#THAT being said. my wardrobe is of course 80% black and the rest is either dark blue or green or fan shirts but i just... | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

resslawx · 4 years

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Soo here goes my first post on tumblr :’D I’m not very familiar with it since I’m more active on my the blacklist fanpage on Instagram but I’m working on it! Normally I’m doing edits - mostly keenler ones - but some days ago I’ve written a keenler oneshot that takes place in the current blacklist universe :) I‘m not much of a writer but I tried my best! Lemme know if you want part 2 since this is only half of it. Also, English isn’t my native language so I’m sorry for any mistakes!

[Keenler oneshot pt. 1]

It was around 11 pm on a Friday night when his phone started to ring.

“Ressler?”

It had been a pretty long day, if not to say it had been hell of a week. They had to chase their current Blacklister all over the country, which is why they had to travel a lot. Given those circumstances it wasn’t hard to imagine how tired he was.

“Ressler, hey, it’s me.” By the time he’d realized who’s familiar - yet kinda hesitant - voice reached out to him through the phone, Ressler became much more awake.

“Liz? Is everything okay? Did something happen?”

“No, no everything’s fine. Well, almost. But since the word 'bad' has a pretty heavy meaning in our lives, I can’t use it in this case.”

Ressler could tell she’s been smirking slightly while saying her last words and automatically let out a relived breath. Over the last years it had become a typical habit of his to get worried about her when she called him at unusual times, duo to no work reasons.

She was right, the word 'bad' had another meaning for them and everyone in the Task Force than it hat to most people. But still, there must’ve been a specific reason she called him. He could tell by the sound of her hesitant voice.

“Well, I’m glad to hear it’s nothing bad, but uh, what’s the reason you called me then?” he answered, clearing his throat to hide the sleepy undertone of his voice. He definitely needed to catch up on a bunch of sleep. “Already missing me after traveling around almost 14 hours a day with me all week long?” he added, grinning softly.

On the other end of the line he could hear her chuckling a bit. Damn, he loved hearing those sounds she made, no matter how quiet they were.

“Of course Ress', I’m calling you at 11 pm on a Friday night, after being 2 hours at home and barely spending any time with my daughter because I’m bored.”

It was as if he could hear her rolling her eyes in amusement.

“No, to be honest that’s not the case. But uhm, the real reason might seem just as unnecessary.” she sighed “I just didn’t know what else to do.”

His heart skipped a beat as her last sentence made its way to his kinda slow-working brain. Once again it reminded him on the evening she told him how much she relied on him. How much she needed him. It was already some weeks ago but to him it seemed like it was yesterday.

“Just tell me” was all he said, making his way to the fridge to get some cold water.

Liz bit her lip. “Agnes has been sleeping calmly as I came home, which, honestly I’ve been really glad about. I just went in to give her a quick good night kiss and that was it. Until like half an hour ago..” she paused for a moment, as if she still wasn’t sure if this wouldn’t sound too.. dumb. After some seconds, she spoke again.

“I was just about going to bed, when Agnes ran out of her room, screaming in fear. Clinging to me, she told me she saw a... gigantic spider. Like really gigantic.. at first I thought she did have a nightmare or something but when she described her seeing in detail I started to believe her because to be honest, I’ve already seen a one like this in here but never told her. So anyways, I looked up her whole room but couldn’t find anything for like twenty minutes. Agnes is still freaking out, not wanting to calm down at all till we found that enemy..” Realizing she had spilled out half of her home story in like 15 seconds, she became quiet.

Ressler put down his water bottle, smiling slightly “lemme guess, the munchkin doesn’t want to sleep somewhere else either?”

“Yep, she truly isn’t up for any compromises. Won’t sleep in my bed, won’t believe the spider is more afraid of her than the other way around... won’t calm down at all.”

Ressler could tell Liz was just as exhausted as he was, not only by hearing the third heavy sigh leaving her body in a minute.

“I just uh.. you know.. Agnes always relaxes if you’re around and..”

“And you thought I’d come over to try to calm down your kid - at a time we can already call midnight?“

“I- I don’t know what I thought..” she went silent for a moment, clearly even more unsure about the whole thing than she was in the beginning. “You know what, forget it, I’m so-“

“Of course I will. Just gimme a minute to make my look at least a bit more bearable.“

He was already on his way to the wardrobe when Liz finally found her voice again.

“You really don’t have to, Ress’..”

No matter how tired he was, there was no way he wouldn’t notice the slight note of hope that had joined her voice.

And he wouldn’t let that slip away.

“It’s fine Liz. Let’s see if my charming aura is able to turn the munchkins head - preferably with her eyes getting closed again.”

——

Fifteen minutes later, Agnes was still hiding under a pillow on the couch, not wanting to get up and possibly face the terrifying spider.

“Honey, I’m sure your little guest left already. Through the window, the door..” Liz said sitting down next to her, stroking her daughters little arm.

Her eyes shifted to the clock. It was already half past 11 and her eyes became heavier with every minute that passed. But not only they did. She could feel every single bone in her body aching, pleading for at least some hours of sleep. Some hours of rest. 'To hell with Reddington and his cat and mouse games' she thought. The main reason why they had to travel that much to follow their target was Reddington - what a surprise. They had been so close, already close enough to catch the guy. But Red decided to do the man a favor and play his own game.

Again.

“No mommy, the spiwder didn’t go awawy...” Agnes answered in a muffled voice, the pillow still pressed on top of her face.

It was only when they heard a gentle knock on the front door when she abruptly pulled her protection shield away and looked up at her mother, the eyes wide.

“Can spiwders knock on doors???”

“No, they can’t. I promise” Liz said getting up “But I know someone who can.” she ran her fingers through her daughters hair and walked to the door.

When she opened it she was immediately greeted by the warmth her partner - who was leaning on the doorframe - always was surrounded with. At least to her.

He looked good and bad at the same time. Wearing a dark blue sweater and a black pair of jeans he looked so different than she was used to. And she loved it. She could hardly believe there was anything he couldn’t wear - she just still wasn’t sure of the imagination of him in tights yet.

But she could tell he was exhausted, even more than her. They had to do most of the traveling by car and while she got at least some hours of sleep in their endless car driving sessions, Ressler always insisted on being the driver.

Suddenly Liz felt even worse for calling him.

“Hey you” Ressler said, tilting his head slightly and offering her a smile. “Your knight on the white horse has come to save the day.. Okay, more like the night.”

Smiling softly, Liz placed a hand on his upper arm.

“I can’t believe I really did this to you.. you look pretty bad.”

“Thanks, that’s what I love to hear. Guess my attempt to look bearable has failed, huh?“ His eyebrows raised in seriousness but Liz could catch a small grin on his lips.

Why was she even looking at his lips?

“Nah, your look is.. okay” She said with a quick wink “But you deserve at least some hours on your own, getting some sleep, before we have to go out there again..”

Resslers grin turned into a caring smile “And so do you, which is why we’re doing this together now.”

With these words he entered the apartment, just to be immediately seen by the reason of his showing up herself.

“Donnie!” Agnes let go of the pillow, standing up on the couch. Still afraid of touching the ground again, she reached out to their visitor.

“Heyy sweetheart, there you are!” Ressler was with her in a few steps, picking her up. The kid reflexively wrapped her arms around him and snuggled her face into his neck.

Liz heart warmed at the sight of her daughter cuddling into her partners arms like this. It always did. Every time Agnes was with him she seemed happy in a way she rarely was. Both of them did.

She could tell the little girl felt safe with Ressler, especially when she was in his arms. That was something mother and daughter had in common.

“I’ve heard there’s some intruder who’s sneaking around here?” Ressler said, loosening himself a bit from the munchkin to be able to face her. Still clinging to him Agnes nodded.

“There‘s a biwg spiwder..”

“Eww, we don’t want spiders in our rooms, right?”

She shook her head in agreement “But mommy saiwd it’s gone.. it‘s hiding somewhere!“

“Hmm.. Let’s take a look then” He leaned closer to her ear “See if mommy’s eyes aren’t so good anymore.”

Agnes giggled, while Liz gently slapped Resslers arm, before folding her own ones. “Hey, I heard that! It’s not like I’m 80 or something - in fact you are the oldest one here.”

“The older the wiser.” Ressler simply said, already moving to Agnes’ room.

He quickly scanned the room for its best hiding spots and looked them up. The little girl still refused to get on the floor again, but since she could stay in the arms of one of her favorite playmates, she stopped whimpering. Liz went through the room herself once more, with as less luck as before. And so did Ressler.

Ten minutes later they gave up.

“I told you..” Liz sighed, rubbing her eyes. 'Stop burning' she thought. Her daughter kept looking back and forth between the partners, clearly expecting them to come up with a solution.

It was just when she was about to start complaining again that Ressler sat down on the edge of her bed.

“You know what sweetheart?” placing her on his lap, he looked around. “Your bed is the perfect place for a fortress.”

“A fowrtress?” Agnes followed his gaze.

“Yeah. Look, when you don’t know where the enemy you’re fighting is hiding, you protect yourself. You’re simply hiding better - just as if you would play hide and seek.”

Nodding slightly, but still being a bit unsure, the girl looked up at him again.

“In this case, the enemy we’re fighting is soo weak, you’re way stronger than it. And smarter all the way.” He poked her nose and earned a smile “So, if we build a cave on top of your bed - like a little fortresses - you’ll be safe and win the game.”

Liz couldn’t help but smile. ‘Good move, mr. Iamjustdoingmyjob. You know how much she loves building caves.’

Soon after, Agnes eyes were full of excitement while she was happily throwing every pillow she had on top of her bed. Liz and Ressler didn’t need to do much, they just brought her some of the bigger pillows which belonged to the couch so her cave would be build on some stable ground.

Leaning in the doorframe the adults watched their little one finishing her work.

“Done!” Agnes called proudly, crawling into her safe space and looking at them.

“It looks amazing honey” her mother said, kneeling down in front of her daughters bed so she wouldn’t destroy the building.

“You think you can sleep now?”

Snuggling into her blanket, Agnes nodded, her eyes suddenly becoming heavy again.

“Looks like someone’s adrenaline rush is over now” Ressler went over to them, sitting down next to Liz.

It was kinda hard to decide who he should watch in this moment. The adorable little girl who was laying in front of them and showed him one more time how much she trusted him, or her mother - his partner - who looked so lost in thought that he could tell she wasn’t in this room anymore.

Both seeings were cute in his opinion.

“...And you’re suwre it won’t hurwt me..?“

Liz flinched a bit, clearly getting ripped out of her deep thoughts she was in. None of them had realized Agnes wasn’t fully asleep yet. Before she could even react, Ressler made her heart swell once more.

“It won’t. Pinky promise.” He gently brushed a strand of hair out of the munchkins face and leaned over, placing a lovely kiss on her forehead. The girl smiled, satisfied, and finally drifted into a deep sleep.

#keenler #the blacklist #donald ressler #elizabeth keen #fanfic

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abigailnussbaum · 3 years

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Legends of Tomorrow, Season 5

I was going to write weekly reviews of this season, and then with one thing and another ended up dropping it in the spring (hey, remember when there was so much weekly TV that you couldn’t keep up with all your shows? Wonder how long it’ll be before that happens again). I caught up with the entire season this weekend, and honestly, that feels like a better standpoint from which to write about it - I think if I’d stuck with weekly reviews, I would have ended up saying the same thing week after week.

A couple of years ago, Emily VanDerWerff suggested that there is a standard lifecycle for high-concept, large ensemble, off-the-wall genre shows:

Season 1: still figuring this whole thing out

Season 2: now we’re cooking with oil

Season 3: we can do anything!

Season 4: whoops, no, we’ve gotten a bit over our skis here

Season 5: ???

Legends, I think, encapsulates this progression to a T. The show’s second and third seasons were some of the best and most exciting genre storytelling on television, but last year was a bit of a mess. That’s not entirely the writers’ fault - Nick Zano’s limited availability due to family obligations forced them to beef up the Time Bureau’s role in the season, and their desire to keep Maisie Richardson-Sellers on board even after Amaya’s story had wrapped up led them to create a character, Charlie, who had no real reason for being on the Waverider. But a lot of it was self-inflicted. The cast was too unwieldy, the Time Bureau story seemed designed to expose the thin spots in the show’s self-presentation as irreverent but fundamentally compassionate (it certainly didn’t help that the decision to rewrite Nate Sr. into a good guy was made almost at the last minute, requiring the entirely unconvincing argument that forcing magical creatures to perform in a circus act is somehow morally superior to forcing them to be secret agents), and some of the character choices felt entirely parachuted in (Zari/Nate, anyone?).

Season five, therefore, had a lot of clean up work to do, while also demonstrating that the Legends formula had more life in it than just those two transcendent early seasons. And while this is undeniably a more successful, more enjoyable season than the one preceding it (which also does a great deal to address some of the show’s structural issues, chiefly the overlarge cast), I also can’t help but notice that instead of finding new places for the show to go, what the fifth season delivers instead is a hodgepodge of story elements from seasons two and three. So we’ve got a mystical object that can rewrite reality (The Loom of Fate vs. season two′s The Spear of Destiny); a token hunt across time and space in which the Legends face off against the estranged relatives of one of their members (the totems in season three vs. the search for the pieces of the loom, Amaya’s evil granddaughter vs. Charlie’s evil sisters); a late season loss that forces our characters into a nightmarish alternate reality in which they don’t even remember who they are (the Legion of Evil rewriting the Legends’ lives to make them ordinary and unsatisfying vs. being stuck in TV shows in a world run by the Fates); which comes about because of a betrayal by a member of the team (Charlie in season five, Mick in season two) whose eventual return to the fold enables to Legends to win in the end. There’s even an abandoned, abused girl who has turned evil, and has to be won back to the side of good through the offer of true companionship and understanding (Nora Darhk vs. Astra Logue).

This isn’t exactly a bad thing - a lot of these storytelling beats cut to the very core of what Legends is and what makes it work, so it’s not necessarily wrong for the show to repeat them. And even if the basic structure is the same, Legends just keeps getting more adventurous in how it delivers that structure. I’ve already written about how well done the season’s mockumentary episode was, and the same can be said for the 80s slasher movie riff, the Mr. Rogers parody, and of course, “The One Where We’re Trapped on TV”. Like the multiple universe episode in season four, these are things the show couldn’t have done when it was just a few seasons old, and they’re proof that whatever other issues it has, Legends is constantly pushing the envelope in terms of the kind of tropes and genres it can graft onto a superhero template. That said, there’s a very real possibility that this is all the show will ever be - a standard story template, enlivened by increasingly gonzo riffs on existing tropes.

Some more thoughts on where the season worked and where it didn’t below.

THE GOOD:

I really hated the decision to make Nora a fairy godmother in season four, not least because it felt like yet another way of infantilizing her (it certainly didn’t help that it was a choice she was forced into, and that she spent the remainder of the season catering to the every whim of Gary, a character I still have very mixed feelings towards). But season five really reclaims that choice. Having Nora embrace the fairy godmother life as a way of both helping children and working through her own issues makes a lot of sense, and the character feels happier and more confident than we’ve ever seen her (certainly a step up from how gloomy she was last season). I even like the wardrobe change - once the fairy godmother dress was ditched except for specific occasions, having Nora dress all in teal is a nice touch, and certainly an improvement over her rather boring season four wardrobe. I still think Legends missed a lot in how it handled Nora last season (I will never stop being annoyed that she and Sara didn’t develop a deeper friendship, given how similar their life trajectories have been), but this was a good way of righting the ship, even in a very limited timeframe.

I already mentioned this in the episode review, but watching the rest of the season really cemented my admiration for how quickly the show embeds Behrad into the crew, and makes it feel as if he’s always been there. That’s all the more impressive given that Behrad doesn’t really get an arc in season five. Most of that storytelling energy goes to establish Zari 2.0, and Behrad is, of course, absent for much of the latter half of the season. And yet he feels almost instantly like a fully-rounded character who is integral to the show, so much so that you’re heartbroken by his death (and convinced that it will be rolled back, even though Zari could easily take over his superpower). That’s really excellent work by both the writers and Shayan Sobhian.

I was a bit nervous when Zari 2.0 was introduced, because replacing a heroic, cool-girl-coded, nobly self-sacrificing character with a version of herself who is extremely femme-coded and obsessed with things like fashion and social media is the sort of move that is ripe for easy misogynistic point-scoring in the guise of feminism - of course the Zari who is good with machines and eats donuts is superior to the one who has a perfume line and spends hours in the bathroom every morning! But the show very quickly established that Zari, though certainly not without her flaws, is awesome in any guise, and it did so without trying to change her into “our” Zari, eventually even establishing that they are two completely different people, each with a right to exist (though not simultaneously, unfortunately). I get why the show didn’t keep both Zaris around - it would be asking a lot of Tala Ashe to play two characters, much of the time against herself, not to mention a production nightmare - but I appreciate that it didn’t decide that Zari 2.0 was the lesser version. (Also a nice touch: Behrad, though obviously fond of Zari 1.0, doesn’t think of her as “his” sister, even though to us she’s the “real” version of the character.)

Similarly, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when Ava moved to the Waverider full time - obviously, it would be an improvement on her playing a tinpot fascist at the Time Bureau while the show pretended that this wouldn’t really bother Sara, but at the same time Sara and Ava are both so similar in their functions and abilities that I worried they’d step on each other’s shoes. Instead, the show leaned into their differences and made the season about Ava finding her place as captain of the Waverider, a role she fills in very different ways than Sara while still doing a good job at it. It also allowed her to expand her point of view a little - bonding with Zari 2.0, or reaching out to Astra, both things that would have been outside of her comfort zone in the past. Obviously, this is setup for Ava taking over as captain in season six now that Sara has been abducted (though I hope not for very long - Legends isn’t Legends without Sara), but good on the show for taking the time to bring Ava to a point where she’s ready for this, and in a different way from Sara.

And speaking of looking ahead, the show takes the wise step of thinning out its cast. Personally, I would have kept Ray, Nora, and Mona and written off Constantine and Nate (and possibly also Gary), but either way, it’s good that the writers realized their cast was getting unwieldy. I was concerned, for example, that the show figuring out what to do with Charlie and giving her an elaborate backstory was a sign that she would stay on, but instead she leaves once that story is resolved. And I think that in an earlier season, Astra would have been positioned to stay on the Waverider after the end of the season, but instead she’s clearly a one-off character, who goes off to live her own life once the show has brought her story to a satisfying conclusion. (This also, however, means that Legends has written off two black women in a single season, not to mention Mona, and in fact has only one WOC main character remaining; I hope that’s something season six addresses.)

THE BAD:

I realize that I am very much in the minority on this, but I’m sorry: John Constantine does not belong on Legends of Tomorrow, and certainly not as a main character. Season five feels, in fact, like a perfect demonstration of this simple truth. The early parts of the season feel like two different shows, the Legends show and the Constantine show, that happen to have some points of intersection and shared characters. And even once those storylines converge, it’s notable how John’s quest for the Loom of Fate very quickly becomes Astra’s quest for it, and then Charlie’s, and how they both feel more grounded in that story and more affected by it than he was. What it comes down to, once again, is that John Constantine is a character who can’t change, and putting him on a show that is all about change and growth can’t help but feel unsatisfying for both the character and the show. Season five tries to suggest that change is possible for him - he finally comes clean with Astra and make a real apology to her; he admits that his pursuit of magic has cost him relationships and a chance at happiness; he reaches out to his friends when he thinks his life is about to end; he even quits smoking. But the character just doesn’t have that much give in it. To be John Constantine, he has to be the cynical, arrogant, self-destructive fuck-up we’ve always known. On a show like Legends of Tomorrow, that can work in small doses, but not as the main character that Constantine has been positioned as.

Though I’m glad that the show figured out something to do with Charlie before writing her off, the similarities between her story and Mick’s can’t help but shed a light on how poorly thought out this character has been, and how much her season five story is parachuted in. When Mick betrays the team at the end of season two, it’s barely a season after they’d put him off the ship for being perennially untrustworthy, leading to him becoming their nemesis. They only take him back out of pity for the decades of torture he suffered, and sympathy for the loss of his only friend, Captain Cold. His betrayal is a direct outcome of those cracks in the relationship - he does it because he wants to live in a world where he hasn’t been hurt or hurt others, and where his friend is still alive. When he changes his mind at the end of the season, it’s a culmination of two seasons of character growth, the realization that holding on to the pain in his life is worth it if it means he gets to keep the friendships he formed on the Waverider, and to continue to grow as a person - as expressed by his choice to put Snart back in his timeline, where he will become a better person (and eventually inspire Mick to do the same) but will also die. Charlie’s very similar storyline just doesn’t have this kind of depth. Neither her heel turn nor her face turn feel particularly earned, and a lot of that has to do with the fact that it took the writers so long to figure out who this character even was.

For a season of Legends, this was an awfully heteronormative stretch of episodes. Sure, Sara and Ava are still center stage, and that’s fantastic. But every other romantic relationship in the season, and there are quite a few of them, is a straight one. You might blame this on the fact that season five is a housecleaning season, wrapping up dangling storylines like Ray/Nora or Nate/Zari. But even the new characters like Behrad or Lita express only opposite-sex attraction (I guess Astra never demonstrates a preference). I mean, if you give John Constantine two different love interests in a single season and they’re both women, surely something has gone terribly wrong?

And speaking of John Constantine’s love interests, is putting him together with Zari meant to make the old her’s romance with Nate look organic and true to the characters in comparison? Because I can’t think of another reason for it. Do not want.

THE UGLY:

Words cannot express how much I hate the Damien Darhk episode. Not all of it, obviously - the Mr. Rogers riff, as I said, is pretty good (and pays off handsomely later in the season), and pretty much all the Ray/Nora stuff, especially the moment where she realizes she’s not going to lie to her father about the man she loves and the life she’s chosen, are golden. But it is simply mind-boggling that after two seasons in which Nora was firmly established as the survivor of a lifetime of abuse, Legends takes an entire hour to not only rehabilitate Damien, but pretend that he was always a loving father who just made some mistakes. For crying out loud, the man fed his daughter to a demon in order to gain power for himself. It was always an interesting wrinkle in his character that he clearly saw himself as a loving, protective parent, and was even capable of some level of self-sacrifice on Nora’s behalf, but I had assumed that the show realized this was at least partly a self-serving lie. To discover that we’re actually meant to think that one act of sacrifice cancels out a lifetime of abuse is nauseating. I wanted Nora to stand up to her father, but as a victim calling out her abuser, not a loving daughter trying to renegotiate a relationship with an overprotective parent. It certainly doesn’t help that the episode features inexplicably popular wedding story tropes, such as the groom asking the bride’s father for permission to marry her, or the father trying to keep the couple from physical intimacy before the wedding, which are gross in any context but especially so here. I suppose in the end it’s all worth it to be rid of Damien once and for all, but I was squirming with discomfort and rage throughout the entire episode.

#legends of tomorrow

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beastsoulsauthor-blog · 6 years

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Beast Souls Volume 2

Beast Souls Vol. 2

By Aaron McCoy

2/26/2015

(Scene: We start with Blaze looking over the sheet. As he hears a rush of feathers he steps outside excited. Stepping outside he finds Argyl arriving with a young blonde boy about 4’11 feet tall. The boy has a bowl-type cut with rough bangs. The boy has a “scraggly scholar” look, a white dress shirt with brown vest (both wrinkly) along with a loosened tie. Think old style London prep school. With khaki shorts and slip on loafers.)

Blaze: “Is THAT him!?”

Argyl: “Yes, may I introduce to you, the young master Eugene.”

Eugene: “How do you do? It is good to meet you.”

(Scene: Holding out his hand for a handshake, Blaze kind of ignoring it)

Blaze: “You’re shorter than I thought you’d be! Argyl, you SURE this the same guy from the sheet? The sheet said this guy was a “Combat Specialist”.”

(Scene: Pulling his hand back Eugene shrugs and states)

Eugene: “You’re more brash, and vulgar than I thought a LEADER would be.”

Argyl: “Easy you two. Yes, Blaze, he is a combat specialist. No one is better at disposing of threats in an effective manor with minimal effort and damage to surrounding area. He’s also a master strategist.”

Blaze: “Strategy doesn’t mean SQUAT in the heat of the moment. Instincts will get you farther in a fight than some lame chess-like moves!”

Eugene: “Excuse me? You do realize I’ve caught twice as many rouge souls as you, and with HALF the collateral damage. Do you realize how much work you create for the society when you go burning buildings and trees to the ground!?”

Blaze: “Yeah, SO!? What’s a few trees and buildings when it comes to the safety of the world?”

(Scene: As they are replying and forth they get closer and closer until they are nose-to-nose)

Eugene: “Sure, burn down someone’s home or business just to catch an AMATEUR user. Cause THAT’s necessary!”

Blaze: “IT IS WHEN I FIGHT PIP SQUEEK!”

Eugene: “EXCUSE ME YOU FIREY FRAT BOY!?”

Argyl: “ENOUGH!”

(Scene: As Argyl yells the two immediately stop and turn toward him hands by their side.)

Argyl: “You guys will HAVE to get along. If you are going be Proud Souls, then this is who you must work with. If you guys can’t manage to get along then the whole thing will be called off and you BOTH can go back to hunting amateurs for the rest of your lives! Do you WANT that!?”

Blaze and Eugene: “No Sir!”

Argyl: “Good. Then try to understand each of you has different strengths. These strengths complement one another. You’ll find this in time. For now, get along for your own sake. I will be bringing you your first order in a couple hours. Feel free to explore your new home and get settled in.”

Blaze: “Alright, I guess its fine, just try not to slow me down in the field ok Eugene?”

Eugene: “and YOU try not to BURN the field.”

(Scene: As Argyl disappears the two head into the house to sort out their bags and explore their new home. The following scenes show the two heading through the house and finding the same exact room they want in a comical fashion. At the last moment both realize they are setting up a bed in the same exact room)

Blaze: “What do you think YOURE doing!?”

Eugene: “Obviously I’m setting up my living space.”

Blaze: “Oh, no no no! Out this is my room!”

Eugene: “What!? No! This is the most tactical room! It is the first room on the first floor facing the entrance lot. A perfect view should we ever be attacked”

Blaze: “I don’t care about that, but the sun will come through the windows at JUST the right time of day.”

Eugene: “Good if we ever are attacked you can just stare into the sun”

Blaze: “and what’s THAT supposed to mean lab rat!?”

Eugene: “That you’d function better as a blind mascot than the leader! You Hot-head Punk!”

Ember: “Remember Blaze, Argyl told us we have to get along if we want to KEEP this position.”

Scene: (Blaze Takes a sigh and starts to continue to make his bed.)

Blaze: *SIGH* “Fine! Just keep your stuff over there.”

Eugene: “Gladly. After all it can be beneficial for the leaders of a unit to share a room.”

Blaze: “Yeah, sure…. whatever.”

Scene: (After a couple hours, while sitting in the kitchen the two hear the familiar flapping of Argyl arriving. He comes in the door before they can stand)

Argyl: “No need to stand. I can debrief you here.”

Scene: (Blaze and Eugene sit back in their chairs after glancing at one another.)

Argyl: “Your first mission will be in the far north. In the American State of Alaska. It appears something troubling is occurring with the magnetic fields which cause the Aurora Borealis. Lately scientist in the area say the lights have been dimmer, unpredictable, and one night they didn’t even show up at all. As you know this most likely indicates a Rouge Soul in the area. We believe he’s somehow using his powers, whatever they may be, to affect the magnetic fields in the area. We need you two to go investigate, find the reason, and if it’s a rouge soul……capture them.”

Eugene: “Hmmm……interesting, to affect such a grand scale astronomical magnetic field they are either a very special, or very powerful user.”

Blaze: “Good. I finally have an excuse to use my big guns!”

Eugene: "That's just the mindset that will get us in trouble!"

Argyl: "Regardless you should BOTH get going. I have feathers that will take you there now."

(Scene: Argyl shoots feathers forward as they touch Blaze and Eugene, the two explode into a burst of feathers)

(Scene: Reappearing now in a land of ice and snow. Alaska a barren coordinate with an outline of a science station in the distance.)

Eugene: "Holy hell! It's freezing! Brain, Jacket." Stuttering*

(Scene: The Brain appears floating just above them. A strange stereo-typical UFO shaped object, with a large-headed green man as its pilot. Underneath the UFO shaped object, a cone of light appears. Within that light; cloths and jackets start being threaded together as if by the light itself.)

Blaze: "Meh, I guess it is a little nippy?"

Eugene: "At least put cloths on to TRY and blend in!"

Blaze: "Alright, alright, I will."

(Scene: The cloths drop to the ground as Brain disappears. Blaze and Eugene begin picking up the clothing.)

Blaze: "WAIT! How did you do that!?"

Eugene: "What summon cloths?"

Blaze: "Yeah, PLEASE tell me you do more than that?"

Eugene: "OF COURSE I DO YOU IMBECILE! That was just one of Brains functions, Brain is my beast soul."

Blaze: "Oh yeah, what else can it do?"

(Scene: Blaze starts a floating fire keeping them warm as they quickly change, and Eugene explains.)

Eugene: “Brain can answer any logical question within reason. He uses my soul as direct energy “fuel” for the questions answer. The harder the question, the more of my soul’s energy is needed to answer. So, things like asking about the future, or questions concerning death and love are too strenuous. He can also manifest “inventions” if I can contemplate their creation in an adequate logistical manner. Essentially, he can make technology from about some 50 to 80 years in the future.”

Blaze: “Most of that kind of went over my head, but you’re saying he answers questions and spawns techno-marvels?”

Eugene: “Essentially, yes.”

Blaze: “That may actually be useful!”

Eugene: “And here I was just waiting on your approval of my usefulness.”

(Scene: As they finish with their conversation and wardrobe change they notice a set of concrete squares in the distance, some with large satellite dishes perched on top.)

Eugene: “That must be an arctic research facility lets go get more info on these strange events.”

(Scene: They approach the plain looking scientific buildings, as they approach the largest Eugene has a surprised look across his face.)

Eugene: “I almost forgot! Our paperwork!”

Blaze: “Paperwork?”

Eugene: “Of course! Why would these government scientists feel the need to answer two random strangers’ questions, furthermore how would we explain getting out here in the first place? We need a cover. I have just the thing, Brain two government ID’s please.”

(Scene: The Brain appears again above them spawning ID badges just the same as he did with the cloths before. The two don their badges.)

Blaze: “Says here we are “Fund Coordinators”?”

Eugene: “Indeed, nothing scares scientists into talking more than thinking they’re going to lose their funding.”

Blaze: “I see, so are we ready to knock NOW?”

Eugene: “Yes, but please, let me do most of the talking.”

(Scene: Scowling at this Blaze allows Eugene to rap the door. As it opens a pudgy man with disheveled black hair, clean shaven, and a lab coat opens the door. His name tag read “Dr. Belliam”. As he spots the two and sees their badges he frowns.)

Dr. Belliam: “What is the meaning of this, we were not supposed to be reviewed for another six months, and you guys never come out personally. Couldn’t you have called?”

Eugene: “I regret to say that a phone call would not suffice. We’ve been hearing about the strange reports of the lights not behaving like normal. We want to make sure this isn’t affecting our investments negatively.”

Dr. Belliam: “I see…Well we have been having, disturbances. Nothing yet, has disturbed our research. Come in and I will give you the details.”

Eugene: “Thank you sir.”

(Scene: The two follow the pudgy man down corridors till they reach his office. As they enter he motions them to sit and offers them hot coffee.)

Dr. Belliam: “A little something to warm you up. No one gets used to this level of cold I promise you that.”

(Scene: The two accept and begin sipping as the doctor goes into explaining.)

Dr. Belliam: “About two weeks ago our reading of the magnetic interplays of the Earth, the Sun, and the lights began showing what we call, regular irregularities. The magnetics are usually predictable down to a T, based on solar flare activity. Yet, every night around 3am, the readings above the frozen lake to the north go haywire. They spike sometimes, other times they disappear completely. The exactly location changes nightly. Also, it’s incredibly dark out there. Catching whatever is causing this anomaly is becoming impossible. We have been thinking of setting up cameras.”

Eugene: “I see, cameras would be an un-needed expense, I believe my partner and I’s government training will suffice. We will go out on the frozen lake tonight and locate where the strange readings are coming from.”

Dr. Belliam: “Are you sure? This could be dangerous we don’t know what’s causing it. Magnetic fields of that strength can be dangerous!”

Eugene: “As I said my partner and I can handle it.”

Dr. Belliam: “Well, who am I to argue with the government. You’re welcome as guests till tonight.”

Eugene: “We thank you for the hospitality. Is there a private room which my partner and I can discuss tonight’s operation?”

Dr. Belliam: “Certainly, I’ll show you two to your guest bunk.”

(Scene: The three head down more corridors until they come to a small room with two twin size beds, two bedside tables, two desks, and two couches.)

Dr. Belliam: “A bit modest, but I hope it serves.”

Eugene: “This will be fine, thank you.”

Dr. Belliam: “If you sort all this mess out I’ll be the one thanking you two!”

Eugene: “We can hope.”

(Scene: With a smile at the doctor Eugene begins to close the door as Belliam walks away. Once Eugene is sure he is far enough down the hall he turns to Blaze.)

Eugene: "Good we could convince him to let us handle it, even better he had not already set up cameras."

Blaze: "Yeah, I doubt normal people last very long against Soul users."

Eugene: "Yes, and the Society clean-up crew are sometimes not so clean."

Blaze: "Very true. What do we do until 1am?"

Eugene: "He did say we were guests. Perhaps we are entitled to a meal?"

Blaze: "Yeah! Now we're talking. Hard to get anything done on an empty stomach."

Eugene: "For once we both agree."

(Scene: Eugene uses the intercom system to request meals. Shortly after a rap on the door signals the arrival of food. After eating in silence awhile they speak.)

Blaze: "So, I've been thinking. Since I'm the leader of this unit, and you're my co-captain, we should know more about each other, right?"

Eugene: "I suppose. More info is hardly, if ever, a bad thing. What would you like to know?"

Blaze: "Your Beast Soul, it’s one of the most unique I've seen. Even its powers are strange. So, I'm curious, how did you come by your powers?"

Eugene: "It's not a pleasant story, though I'm sure most Beast Soul births aren't. I suppose I can tell you if you really wish to know.

Blaze: "Honestly, yes, I do. I've never had the chance to openly talk to another Beast Soul user casually."

Eugene: "Hmmm. A sentiment I can relate with. Alright, I'll tell you the story of how Brain came into being. It starts in the days of my early childhood."

(Scene: As Eugene Narrates we see images of the things he talks about, the bullies, the fancy boarding school, the birth of brain.)

Eugene Narrating: I grew up in a rich family. Naturally they shipped me off to boarding school in Welsh-lands as soon as possible. At this school the dumb kids were praised for their rugby ability and the smart kids were praised for their grades. While I've always been hyper intelligent, my ability to communicate this at the time was less than sub-par. Causing many problems for me. Both with grades, and with bullies. After years of being called "stupid" by cruel kids on both sides, I was broken. I didn't understand how everyone could consider me stupid. Then one day the bullies got particularly cruel. They started beating me, making fun of the way I talked, the observations in class I had made. As I struggled against them I remember thinking "This is how I die". I deeply wished that my mental strength somehow translated to real strength. That wish crystalized; hardened into something real using my fear of death as catalyst. Thus, Brain came into being. When he appeared in a flash of lights the bullies dispersed running confused away from my battered body.

(Scene: Back in the room now food and plates being stacked and collected.)

Eugene: "After that they avoided me. I couldn't help but use Brain for some harmless pranks against them. That's when Argyl first appeared with my warning from the Society."

Blaze: "I see. Thank you for sharing. I understand why Brain is what he is."

(Scene: A rap at the door signals food clean up. Afterwards Blaze and Eugene lay in their respective beds.)

Eugene: "So, what about you, how did your powers surface?"

Blaze: "Well, since you shared, I will too."

(Scene: A couple panels showing time passes and Blaze retelling his story from volume 1. After the story is over we see them getting comfortable again.)

Eugene: "Interesting. I believe our powers were highly reflective of circumstance and innate nature of character. I wonder if this is the case for most users."

Blaze: "I don't know. This is the most talking I've done to anyone NOT Ember in years. I'm exhausted."

Eugene: "That's understandable. We should rest before tonight anyways. Shall we take a nap?"

Blaze: "Sounds good to me!"

(Scene: At this comment they both get comfortable and shut off the lights. Eugene is sure to set the alarm for 12am. At 12am they are awakened by the alarm. They get dressed and prepare for the long cold walk to the frozen lake. As they leave they are stopped at the front door by the doctor.)

Dr. Belliam: "You guys going out to the lake? Here's a map to it so you don't lose your way. Please be careful, and let us know what you find."

Eugene: "Indeed we shall. Thank you."

(Scene: They grab the map and head into the cold night.)

(Scene: Being led by clues on the map, the two find themselves and a giant frozen lake where, in the distance, a strange man stands with arms and hands outstretched. At the end of those hands, black foggy orbs float ominously, seemingly affecting the northern lights above.) Blaze: "It seems the society was right, that's got to be a Beast Soul user!" Eugene: "Yes, those orbs, they must be linked to his power." Blaze: "We have the drop on him, this will be easy" (Scene: Before Eugene can argue, Blaze forms a Fire-Gun Finger shot and lets loose charging from cover. The man turns; stern stone-like features, blonde hair, and tall broad build. From head to toe dressed in an immaculate white suit with black accents and bright red tie. He raises a black orb to the flame, and it's absorbed completely) Blaze: "Neat! But there's more where that came from." (Scene: Charging forward Blaze begins bending Ember's flames to his will. The stoic figure and Blaze dance in a interplay of flames being absorbed by black fog-like orbs.) Stoic Figure: "Imbecile!" (Scene: The figure raises his right hand as a more solid black orb forms, as he does Blaze is sucked forward toward him violently) Blaze: "Waugh!" (Scene: Blaze flies through the air at high velocity toward the man, as the his broad figure pivots and slams Blaze's gut with a resounding bone-crushing punch.) Blaze: "Ugh" *coughing blood; passes out* (Scene: As Eugene curses, he stand from behind cover.) Eugene: "I've got it! Brain, Rad-Wave Pistol!" (Scene: Brain spawns beneath him in his regular fashion a small ray gun device. He turns toward the man standing over Blaze.") Eugene: "So you think you're strong because you pick on people smaller than you!? You think that’s what strength is? Try me." (Scene: Saying this he fires the gun, as a solid green bolt flies toward the man, he raises his hand and orb in defense but upon absorbing it there is an explosion) Mysterious figure: "Argh!" (Scene: As the smoke clears a purple glowing scar is shown across the man's right arm) Mysterious figure: (strong German accent) "Damn you both! You will regret this." (Scene: As the man says this he uses both hands creating an orb around himself. As it shrinks he disappears with it. Eugene turns to Blaze, frowning he finds the feather. Pressing it to his head the scene changes to a hospital. In a plain hospital suite Blaze lays asleep with Eugene at his side. Blaze slowly wakes.) Blaze: "Where, where am I?" Eugene: "In the hospital they have on this research base." Blaze: "What happened to the Rouge Soul?" Eugene: "I hurt him badly, but he escaped." Blaze: "Damnit, I wasn't strong enough!" Eugene: "Strength had nothing to do with it, you still don't see do you? He controlled gravity. His orbs sucked the oxygen out of your flames! That is WHY they were useless." Blaze: "...Then how did you defeat him." Eugene: "As soon as I realized what his power was, I knew what could stop him. An unstable particle under insanely high pressure becomes an atom bomb, so I fired a radioactive particle into his black orb." Blaze: "You defeated him in one shot..." (Scene: After this profound statement, Eugene nods softly as Blaze turns to look out the window. A long silence passes between them.) Blaze: "I'm sorry. I realize why you were made my co-captain. How you show your strength is different, but I respect it." Eugene: "No need for apologies. I thank you for the compliment. I admire your physical raw power as well. Between the two of us...there is nothing we cannot do." (Scene: Hearing this Blaze smiles, nods his head.) Blaze: "Thanks for saving my life, and next time we won't let our mark get away. Teamwork first from now on." (Scene: Saying this Blaze outstretches his hand) Eugene: "Teamwork first" (Scene: Eugene shakes firmly as the issue closes with a shot of them determinedly staring at one another smiling.)

#beastsouls #beast souls #comicstory #Comic story #fiction #creative writing #fantasy #manga inspired #comic idea #comic in progress

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praphit · 5 years

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She-Ra Season 3 - the search for her old behind

That's right! A She-Ra review.

I know that I'm not exactly the demographic.

So, let me explain.

How many of you are familiar with the beer "Tropical Bitch"? I know, it sounds made up, but it's a real thing.

It's actually a pretty good beer. If you like IPA's with a lil fruitiness and a lot of attitude, then TB could be the beer for you. This post brought to you by Flying Dog Brewery.

Well, I had more of the TB than I was striving for; I'm an overachiever. I had a host at a party who just kept chucking them at me. As soon as I finished one, another beer was flying towards my face - that's hospitality, ladies and gentlemen... and some damned fine enablement

I got home, went to my room, turned on Netflix, fell out on the bed, and what do I SEE??! - "She-Ra and the princesses of power"! - it was the new joint though, and season 3.

Now, new or old, I normally would have said "What the hell? Netflix, how dare you think that I'd watch this??!" and moved on, but I was bewitched by Tropical Bitches... plus the Sandman was creeping closer and closer to me. I think it was the Sandman (no one really knows what he or SHE looks like, right??), it could have been something paranormal/X-File-worthy... or maybe that homeless guy snuck into my place again.

Regardless, me, TB power, and the cuddling Sandman decided to watch "She-Ra". I didn't make it far, BUT what I remember... Whew!

Yeah, not much... but that won't stop me from reviewing it.

Like I said, She-Ra is new now... and YOUNG! Where did old She-Ra go? I was first introduced to She-Ra back when I was a kid, and I used to watch

He-Man!

He-Man was dope when I was a kid. Then, they brought in She-Ra, and we all thought they were gonna hook up!

But, years later, we remember He-Man, and...

I'm sure he hooked up with people, but not anyone who looked like She-Ra.

Old She-Ra's probably kickin about 60 now, right?? Madonna's 60. Madonna's still got it!

I mean, I’m not always sure what look she’s going for, but

...

But, she’s still got it!

Though Madonna had better be careful with those dance moves that she still does. She could twist the wrong way, and her hip bone could pop out; nothing sexy about that.

Sorry, is that not Madonna in there? My bad.

Regardless, this She-Ra issue is straight up ageism!

They probably said "It's reboot time!"

She-Ra shows up -

"What? No! Getcho old ass outta here! Nobody wants to see you dressed like that no more!" I bet you she put up a fight, and threatened to go to the papers! Now, while they shouldn't have been scared (cuz, c'mon, it's 2019... "THE PAPERS"??) she prob still "disappeared".

Her wardrobe though -

She'd grab the sword powered by feminism, grow to like 10 feet tall, and her skirt would shrink to like 4 inches in length.

C'mon, man! Now, y'all are doing that with a teenager?? Have some decency!

I saw a black dude in there. He was standing next to She-Ra in a band of princesses.

She-Ra did her growth thing, the black dude looked up to talk to her and... well, you can imagine. It was awkward. I want to know what happened to all of the other men, cuz he is the only one that my previously tropical-bitched mind can remember. And what did he have to endure in order to be the one guy left around... getting blamed for everything:)

Being the only guy in a room full of women - I've been there:

(watching Tv - Elizabeth Warren pops-up on the screen):

Woman 1 - "I love her so much!" Woman 2 - "Me too!" Woman 3 - "I'm drunk! I mean, me three!"

Woman 1 - "What do you think, lone guy?"

Lone Guy - "Yeah, I mean, she's aiight. I WAS riding with Hickenlooper. You know, he's name makes me laugh and all. But, yeah, she's ok."

Woman 1 - "Ok?? *shakin her head* Of course you're going to vote for a MAN, even one with a ridiculous last name."

Lone Guy - "No, it's not that."

Woman 1 - "Just wanna keep us down, don't you?"

Lone Guy - "... no?? Hey, why don't we change the channel?"

Woman 2 - "Mmmhmm" (changes channel - stops on a Nicki Minaj video)

Lone Guy - "Aw Yeah! That's my jam!"

Woman 2 - "I bet it is... Psssh, Oh my God, Woman 3, look at her butt. It's SO BIG. Lone Guy, you only like her cuz she looks like a total prostitute."

Woman 3 - "I think it's liberating to dress like that!"

Woman 2 - "Woman 3!"

Woman 3 - "Sorry. I meant I'M DRUNK!"

Woman 2 - "It's SO BIG! I can't believe it's just so round, it's like out there... I mean gross, look... she's just so...

Woman 1 - "Alright, alright, Woman 2. We're changing the station. Apparently, women are good enough to shake their asses in Lone Guy's face, but not good enough to run our country."

Lone Guy - "... *heavy sigh* Let's eat! What do you say??! (Long Guy eats some homemade pie). "Hmm! Woman 1, you made this, right?! It's delicious!"

Woman 1 - ("Hey, rambling Praphit, we DO have names!") Actually, my husband baked it. Ok? He let allowed me to leave the kitchen for a little bit." *glaring at Lone Guy*

Lone Guy - (taking a long gulp of vodka) "Did I mention how good you look in those jeans?"

Tammy (previously Woman 1) - "I know what you're doing... BUT THANK YOU :) *now all smiles*

Gladys (prevously Woman 2) - (thinking to herself - "Wait a minute, he told me that I look good in my jeans. Hmmmmmmm") *glaring at Lone Guy*

Becky (previously Woman 3) - "I'm drunk!" (she passes out)

---------------

This is his whole life.

I remember him raising his voice to the ladies at one point. He was like "She-Ra, we're going the wrong way!"

She-Ra: Are you telling ME what to do? Black Dude: "Well... it's just that you're holding the map upside down." She-Ra: "Oh, I'm a woman holding a map, please send the man to come explain it to me!"

Black Dude: "No, no... "

She-Ra: "You condescending asshole."

Black Dude: "I would never be that way with you... holding such a large, sharp sword.

*dead silence*

She-Ra: "Take him to the room!"

Black Dude: "Please no! Not again! I'll be good!"

She-Ra: "I'll deal with you later." --------------------

I don't know whether I dreamt this or not, but I visualize a room that She-Ra sends people to. We never know what goes on in there, but they hate going in, and they always leave crying and broken.

People, I didn't want to mention it, but there's some race stuff too!

There was a point when She-Ra and the team meet at an abandoned house. They want to sleep there.

Now, there's a Latina character named Catra, and she's drawn as a beast.

PEOPLE I'M JUST TELLIN YA WHAT I SAW. She-Ra and the others decided to rest for the night, but she finds a broom and tells Catra to clean this place up a lil first.

Catra: "What?! By myself?! Why?!"

She-Ra: "Cuz you're so good at it."

Catra: "But I always have to do this kind of thing!"

She-Ra: "So you won't mind doing it again."

Catra: *Growls*

She-Ra: "Now, Catra, no reason to get all uppity. Be quick about it though, we need to get bed early. ... oh, and we seem to be low on beds. You don't mind sleeping on the floor do you.?"

One of the other girls: "Or in the tree, you are a CAT hahahaha."

She-Ra: "... What? She's only joking, Catra. But, I mean, she's right, you are... "

Catra: "THAT IS IT! *strangles She-Ra*

(They help She-Ra)

She-Ra: "*breathing heavily, while holding her throat* You just earned yourself a ticket to the room! Two of you take her back there now. I'll deal with her later."

Wild for a kids cartoon, right?? I know! I couldn't believe it either.

Despite all of this, it's a colorful, action-packed, a lot of positive team building messages, a good girl power cartoon. There are also some monsters, and some thrilling moments. You just have to ignore everything I've said previously :)

And that's not a big deal to do. Kids don't see that type of thing anyway.

Remember Wile E Coyote and the Roadrunner?

The coyote kept getting seriously and continuously injured due to using those damned ACME products! All he was trying to do was feed his family. He never did catch the roadrunner. His family probably starved, and devoured each other. Meanwhile, we're just yucking it up!

Ha! It IS funny though. Wile E Coyote, comedic genius.

All in all I give She-Ra Season 3 an A*

* = drunk on Tropical Bitch

I imagine the end of season 3 being dark. She-Ra goes walks into her basement, and then through a secret path, down a long poorly lit hallway to find... ... OLD She-Ra.

She's chained to a chair. Her clothes and body all dirty and stanky. Her hair mangled. Her body weak from not eating. Her legs have grown hairy. No, you don't understand - like, REALLY REALLY REALLY HAIRY.

Young She-Ra looks down at Old She-Ra -

"I can't believe that you really thought your old ass could be She-Ra.

I’M SHE-RA! You should be thanking me for locking you up, so that you don't embarrass yourself out there. (she gets real close to the former She-Ra) You know they're never going to find you, right? They don't even know that you're alive."

Old She-Ra: "My friends... my friends WILL come for me."

Young She-Ra: "I doubt it... especially since the old friends that you have left keep having accidents."

Old She-Ra: "What?"

Young She-Ra: (Pulls out a bag from behind her back. She opens it and turns it upside down... the head of an old He-Man plops down.) "Hahahahaha"

Old She-Ra: *speechless and horrified*

Young She-Ra: "I know you're upset. But, I'm gonna turn that frown upside down. We're about to have some fun."

Old She-Ra: "Wait, no no! PLEASE! You can't do this! Please!"

Young She-Ra: "Say my name, bitch."

Old She-Ra: "No! She-Ra No! Please! She-Ra plase! (camera turns away)

"SHE-RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

(Cue cheesy coked-up 80's producer voice: "And the princesses of powerrrrrrrrrrrrrr! *echo*"

THE END

Hell yes! I can't wait for season 4.

#she-ra #netflix #john praphit #praphitproductions.com #tv #ageism #feminism #praphit #horror #nicki minaj #madonna #tropical bitch #flying dog brewery #cartoons #kids shows #he-man #girl power

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sailorrrvenus · 5 years

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A Photographer’s Tips on Preparing to Pose for Actor Headshots

Your actor headshots, combined with your actor showreel, are the foundations of your actor profile. They are without a doubt a key marketing tool for your acting career. It’s important to prepare yourself in order to get the most out of your session.

If you are reading this, it is because you have booked or you are thinking of booking a headshots session. In this article, I’ll try to answer most of the common questions that we usually receive on how to prepare for your actor headshots session.

Clothing

The clothes you wear in your headshot are crucial; the type, color, and style can make the difference between having an effective headshot that gets you noticed and one that’s ignored. But figuring out what to wear is actually the third step in prepping for a headshot session.

The first thing you need to do is figure out your “type.” How are you realistically going to be cast? Are you going to get work as the doctor or lawyer are you a Russian spy or a private detective?

Once you determine the roles you’ll realistically be submitted for, practice creating the right emotions and expressions so you come across as that type in your photos.

Only after you are clear about your “type” you can think about wardrobe. So let’s dive in.

What to Bring?

For actor headshots, please bear in mind that you are selecting your outfits to create a character (the more different looks, the wider range for castings). Don’t select your clothes solely just because you look good in them, rather think about which outfits will help you portraying those characters the best.

Please remember to bring a range of different outfits. How many?, Unless you are coming for the refresher shoot (Adamantium) which is limited to two outfits, I would recommend 8 – 10, the more options the better!.

A top with a vivid color also helps to make the headshot stand out from the rest and “pop”. It is also a good idea to make this color match your eyes.

Make sure everything is ironed and looks neat. Unless casting is after “wrinkled shirt guy,” it’s not a good look.

Black and White Tops

A white or black t-shirt is always a safe bet and I always recommend having at least one headshot in this simple outfit. It kind of works… is it the most exciting? no. Can it make you look like a college grad? Potentially, but bring interesting black tops, vests for people happy with their arms can look great, a shirt can look great, white or black blouses.

Make sure you bring at least one Black and one White t-shirt when you prepare your bag for actor headshots.

Dark and Jewel Colors

I personally prefer darker colors on most people unless you have a really rich skin tone or loads of dark hair. Other colors that look great on camera are mustard, dark greens, blues, maroon, burgundy. Be bold and surprise me!

Your shots need to look good in color. The way the colors work together with you and your hair is important.

Dresses

Girls don’t forget you may have some nice dresses in your wardrobe where the top half and neckline are great. you can even wear them over your jeans, I won’t laugh or judge you.

Vests and Off-The-Shoulder

Yes, can look lovely, skin is a great way to bring color and a natural tone to the image, and necks and shoulders are a lovely feminine feature to show off.

Layer up with Jackets, Blazers and Coats

It’s also great to layer up clothes: Denim with a t-shirt is a solid casual young look. Leather jacket and t-shirt is “instant rock & roll”.

Blazers are fantastic if you’re a little older and can play corporate or cop/business type roles, or smart mums. Coats are really good but avoid big furry collars or oversized collars.

Smart and simple is best… duffle coats and bombers look too casual.

I rarely recommend turtle necks. In my opinion, it makes your neck look shorter and sometimes we end up having “floating head effect” in which your top blends too much with background making your head appear like its floating in the middle of the frame, not cool!

Patterns and Logos

Avoid crazy patterns. Some light patterns are fine and can be great for character shots, but mad neon tie-dye is out I’m afraid! Try and avoid heavy logos as well, as they are distracting sometimes.

Hair

Let’s talk about hair, and this is really important: Do not get your hair cut or colored the day before or, worse, the morning of the shoot.

Why risk it? It could go horribly wrong. Give it some breathing time so you know you’re really happy with it and you can control it.

Also, don’t come for headshots if you’re planning on cutting in a fringe a week later… pointless!

Everyone’s hair is obviously so different, but 9 times out of 10, girls if you have a long hairstyle, I LIKE (relatively) big hair, there I’ve said it. Also, here are my thoughts about parting: lots of girls come with neat center partings, but by the end of the shoot we’ve experimented and they prefer an off-center as it creates a bit more interest with the asymmetrical shape.

Layers

Layers can be tricky, if you stand in the mirror, tilt your chin down 10 degrees, and your hair falls in your face, it will probably do that for the whole shoot. So do you need to use some hairspray to keep it back open up the face a bit? does it look good with sections gripped back?

Hair up

Also have a think beforehand about what ‘hair up’ works best, if any? Very high ponytails and high buns often get lost off the top of the photo as we crop the top off a little bit. Does it look nice a bit lower? or even anything to the side or platted? just thinking out loud.

When to wash?

This sometimes takes military precision! Wash it first thing that morning and it can be too soft and not hold any shape or style, leave it too long and we don’t want greasy dirty hair either. Only you know your hair, but too clean can be a problem.

Shaving

You can shave during a session, but wet shaving doesn’t always work out. You can cut yourself, the skin can look a bit raw and aggravated and for guys we normally want to make the jaw look nice and strong, so baby face clean leaves no detail to hold some shadow. Of course, if you’re always clean shaven, don’t grow a beard for the shoot!

Makeup

Prepare your Make Up before coming for actor headshots. We have a make up table to do some touch-ups as you go.

Come with the same amount on as you would wear to a normal audition for you. If you’re a dancer may be a little less, as full dance make-up will probably be too heavy.

Most people like to start very neutral, just covering up blemishes, and a little around the eyes.

If you book a 30-minute session with me, it needs to be done beforehand — you won’t have time to do it in the room as that will probably be 15 minutes of your session gone already.

Feel free to add more as you go and develop your look.

Fake Tan

Generally, no. If it’s super subtle and you know what you’re doing fine. If your neck is a different color to your face, it will look stupid.

Fake Lashes

Normally a bit too much, but if you wear them all the time, then we need the photos to look like you so fine, but it’s probably a bit over the top for most people.

Lipstick

A tinted gloss is normally a good way to start, it gives a little shine and color whilst being subtle. A nude color works nicely. You might want to do one look with color on your lips if a more dramatic and sassy look is useful for your bracket. I can’t think of ever getting a good shot with dark purples or browns.

Rest and Recovery

Preparing your skin and lips before the shoot as much as you can is also advised. Sleep, lots of water, no late nights, cut out fatty foods and chocolate if you can.

Spare a thought for your lips as well, dry cracked lips can be quite noticeable, lots of vaseline and lip salve to moisturize them leading up to the shoot might help.

Guys

I rarely think you need any make-up. If it’s a spot we can clean it up easier in the retouching stage. Under-eyes maybe a little will help if they’re bad. Don’t do anything unless you’re really confident with what you’re doing.

I hope you found this article helpful to prepare for your actor headshots. Do you have any other tips that help you prepare for headshots or portraits? Feel free to share with us in the comments below!

About the author: Roberto Vivancos is an internationally published photographer and actor with over fifteen years of experience specializing in the areas of headshot and commercial photography. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Whether shooting in his own London studio environment or on location worldwide, Vivancos’s clients range from models, actors, singers, bands, and dancers. His bold cinematic style inherited from 80’s films, Japanese anime and superhero comics uses dramatic lighting techniques to bring his subjects to life. You can find more of his work on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This article was also published here.

source https://petapixel.com/2019/04/04/a-photographers-tips-on-preparing-to-pose-for-actor-headshots/

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pauldeckerus · 5 years

Text

A Photographer’s Tips on Preparing to Pose for Actor Headshots

Clothing

Once you determine the roles you’ll realistically be submitted for, practice creating the right emotions and expressions so you come across as that type in your photos.

Only after you are clear about your “type” you can think about wardrobe. So let’s dive in.

What to Bring?

A top with a vivid color also helps to make the headshot stand out from the rest and “pop”. It is also a good idea to make this color match your eyes.

Make sure everything is ironed and looks neat. Unless casting is after “wrinkled shirt guy,” it’s not a good look.

Black and White Tops

Make sure you bring at least one Black and one White t-shirt when you prepare your bag for actor headshots.

Dark and Jewel Colors

Your shots need to look good in color. The way the colors work together with you and your hair is important.

Dresses

Girls don’t forget you may have some nice dresses in your wardrobe where the top half and neckline are great. you can even wear them over your jeans, I won’t laugh or judge you.

Vests and Off-The-Shoulder

Yes, can look lovely, skin is a great way to bring color and a natural tone to the image, and necks and shoulders are a lovely feminine feature to show off.

Layer up with Jackets, Blazers and Coats

It’s also great to layer up clothes: Denim with a t-shirt is a solid casual young look. Leather jacket and t-shirt is “instant rock & roll”.

Blazers are fantastic if you’re a little older and can play corporate or cop/business type roles, or smart mums. Coats are really good but avoid big furry collars or oversized collars.

Smart and simple is best… duffle coats and bombers look too casual.

Patterns and Logos

Hair

Let’s talk about hair, and this is really important: Do not get your hair cut or colored the day before or, worse, the morning of the shoot.

Why risk it? It could go horribly wrong. Give it some breathing time so you know you’re really happy with it and you can control it.

Also, don’t come for headshots if you’re planning on cutting in a fringe a week later… pointless!

Layers

Hair up

When to wash?

Shaving

Makeup

Prepare your Make Up before coming for actor headshots. We have a make up table to do some touch-ups as you go.

Come with the same amount on as you would wear to a normal audition for you. If you’re a dancer may be a little less, as full dance make-up will probably be too heavy.

Most people like to start very neutral, just covering up blemishes, and a little around the eyes.

If you book a 30-minute session with me, it needs to be done beforehand — you won’t have time to do it in the room as that will probably be 15 minutes of your session gone already.

Feel free to add more as you go and develop your look.

Fake Tan

Generally, no. If it’s super subtle and you know what you’re doing fine. If your neck is a different color to your face, it will look stupid.

Fake Lashes

Normally a bit too much, but if you wear them all the time, then we need the photos to look like you so fine, but it’s probably a bit over the top for most people.

Lipstick

Rest and Recovery

Preparing your skin and lips before the shoot as much as you can is also advised. Sleep, lots of water, no late nights, cut out fatty foods and chocolate if you can.

Spare a thought for your lips as well, dry cracked lips can be quite noticeable, lots of vaseline and lip salve to moisturize them leading up to the shoot might help.

Guys

from Photography News https://petapixel.com/2019/04/04/a-photographers-tips-on-preparing-to-pose-for-actor-headshots/

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