 months, Sheen is tight-lipped about further plot details – but he hints that Müdfly is “a villain in the tradition of Terry-Thomas villains.”

It’s the latest in a series of quirky, eyebrow-raising roles. After playing a vampire in the Twilight films and a werewolf in the Underworld franchise, Sheen says he would often be asked in interviews why a “serious classical actor” was wasting his time on fantasy films.

“There’s a lot of snobbishness about genre,” he says. “I think some of the greatest writing of the 20th and 21st centuries has happened in science fiction and fantasy.” While promoting the films, he would back up that point by citing his favourite authors – Stephen King, Philip K Dick, Neil Gaiman. “Time went on, and then one day my doorbell rang and there was a big box being delivered. I opened the box up and there was a card from Neil saying ‘From one fan to another’, and all these first editions of his books.”

It was the beginning an enduring friendship, which recently became a professional partnership: Sheen stars in Gaiman’s forthcoming TV series Good Omens, based on a 1990 novel he wrote with the late Terry Pratchett. Set in the days before a biblical apocalypse, its sprawling list of characters includes an angel called Aziraphale (Sheen) and a demon called Crowley (David Tennant) who have known each other since the days of Adam and Eve.

“I wanted to play Aziraphel being sort of in love with Crowley,” says Sheen. “They’re both very bonded and connected anyway, because of the two of them having this relationship through history - but also because angels are beings of love, so it’s inevitable that he would love Crowley. It helped that loving David is very easy to do.”

What kind of love - platonic, romantic, erotic? “Oh, those are human, mortal labels!” Sheen laughs. “But that was what I thought would be interesting to play with. There’s a lot of fan fiction where Aziraphale and Crowley get a bit hot and heavy towards each other, so it’ll be interesting to see how an audience reacts to what we’ve done in bringing that to the screen.”

Steamy fan fiction aside, it’s unlikely Good Omens will match the raunch levels of his last major TV series, Masters of Sex (2013-16), a drama about the pioneering sexologists Masters and Johnson. In the wake of the last year’s #MeToo revelations, HBO has introduced “intimacy co-ordinators” for its shows - but, Sheen tells me, Masters of Sex was ahead of the curve in handling sex scenes with caution.

“It was a lot easier for myself and Lizzy [Caplan, his co-star], as we were comfortable in that set-up, because we had status in it. But for people in the background, or doing just one scene, it’s different,” he says. “It became clear very quickly that there needed to be guidelines for people who didn’t have that kind of status, who would probably not speak up. We started talking about that, and decided there need to be clear rules.”

Sex scenes, he continues, “should absolutely be treated the same way as other things where there’s a danger. If you’re doing stage-fighting, or pyrotechnics, there are rules and everyone just sticks to them. Whether it’s physical danger, or emotional, or psychological, it’s just as important.”

Despite having several film and TV parts on the horizon, Sheen says he is still in semi-retirement from acting. In 2016 he hinted that he might be quit for good to campaign against populism. “In the same way as the Nazis had to be stopped in Germany in the Thirties, this thing that is on the rise has to be stopped," he said at the time. But now things are less cut. “I have two jobs now, essentially,” he says. "Acting takes second place."

While many celebrity activists limit their politics to save-the-dolphins posturing, Sheen has been working with a range of unfashionable grassroots groups aiming to combat inequality, support small communities and fight fake news. As well as supporting Welsh credit unions, and sponsoring a women’s football team in the tiny village of Goytre, he tells me that he's been “commissioning research into alternative funding models for local journalism”.

If he returns to the stage any time soon, he says it’s likely to be in a show about “political historical socio-economic stuff, a one-man show with very low production values”. It’s clear he’s not in it for the glamour.

Sheen was inspired to become more politically active by the Brexit referendum – which also indirectly led him to break up with his partner of four years, the comedian Sarah Silverman. At the time, they were living together in the US. “We both had very similar drives, and yet to act on those drives pulled us in different directions – because she is American and I’m Welsh,” he explains.

“After the Brexit vote, and the election where Trump became president, we both felt in different ways we wanted to get more involved. That led to her doing her show I Love You America [in which Silverman interviewed people from across the political spectrum], and it led to me wanting to address the issues that I thought led some people to vote the way they did about Brexit, in the area I come from and others like it.”

They still speak lovingly of each other, which makes their decision to end a happy relationship for the sake of politics look painfully quixotic. Talking about it, Sheen sounds a little wistful, but he’s utterly certain they made the right choice. “I felt a responsibility to do something, but it did mean coming back here – which was difficult for us, because we were very important to each other. But we both acknowledge that each of us had to do what we needed to do.”

#michael sheen #dolittle #the voyage of doctor dolittle #he got so irrationally mad at this article on twitter #but hey bringing it back because people wanted to read it #and it had info about dolittle #but it's locked behind a paywall #so here u go fam

[elven-ariaera]

I was watching Steven Universe pretty much since the beginning. I thought it was a cute show at first, but I also didn’t mind missing a few episodes here and there. With each new episode, I was becoming more engrossed in this wonderful world created by Rebecca Sugar and her crew. While I will be the first to admit that the show did have its problems and there were some elements I personally feel did not need to be added, I would still rank this show as one of my all-time favorites overall.

Now that the series has finally come to a conclusion (spoilers ahead if you’re not caught up), I thought now would be a good time to reflect on the series and take a look back at some of my favorite characters. To me, they were the heart of the show (along with all the Gem lore), and watching them grow throughout the series is definitely what kept me coming back. With that being said, here are my top 10 favorite Steven Universe characters.

Of course, before we begin, I must provide the disclaimer that this is, in fact, my personal opinion. There is no right or wrong best character (though there is a correct worst character, and we all know that’s Renaldo — Kidding. Sort of.) Whether you agree or disagree with my list or the order, perhaps I can at least offer a different perspective on these characters that I just find fascinating.

10) Yellow Diamond

Yellow was the first Diamond we were introduced to, and she clearly made a presence on the show. Her enormous stature and terrifying expressions were enough to show us that she was a force to be reckoned with. Her design and demeanor alone were enough to capture my attention, but there was more than just that as we saw more from this so-called tyrannical leader.

“What’s the Use of Feeling, Blue?” is one of, if not my absolute favorite songs from Steven Universe. Yes, I love the melody, but Yellow Diamond shows her true colors during this piece and it is evident. It’s clear that she’s affected by all the strife of the past, but to maintain power and appearance, she hides it all away. She grieves with aggression, taking it out on other planets and people, but deep down she’s hurting badly. It’s clear to hear near the end of the piece where she tries so hard to keep from breaking down.

9) Pink Diamond/ Rose Quartz

A lot of people started to hate Rose Quartz when her identity as Pink Diamond was revealed. I personally found it fascinating. Rose was by no means perfect; it’s made quite clear that she’s had quite the troubled past both by her own doing and the doings of the other Diamonds, and through it she’s done some pretty terrible things. I understand that. The thing is, though, she learned from it and eventually lead a whole rebellion to right her wrongs and allow Gems to have their freedom.

I think the main concern of why people only seem to hate her more and more is because in the beginning, we learned how ‘good’ she was and as we learned more about her, going further and further back, we see all of her biggest errors. If we play those events in reverse, we see her grow as a person. Her dynamic change is what makes her such a well-written character. The mystery, the reveals, how we learned about her bit by bit — it all built up to some very heavy drama, which for a television show, is a great thing.

I also believe that her transformation from a childish tyrant to a compassionate mother was a genuine one. I don’t doubt that she really wanted to have Steven more than anything. Even with all that we know about her now, looking back at that videotape she made for him, those feelings stand the same.

8) Amethyst

If you asked me my opinion on Amethyst when I first started the series, I would say that she was a fine character. She made me laugh, she had a fun personality; there was nothing wrong with her as a character, but I thought that she would only ever be comic relief. I never expected so much depth to be behind this goofy facade. Then “On the Run” premiered.

I never expected the episode to take such a turn. I always had a feeling a Pearl-Amethyst fight was coming with the way they constantly butted heads, but I never thought it would be for reasons like this. This was probably the first thing that really impacted me on an emotional level in this series. Amethyst’s face when she wails out “I never asked to be made!” still stands out in my mind to this day.

As the series progressed, Amethyst learns to love herself and embrace her faults, leading her to become, as Steven says, the most mature crystal gem. She has seriously come such a long way and I’m so glad that she was not simply comic relief. 

7) Greg Universe

I feel like a lot of us were expecting Greg to be a kind of absentee parent when this show first started, but he proved us wrong and has definitely shown us what kind of top tier dad he can be.

Is he perfect? No, but that’s okay. Yeah, he’s made his fair share of mistakes, but everything he’s ever done has only ever been for his son. The lengths he would go to keep Steven safe or to even push him to be his best self astounds me. There has been a lack of role model father figures in animation for a certain point, and ever since Steven Universe, I’ve definitely noticed an increase in them. While I’m not sure if he is the reason (probably not, but), I definitely think he’s an example to be followed for storytellers to come. 

I guess it comes with getting older, but I find myself feeling more sympathetic, interested, and entertained by the parents of the child protagonist rather than the protagonist themselves. Seeing Greg come to learn about the Gems from an outsider’s perspective rather than Steven’s somewhat knowledgable background, being partially raised by them and all. I think that so many of Greg’s flashback episodes are among my favorites of the series. 

6) Rainbow Quartz 2.0 & Sardonyx

I had to give a tie to these two fantastic fusions because I adore them both for the same reasons. They’re fun, flashy, and always a pleasure to see them on screen. Also, they both include Pearl, who’s quirks are evident in each fusion.

I was immediately drawn to Sardonyx’s larger-than-life (pun fully intended) personality. She’s bold and poised, but also knows to get a chuckle out of her audience — No, really, she plays up her act as if she were performing for an audience. She has a tendency to break the fourth wall, but in a more subtle way than Sunstone. Everything she does is simply entertaining and I just love it.

Rainbow Quartz 2.0 is similar in the sense of having a whimsical charm. Rainbow has a bit more tendency for being a caregiver than Sardonyx, but that only makes sense with both Pearl and Steven’s gentle natures being a key component in Rainbow’s makeup. Still, that doesn’t stop Rainbow for exerting a goofy attitude as well, which is so much fun to watch. A natural Mary Poppins! 

5) Spinel

A character that I thought would be a one-off movie villain has squirmed her way right into my heart. She is one of the most precious characters I have ever seen. Seriously, I was going into the movie with not many expectations for this new Gem, but man was I blown away with just how equally charming and threatening this character could be!

As a villain, she was terrifying and crazy. There was clear reasoning for her behavior, but even though we didn’t find out her motivation until about the halfway point, that hostility was clear and kept me wondering why. To find out she had been abandoned for so long was heart-crushing, especially after getting a glimpse of who she used to be. While I still like Pink/Rose as a character, this was something that I could not just let slide by.

She can still hold her own once she makes peace with what happened and moves on to befriend the other Diamonds. My heart skipped a beat when she reappeared for the series finale and she was as bubbly as ever. It’s so nice to see that she got her happily ever after too!

4) Peridot

The first of many characters with solid redemption arcs, and I think hers was the most effective and well thought out from a writing perspective. The Crewniverse were allowed to really take time with this one and so it felt genuine when Peridot finally decided to make up her mind and join the likes of the Crystal Gems. I truly think she had one of the best arcs in the series.

Aside from that, she’s also got such a strong personality. Gems made in Yellow Diamonds court have a tendency to be more on the snobby side, which she definitely is. Despite that, she still manages to be charming with her naiveté of Earth and its people. Even when she does have downright “unlikable” moments, such as her degrading mannerisms towards Pearl or the way she insulted Amethyst without even thinking, she eventually comes to the realization that what she did was wrong and makes it a priority to apologize in her own Peridot way.

Peridot is the product of what kindness can do to someone. Steven had no reason to keep caring for her the way he did, but in the end, it changed her. She kept her core personality traits, which I so appreciate as well, but she also didn’t revert back to her old ways either. She’s a changed Gem and had returned the favor by being a kind ambassador for Lapis, Bismuth, and I’m sure plenty of uncorrupted Gems once Little Homeworld had been completed.

3) White Diamond

White Diamond was exactly what I expected and what I wanted her to be. She has a radiant presence (quite literally) and exudes authority. As an antagonist, she was a worthy final opponent. While I would have loved the finale to be a few more episodes to get some more depth on the matter, what we did get, I loved.

From her first appearance, I knew White would be a threat like no other. While she certainly had unbelievable physical prowess, it was her manipulative brain-washing that had me both intrigued and terrified. Simply when we first saw Pink Pearl, who we assumed was White Pearl, you could tell something eerie was going on. Slowly, one-by-one, she took hold of all Steven’s allies — even the other Diamonds — and she proceeded to remove his gem. She had all the power. Of course, if anyone was going to stop her, it was Steven, but she put up one heck of a fight up ’til the very end.

A lot of people are iffy about how quickly she turned to Steven’s side, and I do understand that. Like I said, I wish there could have been a bit more time for that, but regardless I don’t mind what we received. I love how over the top White is, and how she’s trying so hard to be more compassionate but in the end, she’s still, so to say, living in her own head. Again, I love that these characters have a change of heart, but they still struggle with their past.

2) Blue Diamond

Throughout learning about the Diamonds, we are told by the Crystal Gems how heartless they were and what tyrannical rulers they could be. Granted, all these stories were true, and these actions should not be simply overlooked, but what we weren’t told is the tragedies they too have endured. After seeing the brash conqueror, Yellow Diamond, it was easy to label them as the clear “bad guys.” However, when we first meet Blue Diamond, she is weeping over a loved one.

Grief and sadness is something I easily relate to, so Blue was easy for me to sympathize with right from the start. Seeing how (for lack of better words) human she was made me think that perhaps there was another side to the Diamonds. Maybe they could be talked to instead of fought against. Seeing as Blue seemed like the most empathetic of the group, I was hoping that she would be the one they would turn to first, and she was.

Getting there wasn’t easy, and I’m glad it wasn’t — disregarding the last few episodes that needed to be a little bit squished to finish the story. Blue was the most emotional of the Diamonds, but she let them overtake her, deafening herself to hearing anything that might help her. Even Yellow Diamond, her closest confidant, could never fully restore her to a sound mind. This is an all too real problem, to let depression consume you, so to see that she was eventually able to be freed from this grief was truly satisfying.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Connie Maheswaran Connie is such an endearing character and the rock which Steven relied on. She was always the voice of reason and her love and dedication always shone above the rest.

Bismuth The only way to properly describe this character is strong. Strong personality, strong warriors, and strong beliefs. Though a little misguided, she believed in her cause and wanted to do what she could for her newfound family.

Padparadscha A precious angel of a Gem who needed much more screen time (along with Lars and the other Off-Colors.) Though her abilities were not so much helpful, she was still eager to do her part and help her friends. 

1) Pearl

So here’s the thing about Pearl: I loved her since the beginning. She was my favorite character from the start, being able to relate to her overly-protective behavior and somewhat neurotic antics all with a side of salt. I always admired how graceful she was and enjoyed the show most when she was on screen. Wonderfully brought to life by the voice work of Deedee Magno Hall, I was eager to see what would be in store for my favorite Crystal Gem. Little did I know how much she had been through and was about to endure throughout the course of the series.

The world-building and mystery of Steven Universe are some of its most fascinating elements, and so much of this is explored in Pearl’s overarching story. There was so much we didn’t know about the world of Gems and in turn, so much we didn’t know about Pearl. There was so much hidden within her, whether it be her history with Homeworld, Rose, or the alleged shattering of Pink Diamond, there was so much to be unveiled and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to learn more.

Pearl has been through so much suffering in her life, struggling to know where she belonged, and once she thought she knew what that was, she was ultimately denied it in the end. After grieving the loss of Rose Quartz, she took it as her new duty to be there for Steven as she once was her. Though she was technically a liberated Pearl, she was still binding herself to someone.

Throughout the series, we learn these secrets and see her as she still struggles to overcome these foreboding obstacles. It was so uplifting and such a victorious moment when she claimed “I do this for me!” in “Reunited.” I know she’s a fictional character, but I am so proud of how far she’s come and the independent individual she’s finally become. She doesn’t need someone else to serve or define who she is, no matter what her future entails, she is the master of herself. 

It’s rare that you find a show that has such an exceptional cast of characters where so many can resonate with you on a personal level. Each character in Steven Universe, whether we personally like them or not, has such depth and thought put into every one of them — and yes, that includes the townies. While I understand it’s not necessarily a show for everyone, I myself am glad I decided to give it a shot when it first aired. These characters have shown me so much in terms of both writing and personal growth, and I hope this little list of mine serves well as a love letter to thank all who worked on this show. Though it’s over now, these characters will always be in my heart.

I’m curious to know, who are your favorite characters from this show? Have any similar opinions? Different? Feel free to respectfully share your comments down below! 

Now that Steven Universe has finally come to a conclusion, I thought now would be a good time to reflect on the series and take a look back at some of my favorite characters. I was watching Steven Universe pretty much since the beginning. I thought it was a cute show at first, but I also didn’t mind missing a few episodes here and there.

[mysterylover123]

My Top 10 Favorite Series of All Time

Mysterylover123, to my followers.

This list, of course, could change. At some point in the future, I could always discover a new series that topples the competition - but for the moment, here they are. My top 10 favorite series of all time - mostly comics or television, but also film, and a few novel series made the honorable mentions list.

Of course, these are all just my personal favorites - that’s the key word. While I did consider objective quality when making the call, I mostly went with my gut and listed series I love for whatever reason - maybe sentimental value, pushing my personal buttons, or just characters I adored. I also made myself list the things I don’t like about the series as well, just to avoid gushing too much and remember that all but one (my #1) series out there are at least, a little, flawed, but nonetheless still lovable. With that in mind, here they are:

#10. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000-2015)

Type: Live-Action TV show

Genre: Crime/Mystery; forensic drama, police procedural

Favorite character: Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger)

Favorite episode: “Grave Danger”, Parts 1 & 2 (Season 5 finale)

Favorite Season: 7

Favorite villain: The Miniature Killer/Natalie Davis

Bad points: Weak later seasons, forced romance subplot, copious amounts of filler

Why it’s here: CSI is nostalgic for me. I watched it during my early crime drama loving years, and found out that as much as I liked the premise, what made the show for me was the cast. That was the first time I realized how essential characters are to creating intriguing drama. CSI is still my favorite traditional crime/mystery show, since in seasons 1-8, it maintained a good balance of character drama and mystery-of-the-week. Season 7 is a high point,  balancing an ongoing story with lots of fun one-offs and an emotionally explosive payoff. Later seasons, however, wear down the show’s quality for me. Too many beloved characters left and the series becomes too reliant on filler, ending with a thud that is the series finale. But the best of CSI is still enough to land it here for me.

(Just to clarify, I mean Las Vegas)

#9. Futurama (1999-2003; 2008-2013)

Type: Animated TV Show + movies

Genre: Sci Fi Dramedy

Favorite character: Philip J Fry (Billy West)

Favorite episode: “Jurassic Bark”

Favorite season: 4

Favorite villain: Bender

Bad points: Sexism, weak later seasons, bad 2nd movie

Why it’s here: Futurama came to me during a phase of depression in my life, and the show’s combination of humor and cry-your-eyes out tragedy kept me going. I’ve seen it through five times, and it’s always a blast. To me, Futurama is better than The Simpsons. Simpsons is funnier, but only for seven years or so. Following those seven years are 21 of mediocrity, whereas Futurama thankfully cuts it short. While some of the later seasons are weaker than the early Fox years, they still have quality gems and the show’s unique flavor. The series speaks to me so much; it’s a mix of hilarious comedy, serious character drama, and high sci-fi concepts that all mesh together in a unique experience. This is a series that’s not afraid to try new things, to experiment and let the characters age and grow. My personal favorite part of the series is the friendship between the core trio, Fry, Bender and Leela. Any episode starring them is a-ok by me.

Favorite memories: Binge-watching the series during a period of unemployment.

#8. Death Note (2003-2004; 2006-2007)

Type of series: Manga/Anime

Genre: Supernatural Crime Thriller

Favorite Character: L Lawliet (Alessandro Juliani)

Favorite Episode: Episode 2, “Confrontation”

Favorite Arc: The first one

Favorite villain: Light Yagami (Brad Swaile)

Bad points: Weak second half, so-so character development

Why it’s here: Death Note is a dark, twisted, engrossing thriller, which under normal circumstances shouldn’t be re-watchable. But I keep coming back to it, regardless of how many times I’ve seen it before. It’s a digestible 37 episodes and 108 chapters, for one thing. It introduced me to two characters that endlessly fascinate and frustrate my analytical brain. The antagonists, Light and L, are two of the most brilliant characters I’ve come across in fiction, and their dynamic with each other is endlessly engaging. Well, it should have been through the whole series…if not for certain incidents. But no matter; we have what we have. Flawed, yes. Terrifying, certainly. Death Note scares me like no other story. But what frightens me in DN isn’t so much there gruesome deaths, but how effortlessly it portrays the banality of evil.

Favorite memories: Watching the show during the winter holidays while on vacation, and contemplating the series during the drive home.

#7. Spider-Man (1962-)

Type: Comic book; various mediums of adaptation

Genre: Superhero

Favorite character: Mary Jane Watson

Favorite Storyline: The Night Gwen Stacy Died, #121-122

Favorite villain: The Green Goblin

Bad points: Weak later issues, lots of filler, “One More Day”

Why it’s here: Spidey is still my favorite superhero. He was me in high school (I got into Spider-Man in high school, incidentally), the everyman, the representation of my nerdy outcast struggle and need to both escapism and greater responsibility. But what really drew me to the comic, and still does, was the vast and multifaceted supporting cast. In the great eras of Spidey (Ditko, Romita, Conway, and late 1980s), the supporting cast make the series. Whether it’s Peter’s various complex lady loves, the endless cavalcade of memorable villains, supporting dude-friends like Flash and Harry or my personal favorite, mainstay Mary Jane “you just hit the jackpot” Watson, the cast of Spidey was majorly influential with good reason. The series loses it’s skill in the 1990s, thanks to the Clone Saga and general 90s comic badness, and plummets into an irretrievable black hole in 2007, never to return. But fortunately, there’s still thirty years’ worthy of fascinating comics to draw from before that insanity begins. And those stories have in turn fed fantastic adaptations, whether it be the sentimental 90s animated show, a few of the films, or the superlative Spectacular cartoon.

Favorite memories: Reading Spider-Man comics after high school, while waiting to get picked up. Also, watching the 90s show as a little kid, even if those are kinda dim.

#6. Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

Type of series: Animated TV Show

Genre: Supernatural

Favorite character: Mabel Pines (Kirsten Schaal)

Favorite season: 2

Favorite episode: “Not What he Seems”

Favorite Villain: Bill Cipher

Bad points: A few filler episodes, some odd messages, so-so ending

Why it’s here: I love a good spooky story. Gravity Falls caught my attention around Halloween in 2016, 8 months after the series finale; I binged the whole series through in a weekend. The series remains one of the all-time best I’ve ever watched. With one or two exceptions, there are no outright bad episodes. Everything is either entertaining or incredibly entertaining. The characters feel real, the messages really hit home, and the creativity on display is astounding. Gravity Falls has something in every corner - great character development, compelling drama, laugh-out-loud comedy, and a truly engaging mystery that doesn’t disappoint. I wish the franchise ran a little longer, but I’ll give it props that unlike nearly every other show on this list, Gravity Falls doesn’t over-stay its welcome. Two seasons of brilliance, wrapping up with a strong, though not perfect, finale, before the series had a chance to go on too long or burn out the creators. It’s a welcome treat to watch again, and again, and again. It’s mostly low on this list, not because of the few weak points, but because I don’t have as much emotional attachment to the series as I do to my top 5 pics.

Favorite memories: Watching the show with my dad and brother on vacation. Both of them are very surly and nit-picky, so presenting them with a show this good meant no cause to complain.

#5. Frasier (1993-2004)

Type: Live Action TV series

Genre: Sitcom

Favorite character: Niles Crane (David Hyde-Pierce)

Favorite season: 4

Favorite episode: “Something Borrowed, Something Blue”

Bad points: Weaker later/early seasons, sometimes annoying

Why it’s here: Frasier has a record for the most Emmy awards won by a single show. And rightly so, in my opinion. This is one of those series with astonishingly top-notch writing all around. It’s a sitcom that banks it’s humor on taking down pretentious snobs and prejudiced jerks; the jokes stay funny because, like all good humor, they stay relevant. This series feels kind of timeless; despite coming out in the instantly dated 90s, the characters’ fashions, mindsets, and relationships feel like they could be written today or twenty-forty years earlier. My heart belongs to the series’ ongoing love story between uptight, snippy Niles and eccentric, lovable Daphne (Jane Leeves). I have yet to see a better executed TV romance, one that pulls out all the stops like this one does. If I were to compare Frasier to anything, it would be to a Jane Austen novel. It has the same social satire, the same sardonic humor, the same understanding of romance and human psychology. That, to me, is what makes a great comedy.

Favorite memories: Discovering Frasier out of Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons - and coming to realize which of the two is truly the better comedy. (Sorry to take another potshot at Simpsons; I do like the early seasons, I just think the show is overrated).

#4. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-)

Series type: Live Action films and TV

Genre: Superhero

Favorite characters: Tie: Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston)

Favorite film: Captain America the Winter Soldier (2014)

Favorite phase: Phase 3 (so far)

Bad points: Occasional weak/so-so film, lack of representation

Why it’s here: I first watched only a handful of MCU films; after Avengers, I gave it up and focused on other things. I loved it the first time, but when I came back and screened every picture in the lineup till the present, that is when I fell in love with the franchise. I was missing out on some of the series’ best characters. And that’s what makes the MCU special to so many people: the characterization. The series is at it’s best when it’s giving it’s multi-layered cast focus and development. Marvel comics have always been a favorite of mine, so naturally their best known adaptation is one of my favorites in general. I’ve found something to enjoy in just about every film in the franchise. The biggest surprise hit for me was the Captain America films - a part of the franchise I never dreamed I’d love, but which won me over with the stellar writing in the 2011 film, the indelible Winter Soldier, and the stunning, heartbreaking Civil War. I’m almost afraid of what will come next, as the franchise is heading towards a finale.

Favorite memories: Watching the films over a long, bitter summer, as my only source of joy while working a thankless job and living in a place with bad internet reception.

#3. The Buffy-verse (1997-2004) Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel

Type of series: Live-Action TV shows

Genre: Supernatural

Favorite characters: Buffy, Cordelia, and Spike

Favorite season: Season 5 of Buffy, Season 2 of Angel

Favorite episodes: “Once More with Feeling” Buffy, “You’re Welcome” Angel

Bad points: Weak later seasons, Season 6, some bad filler

Why it’s here: If I was going on sentimental fandom value alone, the Buffy-verse would be number one. I still squee over this franchise years after I first discovered it; the characters have that special Joss Whedon flair that makes them stand out over the crowd, the series’ core relationships are so fascinating I’m tempted to write fanfic about them, and the philosophies and emotional moments in the series have shaped my life. I would never have known what existentialism was, for instance, if not for Whedon’s show. Angel’s line about “ all that matters is what we do” has helped motivate me ever since I heard it. But looking at the series’ quality (and diversity), I will admit that out of my top 3 favorites, it has the most problems. Both shows have one season I can cheerfully proclaim to be outright terrible, (Season 4 for Angel, Season 6 for Buffy), and very shaky first seasons that take a while to find their feet. There are some plot decisions I just can’t forgive, and some truly weak arc villains. But there is also so much that this franchise does so well, whether it be stellar standalones, bold plot moves, and of course, the character arcs.

Favorite memories: Rewatching the show on vacation in France.

#2. Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)

Type: Animated TV series

Genre: Fantasy Steampunk

Favorite characters: Zuko, Azula and Sokka

Favorite season: 2

Favorite episode: “The Guru”

Bad points: Forced romantic subplots, The Great Divide, odd conclusion

Why it’s here: You may have heard, if you’ve spent any time on the internet, what a fantastic series ATLA is. I try to avoid such phrases when attempting to sell the show to people, because describing a series that way is usually a bad move. But rest assured, it’s warranted. Avatar The Last Airbender is a stellar show in every possible way. Aside from the few bad points I mentioned above, ATLA does everything right. It has the best world building I’ve ever encountered. The animation, storytelling, emotions, messages (sometimes), plot points, philosophies, individual episodes, comedy, drama, action, epic sweep, surprise reveals…(several hours of listing things later) all of these things are pitch perfect. But as always, what makes this show is the cast. My lord, what a cast. These characters are so embedded in my mind, their arcs, personalities, development and entertainment value all stand out a cut above the rest. ATLA is a stunning masterpiece, one that no adaptation could capture, and that even it’s own creators have yet to follow up on, with either the sequel or the comics. But no matter. The original is there, it always will be, and more people discover it every day.

Favorite memories: Nothing quite compares to seeing ATLA for the first time. I saw it in 2014, one of the worst years of my life. Once again, my miserable experience was improved by a fantastic story.

Before #1: The Runners-up.

Game of Thrones: I used to adore GOT, but it started losing me after season 3; I lost respect for the show in season 5. still, those early seasons are still crucial parts of our culture and should be remembered.

Harry Potter: I grew up with these books and I still enjoy parts of them; overall, however, they strike me as being just a little less than they could have been.

Percy Jackson: I binged through the whole first book in a few hours, and loved these novels as a teen. As an adult, they don’t hold up as well, but I still appreciate the things they do right.

The Legend of Korra: The sequel to ATLA is spotty in many ways, but contains enough moments I absolutely love to make it at least a runner up.

South Park: Another series that got me through a bad time in my life and helped me deal with certain aspects of myself (especially episode 1507.) However, the early and late seasons are pretty bad, and the show doesn’t age very well.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: A bizarre little anime that nonetheless really stands out to me for how crazy it gets and how unique the story is.

Hannibal: A guilty pleasure - definitely a show that gets too far up it’s own butt in later episodes, but nonetehless appealing and interesting in the subjects it’s willing to tackle.

Parks and Recreation: My other favorite TV sitcom besides Fraser - it’s a strong runner up for the list but not quite sentimental enough.

Steven Universe: 3 great seasons, followed by a lot of recent mediocrity. Great when it’s great, bad when it’s not.

Code Geass: an immensely ambitious series, that doesn’t quite realize it’s goals but god damn if it isn’t a beautiful try.

Daria: Another show that really spoke to me in high school

Firefly: This was the biggest runner-up for the list. Firefly is 14 amazing episodes of television cut short too soon, giving us amazing characters and great world building in a short amount of time. The series has some bits that haven’t aged well, and those were enough to keep it off my top 10.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…

#1. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (manga: 2001-2010, anime 2009-2010)

Series type: Anime/Manga

Genre: Sci Fi (I think)

Favorite character: Edward Elric

Favorite episodes: “Flame of Vengeance”; “Backs in the Distance”

Bad points: None

Why it’s here: I’m gonna be brutally honest: FMAB is here because I can’t find anything wrong with it. It is, without question, the single most perfect piece of fiction I’ve ever come across. It almost frightened me when I first finished the series. Surely there must be some major, glaring flaw, some bad installment or weak character, that I could point to and say Look! Here’s the flaw! This was made by human hands after all! But nope. Many, many rereads through, and I still haven’t found one. FMAB stands supreme. This series has everything. The most fleshed out and real-feeling cast of characters I’ve ever come across (even minor background characters have spectacular arcs and feel like real people). The best pacing and plotting of an overall story arc. The best world building, aside from ATLA. The best exploration of social issues, the best feminism, the best use of mature storytelling. Everything comes back around. The themes, the mystery, the overall tone and story structure. I feel like an engineer gushing over the most perfectly calibrated car ever made each time I watch it. But Fullmetal is even more than just expertly made. It’s appealing. It’s popular. It’s the kind of story you can write essays on or write fanfic for. FMAB can be enjoyed in every capacity. I recommend taking the time to read the Manga first (that’s what I did), then watch Brotherhood. There really is nothing quite like FMAB. (oh, BTW, it has the best series finale of anything e ver. Period.)

Best memories: Watching Fullmetal while coping with death for the first time in my life. There is no better series when it comes to dealing with this subject.

#top ten list #CSI: Crime Scene Investigation #tv show #futurama #Death Note #L Lawliet #spiderman #gravity falls #frasier #marvel cinematic universe #Buffyverse #Avatar The Last Airbender #Fullmetal Alchemist

[guardiansofthemadness]

Varian Parallels in ‘What the Hair?!’ and ‘Secret of the Sun Drop’

Okay, can we take a moment and talk about some of the parallels involving Varian’s character that we were given when compared to how he was introduced to us in ‘What the Hair?!’ and what became of him in ‘Secret of the Sun Drop’ ? Because after re-watching both the first (that is, if you don’t count ‘Before Ever After’ as the first episode) and last episode of the season, I couldn’t help but take note on some of them!

In fact, there is a good amount of parallels that can be noticed and pointed out when it comes to how different Varian became by the time the final episode had aired to how he use to be when we first met him. But in order to keep this post from coming extremely long and possibly confusing, especially since I have a habit of trying to explain things in as much details as I possibly can, I think I will only point out about five corresponding parallels that I have noticed and wanted to address.

That being said, here are some of the interesting parallel’s I couldn’t help but noticed between the first and final episodes of the season!

1. Varian is very dangerous

To start this all off, I am going to go with the obvious and refer to the first thing we were ever told about Varian, which came from Cassandra herself - Varian was known to be dangerous.

When Cassandra told Rapunzel this, she did so as a warning of what was to come when both women decided to visit the alchemist. Neither of them knew who Varian actually was outside of any rumors that Cassandra had heard about him and so of course, when they both finally arrived to his house, how did both Rapunzel and Cassandra reacted? They were both on guard, basically bracing themselves for any sudden attacks Varian might throw at them in case he decided to attack first and ask questions later. Which to be honest, wasn’t wrong of them to do because once again, they didn’t know who Varian was outside of him not only being dangerous, but also possibly being a wizard of some sorts. They didn’t know how old he was, how powerful he was, if he was even nice or willing to help or well, just nothing! They had to prepare themselves for whatever happens when meeting him, and so that is what they did when they had arrived to Varian’s home.

But of course instead, they found themselves meeting a fourteen year old alchemist who wasn’t actually a wizard, and frankly who didn’t look like he could even hurt a fly. Okay, well maybe not being able to hurt a fly may seem a bit of a stretch, especially when considering he already had a trap laid out within the entrance of his lab, but then again Varian had only created that trap to stop Rudiger or any other animals from sneaking into his lab. He didn’t have the tap out to hurt the raccoon, just to keep the critter problem out of the way.

So yeah, when we and the girls officially get to meet Varian, he seemed to be anything but dangerous. In fact, he turned out to be a very eager kid who was more than happy to be graced by the presences of the princess of Corona and even more elated to help her with her hair situation. I mean sure, there were a lot of things within his lab that influences the reason behind the rumors of Varian being dangerous and in the end, he had accidentally cause a disaster within Old Corona, but as we had seen in the first episode, all Varian wanted to do was help. Everything he invented or created, was for the good of corona and not for the bad.

And yet at the same time, this parallel so well with Varian in the final episode of the season because what do we get to see by this point of the show?

Exactly how dangerous Varian actually could and can be.

I’ve mentioned this before in where every other past dangerous situations that Varian had been responsible for, were merely accidents. It was those accidents that influences peoples perspective on Varian that he was nothing more than a boy who was going to cause some kind of problem and would even get someone hurt. That being said, the Varian in ‘What the Hair?!’ wouldn’t want to intentionally hurt anyone if he can help it. But at the same time, the Varian in ‘Secret of the Sun Drop’ on the other hand, happened to have done the exact opposite.

Where as in the past, any pain and destruction the alchemist had caused were accidents, in the shows current present, they were very much intentional. By tricking the princess to cause a treason against her kingdom, stealing the sun flower, creating multiple automatons, pretending to attack the princess just so he can actually kidnap the queen, then purposely attacking Rapunzel’s friends with said automatons, ambushing the the king and the princess with a calculated trap, threatening to incase the queen within the same amber rock that is currently incasing his own father, purposely trying to crush his former crush and the queen and basically tried to do whatever it takes to keep Rapunzel from being happy, even if it meant causing more mayhem than he already has done?

Yeah, Varian has proven to use that he actually he as dangerous as he rumored to be.

And I honestly can’t help but find this parallel so interesting because after his first appearance, I don’t think any one of use expected Varian to become an antagonist to Rapunzel and her kingdom. In fact, we had expected him to become part of the team and frankly, after watching Varian’s second appearance within the show, we were given only an even greater reason to why he would become part of the team, rather than against it. Yet, it didn’t turn out that way because as I had theorized in a past post of mines, Varian has always been meant to become an antagonist for our heroes. It just so happens that instead of showing us this right away, the creators and writers of the show instead told us this by having Cassandra mention that she heard that Varian was dangerous.

Because he is. He is extremely dangerous and I love that in the first episode we are only told that he was dangerous and were given a small glimpse of it when his invention to give hot water to his village backfired on him and caused a severe earthquake that destroyed a good amount of homes within the village. Yet as a parallel, in the final episode we can see that when Varian has the actual intent to be dangerous, his actions comes off as terrifying rather than accidental.

2. His coat and glowing green eyed mask

The next thing I want to talk about is Varian’s coat and glowing eyed mask outfit.

This is more of a minor detail, but I absolutely loved that Varian ended up wearing his black and grey trench coat and mask from the first episode in the final. I knew that when we saw him wearing it for the first time, it was a hint of him becoming an antagonist because that overall outfit did scream ‘look at me, I’m a villain!’ in some kind of way. I mean, for crying out loud, the drawing that Rapunzel had done of Varian had him wearing that exact same coat! Like she didn’t need to draw him in it to make Varian look antagonizing, since the way she drew his expression did a well enough job at portraying it. Yet at the same time, having Rapunzel draw Varian in that coat, shows that she had been a bit afraid of Varian when she had first met him. That she did view him as a dangerous man, even if for a moment because we all know that Rapunzel only likes to look at the good in people and not judge them by the way they look or are dressed.

And yet, Varian ended up wearing that exact same outfit when he kidnapped Queen Arianna.

I get that he most likely wore it to disguise himself from the people, all in order to keep anyone from recognizing his face and attacking him. But like, we all know how smart Varian is and the sheer fact that he was able to create a fog within Corona and even had a plan set up for when Rapunzel and company had decided to ambush him, the alchemist could have very well gone on looking like he always does, with his face all exposed and most likely still would have been successful in kidnapping the queen.

But honestly, I am glad that he wore the outfit because in a way, I feel like those are his villainy outfit. I mean, he doesn’t really need to wear it to show that he is an antagonist and obviously he only had it on when he had kidnapped the queen, but I felt like the coat and mask was a nod to Varian’s official introduction and to how we don’t know what to expect of him since no one, not even Rapunzel or Cassandra, knew what they were expecting when they met him.

And to say the least, Varian in a sense, was terrifying when he first appeared out of the fog with those glowing green eyes his mask had in the first episode. If he had attacked the girls from the start, than honestly at that time it wouldn’t have been a shock because what he was wearing made he look like he was an actual bad guy.  So for Varian to once again wear that same outfit when he had creeped behind the queen, it honestly was yet another terrifying moment. Even more so when he had placed the queen unconscious.

The only difference between those two terrifying moments however, was that the first time around Varian had no ill intentions despite what was said of him, whereas the second time around he did have ill intentions hence the corresponding parallel between the two scenes.

I also have to admit that the glow of the eyes on his mask is what truly gives the eery vibe from his character, because once you take that mask away and you look at his face, all we see is an innocent kid. But Varian is not as innocent as he seemed to be, and so that outfit is suppose to be like what I feel is a way to both throw the characters and the audience away from automatically realizing his future outcome but to also show us that yeah, he was going to go bad from the start despite his pure dorky and naive personality.

3. His referring to Rapunzel and her title

Another thing I want to mention is of course his attitude towards Rapunzel.

Now this is something I actually want to go into more and full detail in a separate post that I have in mind, which hopefully will be the next one that I will write, but in terms of what I am going to say here is this; We all know that Varian’s overall attitude towards Rapunzel had completely flipped from the first episode to the final episode.

But has anyone else noticed the way he refers to Rapunzel had completely changed as well? Because it did, and this honestly is possibly my favorite parallel in regards to Varian.

When Varian first met Rapunzel, he was ecstatic at the fact that the princess was personally looking for him. Varian was more than willing to help Rapunzel with anything she asked for, was delighted (though possibly a little surprised) to be given the honor to call her by her actual name rather than as her title as princess and I mean, heck the alchemist was literally holding on to every single word she had made because she was someone of importance.

To simply put it, Varian respected Rapunzel.

Which makes sense, seeing how she was the princess after all. He had to respect her, and even if he didn’t Varian still respected her because she was the princess. It just so happens that the princess was at his own presences and had deemed him as someone who was both important and capable enough to relay on him for help. Which of course in the first episode, Varian was more than willing to do, because how could he not help the princesses when she came all the way to Old Corona specifically for him? She had put herself in possible danger just by going to meet him because once again, she nor Cassandra knew what would happen when they met him but they were lucky enough to see that Varian was a very smart yet very eager kid who essentially likes helping.

It also just so happens that outside of wanting to see if Varian could find out what was the issue revolving her hair, Rapunzel also ended up finding a friendship within Varian. She cared for him enough that she viewed him as a friend and so when Rapunzel had entrusted Varian with what she and the others were trying to do about the black rocks, Varian was happy to help. His respect for Rapunzel grew, even more so than just the way a common folk would do towards someone of royalty.

But of course, by the final episode Varian’s respect towards Rapunzel was anything but there. In fact, while I don’t want to automatically say that he truly hates Rapunzel, I have to admit that at the same time it is quite clear that he does. Or at least, he believes that he does since the majority of his resentment is targeted towards Rapunzel. Varian doesn’t respect Rapunzel at all and while by the final episode we already knew that even without seeing what Varian ends up doing, one way we can see just how much respect Varian ends up lacking for Rapunzel had to be the way he said her name or referred to her by her title.

When Varian spoke Rapunzel’s name that moment she and her father realized that Varian had been prepared for their ambush, it was said in a way that showed that Varian wasn’t the same kid who hung at her every word. Whereas before, he found it a little difficult to refer to Rapunzel as anything but “princess” or “your highness” and even became quite giddy at the fact that the princess allowed him to call her by her name, Varian by the end essentially mocks Rapunzel and her title. Sure, he still referred to her as “princess", but he constantly says it in a way that held so much resentment and hatred rather than any of the admiration and respect it use to have before she broke her promise.

Really, there was a snarky and condescending tone when Varian spoke her name, especially considering the situation that both Rapunzel and the king were in at the time. He had them at his disposal and in a way, when he had welcomed her it was also as if he took advantage of the fact that she had given him the ability to refer to her by her actual name. That by this point, it could almost be seen as Rapunzel should have regretted ever given him that honor because it wasn’t such an honor for Varian anymore. It was more of a shame and regret or even a realization that she should have never trusted him from the start and probably should have stayed away. But she did and now Rapunzel and everyone else are facing the consequences and Varian is taking advantage of it.

Plus, Varian referring King Frederic as “dad” was another mocking tactic of his, since of course just like with Rapunzel, Varian also lacks any form of respect towards the King or the rest of Corona.  

That being said, this detail is one of my favorites when re-watching the first and final episode of the season, because besides the way Varian had sassily called King Frederic “dad,” it was also done in a way to show once again the corresponding difference between Varian’s attitude towards Rapunzel. Literally, this is the same boy who had told Eugene that when the princess of Corona speaks to you, everything she says is important. But now, it doesn’t even matter to him that Rapunzel is the princess or even that Frederic is the king, whatever either one of them has to say, especially Rapunzel, is nothing more than a lie or ploy to trick him again. Rapunzel could beg and plead to him all she wants, she could try and make new promises that this time she would try and keep, but it really doesn’t matter at all to Varian.

She lost any form of respect and admiration that Varian had for her when she didn’t come back with him to Old Corona. And one of the ways this was displayed to us was by the way Varian referred to her. The way her name or title is said, it’s suppose to give us a bit of a chill because and show us exactly what Varian feels for Rapunzel since sometimes our actions doesn’t always show us how someone else feels. But our words can, in fact our words are known to be more powerful than our actions and things such as  referring to someone by a name or title each have a different meaning to them and within each meaning, they can be altered by the way they are being said.

4. The literal crushing on Cassandra

I have known from the very first time of watching ‘What the Hair?!’ that the look Varian had given Cassandra after she had saved his life was suppose to represent that he was going to have a crush on her. It honestly wasn’t all that hard to see it, especially thanks to the way he referred to her as “my lady.”

But of course, that scene could have been viewed differently and honestly if it wasn’t for Varian’s followup appearance point blank showing us that Varian did have a crush on Cassandra, than his reaction could have shown that he was grateful for Cassandra in helping him. But he did find himself having a crush on Cassandra and by having a crush on her, all the alchemist wanted to do was sweep her off her feet. At least, that is what Varian had said just before he began to crush her and the queen.

Now, the parallel to this moment from both the first and final episode is the sheer fact that in the first episode, it was Cassandra who had saved Varian from getting hurt. It was her act of bravery and courageousness kicking in that had caused her to push Varian out of the way before he had gotten crushed. It was also this action that made him suddenly infatuated with her, so much to the point in where he wanted to impress her and as stated, he wanted to sweep her off her feet one day. Sadly for Varian though, that never happened because with Rapunzel betraying him and with Cassandra being Rapunzel’s lady in waiting and her best friend, chances are that Cassandra would end up taking Rapunzel’s side of the situation regardless on whether she was actually in the wrong or not.

This essentially is why even though majority of Varian’s resentment is towards Rapunzel, he did not hesitate to attack or hurt the others, including Cassandra. Because really, while their age gap is more than enough a reason to why they both can’t be and won’t be together, think that Cassandra is ever going to want to be with someone who would attack her best friend? Think Varian would want to try and attempt to keep a friendship with her when he knows that she is still close friends with the one person who he blames for all of his misfortunes? Of course not!

But anyways, I have to admit that one of the most appalling moments during the final was when Varian had both Cassandra and Queen Arianna in his robotic grasps and when he began to crush both of them. While the reason behind that moment was because he wanted to make Rapunzel feel the pain that he was currently feeling, the fact that he had specifically chosen Cassandra was an interesting move. Yes, Cassandra was the one who had tried to attack him, but even so Varian could have just as well as thrown her back and away from him and could have only taken the queen or heck, he could have even tried to reach for Eugene even since Eugene is Rapunzel’s boyfriend or even the king. But instead, he did this to Cassandra and I felt like this was somewhat of a parallel moment when compared to the first episode because instead of Varian being the one to save and protect Cassandra this time around like she had done with him, he is once again the cause of the situation and the one who is doing the exact opposite of what she had done to him.

By Varian’s comment of wanting to sweep Cassandra off her feet, it was clear that he meant it in a way in where he wanted to return the favor for her not only saving him once, but twice for that matter. He wanted to make her swoon for him like he had for her, but instead he ended up translating his bitterness towards her and used her as a leverage to try and make Rapunzel understand all of the pain she had given him. Plus not only that, but it is kind of ironic when you think of how he had literally tried to crush Cassandra. He has a crush on her, yet he had physically tried to crush her. To death even! (Although I want to hope that he was only trying to do it in a way in where both Cassandra and the queen fell unconscious, but considering that even Varian doesn’t know if his dad is alive, chances are he most likely did have the intent to cause a double murder at that point).

It’s even more ironic when you consider that his crush was formed by her preventing him from being crushed. Like, it’s crazy that her payment for saving Varian’s life was pretty much her own life, and then some when counting Queen Arianna. It’s also so sad, because we also know that if Varian ever does come to his senses and gets the help he needs, if he had succeeded in crushing Cassandra and the queen, Varian would never be able to forgive himself for it. Not just because he had literally attempted to crush his own crush, but because he had honestly believed he had ever reason for doing so.

Shocking moment really, but I can’t help but marvel at the irony of this moment and how it correspond so well from what had occurred between the two in the first episode.

5. Disappointing his dad

The final parallel I want to talk about is another obvious as we all know about Varian’s need to make his dad proud. In fact, from the very first episode it was kind of evident that the one thing Varian has always wanted to do was to make Quirin proud of him.

I mean, when he was showing Eugene his latest invention to give hot water to his village, what does Varian end up saying about his dad? That if Quirin finds out what he was doing, he would kill him. But if he also did find out, he might be impressed by it too.

The fact that Varian makes a small comment about his dad possibly being impressed by what Varian’s latest invention, it was a clear sign of him wanting to make his dad proud of him. Heck, Varian most likely had figured that by giving hot water to his village and possibly anywhere else around Old Corona and Corona as a whole, and actually being successful in doing so, would be a great reason to make his dad proud of him. In fact, at the time Varian had hoped that he would for once not make Quirin disappointed at him. I mean, sure his latest invention was causing a few earthquakes here and there, but you know Varian? He has to try and try again until he finally succeeds!

So maybe the last few other attempts weren’t good enough, but his current attempt in the first episode could have been the one in where he will finally win!

But it wasn’t and so in the end, Varian ended up destroying their village and to add, Quirin clearly shows disappointment in his own son. Really, he didn’t need to say that he was disappointed in him, the look on his dad’s face showed us that he was and with the way Quirin just shook his head and turned away from him. And to add even more? The look Varian makes when he lets his own head fall down, in both despair and in disappointment in himself. In disappointing his dad yet once again.

And yet, despite what seems to be a constant failure for him, Varian is still trying.

As for some forsaken reason or another, Varian truly believes that by causing all of this mayhem that he is doing to Corona and their royal family, that Quirin would be proud of him. That if he tells his dad he did all of this because he wanted to save Quirin from the amber rocks that he was incased in and that no one wanted to help him (which we all know that isn’t true,) there isn’t any reason for Quirin to be disappointed in him. Varian is so clouded by his need for vengeances and for wanting to get back at Corona, that he isn’t considering how his dad would feel once he is finally saved. And that is if it ever happens.

Which we do know that it will eventually happen and honestly, while I doubt that Quirin would actually be proud of everything that Varian was currently doing, we also do know that Quirin at some point would say that he is proud of his son. In fact, this is something I want to explain a little more in detail in either my next post or in another one, but frankly if it isn’t Quirin outright saying it to his son’s face? Than at the very least Quirin being proud of Varian is written within the letter that he had wrote to his son. But we have to wait until that moment officially happens within the show to know for sure. And until then, Varian is still going to want to try and make his dad proud of him and not disappointed in himself at all.

It just sucks though, that by watching Varian kidnap someone, attack multiple and attempt murder, that we know if Quirin wasn’t actually incased within amber rocks, that he would frankly be the most disappointed in his son than ever. Because honestly, while every single action Varian has made was all in the name of saving his father, Quirin wouldn’t want Varian to hurt others like this.

It’s one thing accidentally hurt people because of the inventions he makes that had good intentions when used, but it is another thing to try and purposely hurt others and think that by claiming that it was all done in order to make someone else proud would justify it. How can anyone be proud of that? Even more so seeing how Varian still has the intentions of getting back at Corona even after he does save his dad! Which I am really interested to see how Varian will go about it, because unless Quirin has something against the kingdom as well (which he could seeing how he is close to the king), I highly doubt that Quirin would allow Varian to continue on with his revenge. Frankly, by continuing on, Varian is just going to keep on disappointing his dad and then where will he be if that happens?

It’s crazy seeing how a good kid like Varian doesn’t see that there are other ways for him to make his dad proud or that Quirin is most likely already proud at Varian, he just never actually showed how proud of his son he really is. All Varian sees is the disappointment his dad gives him, which in return makes Varian disappointed in himself. And the fact that Varian was unsuccessful in breaking his dad free, I can imagine how deep that disappointment in himself became.

Even without Quirin being able to give him that exact same look from the first episode, Varian must have imagined his dad’s constant disappointed expressions when he wasn’t able to cut the rocks with Rapunzel’s hair like he had assumed. To him, it was yet another failed experiment of his that he now needs to recalculate and make better.

Really really sad. Wanting to make his dad proud is simply another way of him not wanting to make his dad disappointed. But Varian’s actions in the first episode was only a small hiccup in a parallel comparison to what he did in the final episode.

And with that, I am done.

I kind of went a little off course when writing this, but I tried to connect certain situations and moments within the final that I had noticed were also done in the first episode. But if none of this makes sense, well I tried!

#this still ended up long #kind of rambled a bit here #sorry about that guys #hopefully this isn't so confusing #there was more i wanted to address #but they were a lot minor than the ones I have said #also hopefully this doesn't sound exactly like my pervious post haha #my post #varian #disney #tangled #tangled the series #tangled: the series #tts #tts varian #rapunzel #rapunzel corona #cassandra #tts cassandra #quirin #king frederic #queen arianna

[langwrites]

Tag Game: 10 Questions:

Rules: Answer the questions, then create 10 more, and tag people.

Tagged by: @owlsofstarlight

1. Would you date any of your ocs?

Hmmm.

You know, given that I’m the cause of all their misery, ultimately, that would be a terrible idea.

If I had to choose (and not die), hrm. Well, Naviyd. Probably.

2. What kind of poster(s) would your oc have on their wall?

Naviyd has his father’s rather inaccurate, theistic world maps on his wall. They’re stitched somewhat haphazardly among more accurate records, diagrams, and a wonky drawing of what might someday be a pulley system.

And one nice sketch of a family of four, made by Khalil when he was six years old. It’s more aspirational than accurate, but Naviyd kept it there throughout his son’s entire absent adolescence.

3. If your oc found a time machine, would they use it? for what?

He’d probably tell himself to fight Zahara for custody of both twins.

4. Do any of your ocs have a catchphrase? If so, what?

Naviyd doesn’t see much point. Dude used to basically kill Kaltekan generals as a sacred mission, and he sure wasn’t going to make a career of that by sticking around and monologuing.

5. Tell me about one of your ocs hobbies.

Naviyd studies maps and architecture—which is why Gabilan is a lot more cavernous, winding, and mazelike than its squad design would imply—and spends his free time hunting from horseback with a bow. He does it mainly to keep his skills sharp.

If he wants to have fun, he finds someone and strikes up a friendship if he hasn’t already.

6. What inspired one of your favorite ocs?

I couldn’t choose. So, you get four.

Naviyd was inspired by...hm. Basically, I read a section of a Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual (probably 3.5) and spotted the entry on copper dragons. My next thought was, “I’ve gotta have one of those.” Several more thoughts, several years, and one quick jaunt through CYB later, and Rikuto back-retconned his way into Naviyd’s personality, resulting in what he is today.

Oceanus was half-inspired by a wacky combination of Edward Elric and this dude named chaos (all lowercase) from Xenosaga. His affinity for storms is derived from a combination of my attempts to make a sorcerer character (D&D again), and the powers of Darker than BLACK’s Agent November 11 and BK-201/Black Reaper/Hei. He, too, has been through a lot of revisions to soften and sharpen different parts of his personality, until we get the procupine we have today.

Alena, for her part, is pretty directly derived from the powerset displayed by Tsunade back when I was first watching Naruto in like…middle school? She got a fancy coat from some bolt of inspiration I can’t recall now, and her personality ended up just being like… What I admired about people who could keep their kindness and strength in tough times. I think I read a few pretty dark stories the year I really worked nailing her personality down.

And finally, Lumina. Hoo boy. Originally, she was just a derivation—the spare, the younger twin, the goof to Alena’s mother’s stern nature. And over the years, Lumina went from the mere mirror to a stone-cold badass the more I read about some real shitty common tropes—the idea that a woman’s strength was always derived from a man, or that a queen couldn’t rule on her own, and so on. I thought, “Fuck that and the horse it rode in on,” resulting in this terrifying paladin who was just always good, regardless of what others thought.   

7. What kind of clothes does your oc like to wear?

Naviyd will wear anything that is a) warm and b) looks good on him. In that order. If he has a choice between almost dying of frostbite or impressing a foreign dignitary, he’s gonna pile on those furs and demand Lumina heat the castle somehow, dammit.

He tends to get a lot of his work done while wearing just a plain shirt and pants, slippers, and the biggest blanket he can find.

8. Does your oc believe in love at first sight?

Naviyd used to. It did not pan out at all.

Oceanus doesn’t, at least as far as it pertains to him.

Alena does.

Lumina does not, and never has.

9. If you took your ocs for one story and put them in an au, what au would you choose?

I kinda already did that, by allowing all of these Terramir kids to wander over to CYB. Granted, some of them didn’t have the longest lifespan, but I’m generally content with the way that worked out.

10. What is something your oc is afraid of?

Naviyd is afraid of bears. Does that count?

Siri’s questions:

1.What was the trickiest bits of worldbuilding you have ever done?

Tryin’ to figure out what the fuck was going on with Alanrian politics. They’re a mess of squabbling states, and I still can’t remember why.

And most of the rest of the continents are just kinda...there. Like, the Mishik come from a different continent entirely, as do the Xinfanese, but those aren’t visited during the course of the plot because the thing focuses on stopping an impending apocalypse that the Kaltekan Civil War allowed to happen.

It’s their responsibility.

2.Do you have any maps(you don’t need to post the map)? What was your favorite part of developing your geography?

Cooking the macaroni afterward.

3.Does your story have magic? What are its limitations, if yes?

They do have magic, but the upper limit varies from person to person…and being to being. It’s usually a question of what’ll kill you first. That’ll be your limit. Creatures born in the Dreamscape have an instinctive grasp of magic, though they may not be the strongest, and can generally only cross over to the real world when either stumbling through a random hole or finding a human counterpart to latch onto.

Dragons are… another story. They’re basically mid-tier gods, and they can’t walk the mortal world without a vessel.  

4.Does your main antagonist believe in god?

Well, dragons all do. They have a memory of their ancestors literally meeting the gods, wayyy back in their mythology.

5.Do you have secondary villains?

At least three, yeah.

6.How many words are your drafts?

I have no fuckin’ idea.

7.What is your favorite method of outlining?

Not to do so?

8.Which one of your ocs is queer?(if multiple, mention them all!)

Uh. The ones that I remember off-hand:

Oceanus (demihet bi)

Alena (demipan)

Khalil (aro pan)

Tirane (bi)

Riyaz (aroace)

Mitra (agender aroace)

Lumina (demibiro het)

Naviyd (aro demibi)

9. If you took your ocs for one story and put them in an au, what au would you choose? (Stealing from above cause this was a fun question)

CYB, natch.

10.Which of all the names in all your books, including characters, places, animals etc., is your favorite?

The names?

Hm.

I think my favorite stroke of brilliance was Lumina’s name in the first place. Sure, it means “light” in at least one language, but the fun part is that it’s also an unit of measurement for levels of light. Once I realized I could make a theme, I started spreading it around. Her sister became Luxana, while her older niece is Alena, both of which mean “light” as well. Her family last name, adopted upon being raised to nobility, is also an old reference to how people used to measure light: Lambert. Her sister’s last name now means “fire,” which is, again, a source of light.

And so on and so forth. There’s a theme.

I ain’t gonna tag anyone since it’s late and my brain’s fried. Night, all.

#ocs #ask games #oc asks #owlsofstarlight #Terramir Gang #Naviyd #Lumina #Alena #Oceanus

[3195c]

Scott Snyder Talks Joker Anniversary

2020.6

QUAINTANCE: Where did the idea to approach The Joker from the perspective of his victims come from?

SNYDER: We’ve done so much with him over the years. It’s always been in relation to Batman. I haven’t really had a chance to do a Joker story where it focuses on him without any sort of Batman presence in it, or to just define him. I’ve had a clear vision in my head of how my take on The Joker — I’ve done it with multiple artists — has worked from Black Mirror all the way through Last Knight on Earth. For me, he’s literally The Joker card to Batman, where he takes on any kind of value he can given Batman’s worse fears. He makes himself those to be able to win or fight Batman, always making him as strong as possible.

It’s almost that he’s making it his duty to challenge Batman with the greatest nightmares of his soul, and through that trial by fire make Batman better or kill him — one or the other. So, I wanted to do something here that really focused on how scary that is as a concept, how wonderfully malleable as a concept, and it’s why I think he’s so enduring, why there are so many version, why he has so many faces, so many looks, and why so many great creators over the years have done so many incredible interpretations over the years.

QUAINTANCE: A lot of times when you write villains, they have really clear and easy to understand motivations, but The Joker maybe less so. How do you approach figuring out what The Joker wants in any given story and why he’s doing what he’s doing?

SNYDER: What I tried to do with each story I told with Batman and him was focus on something I was really afraid of either for my kids or myself, something that was difficult to admit, and then have Batman face off with that thing in its most terrifying form, which was The Joker’s version of it.

For example, Death of the Family was a very personal attempt at that. We were pregnant of our second kid when I came up with that story, and I was terrified of being a bad father, being too selfish to be a good parent. I was thinking to myself, Batman must be wrestling at certain moments with similar demons in the way he has developed that incredible family at that time in continuity with all of these allies. He cares about all of them, but isn’t there some part of him that worries they might be a weakness. That’s where Joker comes in and says, wouldn’t you be the best Batman possible without your family. So, I’ll just kill them for you.

Whereas something like Endgame was much less about my personal fears and more about my fears for the moment, some of the things we all worried about. I was worried for my kids at that time about the kind of violence that erupts out of nowhere, and I felt like it was always in the news, making your daily actions feeling meaningless. The Joker was there celebrating those things, saying whatever you do, it doesn’t matter. There’s no action you can take that’s going to mean anything. Everything is at best meaningless, and at worst cruelty and savagery. That’s it.

I try to take a personal fear of mine at that moment and have Joker extend it to its worst possible version and have Batman face off with that. That’s my approach to using him. I wanted to define that here with something that’s not epic and weird and over-the-top.

QUAINTANCE: Well, with all the different work you’ve done with Joker, what do you hope to have added to the legacy of the character?

SNYDER: That’s a tough question and it’s hard for me to answer that. It’s less about me and what I’ve added. I just hope that I’ve done it justice as an incredible antagonist, one of the best antagonists in all of literature, just by trying to use my own personal fears and be honest about what I find terrifying, and about human nature and the world, having him express those in ways that are celebratory and cruel and evil, making him the demon that really tests us with our own worst imaginings and fears.

I love writing him. I feel like I had him exist in one form or another in pretty much every story I’ve done on Batman, from Black Man even through Superheavy or the beginning of Zero Year. He was the one consistent thread to everything I’ve written, Batman-wise, outside of All-Star. The strain Joker represented through all of that was this underlying anxiety that Batman would succumb to his own worst fears, whether he was the main antagonist or in the background.

And there’s so many different versions. I love Grant [Morrison’s] version where he’s hyper-sane and so he’s always emerging as a new wild version of himself because he reinvents his own personality. I love the [Batman: The Animated Series] version where he’s slightly more sympathetic, more of a common criminal at times, all the way to the more obsessive Frank Miller version. There’s so many great stories too; I just wanted this story to be the definitive version of our take and the way I see him, a dictionary definition for The Joker that has haunted my whole run, regardless of artist.

QUAINTANCE: I thought it landed incredibly well with that last page, and I wanted to ask you how did you come to end on that last page and what did you think when you got the art back from Jock?

SNYDER: Jock is one of my best friends at this point. He was the first artist who was a big name to take a chance on me when I was nobody. I had American Vampire when I did Detective, but Rafael [Albuquerque] was new as well. Jock was well-know already. He’d done big series and had had movie success. I remember convincing him at San Diego to take a chance on me with Black Mirror.

He was such a great partner, and we’ve done so much together since. He was the first person I asked to do this one with me, because I knew I wanted it to be really dark and unsettling. What I love about his art so much is that it seems to magnify emotion. It’s like looking through the world through a skewed lens, but instead of looking at things based on light or anything objectively optical, it maginifies things based on the underyling emotions. So when things are more scary or intense in a scene, the shadows amplify and the angles are skewed…but it’s still realistic and grounded. Then when things are bright and super heroic, he has a lightness to his lines that magnifies that and underscores.

So, when you do something that’s psychological or really claustrophobic like this, it’s a perfect fit. I knew I wanted to do this with him. I don’t ever want to say, ‘I’m never writing The Joker again!’ I love getting invited back to do these kinds of projects, but I don’t see myself writing anything Batman or Joker-related for any long period of time. I wanted to make sure I was ending with the guy I started with.

I mean, Batman and Joker are in Death Metal, so it’s not like I’m never going to be writing them again, but I don’t have any plans to focus on them as a protagonist or antagonist going forward.

The Joker 80 Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 is out Tuesday, June 9, with the first story being Scars by Snyder and Jock.

https://www.comicsbeat.com/snyder-and-jock-bring-what-started-in-black-mirror-full-circle-with-the-joker-80-year-special/

#Scott Snyder #2020 #Comic

[cathygeha]

The Watcher

by Bella Jewel

PRESS RELEASE

“72 HOURS will blow your mind on every page! The villain is truly haunting, with an evilness that leaves its mark and threatens to become a permanent fixture. The journey is harrowing, but well worth the literary upheaval. — Romantic Times Book Reviews

"A sexy, dramatic suspense that I didn’t want to put down!”  — Harlequin Junkie

“Sexy, irresistible, and lively, this story was addicting! I read it all in one sitting and I couldn’t get enough.”  — The Novel Tease

The Watcher By Bella Jewel

Bella Jewel’s self-published novels hooked a whole audience of readers in and landed her on the USA Today bestseller list. Jewel debuted in print with 72 HOURS in April, hooking readers with her tense romantic suspense. Now she continues the series with THE WATCHER (St. Martin’s Press; May 30, 2017), another thrilling novel. When her sister goes missing, a woman must confront her horrific past with the help of the sexiest man she's ever met.  

After killing the serial killer who kidnapped her, Marlie Jacobson became famous overnight. She never wanted the fame and left to live in the shadows. But when her sister disappears, Marlie returns home and enlists the dangerously handsome, world-famous tracker Kenai Michelson to help find her missing sister.  

Kenai agrees to work with Marlie, and as they grow closer, they can’t deny the powerful desire simmering between them. As their relationship heats up, the investigation takes a terrifying twist: is the serial killer who kidnapped Marlie back from the dead? And what lengths will Kenai go to protect the woman he loves?

A nail biter from start to finish, Jewel’s new venture into romantic suspense is enthralling and will have you cheering on Marlie and Kenai as they track down a terrifying serial killer. THE WATCHER is a tightly spun plot with serious heat between the pages. This is only the start to Jewel’s new series as she will follow with her next romantic suspense book Blind Date this August.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:  Brittani Hilles, Publicist, St. Martin’s Press [email protected] | 646-307-5558

About the Author USA Today bestselling author Bella Jewel is a fun-loving Australian who lives in sunny Queensland with her two playful daughters. She’s been writing since she was fifteen and has authored a broad range of stories with wild characters ranging from bikers to pirates. When she’s not writing, Bella can be found kicking about on dirt bikers or riding horses. Bella has many more books planned for the future. She is the author of 72 Hours and The Watcher.

THE WATCHER By Bella Jewel Published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks **On Sale May 30, 2017** Mass Market Paperback | $7.99 ISBN: 9781250108388 Ebook ISBN: 9781250108395

For more information, or to set up an interview with the author, contact: Brittani Hilles at [email protected] or 646-307-5558

Praise for 72 HOURS:

“An intriguing and engaging romantic suspense, grab a copy of 72 HOURS for some hair-raising reading.” — Romance Reviews Today  

“I was feeling the whole Hunger Games meets Saw type of vibe throughout the entire book, and I was GLUED to the pages!” — Garden of REden

"A wonderful and intriguing storyline, an enjoyable and engaging read, a thrilling and fascinating journey into the mind of a wicked and depraved killer…If you are a Bella Jewel fan, a lover of romantic suspense, and enjoy a good thriller, you will definitely want to give this story a try.” — Nose Stuck in a Book

“If you like heart pounding drama, bossy alpha males, truly psychotic antagonists, and real emotions, 72 HOURS is a great read. You will be pulled in almost from the start.” — The Book Disciple  

“If you are a fan of extra twisted villains, and love a good suspense chase, you so want to grab a copy of 72 Hours ASAP. You will love it. Bella Jewel did an incredible job. 72 HOURS is a thrilling adventure.” — Book Briefs

EXCERPT

Chapter One

Seven Years Later

Chirp chirp. Groaning, I throw my hand over my face. Morning already? Another day?  Really. It seems I only went to bed five minutes ago, how could it possibly be time to wake up? The dramatic singing of the birds outside indicate that it is, in fact, morning, and that means I’ve made it to see the light of another day. Another lonely, dragging day of misery. Okay, that’s slightly dramatic, but what can I say? It’s my life now. More loud chirping makes me throw my arm from my face and slap it down on the bed beside me. “All right, I’m up,” I grumble, attempting to sit. My body aches and my head is pounding. It seems I wake up this way more often than not ONE Seven Years  Later 033-68774_ch01_3P.indd   7 4/18/17   10:45 AM 8 BELLA JEWEL

these days. The doctor tells me it’s all in my head, that  there is nothing physically wrong with me anymore. He  didn’t get his entire body beaten with a bat, so what the hell would he know? I feel it  every time I move. My legs mostly. An ache that seems like it’ll never leave, a soreness in my muscles that I’m constantly trying to stretch out. I shove myself up to a sitting position, and stare out the win dow. I see nothing but trees. Just a vast expanse of skinny, yet lush, trees.  There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, and that’s the honest truth. I bought this tiny, one- bedroom cabin just outside of Colorado Springs for a bargain three years ago. The owner gave me a  great deal  because he had an emergency with his  family and needed to sell it urgently. It was a dream come true for me. I left my home in Denver just before that, around the time I went from being a nobody to a famous serial killer survivor. I  don’t say this lightly. Fame didn’t come as a relief; it came as my own personal hell. I was suffering serious  mental instability, but my  mother figured, Hey, why not put my  daughter in the spotlight by writing a novel about her horrible ordeal with a deranged psychopath? I’ll never forget the hours she sat, talking to reporters, the police, and me about what happened. She managed to piece together enough information to make a bestseller. Seemed like a solid plan. The book took off, became massive overnight. So did I. 033-68774_ch01_3P.indd   8 4/18/17   10:45 AM THE WATCHER 9 Then came the time I  couldn’t walk down the street without being noticed by someone. If it wasn’t insane requests for autographs—  Really, who does that?—it was  people staring at me like I was a zoo animal. They  were  either too afraid to talk to me, scared no doubt that I might have a  giant breakdown, or wanted to ask me a million nonsensical questions about my kidnapping. As if they were casually discussing a movie and not a  human life. I played along for a while, for the sake of my family— mostly for my widowed  mother, who was smiling for the first time since my  father died only a year before my kidnapping. But  later, I strug gled with knowing that her happiness came from exploiting my pain.  After all, her  daughter nearly lost her life, but then, she was making millions from my story, so what the hell, right? I was suddenly a survivor. The girl who got away. The brave one. The one who got a second chance at life. I  didn’t want any of that. I  don’t know why I  didn’t pack up and run earlier, but the truth is I  didn’t even know my name most days. Intense therapy and  people screaming for my story on the street made my already traumatized mind shut down. I lived most days like a zombie, moving through life purely  because I had to, not  because I wanted to. Instead of supporting me, my  mother made my ordeal about her. Resentment lives deep in my chest daily  because of that. 033-68774_ch01_3P.indd   9 4/18/17   10:45 AM 10 BELLA JEWEL

Because she  wasn’t  there for me when she needed to be.  Because she  didn’t help me when I was suffering.  Because she  didn’t comfort me when I’d wake up screaming from the nightmares. The god- awful nightmares. Even now, I see his face  every time I close my eyes. My therapist assures me it  won’t be this way forever. I think she’s wrong. I think it’ll be this way for the rest of my life. I just  don’t see how talking to someone about it is  going to take away the fact that he’s in my head, and I’m damned sure he’ll never leave. But I’m surviving, now that I’m out  here, on my own; I’m making it through. Some days I  don’t know how, but I think the solitude helps. No reporters. No  family members. No walking down the street with judgment. No fear. It’s just me. I feel safe, which is something I  haven’t felt in such a long time. I throw myself out of bed and my knees protest angrily, but I push on. I  don’t need any more reminders about what he did. My knees like to keep my mind in the past. Part of the reminder is my fault, I guess.  After all, I picked the worst job  there is for weak knees— waitressing. In my defense, living this far out of Denver, it was  really the only option for me. My boss is understanding. Mostly. Except for days like  today, when I sleep in. I  don’t need to work. In fact, I prob ably  won’t 033-68774_ch01_3P.indd   10 4/18/17   10:45 AM THE WATCHER 11 need to work for the rest of my life, but I refuse to touch money that has come from a monster and the story he created for me. I gave most of it to my mom, but in my own account  there’s a good few million that I  don’t touch. It just keeps growing and growing as the book continues to sell. I  don’t want it. I  don’t think I’ll ever want it. I half walk, half flail, to my closet and pull out my work clothes, which consist of a short black mini skirt and a tight tank top. The diner is a  little run- down, so my boss insists on making it more attractive by making us look more attractive. I wear leggings  under my skirt,  because the scarring on my knees is far too hideous. My boss is fine with it. I think he knew he  didn’t  really get a choice. Without time for a shower, I drop my nightie and pull the clothes on, before throwing my hair up into a ponytail and jerking on some shoes. There, I’m ready. I groan my way out into the tiny kitchen and head straight to my coffee machine, praying I remembered to set it for this morning. When it roars to life, I sigh happily. Thank the heavens. I take my coffee and pour it into my travel mug. And then I grab my keys and rush out the door. I really need to set an alarm, but that would mean committing to something, and this year I’ve promised myself I’ll just let life take me where it wishes. Yeah right, who am I kidding? I just find comfort in my bed, and most nights it takes me so long to

Bella Jewel - the author

#Bella Jewel #Brittani Hilles #St. Martin's Press #Romantic Suspens