#and the plucky human friend

[animaginaryartblog]

[Image ID: a digital drawing of an anthropomorphic dog character, floating underwater. The character is a humanoid African Wild Dog with webbed, otter-like paws. Her fur is primarily light brown, with dark brown and white splotches. Her ears are dark brown, as are her paws are dark brown. Her legs and arms have stocking-like white markings above the paws. Her face, chest, and the lower half of her tail are white as well.

She floats in murky blue water, one hand outstretched towards the light of the surface. She looks towards the light, but her expression is somber, resigned. The other, held low beneath her body, clutches a dagger. Blood rises from the dagger towards the surface, clouding the water. /end ID]

Also on my DeviantArt.

I know I've been saying this a lot, but I am really, really proud of this one. sometimes it's worth it to color with a brush instead of just using the fill tool.

as for the OC, this is Faith! she's a human/African Wild Dog/Timber wolf/giant otter hybrid, created (along with her parents and sisters) to be a weapon of war. due to certain events in her childhood, Faith has a debilitating fear of blood, which is less than ideal for someone who was made to be the perfect soldier.

the handlers who oversaw the training of her family dismissed Faith as unfit for combat, and her only use seemed to be as a hostage to keep the rest of the family in line. everyone sees Faith as weak, harmless, useless. even her own family sees her as the "little sister" who needs to be protected (never mind that she's older than all her siblings).

Faith is overlooked. forgotten. unwanted.

underestimated.

that's just how she wants it.

#my art #digital art #2023 art #imaginary's ill fated OCtober #my books #my ocs #original character #african wild dog #painted wolf #original dog character #original story #faith (CoW) #children of weapons #image id #has image id #image described #fun fact: faith's book was born out of my first tmnt phase #her and her sisters are basically just “what if the ninja turtles were dogs” #they've got the smart one the silly one the angry one and the strategic one #and the plucky human friend #one of these days i'm gonna draw them all in the Rise art style #and it's gonna be great #one day #blood #blood tw #blood cw #best of imaginary

[redlyriumidol]

the plot of inquisition is fairly basic/unoriginal imo UNTIL you factor trespasser in as the real ending. that elevates the story so far beyond a simple fantasy "bad monster guy wants to take over the world. the plucky hero and his friends stops him" to something much more compelling. the moment you find out corypheus was really just small potatoes and you should have been worrying about the unassuming, soft-spoken elf who you thought was your friend and would always be by your side.... unparalleled. of course trespasser shouldn't have been a dlc I mean... we shouldn't have had to pay extra for something which is absolutely critical to the story of inquisition, but anyway...... it's truly the plot twist of all time. corypheus was a bit blah as a bad guy but really he was just a distraction- all you've been doing this whole time is cleaning up solas's mess so he can freely carry out his plans. solas is already an incredibly good villain, just being able to see and get to know the "human" side of him for an entire game is amazing set-up for da:d

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #meredith was also a great villain. bc she was on some level sympathetic and complex #she had motivations beyond Being Evil even if they became warped into something extreme #(i don't mean we should feel sorry for her. i mean she was written as human) #patrick weekes being lead writer when he wrote trespasser Bodes Well imo #solas #dragon age talks

[barbwritesstuff]

I tried playing Thicker Than this weekend and got stuck on the first choice. Which origin story is the best? It's so hard to choose!

I'm bias, but I love all my children.

Divorcee, Gambler, Schmuck, Criminal, and Doctor are all beloved in this household.

That said, they've each got their own quirks and perks.

Divorcee gets a boost in shadow magic and the opportunity to rekindle the flame of romance with their former spouse (though in a very limited way).

Gambler is somehow simultaneously both the smartest and the dumbest vampire out of the five. They can do quick maths and will occasionally calculate and figure things out faster than the other origins, but (as recently pointed out to me) they're also the only vampire that flags down their murderer. Gambler has the worst luck. But, on the plus side, they start the game with money.

Schmuck is the dirty, plucky, fierce underdog. They've got mud on their face and will spit in your eye. They're also the strongest mentally (because they've endured minimum wage customer service jobs and survived) and thus get extra mind control powers.

Criminal is already a creature of the night in some ways and has probably the easiest transition into being a vampire. That said, they also come in strong. Literally. They can rip down doors from night one. Occasionally they'll just know things that someone who's been on the wrong side of the law will know.

Doctor knows about the human body and that effects some dialogue throughout the game. Plus they get a doctor friend that they can occasionally run into. But the big perk is that, unlike the other vampires, they were chosen to become a vampire, and that status means that they get a leg up politically.

The game doesn't change a huge amount depending on which of these you choose. But it does change a bit in small ways here or there.

But, like I said, I love them all. When I'm trying to figure out a scene that has something to do with origins I'll talk about them all like they're cats I'm trying to herd. Eg. "Okay... so if I do this then Doctor and Schmuck will get a moment... but what if Criminal wants to do this? And perhaps I should include something for Gambler. They haven't had anything special in a while... And of course Divorcee is pining over Chris. Situation normal."

[therealvinelle]

I love the Agatha Christie question!

Who are your HP/Twilight faves in the Christie universe? (Who’s the opportunist who knows too much and dies for it? Who’s the conman killer who courts the girl to avoid suspicion? Who’s just trying to take a holiday and gets caught-up in a murder? Who are the dynamic mystery-solving duo who realize they are in love by the end of the novel? etc.).

I mean, that is kind of what The Man Who Would Be King (and secret fic) (both cowritten with @theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin) have already become. We have our murder victim, Alphard, a very rich man with a colorful family, and possibly his sister, we have our unlikely detectives in Voldemort, Lily Potter, and Alphard himself. It may not be the center of the story but it's a large part of it.

In other words my answer for Harry Potter would somehow spoil all my present and future fics so I won't.

As for the Twilight version...

I vote we do it wealthy dysfunctional family style, it's most natural.

A patriarch is poisoned

Carlisle Cullen, a very wealthy man with powerful enemies, nonetheless dear to those around him and blessed with more friends than most, is found dead in his office one morning. Cause of death? Murder.

The police, caught on the detail that Dr. Cullen was a vampire and vampires are real, what the fuck is this on the doctor's autopsy table and is he going to wake up again and drink all our blood?, are little use in the investigation. Scotland Yard is soon brought in, and using Chief Swan's connections with the family they get a better picture of Dr. Cullen's life.

His family wasn't looking to inherit him anytime soon, as he was immortal. None of them were having money troubles however, all were independently wealthy.

He had made enemies of a thousand-year-old clan of powerful vampires, who on hearing that his murder is being investigated like this get very upset. Supposedly the victim lived with them in his youth (and inspector Craddock cries when he learns the timeline for this murder goes back to the 1600s. Are they going to have to bring historians in on this murder??), he might have known something

Oh what's that? The victim had a whole network of friends across the globe, who are all killers, and he knew everyone's secrets? ... do we have the budget to investigate this?

The victim was also living next to a tribe of magical shapeshifting wolves evolved specifically to kill his kind. They liked him best and had a line in their treaty that "he dies last". Not sure what to do with this information

Rosalie Hale missing person case from 1933 solved: Carlisle Cullen adopted her. Was she recognised, did someone piece it together, and was Carlisle killed in retribution?

The victim lived a fake life of fake papers. Could be important, except it's the most normal thing about this case.

The police wonder how this man didn't get murdered sooner, and are stretched so thin the investigation is going slowly.

So, Renesmee gets to be our plucky detective du jour, as she decides to see if she can help. Surely there is no harm in her poking around, and she's well liked around the vampire world so there might be answers she can get that human police can't, partly because policemen keep getting eaten.

She slowly narrows it down to the horrible realization that it was someone in the family, and she learns terrible things.

Jasper Hale wasn't Jasper Hale at all! He was a friend of Jasper's in the newborn army who wanted a new life, and who in the wake of Jasper's suden and unexpected death assumed his identity. He had Peter bite his entire face so he'd be scarred like Jasper had been, and vouch for this blond vampire most definitely being Jasper Hale. Peter later had to die because he Knew Too Much, and so did Charlotte, regrettably. Fake Jasper did however not kill Carlisle.

Edward seems a prime suspect, he is an angry and resentful young man who acts out. Everyone thinks he did it, and that Bella should certainly marry Jacob, the safer option. Much upheaval is had, however, once Renesmee is able to clear Edward's name and he meaningfully links arms with Bella. They sail off into the sunset with their inheritance.

Rosalie is a beautiful, cold, intimidating woman, the femme fatale sort who's surely conniving. It's a bit of a mystery why she married that poor fool Emmett, but it's clear to all she doesn't love him. No clear motive from her, other than the money she would inherit, but she's just so suspicious. Her alibi is ambiguous, she claims she was with Esme and Emmett but what if Esme and Emmett are lying to protect their daughter and wife? Superintendent Battle wonders about that.

Renesmee is at a loss.

And then she realizes that it's not Rosalie who acts like she doesn't love Emmett, it's Emmett who acts like he doesn't love her! And Esme's grieving widow act is just that, it's an act!

Renesmee realizes that Emmett and Esme are lovers, and killed Carlisle together. Esme committed it while Emmett tricked Rosalie into giving her an alibi. Renesmee realizes this once she has a "But Rosalie couldn't have seen Esme from that angle!" moment.

The plan was too pin Rosalie for the murder, see her hanged, and then in due time the mourning widowers would marry, happily entitled to all the money they couldn't have touched if they'd divorced. Also Rosalie was Catholic so she wouldn't have agreed to a divorce.

The two lovers are confronted, and Esme pulls out a tiny pearl-studded gun from her shoe, says "We tried, my love. I regret nothing" before shooting first Emmett, then herself.

#agatha christie #twilight #twilight renaissance #twilight meta #my fic #the carnivorous muffin #the carnivorous muffin fic #the man who would be king #secret fic #renesmee cullen #cullens #jasper hale #rosalie hale #emmett cullen #esme cullen #carlisle cullen

[lumagen]

side order theorypost #87

Splatoon's campaigns are (mostly) quite distinct, but each is led by a villain that opposes the world that the Inklings have made. They each believe that their vision for the world is best - one based on history and a refusal to accept the change that the world has made.

Octavio rejects the Great Turf War and spent a century building up his forces and weaponry in an attempt to reverse the result of the war.

Tartar rejects Inklings as the new dominant species on planet Earth, looking to create a "new" world with his own variant of species largely inspired by humans (and the best the new world has to offer) to take over.

Mr. Grizz rejects aquatic life taking over in the place of mammals, and seeks to return the world to a state where mammals are once again the dominant species on planet Earth.

Each of these villains, consciously or not, have taken their trauma over past events and transformed them into a state where they only believe that a world based in the past in the best way to move forward, as paradoxical as that sounds. Of course, all three of them have been thwarted by their campaign's respective protagonist, a plucky young teenager with above-average skill who has saved the world.

But with Side Order, it's not about saving the world, and it's not about toppling some big bad with some grandiose desire of controlling it.

It's about showing Marina that she, too, has to wake up and face the changing world as well.

Just so we're absolutely clear, I believe that Marina is 100% without a doubt the main villain of Side Order. If I'm wrong I'll like, eat my shorts or something. However, based on the trend that former Splatoon villains have set, it just makes too much sense.

It may seem a bit strange to suggest that Marina fits in with those three - after all, she's not some conniving supervillain, she has seen firsthand that change can have a positive effect on someone's life - hell, she's not even a dude! However, I am suggesting that she has also fallen into the same trap of protecting history instead of moving forward.

And it all started with Damp Socks.

For those unaware, shortly before the events of Splatoon 3, Pearl mysteriously disappeared after a "musical clash" with Marina (<- please read this interview), going no contact until she found something fresh and different. She eventually returned with Damp Socks, offering to lend OTH's musical prowess to their band, and the rest is history.

It was good for Pearl, who always wanted to play rock music, but what about Marina?

On the surface, it seemed like she took it well enough after Pearl finally resurfaced, but by her own admission, Marina would have been fine playing anything as long as it was with Pearl. Protecting the bond and band they've shared the better part of a decade together was more important than anything else.

Pearl, knowingly or not, threatened that bond with one careless action.

And now Marina (thinks she) knows that Pearl could walk out on her whenever she feels, free to chase whatever fling catches her fancy next.

After working so hard to leave the domes, leaving behind everything she once knew, and making a whole life around her "best friend" for like, 7-8 years, it could all be left behind on a whim?

...

In that same interview I linked earlier, Marina leaves an eerie message about seeking a world of order beyond the world of chaos she had become accustomed to. Inspired by such an idea, she said that she wishes to "construct a new frontier" inspired by one such world of order.

One where every little thing can be meticulously chosen and perfected. One where all the important things can be protected, forever.

One where her and Pearl can always be together.

tl;dr as the first non-teenager protagonist in the series, u are teaming up with the loud [short one] to free her girlfriend from the mental prison she has purposefully trapped herself in and also Dedf1sh is there and i dont know why but please god save her

#splatoon #splatoon 3 #side order #can you tell i'm excited for side order #luma.txt

[torpublishinggroup]

Do you hear that??

It’s the sweet, sweet sound of gifts and the necessity of buying them for all of the humans, animals, and unidentified entities in your life. That’s a lot of pressure, but don’t sweat, because we’ve got your back, and more importantly, we’ve got a ton of increasingly niche book recommendations to get you through the holiday season! Check them out here and let us know which ones you’re grabbing in the comments. 

by Rachel Taylor and a cat

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree is for the treasured party member who’s saved your character’s life many times on TTRPG night

We all have That One Amazing Player who has pulled our butts out of the fictional fire on D&D night, and what better way to show your endless appreciation than with the gift of LITERATURE?! High fantasy, secondhand books, and first love–what more could you ask for?

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

Masters of Death by Olivie Blake is for the angsty goth who still wishes it was Halloween

So they’re in denial that it’s not Halloween anymore, but guess what?! In the unbroken face of eternity, time has no meaning! Every day is Halloween!

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune is for the plucky traveler who’s got the whole world to see

There are many ways to see new and exciting worlds, and TJ Klune always provides queer and cozy adventures that you only need to pick up a book to explore. Consider picking up his latest venture for that friend who’s been bit by the travel bug!

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

Ebony Gate by Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle is for the action movie fanatic who owns a cardboard cutout of John Wick

Assassins, dragon magic, and Chinese diaspora urban fantasy set in contemporary San Francisco.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

Book of Night by Holly Black is for the insatiable reader who has way more books to read than hands to hold them

And if you order and submit your receipt before 12/15, you can receive a Book of Night tote bag! Even Charlie Hall needs a safe sling to carry her contraband. Who’s Charlie Hall? A professional thief / bartender who pilfers shadow magic secrets! Read the book!

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

T. L. Huchu’s Edinburgh Nights series is for the Supernatural fan who’s looking to expand their fandom across the pond

Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker, but she’s not just carrying messages anymore. You talk to one ghost and suddenly you’re spending late nights in the occult library, solving murders, and following trails of huskified children to their sinister spectral source.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz is for the science-enjoyer in your life who’s looking for environmentally-conscious fiction

This sweeping, uplifting, and illuminating exploration of the future from a science fiction visionary is the perfect gift to give your non-fiction loving, environmentally aware bestie who wants to dip their toe into a more fictional space.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson is for fans looking for The Princess Bride vibes but just haven’t quite found them yet

Do you have a Princess Bride superfan in your life? They don’t need another fandom-y Etsy gift this year–they need a book that gives them the same emotional rush they got the first time they laid eyes on the fairytale-inspired glory that is their favorite 1987 classic.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

Everfair by Nisi Shawl is for the history buff in your life who can’t stop thinking about other paths the world might have taken

After being purchased back from the Congo Free State’s colonizer, Everfair becomes a land of fantastic technologies—of spying cats and gulls, nuclear dirigibles buoyed by barkcloth balloons, and silent pistols that shoot poison knives. What happens when these technological advances are brought to bear against Belgian tyrant Leopold II?

That’s Everfair, and then you can read Kinning (on sale 1/23/24) for the continuation of this expansive alternate history.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab is for people looking to put a different kind of magic into their holidays

Let’s put the magic into the holidays, shall we? V. E. Schwab returns to The Shades of Magic universe with a whole new series, perfect for readers who loved the original and new fans who want to explore magical alternate universes from in front of a cozy fireplace.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

Shelley Parker-Chan’s Radiant Emperor Duology is for the unhinged danmei consumer who’s looking for their next great read

Do you have someone in your life that consumes danmei like candy? Are they tired of waiting for their new favorite series to be translated so they can add it to their shelves? Do we have the series for you. She Who Became the Sun and He Who Drowned the World explore a stunning reinvention of the Ming Dynasty’s founding emperor. It’s queer, it’s fantastical, and it’s complete! Snag both books in the duology for them now.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher is for the friend with an ill-advised yet much-beloved Shrek 2 tattoo

“Better out than in” on the inside of the wrist, Thornhedge open in hand.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow is for anyone who has never been disappointed by the combo of Mike Flanagan and a Scary House

Home is where the heart is, and really puts you in a vulnerable position when your house HATES you.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

Starter Villain by John Scalzi is for Megamind

If you’re not Megamind, keep scrolling. Just kidding—this book is also for cat lovers and fans of Despicable Me and The Venture Brothers.

━━ ˖°˖ ☾☆☽ ˖°˖ ━━━━━━━

The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan is for people who loved Season 2 of The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime

If you have someone in your life that got sucked into the masterpiece that was The Wheel of Time Season 2, don’t worry, you can help them relive the fun with The Great Hunt, the inspiration for the show and the second book in The Wheel of Time series!

#tor gift guide #the great hunt #robert jordan #starling house #alix e harrow #starter villain #john scalzi #in the lives of puppets #tj klune #masters of death #olivie blake #she who became the sun #he who drowned the world #shelley parker-chan #everfair #nisi shawl #kinning #the fragile threads of power #v e schwab #the terraformers #annalee newitz #book of night #holly black #the library of the dead #t l huchu #edinburgh nights #bookshops & bonedust #travis baldree #tress of the emerald sea #brandon sanderson

[rhymeswithchronic]

Art by my sister-in-law and one of my best friends, plebianplant! I realized that, while I post a lot of art and chapter updates for this story, I never actually explained what What This World Has to Offer was! So, here's an introduction post for it! I'd like to do it for some of my other fanfics, too, but we'll have to see :3

“The Reign of Giants will come and go Shipwrecked will he, we'll never know When finally, the end of lives Begins with the fall of five”

A world fraying apart from the seams would do anything to save itself. If that means damning innocent souls to a neverending Hell, then so be it. The Host, The Young Heir, The Martyr, The Sister, and The One True Heir. The Host of Their Master The Young Heir to a Throne of Shadows The Martyr Who Gave Up Everything The Sister of the Monster in the Dark The One True Heir to a Kingdom of Bones Don't be afraid. This is what is meant to happen. This is what you're meant to be. After all, it's all happened before, and it will all happen again.

Part 1 - Reign of Giants: Chapter 1-50 Part 2 - The One True Heir: Chapter 51-67 Part 3 - The King’s Gambit: Chapter 68-? Part 4 - ?

What This World Has to Offer is posted by Pokemaniac5000, Moonweaver50, or Pokemaniac7000 depending on which site you read it on. It is a Don't Starve longfic with an estimated 109 chapters in all. At this point in time, 90 of these chapters have been written and posted, totaling roughly 294k words. Each part in this story has a different set of plotlines, but all follow the same characters, the same timeline, and the same story. Part 1 - Reign of Giants is largely episodic, focusing on events that only span a few chapters at a time instead of anything that requires longer sections of writing to cover. In this part, you can expect a lot more of the game elements to be explored such as sanity, seasonal changes, and of course, as the name implies, the Giants! This section also features the least content warnings, although the later chapters lean much closer to the darker subjects of the later chapters. Expect to see a whole lot of Webber, Wilson, and WX-78, and just a little bit of Winona at the tail end. Part 2 - The One True Heir features Webber and Wilbur almost exclusively and explores a bit of Shipwrecked and the Archipelago. This is when many of the content warnings lean towards mental health issues. This is the shortest part in the entire fic. Part 3 - The King's Gambit introduces and explores Adventure Mode, with a twist to the formula to make it unique from your own playthrough of it. While this is the darkest part of the story, this section also focuses a lot on concepts like love, friendship, and found family. Expect to see the worst angst but the lightest fluff. Part 4 - Dust, The Void, and Them is the current arc. Details I can reveal are sparce as I have just begun posting it :3 The original story was written back in 2015 and finished in 2016 by a plucky 13-year-old with no concept of story or character growth, so many may recognize it from its original version. The rewriting process started in 2017, and as such, earlier chapters tend to be shorter with less descriptive writing. I expect to finish the rewrite by the end of 2024, although it might be earlier than that if my intense excitement for the story continues the way it has. If you are new to WTWHTO, welcome and I hope you enjoy! It is certainly a bit of a commitment, but I hope you find it worth your time nonetheless. Expect lots of random art, a writer who is so scared of drawing humans that she avoids drawing them like the plague half the time, and a story filled with angst, hurt/comfort, and found family. If you are one of the poor souls who read the original version back in 2015, welcome back! I assure you, much of this story has changed in the past several years and there is so much more for you to explore as you reread. Also, uh, yeah, Winona's in this now! Enjoy! My inbox is always open for any questions or comments you may have! Read on Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction.net, or the Don't Starve Forums! Archive of Our Own Fanfiction.net Don't Starve Forums

#fanfiction #dst #ds #archive of our own #webber #ao3 #fanfiction.net #wilbur #wtwhto #what this world has to offer #winona #wilson #wilson higgsbury #wx-78 #story #writing #don't starve fanfiction #dont starve #dont starve together #dontstarve #dontstarvetogether

[iguessyouregonnamissthepantyraid]

really desperately want to write a psychological thriller/horror novel where you think it's about a vampire slowly and deliberately taking over a small town with the help of his nefarious human familiar and you follow the brave cluster of townspeople who figure them out and resolve to rise up against them, but as the plot progresses you become less and less certain about the vampire's intentions and less and less certain that any of the mysterious deaths in town were his doing at all and less and less certain that this plucky band of townspeople are really doing the right thing here, until suddenly you're watching in horror as the heroes you've been rooting for this whole time break into this guy's house, murder his best friend, and try to drive a stake through his heart

#can't decide if i would want him to be a regular human being the whole time #or he is technically a vampire but the lore doesn't match real life and he was never a real threat at all #like. he and his human partner are just trying to stay out of trouble and live their lives and then WHAM. small town murder squad #me #the problem is this would take a lot of finesse if i want it done right #it needs to be the SLOWEST of realizations over the course of the plot you get me

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of One Direction fantasy fics as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading

—Louis/Harry—

🔮 forever is in your eyes by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

(M, 125k, mythology, statue) He wants his perfect man, but he wants him to be real. He wants Harry to be real-

🔮 There's Such a Lot of World to See by @crinkle-eyed-boo

(E, 125k, Doctor Who) Louis has seen a great many things throughout his travels in time and space, but only one he can’t explain: He keeps meeting the same boy, who says the same thing to him each time. The boy should be impossible.

🔮 Black with Autumn Rain by whimsicule

(T, 93k, magical realism) Harry is a journalist, Louis has lots of secrets and the moors aren't exactly the ideal place to rekindle a lost romance.

🔮 Coax the Cold by MediaWhore / @mediawhorefics

(M, 86k, mermaid) When he hears whispers of a travelling freak show newly established in London claiming the existence of a monstrous sea hybrid, half-man, half-fish, Louis sees it as his ticket to credibility amongst his peers.

🔮 Tied to Fate by @littlelouishiccups

(E, 52k, ghost) After his estranged father’s death, Harry inherits a castle in England that has belonged to his family for generations and he knows nothing about. 

🔮 It's a Better Place (Since You Came Along) by @phdmama

(E, 51k, magic) When Harry Styles, a mid-level talent, Finder, and small business owner, sets off on the vacation of a lifetime with his best friend, Niall Horan, he has no idea the changes his life will undergo over the next nine days.

🔮 Mind of Stone by amomentoflove / @daggerandrose

(M, 41k, mythology) Louis gingerly moves around the statues, trying not to look at their faces. The room is quiet, probably a basement from the low ceiling. He mentally curses when he doesn’t see a door leading outside.

🔮 The Haunting of Louis Tomlinson by @helloamhere

(T, 31k, ghost) Louis is a plucky Gothic Heroine, Harry is a Mournful Spirit, and Big Country Houses are full of mystery and suspense, as Big Country Houses ever are!

🔮 Genie In a Bottle (series) by @kingsofeverything

(E, 29k, genie) As the owner of a second hand shop, Harry comes into contact with a lot of strange and unusual objects. Nothing’s stranger or more unusual than the glass bottle he came across that happened to have a genie inside—a gorgeous genie by the name of Louis who offered to make all of Harry’s wishes come true.

🔮 Don't Let the Tide Come and Take Me by kiwikero / @icanhazzalou

(M, 28k, mermaid) the one where Louis decides to set a merman free and ends up finding his own freedom along the way.

🔮 Where the World has Come Together by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(M, 26k, elves, vampires) For the crime of elven blood running through his veins, Louis Tomlinson spends his days protecting the human kingdom he’s been cast out of. 

🔮 Love Will Light The Way by @jesapeak​ 

(E, 26k, reaper) Most people throughout Louis's life thought that dying brought you to one of two gates. Heaven or Hell. Really, it brought you to a dated diner, just outside of the suburbs, skirting the beginning of the city. Where, instead of God, you met Liam Payne and his post-it notes. 

🔮 The Blood of Love by @mugglemirror

(E, 25k, witches) Harry is a nurse and Louis is a painting worth more than a thousand words. As desire and darkness encompasses him, Harry has to learn the secrets of Thorne Hills manor before he succumbs to the mystery that surrounds him.

🔮 In the Strangest of Ways by SunTomato / @sun-tomato

(NR, 17k, ghost) And when the haunting sounds of a melancholy piano piece accompanied by the vague shadow of a beautiful male figure appear, Louis is determined to find out who this beautiful man was and what happened to him…

🔮 (Make You Want To) Scream by @lululawrence

(M, 16k, bodyswap) While Louis' left hand plays with his nipple, his right reaches down and wraps around his dick and that's when he really knows something is wrong. The dick in his hand does not feel like his own.

🔮 Far Afield by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

(T, 11k, witches) Harry Styles is a witch who owns the best flower shop in Manchester. Lottie Tomlinson is planning her wedding, and brings her brother along to her first appointment. Both men have been having a bad day and sparks fly.

🔮 Just Your Jinx by @larryatendoftheday

(T, 10k, witch) Harry Styles may or may not have accidentally jinxed his extremely fit new neighbor, and it's not so easy to make things right.

🔮 Sympathy For The Devil by @taggiecb

(G, 5k, Satan, Santa) the one with Santa Harry and Satan Louis and a series of misspelled letters to Santa.

🔮 Moon Dances Over by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(G, 2k, mermaids) Louis knows that his tail is, frankly, stunning. His iridescent blue scales shimmer in even the slightest sunlight, and his fins have grown since he presented, delicate and almost transparent in their webbing.

🔮 Needle by @nouies

(NR, 666 words, magic) “You didn’t deserve this,” he muttered between hiccups. “She didn’t have the right.”

—Rare Pairs—

🔮 leave my life outside (or let me in) by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

(M, 52k, Zayn/Liam) Zayn is a 111 year old demon who is trying to decide his future. Liam is a 17 year old human struggling with his own life.

🔮 When We Hold On (To the Past) by @louandhazaf​ / YesIsAWorld 

(E, 3k, Zayn/Louis) Zayn could drop the subject and keep fucking him, keep the strings from getting attached, pretend that they weren’t getting closer than Louis was comfortable with. Or Zayn could choose the opposite path—which he did.

#ficrec #fantasyfics #fantasy #1dficvillage #1dsource #trackinghappily #trackinghome #tracksintheam #ficsfor4am

[aziraphales-library]

Hi! Absolutely love your account 💜 It has been so helpful for me since I started reading fics under GO only recently... I know it's only been a few weeks since S2 but I've loved the prompts & fanart I've seen of a Crowley & Muriel friendship so I was wondering if there are there any new fics under that?

Thanks so much!

Hello. Here are some Crowley and Muriel friendship fics...

Over the Curb by AbbyBubbls (G)

On New Year's Eve, Muriel finds Crowley sitting on the steps on the bookshop with a bottle in his hand. Their talk goes in a direction that Crowley would rather like to avoid.

Silent, Oh Nightingale by PsychedelicBumblebee (NR)

“Taking up all your time, then?” Crowley asks, quiet and polite and genuine all the same. “Oh, yes,” Muriel tells him, their smile faltering but in a thoughtful sort of way. “I don’t mind it, though.” “Good,” he replies, surprised at how steady his voice is, even as the smells of the bookshop suddenly hit him, and his chest tightens, and- “That’s good, isn’t it?” he finishes lamely.

are you cracking jokes with the common folks by probablynotadalek (G)

Crowley sells some books, propagates some plants, and maybe starts to make a few friends.

Ut It Tempus (Or: Muriel's Wet, Wild, and Very Hot Summer Weekend) by OatmealAddiction (T)

The tale of a plucky scrivener, their new demonic companion, and a quest to rescue a bookshop from Climate Change. Warning: Contains multiple instances of hair-brained schemes, two instances of ugly crying, a partial sonnet about a crab-cake, Carly Rae Jepsen, bad art, bad jokes, slugs, depression, spontaneous combustion, heartbreak, friendship, and brief but disturbing mentions of cryptocurrency.

Tiny Treasures by elysian_viv (G)

After being told to be the new owner of the bookshop, Muriel finds themself in a bit of a dilemma. They really are grateful to have been transferred into this high position (especially, given by the Metatron) But they sadly don’t know anything about books, or how so-called “Customer service” works. Fortunately, a known figure stumbles his way into their life and is a lot grumpier than before. Crowley promises himself to fulfill one last thing for Aziraphale, to let at least his legacy continue on. He will prepare Muriel to act like a human bookshop owner, whatever it takes. Or Crowley going through the five stages of grief while being "supported" by a wanna-be bookshop owner.

i will make it better, if only for us by davethefish (T)

With Aziraphale in Heaven, everything that Crowley loved has left the earth. He doesn't know what to do, so he starts small. Maybe someday he'll love the earth as much as he loved Aziraphale. It's time for him to remember why he chose to stay in the first place.

- Mod D

#good omens #good omens s2 #ineffable husbands #crowley & muriel #muriel #mod d

[crowleys-ducks]

Aziraphale and Crowley don't celebrate Valentines but humans do, therefore it is Mandatory™ that they act like humans and get each other gifts.

Crowley's all "the humans are doing the love thing again so I got you those chocolates you like" and Aziraphale immediately shoves roses at Crowley like "These were highly recommended by the florist, aren't they just lovely?"

and the idiots take the gifts and spend the day together and don't realize they do, in fact, celebrate Valentines and that they're undeniably in love and all of Soho is screaming for the plucky bookshop owner and his ginger goth friend to FINALLY kiss it's been TWENTY YEARS they can't keep doing this

#Twenty years that have been counted by nosy neighbors #aziraphale x crowley #good omens #ineffable husbands #ineffable spouses #Valentines

[chelledoggo]

concept for a childrens' film series:

The Land After Time

after humanity as we know it perishes from earth-shaking nuclear fallout, a plucky group of adorable young mutant beings become best friends and explore the wonders of the post-apocalyptic hellscape, all while learning valuable life lessons.

#shut up chelle #dark humor #shitpost

[skz-fanfic-recs]

Do you have any witch!Minho x Jisung recommendations??? ❤️❤️

heal with thyme by luckyday

minho's used to silence. he's used to the way the villagers avoid his eyes when they visit him asking for help, the way they look at him with fear and distrust when they think he can't see. he's used to his world being the sprawling garden within the old ivy-covered iron fence and the familiar warmth of the cottage. he's used to it just being him, his cats, and the old journals. it isn't until a villager somehow wanders into the garden despite the enchantments that he's faced with how unbearably isolated he's become, or how hard it is to open up to someone after years of being alone— or how freeing it is to know someone understands him. - or, the one where minho is a lonely village witch and jisung is a plucky village boy who's determined to befriend him.

lodestar by mrehk

“how do you know we’re going the same direction, anyway?” “i’m a witch,” the stranger says simply. “duh.” jisung blinks. blinks again, just to make sure he’s not imagining things. “a witch?” the man’s eyes sparkle, his lips part into a dazzling grin. “you’re a good listener.” (or: jisung sets off to find a fallen star in order to prove he is worthy of the woman he loves; along the way he meets a strange man with bright purple hair and a witch's intuition who refuses to get lost.)

language of a witch's eyes by linoify

after traveling non-stop for several months from village to village, minho finally decides to stop by his hometown and visit his human brother and best friend, changbin. cut to jisung, local village boy who loves visiting changbin's library. by some fate, jisung meets minho and he notices an unusual yellow glow in his eyes. or: minho is a witch whose eyes change color with certain emotions and he may or may not find jisung incredibly endearing. all the while, changbin does his best to stop his brother from getting outed to the non-witch

steal my heart, return my love by nightynight

jisung is cursed, so he goes to a witch rumored to be very powerful for help. minho is a powerful witch. 1+1=2

#witch!minho #skz #stray kids #ao3 #archive of our own #han jisung #lee know #lee minho #minsung #han jisung skz #han skz #han #lino #lino skz #skz lino #lee know skz #lee know stray kids #stray kids lee know #skz lee minho #minho #skz minho #witchcraft #magic #fantasy #skz fanfic recommendations #fanfic recommendations

[tanoraqui]

Silm Super AU thought of the day: Finwëans develop powers from babyhood, because I love a good “develops superpowers as metaphor for tween coming of age” as much as the next girl, but I even more love “frantic parents trying to manage horde of superpowered children age 0-18.”

This madness is, fortunately for the world at large, mostly confined to Tirion, Finwë’s massive ramshackle manor house and many-acre estate in the foothills of the Rockies. It’s not an ancestral vacation home or anything—well, not of Finwë. I imagine Finwë more in the ‘plucky kid from Brooklyn so heroic that the American government gods gave him superpowers” mold, though not necessarily literally Brooklyn.

I think when Fëanor was born, and his emotions radiated outward to everyone in 20 feet and sometimes his cries shook the walls, Finwë (Lightman??) mentioned half-jokingly on tv or something that he and Seamstress could really use a bigger house, and some totally random mundane human OC businessman whose life he’d recently saved offered a spare 6-bedroom, 50-acre estate 5 miles from the closest town. It wasn’t even a tax write-off, though it WAS an excuse to brag at parties that he was friends with famous superheroes. That guy is actually still a family friend.

#silm super au

[youareinacomawakeup]

Hey, you should watch Kyo Kara Maoh, and here’s why:

I feel like, when I try to get people into Kyo Kara Maoh, all I ever say about it is “You know how there’s this thing in shounen anime where there’s always some rival character that makes you wonder if he’s kinda gay for the protagonist? Yeah, in this one, it’s canon, and blatant about it. It doesn’t make you wonder for a second. It’s just upfront about it and you can watch him being gay on main the whole time.”

But like, that’s not the only reason I like the anime. Far from it. It’s just what I think is most likely to draw a new fan in. But it really is just a solid story with or without that.

It’s an isekai--and I know, I know, isekai are a dime a dozen now, but at the time this came out the only thing I really had to compare it to was Chronicles of Narnia--about a guy who goes back and forth between our world and a fantasy world where magic exists.

And he’s your typical plucky shounen protagonist, energetic and kind and willing to make friends with absolutely anyone. You know the type. Not really covering any new ground there. But unlike One Piece or Naruto or, I don’t know, Black Clover, he has no interest in becoming the best of the best. He kind of just wants to go home and be a kid and play baseball.

But the thing is, he’s king of this world by divine right. He was chosen to become king before he was born and he’s just been left to incubate in our world until he was older. His whole family has always known this, though he doesn’t find out until he’s magically pulled into the world and it’s sprung on him right away. And he wants nothing to do with it at first. It’s not something he has to do, either. He’s given the option of turning down the position and going home.

But.

There’s been this cold war going on between magic-users (”Mazoku” or “Demons” though the use of “demon” is more of a reclaimed slur than anything literal) and non-magic-users (humans). The real bloodshed has been put on hold for a while, but there’s a real threat of that cold war turning hot at any second. There are laws against humans and Mazoku being in romantic relationships, their mixed children face severe prejudice both from the people and institutionally, for instance being shoved into ghettos and left to starve, and tensions are high. And the protagonist realizes quickly that these people have been living this way for so long that peace is not going to happen naturally. They need someone with fresh eyes who can see that peace is possible. And that someone needs to be in a position of power to do something about it.

So the protagonist accepts the job. Not because he wants to--he HATES it; there are so many scenes of him complaining about all the paperwork and the struggles of trying to learn the cultural norms and mores of surrounding nations so he doesn’t fuck something up in his position of power and accidentally start the war he’s trying to prevent just by unintentionally insulting another nation’s leader or something--but because he feels responsible. He has to do something to bring peace to this land because he might be the only person who has both the power and the good intentions to do so. Hell, the MacGuffin of the series is the protagonist trying to steal four magical nukes from other countries so he can seal them away where they can’t be used. (They’re just wooden boxes, nothing impressive about their appearance. Not romanticized at all. They’re as boring and dangerous as war.)

And that’s...basically the series. Kid gets sucked into a fantasy world and becomes a king because he actually has a political agenda to make the world a better place and he saves the world with the help of a found family of nobles who are fondly exasperated by his incessant pacifism because they don’t think it’s reasonable, until he gradually and sincerely starts to change their mind and they all reevaluate their own prejudices. (And the prejudice reevaluation is really subtle, too. They don’t have big awakening moments like, “Wow, I’m not racist against half-humans anymore!” They just...slowly get better and bit by bit see the world the way the protagonist does.)

Other little details you might want to know are:

The protagonist has a Yu-Gi-Oh-esque alter ego. (The anime is from the mid-2000s, after all.) The protagonist himself isn’t super skilled in magic, despite having the ability to use it, and it’s...left kind of vague, but it seems like the magic itself takes over his body from time to time. But it’s not as helpful as that trope usually makes it. His alter ego is basically a big self-destruct button. It’s just an eruption of power that leaves the protagonist unconscious nearly every time. The typical result is that he wakes up a day later with his head in the gay rival’s lap and the two of them in a cell because, guess what, passing out on a battlefield isn’t super convenient. The alter ego is treated a bit like training wheels the protagonist needs to grow out of, and it’s extremely cathartic when the final conflict of the series is solved without the alter ego. Not because the protagonist can use strong enough magic that he doesn’t need to lose control to get the same result, but because the solution is not to use magic at all. To put his money where his mouth is and show himself as the pacifist leader he spends the whole show trying to be.

The protagonist is the reincarnation of someone who died in the war, a woman who overexerted herself trying to heal the injured. Unlike the alter ego, the protagonist’s connection to this woman is treated as a strength rather than a weakness. She, like the protagonist, wanted peace, but unlike the protagonist, she wasn’t the king and lacked the power to achieve that peace. Her gentle and kind heart shines through in the protagonist’s nature and actions, and those around him who knew her, and who know that he is her next life, can’t help but see how little she’s changed from one life to the next. All the features the protagonist inherited from her, that were treated as feminine, are his biggest strengths. This shounen anime is so far from toxic masculinity and it’s beautiful.

To be entirely transparent, this is an older anime, and as such, there are some problematic tropes that were common around that period. For instance, “Hahah an adult is creeping on a teenager, that’s funnie.”

I’m not the biggest fan of that, either, don’t worry. I acknowledge this as a flaw in the show. But if Master Roshi and Shigure could get away with it while DBZ and Fruits Basket are still beloved series, I’m willing to roll my eyes and overlook Gunter and Cheri as well.

And another thing I feel I should be transparent about is that the first half of the first season A) Is devoted to fleshing out the characters and the world, and B) Doesn’t have the best animation quality. What that means is that you’re going to have to sit through some wonky drawings and not a whole lot of plot for the first twenty episodes or so. But there’s a point--I won’t get into spoilers, but the shift is VERY obvious--where the plot really kicks into gear halfway through the first season. The animation quality starts to skyrocket at around the same time, and the entirety of the second season is absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

Also one of the supporting characters is this beautifully tragic character who is slow to trust the protagonist because he’s half-human and he’s never had a reason to believe in a leader before. It’s treated not as a thing that character needs to get over, but as a completely reasonable doubt, and the protagonist understands that. He actually gives that character quite a bit of power--basically the keys to a very powerful weapon--and tells him, more or less, that if they ever need that weapon, it’s up to him to decide if they get to use it. Like the equivalent of giving a post-WW2 Japanese refugee the full power to veto the use of hydrogen bombs, and I love that. ...This character, who is very serious and very cool, is also a drag queen. This removes nothing from how cool he is. He’s still an utterly sincere character, because this show is cool as fuck.

Last thing: What I’m advertising here is the first two seasons of the show. It’s something like 80 episodes. That was where the anime proper ended and should have stayed ended, imo. I know some people like the third season, but the first two seasons tell a complete and extremely satisfying story whereas I find the third season (as well as the OVAs) has the vibe of a straight-to-video sequel to a great movie that tried its hardest to further a great story but only managed to invalidate all the original movie’s strongest moments by making them suddenly mean nothing in the face of new information. If you want my advice, stop where the story was originally designed to end and only watch the first two seasons. (I’m also saving you from having to look at the bad CGI skeletons. You don’t want to look at the bad CGI skeletons.)

Those first two seasons, though? Go. Go watch them. Watch them right now. They’re so fucking good. You won’t regret it, I promise.

#kyo kara maoh #kyou kara maoh #kyou kara maou #there are so many spellings of this damn show #kyo kara maou #kkm #anime rec #it's gay go watch it #but also watch it for the reasons beyond it just being gay

[rainbowsky]

Review: Born to Fly

I saw DD's new film, so here are my thoughts on it. I'm going to have a spoiler-free section and then a more spoilery section. Please pay attention to that if you haven't seen it yet!

Spoiler Free Section

I have to be honest: I had pretty low expectations going into this film. These kind of militaristic, nationalistic, 'heroes and glory' films aren't really my thing. I like the action and excitement, but that tends to get eclipsed by cliches, macho posturing and manipulative melodrama.

These kinds of films tend to take themselves too seriously, and the audience is supposed to go along with that and take it all equally seriously. A lot of the promo for the film showed officials and military figures crying in the audience, which could have gone a few different ways depending on what was happening onscreen.

Given the political situation in that region right now, with China escalating their military aggression against Taiwan, I was also worried this film might push a narrative that I'd find offensive.

Thankfully this film wasn't quite what I feared it might be. Yeah, it had some eye-roll worthy cliche moments and some unintentional humor, but for the most part it was just an engaging, suspenseful and surprisingly funny film. The political angle wasn't great but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

For the most part the special effects were pretty good. Definitely strong enough to give a sense of immersion, and all the actors gave good performances.

Of course DD was the star of the show, and he really stepped up to the task. His performance was convincing, his character was sympathetic, and of course he looked amazing in every frame. I was so proud of him.

Overall I think it's a film most fans will enjoy immensely, and any family or friends who get dragged along for the ride will not have much to complain about.

If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend you stop reading now and maybe come back once you have.

Spoilery Section

I'm not going to go into too much depth, here, because if I get too ambitious this post will run the risk of languishing in my drafts folder, never to see the light of day.

What I Liked

I loved Lei Yu. DD was well cast - he had a lot of DD-ish traits. I enjoyed his plucky, often conflicted personality. He was smart, talented and very human.

While we didn't get much depth from him or the other characters (typical of the genre), the relationships he had with his crew mates were at least convincing enough to drive the story forward and make me feel invested in what was happening to them all.

I loved the action. The aerial scenes were so exciting, and mostly well produced. I had been a bit worried that we'd spend most of the film watching the guys work out and do all these endurance tests (which might make good eye candy but isn't a story), so when those things just ended up being quick montages I was relieved.

I mean, that's what's most exciting about a film like this, right? The planes, the action, the suspense, the crashes.

I also really loved the humor in this film. There were some genuinely funny moments, and it helped relax me into the story more and become more invested in the characters. We all know a film like this is going to play with our emotions a bit, but too many writers forget that just like pain, laughter can be a gateway into people's hearts.

The story was pretty good. I wasn't expecting much, but I think they did a good job of making the mission seem important, of making the struggles seem real, and taking the viewer on a journey.

The film was over 2 hours long, but never at any point did I look at my phone or wonder how much time was left. I was engaged and excited throughout the story. That alone is a pretty big accomplishment. My attention span isn't stellar.

I was grateful that there wasn't much of a romantic storyline. I guess we can thank the censors for that, because they recently put stronger limitations on romantic storylines in nationalistic media. 😐

It was fine for there to be a spark of interest between characters - it makes the stakes higher when things get tense - but I showed up for an action flick, not a romance.

I can't really comment on the technology or anything to do with the planes, training, etc. I have no clue about any of that. It all seemed plausible enough to me that I wasn't being pulled out of the story every time that stuff was being discussed.

I especially enjoyed the parachute packing scene. I had never before put much thought into how parachutes are put together, but the way the guy was talking about it lent gravity to the story while also just being really interesting both topically and visually.

While I felt that the 'background-building' scene with his parents was a bit too rushed to give us a strong sense of their relationship, I wasn't too upset about it because I was more interested in the action.

The relationship between Lei Yu and Zhang Ting (his commander) was very satisfying, and I loved the chief engineer guy who he packed parachutes with. What a great character. Both Hu Jun and Tian Zhuang Zhuang gave strong performances.

I loved that Lei Yu was something of an engineer himself. I don't know much about military aviation, but I know astronauts are serious engineers and scientists, so why can't top tier pilots be too?

This whole aspect of participating in the design of the aircraft was so interesting, and gave us another angle on Lei Yu. Brains, beauty and brawn rather than just a hot macho soldier.

The commander's child was also a smart choice for the story. He was cute and relatable, and gave us another angle through which to view all of this. The enthusiasm for planes. The connection with his dad. It added some fun and human interest to the story (and some pathos).

Little Bai Ze Ze was so cute and he gave a good performance!

I like that I can look back on a movie that was over two hours long and feel that some things were rushed. They packed a lot into those two hours, and the pacing was such that I never got bored or lost interest, and always felt like something interesting was happening.

That might sound like a small thing, but to me it's huge. It's so rare for me to watch a film where I feel engaged all the way through. Especially not a movie in this genre. They did a good job with the story and pacing.

There were some good emotional moments. Going to the tomb to pay respects to the fallen comrades, of course was so emotional, and it helped give a sense of the stakes of what they were doing and the magnitude of the mission.

The death of the commander was also so powerful and heartbreaking. I liked that they weren't afraid to show all these guys bawling their eyes out. It made it all more believable.

Like the success of the mission, the redemption of the relationship between Lei Yu and his rival Deng Fang was totally predictable. The salute at the end "I owe you" could have come off as cheesy but was played well and felt sincere and meaningful. Overall I liked Yu Shi in this film, he did well.

What I Didn't Like

There were some things that I found weak, cringey or even offensive.

The number one thing that bothered me was the glorification of tragedy, and the characterization of terrible accidents as a noble and heroic self-sacrifice, as though it was a price worth paying for the competitive mission of building a frickin' plane to outdo the other guys' technology.

There is never a time when that kind of thing is not offensive to me. The 'noble, self-sacrificing heroism' of soldiers is not an accidental sociocultural perception. It's something people are taught to believe so that the state has enough people who are willing to come forward as cannon fodder, and so the loved ones left behind don't mutiny against those who put them in harm's way.

Yes, there are some dangerous jobs out there and people put themselves on the line to do some important things, but the way this film framed loss of life as an acceptable - even valiant - price for getting a jet built (that is itself just a killing machine)... ugh.

If the value of their lives was put above the value of the technology being built - and above the value of the mission - their goals would still be achievable, but with less loss of life. This isn't about getting the planes built, it's about expediency.

As I was watching a lot of the action scenes I couldn't help but think of DD and everything he went through to make it all happen. I don't like how much danger and injury he ended up with during this film shoot. Seeing the car crash where I knew it was REALLY HIM in the driver's seat was stressful.

And that goes alongside the overall message of 'necessary, noble sacrifice'. The film promo glorified DD's accident and the danger he was put in, his willingness to keep filming even when he was injured or in pain (such as the way the shoulder straps tore up his shoulders when he was in the spinning machine), as heroic and noble rather than irresponsible and unnecessary. It's just so offensive to me. Actors shouldn't be expected to risk life and limb for the sake of creating entertainment. Such things shouldn't be glorified.

So there's that whole tone to the film of people's lives and welfare being an accepted - even natural - price of doing business, which really bothered me.

Another thing I didn't like - and which I knew going into the film would be a problem for me - was the way the whole thing was framed politically. The whole "East vs West" thing was cringey and at times unintentionally hilarious. The American pilots were totally slapstick funny in their characterization, to a degree that came across as childish and embarrassingly propagandistic.

"We can come and go whenever we want and you can't stop us! Hahaha!"

Said the evil stick men with curly moustaches.

This is where nationalistic films often cross the line into creepy or ultra cringey. I think the goal of creating a powerful stealth fighter jet is exciting enough on its own. The audience would have been there for it without the villainizing and the 'us vs them' narrative.

Painting China as an underdog was also so laughable and totally offensive. They are one of the top military powers on the planet. They are leading in technology on many fronts. This had no believability whatsoever, and came across as blatant propagandizing. Which of course I knew to expect, but that didn't make it any more palatable.

And of course, the scenes where they were patrolling the seas were exciting, but when you think about what's actually happening in the region right now it all takes on a totally different tone.

So while the propagandizing wasn't as overbearing as I thought it would be, it still had a pretty strong presence in the film, and that detracted from my enjoyment. I knew that going in, though. It's inevitable with a film like this.

There were a few other moments in the film where I rolled my eyes at the heavy-handed melodrama - the totally predictable and cheesy tombstone fly-by after the big save toward the end of the film, for example - but none of it was unexpected. It's all par for the course with these kinds of films.

Some of the crisis points in the film were a bit much, too. Like that bird strike, which felt sudden and unintentionally comical. The people sobbing in the control room when you know damn well the pilots are fine. That kind of thing. But again - typical fare for this type of film.

Final Thoughts

This film is admittedly a bit shallow, but that's something one can expect from this genre. Films like this tend to put a few hooks into viewers - pull a few emotional strings - and then deliver a bunch of high impact moments to give a sense of payoff. It's all very predictable and formulaic, but that can be part of the appeal. Sometimes I just want to see a cheesy action film.

As far as these types of films go, Born to Fly really wasn't too bad. It was watchable and enjoyable, and the things that bothered me didn't bother me enough to pull me out of the story. My fear was that DD would be associated with a really trashy, awful film and I am hugely relieved to say that didn't end up happening.

This film was a totally respectable effort for what it was, and I enjoyed it, although it doesn't hold up as well internationally as it probably would in China.

That might sound like a tepid summation, but all things considered it's practically a glowing review. 😅

Most importantly, DD gave a really solid performance, and I think that's going to bode well for his career moving forward. There really wasn't a moment in the entire film where I felt he fell short. I am so proud of him. He's doing so well!

#wang yibo #born to fly #reviews #brotherhood and stuff #your political disengagement is a weapon against you