#The show is telling us “if he's a stalker that's not a deal breaker”. The parallel to the real world is unacceptable. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

krinsbez · 5 years

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GI Joe: Remixed, Semi-Random Trivia, About Semi-Random Joes

An incomplete list of Joes who are members of minority groups; please make suggestions for additions, as there are many, many Joes with whom I am unfamiliar:

(some of these placements will be elaborated on below)

AFRICAN-AMERICAN:

Stalker

Roadblock

Doc

Doc II

Alpine

Stretcher

Hardball

Iceberg

Heavy Duty

Big Lob

Freight

Quick Stryke

Grill

Cool Breeze

Ripcord

ASIAN-AMERICAN:

Jinx

Quick Kick

Budo

Tunnel Rat

Ronin

Rico

Firewall

Black Dragon (?)

DESI:

Hashtag

LATINO:

Shipwreck

Law

Lady Jaye

Alpine

Dynamite

Hot Sauce

ARAB-AMERICAN:

Breaker

Sgt. Slaughter

NATIVE AMERICAN:

Spirit

Airborne

PACIFIC ISLANDER:

Torpedo

Red Dog

SIKH:

Hashtag

JEWISH:

Clutch

Bazooka

Budo

ISLAMIC:

Breaker

Sgt. Slaughter

QUAKER:

Lifeline

NEURO-ATYPICAL:

Helix

-Sgt. Slaughter is NOT the professional wrestler born Robert Remus, but received his codename due to a coincidental resemblance to said pro wrestler. That said, he did wrestle in college, where he majored in Classics. Note that he is still serious about his classics studies; he is fluent in both Ancient Greek and Latin, and is knowledgeable about not only Classical literature, but also the history, mythology, culture, etc. of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

-Alpine is mixed-race, having African-American, Caucasian, and Latin ancestry; people's efforts to pin him down to one or the other and inability to do so is a constant source of amusement to him.

-Lady Jaye is biracial; her father is as WASP as one can be without being a Boston Brahmin (although they're adjacent), while her mother is from Latin America; note that her mother's family is also filthy rich and aristocratic. Also, she's a distant cousin of Destro and Darklon.

-Rico is a character of our own creation, a Fillipina-American who's primary MOS is powered armor, specifically the Accelerator suit from Rise of Cobra

-Firewall is a young, Asian woman ala DDP rather than an older, Caucasian woman ala IDW.

-Riffing on Rise of Cobra, Breaker's parents are from Morocco.

-Budo periodically notes that both sets of grandparents spent WWII in camps; his paternal grandparents in an internment camp, his maternal grandparents in a concentration camp.

-Ripcord and Cover Girl have more-or-less their IDW backstories.

-Lifeline's aikido skills are such that he's one of the top ten best hand-to-hand combatants in GI Joe. Granted, his pacifist beliefs mean he rarely showcases them; "getting Lifeline in the ring" is a Joe colloquialism for a task that is very difficult and unlikely to end well for you.

-As with many other military regulations, the rules against fraternization are not strictly enforced for Joes, so Flint/Lady Jaye, Scarlett/Snake Eyes, and Jinx/Falcon are things.

-Dial-Tone and Hard Drive are A: female, and B: hot.

-Dial-Tone is the nerdiest nerd to ever nerd, or at least, as much as possibly whilst being an attractive woman. She also barely qualified to be a Joe physically. That said, she did, in fact, qualify, and is thus eminently capable of kicking your ass.

-Clockspring is kinda a creeper. He hasn't done anything explicitly against the regs, but he's come veeery close. As a result, Hard Drive, Firewall, Dial-Tone, and Hashtag frequently receive sympathy from other female Joes about having to work with him, which leaves them confused, because while Clockspring is aware of their gender, he slots them into his head as fellow nerds and doesn't creep on them at all.

-Clockspring also posts on a number of Incel/MRA/RedPill sites, although he keeps getting banned for telling other posters to take it down a few notches.

-Quick Kick has always been a movie guy; he got into martial arts because he realized that Hollywood is kinda racist and expects Asian-American performers to know chop socky stuff. That said, he turned out to be better at it than at acting, so ended up becoming a stunt double. Then the Cobra War happened, he joined the Army and eventually ended up in GI Joe.

-Freight, somewhat similarly, was a star linebacker, who walked away from a multi-million dollar contract to enlist when the Cobra War began. He greatly dislikes being compared to Pat Tillman.

-Contrary to what you'd expect, Freight and Red Dog (who could've been a star if he hadn't been tossed out of the NFL for frequent unnecessary roughness) get along really well.

-GI Joe's first fighter ace, somewhat ironically, was not Ace (who's codename comes form being a card shark), but Slipstream. However, Ace was the first Joe to become Ace In A Day.

-No one can remember Ghostrider The Stealth Pilot's codename, which he is surprisingly OK with, as long as they don't call him by someone else's codename...whereupon he will start calling that person by someone else's codename.

-All the Joe pilots are qualified to fly all Joe aircraft, with the possible exceptions of the Defiant and SHARCs, so Wild Bill can fly a Skystriker and Ace can fly a Tomahawk and Lift-Ticket can fly a Phantom and Ghostrider The Stealth Pilot can fly a Mudfighter and Dogfight can fly a Vector and Maverick can fly a C-130 or Dragonfly, etc.

-Quick Kick holds regular movie nights; Sgt. Slaughter is banned due to his habit of pointing out all the inaccuracies whenever QK puts on a sword-and-sandal flick.

-Roadblock and Heavy Duty are cousins. In addition to their size (which is not just "big" but freakishly its-a-miracle-they-don't-have-health-problems HUGE) and fondness for MOAR DAKKA, they also share a passion for cooking. Roadblock is a master chef, specializing in Soul Food and French haute cuisine (both nouvelle and classique), though he's also excellent at classic Italian and most American regional specialties. In general, Heavy Duty is almost as good and in some cases better (he is an internationally ranked sushi chef, for example), but rather than rely on a standard repertoire, he prefers to experiment, either with exotic foreign or newly-invented dishes he's just heard of or bizarre creations of his own; his success is...mixed.

-Quick Kick has a habit of reciting quotes from Little Caesar every time he runs into Rico in a hallway or whatever. She does not know that's what he's doing and is generally puzzled by the whole thing.

-Mainframe has a thing going on with Zarana.

-When Jinx and Falcon started dating, they got shovel speeches from Duke and Snake Eyes, respectively (yes, despite Snake Eyes being unable to talk). In addition, Storm Shadow kidnapped Falcon...then took him out to dinner, cuz he wanted to get to know his cousin's boyfriend. And because Falcon is Falcon, they ended up bar/club-hopping. Meanwhile, Duke, who only knew his baby brother was abducted by Cobra Commander's personal assassin, was ready to start World War III.

-Cross-Country believes he has a duty to reclaim the family honor he believes was lost when his ancestors took up arms to fight for slavery. His choice of outfit is bait, to trick racists and CSA apologists to make themselves known to him so he can punch them in the face.

-Quick Kick has a Japanese father and a Korean mother. As a result, when he fights the Red Ninjas, they call him a half-breed and talk shit about his mom. He deals with it by kicking their asses.

-Clutch and Rock'n'Roll are best buds. Ditto Bazooka and Alpine. Also Leatherneck and Wetsuit, albeit of the vitriolic kind where they fight constantly.

-Shipwreck is a SEAL.

-Clutch and Budo once went out together to get tattoos of their grandparent's numbers.

-Quick Kick took it upon himself to put together a crash course in cinema since the '70s for Sgt. Savage, and had to be reminded that showing him movies about Vietnam maybe wasn't the best idea.

-Grand Slam, Sci-Fi, and Red Spot are SF/F nerds. Flash is not, and gets annoyed when people assume he is.

-Spirit does not look particularly stereotypical.

-Among GI Joe's many secret mini-bases is one located in a Las Vegas casino; Ace regularly requests a transfer there, as it is the only way he will ever be allowed into a Las Vegas Casino.

-Airborne is genuinely psychic. That said, he's not very powerful; he just has "hunches" that are always right.

-Clutch has an unfortunate habit of running into secret Cobra activity whenever he goes on leave. Seriously, Every. Single. Time.

-Order is much, much more obedient than Junkyard, partially due to natural temperament but largely because Law trained him that way; Law's...kinda contemptuous of the fact that Mutt has not similarly trained Junkyard, and the two of them don't really get along because of it.

-Falcon used to hate Shipwreck, because every strategy he came up with to try and smuggle hookers into the Pit failed because 'Wreck had already tried it. Though, he's mellowed out about it since he started dating Jinx.

-Snake Eyes is under orders to have regular therapy sessions with Psyche-Out (because for obvious reason he's kind of a mess, psychologically); that Etch-a-Sketch is real handy.

-GI Joe has official social media, run by Hashtag, of course. However, the Joes take turns running the official GI Joe twitter account which leads to WMG from the people following trying to figure out who is doing it at any given time, which leads to the Joes deliberately trying to do it in other Joe's style. So, say, Shipwreck will fill it up with rhymes about cooking so people will think it's Roadblock, and Roadblock will do it in French and keep mentioning gumbo and gators so people think it's Gung Ho, and Gung-Ho keeps throwing in Star Wars references so people think it's Sci-Fi, etc. Duke hates doing it, so is very terse, so everyone always assumes he's Snake Eyes (which is hilarious to people who know Snake, who was an inveterate chatterbox before he became mute).

-Note that they also are allowed to have their own social media.

-Cover Girl's social media is a battleground, between her fans from her modeling/reality-show days and her fans since joining GI Joe.

-Heavy Duty has a youtube show where he discusses his cooking experiments. The episodes where Roadblock guest-stars are the most popular, since you now have a 100% chance of the result being edible instead of 50/50.

-Snake Eyes has a Twitter account under his real name, which is really, really active, and really, really inane, because he needs some outlet for his natural chatterbox tendencies.

-As stated, Duke does not believe in social media. As a result, there is a bit of a competition amongst the Joes to trick him into appearing on theirs.

-Cross-Country has a blog where he calls out Confederate apologists. He's been banned from multiple Civil War forums and subreddits and such for flaming same.

-Barbecue mostly goes on about Boston sports

#Headcanon #Headcanons #Fanfic #Collaboration #GI Joe #GI Joe Headcanon #GI Joe Headcanons #GI Joe Fanfic #GI Joe Collaboration #GI Joe: Remixed #GI Joe: Remixed Semi-Random Trivia About Semi-Random Joes #I ought to put in the names of all the Joes mentioned here #but I haven't got that kinda time.

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dumbledearme · 6 years

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chapter four—a chipped cup

~~ read Swan Song here ~~

The Sheriff's death hits everyone pretty hard. Storybrooke isn't used to having to deal with loss, so for awhile people aren't quite sure of how to proceed. We hold a funeral for Graham first thing in the morning, and I'm glad to see that everyone has come to pay their respects, even the little kids, Eva and Nicholas, whom Graham had indeed help reunite with their parents. My mother sets a memorial for him near the police station. A street bench with his name on a plaque, no less.

The official cause of death determined by Dr. Whale is heart attack.

I'm to meet with Flynn at Granny's for lunch, so I take a quick shower (wash the grief off of me), put on some old jeans and T-shirt and hurry up there. As I'm about to turn the corner in the avenue, however, I hear his now familiar voice coming from a dark alley to my right. I come to a halt. He's talking to someone in hushed whispers.

"I think we should stop," Flynn is saying. "Lay low for a bit."

"No." I'm fairly certain the other voice belongs to his so-called partner, August. "It's time. She has to break the curse. She turns sixteen in two days. That's the only opening we'll ever have."

"You said all she needed to do was believe in it," Flynn says. His tone of voice is accusing. "She believes in it, August, and it still hasn't made a single difference. Now you're saying she has to have a birthday?"

"It hasn't made a single difference?" August repeats, sounding affronted. "Are you crazy? It's made all the difference in the world. People are starting to remember—"

"And they're being killed for it." Flynn's voice is cold now, hard. "The Evil Queen murdered the huntsman right in front of Hannah. If she starts to suspects us, if she feels threatened, what do you think she'll do?"

"That's why we need to get this over with as soon as possible."

"You don't play with a curse, August. Hannah's only safe for as long as Regina doesn't know who she is."

"Nobody else is safe while the curse is still in motion," August says fervently. "I don't need to tell you that, Bae."

There is a moment of silence in which I make my decision. I walk into the alley.

"What are you two going on about? Who's Bae?" Something tells me I've heard the name before.

"Shhh," says Flynn coming over to my side. He looks surprised to see me, but not angry that I've been listening in on them. "You can't be saying this name around here. It's not safe."

I try to assess if he's being serious. The conclusion is yes, he is. "Alright," I say. "I won't."

Flynn takes my hand. "Come on. Let's have lunch." He starts pulling me back toward the main street, but August calls my name, making us both stop.

"I have something you need to see," he tells me, after glancing sideways to his friend.

"No," says Flynn. He sounds like he's trying to keep his temper in check. I wonder what is putting him so on edge. Is it just what happened to Graham?

August is a much more patient man. "Why don't we show her and let her decide—"

"I said no." Flynn is firmer this time and August seems to rethink his strategy.

"Maybe another time then," he tells me, and then walks right past us into the main street and out of sight.

I look at Flynn. "Hiding stuff? That's kind of a deal breaker." He gives me one of his crooked grins and I know in my heart that there is literally nothing in the world he can do that will make me break up with him. My warning is utterly empty.

I don't know if Flynn can tell that or not, but he takes it lightly. "I have to keep my mysterious facade or you might get tired of me," he teases, squeezing my hand.

"Be serious," I say, but mostly because making out in a dark alley isn't really my thing so I need to break the spell. No pun intended.

"Look…" he starts. "There are parts about the curse that even I don't understand."

"But the parts you do," I press. "I mean, from your little argument with your boyfriend, I gathered that you're certain my mother is the Evil Queen?"

Flynn pulls me toward the main street and I don't protest. "Who has cast the curse, yes," he says, ten steps later.

I try to keep up. "And she… she's really killed Graham? Why would she do that?" I know what his answer is going to be—because he started to remember who he was before—but I find that a little hard to believe. I am aware that my feelings might be blinding me to the truth—after all, she is my mother and do love her. If she's truly this monster I've been hearing about… well, I don't know how I feel about that. Are my feelings supposed to go away just like that? Should I hate her? Am I even capable of that?

The answer is... maybe. When I break it down, when I separate the good memories of my childhood to the things I'm learning about her, I think that 'maybe' is as close as I can get to an answer. If she is this Evil Queen then she has poisoned Snow White, she has cursed an entire kingdom, she has murdered countless people including Graham and her own father. When I think of her, my mother, I'm unable to spot the monster. But when I think of Graham…

"Look, you've read the book, right?" Flynn says. "You know she has only ever loved one person in her entire life."

I nod. "Daniel—the stable boy." Not me.

"Yes. So… I think that… honestly, Hannah, I think that there isn't a line she wouldn't cross."

I try to let that sink in. My mother. A killer. A monster. Graham… poor Graham. And Daniel… the only one she has ever loved. Not me. Daniel.

"How?" I'm whispering now. Not because I'm worried someone might overhear us, but because my own voice is failing me.

Flynn has a funny look on his face as if he's trying to decide how much of this I can take before I break. "She had his heart," he says. "She took it from him before the curse. I'm guessing she must've crushed it. It's kind of her thing."

Crushed his heart. A heart attack. I can't feel anything, he told me. Emptiness. His heart, crushed by her hand.

As we reach Granny's, I try to shake these thoughts away. We pick a table near the door and Flynn orders some pancakes and two hot cocoas.

"Alright," I say after our orders have arrived. "And where exactly do I come in? I get that I'm supposed to be Snow White's kid, but…" I stop. I don't know how to finish that sentence.

"You are the only one who can stop her curse," Flynn tells me. "You are the savior, a product of true love. Long before you were born, someone prophesied your coming."

As I glance out the glass door, I see David Nolan talking to Ms. Blanchard in the street. They exchange a few words, secret smiles, and then he leaves. Ms. Blanchard stands there for a moment, watching him go. It is a pretty sad sight.

I stand up. "Give me a minute, will you," I say, and I leave before Flynn can reply. I head outside to meet Ms. Blanchard. She's not happy to see me there.

"You saw that, uh?" she mutters. "He comes here every morning to get coffee." She doesn't look very much like herself, I notice. I guess that's what happens when half of you gets taken away. She is wrecked because of David Nolan.

"For him and his wife," I remind her, not because I'm trying to be mean, but because I think love sometimes makes people forget right and wrong. I fear that Ms. Blanchard might not be seeing clearly and I would hate for her to do something she might regret later.

"I know." She sighs. "I know, I know. I just like to… to come here to see him."

I try to lighten the mood a little. "So… you're a stalker?"

"No, not really," Ms. Blanchard says quickly. Then she considers it. "Maybe a little bit. It's not like I'm following him. I just know that he spends his mornings with Kathryn, gets his coffee, then drives to the animal shelter and then he's home around 5h00."

"Is that all?"

"Thursdays they pick up Chinese for dinner."

"Oh my God." That makes me giggle. She's acting more like a schoolgirl than a teacher. She's acting worse than me and I've been feeling pretty struck down by love as well.

Ms. Blanchard is head over hills. It'd be really very adorable if it wasn't so terribly hopeless.

"I can't get him out of my head," she whispers, emotion pouring out with each word. "Love's the worst."

I can't agree more.

"Does anyone want to babysit for me?" someone moans from behind us. We look upstreet. Ashley is coming our way pushing her newborn baby girl on a stroller.

"Wow, Ashley, I didn't even recognize you," says Ms. Blanchard.

"With the baby on the outside?" Ashley rolls her eyes. "I swear, it's an improvement."

"No," says Ms. Blanchard with a smile. "I think you look well. Motherhood suits you."

I'm about to comment that I think she looks well, too, for a new baby mama, but someone else has joined our little group. Mr. Gold, carrying a big box in one hand, his walking stick in the other, and looking no less of a gecko than usual, stops in the sidewalk besides us. He gives us a few polite words before turning his full attention to me.

"I just wanted to offer my condolences," he tells me. "The Sheriff was a good man."

I don't understand why he should be offering his sentiments to me of all people, unless he should think I had a special connection with Graham because he died in my arms. The look on his face tells me this is something else, though.

I stop and take stock of the man before me. Mr. Gold, pawn shop owner, has a bad leg, wears striped suits, has a few gold teeth, owns the entire town. Who is this man? In the book, I mean, before the curse. What am I missing?

"Thank you for the kind words," I say lamely after my silence turns a little awkward.

"I have his things."

I blink. "What?"

"The Sheriff," Gold says moving the box he's holding into my line of vision. "He rented an apartment that I own. I thought I should offer you a keepsake."

I can feel Ms. Blanchard's curious eyes on me. "I don't need anything," I say, unsure of what the right answer to this situation might be.

"As you wish." Gold gives me a sly smile. "I'll give them to Mayor Mills. Seems like she was the closest thing he had to family."

His words chill me to the bone and the scariest part is that I think he knows it. I feel like he's playing me, testing me.

"I suppose that might include you as well, Miss Mills," he goes on. "My, you grew up so fast. I remember like it was yesterday when Madam Mayor brought you home, just a tiny little pink thing. I hope she has enjoyed her time with you. What we get to spend with our children… Let's just say time is a very precious thing. And the thing about children…" his eyes search mine, "before you know it, you lose 'em."

And then the voices do come.

Papa! We have to go through!

No! It's a trick. It'll tear us apart!

No, it's okay. I promise. Papa, you have to trust me!

I can't! I can't!

Papa, please! It's the only way we can be together!

I can't!

You coward! You promised! You can't break our deal!

I have to.

Rumpelstiltskin.

A poor villager that injured his own leg so that he could go home instead of fighting in the Ogre war. Abandoned by his wife that was so very ashamed of his cowardice, he raised a son by himself. Years later, trying to spare his son from that very same war, he tries to escape but some soldiers stop him. Humiliated, he decides to seek a power so great nobody would ever dare look down on him again. He finds the Dark One, a terrifying entity with unmatched powers, wishing for his help, but the Dark One does him one better—he tricks Rumpelstiltskin into killing him thus making him the new Dark One.

With these great powers, great evil has followed. The son, Baelfire, did his best to keep his father from going dark, but Rumpelstiltskin was beyond salvation. Believing the only way to help his father was to remove his dark magic, Baelfire opens a portal to the world without magic. Rumpelstiltskin agreed to go with him, but he changes his mind in the last minute and Baelfire alone is sent across worlds, never to be found again.

The thing about children… before you know it, you lose 'em.

"Miss Mills, two people with a common goal can accomplish many things," Mr. Gold says, calling me back to the present. "Two people with a common enemy can accomplish even more."

I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but even I know what's going on here. He is offering me something, a partnership of sorts. He wants an ally so he can beat the villain of this story—which I'm guessing must be my mother. But Gold is being cautious. I figure he doesn't want to go against Regina directly which is why he's coming to me.

I try to remember what else the book told me about these two. Rumpelstiltskin was imprisoned when the Evil Queen did cast her curse. However, if I'm not mistaken, she went to see him, just like Snow White did, after her first attempt to cast the curse had failed. She went to ask him why. And he told her… he told her that she had to make a great sacrifice; she had to kill the thing she loved the most.

But even before that there is something else. It was Rumpelstiltskin who originally discovered the curse. It was supposed to be the means through which he would be sent to the same land where Baelfire supposedly was. Since the sacrifice required by the curse was too great, Rumpelstiltskin needed someone else to cast it for him.

My mother. He played her. From the very beginning, he played her. Using a strand of hair from both Snow White and Prince Charming, he created a true love potion which he added to the curse scroll. That's what made Princess Odette the savior! It wasn't circumstantial—he made it all happen, he orchestrated everything! He created a loophole to his own curse.

But why?

He wanted to come here to find his son, but I'm guessing the curse would be trapping him in Storybrooke as much as the rest of us. So as of right now, he can't leave to look for his son. Unless… Unless I brake the curse? But that would mean that… that he is aware of where he is and who he is.

And, perhaps what is more worrisome, he is aware of who I am.

Can it be?

I stare at the man before me and I decide that it can. He stands tall, confident of the secrets he keeps. Here, in the land without magic, I guess that translates as his power over the rest of us—knowledge, awareness, remembrance. I ask myself if, ultimately, that doesn't make him a whole lot more dangerous than the Evil Queen.

"Thanks," I say weakly. "I'll remember that."

Just like I remember other things, Mr. Gold. Like the deal I already made with you. Sorry, but I'm not about to dig myself an ever bigger hole.

Flynn and I have a heavy afternoon dissecting what Mr. Gold's intentions might be. For some reason, the subject seems to make Flynn extremely uncomfortable. I get the feeling he doesn't like Gold very much. I don't blame him; I don't think I like him either.

He walks me home around sunset, just as Regina is arriving. I immediately let go of his hand, but from her expression, I can tell she's seen it. And she doesn't like it. However, she makes an effort to smile and greets Flynn politely.

She also invites him to dinner which I think it's a bit of a stretch. Thankfully, Flynn has some excuse ready—he is to meet with August back at Granny's.

"Pity," Regina says almost sounding like she means it. "Maybe some other time then."

Flynn wishes us a goodnight and starts heading back down the street. Regina doesn't bring up the subject during dinner or afterwards. She keeps our conversation light. She is in a good mood which makes me worry. When we have finished eating, she receives an unexpected call.

"I have to go downtown," she tells me when she's hung up. "I'll be back late."

"Why? What happened?"

"There's been a misunderstanding between Mr. Gold and Moe French earlier today," she tells me like it's not a big deal. "French owed Gold some money. When he failed to make the payment, Gold took his van. It seems Moe has decided to retaliate. That's what happens when you no longer have a sheriff in town." She mentions Graham lightly which makes my stomach churn.

I can't imagine what Moe French must've been thinking to go after Mr. Gold by himself. You don't have to know he used to be Rumpelstiltskin and the Dark One to fear him. But since time has started to move forward nothing has happened here without a deeper purpose. I should keep my eyes open.

After Regina leaves, I hurry up the stairs and into my room where I grab the fairy-tale book and start shuffling through the pages. Moe French must be someone who's had a connection with Rumpelstiltskin. But who? As the resident villain, Rumpelstiltskin went around making enemies everywhere. What could Moe French, a florist, have against him?

French. Florist. There is a connection I should be making, but my brain is too tired of theories of conspiracy for today. I close the book and put it aside. Maybe in the morning, I decide. I'll figure it out.

Unfortunately, I don't have the night's rest I've been hoping for. My dreams are dark and misty, filled with ogre wars and dark magic and betrayal. A beautiful girl in a yellow dress offers herself up to a beast with iron skin to save her kingdom. She lets a teacup fall on the ground, chipping it. She has the strange ability to see the beauty within.

Any curse can be broken.

Who told you that? I knew this was a trick, that you could never care for me.

No! It was working. It means that it's true love.

Shut up!

Why can't you believe me?

Because no one, no one, can ever love me!

I wake up with a start but it isn't because of the voices in my head. There are voices in the real world, real voices from real people, and they're inside my house. I glance out the window; it's the middle of the night. What the hell is going on?

I get out of bed and slowly open my bedroom's door. The voices are clearer now. They come from the foyer downstairs. I think it's Regina arguing with someone. Barefoot, I go down the hall until I reach the base of the stairs. I can't see them from here, but I can hear them much better.

"You really wanted to get my attention, didn't you?" That can only be Mr. Gold. His tone is carried with bitterness and a certain degree of hostility.

"I tried talking to you yesterday," my mother says, nonchalant, "but you shut me down. This was the only way I could do it."

"You saw me have a row with Mr. French." It's not a question. "So what? You put him up to it? Told him to rob me?"

"I merely suggested that strong men take what they need," is my mother's boastful answer. So the commotion from before that she went to investigate has been something she planned? That actually makes more sense. Moe French doesn't seem the kind to take initiative.

"And you told him exactly what to take, didn't you?" Gold almost snarls. "Alright. When two people both want something the other has, a deal can always be struck. Do you have what I want?"

"Yes." I can hear the smile in her voice. Silence follows that. I assume that Gold is trying to come up with his next move. I feel like I'm hearing a game of chess unfold.

"You know what I want," Gold says. "What is it you want?" He tries to mask his interest, but both me and my mom pick up on that.

"I want you to answer one question. And answer simply." There is a pause. I edge further against the wall afraid to miss her next words. "What is your name?"

"It's Mr. Gold."

"Your real name."

Oh gosh. It is happening.

"Every moment that I've spent on this Earth that's been my name," Gold says, voice soft.

"But what about moments spent elsewhere?"

My heart starts hammering in my chest. I know what she is asking him. She wants to know, much like I do, if he is aware of the curse and of who he used to be before that. If she wants to know this it must be because she is picking up on the changes that have been occurring in Storybrooke. Maybe she knows now that time has moved forward. Maybe she knows that there is people trying to break her curse.

That cannot be good news.

When Gold doesn't answer, Regina presses on. "If you want me to return what's yours, tell me your name." She enunciates the words very carefully—a threat if I ever heard one.

There's a little intake of breath before the answer comes. "Rumpelstiltskin."

It's like the entire world has stopped turning. The name rings in my ears—I have never heard anyone say that aloud, much less mean it. But here it is proof of everything that has been going on in Storybrooke for the last two decades, straight from the horse's mouth.

I hear footsteps and try to focus back on what's going on downstairs. "Now give me what I want," Mr. Gold—or Rumpelstiltskin—growls.

My curiosity gets the best of me. Risking being discovered, I lean over the railing to spy on the two of them. They stand in the middle of the foyer facing each other. Gold's knuckles are white as he grips his walking stick with silent fury. My mother has a teasing grin on her face, like she feels this is some kind of victory. Reaching inside her coat's pocket, she pulls the last thing I expect to see: a simple, white teacup.

No, not a simple teacup—the chipped teacup from my dream.

All you have is an empty heart and a chipped cup.

"Such hostility," Regina provokes the beast, waving the teacup in front of him, "over this. Such a sentimental little keepsake."

Mr. Gold takes it from her in one swift motion. "Thank you, Your Majesty," he barks. The use of her formal title makes her grimace like she finds it distasteful. "Now that we're being honest with each other," Gold goes on with much more confidence now that he has his item back, "let's remember how things used to be, shall we? I'm the one with the power around here. And nothing between us has changed."

Regina gets in his face, unaffected by his words. "We shall see." She makes a move toward the stairs and I run back to my bedroom before any of them can realize they've been overheard.

I am up and dressed before the sun has properly risen. I need to see Flynn straight away and tell him what happened here last night. Grabbing a piece of toast, I run out the backdoor and start hitting the pavement toward Granny's.

I don't get far. Near the edge of my street, I see the white-furred wolf. Graham's friend. I haven't seen it since the day Graham died; in fact, I had almost forgotten about it.

It hasn't forgotten me, it's clear. Come with me, it seems to whisper, just like it did that night. I'll take you where you want to go.

Who am I to argue with a wolf?

Putting aside my original intention, I bolt after the wolf. It guides me through the still dark forest. I don't much think about where its leading me. I guess I have learned to trust it.

I follow the wolf to the point where the intersection forks into two directions; I'm so busy trying to remember where either of these paths lead that I don't realize the wolf hasn't stopped to wait for me. It hastily followed the left path until it disappeared in the distance and I have to run after it otherwise all of this is for nothing. In my rush, it isn't until I'm lying flat on my back that I register I've ran right into someone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I mutter as a man struggles to sit down. I jump to my feet and hurry to pull him up by the arm. His neck cracks up and his eyes find mine. I'm looking straight into the face of the official town loony, the one and only who has managed to beat me to that title.

"No problem," he says as he straightens up. Then he gives me a long asserting look. "You're the Mayor's kid, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"What brings you out here this early?" He has a pretty face, square jaw and blue eyes. Considering everything else I've seen this week, he looks positively normal today.

"Oh… I was looking for a… a dog," I can't bring myself to say wolf. Ironically, I don't want the town loony to think I'm crazy.

"Well, I hope you find it. I'm Jefferson," he reaches out his hand and I, even though I'm familiar with the name and the person attached to it, shake it.

"Hannah."

"Do you want some tea?" he offers, sounding eager for some company. The saying about misery crosses my head. "I live just around the corner and after getting you covered in mud, I wouldn't dream of sending you home without drinking something warm. We don't want you catching anything, do we?"

The fact that he is referring to himself as two people should've put me on my guard, but he smiles so friendly and his touch is so warm that I can't find a good reason no to indulge the man. I let him lead the way. Jefferson chats animatedly as we walk. The trivial subjects seem to be just an excuse to keep him talking and it makes me wonder when was the last time he spoke to another person.

The house that reveals itself when we turn the corner isn't really a surprise, but its magnitude it's always awing. White, great and empty it looks a lot like my house if not for the fact that no one ever comes here. It is perhaps the best piece of real estate in Storybrooke and how it came to be in the hands of someone like Jefferson—who doesn't even seem to hold a job or anything—is the real mystery of this town.

It's colorful inside, tasteful—all of the houses in Storybrooke are. Ever since I was little it always seemed to me that the houses looked like they'd all been decorated by the same person because of how much alike they are. Must be the curse.

By the time Jefferson emerges from the kitchen with a tray, I'm actually longing for some tea as something to warm my hands with. The smell of chamomile fills the air as he pours the tea into two cups.

"Here," he says handing me a cup. I bask in the warmth of it before taking a big gulp; it tastes wonderful. "I brought you this," and he pulls a folded map from his back pocket. "I'm a bit of a amateur cartographer. Mapping the area is a hobby. Maybe it will help you track down your dog." He straightens the map on top of a grand piano and beckons me closer.

I'm immediately impressed with what I'm seeing. This map is the most detailed depiction of Storybrooke I have ever seen and I have seen my mother's maps. I wonder how long it has taken him to put all of this information together and how can he have pulled it off with the curse on full motion?

I trail my finger over the map. I can feel his eyes watching me, as if waiting for something, but my mind seems to be slowing down and I can't finish the thought. Something is wrong. The room has started to spin. I look at Jefferson beside me, searching his face for signs that he might think something is wrong too, but my eyes are blurry and I can't make out his face.

"Something wrong?" his voice sounds very distant although he is standing right beside me.

"I feel a little…" I want to say 'dizzy', but my tongue feels like cotton. I stumble onto him and he grabs me with enough force to keep me standing. He pulls me toward the couch and sets me there.

The last thing I see is his bright blue eyes on me, and the sinister smile creeping on his face.

#swan #swan song #ouat #fanfic #dfcrosas #hannah mills #genderbend #henry mills #emma swan #snow white #regina mills #storybrooke #flynn rider

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dorishull · 4 years

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How I Respond to Inappropriate and Spammy LinkedIn Messages

Coffee, dinner, unwelcome advances and working for free…

No, this isn’t a story about Tinder. It’s just some of the suggestive LinkedIn messages I’ve received recently.

As someone who has built her business through LinkedIn and teaches others how to do the same, I get a lot of LinkedIn connection requests – thousands a year, in fact.

The sad truth is the majority are either bland and boring, or completely inappropriate.

And while I can laugh at them, it also makes my blood boil a little. Because if you can’t start a conversation professionally, how will you grow your network and build your business?

In general terms, yes, LinkedIn is social media, but it’s much more than that.

It’s where CEOs and decision-makers connect, seek information and news, and get deals done.

It’s NOT where you look for your next date…

I get it – spam is a problem on LinkedIn, and it’s rising.

Not a day goes by that I don’t get approached by an off-shore SEO, lead generation agency, or someone trying to get me to trust them with my money and “get in” on the ground floor of their latest cryptocurrency before it “blows up.”

Sigh…

Do you know why there’s so much spam on LinkedIn?

Because wherever there is real, legitimate, ethical money to be made, there will always be the sharks and hustlers.

So the following is a cautionary tale – and a tribute – to the sharks, hustlers, desperate and dateless, who spam us, legitimate business people, with their awful messaging.

How Not to Send LinkedIn Messages

MESSAGE 1:

How I responded: I didn’t. This guy came across way too sleazy and stalker-y for me to even dignify his message with a response. He started well enough and kept it work related, but then he devolved to pick-up lines, and my defences went up. You could get reported for such behavior.

Another thing: never, ever ask someone out for dinner on LinkedIn if you don’t know them. The same goes for coffee most of the time. I get that it’s an ice-breaker, but if you’d like to suggest coffee, wait until you’ve at least had a conversation with the person. Otherwise, it’s too much too soon.

What I wanted to say: It’s a big, fat NO from me, buddy. I reserve dinners for my friends and family. The only business we should be talking about is which one of my programs is the best fit for you to learn how to message people on LinkedIn.

The lesson: Keep it courteous, and keep it strictly above the belt. Be professional at all times. LinkedIn is an extension of your workplace.

MESSAGE 2:

How I responded: Hi, I’m glad you enjoyed my book. The answers to all your questions are in my course, Cracking the LinkedIn Code 4.0. You can join at the link below. I hope to see you on the inside!

What I wanted to say: So glad you enjoyed my book! Not so glad you expect me to give you all my knowledge and tested, proven methods for free. I can see you work in SEO. Well, I need some help in that department, and the last quote I got was $5k/month, but I’m sure you’ll do it for me free, right? As you’ve read my book, I’m sure you understand the principle of being paid for your services. As such, you can join my course, Cracking the LinkedIn Code 4.0, for $997, or you can look at my done-for-you LinkedIn Domination service, which is $3,750. You get A TON of value from either one, and I get paid for doing my job. Everybody wins!

The lesson: Never ask anyone to work for free. It’s not fair or considerate. You wouldn’t do it, so why should they?

MESSAGE 3:

How I responded: Thanks for reaching out, but your product isn’t the right fit for me. Have a great day!

What I wanted to say: “Am I interested in learning more?” Umm, no! I absolutely do not train on psychological safety. In fact, I train organizations on social selling. What I’d like to know is why you don’t make sure you target the right people before spamming them with your impersonal sales pitch. And how effective has this method been for you? I’m tipping zero.

The lesson: Aside from targeting the right people, use messaging to start a dialogue and build relationships. Never jump into the sales pitch. You wouldn’t do that in real life, so why would you do it on LinkedIn? It’s a little like going straight in for the kiss two minutes into the first date. You just wouldn’t do that, would you? Get to know your prospect, build a rapport and save the sales discussion for further down the track.

MESSAGE 4:

How I responded: Thanks for getting in touch, but I’m just not interested. I have a pretty good track record with LinkedIn lead generation as it is. In fact, I even wrote a couple of #1 bestselling books on the topic.

What I wanted to say: I don’t mean to be rude, but you REALLY need to take a look at whom you’re trying to speak with before you hit the “send” button. As a two-time #1 international best-selling author of books about how to win clients on LinkedIn, an in-demand public speaker, and sought-after social selling trainer who teaches individuals and companies how to grow their businesses through LinkedIn, I don’t think paying “$500 to inbox 5,000+ new highly targeted prospects on LinkedIn” is an offer I’ll be interested in. Also, if you give 5,000 people a hard sales pitch at the first point of contact, you will likely burn every single person on the list for good.

The lesson: Personalize every message. Research your prospect, and cool your jets when it comes to the sale. Nothing turns a prospect off more than hard, desperate sales pitch in the first message (or any message really).

MESSAGE 5:

What I said: Hi there, I’m more than comfortable with my sales and CX strategy, but I wish you all the best.

What I wanted to say: Hey! I have a lot of questions about you because you haven’t really told me ANYTHING about you, and it feels like you’ve only asked questions about me – *eye roll*.

One piece of advice for you when you approach people: “interested is interesting.” If you really wanted to get my attention and connect, you would not have sent me your mini bio in the connection request, making it all about you.

The lesson: Writing about me, me, me is a no, no, no! If you want to build rapport with people, show an interest in them, making it about them. Let’s face it, a complete stranger doesn’t care about you or your track record.

MESSAGE 6:

What I said: Thanks for reaching out. I don’t think our business interests align, but one tip I will pass on is to focus on the quality of your network, not the quantity. Have a great day!

What I wanted to say: So you want to use me to look “cool”? That in itself is so NOT COOL! At least don’t tell me that, lol. Oh, and by the way, maybe you should look for a new mentor.

The lesson: Some things are better left unsaid. Asking for favors from strangers makes you look desperate and spammy.

There you have it … my LinkedIn messaging hall of shame.

Some of the errors of judgment I’ve covered here are pretty obvious; others – not so much.

But if you take away one thing to keep in mind when messaging people, let it be this…

Messaging is a key part of using LinkedIn for business, and if lead generation is a priority for you, a hard sell is not the way to do it.

Sales is about building relationships. You do that through starting conversations and showing interest in the other person.

Be engaged and knowledgeable about your prospects (but not in a creepy stalker way), and message them the way you would speak to them if they were standing in front of you. Basically, don’t send spammy LinkedIn messages and #BeGoodToPeople.

When you do that, building a relationship and taking it offline for a “warm” conversation becomes almost inevitable and effortless.

There is a way to generate leads on LinkedIn while never coming across as inappropriate or spammy. Check out my free LinkedIn Leads video series here.

The post How I Respond to Inappropriate and Spammy LinkedIn Messages appeared first on Top Dog Social Media.

How I Respond to Inappropriate and Spammy LinkedIn Messages published first on https://likesandfollowersclub.wordpress.com

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firebunnylover · 7 years

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Hannah Watches LOSH - Man of Tomorrow

This is my start on what will be a one episode-per-post re-watch and review/analysis of Legion of Superheroes. I am going to go through all the episodes of both seasons, and when I finish the show, I will also go into the comics afterward. I will try to aim for once a week at minimum, but that depends on school. The reviews will be made while I’m watching, with much pausing and commentary being made and screenshots being shown, and a final word at the end on both the episode overall and the characters.

I will also be comparing my view when I first saw the episode vs now. Also please keep in mind I did not start with the first episode when it aired. And these will all have my opinion alone, and if you have any feedback/comments you want to give, go ahead ^^

So, let’s start of with the first episode.

Man of Tomorrow

So we first get the preview of the Legion fighting the Fatal Five before cutting to Clark Kent during his last night in Smallville before going to Metropolis.

Watching this again, it struck me that Clark probably didn’t get the best support from his parents on the super power part.

What do I mean? Ma Kent said “Just please be careful. Remember Clark, your not like the rest of us.” Which he replies with “I know.” Now in the animated show most people are familiar with, the superpowers came into being around high school. But his parents seemed to have handled it rather well, as does Clark in the end, and he is given a device that has a message from his birth parents to give him an explanation. But here that’s not the case. I think it’s more likely that the parents were less ready to deal with superpowers, and god, given Clark didn’t know squat about Krypton as evident in the comics that tied into the show – will go into that eventually, who knows how well Clark was dealing with the powers when they first came up. Probably much worse than in the Superman animated series.

Speaking of parents, noticed that Pa was not in the episode. Where is he? Is he dead in this version? Ho geeze, adds to the stress the poor guy must be under.

And then we get our time bubble trio aka TBT: Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl, and Bouncing Boy. I wonder what the decision process was behind them. Which will be discussed in a bit.

Cutting back to the fair, we get more evidence of Clark not dealing the best way with his powers after a Jock taunts him and his physical abilities. He is getting ready to toss the ball, recalls Ma’s words. And god, the facial expressions now have the ability to pick apart my heart now.

Just. Ow.

And then comes the trope-tastic faulty Ferris wheel. I bet Grunkle Stan branched out to this fair.

And then we get back to the TBT. What do you mean food on a stick is not normal?! WHAT DO YOU DO FOR POPCICLES?! COTTON CANDY?! CANDY APPLES?!

Wait, how did he get that food? Was it samples? Or did the trio steal it?

I couldn’t help but snicker at Brainy’s and Saturn Girl’s expression at Bouncing Boy. Imma have to go with “stealing”

Also, what performance would the TBT be part of? I mean, I understand cosplay at a convention, but they look a little off the mark at the fair for me. But I would totally pay money to see that performance.

And it happens.

The beginning of what was one of the many triggers in many for shipping a gay ship.

When I first watched this show, I was in elementary. I was having some curiosity towards gay ships – I was in a very heavy weeabo state, and especially into CLAMP’s manga, which is filled with LGBT characters. I was also going through a bit of a religious phase, and my parents aren’t the most accepting people, especially back then. So I was scared by possibly shipping anything that wasn’t deemed right. I wouldn’t go bashing in public, but I wouldn’t confide with others. I wouldn’t really support the LGBT community until high school.

But now, I can fully appreciate the show and what it tried to do. The storyboards probably have more representation for the LGBT community by far, but still, I will take what I can get with this show… THAT’S A LIE I WANT THOSE STORYBOARDS.

Gotta appreciate the dramatic music that comes with the scene as well.

Look at those two concerned guardians.

Now back to Clark.

Given my earlier talk with him and his powers… THIS BOY MUST HAVE HAD A HEART ATTACK WHEN BOUNCING BOY SPOKE TO HIM. HE WAS CAUGHT. YET HE GOES “EVERYTHING IS FINE HERE,” AND PROCEEDS TO SWOOP IN WHEN THE THING STARTS TO FALL APART. KUDOS TO MY BOY IN HOLDING HIMSELF TOGETHER.

GRUNKLE STAN YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING ON THE STATE OF THAT FERRIS WHEEL.

Saturn Girl, I don’t think now is the time for intros.

Pfft, BB is confused by this as well, to the point where his animation is a wee bit off.

And then he proceeds to walk behind Clark and… what’s the best word for this…

WHAT A PRECIOUS FACE THAT FOLLOWS THAT SILLY BOING NOISE. AND THE WAY HE SAYS “help?” AFTERWARDS IS SO CUTE. EXPRESSIONS IN THIS EPISODE ARE SO GOOD.

I never realized how big Bouncing Boy could get.

Clark starts to nope out, and Saturn Girl said she did the same thing when she saw Bouncing Boy to do that as well.

And cue more internal panicking for Clark.

So, did Saturn Girl like did the whole fair a mind wipe, or just the guys who were witnesses?

More gayness, both sides.

And Clark has a gay panic.

Which will eventually turn into “I’m not Straight” in the future. I’ve been through that phase my boy.

Saturn Girl looks like a mom here, telling the kids to stop flirting atm.

Oh man, Clark asking them not to tell anyone about the super power thing. What a heart breaker.

“It’s okay. We know all about you.”

Wow, great conversation starter B5, totally not sounding like a stalker.

BRAINY WHY DID YOU CUT OFF BOUNCY?! JEALOUSY?! LOOK AT THESE GOSHDARN EXPRESSIONS.

Good job B5, weirded out your crush.

At least Saturn Girl knows saying “Coming to the future” sounds crazy.

“Clark!”

“Wait!”

Oof. My heart at his voice.

And Cool Mom has to step in.

He looks like a kicked dog at this frame.

Let us appreciate how immediately when Saturn Girl says “Let’s just give him some time,” the episodes is edited so that they show up in the kitchen at his house.

So Saturn Girl has a coffee mug, Bouncing Boy has pie, and nothing for the green child. Oh, and embarrassment for Clark.

Well, okay, B5 kinda looks like an angry kid who’s upset their BF is an hour late to the date.

And the introduction the do at the home seems to be much smoother at the fair. Think they did rehearsals waiting for Clark to get home? Did they switch out constantly? And how far did B5 take his crush with the rehearsals?

But Clark defiantly has a lot of self-doubt at the idea of him being a super hero. He uses his powers for good, but he definitely lacks the confidence that he’s good enough for it. He laughs it off at first, then seems a little angry and scared at how much they knew about his powers. Reminds me now of Yuuri Katsuri. And given how little confidence I have had in the last few years about myself, I can further appreciate him now than what I did back then.

Clark was very tempted in coming at “Come with us and you won’t have to hide them anymore.” It’s like getting a safe place to come out, finally, after years of being told that it’s safer to hide himself. Further more appreciative with time for me.

Wow, B5 looks so demanding here.

(Where did they keep that time bubble tho?? It just appeared out of nowhere?)

I kinda laughed at the part where Ma goes “Take a sweater!” then comes down stairs, confused at what he said. “Future?”

I like the atmosphere of New Metropolis in this show. Good use of complementary colors in this shot.

AND THANK ****ING GOD LOOK AT TRIPLICATE GIRL IN HD HER SKIN IS DARKER

I CRY BLOOD AT THE FACT THAT THE FACT SHE WAS SUPPOSE TO BE MUCH DARKER AND THEN SHE CAME OUT SO PALE IN SD QUALITY THANK GOD FOR HD

Granted the concept art of her gave her darker skin but SHE’S SO BEAUTIFUL WITH DARK SKIN

And here we have Queen Sinnamon Roll and Lighting Trash Baby, who PG proceeds to sass out with an eye roll and reality, and then has Trips back her up. Positive female friendships, that’s an instant gold star.

What a jealous baby, getting phased through and shoved aside. Thinking back to the jock we saw earlier, I find it interesting that Lightning Lad was made to fit that image on the first episode. Interesting move. Perhaps it was to show the character development as we went along?

The girls look so disappointed that the skinny Superman came out instead of some muscular guy. Personally, I prefer the skinny Superman design. Muscular guys just don’t seem as attractive to me as often. Might have something to do with that I find myself attracted to girls more often. But I love all girls, and buff girls are on the list of those I am weak for, so I’m just further confused. Maybe I just need another 10 years to figure this one out.

And when Lightning Lad proceeds to poke fun at B5 and Clark…

Brainy looks like a cat who is planning his demise. I had cats for a little over ten years. I know this look. Brainy is giving him the look that says he will murder him in his sleep. Painfully.

And then Lightning Lad proceeds to be a jerk, doing the last thing Clark needs: degrading him on his powers. After everything I talked about earlier, this hurts me in the hard. Trash Baby will be sent to the garbage pit as required.

We cut to the Superman museum, where Saturn Girl brings Clark to speed what’s going on, explaining who the Fatal Five are.

While watching this episode, I realized how much emotional support and guidance Saturn Girl provided for those in need – particularly B5 and Clark in this one. And she doesn’t seem to need to read their minds to figure out what they are feeling. So really, that is really thought provoking. Maybe she studied psychology or hosts therapy groups. In any case, it makes her far more interesting as a person.

I’m kind of interested to see what the military forces were like in this show’s universe, given that they were deemed not available for help against the Fatal Five. How restricted are they? Is there restrictions based on international laws? And as for the Science Police… well, I’m going to discuss that in a future episode.

Okay so tallying up the other legionnaires who were mentioned when the code red was sent out. Shrinking Violet was undercover, Colossal Boy is on Rawl (did I spell that right?), while Cosmic Boy, the leader, is at the outpost, where it is commented he won’t make it on time. Good god, they were spread thin. Just how much shit is going on elsewhere?! Just leave less than ten people at the HQ where one of the biggest problems will find them. NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL.

So the Fatal Five show up, and at least the police try to do something, but still get their asses kicked. A for effort.

And what does Clark do when confronted with his first Comic Villain fight? At first he seems like he’s running away. Leaving the Legion to get their butts kicked. But instead he’s getting the costume, and tries to fly. He’s taking a step forward to define himself as someone who can help. He’s becoming Superman.

But how did that costume just suddenly adjust to the tinier frame? Krypton Science?

And what about his hair? It changed too! It just popped out that signature curl!

Regarding the fight, there are several things I noticed: Triplicate Girl can be forcibly merged back into one singular being, and all three of her can carry Persuader and PG with the ax. Validus chased Bouncing Boy like a dog, which was kind of funny. Lightning Lad abandons his original opponent during fight to go help his teammates, and manages to resist for a while. And then he gave Superman tips in fighting. Saturn Girl is the first to break out of the control, and uses her powers to free the others. B5 has strong robot muscles (what’s the mechanical equivalent?)

Also, I think I should thank this episode for giving the idea of the ax for a weapon in the SU AU i work with, since she got to hold it several times in the episode.

Now regarding the villains, honestly the only one who I find of any interest is Emerald Empress. She was just so causal to Superman when she sees him in costume, and sounded disappointed at the small number of the people who came to confront her team, which gives her some character. Also, I heard somewhere that she is a lesbian. If anyone has a source that can confirm, I would appreciate it so much, cuz I need more queer ladies in my life.

Post fight, Lighting Lad says he knew Superman could do it, only to get the look from everyone. Karma much?

And we see sad Brainy when he says Superman has to go home.

But then Superman is the one who proposes he stays.

And as one last boot to the episode, Superman steals what Lightning Lad’s spot during flight with Brainy’s help. Continuing Karma on the trash baby.

So final thoughts on the episode overall.

It’s a good start the first season, definitely. But I feel there could be better execution. Like the first bit can get people to think that the fight happened before the Legion went to fetch Superman. Like only some of them managed to get away from the Fatal Five, and realize they need help in rescuing the rest of the Legion. That would be more interesting for a first episode, to me anyway.

Villains could have used more development.

Maybe seeing a bit more of the life back at Smallville would have been nice as well.

And how did that decision for the Time Bubble Trio/TBT go? I know B5 probably demanded to go, justifying he was the one who built the device. And wanted to see Superman first. But why Saturn Girl and Bouncing Boy? Did they draw stick, or was it based on the idea that they are probably the most responsible of the group? TELL ME~

But given what we got, I love it. The members of the legion are fun to watch, and it’s a good take on the younger Superman, and the interpretation I got out of the episode was so much deeper than what I got when I was younger.

And kudos out to the staff in trying to squeeze that gay stuff in.

Characters in this episode:

I really like Superman/Clark’s personality here. I can relate to it now better than how I did when I was younger. And now the experience seems like a parallel to finding a safe place to come out. Gold. Star.

Brainiac 5 was nice to see, crushing on Superman. We discover more of him personality wise later on, but it’s so good to see the gay game getting on this early.

Saturn Girl – god I love how she’s so emotionally aware of others in parts of this episode. This girl is definitely someone I would talk to during a hard time.

Lightning Lad… thank god for later character development. He’s a lovable brat here, but needs that character development stat.

Bouncing Boy is a delight. Such goodness in a person. An early-version of Hunk from Voltron. Good emotional support as well.

Seeing the sass that just oozes from Phantom Girl is a joy. My beautiful daughter.

And Triplicate Girl… THANK GOD YOU ARE NOT AS PALE HERE IN HD AS YOU WERE IN SD. I feel that we could have seen more of her and PG, but I really love how they got along in the HQ before the TBT got back.

The villains. Not much to say other than what I said about Empress earlier and that they needed development overall. Sorry.

Well, that’s all for this episode! Hope this was a good read for you all! lemme know if i should put any under a Read More bar.

#losh #legion of superheroes #legion of super-heroes #dcau #superman #Hannah Watches LOSH

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