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marjansmarwani · 3 years

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all the difference in the world

2.7k || ao3

Carlos and his partner Mya respond to the hostage situation call. --- A 2x05 coda (a.k.a if the writers won’t give Carlos scenes, I will.)

This was mostly written out of spite. Mostly beta’d by @officereyes, but any errors in the part I added after are on me and me alone.

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“I’m just saying, I can’t believe you didn’t invite me to the roller derby.”

“I’m sorry, I had no idea it would be your thing,” Carlos shot back defensively.

His partner turned to look at him for the briefest of moments with an entirely unimpressed expression, “It’s badass women on roller skates, Reyes. What exactly about that sounds like ‘not my thing’?”

Carlos rolled his eyes. “I’ll be sure to invite you next time, Esquilin,” he promised, “as long as you don’t mind hanging out with TK’s crew.”

“I think the badass women on roller skates can balance out the company of firefighters,” she quipped, shooting Carlos a grin, “probably.”

He rolled his eyes again, but his retort was interrupted when their radio sounded from the dashboard, “Be advised, all units: Code 3 at 235 Heyward St, unit 3F. Hostage situation, suspect is armed and dangerous.”

Carlos shot Mya a look and she nodded, flipping on the lights and sirens as she took the next left, bringing them closer to the emergency in progress.

“Dispatch, this is 363-H-20, responding. ETA 8 minutes,” he announced into the radio before replacing it on the dashboard, a grim set to his mouth as he stared out the window at the houses they sped by.

“I hate domestic calls,” Mya eventually said into the silence and Carlos nodded grimly. They had both seen calls like this end badly, and he knew they were both desperately hoping to never have to see that again. “Where did they say she was?”

“Third floor.” He glanced at his partner to see her biting her lip as she considered, “Why?”

“I’m just trying to figure out how we can possibly get up there without tipping him off. Dispatch said he was armed, we don’t want him spooked. That’s not going to end well for anyone, especially not her.”

Carlos nodded, trying to focus on the problem rather than the possible disastrous outcomes. He and Mya had responded to a similar call almost two years ago now and that one had not ended happily. It was one of his experiences on the force that had affected him most and one he still thought about from time to time, especially on bad days. But it was also an experience that didn’t help them now. If they wanted to make sure that didn’t happen again he needed to focus on the now.

Which was all well and good, but he didn’t know they were supposed to get a victim out of a third-floor apartment before they breached without anyone getting caught in a crossfire. They didn’t have the time, resources, or training to scale the building to approach that way. The only way in was the stairs and the door.

He looked over at Mya who met his gaze with an equally frustrated expression. Clearly, she had not come up with any brilliant ideas either. He sighed and leaned back in his seat. It’s not that he thought he and Mya were incapable of coming up with creative solutions. But after spending so much time about the 126 he had a new standard for “creative,” and honestly he could use some of that insanity he witnessed on a regular basis right now.

“We just need a way to get her out,” Mya said eventually as they drew closer to their destination, “once she is safe we can handle the guy. I just don’t want to risk her getting caught in a possible crossfire.”

Carlos nodded and opened his mouth to ask his partner if she had any brilliant ideas to make that happen when he froze, a half-formed thought popping into his head. Without saying a word to Mya he reached for the radio again, switching it on to call dispatch: “Dispatch, are there any available fire units in the area of the Code 3?”

“The 226 is in the vicinity and available.”

Carlos glanced over at Mya, who had pulled her eyes off the road long enough to give him a baffled look. He smiled at her before he spoke into the radio again, “Dispatch, can they respond to the address in question and deploy the rescue cushion?”

He saw the dawning realization on his partner’s face as he waited. She beamed at him even as the voice of the dispatch supervisor sounded over the radio, “Affirmative, 363-H-20. The 226 is en route and will have the rescue cushion deployed in time for your ETA.”

“10-4 dispatch, we’re about 4 minutes out now.”

He replaced the radio and turned to look at his partner, who shot him a knowing grin, “Only someone who has spent a little too much time around firefighters could come up with an idea as crazy as that.”

He scoffed at her, “Crazy enough that it might just work, you mean.”

She shook her head, still grinning, and Carlos sighed and leaned back in his seat, grin fading. “I hope it does work,” he admitted more somberly. “I don’t want this to be a repeat of…”

“There’s no point in thinking like that,” Mya interrupted sharply, “that was a long time ago. And there’s no saying this is going to turn out the same way. Not if we have any say in it. We’re already in better shape than we were then. We’re not going to make the same mistakes.”

Carlos nodded tightly and they continued their ride in silence. He knew Mya was right and that they had prepared in every possible way. They had done all they could, but there were still so many variables. There always were. Working with people in crisis was never an exact science and there was always a chance that nothing went according to plan.

They arrived at the scene and Carlos was out of the vehicle before Mya had even brought it to a complete stop, rushing over to the team unfurling the rescue cushion. The captain looked up as Carlos approached, “We’re just about ready to give the go-ahead,” he called, “we’re all set on our end!”

Carlos nodded gratefully and turned on his heel, meeting Mya’s eyes and jerking his head towards the building. She followed without question, waving for the other officers who had just arrived to follow them. They headed up the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible and Carlos did his best to avoid the creeping feeling of dread. He knew they had done everything they could, but that didn’t stop the fear that it might somehow still end in tragedy.

They had just approached the last flight of stairs when the scream ripped through the air. They froze as one, all waiting to hear the outcome. Carlos was nearly toppled by the relief of hearing the voices of the firefighters drifting up, assuring her that she was safe now. He could feel Mya’s hand on his arm and glanced over his shoulder to give her a quick smile. The victim was safe. From here, it was all simple.

He gave a nod to the other officers gathered behind him and they resumed their journey upwards, entering the hallway and barreling through the door. The man spun to face them from the railing, a look of shock covering his features. Carlos held his gaze as he ordered him to put his hands up, and he saw the moment he made a decision. Dispatch had mentioned that this was his third strike; he knew there was no happy ending in this for him.

He lunged for the gun in the same moment that Carlos thrust himself fully into the room, grabbing him before he could achieve his goal, stopping his hands mere millimeters from the gun. He could feel the collective sigh of relief from his fellow officers, as well as his partner’s gaze on the back of his neck. He ignored it, for the moment, as he wrestled the man’s arms behind his back, slapping the cuffs on him as he read him his rights. He stood then, pulling the suspect up with him as Mya stepped further into the room. She glanced over at the two officers behind them before addressing the pair: “We’ll take this loser down and get him to the station, can you two do a quick sweep and make sure all’s good here?”

They nodded and Mya gave them a quick thanks before taking the suspect from Carlos and guiding him towards the stairs. Carlos gave his own thanks to the other two officers and quickly followed. He could tell his partner had something on her mind, but he also knew she wouldn’t say anything about it until they had the suspect safely secured in the back of their squad car. They descended the stairs in silence before eventually exiting the building back into the parking lot where the 226 was in the process of packing up the rescue cushion and the victim was getting checked out by the paramedics.

Upon seeing his ex their cuffed suspect made to lunge in her direction but Carlos stepped between them, blocking his line of sight and staring down at him coldly, “Don’t even think about it.”

He deflated and Mya scoffed as she pulled him in the direction of the squad car, opening the door and guiding him inside without a word. Once the door was closed behind him she turned to face Carlos, eyebrows raised and an unimpressed look on her face, “You wanna talk about what happened up there?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, we got the guy.”

“Yes, we did. After you threw yourself in between him and his gun and our guns too, I might add.”

“Mya…” he began, but she held up her hand to stop him.

“I’m not trying to scold you, Carlos, especially because I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing. I’m just asking you to be a little bit more careful, okay? We take enough risks as it is, you really don’t need to go out of your way to create more. I kind of like you as a partner so I would appreciate it if you could manage to not get yourself shot if you don’t mind.”

“Aw, you do care.”

“I will deny that in a court of law,” she countered without missing a beat.

He grinned at her and she sighed before shaking her head and walking back around to the driver’s side. “Just remember I’m not going to be the one to tell your boyfriend you got yourself shot,” she called over her shoulder, “so maybe avoid that if at all possible.”

He chuckled, but her words also ignited a hint of anxiety in his chest. He had followed his instincts and he didn’t regret it, but now that the adrenaline was gone and he had the advantage of hindsight he could see how badly that could have gone. But he also knew that dwelling on it would accomplish nothing. He had spent a career trusting his instincts and he knew that was the best way to approach this. He knew that trusting himself was the best chance he had.

That didn’t lessen the risks and the fact that he had so much more to lose now than he ever had before.

As he opened the passenger door he glanced across the scene to see the woman sitting in the back of the ambulance, talking to another officer who was taking her statement. Her expression of relief was evident even from this distance, and Carlos smiled. This reality was better than any of the anxieties running through his head and he would focus on that. Today had been a win. They didn’t always get those, Carlos knew that all too well. They had to take the successes they could get, and savor those. Focusing on what-ifs never helped anybody.

Today they had won and the would-be victim had her life back. Today they had managed to get the ex before the worst had happened and that made all the difference in the world.

--------

Carlos looked up as his front door swung open, a smile spreading across his face when he saw his boyfriend and Paul crossing the threshold. TK met his eyes and matched his smile as he crossed the room towards him, “Hey, babe.”

Carlos met him at the edge of the counter, pulling him into a kiss that lingered. When they finally pulled apart, he grinned at TK, “Hey yourself.” He looked over TK’s shoulder to Paul, “Hi Paul.”

“What, no kiss for me Reyes?”

Carlos rolled his eyes fondly as TK chuckled, setting the grocery bags he had brought on the counter to start unloading them. Carlos grabbed some of the groceries from him, stealing another quick kiss in the process before he glanced between the two firefighters, “No Mateo and Marjan tonight?”

“They’ll be here,” Paul explained, “they’re just handling a situation right now.”

Carlos raised an eyebrow, “That sounds like a story.”

“It is,” TK confirmed as he put the last of the groceries into the fridge, closing it behind him, “and we’ll tell you as soon as you tell me what you might know about the 226 having to deploy a rescue cushion under a third-floor balcony at the request of APD.”

Carlos smiled sheepishly, “You heard about that, huh?”

“Austin’s a small town, Carlos,” TK reminded him with a sly grin, “and the fire department is even smaller. There’s not much I don’t hear about.”

Carlos looked past TK to Paul who raised an eyebrow, settling onto the couch to watch them, “We’ll tell you ours after you tell us yours.”

Carlos made a face at him before turning back to meet TK’s expectant gaze, “It was nothing major. There was a hostage situation in a third-floor apartment and we just needed to make sure that she was safely out of the line of fire before we went to take down the guy.”

TK moved closer to him, wrapping his arms around Carlos as he peered up into his eyes, “It sounds pretty major to me. Your idea probably saved her life, Carlos. She’s safe because of you.”

Carlos shrugged self-consciously, “I wouldn’t say that. Grace did most of the work, figuring it all out and keeping her on the line.”

TK shook his head and removed one of his hands from Carlos’s waist to turn his face so their gazes met, “Grace is brilliant and certainly deserves a lot of credit, but you had a hand in it too babe, don’t sell yourself short.”

Carlos studied TK’s eyes. They were sincere and full of love; so much it nearly overwhelmed him. His boyfriend meant every word he had said, and he was not about to let Carlos get away with arguing. The amount of faith TK had in him staggered him sometimes. He let himself smile and gave TK a nod. At his nod TK smiled wider, leaning in for another kiss before stepping away.

Paul chuckled from the couch, “I’ve gotta hand it to you Carlos, that was pretty crafty. It definitely worked but it was also a little crazy. Almost like something a certain someone else I know might have tried.”

Both Carlos and Paul’s gazes turned to TK, who looked at them indignantly, “What?” he demanded, but Paul just laughed.

“I think he might be rubbing off on you,” he informed Carlos with a raised eyebrow.

Carlos huffed a laugh in return but reached out an arm to wind around TK’s shoulders and pull him closer, placing a kiss on the inside of his neck. “Maybe,” he admitted, “but who’s to say that’s a bad thing?”

Paul rolled his eyes and TK smiled smugly, twisting in Carlos’s grasp to face him, leaning forward to give him another kiss. When he pulled away his expression grew more serious as he studied Carlos’s expression intently.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, “I know how you feel about domestic calls.”

Carlos pulled him closer again, placing a light kiss on the top of his head, “I’m okay,” he assured him with a certainty that almost surprised him, “really.”

TK grinned at him and Carlos smiled back, looking up and meeting Paul’s gaze as well and giving him a reassuring nod. Of course he was fine; he had everything he could possibly ever need right here in his arms. He was fine because despite it all today had been a good day, but he also because knew that even if it hadn’t been, he had a second family now and they would catch him should he fall.

#911 lone star #911 lone star fic #carlos reyes #tarlos #tarlos fic #911ls season 2 #my writing #userkimmy #userjilly #usermaximus #userac #userbones #tuserpaige

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Resident Evil Village Ending and Post-Credits Scene Explained

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This article contains Resident Evil Village spoilers.

While there’s been no shortage of Lady Dimitrescu memes in the months leading up to Resident Evil Village‘s release, it’s funny to think that all of the game’s trailers, previews, and demos barely told us anything about the sequel’s actual plot. We knew it would star Ethan Winters, we knew it involved a creepy village filled with retro horror threats, and we knew the internet was desperate for the attention of tall vampire ladies everywhere, but many of the most important questions about the game’s lore remained unanswered.

Why does Chris appear to shoot Mia in one of the first Village trailers? Why is this town full of vampires and werewolves? Who is Mother Miranda? How does all of this relate to Resident Evil 7? Is Resident Evil Village actually a remake of Resident Evil 4? Despite a host of compelling theories, the answers to those questions (and many more) remained frustratingly unanswered.

The good news is that Resident Evil Village eventually does answer a lot of those questions. You may not like all those answers (and you’ll have to wait a little while longer to wrap up a few of the plot threads it leaves hanging), but if you’re ready to discover the truth, then join us as we take a look at the true meaning of Resident Evil Village‘s ending and post-credits scene.

Chris Tells Ethan the Truth About Mia’s Death

After being knocked down into the underground area of Heisenberg’s factory, Ethan runs into Chris just as he’s building some kind of giant tank (*checks notes*yes, that’s right). Ethan finally asks Chris why he killed Mia, and Chris informs him that the person they killed wasn’t Mia: it was Mother Miranda.

Yes, Mother Miranda can assume different forms, and Chris and his team were well aware of her abilities when they shot “Mia.” What they didn’t know is that Miranda can also assume the form of a corpse, which is how she convinced the assault team they had completed their assignment. After the team left Ethan and Mia’s house, Miranda came back to life, attacked the vehicle Ethan and Rose were being escorted in, kidnapped Rose, and took her to the village.

Armed with the truth (or at least some of it) and a brand new tank, Ethan leaves the underground area to confront Heisenberg.

Ethan Winters Dies (Kind of)

Shortly after defeating Heisenberg (with a homemade tank, mind you), Ethan receives a call from Chris who tells him to not confront Miranda by himself. That plan fails spectacularly as Miranda (in the form of Mia) confronts Ethan shortly thereafter.

Miranda shapeshifts throughout the conversation (and even takes the shape of the crone we’ve seen throughout the game), but we finally see Miranda in what appears to be her true form (or a close approximation of it). She then confirms what has been hinted at all along by saying that Rose is an extraordinarily powerful being and that Miranda wants to claim her as her own daughter. As we’ve seen in the case of the villagers and the four noble bosses, Miranda is obsessed with finding some kind of family. She believes that Rose is powerful enough to survive a ritual that will effectively bond the two and awaken Rose’s true power.

While processing this information, Ethan Winters is seemingly killed by Mother Miranda when Miranda rips his heart out of his chest and drinks his blood. It seems to be the clear end of the line for Ethan, but as we’ll soon learn, the situation is not quite as simple as all that.

Chris and Blue Umbrella Assault the Village During Mother Miranda’s Ritual

After reviewing the circumstances that led to Ethan’s death, Chris leads an assault against the village just as Miranda is beginning her ritual with Rose. The team informs Chris that he should have told Ethan about his plan, but Chris says there was no time.

During this assault, Chris notices that another team of soldiers is invading the area via helicopters. He identifies the invaders as “BSAA,” and seems to believe they may be after the source of power that fuels Mother Miranda and the village.

Before we go any further, let’s talk about the BSAA a bit as they’re a pretty important part of the RE franchise and play a role in some of what happens next.

What is the BSAA?

BSAA stands for “Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance.” They’re a security response group created after the fall of Umbrella as part of a global effort to combat the rise in bioterrorism.

Chris previously worked for the BSAA (he was employed by them during the events of Resident Evil 5), and they’ve long been presented as a force for good. However, concerns regarding their funding, techniques, motivations, and apparent fascination with bioweapons themselves have long led some fans to believe that there may be more to the group than meets the eye.

Chris left the BSAA some time ago in favor of a role with Blue Umbrella, but he has seemingly stayed in some kind of contact with the orginization and has perhaps formed a working relationshiop with them. He seems surprised by their presence in the village, though, and we’re about to learn why.

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Chris Discovers The Connection Between Umbrella and Mother Miranda

While working his way through the village, Chris eventually goes underground (literally) and discovers a very old laboratory filled with photos of a young woman and a few companions. He also finds a letter written by Oswell E. Spencer: the founder of Umbrella.

In fact, this letter (which is addressed to Mother Miranda), reveals that Spencer met Miranda years ago and spent quite a bit of time with her discussing the logistics and implications of resurrection. In that note, Spencer says he believed that resurrection could (and perhaps should) be performed in large numbers whereas Miranda seemed more focused on the resurrection of select individuals.

Due partially to their differing views, Spencer eventually left Miranda and took what he learned (as well as a few samples of the material that Miranda drew power from) to help him form Umbrella. In fact, Spencer confirms that he got the idea for the company’s name and logo from the shape of the symbol that we’ve seen multiple times throughout the village. That symbol seems to correspond to the area’s four noble houses, though the exact meaning and history of its design are somewhat ambiguous.

It’s a pretty shocking revelation that Chris doesn’t have time to dwell on as he soon runs into a surprisingly very much alive Mia (the real one). Chris tells Mia that Ethan is dead and that Miranda has Rose. Mia then surprises Chris by saying that Ethan can’t be dead as there’s something about him that nobody really knows.

How is Ethan Alive? Is Eveline Still Alive?

After Mia tells Chris that she thinks Ethan is alive, we cut to Ethan as he rises from his grave (so to speak) and starts crawling through what appears to be a frozen wasteland. Ethan then runs into Eveline who suggests to him that the reason he’s able to survive so much punishment is that he’s technically been dead for years.

Based on Evelin’s story and a few context clues, it seems that Ethan was killed by Jack Baker at the beginning of Resident Evil 7. From there, he was infected by the mold and became something between human and monster. This would certainly help explain Ethan’s incredible regenerative abilities as well as some of his apparent hallucinations. It doesn’t really answer a lot of questions regarding why Ethan has been able to retain so many elements of his humanity (and how he had a child that seems to have inherited some of his abilities), but it seems that these are all questions that weren’t meant to be answered (or are just old fashioned plot holes).

What about Eve, though? So far as I can tell, she’s just a figment of Ethan’s imagination. She’s something buried in his subconscious to help him understand this thing that he’s been ignoring for a long time. It does not appear that she’s actually still alive.

In any case, Ethan is properly resurrected shortly thereafter and soon finds himself in the back of The Duke’s carriage. The Duke is already taking him to Mother Miranda (who is trying to complete her ceremony with Rose). Ethan asks The Duke who, or what, he is. The Duke doesn’t give a clear answer and even suggests that he isn’t entirely sure he can answer questions about his origins. The debate between missing plot point and intention ambiguity rages on.

Soon, Ethan arrives at the village where he is finally able to confront Mother Miranda just as she’s performing the ritual on Rose.

Miranda’s Ritual and Ethan’s Final Sacrifice

Miranda’s ritual takes a strange turn when she completes at least a part of it and suggests that the ceremony is somehow draining her powers from her. Is Rose absorbing that power? Ethan gets the drop on her soon thereafter and distracts Miranda long enough for someone (presumably Chris) to shoot Miranda from a distance. Miranda then morphs into a grotesque creature that certainly seems to be closer to her final form than anything we’ve seen before.

Her banter with Ethan confirms that she’s been desperately seeking a family that shares her corruption and perhaps could even stay alive as long as she’s able to. She also refers to Rose as her daughter at several points, but that reference seems to be based on how Ethan’s abilities (and Rose’s birth/powers) can be traced back to Ethan’s “mold” infection (which in turn can be traced back to Miranda) and how Miranda disguised herself as Mia for a time. It doesn’t seem the game is suggesting that Miranda was Mia at the time that Rose was conceived and born, but the timeline of that ordeal isn’t entirely clear.

In any case, Miranda is soon defeated by whatever magic causes the most powerful being imaginable to be beaten by Ethan’s bullets. Ethan finally rescues Rose, meets up with Chris, and starts walking away from the village. It’s then that a giant creature (another of Miranda’s many forms) emerges from under the village. Chris informs Ethan that they have to run away as the entire area is rigged to explode as soon as Chris activates the detonator he’s carrying.

Ethan soon gives Rose to Chris and steals the detonator from Chris’ hand. He asks Chris to guard Rose for him and indicates that he’ll destroy himself in order to ensure the bombs go off. Chris reluctantly agrees, runs away, gives Rose to Mia, and the three of them fly away as a massive explosion seemingly confirms both Miranda and Ethan’s actual deaths.

The BSAA Bioweapons and a “Storybook” Ending

Chris, Mia, Rose, and one of the Blue Umbrella soldiers are escaping via a helicopter when the soldier informs Chris that the troops that the BSAA was sending into the village were actually advanced bioweapons. Sure enough, we soon see the hollowed-out body of a soldier in a BSAA uniform. It appears to be “zombie-like” and certainly something other than human.

Chris is shocked by this information and informs the soldier to take them to the BSAA HQ in England so that someone can answer for this. The game then cuts to credits shortly thereafter.

There are a couple of ways to read this whole thing. It’s possible that BSAA could have been partially responsible for this situation, but based on what we know about Mother Miranda’s story, it seems more likely that she’s the one responsible for all of the village’s woes over the years. Maybe the BSAA played a small role in certain events, but it doesn’t seem like they’re “responsible” for the events in either Resident Evil 7 or Village in any meaningful way that would make them the ones pulling the strings.

The more likely explanation here is that Chris is upset that the BSAA are using bioweapons and may have invaded the village in the hopes of securing Mother Miranda’s power source (or possibly Rose) as Umbrella’s founder once did years ago. Chris certainly seems like he’s still looking for someone to fight, and the idea that the BSAA may be morphing into a kind of reborn Umbrella would certainly give him the enemy that he’s been looking for.

It’s also worth noting that Resident Evil Village’s credits feature a retelling of the fairy tale from the game’s opening (in the form of a song), but this time, we get an extra scene in which the fairy tale girl’s father fights off the demons while her mother carries her to safety. That storybook was always meant to tease the events of Village, and this ending either suggests that the end of that story (which we didn’t hear when it was told at the beginning of the game) always echoed what would eventually happen in the story. It could also just be a stylish way to conclude the adventure. I’d vote for the latter.

Then again, that scene isn’t the “real” ending to Resident Evil Village…

Resident Evil Village’s Post-Credits Scene Sets Up Rose’s Adventure and Resident Evil 9

Stick around until the end of Resident Evil Village’s credits, and you’ll see a short scene starring a young girl on a bus. She’s alternating between watching a mother read a book to her child and staring out the window on a sunny day.

She gets off when the bus stops and makes her way to a headstone with the name “Ethan Winters” etched into it. It’s clear that this is a grown-up version of Rose, who appears to be a teenager, though it’s possible her abilities make her true age hard to determine. She apologizes to her dad for visiting so late and mentions that she’s been busy with “tests.”

Rose soon walks away from the grave and towards a black truck guarded by a man in a suit. The man seems to indicate that Rose has escaped them, and even calls Rose “Eve” in a mocking way. Rose pins him against the vehicle and tells him to be careful as she has powers that even “Chris doesn’t know about.” Someone on the man’s radio mentions they have a shot on the target, but the man says not to worry about it as Rose is “only a child.”

As the man drives away, he mentions to Rose that she’s a lot like her father. Rose says she’s more like her father than even he knows. They fade into the distance shortly before a screen appears that reads “The Father’s Story is Done.”

It’s unclear how much time has passed since the scene in the helicopter and this sequence, but Rose is certainly much older than she was before. Chris is clearly watching out for her (as Ethan requested), though it seems that he’s worried about her powers and whether or not they will be able to control them. There’s no mention of where Mia is (if she’s still alive).

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

As for the final screen, it certainly seems to suggest that the next Resident Evil game will focus on Rose. That could be quite interesting as she not only has the same regenerative abilities her father possessed but may have additional abilities similar to the ones we saw Eve utilize in Resident Evil 7. If I had to guess, I’d say that BSAA’s use of bioweapons in the field inspired Chris to use Rose as a weapon of sorts, despite the fact that Ethan indicated he was against the idea of using Rose in that capacity whatsoever.

Will Rose actually be the star of Resident Evil 9? Where is Mia? What happened between Chris and the BSAA? Are Mother Miranda and Ethan truly dead? Who is The Duke? While we wait for the answers to those questions, be sure to let us know what you think about Resident Evil Village‘s ending in the comments below.

The post Resident Evil Village Ending and Post-Credits Scene Explained appeared first on Den of Geek.

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blaperile · 4 years

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Homestuck^2 - Reactions Chapter 2 “Clown Logistics” (Pages 57 - 95)

Time for the "Clown Logistics"!

...There's nothing I can think of but a hypothetical department within Jane's ship. So, a chapter from Jane's perspective is my only theory right now!

I mean, seeing as Gamzee’s (presumably) dead I assume this won’t be a direct focus on him.

If we do focus on Jane now, it's interesting how the B2 Kids are getting the majority of the focus so far in Homestuck^2.

And Roxy, who had, especially in the later parts of Homestuck, the majority of screentime has so far not appeared yet.

Very, very interesting indeed.

Anyway, let's read on.

Page 57:

NOPE, SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY. But still related to fucking Gamzee of course.

WE'VE GOT OFFICIAL ART FOR VRISKA MARYAM-LALONDE NOW :O

Oh man.

I'd been forming some mental images on what Vriska Maryam-Lalonde and Tavros Crocker would look like. But to be honest, my creativity wasn't that good so I'd been mostly imagining a near exact copy of Vriska, and a humanized version of Tavros. :P

Meanwhile, for Harry Anderson I'm imagining something like John/Jake with a hair style more like Roxy.

But no, just look at her!!!

She's like a gothic Vriska! Oh man, makes complete sense, considering how Rose and Kanaya like to dress themselves. I can't believe I hadn't thought of that actually.

And it's minutes in the past, which explains why she's not with Tavros currently.

Maybe that means we'll see him too in a little bit? :O

Anyway, Vriska Serket's looking surprisingly okay, considering how earlier she was seemingly bleeding to death, based on the narration. :P

Pffff, Vriska's being classic Vriska already. Stealing stuff and giving herself advantages at the cost of others.

Though to be honest, John's probably not missing that phone right now.

Page 58:

Yikes, yeah, Gamzee sure got a rough beating there.

I like that they decided to depict the scars from Nepeta's claws here!

Oh boy, does this mean Vriska Serket's going to stop being (Vriska)? Indication she's gonna become relevant again? :P

Then what is she going to call Vriska Maryam-Lalonde? Is this going to be based on a suggestion from the readers?

Is it going to be anything like her real name? Or is it going to be a different spider-related name?

...I'll laugh if she decides to name her Aranea. xD

Page 59:

Vrissy! :O

I like the sound of it! It sounds enough like Vriska, and is also 6 letters. And it rolls well enough of the tongue.

Anyway, oh god, Vrissy's gonna call upon Tavros Crocker isn't she? :/

To involve him in this criminal matter... yeah, sounds like something a kismesis might do. :P

I wonder if Tavros is gonna get a nickname. Perhaps not, seeing as there isn't a second Tavros around right now (unless Gcatavrosprite finally shows up again).

Also, since when does Vriska have an eyepatch? I mean, I knew Karkat has an eyepatch now, but I had no idea Vriska also had one.

I like how she drew an 8 on it to make it resemble an 8-ball though.

Page 60:

Ahahaha, Vrissy's immediately sold on the new nickname.

Is she gonna insist that everyone uses that name from now on? Including her parents?

I wonder what kind of car Tavros will be coming with. Will it look like Dad's car?

Oh boy, what is Vriska's reaction going to be to the existence of a Tavros here. xD

Let's hope she doesn't tear into Tavros like he's... ahum, Tavros.

Page 61:

Hehe, perfection! Slightly calmer than I'd have expected her to be, but still.

And uh, is Tavros really gonna get a kick out of this? I mean, he didn't like Gamzee very much of course, but I'd think he'd be a bit too much of a nice person to really uh, enjoy this?

God I'm so curious to see what he'll look like...

Page 62:

There he is already!

A hovercar! Can't say I was expecting that, hehe.

Page 63:

There he is!!!!! :D

Oh man, he looks like a perfect mix between Jane and Jake. Jane's glasses, Jake's hair and bowtie. And the buck teeth of course! :B

It's so cool to finally see what Vrissy and Tavros look like. After all this time that we only had dialog and no images, hehe.

Page 64:

Ahahahaha, mood whiplash! Yup, that's truly an Egbert/English/Nitram reborn. xD

That's exactly how I imagined him reacting to this.

Page 65:

Ha, alright. He really doesn't mind Gamzee's dead.

Page 66:

N'awww. It's pretty heartwarming that the badass Serkets allow Tavros to have this little emotional moment instead of ripping into him.

Page 69:

Hehe, return of the Scribble Mode-like art style!

Oh boy, Tavros is removing his sweater. I wonder what he looks like underneath that! Is there gonna be any symbol popping up here? :P

Page 70:

Ooooh, suspenders! Instantly makes me think of Caliborn and Doc Scratch... errr, not really the best people to be thinking of here I guess. xD

I wonder if this is truly the last we'll see of Gamzee.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he's somehow only "almost" dead and will suddenly start honking again from within the trunk.

Page 71:

HOLY SHIT HARRY ANDERSON EGBERT OUT OF NOWHERE

Wow... man, for a second I didn't realize it was him! To be honest, I first thought it was a girl.

But then I noticed the hair style, the eyes... that's so Roxy-like. Combined with the buck teeth and the blue scarf, that sold it. Just like how Roxy likes to wear scarfs.

Oh man, I love the designs of these characters.

Page 72:

OH DEAR GOD, HE'S A TOTAL COOLKID.

OH MAN

He talks so much like Roxy, I love it.

Pfffahahaha, he doesn't believe a WORD Vrissy is saying. His face is going to be PRICELESS when he sees that she's telling the truth.

Page 75:

Ahahaha, yes, Harry Anderson doesn't believe it at all.

...So that's what Alternian schools were like then. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. xD

I'm starting to think that perhaps they're just gonna bring Gamzee's body to the rebel camp, and that this way the news somehow reaches Jane that Tavros is with the rebels. Just not in the way she's thinking. :P

Oh boy, I hope that if they do go there they meet Karkat and Meenah. I want to see Vriska's face when she meets this badass leader Karkat.

And god I'm dying to find out what he looks like now.

Page 76:

Hehehe, I didn't immediately notice the spades in Vrissy's eyes.

Also, that sounds totally like a Jakey thing to say: "Righto".

It IS starting to look like abundantChewtoys pointed out to me that their relationship is relatively calm, despite being kismesises. Maybe it's somewhat like between John and Terezi!

Page 79:

A honk? Tavros heard a honk?

Oh man... is it really gonna turn out there's still a little bit of life left in him?

But yeah... there's no way this is gonna end well. SOMEONE's going to spot them carrying a body, right?

On the other hand, Vriska's always got irons in the fire, maybe now she's gonna get a clown in the fire. :B

Page 80:

Ahahaha, that's gonna make some noise and draw attention, isn't it?

Page 81:

Pffff, these guys. I love this little group of dorks.

Page 83:

Oh god, they better watch out for that smoke detector or whatever it is, or that's gonna set off a REAL alarm now.

Pages 84 - 85:

YUP, called it that they were going to bump into that.

I didn't think it was a sprinkler though, but close enough. :P

So what are they going to do now? Drop the body and run for cover?

If people find Gamzee, that's definitely going to hit the headlines though.

Page 86:

Ahahahaha, return of the Bluh! God it's been so long.

Yeah... they're busted. What are they gonna do now? Are Vriska and Vrissy going to pretend that Tavros is their hostage or something?

...I just realized we're nearing page 88, hahahaha.

Oh man, I just love Vriska in this chapter. These are just so much more sillier events than we're normally used to seeing her in. xD

Page 87:

Oh man, I didn't think we'd see actual dialog for these people!

It's interesting how they all have FIVE letters in their name. Not 4 like the human kids, nor 6 like the Troll kids, but 5.

I love how they talk like teenagers on social media.

Page 89:

Oooooh, I like how their eyes light up in the dark!

Pfff, yup, Vriska's really enjoying herself out here. Looks like she won't mind THAT much that she can't go back to the action in the Furthest Ring. :P

Also, uh, I don't think they'll just be able to get away when school's out. I bet they're probably going to call the police or something?

Page 90:

Ahahaha, so THAT'S why Jane thought the rebels had captured Tavros. She just refuses to accept the alternative.

That's really just her problem. It's always been.

She can just be SO convinced that she's right about something, she just won't believe she's wrong. Until she sees it with her own eyes.

Maybe that's going to be the best solution to all these problems she has been causing? That all the negative things get SMACKED into her face so she finally realizes what she's been doing wrong?

Page 91:

HOLY SHIT. NOW THIS TRULY IS THE HOMESTUCK AGAIN OF ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.

Linking back to scenes/conversations that happened earlier, hahahaha!

Page 92:

Just look at this smooth bastard. xD

Looks like the face of someone who still believes he's being pranked. Does he think Vrissy set off the fire alarm on purpose, just to get him out of class?

Page 93:

Oh boy, he's looking at his phone. Is he gonna see the same image as Jane on social media now?

Pages 94 - 95:

PERFECTION. THAT FACE. I LOVE IT. THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO SAY ON THE MATTER. XD

His last face reminds me a bit of Pickle Inspector.

Perfect end to a hilarious chapter!

God I love Homestuck^2.

#Homestuck #Homestuck^2 #reaction #Vriska Serket #Vrissy Maryam-Lalonde #Tavros Crocker #Harry Anderson Egbert #Gamzee Makara

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veinsofmantra · 5 years

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Sanditon rant

So I thought I'd go ahead and make a proper post to talk about my feelings on Sanditon. I've had some time, no sleep and read alot of opinions on the finale so I think I'm ready to process some of my own. Reviews have been quite divided as they should be because we consume media differently so note that these are just my personal feelings on the finale.

----- SPOILERS AHEAD ---

The Austen brand attached to it drew me to the show. Overall it felt a bit too modern to be Austen anyway but I was okay with that. I decided to go along for the ride but quickly got obsessed. It was exactly the kind of show that helped me unwind after a long week and before you knew it I was in deep.I went into this show thinking it was a mini. Jane Austen adaptations NEVER run into multiple seasons. Also I’m pretty certain it was advertised as a mini-series.I should've picked up on this when the writer announced he would want to do a season 2 but dismissed that as a PR movie.

Later I came to accept the possibility of a cliffhanger ending. It made me nervous obviously but there were LOTS of theories out there and only one small rumour that Eliza would come to spoil the fun. I was in complete denial. I assumed that even if that were true it would resolve itself within the episode and the fate of Sanditon and Tom would be the cliffhanger WITHOUT involving Sidney and Charlotte's romance.

I have a problem with the way they chose to handle Sidney and Charlotte in the finale. I'm upset and not getting over it anytime soon. Personally I think the cliffhanger was unnecessary but okay for argument's sake let's say they really really wanted to have an open ending:

1. Why bring up Eliza AGAIN? Didn't we just have the EXACT same Eliza situation play out in episode 7? So Eliza wants Sidney, Charlotte is jealous, Sidney is torn but he picks Charlotte anyway yay! done right? It should've been. But here we're sitting dealing with the almost the exact same thing? sigh

Sidney is literally making the exact mistake he said he wouldn't? We spend the first 8 episodes of him not wanting to 'get into same boat twice' but he does EXACTLY THAT? This is Jaimie/Brienne in a weird way and I was triggered. How am I supposed to re-watch those scenes again without them feeling hollow and empty?

2. Could LORD yes LORD Babington (Friend to the freaking Prince Regent) not step in? Do they really want us to believe that Sidney Parker with all his connections in London society thought his only way to get the money was MARRYING his rich ex who dumped him years ago???? It's more twisted than Esther and Edward tbh.

3. Lady Susan? What was she there for? Just a bit of sass and show? Another influential person who could've set things straight and helped Charlotte is nowhere to be seen when all hell breaks loose?

4. Sidney and Eliza are already engaged? Wow that happened so quickly? I was completely blindsided by the fact that got home with the news are they're engaged? After everything we are shown of the SLOWBURN Sidney/Charlotte and them falling in love over multiple hours this is a complete slap in the face. If they were going for a season 2 why not stretch out that London storyline? We could've done with Sidney leaving for London without the final scene of the series being a crying Charlotte going home.

5. I'm all for a little romantic angst but this show is really not that complicated and neither are it's characters. A tight 10 episodes with the happy ending was all we wanted.

6. And as a few folks have mentioned - IF there's a second season and IF Sidney ends up MARRYING Eliza without the Charlotte issue getting resolved then that's the final nail in the coffin for me. There's no coming back from that. It's likely they will try and put a Downton abbey style spin on the love triangle but I'm tired and not waiting a year to watch the same old tropes play out. Bottomline is Sidney marrying Eliza is where the line gets drawn for me personally. Anything that happens after ,even if he and Charlotte do get together, will not work. I know Davies is trying to modernise things here but nope I don't see myself accepting the ship under those circumstances.

7. A cliffhanger could've been a number of things that separated Sidney and Charlotte but bringing back his ex AGAIN and playing out the same soapy trope AGAIN and him getting engaged to her has left a bad taste in my mouth.

I haven’t had a breakdown or cried yet mostly because I still can’t believe what just happened.

It's obvious that this show has left LOTS of loose ends to tie up and they will be gunning for a season 2. Eh fine I'll be good maybe happy even for a season 2 but not because I care for the series as a whole at this point but only because I need to see Sidney and Charlotte finally get their hard-earned happy ending.

#sanditon #sanditon itv #personal #*#i've had one too many ships sink this year #i can't believe a jane austen inspired one is among them #if you read all of my word vomit then i thank you!#also these are just my personal feelings about the finale

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tracle0 · 5 years

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22/11

I was tagged by @joyful-soul-collector (thank you this is possibly one of my favourite tag games) ... Okay also also before I could finish this up, @hyba also tagged me so uh it’s 22/11 instead, ty ty. You two might want to check the tag list cause uhhh you might be there who knows not me c:

The rules are: Answer the 11 (22 this time but hush) questions, make up your own 11 and then tag... I think it’s 11 people but I don’t know 11 people who I haven’t already tagged so...

I sort of started spamming pictures to answer a question so I’m gonna... put the pictures under the cut.

1. Have any of your OCs ever stolen something? What did they steal, and why? Oh yeah sure - the first one I can think of easily is Cain. He used to live on the streets so had to steal to survive. But he’d also work for money. He’s not heartless, just desperate.

Also now I’m thinking about it, Tag would definitely be the kind of guy to just... hey I know I’m meant to hand this gear in but... no-one will miss it so.... he steals to amuse himself with the gadgets he gets.

2. Did you ever have imaginary friends as a kid? What were they like? I copied my sister in having pretend animal friends, but not really. Who needs imaginary friends when you have real-life ones lol I was a lot more liked as a kid.

3. Do any of your OCs have a favorite article of clothing? Why is it their favorite?

Uhhhh

Um.

Yeah, you could say that.

Andy likes his hoodie because it’s a thing that is only his. He didn’t get it from Murdock, I honestly don’t know WHERE he got it from, but it’s his, and the fact he owns anything means a lot to him.

Cain likes his because it’s one of the few things left over from when he was younger and again, it’s his. He didn’t steal it. It belongs to Only Him. He feels comfortable in it.

4. What do you fist develop about a character when you make one up? Do you think of their appearance first? Their personality? Their backstory?

Honestly? It depends. Backstory always comes after, but personality and appearance often intersect. I know for WIP 3 I thought of personality and traits first, and for Collateral it was appearance first. I think for Sonder it was more.. their role in the story? ‘Oh hey this is the antagonist, this is the protagonist, this is the love interest wait I hate romance, okay, side kick’ etc

5. Fluff or Angst?

If it’s not romantic? Fluff. I made myself angsty enough when I was younger, I want more happiness in my life.

6. Remember the color of that dress that everyone was debating about however many years ago? The one that was blue and black, or white and gold? What colors did you see?

The correct colours.

7. Pick your bubbliest, happiest OC. Now tell me what will make them turn into your worst nightmare. I wanna see what makes them the angriest.

Oh boy, let’s see uhhh... Tag. Tag from WIP 3 who is undergoing the process of a name change.

Seeing someone he loves die would twist him. Being isolated would eventually break him. Being unable to do what he loves would definitely upset him also.

Also idk if you’ve heard about it but in his world, there’s a nifty ability called being a silvertongue and I know at least one silvertongue is not gonna exploit this but I also know of another who would even on this19-year-old kid so maybe it’s not by choice but that could make him a nightmare. Just sayin’

8. Now pick your angstiest, most emo OC. And tell me what would make them blush and giggle like an idiot. I wanna see what makes them the happiest.

Okay for this one it’s a tie I write a lot of angsty characters.

>Andy - seeing something just. Really funny. Oh did Sam just fall over in a ridiculous way? Fantastic. That’s actually how they first have a proper conversation. Sam falls over, he laughs, they talk.

>Cain - anything awesome that Duck does. Oh hey what’s up Goose oh you drew this radical picture? /tearing up/ it’s so great oh my gosh you’re so talented. That’s more being happy than giggling but can you see Cain giggling? No, me neither.

9. If you could have any mythical creature for a pet, what would it be?

Dragon, next question.

10. What’s your go-to thing for when you’re hungry but don’t have time/energy to cook something?

Fruit! It is! Very good! And tasty! Apples have a good cronch! Oranges are mmmm juicy. Banana? Yes nice thank you. Oh wow we have strawberries? What a sweet treat. Also healthy!

11. Do any of your OCs have scars? Would they be confident enough to show them in public (like at the beach)?

Oh yeah sure man. Andy’s got multiple from... ‘training’. He doesn't show them off. Cain, Duck and Theo have all been badly burnt on the arms, and Cain ‘’shows it off’’ just because it makes him uncomfortable to have his arms covered. And uh Raya probably has some sort of scar on her knees or elbow from rollerblading. Because you do fall over and it does scar.

And now for Hyba’s questions, lez go bois

1. What cultural value do you see in writing/reading/storytelling/etc.?

I think that without storytelling specifically, humans would be so... mundane? We’d be no different to any other animal on the planet. Creating anything, be that stories or art or literally anything is so... human. To take that away would be like taking away humanities soul. The cultural value isn’t really measurable - storytelling makes up the culture.

2. Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

Honestly, I have no idea. I try to entertain myself, and if other people like it too, then that’s neat. But because I’m writing for myself, I anticipate everything, so I don’t know if it’s original or not. I know it delivers what I want! But is that readers want? Who knows!

3. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

Crow. Not even as a writer, just... dude crows are so damn cool.

4. What do you think most characterizes your writing?

I’m not quite sure about the phrasing so uhhhh represents? Google is telling me ‘describes’.

In which case, a midnight fever jolting you out of bed, moments before you could fall asleep, and puppeting you to a writing surface so you can splurge ideas onto it sounds about right. 66% of my WIPs have elements in them that were based on dreams.

5. How do you select the names of your characters?

Mostly? Spite. ‘Oh Trade, you can’t have a bad guy named Andy, all Andy’s are good’ NOPE NOT ANYMORE SUCK IT. I also have a friend who is really good at coming up with names that fit the exact mood of the character so I go to her a lot. Sometimes they’re puns.

6. Choose one of your OCs (or more). How would they want to be seen by others?

Sam from Sonder wants to be seen as someone people can talk to, but also someone who pursues a science because yes sociology is a science to her, shut up, don’t talk to me if you’re going to mention the words ‘paradigm’ or ‘objective’ thank you.

7. How do you find or make time to write? Are you consistent or do you write whenever you get the chance?

Hahahahahhahha.

In the past few months, I’ve not been writing because I’ve had exams. Before that, I wrote at every chance I had - being a student, I had a fair bit of free time during the day, so I’d use that to write. But for a while, it was a nothing on the ‘what has Trade written recently’ chart.

Going up again boiiis

8. What does literary success look like to you? Is it important for you as a writer?

Literary success? That’s... a very interesting question. I think I’d be satisfied and feel successful if one person told me that my book helped them through something.

Jokes on me, I’ve already had that, my books helped me, I have already succeeded, see you losers in hell.

Also fanart but uh who needs fanart when you draw enough for five armies?

9. Are there any scenes that you’ve had to edit out of your WIPs? Can you tell us about them if they don’t spoil the book?

YES oh lord yes okay so in Sonder, chapter 15, I decided around draft 2 that I wanted a scene where Atlas got drunk. I made up reasons for it, asked lots of friends about what it was like to be drunk (as I personally have never been drunk), attended parties to get first-hand research and did so much preparation.

Wrote the scene, was pleased with it, left it to fester. Two years and two drafts later (now), I’ve come back and realised oh hey that scene is utterly useless and de-rails the plot. Time to remove it I guess.

I rationalise it as ‘well you wrote it and you had fun but it’s not needed, move on’ and that works well for me.

10. Would you feel comfortable publishing or sharing your writing using your real name, or would you prefer a pseudonym?

Pseudonym 100%. As cool as it would be to be able to go ‘hey I wrote this’ to people, the terrifying ordeal of being known is horrific, and people being able to track all my past activity from when I was literally seven is my worst nightmare. I wouldn’t even tell family or friends if I could get away with it.

‘Hey [real name], there’s a book at Waterstones called Sonder? With the exact same characters, plot and writing style as you have? But it’s under [pseudonym]?’ ‘oh hey, really that’s wild. Anyway,’

11. When writing, do you try more to be original or do you prefer to deliver to readers what they want? Do you think that a book can do both? Which is more important to you as a writer?

Oh hey, this is like question two but MORE. Standing by my previous answer, I think a book can do both - people want a happy ending, usually, but you can always be original in how you do that. No two stories can be told in exactly the same way. And hey - even if people do guess what’s coming up, that’s good.

As a writer? It’s most important to entertain. I don’t try and catch people out, I just deliver the story I have in my head and then edit it mercilessly until I’m pleased.

Questions!

1) Design a mask for an OC to wear. Would it cover their whole face? Is it a mascarade mask? Is it fancy or simple? Bonus cool kid points if you draw it.

2) Which OCs like spicy food?

3) Which OCs can take care of a plant - an orchid, to be exact?

4) Do you tell stories in any other medium beyond writing? eg: art or roleplay or...?

5) Do you have any irl items that you have because ‘oh dude this is something that’d totally be in my story’? Can I see them?

6) What’s the first book you remember buying?

7) Do you have any weird collections of things? As an example, I have a skull collection and a collection of... what’s best described as doll body parts. Anything just... weird that you have a lot of? Can I see it?

8) Which OC gets distracted by watching birds and which OC is like ‘dude stop watching the birds we’ve got STUFF TO DO’

9) Have you ever met a published author? Who?

10) Are you a person who likes tea or are you a person who prefers coffee? If the latter - dude c’mon tea is so much better smh

11) Have you backed up your files recently? Do it now. Please, for the love of god, back up your files.

Tagging!

@hyba @joyful-soul-collector (dunno if I’m allowed to tag the people who tagged me but fukkit here’s some more questions you eggs) @kaatiba @albatris @timetravelingpigeon @note-katha (hi we have barely interacted but nice new username) @nymph-of-diana (on your main if you want, idm c:) @writing-and-nutmeg @futurity-writing @osteoprecocious and @thatfizzyyyy

Honestly, the fact I made it to 11 is - wowza. Uhhh if you don’t want to then don’t, if you do want to then PLEASE do and then tag me so I can see your answers, I’m curious.

Ciao.

#writing #am writing #my writing #writerblr #writeblr #tagged in #Wow this went on #but seriously this is possibly my favourite tag game #coming up with questions is hard but #hey piece of advice #put stuff you love into the questions #I like masks for example #so #questions about masks lezgo

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unpickingthetangles · 6 years

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Influence Tag Game

I was tagged by the wonderful @fatal-blow!! Thank you so much for giving me a platform to be this pretentious! I am deeply ashamed of myself, ahaha!!! This turned out SOOOO LONG so I am going to link to the summary of Hadrian.

Rules: Give a short summary of your WIP, name seven sources of influence on your story, and tag seven people.

Hadrian the Scholar summary.

There are probably a billion mistakes in this. I didn’t proofread it because I am running late for work. FORGIVE ME.

1. When I was 18 I got an amazing opportunity to stay with my sister in Beijing for over four months. I didn’t speak a word of Chinese or Mandarin and I was still a ridiculous teenager. I had been sheltered as a kid; the farthest I had gone outside of the US was to Niagara Falls (which doesn’t really count, right?) I went from a spacious farmhouse to an apartment no bigger than a college dorm room that I shared with my sister, my brother-in-law, and my five year old nephew. I was able to experience another culture and a people so foreign to me that I had to adjust my whole way of thinking. Best part, it was at a very influential age, so many of these new feelings stuck to me like glue. I remember going to a wedding, walking through the city at 2am, climbing parts of the Great Wall that hadn’t been reconstructed.

Oh, let me tell you the moment that really got to me. We were stay at this little freckle of a village, very small, very old. It was settled in a green valley and the Great Wall wrapped around the hills everywhere you look. My sister and I followed this trail into the mountains and came to the wall, where local men were working on keeping it standing. I sat down with a very old man and he gave me a popsicle, drew a map of the US in the loose dirt, and gestured to it. He was asking “where are you from”. And somehow over about a half an hour, I talked to this old man without speech, sharing a moment of connection over a popsicle, with this grand old structure that will outlive us both in the background. This had to be one of the most profound moments of my life, really. It was my sister (for all her many, many faults) that suggested that I write. She liked the way I used language and the way I saw Beijing. That trip has been extremely influential to me.

That’s the wall on the mountain back there!

2. I also believe the concept of ‘J.K. Rowling Revisionism’ has played a huge part in how the story’s characters have greatly evolved. Despite how you might feel on the subject, I have taken the concept of it and used it to be more inclusive with my characters. I remember seeing a post on Tumblr years ago that was said, ‘What? Did Dumbledore have to be staking around Hogwarts in a rainbow flag for you? Did he need to be playing house music and raving the whole time?’ and it listed about a dozen more egregious gay stereotypes. As a queer person I was so insulted by that. It clicked for me that ‘it takes a single throwaway line to help identify a character as (x)’. I didn’t want to play it safe anymore. I didn’t want to write ‘subtext’ and instead was compelled to make it fully ‘text’. If I wanted to read about queer people in love, I should have the wherewithal to write it myself. But I also had to think of other people who needed representation as well. I know this is more of a popular discussion today, but five years ago it was rather new, and it changed the way I write.

(Let me be specific here: Lissy and I have had numerous conversations about Rowling Revisionism and if it was (broadly considering) ‘Fair’ to criticize her for it. It is an extremely complex conversation concerning the long-lasting effects of representation or lack thereof, in my opinion. That is why I am using the word ‘concept’ here, as in it should be more of a literary discussion had by creators and not a polarizing debate set in simple black and white tones. (looking forward to the many anons I get about how it isn’t black and white.))

3. It is my belief that strong, believable characters far outweigh the plot or premise of a story. While the latter two are important, it is the characters that the reader is going to attach themselves to. A writer must introduce the idea of them as complex people in the world to get that special relationship the reader has with specific characters. The first thing I ask when I hand off my book to a beta is, “Who is your favorite character?” and I’ve gotten a different answer every time. That is a phenomenal thing! I am proud of that. When you look around fandoms, the fans are not drooling over the plots, they are defending characters and championing their causes.

With that being said, I’d say a major influence is in characters in media that made me rethink how I should approach writing characters. One of those would be the movie 12 Angry Men. If you haven’t watched it yet, I highly recommend it. This movie changed my goddamn life. Every single time I watch this movie, I find something new, something I missed the last 20 times I watched it. Hell, I watched it with Lissy once and she pointed out something so huge that I missed it. (ps. Still mad about that baby. How dare you be so clever?)

So how did that happen in a single-room mystery with 12 characters, none of which have names (save two at the very, very end) hit me so hard? How did this movie sink into me so deeply when it is mostly dialogue? I asked myself this over and over again. The answer is in the characters! At 1:10 into the film you are given a wide shot of the whole cast, a judge lazily prattling off his lines. Then the camera pans over the 12 Jurors: you see who is fidgeting, who is paying attention. Juror #5 looks off reflective of his decision to condemn a man to death, Juror #3 looks angry – why is he so angry? These are details that breathe an ever-expanding life into their characters. This whole cast is amazing, with Henry Fonda as #8 and Lee J. Cobb as #3. You know everything you need to know about them, without much backstory at all, without any grand declarations of their motivations. Hugely influential to me. It taught me that every character I write needs a strong introduction. If they are a weasel, they should be introduced as a weasel. If they are goodhearted, show an act of kindness. Hell, the first thing Hadrian does is show up at a funeral to mock the corpse. When he is introduced to Douglas’ character, he is dressed as a trickster god for a party. That tells you so much about him without putting exacting words to it.

4. While I had the meat of Hadrian the Scholar already planned out, it wasn’t until I read the works of KJ Charles that I really felt that I could be a writer and do it well. See, I’ve always been fond of those beautiful illusions like “my love for him was like a vein of gold in marble” (that’s from A Gentlemen’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, by-in-by). But I had no talent to write such pretty pretty words, not unless I work very hard at it, and even then it’s clumsy. KJ Charles doesn’t write in such a way. But what she does have is fantastic characters that react to situations in believable ways. She won’t be caught writing a character that doesn’t have his share of faults. As much as I loved A Gentle’s Guide because it is written in a style that I admire and love, it is Seditious Affair by KJ Charles that I reread the most. That’s because when I finished that book, I found that I missed the characters. It is also incidentally about two people who should be enemies because of their politics, yet they fall in love and fight for their partner’s beliefs, because they are important to their love. This basically sums it up. It really helped me think about Hadrian and Douglas’ relationship. Bless this author, seriously.

5. Waking Life is an indie film that is an interesting watch, though to me it hasn’t aged very well. However, it is this one brief segment that stuck with me most. Here is the full transcript:

Creation seems to come out of imperfection. It seems to come out of a striving and a frustration. And this is where I think language came from. I mean, it came from our desire to transcend our isolation and have some sort of connection with one another. And it had to be easy when it was just simple survival. Like, you know, "water." We came up with a sound for that. Or "Saber-toothed tiger right behind you." We came up with a sound for that. But when it gets really interesting, I think, is when we use that same system of symbols to communicate all the abstract and intangible things that we're experiencing. What is, like, frustration? Or what is anger or love? When I say "love," the sound comes out of my mouth and it hits the other person's ear, travels through this Byzantine conduit in their brain, you know, through their memories of love or lack of love, and they register what I'm saying and they say yes, they understand. But how do I know they understand? Because words are inert. They're just symbols. They're dead, you know? And so much of our experience is intangible. So much of what we perceive cannot be expressed. It's unspeakable. And yet, you know, when we communicate with one another, and we feel that we've connected, and we think that we're understood, I think we have a feeling of almost spiritual communion. And that feeling might be transient, but I think it's what we live for.

It made me think about how language is used when it is applied to complex thoughts and ideas. I took a lot of what she says about language and tried to absorb it, pick it apart, and elaborate on with my own works. What I am doing when I am writing is a grand act of translation. How can I translate my own experiences with grief onto this scene, onto these characters? How can I best write love? Or anger? How can I tell a believable story of one character’s decades of emotional abuse? I am using my own life as this huge canvas of events and painting over it with different faces, different places, different heartbeats. And then I take that canvas and show it so someone else, who then will in turn see something entirely new. Language is inert! What a concept! Complex ideas must be first translated! This is a fantastic summary of how I view writing.

6. The painting In Bed, the Kiss, by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

What a gorgeous painting, showing such an intimate moment between two people. It’s invocative of a full, well-loved life shared in love. It becomes even more powerful to me when I remember that it is widely believed that Toulouse-Lautrec only had relations with prostitutes. He had a life of health problems, having broken both is legs that did not heal properly, he was also abnormally short. Because he couldn’t participate in sporting like his friends, he turned to painting. It was a life of indifference and difficultly. Yet, he made one of my favorite paintings for its depiction of the serenity that comes with intimacy.

In the same vein, it is believed that Van Gogh was colorblind. He created some of the most recognizable paintings in the world while he was mired in depression and lonesomeness. Monet’s distinct style towards the end of his career is believed to be caused by cataracts. So much of the beauty in the world has been brought to us because of friction, tension, pain, anger, grief, depression, illness, isolation--- all the things that are believed to make the world ugly place. And yet, it was these artist’s ‘impediments’ that made their work powerful--- unique. All of creation is frustration, as said above. I believe that’s true, and it is something I think of while I write. I’m dyslexic, I make many mistakes, my relationship with language is a weird one, but I never forget that it may be the one thing that sets my writing apart. Through the struggle, I will create. My sense of humor? Because of my shitty childhood. My characters? Because for most of my life I wanted to be someone else. My writing style? Because of a reading ‘disability’. Creation is in conflict! That’s some inspirational shit right there.

7. Aaaand… Muppet Treasure Island.

Let’s see..

I will tag @queerloveandspaceships, @coveofmadness, @drderange and anyone else who wants to do it! I am sorry I am so fried after all of this.

#something I posted #text post #text #14th #June #2018 #June 14th 2018 #ask #long post #ask meme sorta #tag game #thank you again!

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stokan · 7 years

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The 20 Best Things of 2016

Fun fact: Many good things actually happened in the year 2016. It’s true! It wasn't all death and Trump, although as you’ll see, those two factors hang heavy over even the best of things. But just like every year, 2016 still managed to produce its fair share of great art, cultural triumphs, and viral delights. Leaving out, obviously, things from 2016 that it seems like I’ll probably love but have yet to experience (OJ: Made in America, Search Party, 20th Century Women, Fences, etc.), and TV shows I’ve already written about in years past (OITNB, Transparent, You're the Worst, Veep, etc) here are my top 20 favorite things from 2016, listed in no particular order:

1. Beyonce - “Formation” video

How upset old white people were about this should give you some idea of just how great it is.

When I was growing up, the biggest music video from the biggest female pop star of the day involved her dancing around suggestively in a Catholic school girl outfit. Trump may have won the election, but progress still remains undefeated.

2. Kendrick Lamar’s Grammys Performance

(Of course this isn't anywhere on the internet for me to link to. Because Neil Portnow.)

Kendrick’s performance was the performance that Kayne always thinks he is giving. It’s a performance that made everyone else who took the stage on Music’s Biggest Night seem like talent show contestants.

I don’t want to tell artists how to use their fame, but this is how they should use their fame.

3. Last Week Tonight - #MakeDonaldDrumpfAgain

SPOILER ALERT: He didn't make Donald Drumpf again. In fact the viral success of this piece and lack of any resultant effect on Trump whatsoever does raise some big questions about the effectiveness of comedy in actually changing anyone’s mind about anything in 2016. But yet, like death from a thousand paper cuts, it definitely drew a little blood. And even though I really wish John Oliver had stuck with guns and only referred to Trump as Drumpf for the rest of the year, it was still a more thorough and effective attack ad than anything the Clinton campaign managed to put together, and that was basically their whole job. John Oliver can never be president, but the world is going to be a better place as long as he keeps trying to help decide who will be.

Also, says everything about 2016 that this piece now feels like it came out ten thousand years ago.

4. La La Land

Hey, remember joy? And love? And having hopes and dreams? Well La La Land sure does! The best and worst thing you can say about it is that it’s a pre-Trump movie. Maybe the last one ever in fact. But for my money, Damien Chazelle’s quest to Make Musicals Great Again is exactly the tonic we need right now. And it seems fitting the Oscars after the death of Debbie Reynolds are going to be headlined by a colorful and happiness-inducing musical about show business, complete with its own dream ballet. Sometimes the best way to reinvent an art form is to just do it the same way its always been done, only better and at the right time.

5. Olympic Swimming

When the Olympics began I barely cared. I was raised on the Olympics, but in 2016 there’s so much else going on it felt like maybe time has passed the Olympics by. And then the swimming started. And Ledecky destroyed all challengers. And Phelps proved that calling him the greatest swimmer of all time is still underrating him. And Simone Manuel made history. And Lochte Lochted. And Anthony Ervin spun an all-time Olympic athlete backstory into Olympic gold. And for a week there was nothing in the world more compelling than watch people swim laps in a pool.

So turns out the Olympics are the Michael Phelps of sporting events - the second you think they’ve slipped a bit is when they have you right where they want you.

6. LVL Up - “Pain”

Point: Rock and roll is dead

Counterpoint: “Pain” by LVL Up

7. Stranger Things

I hate the 80s. I hate supernatural shows and horror-based shows and “genre” shows in general. I hate homage as the starting place for a work of art. I hate culture’s obsession with nostalgia and youth. And yet I loved Stranger Things. It felt like nothing else on TV while feeling like so many other things all at once. It’s the show Lost wishes it could have been, and what JJ Abrams wishes he had made instead of Super 8.

Also: I hate that there’s going to be a season two. I hate that dialogue around the show seemed so #TeamBarb when clearly any sane right-thinking person is #TeamNancy all the way. I preemptively hate all the imitators Stranger Things is going to spawn. And I hate the Stranger Things backlash that’s inevitably coming and coming hard. But right now, in this moment, let’s all embrace a wonderful television ride and not worry about the demigorgons in the woods coming to put slugs in its mouth.

#KeepHawkinsWeird

8. Flossie Dickey

Sometimes you find true love where you least expect it. Like in an interview with a 110-year woman at a nursing home.

9. Sam Donsky on The Ringer

(Speaking of soul mates…)

In the age of Trump it’s more important than ever that we have writers brave enough to ask the tough questions. Like: Who would win the Oscar for Best Baby? What is the best night any celebrity has ever had at Madison Square Garden? And why does David Benioff always thank his wife by her full name?

From analyzing the Kim/Kayne/Taylor tapes like they're the Zapruder film, to asking 74 questions about a film no one saw or liked, 2016 was the year Sam Donsky officially made himself into this generation’s Woodward and Bernstein, if Woodward and Bernstein were mostly known for dissecting dumb pop culture on the internet. We may never fully understand why Trump won, but, also, what’s up with Chris Pratt’s vests?

10. Black-ish - “Hope”

A perfect piece of writing and a perfect argument for the continued existence of network TV.

That being said though, 40 years ago this would be a classic TV episode people would talk about for generations. Now, it didn't even get nominated for an Emmy. Maybe network TV is just beyond saving.

11. The People vs. OJ Simpson

It’s almost a cliche at this point to point out how many societal issues the OJ Simpson case touched on, but watching this miniseries unfold was a great reminder that looking at the the past is usually the best vehicle for exploring the present. To choose just one example, the scene where the jurors argue over what to watch on TV is a perfect encapsulation of how something like a Trump victory could some day be possible. And if Marcia Clark isn't a perfect Hillary Clinton avatar then I don’t know who is. My only complaints about a perfect eight hours of television are that it wasn't longer and that Sarah Paulson and Courtney B. Vance aren't eligible for Oscars.

12. Samantha Bee’s Donald Trump Conspiracy Theory

Look, I don't want to say that Full Frontal with Samantha Bee is the best and most important show on TV. That is has the best joke writers in the business. That it has the righteous anger and indignation that this year called for. That it’s going to be our guiding light for the next four years. And that it’s proof that giving The Daily Show to Trevor Noah was one of the dumbest decisions in recent television history. All I’m saying is that some people are saying that, and who am I to disagree? If I was going to make claims that outlandish, I guess the first pieces of evidence I would direct you to are this already iconic Donald Trump conspiracy and the show’s Harriet Tubman segment. But I’m not one to make accusations about things using facts and evidence. I’m no expert; I’m just a guy. A guy standing in front of samanthabee.com asking it to to love him.

13. David Bowie - “Lazarus” video

The ultimate mic drop.

They say Native Americans used to make use of every part of the buffalo. David Bowie was like that, only the buffalo was his life.

14. SNL

“Farewell Mr. Bunting”

Having enough trust in your audience and your vision to attempt this sketch is super inspiring. Getting people in 2016 to wait through two and a half minutes of build up in a viral video before it pays off feels like a miracle. And getting the feeling back in my face when I finally finish laughing at this is going to be really great.

“Black Jeopardy” This is what comedy can do when its at it’s best. It cuts to truths about America more clearly and cleanly than 1,000 think pieces ever could. Are comedy sketches eligible for the Nobel Prize in Literature now?

“Hillary Clinton/Hallelujah” And this is what comedy can do when it’s not comedy at all. When historians 200 years from now want to know what the days just after the election of Donald Trump felt like all they need to do is watch this. The best thing SNL has ever done.

15. Songs That Made Me Unsure Whether I Should Be Sad, Dance, Or Both

Christine and the Queens - “iT”

I have absolutely no idea what this song is about. All I know is it sounds like the feeling of being alive. Between this song and Marion Cotillard’s eyes the French really continue to have the whole beautiful sadness thing figured out.

Eleanor Freiberger - “My Mistakes” The best Rilo Kiley song of 2016. The world can change however it wants; as long as it keeps giving me new versions of the exact song I’m totally good.

Mike Posner - “Took a Pill in Ibiza” The exact opposite of me is an EDM-influenced song about taking drugs in a nightclub in Ibiza. Yet here we are. Turns out that existential melancholy translated into Douche from the original Neurotic Intellectual is still pretty damn relatable. And yes I realize this song came out in 2015, but this will always be the sound of 2016 to me.

16. Moonlight

Moonlight feels like a miracle. That a serious drama without any name stars about a poor, gay, black man coming of age could be made at all, yet alone breakthrough into the popular consciousness. That a cast this natural and flawless could be found, like an album where every song that comes on makes you go “no THIS one is my favorite!”. That there are two different sets of three actors so similar and so good that when I see them together doing press it hurts my brain because I can’t process that they were not ACTUALLY the same person at three different ages. That two people making small talk at a table in a diner could have a whole audience on the edge of their seats. That a no-name director with one prior little-seen credit could create the most powerful and well-made movie of the year. None of these things seems possible or plausible, and yet they're all true. This movie is a miracle. And its success gives me hope. To quote critic Dana Stevens, in the pitch-black year of Trump, Moonlight was a “crack in the wall that allowed light to shine through”.

17. Atlanta

In 2016, what even is TV? It’s basically anything now. And it’s everything. It’s whatever it wants to be. And no artist has yet risen to meet the challenge and possibility of our post-Louie world better than Donald Glover has. In 2016 Atlanta is TV, and TV is Atlanta. There are no rules. There is only what you can dream up.

What will season two of Atlanta be? It could be literally anything and no one would bat an eye.

18. Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book

Chance the Rapper is so millennial it hurts. Chance the Rapper definitely has strong feelings about safe spaces and Bernie Sanders. Chance the Rapper has never even considered doing something ironically. Chance the Rapper makes Lin-Manuel Miranda look like a cynical pessimist. Hell, Chance the Rapper named himself Chance the Rapper. And as a millennial, Chance the Rapper is the future.

And the future sounds amazing.

The future is like if Old Kanye had been raised on new Kanye and was actually good at rapping. (As the old saying goes: every generation gets the Late Registration it deserves) The future is like if Picasso painted with emojis. The future is earnestness being the new aggression. The future is Future being the past.

Hip-hop is dead, long live hip-hop.

19. “A Closer Look” on Late Night With Seth Meyers

I almost left this reoccurring segment off my list of the best of 2016 because it’s become such a constant part of my life that I assumed it had been around longer than just this year. Who knew when Jon Stewart retired that the new iteration of The Daily Show would be called Late Night With Seth Meyers? Or as I call it: Essential.

20. Revisionist History Podcast

Facts and knowledge really took a beating in 2016, but turns out both are still great if you just re-examine them rather then throw them out all together. Perhaps looking more deeply into our assumptions about the world can help us better understand human nature and the reality we all share. Who knew?

Of everything I experienced in 2016 this podcast is the thing I reference most frequently. I’m fun at parties.

#la la land #Kendrick Lamar #moonlight #a closer look #revisionist history #formation #snl #make donald drumpf again #samantha bee #chance the rapper #atlanta #stranger things

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