#as if episode e6 didn’t break me enough

[capsironunderoos]

Hoth Chocolate

DINCEMBER - December 4 - Hot Chocolate

Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) X Reader

CHAPTER 14 SPOILERS! S2:E6 SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT!

Summary: After the events on Tython, a tired Mandalorian finds himself back on Nevarro.

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings: SPOILERS! Also a very, very sad Din.

Author’s Note: Wow... So a lot happened in that last episode, and the only way I knew how to cope was to write. Thankfully Dincember exists, and I was able to do just that! This is very sad and has some angst in it, but some fluff too. It’s the fulfillment of the “Hot Chocolate” prompt for @dindjarindiaries​ Dincember, which makes this post just a tad bit late. Also, I learned that hot chocolate in Star Wars can be referred to as hot chocolate AND Hoth chocolate, and I literally love Hoth so much so that little bit of Star Wars knowledge will stick with me to my grave. Anyways! I hope you enjoy!

Here’s the previous prompt: 

DINCEMBER - December 2 - December (Ariana Grande Version)

And the link to my masterlist: capsironunderoos masterlist

“Cara- Cara said I could find you here.” 

You’re jumping up from your seat at the sudden break of silence. The book you were reading drops to the floor, and the sound of the hardback spine landing echoes around the room.

The shadow standing just inside your doorway is one you have not seen in a long time, one you had accepted you’d possibly never see again. 

You’re still standing in silence, trying to decide what he’s doing here, and how he got in, and how you didn’t even notice. 

“Din?” You whisper, almost unbelieving.  

Your brain tries to talk itself into believing this isn’t happening, that you’re dreaming, and in a few moments you’ll wake up, alone and nostalgic for days when the other side of your bed wasn’t cold. 

The visor of his helmet is still focused on the ground, and you notice almost immediately that he doesn’t have the child with him. 

You find yourself wringing your hands together, a nervous habit you’d picked up too many rotations ago to remember, and one that could only be calmed with the touch of the man who was suddenly standing before you. 

A child screaming in a fit of laughter outside your door as they run by catches you both off-guard. 

You jump at the sudden rupture of the silence around you, and Din spins quickly to look behind him. 

Something has happened, you can see it in the way his shoulders rise at the sound of the child laughing, and then fall once they have passed. 

You walk over to where he stands, still looking into the alleyway where the entrance to your house rests. 

You never take your eyes off of him as you hit the button that triggers your door to slide closed. 

The soft whoosh of it closing let’s Din know that it is now just you and him, that no one will ever know what takes place in this room besides you, and him. 

He’s missed that feeling, and you have too, though neither of you will admit it, not right now. 

Not when there are obviously too many other things to talk about. 

You stand facing his side now, noting that he has yet to look away from the closed door. 

“Din?” You try again, and a deep sigh falls from his lips, crackling into static through the modulator of his helmet. 

“Something has happened, hasn’t it?” 

You question and he still looks forward, as if acknowledging being here with you will also force him to acknowledge whatever he has been through. 

“Where is,” you’re unsure if you should finish the question you so desperately want to ask. 

You stop mid-sentence and clear your throat as your hands find each other again and repeat their motions from earlier in a desperate attempt to try and ground you. 

You want to know what has happened, you want so very much to know where the child is, and if he is okay. 

You want to know if Din is okay, and why he is here now, after so long. 

“What happened, Din?” You whisper, barely audible, and for a moment you’re unsure if he’s heard you or not. 

There is a beat of silence before his shoulders slump, and the visor of his helmet tilts so far down that his chin is almost resting against his chest. 

Your hands ache so badly to reach out to him, to touch any part of him you can in order to reassure him that everything is okay, even though it so clearly is not. 

“I,” he starts, and your chest tightens. 

Are you ready to let him back in just like that? 

Are you ready to hear the tragedies he’s endured since he left you, since you asked him to take you with him and he disappeared before you’d even had the chance? 

Din seems to be weighing the answers to those questions as well, but you can hear his steady breathing through the modulator and you notice him turning slightly towards you. 

His chin stays tucked into his chest as he continues. 

“I lost the kid. He’s… gone.” Din whispers so quietly that his modulator almost misses it, as you do you. 

The word “gone” ricochets around the room before crashing into your chest, and you feel the breath knocked from your lungs. 

Your legs grow weak, and you steady yourself against the wall to keep from falling down. 

“Din,” you murmur out softly, and he hears his name laced with both sorrow and comfort for the first time in his life. 

You notice how the utterance of his name seems to physically strike him, watching as he flinches at the sound of it. 

He clears his throat before shifting his weight and starting again. 

“Moff Gideon followed us to Tython. I- I left the kid, I left Grogu, alone, and scared for one,” he huffs loudly, and when he speaks again his voice is gravelly through the modulator, and you know that he is trying so hard to hold back, to stay strong. 

You just aren’t sure if he is trying to stay strong for you, or for himself.

“I left him for one second. That was- all it took was one second.” 

The defeat in his voice is something you have never heard from him, and it is something you never want to hear again. 

Your brain briefly latches onto the name the child has seemed to receive, and you wonder how Din came to know it. 

Before you can ask, you hear Din take a deep breath. 

He’s not finished. 

“They blew up the Crest,” he mumbles, and your eyebrows furrow. 

Surely you aren’t hearing him right. 

“They blew up- it took one second!” He yelps this time, his voice breaking and causing the modulator to crackle so loud it makes you flinch. 

“They blew up my home!” 

He yells now, visor raised as he looks straight at you, begging you to try and understand where he’s coming from, as if him leaving all those rotations ago didn’t completely uproot the home you had created for yourself. 

“That was my home. It was- I had so much of myself in that ship, so much of what makes me…” 

His voice has quieted down now, but he still stares at you. 

He can’t even finish his sentence as his hand reaches for something in one of the pouches on his belt. 

Your eyes slowly travel from the visor of his helmet to his hand, where he is grasping a small silver ball. 

You feel as if your heart will explode at the sight of it, immediately identifying it as part of the control panel of the Crest. 

“All that was left, I couldn’t, there wasn’t…” 

Hearing him struggle to speak has broken you into a million little pieces, and you feel your face growing wet from the tears you can do nothing to stop. You are frozen, and you are unsure what to do to offer even the smallest ounce of comfort to the man before you. 

Normally he is the one providing comfort, helping those in need and making sure everyone is safe. 

Now it is your turn to do the same for him, and you can do nothing. 

You are completely shut down, unresponsive, as if you are a droid whose each and every circuit has fried. 

Din’s shoulders begin to tremble ever so slightly, and before you can register what is happening he is dropping. 

The Mandalorian is on his knees now, his chin resting against his chest as he cries. 

The sound of his pain through the modulator is enough to snap you out of your stupor, and you are quick to follow him to the ground. 

“I lost everything, everything. In minutes. I have nothing.” 

He whispers, and the words are so strained, so full of hopelessness that you aren’t sure you even recognize the man before you. 

Hearing him believe so strongly that he has nothing left creates a strain on your heart akin to a vice grip, and the pain of it shoots through you, but you know you cannot argue with him now. 

Your role is to listen, to understand, to sympathize. 

You raise your hands to his helmet, and they hang in the air for a moment as you listen to his whimpers. 

Would he still allow you to see his face? 

You had made his clan of two into three at one point, but you wondered if he even remembered what that felt like. 

You had found sanctuary in each other, and in the way the both of you cared for the child, but it had seemed so long ago that you were unsure he even remembered a time when you were allowed to see him outside of the beskar. 

You begin to move your hands back to your lap, content with wringing them against each other, but you freeze when his hands shoot up to grab yours. 

His fingers are wrapped around your wrist, and holding them so tight that you are almost afraid he will leave unintentional bruises there. 

His chin still rests against his chest, and his shortened gasps for breath let you know that he is still crying. 

Din slowly begins to move your hands to his helmet, and he pauses for just a moment before bringing them to rest against the sides. 

The beskar is cold underneath your palms, and you instinctively curve your fingers under the helmet. 

His hands still grip your wrist, and with a final squeeze he lets go, his hands now falling limply into his lap. 

“Din,” you state his name in wonder, and he knows why. 

“Please,” he insists, begs, and it is all you need to hear. 

You lift the helmet slowly, sitting it beside you on the floor as you turn back to him. 

His hair has been cut, but you can still see the unruly mess of curls. 

His eyes are closed as tears continue to slip between his eyelids, making their way down his cheeks and pooling into the fabric around his neck. 

You inch ever so closer to him, gently taking his face into your hands. 

A tear begins to roll down his cheek, and when your thumb moves to swipe it away he breaks. 

A loud cry erupts from his chest, and the noise is so foreign to your ears that your brain can only register it as a feeling of unease and pain that spreads through your body like wildfire. 

Din suddenly falls the rest of the way, landing on his bottom with a loud thud, pulling your hands down with him, but you do not let them move from their spot against his skin. 

You have longed for one more chance to touch him, to hold him, and you would have asked for it in any way other than this, but this is all you have been afforded, and you will not take it for granted. 

You follow his actions, sitting on the floor in front of him, but he is quick to catch you and pull you into him. 

You straddle his lap, legs wrapped around him as he squeezes you into his chest. 

His nose finds the crook of your neck and your hands move to wrap around his head, your fingers lacing through his dark hair. 

You shake as he cries, both from his sorrow and yours. 

Tears fall freely as your mind tries to wrap around everything he has endured, and the way he so freely trusted you with his stories. 

You allow him to cry for what must be hours, neither of you moving or speaking. 

He whimpers as if in pain, and his struggle to catch a deep breath shakes you each time he gasps for air. 

You can feel his warm breath against your neck, and you can feel where he has soaked the collar of your shirt. 

Your heart aches for him, breaks for what he has witnessed, and longs to know the status of the child. 

After his breathing has begun to even out, and he has stopped shaking, you bring your hands back to his face, moving it to look at you. 

His eyes are bloodshot, and the skin around them is puffy from crying for so long. 

You can see that he is exhausted from the release of so many emotions, and you lovingly stroke his cheek. 

The smallest hint of a smile graces his lips and is gone as quickly as it came. 

“I shouldn’t have left him. I shouldn’t have left you.” 

You start to protest but he does not let you speak. 

“Gedet’ye, please, cyare, forgive me. I shouldn’t have left you here.” 

You have begun crying again, and he moves his hands to cradle your face and wipe away the tears. 

The both of you now sit in silence as you hold each others faces between the plans of your equally callused and bruised hands. 

“I will always, always, forgive you. You are my heart, my home.” 

“Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum.” 

“Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum.” 

I love you. 

At your confirmation of his words, he pulls your lips to his, and the both of you continue to cradle the other as you share the softest kiss. 

His lips are so familiar to you, as yours are to him, and it takes only a second for the pieces to begin to slowly connect once more. 

When you pull away, a bit breathless and somewhat surprised, you notice that sorrow is still settled in the deep brown of his eyes. 

“You know that I will do everything in my power to find the child, to return him safely to you. I know the attachment you feel to him, and how much he means to you.” 

Din nods at your words, and you notice that he has begun to tear up again. 

“I want you to tell me your plan to find him, because I know you, and I know that you were already thinking of one the moment he was lost.” 

At the word “lost,” Din’s chin dips again, but you quickly raise his eyes back up to yours. 

“And don’t you dare blame yourself for this Din Djarin. You knew the risks when you rescued him from the Client, you were aware of what could happen, and this tragedy has always been a possibility. The only difference is that now it is reality. Regardless, you are not at fault, and we will not abandon him.” 

Din is crying again, and you swipe away each tear as quickly as they fall. 

“Now, I want to hear that plan,” you prompt, and Din offers you a small smile. 

“You always did love immediate action,” he states, and hearing the slight tone of tease in his voice makes your heart swell with affection. 

You nod in agreement, and his smile grows. 

“I will make a deal with you, Mandalorian,” his hands have long fallen from your face to rest around your waist, but he uses them now to pull you closer to him. 

“Anything, cyare, anything.” 

“You tell me your plan, and I’ll make Hoth Chocolate.” 

He ponders your proposal for a moment, before a wide smile splits across his face. 

“How could I ever refuse Hoth Chocolate?” 

#dincember #mando #Mandalorian #the mandalorian #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian spoilers #the mandalorian x y/n #din djarin #din djarin x reader #please protect din at all costs #rip the razor crest #my fave Star Wars ship #star wars x reader #star wars #din djarin x y/n #mando x reader #mando x y/n #a lil angst #a lil fluff #still can't get over Hoth chocolate

[thevibraniumveterans]

“What If…?” Wednesdays! 1.04

Wednesday, September 1, 2021.

WHAT IF… Doctor Strange lost the love of his life?

=

Okay, first things first, I got major, major Star Wars Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith vibes from this episode alone. In RotS, Anakin receives a premonition of Padme dying, and he seeks to prevent her death. In his fear, for love of her, he turns to Sidious and becomes Vader in an effort to possibly reverse the inevitability of Padme dying, but not even that can save her.

It’s the same in this episode. One version of Strange turns to the dark side all because he wanted to save Christine, but luckily for the other version of him, Stephen knew what would happen.

Padme and Christine die anyway, given that their deaths are Absolute Points in time and cannot be reversed, erased, and they cannot be brought back from the afterlife. Their lovers, Anakin and Stephen, have sought to bring them back, but where did it bring the two men? Down a dark path, destroying them forever.

Holy shit, the parallels.

Here are my notes for today’s episode…

-

Date night?

Tailgate. Car crash. Overboard.

Christine died.

“Tinkering with time can weaken the very fabric of the universe. We protect reality. We’re protect reality. We don’t threaten it.”

He can’t let go of what’s happened. He’s grief-stricken for 2 years.

Wong is a moral compass, of sorts.

He goes back to the point of time before the accident. Makes changes, but the accident is unavoidable.

He tries to tamper with time. But is unsuccessful. Time and time again. He cannot avoid what is inevitable. Even if she’s not there, he’s not there. The death still happens.

It’s like WandaVision, but worse. (Dealing with grief, trying to prevent what cannot be prevented.)

Palmer’s death is “an Absolute Point in time.” Like the Sacred Timeline, kind of. The Ancient One says, “Unchangeable. Unmovable. Without her death, you would never have defeated Dormammu and become the Sorcerer Supreme and the guardian of the Eye of Agamotto. If you erase her death, you never start your journey. You’re risking the universe. You cannot reverse an Absolute Point.” She also says, “this path [of wanting more power] only leads to darkness and the end of this reality,”

He ends up in a library…

“It’s Strange.” “Not any stranger than any other name in this world.” (What a throwback to Kaecilius’ “Who am I to judge?”)

He calls up a spell…. AND IT’S THE TENTACLE MONSTER FROM E1?

“Is she worth the pain? A man does not suffer like this for his own glory.”

“There is a fine line between devotion and delusion. Love can break more than your heart. It can shatter your mind.”

The Watcher: “I could warn him, intervene, but the fate of his universe is not worth risking the safety of all others.” Hmmm…

Strange can’t accept death “But perhaps the other Strange will.”

He’s not the only Strange in the universe.

He sets down the stone, and goes out, only to meet the Ancient One. Strange asks what’s going on, who’s causing this, and AO says,  “You are.” (Like Loki E1 when he’s told there’s a Variant of himself out there.)

AO drew power from the dark dimension to split the timeline, so there’s one who sought power and one who didn’t. Hmm. “Allowing for two of your possible timelines to occur in one universe.” Sounds a lot like ‘creative adjustments’ from Loki E6…

The Strange who did not seek power is the only one strong enough to defeat his evil Timeline-twin.

“When are you?”

Stephen meets not-Strange, and Stephen says, “You can’t bring her back. The world out there is breaking.”

Strange wants to save Christine from certain death - this is very much like Anakin in the prequels where he has been foretold of Padme’s death and he wants to save her, knowing she’ll die. He becomes a bad guy because of it, and this is exactly what Strange is at this moment. Stephen and Strange is basically the angel and the devil, the superego and id. The light and the dark of the same person, the conflict within. Strange has sought out power like Anakin sought out Sidious. Anakin feared the loss of the loved one, and as such, sought to learn what he could to prevent the inevitable death. 

=

- (ROTS: “You have turned her against me!” - “You have done that yourself!” - “You will not take her from me!”)

- (Palpatine: Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise... he could use the Force to influence the midichlorians to create... life. He had such a knowledge of the Dark Side, he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying. Anakin: He could actually... save people from death? Palpatine: The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.)

- (Anakin: I will do whatever you ask. Sidious: Good! Anakin: Just help me save Padme's life. I can't live without her. Sidious: To cheat death is the power only one has achieved. But if we work together, I know we can discover the secret.)

=

“This isn’t love. Look at this. This is arrogance. This is our need to fix everything. It’s what drove us to study the mystic arts in the first place.” Hmmm… It’s a little like E6′s conversation “I’ve been where you are, I know what you feel.” It’s kind of the same sentiment but different emotions.

“I’ve gone too far to turn back now.”

Not-Strange brings Christine back, but doing so has irrevocably destroyed him. Much like learning of the dark side has turned Anakin into Darth Vader.

Christine freaks out, and it’s like that scene on Mustafar where Padme pleads with Anakin but he’s too far gone to hear her.

Strange/Not-Strange pleads with the Watcher to help, but as is the nature of the Watcher, he cannot intervene.

The Id and the Superego have coalesced into the ego, and Stephen has to live with the choices he made. Actions have consequences.

“One life, one choice, one moment can destroy the entire universe.”

#mcu #mcu what if #what if spoilers #what if episode 4 #doctor strange #benedict cumberbatch #christine palmer #rachel mcadams #the watcher #jeffrey wright #wong #benedict wong #the ancient one #tilda swinton #ike amadi #star wars rots #revenge of the sith #anakin skywalker #darth vader #darth sidious #padme amidala #parallels #loki 01x06

[sirianhewigxiii]

what inspired you to make all these rwby gifs? they're really good, it's always nice to see them while browsing the tag ✨

Thank youuu, dear Anon, it always makes me happy to hear that people enjoy my gifs (*^_^*)

I apologize in advance for this maybe being a bit too deep/long and me rambling but here we go (^_^”)

Honestly what started it all was that one moment between Weiss and Willow in V7 when Willow takes the booze and drinks it straight out of the bottle.

Or rather it always bothered me a little how people misinterpreted Weiss’ behavior when she threw and burned those bottles (in V6) – to me it was clearly because she was triggered by Qrow’s alcoholism and how he wasn’t doing shit to help (he was even actively being a fucking nuisance in the middle of all of that danger).

Still people always made it about Weiss just having gotten emotional for no actual reasons even though we knew at this point how Willow sank herself into alcohol and resigned. (Weiss’ trauma having been triggered like that especially by the way is one of the reasons you will never see any Winter and Qrow stuff on this blog, but let’s not get into that here...)

Either way I was always a little bit shy/protective about sharing theories and thoughts about things I very much hyperfixate on online or at all really (I also don’t really have a community irl to even share stuff like that with) – I also didn’t honestly even know that people would do theory or analysis posts that much about RWBY (or in general).

All I would ever do on Tumblr was look at the fanart and the Gifs (^_^”) so what I did know was that people would do Gif-sets/parallels.

But when that scene in V7 came up and I didn’t find anybody making a set out of the Weiss’ scene (V6:E6 - Alone in the Woods) and the scene with Willow (V7:E8 - Cordially Invited) and put ‘two and two together’ I just felt a little disappointed (^_^”)

I was like ‘Did people just not notice maybe? These scenes line up so well though…maybe I can do it then…?’ and so I kinda learned how to make basic gifs.

So my very first Gif-set of these two scenes took me forever to make and it’s really really blurry as all of my early Gifs really were since I had no idea what I was doing and what free programs were best and easiest to use xD

I would also use any basic subs that I could just find or get somewhere online, so some of them are really sloppy (^_^”)

These days I actually taught myself how to make my own subtitles so everything looks a lot cleaner - along with the Gifs themselves since I just kept figuring out how to do better I guess? (^_^”)

Either way that first Gifset kinda ‘blew up’ and I though to myself ‘Hey, maybe it’s safe to kinda share all of the details I notice like this. People seem to enjoy it and add to it in the tags, replies, reblogs. Maybe I’ll find all of the peeps who enjoy and love the show the same way as me.’

And so I just kept going to find my community really and just share something that others who are/were like me may get happy about seeing (✩ ์ ᴗ ์✩) (If that makes sense? xD)

And without getting into too much details about my private life I’ll say that RWBY is one of the very very very few things I have in life that just truly give me joy.

I just truly love the show, the story and the characters to the point that with every new Volume I’m just scared to death that something/some plot or character thing might happen that will just break it for me and leave a void – even though there has yet to be an episode to disappoint me.

And just finding all of the details, parallels, even the way scenes are cut and change is something that I simply enjoy a lot and I just always feel like I just want to share and show everybody about just how fantastic the show is ヾ(＠^∇^＠)ノ

And more than anything showing people what I want to point out by doing something as simple as putting scenes together/side by side, these days even putting my thoughts down about a certain scene in words or making fun headcanons and using Gifs to visualize it all has drawn people towards the blog who are also just really fun and cool about the show.

And while there are (quite a few) people who I have without missing a heartbeat simply blocked for several certain reasons, the majority of people here (who check out my blog) are people who actually watch the show, pay attention to the characters, their actual characters and developments, actions and interactions and are willing to look genuinely at things the way they are without being pretentious about it or clearly emotionally just not mature enough to understand what is going on.

Not that I somehow blame those latter type of people for maybe simply not being old or experienced enough to understand certain human behavior or interactions. It is however the entitlement that comes with unwillingness to listen to others who do know what they are talking about that I don’t like and the entitlement to think that certain headcanons that were unfounded from the very beginning are more important and ‘right’ that what actually happens. But that’s a whole other issue in on itself about the FNDM.

That said Gif-ing alone especially these days is also something that simply helps me a lot with anxiety (attacks) and existential fear. It just gives me something to do and to focus on for longer amounts of time that also involves something that I just enjoy and it also, on a more positive note, gives me the opportunity to connect to people, share visuals and ideas with others.

It’s just a very, for the lack of a better word, simple way to connect with people and every like, reply and reblog without or with a comment (regularly or in the tags) just makes me feel happy about one more person enjoying the same thing as I (❁´◡`❁)

And I know there’s also a crap-ton of others out there who make Gifs/Gif-sets and have been longer at and while I usually will reblog a set somebody else has already made I also usually like just cutting thing a bit differently and some people just use filters that I don’t really like (but maybe I’m just ‘showing my age’ here xD).

But I know a lot of people like them, personally however I just think the show’s too gorgeous to slap some filter on it but that’s just really a matter of taste I guess and so I just don’t use them, I also keep my subs simple for that reason ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ That said however I do know that it’s probably a crap-ton of extra work to filter and sometimes watermark things (^_^”)

That was it for my answer I think and hope that wasn’t too boring or disappointing of a read (＾◇＾)ノ

#ask me anything #rwby #rwby gifs

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

Ishqbaaz Liveblog, E5: Devi Maiyya Working Overtime for Shivika to Happen

Previously: E4 “Anyone between 40-59 is shit”

No big note here, except that I am still enjoying Ishqbaaz! I love the long gazes, the bros chilling, Anika being a badass and my desi self enjoying this like anything. 

Ab, enjoy the liveblog:

Episode 5 “Devi Maiyya Working Overtime for Shivika to Happen”

- Ewww Pinky here. 

- Tia? Who’s she?

- Pinky is so happy, over interest in beta ka chakkar. 

- Lady Baba? Lol, RUDY YOU ARE AMAZING. You call Tia that?Good, Shivaay told his bro to respect Tia. 

- Rudy: Respected Lady Baba! Okay so Shiaay just accepted he loves Tia. Hmm.

- LOL RUDY IS… HILARIOUS! 

- Ok so Rudy is about Nibba Nibbi waala pyaar and Omkara is all about Dhadkan waala pyaar. 

- Shivaay, lineage class bloodline aren’t qualities. Lol, Shivaay clarified that Tia gives space and stuff. So great. 

- Ohhhh… there’s a 1500 crore deal with their relationship - actually happens in big families. 

- Omkara wishing bro gets real love.

- Lolllll RUDY HOPING SHIVAAY FALLS IN LOVE PRE-WEDDING OTHERWISE IT COULD CAUSE COMPLICATIONS! 

- Dadi, what mystery call are you doing? 

- Baapre, Dadi got enough shock to get a heart attack. I have an inkling that with every other episode the IB people just give a heart attack to Dadi. 

- Dadi why are you surprised that they said lie, especially after taking Ram’s kasam. You have over estimated your sanskaar. 

- People overestimate children, you overestimated your teachings. 

- Poor Anika. Trauma from the death of her parents and (death?) of her younger sis.

- oK MY HEART IS BREAKING HOW OLDER ANIKA SNUGGLES UP TO SAHIL. 

- “Why fear something that even fireflies can defeat (darkness).” MY HEART MELTED.

- Side note: She’s middle classed so how is her room so big!!!!! Yaar mujhe bhi aise hi middle class hona hai.

- Of course, Shivaay and Anika are on the same road. 

- This Shivaay and Anika ka milaap ke liye Devi Maiyya is working on overdrive. I pity her, Devi Maiyya has lost all her time and sleep in making impossible happen - ArShi, ShivIka, RiKara - can’t these humans do anything for themselves.

- OH GOD HE WILL RUN OVER HER. AND ANIKA DON’T FIX YOUR SHOE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

- ANIKA LOOK BEHIND YOU 

- Shivaay pulling a Singham! Didn’t know he was Ajay Devgn fan. 

- What car swerve, Rohit Shetty will be proud of you. 

- Nice suit Shivaay.

- Ok, Anika and Shivaay’s banter is hilarious. 

- “You had to find my car to die?” “Excuse me, I’m middle classed. I will find a middle classed way to die - such as under a local train” *Monisha Sarabhai clapping and whistling from the other end of Cuffe Parade*

- Ah, 2 crores car. This reminds me;

- Oh main nikla, gaddi leke, Oh sarak pe, Anika lane pe, Jo mod main liya, Uske pas dil chor aaya.

- Rudy will be proud of me.

- Meanwhile, Arnav and Khushi’s alter egos - Shivaay and Anika bicker about aukaad and all. Do all these heroes go to the same school?

- How come they all have the same homework! *cheater*

- Anika’s shock on a 2 crore car is me, I hate LUXURY ITEMS. Faltu ka kharcha!

- Ok Anika is SMART. Why not use the 2 crores to start a business instead - great idea. 

- Lol she thought dialogue is over and muttered “if not for being Priyanka’s bro” and FINALLY SOMEONE ADDRESSED THE DRAMATIC ENTRY OF A 4LION HERO.

- WHO RANDOMLY APPEARS

“KI AAP BHOOT KI TARHA ENTRY KYUN MAARTE HAIN!”

- Rudy, you don’t know how it feels to give half completed art of someone without telling the other person. Ah, no wonder Om is sweetly beating up his bro. 

- Dadi again in #merebetefeelz

- Oh no Dadi don’t go in the i-won’t-tell-them-truth-cause-they’re-so-happy. IT NEVER WORKS! DID YOU NOT SEE IPK! DEKHA WHAT HAPPENED WHEN KHUSHI HID SHYAM’S TRUTH? WHEN PAYAL HID SHYAM’S TRUTH? WHEN ARNAV LATER HID SHYAM’S TRUTH…

- Wait 70% of all problems came with everyone hiding Shyam’s truth? 

- Rudy is asking important questions, why is Shivaay marrying Lady Baba urf Tia. Lol, Rudy is roasting Tia like hell. #rudyroasts Om agrees! Arrey, Mr. Shayar strikes again. 

- Ok Om, Arnav would disagree - saudaa is also relationship. Sauda is a relationship.

- Wah, here Om talks about how the woman for Shivaay should be of his ‘takkar’ and boom we’re cut to Shivaay and Anika. I must say, this show lives and breathes on foreshadowing. Matlab subtlety jaye ghaas lene.

- Ok I love Anika’s throwbacks to every iconic male lead dialogue.

- “Pray you don’t see Shivaay Singh Oberoi’s anger” - SSO

- “Dude, wtf do you think you are?” - Anika 

- LOL Anika is going to test the power of Shivaay’s name with bulls - apparently the world doesn’t stop for Shivaay! Ok I’m loving this way too much.

- Ok Shivaay shut up, don’t go to Anika’s parents.

- LOL ANIKA THREW SHIT SHIVAAY’S CAR BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT SHIVAAY SPOKE CRAP.

- OH WHAT A SENTENCE I CRAFTED. 

- Om and Dadi and Rudy sitting and chatting about Shivaay. Is this the audience? Dadi has two jobs - clarify Shivaay’s stance and oversell him to the audience, or just foreshadow things in Shivaay’s life. 

- Shivaay, you flexer! But what a flex. 

- Anika legit challenged him if he could fly above a landslide.

- Turns out he can.

- Ok WHY IS OH JAANA PLAYING? I DON’T GET IT. WHEN YOU DO THIS I DON’T UNDERSTAND IF THIS IS SHOW TELLING US YO THESE TWO GONNA DO THE DEED ONE DAY OR TELLING US IF THE CHARACTERS FEEL A SPARK…

- Just noticed, Shivaay is a bit of an awkward teen around Anika. 

- Ok we come to this show’s Sim and Pam. 

- Hello Lady Baba.

- OMG DIA FROM MJHT!!!!!!! MERI DIA!!!!! HULCHUL HO DIL MAIN MILEY HAB HUM TUM!!!

- She’s Tia from Dia? Lol. 

- Oh I just realised that I have a shirt just like Anika’s. 

- OH GOD Devi Maiyya WORKING SO HARD TO GET SHIVAAY AND ANIKA TOGETHER. ANIKA HAD TO DELIVER FOOD AT TIA’S PLACE!

- Devi Maiyya be like:

- Wah, despite using a helicopter babua arrived later than Anika at Tia’s place. 

- I’m sometimes confused by the bg musics the show chooses.

- Hahaha Shivaay is stuck seeing Anika. 

- Ok has Nakuul been instructed to take his sunglasses off in just one way. 

- Haha Anika dancing so cutely in the bg, OK SEE NOW I DON’T KNOW IF SHIVAAY LIKES HER CRAZY DAN— 

- OH WAIT WHENEVER HE DOES THAT LITTLE TEEN HAIR THING IT MEANS HE’S ATTRACTED TO WHAT HE SEES BUT IS A BIT DOOFUS TO GET THAT. LOL

I cannot wait to see what happens next! No big footnote either cause finger cut but the lb was prewritten and it’s one of my biggest source if joy as of now, lol. AND I LOVE YOU’RE ALL KE NOTES!!!

See you soon, 

- JWB

Next up: E6 “Rudy takes over Devi Maiyya’s shipping duties”

#ib #ishqbaaz #ishqbaaz liveblog #tere liye ttji #fun times #shivaay is an awkward teen

[nataliedanovelist]

GF + OH - Fallen Owls pt.1

Summary: What happens when the milf of The Owl House meets the dilf of Gravity Falls? Find out in this multi-chapter crossover fic.

pt.2

~~~~~~~~~~

Episode Placement:

GF = after finale (S3?) OH = between S1E5 and E6 It was late, passed the gremlins’ bedtime, but it was summer, meaning the term “bedtime” had very little meaning unless Stan was tired and needed to make the kids quiet. But as of right now he was content sitting in his old armchair, boxers and undershirt and slippers and all, munching on popcorn with his family, sitting around telling stories. Stan and his twin brother, Ford, had just finished telling Dipper and Mabel more about the sirens they had faced a few months ago. While sailing around the world was a dream come true, it was nice to take a break to spend the summer with the niblings.

Dipper, having just heard how Stan had been charmed by the sirens’ song, chuckled and asked, “So, did you ever have any luck finding ‘babes’?” Stan rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. “Nah, but there’s always next year.” “Yeah, don’t worry about it, Grunkle Stan.” Mabel said as she popped some popcorn into her mouth. “You’ll find some pretty girl that is everything you deserve!” Stan, turning red, waved the subject away. “Thanks, sweetie, but it’s fine.” Ford, sitting on the dino-skull, elbowed him lightly and teased, “He’s still heartbroken over Carla McCorckle.” Mabel blew a raspberry. “If I ever find her I’m gonna give her a left-hook and break her nose!” Stan laughed and ruffled her hair. “That’s not necessary, kid. I’m over her.” “And it only took you forty years.” Ford added, earning him a punch on the shoulder. “I’ll have you know I’ve been with plenty of gals after Carla!” Stan quipped. “Heck, I was married once when I was traveling the country!” “Wait, what?!” The whole room gasped at the same time. Ford blinked like a confused owl. “I… I didn’t know that.” “Me, neither.” Mabel said and leaned on Stan’s knee. Dipper, meanwhile, was silent, a memory coming to mind. “Truth is I’ve been divorced once and slapped more times than I can remember.” “What happened? GASP! Do I have a secret Graunty you never told me about?!” Stan barked a laugh. “Hah! No, sorry pumpkin. I was actually married for less than a day. Vegan situation. We reached for the same slot machine handle and it was love at first sight. Marilyn. Had hair like a airline stordis and a neon pink shirt that said ‘Over thirty and very flirty’. Man I was, I was putty in her hands.” Stan said lightly, recalling the most romantic evening he ever had. “You should’ve seen the way she threw dice. One time right at my head. Turns out she only married me to distract me while she stole my car and my winnings. I guess her name was fake and, hair was fake. But ya know, the love was real.” Stan added with a casual shrug. “She was really the one that got away. Like, literally, it was a proper get away. She was chased by cop cars for a mile out of Vegas before ducking out of a door and into a canyon and making off with my loot. Sometimes I still think of her.” The old conman admitted. “That pale bingo hall skin. That one weirdly sharp tooth.” Stan’s face dropped at the sight of his family and he quickly said, “Sorry, I’m getting nostalgic.” “More like love-sick.” Dipper teased. “AW!” Mabel squealed. “That’s so sweet! Maybe you’ll find her one day!” Stan laughed and shook his head. “I doubt it, sweetie, but hey. Who needs stealing babes when I’ve got you three, right?” Mabel yawned and stretched her arms over her head. Ford chuckled and stood up, popping his back. “I think you two should head to bed. It’s getting late and we’re going camping tomorrow, remember?” Mabel gasped happily and stood. “You’re right!” She hugged both her uncles and wished them goodnight and then walked with her brother up the stairs for the attic, then Ford left to go finish packing, leaving Stan alone. He leaned on his knuckles, elbow on his armchair, and he remembered Marilyn. ~~~~~~~~~~ Mabel was grinning from ear to ear as she skipped ahead on the trail in the woods. “Finally, a real family camping trip!” Grunkle Ford, Dipper, and Grunkle Stan were right behind her, the Pines family heading back to the Mystery Shack after a fun night sleeping under the stars around a campfire. They were all smiling and happy to be reunited for the summer. While some things drastically changed and some things hardly changed at all, the Pines in appearance changed a little since Dipper and Mabel and turned thirteen. Mabel had always been nothing but smiles in the past, but if it was even possible she grinned even more now, proud to show off her braces-free white teeth. She still sported amazing sweaters with colorful headbands and skirts, today wearing a brown skirt and a yellow headband with a light-brown sweater with an owl on it, claiming she wanted to match the woods and her Grunkle Ford; he only proved her point when he blushed. Dipper and Wendy switched hats again when they saw each other when the twins came off the bus, but over his orange t-shirt he wore a green flannel unbuttoned and he matched it with blue jeans. No longer out in the freezing Arctic, Stan left behind his long coat, but he kept his white t-shirt, dark pants, red beanie, and water-proof boots for the hiking trip. Ford, the easily cold twin, still wore red turtleneck and dark pants and boots, but his smile was much more genuine and the crack in his glasses was gone. Grunkle Ford patted his niece’s shoulder. “It is nice to have some quality family bonding.” “Next time I say we go fishing.” Stan injected. “Not as many creepy spider-fires or whatever.” “Scampfires.” “I still say whatever.” Dipper chuckled and continued to sketch in his pinetree journal, shading in trees of his drawing of the woods. But he was pulled from his pleasant thoughts by his great-uncle. “Seriously, kid, you’re gonna walk into a tree and then I’m gonna laugh. You need to get your head outta book and see the rest of the world.” “Grunkle Stan, how do you think people shared the world back in your day? You know, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth?” Dipper quipped. “Oh, ho! Wise guy, huh?” Stan wrapped an arm around his neck and rubbed his knuckles on the top of his head. “Alright, Poindexter Jr…” “No! No nuggies!” “Yes nuggies!” “Ford!” Dipper laughed, calling for backup. Mabel, meanwhile, was slowly being pulled away mentally from the touching scene of guys being dudes as the internet would have called it. Distracting her, a tiny brown owl with cute round eyes was hopping. Not just hopping, appearing from behind one oak tree to the neck, but hopping with a sack clamped by the beak. Mabel watched it with wide eyes, hoping for another look, and the second glance she got of it was so brief she didn’t know how much faith she should have in her eyes, but it looked like that sack had things like a Cubic Cube, a newspaper, a floppy disk, a basketball, and other items that could be classified as junk. Mabel decided not to wait for another glance at the owl and to go look at it for herself. Mabel wandered off the path animals had made and moved in between trees and bushes quietly. Her brown eyes eventually landed on the little owl and she followed it; the clattering of the owl or it’s determination to finish it’s job must have been the reason why it didn’t hear Mabel and try to hide or lose her. The young Pines lady watched, walking farther and farther away from her family, and the owl hopped behind a tree and never emerged. Mabel smiled, thinking she was about to find an owl’s nest in the tree or a stash of human things by the tree’s roots, but when she turned to look behind the tree, she gasped to find a doorway that glowed white. Mabel looked around her for anyone that might have an answer or for any clue as to why this doorway was here, but she was alone. Gravity Falls certainly was where this sort of thing might happen, but that did not guarantee that this was safe. Maybe she should have the guys look at this thing. Mabel turned around, her back to the doorway, to leave, but she saw something above her and took in a sharp breath. Stan had Dipper pinned on the grass now, both of them laughing, with Ford shaking his head and scolding lightly. “Stanley, that’s enough.” “Don’t worry, Grunkle Ford, I promise not to break such an old man.” Dipper teased as he lightly fought back, “Old man?!” Stan repeated in pretend offense. They were interrupted by a blood curdling scream that made their hearts drop. Stan immediately got off of his nephew and stared ahead, terrified. “Mabel…” And he ran for the direction he heard the scream with Ford and Dipper at his heels. Mabel pulled her grappling hook out of her hiking-backpack and tried to calm down, but it was hard to with the dangerous anomaly liking it’s chops at the sight of her. It was like a gray lizard, but ten feet long, including the tail, and only on it’s four legs it was seven feet tall. It’s eyes were red and narrow and cold, and it had long sharp claws like a dragon’s and a long snout like a crocodile. Mabel shot her grappling hook at the monster and it hit it on the snout, tossing its head back. The lizard hissed but did not back down. It advanced, getting closer to Mabel, and she wanted to back away, but she was careful not to touch the spooky doorway. Stan saw the scene first, appearing out of the corner of Mabel’s eye. “Mabel!” “Grunkle Stan, what do I do?!” She asked, her eyes glued to the giant lizard. Ford and Dipper caught up. The younger moved to jump between his sister and the monster, but Ford stopped him with a firm six-fingered hand. “No! Listen to me, Mabel. That thing is called a Stone-Reptilian. They're excellent at camouflaging into mountains and can hang onto a one-hundred-and-eighty degree wall for hours, waiting for its prey. It actually has two tongues: one for licking its eyes since it doesn't have eyelids, and one for paralyzing it’s dinner and dragging the meal into its mouth.” “So what do I do?!” Mabel begged, shaking a little at the idea of being paralyzed and then eaten alive. “Mabel, stay calm, it’s alright.” Ford soothed with a voice as soft as silk. “Stone-Reptilians have excellent eyesight, but they’re deaf. Notice how it’s isn’t reacting to us. Now, I want you to…” The Stone-Reptilian suddenly whipped out it’s long, thorn-covered tongue to paralyze Mabel, but she was too quick and leaped through the doorway to survive. As she did, it disappeared, and the Pines men were left to scream and then fight for their own lives. ~~~~~~~~~~ “Whoops, can’t have another stowaway, can I?” A voice said, and then before Mabel knew it, her way back home was gone. She observed her new surroundings. Misfit things like a refrigerator, a grandfather clock, an old mattress, and cardboard boxes full of items cluttered what looked like a big tent, judging by the cloth walls and such. Mabel smiled with wonder at the things. “Wow. What a collection.” She whispered. Her eyes landed on a small glass ballerina on top of a music box. She turned the ballerina around with a finger to catch a few music notes. Mabel smiled, but was once again distracted. “Right, let’s see here… Nope. Garbage. Garbage. Another one of these? Oh, well. Good thing the potions have been selling. I should really thank Luz for helping me take out that competitor. Or not.” Mabel covered her mouth with both hands to keep from snorting; that sounded like something her Grunkle Stan would say. Her heart sagged a little and she turned to look back at where the magical doorway once was. Despite what he might pretend, Mabel knew Stan would be really worried about her. She needed to find a way back home. She crawled on her hands and knees out from under the tent and then got up to explore. “Okay, let’s see…” Mabel looked around to find herself outside in the open air. She raised an eyebrow. “The… Crawlspace? I thought it was underground? Maybe there’s more to it! Won’t Grunkle Ford be surprised!” Mabel cheered and looked around for anything familiar, but the longer she looked, the more she realized nothing was like back in Gravity Falls. She stood at the edge of a cliff, overlooking an odd city of some kind. Giant monster hands with no body stood like trees. Smoke rose from chimneys of medieval-looking houses. A small herd of cat-sized dragons flocked by the clouds. A mammoth roared like a lion and then walked into the ocean. Something resembling an orange nun was selling bags of oozing red stuff to tiny red monsters with teeth and fangs for a face. People were riding a giant caterpillar from inside its mouth and then kissing it for a toll. Mabel’s heart was racing from excitement and fear. Nothing here was familiar, but she was familiar with the unfamiliar. She grasped the straps of her backpack and took a deep breath. “Okay, Mabel, you’ve obviously discovered another rift and came to another dimension. Just remember what your grunkles taught you. Don’t touch this dimension's version of yourself or everything will explode. I just gotta live long enough for them to find me. Easy.” Her stomach suddenly growled. Mabel clenched her stomach on reflex, but then remembered her bag of marshmallows, pulled them out, and began to munch on her fluffy sugar pillows. She turned around and walked away from the tent she had left, saw she was in some sort of market, and walked down the street to explore calmly. ~~~~~~~~~~ “And remember to apply it twice a day for the best results.” Luz said friendly to a blue monster made out of goo as she handed her the small bag of dust and the customer closed the door on the human. Luz wiped her sweaty forehead with her wrist and groaned. “Man, it’s so hot today. Ready to head home, King? King?” She looked down to find that the king of demons had found the perfect spot on the porch to nap in the sunshine. Luz smiled, scratched his back, and scooped him up one-armed while her other hand carried the empty sack. “Eh?” King woke up, angry and cute. “Luz! I was having the perfect dream!” “About what?” “What could be more perfect than sleeping?!” “You were dreaming about sleeping?” Luz clarified with a confused smile. “Don’t you?” Luz snorted a laugh and walked through Bonesburrow. Compared to the rest of the Boiling Isles, the apprentice had learned that this was the quietest neck of the woods. King’s nose caught a delightful scent, but the demon was unsure if he should believe it. He sat up in Luz’s arm and smelled the air. “What is it?” Luz asked. “Hm, it’s sweet. Really sweet.” King commented and shivered. “Like, really sweet. So sweet it’ll put anyone in a sugar-induced coma.” “Well, why don’t we just go home and we can have some of Eda’s strawberry jelly instead.” Luz suggested as they turned a corner. She immediately saw the one really really weird thing in the Boiling Isles, apart from her. Another human. After being away from home for about three weeks, Luz didn’t think she would be so happy to see another human girl or see human food that wasn’t red, but here she was, eyes sparkling with happy tears over the sight. Mabel’s eye eventually landed on Luz and the two stared at each other, a good twenty feet away from each other. After a few moments, however, they both shouted, “ANOTHER HUMAN!” And ran towards each other, King clinging onto Luz’s arms in order not to fall. “Wait,” The brunette said and looked worried. “Is this your first time seeing another human here? How long have you been trapped here?!” She apparently had drawn the conclusion that there was no way out of this place. “Oh, no,” The Latino smiled and shook her head. “I’m not trapped here; I can leave whenever I want, I just choose not to.” “Oh. Cool! Hi! I’m Mabel!” “Hi, Mabel.” Luz greeted. “I’m Luz! So… how did you get here?” Mabel’s face dropped a little and she looked around. “You know, I’m not really sure. One minute I was camping with my family and the next I’m falling through a door that disappears and takes me here.” Luz giggled and shook her head. “You must have fallen through Eda’s door. Don’t worry, I can get you back home.” “You can?!” Mabel hugged her tightly, squishing King in between the two girls. “ThankyouthankyouTHANKYOU!” Luz, who was quite the hugger but lived with two hug-haters, grinned and relished in the hug, until a high-voice yelled, “AH! What is with you humans and this tight holding ritual?!” Mabel’s eyes got wide and she jumped away, looking around wildly; that voice sounded too familiar for comfort, but when she saw the king of demons, she gasped with a huge grin and shining eyes. “OH MY GOSH! How cute!!!” She squealed. “Thanks.” Luz giggled and rubbed his belly. “This is the King of Demons.” “This little bundle of joy?” Mabel asked, happily smoothing over his skull and scratching his back. “That’s what I said!” “Hey, hey, easy with the merchandise!” King complained. “What makes you think you can… oh! Oh! Right there, yup, right there.” Mabel had found the right scratching spot, just between his shoulder-blades, and King relaxed in Luz’s arms, almost asleep he was so comfortable. Mabel giggled and asked, “So, how can you get me back to my family?” Luz gave it a moment’s thought and said, “Well, I guess we could take you to Eda and have her send you home, but she’ll be going home soon and it’s kinda…” The girls screamed as a huge guard jumped in front of them. He glared down at the humans and said, “Human previously associated with Eda the Owl Lady, you’re hereby under arrest!” “Not today, sucka!” Luz yelled, threw down one of Eda’s smoke bombs, and grabbed Mabel’s wrist. “Come on! I know where to go!” “Crazy monsters, criminals, smoke bombs, demons… I LOVE IT HERE!” Mabel cheered as she was fleeing with her new friends. ~~~~~~~~~~ Stan huffed, catching his breath, with his hands on his knees. Ford helped Dipper up cautiously, scanning him over for broken bones from when the monster swung his tail at the boy and slammed him against a tree, but apart from being shaken up, he was fine. Now that the Stone-Reptilian was gone, the Pines men were free to worry about the most important thing in their whole world. “MABEL?!” Stan screamed and looked around wildly for the rift that took her away. “MABEL! MABEL, SWEETIE!” “Mabel!” Ford called out. “Mabel, can you hear us?!” “MABEL! MABEL!” Stan screamed and ignored his stinging eyes. Dipper’s own brown eyes were aching, too, but he refused to be seen as weak and he powered through. “Did… did that thing… g-g-get her?” “No.” Ford said firmly. “I saw it. She fell through… some sort of door, or a rift.” “A-A door?” “It was rectangular like one, but it was hard to tell.” “The Crawlspace!” Dipper gasped and slapped his forehead. “Don’t the entrances change randomly through Gravity Falls? What if she fell through and is down at the black market?” “What, you mean she’s probably surrounded by dangerous monsters in some freaky market?” Stan asked. “It’s a likely possibility.” Ford speculated, holding his cleft chin. “Scour the area. If it was an entrance to the Crawlspace, one will show up again soon.” The three men split up, relatively close, and searched for an anomaly. Maybe a hole in a tree or in the ground, what might have been passed as a bird’s nest or a groundhog’s home could actually be an entrance. Stan was checking some bushes when he thought he heard a strange noise and he looked ahead. A rectangular white light appeared on an oak tree and soon an owl with an empty sack in its beak hopped out. Stan gasped and thought that this was the doorway that took his little girl. Ford saw his twin run out of the corner of his eye and then disappear through the hole. “Stanley, wait!” He called and ran towards him, disappearing, too. Then the doorway was gone. Dipper looked around nervously. “Hello? Guys?” He paused, letting it sink in that, once again, he was alone. “I swear if she’s at MAB3L again…” ~~~~~~~~~~ Stan had stopped. Ford then accidently ran into him and they both fell forward. “Sixer, get off!” “Shh!” Ford slapped a polydactyl hand over his brother’s mouth, which made him grumble, but before Stan could lick his hand in response, he heard what Ford was hearing. “I’ll give you fifty snails for the whole lot.” A laugh-filled snort followed. “It’s seventy-five, kid. Take it or leave it.” That voice… something was familiar about that laugh. There was grumbling and what sounded like items being collected. Stan and Ford exchanged looks and slowly got up. After looking around the tent, they peered out of the crack in the curtains to see an odd market. They awed at the sight of dozens of weird creatures. One looked like a turquoise hairless-cat. One looked like a pig with green eyes and it breathed fire on a piece of meat on a stick to cook it for a snack. A kid with pointy ears dropped a basket full of eyeballs and scrambled to pick them up. Ford grinned excitedly like a dork while Stan winced at the sight of an ice-cream eating a customer. Stan glanced to his left and he had to hold his breath to keep from gasping and blowing their cover. Wearing a tight-fitted, torn maroon dress and matching boots, gold on her chest and ears and fingers and a sharp tooth, her eyes sparkling like gold coins, a woman with big gray hair and pointy ears leaned against a table full human things and flicked through a Gold Chains for Old Men magazine with a skeptical look on her face. Stan was nearly as pale as she was when she snorted another laugh and flipped a page. “Hah! Not a bad read. Better than that kindling Luz keeps around.” She mumbled and made herself comfortable in her chair, waiting for another customer, one leg crossed over the other and she lightly kicked it as she read. Stan swallowed. There was no way. No possible way… then again, given everything weird that’s happened to him, from freaky portal, to demon triangles, to gnomes and unicorns and sirens and krakens, even to a full-blown Weirdmageddon, should he really be all that surprised that faith would bite him in the butt like this? Ford glanced down at his twin and found he could read him like an open book. “Stanley…” He hissed. The lady straightened in her seat and looked up from the magazine, listening. Now it was Stan’s turn to cover Ford’s mouth. They were still, waiting for the ady to find them, but she shrugged casually and continued to read. The men backed away, out of sight, and were each on one knee, facing each other, as they whispered. “Sixer, where the heck are we? The Crawlspace?” “I’m not sure.” Ford hissed. “I have never seen these types of anomalies before. I suppose it’s possible they hide here during the day and I had never seen them at night, but… this place feels off. To summarize, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” “Fine, but when what do we do about Mabel?” “Our objection is still the same. Let’s just keep a low profile and try to find her.” The twins froze when the curtain was thrown open and the lady stood before them. She immediately sneered down at them. “If you amateur pickpockets think you can…” But then she stopped, for several reasons. One: these creatures were clearly old, about her age, and so unless they had a sudden career change, they were not amateurs. Two: as a human expert and a teacher and hostess of a human, she instantly recognized these two big-eared creatures as humans. Three: something about the one in the white shirt and red hat was very familiar. “No… way…” She narrowed her golden eyes. Stan was now confident that his memory wasn’t flawed; the way she reacted to seeing him, recognizing him, confirmed that he knew her. Before he could do anything, she grabbed each twin by the ear and pinched; they were at her mercy and receiving flashbacks from when their mother was angry with them. “You two got some explaining to do.” The lady sneered. “Gah! Let us go, crazy old bat!” Stan barked as she dragged them out from the tent and made them sit on barrels for stools. “Who are you calling old, human?” The lady sneered and crossed her arms over her chest. “Just tell me what you think you’re doing here.” “Begging your pardon on our introduction,” Ford said coldly, but then softened as he and his brother did have an important mission. “But our grandniece is missing. We believe she came through here.” And he pulled out a picture of Mabel hugging a stuffed-penguin from his wallet and showed it to her. The lady peered down at the photo and said, “Sorry, old-timers, I haven’t seen anyone like that around here.” “Now, how can we trust you, Marilyn.” Stan sneered, crossing his arms over his chest. Ford’s eyes widened as he pocketed his picture. He was rendered speechless for a moment. “Oh, like you’re one to talk about honesty, Stan.” She deride. “You two know each other?!” Ford gasped, looking from his brother to the stranger rapidly like a game of tennis. “She’s your ex-wife?!” The lady snorted a laugh and sighed happily. “Ah, good times, huh?” “Not really.” Stan sneered and stood. “You still owe me five hundred bucks!” “At least you got your car back, Grumpy.” The lady teased and patted his cheek; he swatted her hand away in response and growled like an angry pitbull. “If you want my help finding your girl then play nice.” “So, you honestly didn’t see her.” Stan repeated with a raised eyebrow. “Hey, I may be a conwoman, a pickpocket, and the most powerful witch you’ll ever meet, but I wouldn’t lie if it was gonna endanger some kid.” The lady snapped her fingers and all of the human collectibles floated and gathered into a green cloth, tied up like a hobo’s luggage. She pulled out a staff and put the bag through it, making it easy to carry. Eda whistled and the little owl flew to her and landed on her staff and turned into wood. “Come along, humans, we’ll find your niece and get you two home.” Ford followed the lady and decided to be the “nice” one since Stan was obviously too salty to be one; someone had to be nice to the lady that was going to help them find Mabel. “Thank you, Marilyn.” “Oh, right. That’s not my real name…” “Knew it.” “... you’re a fool to give your real name to a casino in Vegas. It’s Edalyn, but just call me Eda. Or your worst nightmare.” “Whatever you say, toots.” Stan growled as they walked down the street. “So, Eda,” Ford cut in to try to cut the tension between the two. “What exactly is this place, and what are you?” Eda stopped suddenly and turned around, wearing a proud grin. She stabbed her staff on the ground with a small bang, making the owl come to life, the sack hanging by her fist, and she proclaimed, “I am known as the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch here on the Boiling Isles!” “A witch?” Stan laughed. “More like a b…” “I am a feared, respected, vigorous force to be reckoned with!” Eda went on and let go of the staff so it floated like a witch’s broomstick. “Come on, old-timers, let’s get a bird’s eye-view to find your girl.” They each grabbed the staff when Eda sat upon it and yelled with fear as she had them fly up in the air, leaving the old twins to dangle in the air. “GAAAAAAAH!” “EDA!” Stan yelled. “Put us down!” “That can be arranged.” Eda said cunningly and swooped down quickly. With the air drying Eda’s eyes and forming tears and the brother holding onto the staff (and each other) for dear life, all three were yelling, one with delight, two with fright. “STANLEY!” Ford shouted. “PLEASE try not to piss off your ex-wife!” Eda laughed and at the very last second, right before the men would crash into the ground, she flew them up into the sky. “Ah, don’t worry, I won’t let you two knuckleheads get hurt.” They flew softer and calmer above the Boiling Isles and the humans awed at the scene. In the carcass of a monster, by the sea, the Bones of the Isles sat snug in the midst of chaos. Eda floated to allow the men a moment to take in the scenery, smiling down at their round brown eyes. “It’s beautiful.” Ford admired. “Yup, not too shabby.” Eda commented casually. “It’s not much, but it’s home.” “We know what that’s like.” Stan muttered. “Speaking of which,” Eda said casually. “Where did you two say you were from?” “We didn’t. Gravity Falls, Oregon.” Ford answered, keeping an eye out for Mabel. “Oh, I’ve heard rumors about that place.” Eda said as she flew calmly over the town. “My door has a bad habit of appearing there way too often. I need more variety in my human collectibles.” “So, you steal our junk and try to sell it for a great price?” Stan asked; he sounded a little impressed. “That and I sell potions on the weekdays. When I’m not mentoring my student. Enough chit-chat, see your girl down there?” The men took a few more minutes to look, as well as Eda, but there was no sign of her. “No.” Ford’s voice dripped with concern. “Eda, what are the chances she was kidnapped or hurt?” “Oh, that probably didn’t happen to her.” The witch said calmly. “If she’s not safe she probably got eaten or taken by Warden Wrath.” “WHAT?!” “Relax, Sixer,” Stan said, confident in his pumpkin. “She’s our little fighter, she’ll be fine.” Eda snorted. “Sixer?” “It’s Stanford, actually.” His face was a little red over the fact that he couldn’t hide his six-fingered hands, too busy holding the magic staff to keep from falling. “Meh, I’ve seen weirder.” Eda looked like she truly didn’t care how many fingers he had; Ford appreciated that. “Well, I’ve got a great tracker at home.” The Owl Lady said and started to fly towards the red forest. “Why don’t we go pick him up and see if he can help us out. Got anything the girl held?” “Yes,” When the men landed on their feet and Eda hopped next to them, Ford pulled out his wallet again and took out a folded-up, hand-drawn picture of Stan and Ford on a boat, a gift from Mabel while they were apart that she had mailed to them. “Aw, that’s so cute.” The witch cooed. “Who knew all Pines men were putty in girls’ hands.” She laughed at her own joke and shook her head. “Ah, keep moving, boys.” Stan hurried to catch up and he walked next to Eda with narrow eyes, ignoring the way her odd golden fang sparkled, how her eyes gleamed with spunk, how she held herself up high with pride. “So, you’re gonna answer some questions for me…” “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.” “If you’re a witch, what were you doing in Las Vegas?” “Hey, a witch’s gotta make some gold, too.” Eda shrugged as she smiled. “I haven’t exactly kept a clean record here so making a living takes a bit of extra effort, but it’s much for fun and unpredictable, the way life's supposed to be.” Stan raised an eyebrow at two things: the fact his ex was a criminal in this world too, and her philosophy. “I can respect that, seeing how I was there for the same reasons.” “I know.” Eda rolled her eyes teasingly. “You wouldn’t shut up about how you were gonna make it big and show the world what this big lug could do.” And she elbowed Stan, which he chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Heh. Yeah, what can I say, I’m a real loud-mouth. Say what’s on my mind.” “Hey, nothing wrong with being brutally honest to make up for lying, am I right?” Eda said with a shrug. “So, was your hair fake back then, or…” “No, no, it was real. I was really proud of my hair back in the day, flaming red and wild.” “Looks pretty good now. Love it, in fact. Big and bold, hard to miss.” “Hey, you aged pretty well yourself, handsome.” Ford smiled as he watched the exes tease and pick on each other. If a compliment was given, it dripped with sarcasm and there was no guarantee that it was sincere, but they must have seen a gleam in their eyes or felt a “vibe” that Ford didn’t experience, because the conversation progressed well as they walked through the forest. Ford was happy to see Stan get along fairly well with this woman and wondered if this would go exceptionally better than the whole McCorkle incident. They emerged from the woods and found a large house standing by some cliffs leading to an ocean. It was about as far from the seas as Pines Pawns was all those years ago. The house was big, maybe bigger than the Mystery Shack (probably not if counting the basement-floors) with a big stain-glass window that reminded Stan of a cat’s eye and Ford of Bill’s eye, but then they both individually remembered Eda’s title and realized it was probably representing an owl’s eye. A weather-vane with an owl sat on top of the house, a broken-down tower stood behind, and an owl’s head was on the door. The humans were startled, but they quickly recovered, again having experienced much weirder than a live owl-head on a door. “Girl knows how to keep a theme going.” Stan commented as they approached. “Oh, boy!” The owl on the door hooted. “More company! Maybe they wanna hear some of my stories!” “Not a chance, Hooty.” Eda quipped. “Is King still home? We need his help, and we might want Luz’s too while we’re at it.” “They’re both telling stories to that new human. The one with the pretty owl sweater.” “Wait, what?!” The three old people asked and Hooty swung open the door. Luz was holding King on her lap on the couch, sitting with Mabel as all three were laughing. Even King was rolling around and holding his little fluffy body with glee. Mabel’s back was to the door and she resumed her storytelling as she wiped a tear under her eye. “So then I look down at Dipper and see that he’s still got his socks on!” Luz cackled a laugh and held her head one-handed, her other arm still holding King, but it was to no avail as the demon fell off from all the laughing. Eda, Ford, and Stan smiled as the girls were having fun. They had no idea how they found each other, but it was better for them to be here, safe and happy, than to have the newbie be someone’s meal. Luz fanned her reddening face and finally noticed the company. “Hi, Eda. Sorry, but she was lost and needs our help.” Mabel turned, on her knees on the couch, but grinned with a gasp. “GUYS!” And she hopped over the arm of the couch for her grunkles. “Mabel!” They opened their arms and got on one knee for their girl. Mabel ran into their hold and they hugged her tightly, relieved to be with her again and to find her more than okay. “What did I tell you about scaring me like that, pumpkin?!” Stan asked as he held her with all of his might. “You didn’t tell me, Grunkle Stan.” “Oh, right.” “We’re just so happy to find you alright, my dear.” Ford loosened his grip just enough to look up at Luz, who was smiling admirably at the reunion. “And I see you’ve made some friends.” Mabel let go and nodded. “Yeah! That’s Luz! Luz, these are my grunkles! Stan and Ford!” “Nice to meet you guys.” Luz said and waved politely. “Mabel said you’d come, but how did you two survive out there?” “They nearly didn’t.” Eda lied easily. “Were in the mouths of a giant giraffe when I saved their butts.” “Yeah right!” Stan barked a laugh. “Anyways, we’ve been through worse, kid.” Luz gasped excitedly. “Worse than giant bugs and centaurs with eyes on their chest and man-eating slugs and fire-breathing eye-less fangs and jealous witches?!” “Worse. I’ve punched a pterodactyl in the face and a few zombies, fallen down a Bottomless Pit, lost my hands to a witch, fought off eagles and explosions, survived giant man-eating spiders…” “Stanley, that is all impressive, but have you fought a talking chair, battled in four wars, conned an abominable snowman, outran a volcano, examined floating eyebats, been turned to gold…” “I find that hard to believe.” Eda snorted. “I believe them.” Luz said with a shrug. “You always said weird stuff leaks from this world into theirs.” “So, if you don’t mind me asking,” Ford said, stepping forward. “What exactly is this place? I’ve heard rumors of a place called the Boiling Isles, but I just thought it was a little hiding place like the Crawlspace, not an entirely new dimension.” “Nope!” Eda corrected happily. “This whole world is the Boiling Isles, a world full of despair, monsters, gross-stuff, demons, and magic.” “This place sounds so cool!” Mabel cheered. She looked at Luz and said, “No wonder you wanted to stay here. Wait! Do you have your own room?!” “Yeah! C’mon, I’ll show you!” And the girls ran off with Luz scratching King’s tummy and leaving him to nap on the floor, tired from laughing. Eda plopped down on the couch and gestured for the men to do the same. “I’d offer refreshments but all we have is apple blood and some disgusting beverage Luz likes called orange juice.” Stan looked up at the wanted poster of Eda and the reward promised for her capture. He smiled, impressed and interested. “We’re okay, thank you, Eda.” Ford said. “If you don’t mind me asking, our niece said something about Luz choosing to stay here?” “Yeah, that’s right.” Eda reached under her couch-cushion and rummaged as she spoke. “Kid came through my door when Owlbert brought over some little treasures to sell. Sweet girl. Kinda naive and gullible, but clever in her own right and she’s a fast learner. Stubborn with the forces of positivity.” Stan snorted. “Heh. We know someone like that.” “She said she didn’t fit in at home.” Eda finally found what she was looking for and pulled out a wrinkled, crumpled up pamphlet at read, Reality Check Summer Camp: Think Inside the Box. “Don’t really understand some of this human stuff, but I figured it must be pretty bad if it made a kid not wanna go home, so I read over it and this place sounds awful! Totally squandered any creativity or individualism! Her own mother was sending her here!” Eda let Ford look it over and she shrugged off the rant. “Anyway, she said she wanted to stay and she was willing to work for it, so I took her in as my apprentice for the summer and now she’s learning how to be a witch.” “Hm, sounds a lot better than kidnapping.” Stan approved with his arms crossed over his chest. “This place is completely horrible.” Ford commented about the summer camp. “They teach kids how to appropriate public radio!” “AM or FM?” “Both.” “Ouch.” “So, what exactly are you doing with such a cute girl, Eight-Ball?” Eda asked, getting Stan’s attention. “And what is a grunkle?” She snorted with a smile. “She’s our grandniece.” Stan said proudly, puffing out his chest. “We’re her great-uncles. Her grunkles.” “Aw, who knew you were such a softie?” “I am not!” “You watched over five hours of video-tutorials on how to braid hair.” Ford said behind the pamphlet. “She asked me to braid her hair and it bothered me that I couldn’t do it!” Eda cackled and touched Stan’s shoulder. His eyes followed and he smiled at her cute laugh. “Aw, you’re worse than King.” King peeked an eye at her and sneered, “One more passive aggressive comment and I’ll…” “That’s not a passive aggressive comment.” Eda said as she picked up the little goofball. “I can do better than that.” “Huh, and here I was thinking that was just one of Luz’s toys.” Stan teased. “Hey!” King stood on the couch by Eda’s side and pointed a bony paw at the old man. “Since you’re a human, I’ll let you walk away with a warning, but have it be known that I’m the King of Demons and shall one day drink the fear of those who mock me!” Ford folded the pamphlet and observed King cautiously. He didn’t like… his voice. His voice sent shivers down the old scientist’s spine. Stan snorted. “Sorry, pipsqueak, but I’ve faced worse demons than you.” “Oh, yeah, like what?” King asked. The girls came back, smiling and holding hands, and Luz asked, “Eda, can we please please PLEASE have a sleepover?! I want to show Mabel the new light spell I learned and show her how to properly scratch a demon’s tummy.” Ford chuckled and stood. “I’m sorry, ladies, but we really should be heading back. I’m sure Dipper is worried sick.” Mabel gasped with horror. “Oh, NO! Dipper!” “Oh, hey, don’t worry.” Luz eased. “You two are totally welcome here anytime you want.” “Aw, thanks, Luz.” Mabel hugged her and said, “I promise I’ll bring Dip-Dip next time. He’d love it here! And he could tell you all about the Manotaurs and the weird copy-machine.” Eda and Stan stood up, too, and the Owl Lady had her arms crossed over her chest. “Well, looks like we’ll be seeing each other again pretty soon. You okay with them hanging out?” Stan shrugged and pocketed his hands in his jeans. “Yeah, sure. Good friends are kinda rare these days. Gotta hold onto ‘em and never let ‘em go.” “Agreed.” Eda said and saw them exchanging those odd codes on their glowing rectangles. “Well, have your girl tell my girl when to open the door and I’ll see what I can do.” And she held out a hand to Stan. He hesitated (not just because of whose hand it was, but because shaking hands always seemed to lead to something bad, but maybe this time will be different), but he took it and shook it gently. “Yeah, and if your girl never needs a break in the human world, have her tell my girl.” Eda smiled at Stan and shook Ford’s hand, as well. She pulled the key out of her hair and unlocked the door, making it appear and swing open. Mabel skipped to her great-uncles and waved goodbye to Luz, who waved back, and she went with Ford through the door for home. Stan stole one last look at Eda, who winked at him, and he disappeared with a pink face.

~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s Note: OKAY, first things first, when it comes to fic, I personally don't really like crossovers. Crossovers can be a fun NON-CANON crossover for animation or actors. I get more enjoyment over fun fanart than I so of fics, because I like mine more plot-driven and it's hard to get a good story going just because you wants certain characters to mingle. HOWEVER, I find Gravity Falls and The Owl House just fit so well together! Why? #1: Alex Hirsch and Dana Terrace (the creators) are dating and Dana Terrace is responsible for the awesome Ducktakes reboot (season 1, anyway) AND the famous Not What He Seems scene. So having such a strong connection creativity wise of the shows is very apparent, more so than the other shows. #2: Evidence that supports these connections. Both shows have referenced each other and a theory goes that Eda and Stan were once married for less than a day. (plz check this video for more) And #3: ... I ship it pretty damn hard, okay? So I hope you guys will enjoy this fun little crossover as much as me! And thank you so much for reading!

#gravity falls #the owl house #eda the owl lady #stan pines #luz noceda #mabel pines #ford pines #dipper pines #king of demons #crossover #fallen owls #fanfiction #oh boy #plz don't hate me but i had to #im shipping trash #its official #remember bitches love comments #and yes i am taking suggestions #what trouble should these silver foxes get into?

[chid-sen-gan-blog]

My Reaction to GoT 8.04 (”The Last of the Starks”)

Hello, everyone! So, I’m back once again for another recap/review of the latest GoT epsiode. I’m sorry this took so long, but I spent most of my week in a deep depression over it, so I only got around to editing it now…

Anyway, this review is as much of an emotional roller coaster as the actual episode was, so read at your own risk. 

Once again, these are my thoughts from my first time viewing it (I read the leaks prior to seeing the episode, but I took them with a grain of salt, so everything written is based purely on my own emotions), and, once again, it features running commentary from my Dad and Brother because I love them and they’re amazing.

WARNING: Spoilers for the episode, if you haven’t seen it yet. Though considering how late I’m posting this, the warning may be irrelevant

WARNING #2: Please excuse my emotional state throughout. This show is designed to break me in many, many ways

Thanks you to everyone who supported the first three installments! I hope you enjoy the fourth!

Considering there are only two episodes left in the series (not counting this one), I think it’s kind of pointless for me to say that I’m still not used to the opening credits. If they haven’t grown on me yet, then they’re not going to in time for the finale

Every time I see D&D’s names at the start of an episode, I die a little inside

YES!!! I CAN SEE ACTUALLY SEE THIS EPISODE!!! (#still salty about squinting in 8x3)

Ugh. Dany. On second thought, I’ll take the poor lighting back. Please? Thank you

Aww, Sansa giving Theon her Stark pin. *tears up*

*quickly wipes tears away* Nope, not now, I’m saving my crying for later

I really hope that I’m not going to have to bring out the tissues for this episode even though all the leaks are pointing to it

Yikes. That’s… a lot of bodies

And just think of how many of them could still be alive if the dragons had just lit some ice zombies up instead of getting lost in a snowstorm

Or if the Dothraki hadn’t charged right into the Army of the Dead when they could hardly see where they were going

Then again none of us could really see anything with last episode’s lighting, so…

#still salty about squinting

Noooooo! Ghost!!! My poor baby’s covered in wounds!!!

“Alright, which of those undead creeps beat Ghost up that badly?! Because I will kill them all over again!” – My Wonderful Dad

“By the looks of it, he did a lot more fighting than the dragons. Point: Team Direwolves.” – My Wonderful Brother

Once again, just when I think Jon can’t look any more tired, he raises the bar

(at this point he could probably list “being tired” as one of his skills on his resume)

So, with this lighting, I can finally find out who survived. Okay, so let’s see… Jaime, Brienne, Davos, Gendry, the Hound…

Good speech, Jon. I’m surprised Dany let you take the reigns and make it

The score is fantastic once again. I can’t express how happy it makes me that Ramin Djawadi always brings his A-Game

(even when certain members of the crew don’t seem to *cough D&D cough*…)

Okay, this scene is really touching, I admit

Though I’m honestly a little confused why we still have to burn the bodies with the White Walkers gone, but, oh, well…

Oooh, a feast. Nice. I’ll stick to my potato chips and gummy bears, though

Gendrya’s canon and I’m glad

I wonder who curses more: the Hound or Bronn?

Oh, shoot. Dany, no. No, don’t call to Gendry…

NO!!! WHO TOLD THE WHITE-HAIRED DEMON THAT HE WAS ROBERT’S SON?! WAS IT YOU, DAVOS?! IT WAS YOU, WASN’T IT?! YOU AND YOUR OBSESSION WITH HER “GOOD HEART”!!!

I SWEAR TO EVERY DIREWOLF THAT’S GONE BEFORE GHOST THAT IF YOU LAY A HAND ON GENDRY I WILL TWIST YOUR DOUGH HAIR INTO A NOOSE, DANY!!!

Anyone else think it’s rather telling how everyone looks absolutely terrified when Dany’s speaking to Gendry?

“If Gendry dies, I will riot.” – My Wonderful Brother

Wait… Dany legitimized him?

No, there has to be something more to this. Dany never does things unless it’s for her own benefit…

Aaaaand there it is. Typical. Figured it was some ulterior motive

(my Dany bitterness is seriously at an all-time high tonight, and I’m not quite sure why)

Jon smiles more around a kid he barely knows (Gendry) than he does with Dany. And that’s the tea

“Sure, Dany, you just told everyone in this room now that Gendry has a claim to the Iron Throne that supersedes yours, but, yeah, you’re soooo clever.” – My Wonderful Brother

Even Tyrion looks done with her at this point. ‘Took him long enough

Jaime putting his hand on Brienne’s reminds me of a similar scene with them from S3, E6 (“The Climb”). *sighs* Ah, the early seasons. Those were good days…

Aww, the way they look at each other. *heart melts*

I’ve never been much for shipping, but when it comes to Jaime and Brienne, I’m shipping trash. And I’m proud

“JUST KISS ALREADY, YOU TWO!!!” – My Wonderful Dad (edit: apparently, I’m not the only one who’s shipping trash)

“Just nudge Brienne a little closer to him, Pod. Just enough for their lips to meet.” – My Wonderful Brother (edit: my whole family is shipping trash, and I couldn’t be happier about it)

Ah, Davos, Tyrion. Discussing Melisandre, are we? Pour one out for her on my behalf, would you? I owe her for lighting things up last episode

#still salty about squinting

Good question… what does R’Hollor want? Not that I expect D&D to explain it, but still…

Bran’s still a robot. Wonderful

Please tell me he has some purpose in this show other than creeping out his family and their guests

You know how you have that one friend that just won’t take no for an answer and tries to talk you into all the worst things and then acts like they’re doing you a favor? Yeah, that’s Tormund

Aw, Sansa encouraging Jon is everything. Even if it’s encouraging him to drink

Tormund, why would you toast to Dany? Why would you hurt me like that? Is it because I ship Braime? I always said Briemund was fine, too!

(though some Briemund stans that I’ve met… less so)

Dany toasting to Arya. Wow, it certainly looks like someone read their kiss-up handbook, doesn’t it?

“That woman is saccharine, spice, and nothing nice.” – My Wonderful Brother

The Hound barely acknowledges when Gendry’s named a lord, but is visibly amused when Arya’s mentioned. Oh, Sandor, you softie…

Seriously, though, the fact that we have Northmen, Free Folk, Southerners, Starks, Lannisters, and Varys (from Essos) all together in one room is amazing. And beyond that, they’re happy; they’re not fighting, they’re not trying to kill one another – they’re celebrating. Together. It’s actually making me tear up a bit

Well, we were all happy until Sansa saw Dany and left

I can’t blame her there, though. Wanting to book the moment you lay eyes on Dany is a personal mood of mine

Okay, confession time: I really want to play the drinking game one of these days with my family (though I’ll substitute the wine with something non-alcoholic)

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I adore Lannisbros, and I always will

Like, Tyrion’s charm has been lost on me since S5, but whenever he’s with Jaime, I can’t help but fall in love with him all over again.

And whenever Jaime’s around Tyrion, it always brings out a sweeter, softer side of his personality that we don’t normally get to see, and I live for it

Honestly, I can’t credit Peter and Nikolaj’s performances enough

Honestly, I can’t credit the entire cast’s enough

(especially in this season where the acting is pretty much the only thing worth watching for)

(well, the acting and the score)

“I can’t believe Jaime’s seriously using the drinking game as a way to show Brienne he remembers what she tells him.” – My Wonderful Brother, with a mile-wide smirk on his face

“The guy’s such a dork. I love it.” – My Wonderful Dad, smiling like the proud papa he is

I honestly can’t help but laugh at how Pod seems to be enjoying this as much I am

Okay, drunk Tormund’s funny. I admit

Tormund really seems to be intent on making Jonmund canon, I’m just saying

Awww, how I’ve missed Jon’s smile

… is that a Starbucks coffee cup?

Is that why they had such poor lighting in the last episode? To cover up coffee cup cameos?

#still salty about squinting

*opts to ignore it for now*

“A madman? Or a king?” Very telling words, Tormund. Very telling, indeed

And as if to confirm it, the score gets sinister, the noises muffle, and Dany starts to get… uncomfortable, for lack of a better term

Kudos to the cast and crew on this scene; it’s chilling my bones more than anything in the last episode did

Varys sees. Varys knows. And what Varys sees, Varys doesn’t like. Trust Varys

Back to the drinking game, and my children are still acting as dorky as ever

So, I’m curious. How did Tyrion and Sansa’s marriage get annulled, exactly?

*Jaime smiles at Brienne* // *Brienne smiles back at Jaime* // *my heart stops*

Woooooah. Tyrion, too far. Too far!

Pod grabbing a drink and downing it uncomfortably is me right now

And Jaime trying to cut Tyrion out is my wonderful Brother, who’s saying “stop” in the most warning of tones

And Tormund to the… rescue, I guess?

Tormund’s joke didn’t make me laugh, but Jaime rolling his eyes at Tormund’s joke sure did…

… while Jaime blocking Tormund’s path when the latter tried to follow Brienne only added more mirth to my mood

Tormund’s expression of rejection and anguish is the same one I wear whenever Dany’s being lauded onscreen

Yep. Drink up, buddy. You did your best

Pod’s smile gives me life. That is all

Me: *sees Tormund talking to the Hound about his heartbreak* // Me: *spits out soda two seconds later*

(And now I want to write a fic where the Hound’s a psychologist. Someone help me)

“No, really… could he have picked a worse person to talk to about his feelings?” – My Wonderful Dad

It took Tormund approximately two minutes to get over Brienne. … yikes

So… to everyone who said his feelings for Brienne were simply lust, I just want to apologize for ever doubting you. *shakes head* Really, Tormund, I had more faith in you

Oooh, Sansa and the Hound. This should be interesting. I don’t ship SanSan in the slightest, but I always did like their dynamic

“Broken in rough”? Really? *sighs and rolls eyes* That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one

Okay, so just to be clear, the show basically just said that it’s a good thing that Sansa was abused all those years, ergo implying that – on some level – someone who’s been abused should be grateful to their abusers. *flings confetti listlessly* Quality writing, everyone. From the minds of D&D

“With sentiments like that, it baffles me how there hasn’t been a petition to fire D&D yet.” – My Wonderful Dad; a man who gets it, who I will forever love and forever stan

Ugh. Well, that scene was a train wreck. Time to try and get back on course

(sadly, that’s become my motto for most of these episodes recently)

Oh, good. Gendrya. Save me, Gendrya

And of-fricking-course she’s in BAMF Arya mode. Because when is she not anymore? *groans in annoyance*

Honestly, why do writers feel compelled to turn every single female warrior into variations of smug ninjas? I mean, is it too much to ask for a powerful woman who’s both in-tune with their emotions and a fighter?

(on a side note, that’s why I love Brienne; because she’s both)

I have unpopular opinions. I’m sorry

Gendry… Rivers. Rivers? Seriously?

His surname is WATERS. Every fanfic writer worth their salt knows that

“Please tell me Joe Dempsie accidentally got the line wrong and that D&D didn’t actually write the wrong surname into the script.” – My Wonderful Brother

“To echo what you told me last week, you’re asking for waaay too much.” – My Wonderful Dad

Anyway, let’s try to get back on track, shall we?

Tip #1 for using a fork, Gendry: Stick ‘em with the pointy end

This has to be the dorkiest proposal of all time, and I love it

… yeah, I knew she was going to reject him. But, hey, the score’s still pretty

*heartbreak level: 1000*

Ah, Brienne, I missed you… even though it’s only been a few minutes since I last saw you, but I digress

So, moment of truth: I’m in love with Oathkeeper, Brienne’s sword. Like, unnaturally so. I would fricking marry that sword, and regret absolutely nothing

*instantly loses all followers because I’m crazy*

Ah, Jaime, I missed you, too… even though, again, it’s only been a few minutes

Okay, series, so Jaime shows up at Brienne’s door significantly more disheveled and drunk than he was earlier, and you just expect me not to question how he came to be that way? Nice try, HBO. I know you have footage of him pacing and drinking in the hallway like a nervous wreck until he finally mustered the courage to knock. Release it

………… Yep, nothing like casually taking off your clothing with a lame excuse like “it’s hot in here” to set the mood. Sheesh, Jaime. You’re so awkward you’re making me cry

(on the other hand, to everyone who told me he’d be suave-as-suave can be when trying to flirt… I win. Prepare to part with your money)

Even when these two are going back-and-forth in flirtations, they’re still arguing like an old married couple. I love it

Hey, Mr. I-Hate-the-North? Yeah, sorry to be the breaker of bad news, but you’ve hardly stopped smiling since you got here. So, don’t give me that

Don’t know why, but Jaime admitting he doesn’t want things growing on him kind of breaks my heart…

… As does Brienne seeming surprised that Jaime sounds jealous of Tormund. Seriously, these idiots are going to kill me

And again with the “hot in here” excuse. Really, Jaime needs to get some flirting tips from Tyrion

These. Two. Dorks. That is all

Like, Jaime has no chill, and no idea what he’s doing despite being the, erm, “experienced one”. And Brienne is so rough-around-the-edges but so fricking gentle, too, I just… ah! These two will be the death of me, seriously…

On another note, I’ve been paying so much attention to how adorkable these two are that my mind didn’t register what was actually happening until right now and………… *screams and squeals like a group of pigs*

“OH MY GOSH, IT’S HAPPENING!!! STAY CALM!!! STAY FRICKING CALM!!!” – Me to Me, clearly not heeding my own advice

*meltdown intensifies*

(*briefly notices that D&D didn’t give Brienne her scars from fighting a bear but opts to ignore it for now*)

*meltdown seriously intensifies because, aside from Jygritte/Jongritte, this is my fricking OTP and I’m going to enjoy it, because, dang it, I’ve earned it after S7… and the last episode*

(#still salty about squinting)

Brienne looks so darn majestic and Jaime looks like a lost little puppy and I just… Really, it’d be sort of hilarious if it weren’t so cute

AND THERE’S THE KISS!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!! I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS SINCE SEASON 3!!!!!!!

(random note, but I love how it’s sloppy and awkward. It’s believable, and it’s sweet, imo)

“WELL IT’S ABOUT DARN TIME!!!!” – My Wonderful Dad, who just jumped out of his seat to cheer

“NEVER STOP!!! NEVER. FRICKING. STOP!!!” – My Wonderful Brother, who’s also abandoned his seat to cheer

I love them so much. Bless them

I love everything right now, honestly

OH COME ON, SERIOUSLY?! NOT NOW, DANY!!! NOT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

My Wonderful Dad: *turns the tv on pause* “Nice try, Dany, but we’re celebrating first!”

Which is why I’m now typing away while eating a giant ice cream sundae made by my wonderful Dad, bingeing on excess candy, and drinking a liter of pineapple soda as both he and my wonderful Brother dance around to “The Bear and the Maiden Fair” blasting on the laptop

Can you believe we’re all completely sober? Because we are, we’re just nuts

I really adore my family

*twenty minutes later*

“Okay, party’s over. Time to suffer through Dany.” – My Wonderful Dad

“Daddy, the party will never be over. Even if Dany is present.” – My Wonderful Brother (huh, and I always thought he was a cynic)

Dany: “Are you drunk?” // Jon: *stumbles in response* // Dany: Oh, good, time to manipulate you

Honestly, this woman reminds me of Cersei more and more every time I see her, but with none of the charm

Ewww. No. Stop kissing. Stop kissing this instant

Oh, thank goodness

(can’t believe my OTP’s scene got cut off for my NOTP’s scene. Yes, I’m petty. Sue me)

Oh, brother. She’s really complaining about how she’s not happy? Like: Yes, Jon, your entire life was a lie, but let’s make it all about me, shall we? Give me a break

I mean, okay, you’re upset. That’s fine. But how about adding an “I can’t imagine how you must feel” or “it must be even worse for you” to the end of your sentence to at least show you care? That’s just relationship 101, honey

Sheesh. And I thought I was self-centered

So, does anyone else notice that Kit is acting oddly akin to how he did in that scene with Jon and Littlefinger? The little sighs and the head motion and all? Or is it just me?

“Kit’s kind of acting like he did in that scene with Jon and Littlefinger in the crypts.” – My Wonderful Brother, confirming my thoughts

Well, congratulations, Dany. Now you know how Viserys felt in S1. Don’t think that’s a good thing, though…

Ugh. Okay, so Jon and his whole “you’re my queen” schtick is annoying as all heck, but I can’t deny that it’s pulling at my heartstrings. Whether political!Jon is real or not (and I’m sure by the time I post this, so many of my wonderful mutual will have made new posts explaining how it is), the sheer desperation in the guy’s voice is horrible. It’s not the voice of a man in love, or a man who would do anything for his SO. It’s the voice of a man who’s terrified, who’s trying to do everything in his power to keep the peace, who would do anything to keep the people he truly loves safe. And – political!Jon or not – to see someone who we’ve known and watched grow since the start of the series be broken down to such a pitiful extent is heartbreaking

I mean, the guy’s on his knees claiming that he doesn’t know what else she wants from him, and, instead of comforting him or trying to work things through with him, she takes his face in her hands and tries to swear him to secrecy? To swear his “brother” and his best friend to secrecy? How can anyone ship this?! How?!

And to top it off,  her telling him to never tell anyone who he really is has to hit hard even on a personal level, too; given that his greatest insecurity in life has always been finding out who he really is, and if there’s anywhere where he really belongs. But, then again, I wouldn’t expect Day to know that, considering the guy never reveals anything personal about himself to her! But, no, they’re sooooooo in love. How adorbs uwu

No, Jon, don’t just tell Sansa and Arya. Pick them up and run away with them. Take Bran, too. Take all the redeemable characters and hightail it out of this terrible relationship and show and never look back

(it would be so ideal, if not for the fact that there must there always be a Stark in Winterfell)

Oh, nice victim-blaming there, Dany. You’re right, though. Sansa’s not the girl Jon grew up with. She’s better

Funny how Dany’s tears magically disappear the moment she thinks she’s getting what she wants

Wow, would you look at that. Dany trying to cut Jon off from his family, and giving him the “me or them” ultimatum. It’s a beautiful parallel to other such great moments, such as Balon telling Theon to choose between the Starks and the Greyjoys in S2, Cersei telling Jaime to choose her and Tywin over Tyrion in S4, and Joffrey forcing Sansa to pick sides between him and her family pretty much throughout the entireties of seasons 1 and 2. I mean, can anyone say life goals?

“So… where am I supposed to call if someone fictional I love is trapped in an abusive relationship?” – My Wonderful Dad

On a happier note, my OTP is together. I’m happy

(and maybe I’m wearing my shipping goggles, but Jaime looks like a man who just realized that he’s in love. Fight me)

Now why D&D won’t give me more of them, I’ll never know. Oh, wait… it’s because they hate their fans

Aaaaaand… this might be the tensest war council ever. How will Jon try to keep the peace this time?

Anyone ever notice that people tend to handle Dany like they did Joffrey – which is to say, like you would a petulant child?

And on today’s episode of “Let’s Just Listen to Sansa”, Sansa says something sensible and everyone ignores her… again

Okay, so I can already hear everyone calling for Jon’s head for apparently snapping at Sansa, but just from a different perspective, the look he gave her seems less like someone who’s taking sides, and more like someone trying to keep their family member out of trouble, imo. In fact, it resembles the look my wonderful Brother gives me whenever I get carried away with my big mouth (which is often)

Sansa knows, Brienne. That is all

Yes, Dany. Go get the throne already. But when Cersei kicks your lizard butt, don’t say Sansa didn’t tell you so

Finally! All the Starks together!!! (and, yes, until Jon starts saying “burn them all”, I will continue to view him as a Stark, thank you very much)

And on today’s episode of “Jon Tries to Keep the Peace”, Jon has to realize that he doesn’t need to shoulder everything on his own

Yeah… no offense, Arya, but I don’t really think we needed Dany and her scaly babies all that much. They were pretty much useless in the fight. At least from what I could see…

#still salty about squinting

Oh, boy. Arya saying Dany’s not one of us. I can already hear the D stans screaming how she’s pocket-sized assassin Donald Trump

Awww, Sansa coming to Jon’s emotional aide and assuring him he’s Ned’s child as much as the rest of them are

Awww, Arya coming to Jon’s emotional aide and telling him he’s her brother – just her brother, nothing less

“Darn it, kids! Just hug it out! Hug!!!” – My Wonderful Dad

This is seriously tearing Jon apart inside, and Kit is nailing it with his acting

Yes, you are family. Never forget that *tears up*

So, I kind of wanted Sansa and Arya’s reaction to the news, but since I don’t trust D&D to effectively  write such a powerful scene, I’m okay that we didn’t get it

(fanfic writers, on the other hand – please, work your magic)

I want a spin-off series with Jaime and Tyrion hanging out. I said what I said

Jaime being an awkward dork in love is my aesthetic. Again, I said what I said

It’s probably just me, but the fact that Jaime didn’t fully loosen up with Tyrion until the latter said something snide kind of pulls at my heartstrings. Like, he was fully expecting to get mocked – he was fricking waiting for it, almost – and that look of disbelief when Tyrion said he was happy for him… I just… *curls in a corner and cries*

Can I please just give everyone in Westeros a hug. Please? The Starks (Jon included), the Lannisbros… heck, I’ll even hug Cersei and Dany, why not?

(I’ll hug them with less gusto, though…)

Bless the acting on the show and its actors, who help me forget how much I absolutely detest the writers

And Ramin Djawadi. Bless him, too

And his score

*sighs* Oh, Tyrion. Leave it to you to turn a nice, normal conversation into something dirty

Wait……… what the heck is Bronn doing here? How did he get here? Where did he come from?

Judging by how the Lannisbros are reacting, apparently, I’m not the only one confused

“Great. Now Bronn’s a ninja, too.” – My Wonderful Brother

“I still stand by what I once said: Bronn should’ve been written off in “The Spoils of War”.” – My Wonderful Dad

Tyrion gets punched in the face. Jaime immediately gets to his feet for a fight. As it should be, and I love it

So… remember how I asked who curses more between the Hound and Bronn? I think it’s Bronn, going by this conversation

Bronn: Cersei’s screwed // Jaime: *message checked and read at 9:58pm*

A.k.a. my boy doesn’t care and I’m living for it

Hey, Bronn… kindly refrain from shooting arrows at my problematic child’s head. Thank you

Yep, this is definitely a D&D episode. Even if I didn’t look at the opening credits, I could’ve figured it out. Want to know why? The abundance of manhood jokes

So, what I’m getting is that Bronn basically just came by to see if his ship was confirmed and to negotiate for a castle. Sounds legit

Arya accompanying the Hound on his journey was Beric’s last wish, so that she may continue their legacy of buddy-cop movies

(or, at least, that’s what I’m telling myself to overlook the fact that Arya heading off to tick names off her kill list is a huge step backwards for her character)

Yeah, Dany, stop smiling. Rhaegal still has holes in his wings. If you really loved your “child”, you would let him recover completely before dragging him into a war

Wow, Sansa is really ticked. Like, really, really ticked. I’m expecting some very interesting metas on the subject…

Yes, Tyrion, you’re afraid of Dany. Admit it. There’s no shame in it – I’d be afraid of her too, if I knew she sucked everyone’s purpose and personality out of them just by interacting with them

(which I do, so I guess I’m scared of her, too)

Alright, so I can already hear the Dany stans bashing Sansa for “betraying Jon’s trust”, but she promised not to tell if Jon told her. Bran told her, so therefore, loophole

Also, she’s doing it to protect Jon. A nice little foil to how Dany tried to make Jon keep the secret earlier, knowing full well it would hurt him

And got to love how Sansa adds “someone better” to the end of her statement. She believes in Jon, and not just when it comes to drinking

*sighs* It feels like all the Starklings are leaving, and it saddens me

“When Jon Snow cares more about Rhaegal’s well-being than Dany does, take warning.” – My Wonderful Brother

Tormund: *makes quip about Jon’s weight* // My Wonderful Dad: “You know, now that he mentions it, the guy could stand to eat more. Matter of fact, so could Jaime. And Bran. They all need to go see Hot Pie, stat. Seriously, doesn’t anyone feed these guys?”

“Not since Dany burnt the wagons of food, apparently.” – Me

“And now part of me wants to ship supplies to Westeros.” – My Wonderful Dad, making a joke that I laughed way too much at

Cue my wonderful Brother and I sharing a smile over how protective our wonderful Dad is of his fictional grandchildren

Awwwww… Ghost. My poor baby

Yep, Tormund’s still trying to make Jonmund happen

Jon instinctively knowing Gilly’s pregnant brings me so much joy, for some reason

On another note… GILLY’S PREGNANT! SAM’S GOING TO BE A DAD!

(shout-out to @cantfightfatetoo, who speculated with me. You’re amazing!!!)

Aw!!! Baby Jon and Little Sam!!! My heart…

“I hope it’s a girl”. Yet again, another arrow through my heart – but this one not as joyous. Jon just comes off as so broken down in this episode, I can’t help but feel badly for him . It feels like I’m watching someone trapped in a toxic relationship while the rest of the world keeps moving on around him. It just feels like he’s at his lowest point, imo… even lower than when he came back to life. And that’s just sad

Good thing he still gets the best hugs, though

“WHAT?! REALLY, JON?! YOU’RE JUST GOING TO LEAVE GHOST LIKE THAT?! REALLY?!” – My Wonderful Brother

“TAKE HIM! HE’S WORTH MORE THAN ANY DOOFY DRAGON!!! JUST TAKE THE GOODEST BOY IN ALL OF WESTEROS!!!” – My Wonderful Dad

Okay, so a part of me wants to believe that if Jon did properly say good-bye to Ghost, he’d never again muster the strength to leave Winterfell and his family. Another part of me is really ticked. And another part of me still is annoyed at the fact that this was all to cut down on the CGI budget, most likely��� even though it was totally fine to spend the cash on that dragon-riding scene from episode 1

*sighs* ANYWAY…

On the less depressing side, it’s sort of like Jon left his past behind to figure out his future. Ghost, Sam and Gilly, Tormund… they’re all physical manifestations of who he was, and he has to come to terms with who he is, so……….

Nah, frick it. YOU SHOULD’VE SAID GOOD-BYE TO GHOST!!! DARN IT, D&D, LET THE MAN SAY GOOD-BYE TO HIS DIREWOLF!!! LET HIM!!!

#JUSTICE FOR GHOST

*ten minutes later*

So… I’ve calmed down. Now, where were we?

Grey Worm smiled. That definitely means something bad is going to happen

Oh, dear. Tyrion told Varys. Welp, there goes that secret. Good

No, Tyrion. Everything that happened didn’t happen because Lyanna didn’t love Robert back. It happened because Rhaegar was the literal embodiment of Mambo #5

“She’s his aunt.” Thank you, Varys. The last of only two sane people left in Westeros

Tyrion is trying waaaaay too hard to convince himself that Dany’s a good person/a good ruler, and I respect him less for it

“Look, Tyrion. Jaime saw the warning signs with Dany, Varys sees the warning signs with Dany. They both served under Aerys personally. If you were really as clever as you like to boast you are, you’d hear them out.” – My Wonderful Dad

Tyrion, the #1 Dany stan, everyone. *Blackfish voice* I’m disappointed

Say what you will about Dany and her reptile children, but their score is epic. Unfortunately

Oh, shoot! Rhaegal got shot?!

(I mean, I’d read it in the leaks, but I didn’t think it was true…)

So… a dance of dragons 2.0 with just one dragon? I wonder if musical chair rules apply in deciding who gets to ride it

Euron makes the creepiest faces

NOPE. SCRATCH THAT. DANY DOES

Aaaaaaaand… she just left everyone behind. Inspiring

“Did a ship mast just land on Tyrion’s head?” – My Wonderful Dad

“Good. Maybe it’ll knock some sense into him.” – My Wonderful Brother

Grey Worm looking for Missandei is breaking my heart all over again. Especially if the leaks are to be believed

And back in King’s Landing with Cersei, and… ACTUAL VIBRANT CLOTHING OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!

Lena Headey, you are rocking that red

Euron and Cersei still have more chemistry than Jon and Dany, and that’s disturbing

Ah, Qyburn. I had this really weird dream that he and Cersei were a thing, and… well, never mind. I have really weird dreams

(For instance, there was this one time when Jon and Jaime opened up a restaurant called “J&J’s” and all the other characters were their employees. Let’s just say it was chaos)

Soooooo… Cersei’s baby. Is there a baby? Was there ever a baby? Why does she seem all disoriented when the baby’s brought up? Tell me about the baby!!!

Nooooooo. Not Missandei. *resolves not to cry because, dang it, I know I’m going to sob later*

Oh, hi, Dany. Yeah… I’m not in the mood for you right now

Varys, you’re my third favorite character. Congratulations

Man, I knew Varys cared about the people, but I had no idea just how much. Seriously, why has no one made this guy the hand of the king yet?

Oh, yeah, because every person he’s served thus far has either been evil or an idiot. Or, in Dany and Joffrey’s cases, both

…… Dany’s talking about destiny now. First official villain achievement, unlocked

Talking in third person. Second villain achievement, unlocked. All she has to do now is spin a globe… or stroke a map, considering these are medieval-esque times

So, Dany’s going to save the world from tyrants by… becoming a tyrant. Okay, then

Bravo to Emilia Clarke’s acting, though. She’s nailing Dark!Dany

Varys echoing what I said about destiny speeches being in a villain’s wheelhouse. Thank you

(Turns out I really did learn something from binge-watching multiple animes)  

Dany’s convinced she’s here to save us all, a.k.a., she has a savior complex. And yet my extended family laughed at me when I diagnosed her with that during our Thanksgiving get-together. It’s going to be fun to see them again this year

(Now I just need Varys to confirm that Jaime most likely has PTSD, and I’ll be completely vindicated)

No, Tyrion, Jon “bent the knee” because he needed flying, fire-breathing lizards to help him destroy undead popsicles. Not because he wanted to give up his crown for lolz

Any more manhood jokes and I’m going to pull a Tommen right out my bedroom window

Varys is me. Varys has always been me. I love Varys. The end

Okay, I’m starting a petition to get Jaime some new clothes. Who’s with me?

Yipee. Cersei’s winning. And if she wasn’t winning, Dany would be. I. Just. Can’t. Win *bangs head against wall*

Oh, no, Sansa. I still think you’ll have your crack at Cersei. At least, you’d better

No, Jaime. No. I know that look. That’s your “I’m about to do something so ridiculously dumb that no one else would ever dare to do for reasons” look. Don’t even think about doing what you’re thinking of doing

In other news, has anyone else ever noticed how the guy seems to age about twenty years whenever Cersei's in the picture (or mentioned)? Just saying…

Brienne has super-hearing. Take that, wights from the last episode who could hear droplets of blood

Jaime, no. What are you doing, you idiot…

Awwww, Brienne. The way she just straight up takes his face in her hands and tells him how much she believes in him… it’s just… *tears up*

And the way he looks at her like he wants to believe her even if he doesn’t fully believe it himself… I mean…

(Don’t even try to tell me that this isn’t a direct parallel to Jon and Dany’s scene before, because I won’t accept it)

No no no no no no no… don’t cry, Brienne. Jaime, listen to her. She loves you, she really does. Don’t make her cry…

Nooooo… the way he holds onto her wrist and strokes it and looks down. I can’t…

Jaime, you know you want to stay. You know you do. So stay

Oh, shoot. There’s that heartless façade he used with Edmure in S6. Oh, no… not against Brienne. Don’t use it against her, no matter what the reason

Yeah, yeah, Cersei’s dandy. You did a lot of terrible things for her. We know. That doesn’t mean we’re just going to accept you leaving

You would’ve killed everyone in Riverrun for Cersei, but you didn’t kill anyone in Riverrun… because of Brienne. So there

“She’s hateful, and so am I.” Yeah, maybe I’m just putting you on a pedestal, pal, but I don’t think that’s entirely true

I mean, you love Tyrion when you could’ve hated him just as much as Cersei and Tywin; you saved a city from being blown to smithereens because you couldn’t just sit by and let innocents burn alive; you jumped into a bear pit with no plan and no defense to save a woman who up until that point hadn’t done much for you except call you by your name; you rode North to fight an army of undead popsicles to protect the people of the Seven Kingdoms – most of whom detest you and would be perfectly happy if you died. So are you hateful? Nope. Bitter, yes. But hateful? Try again. (I mean, you’re, like, the only member of your family who’s never killed anyone on-screen for vengeance. Honestly, for all that you claim to hate, I think the only thing you sincerely hate is yourself)

Ummmm… sorry, what was I saying again?

Honestly, though, this whole scene is just heartbreaking. I mean, Gwen and Nik just nail it. Give them their frickin’ Emmys already

(If they don’t win any, I’ll riot. And, for the love of all things good, give one to Lena Headey, too)

I’m crying my eyes out right now. My wonderful Dad and Brother are crying their eyes out right now. It’s a tearfest

I still have faith in you, my problematic child. But in D&D’s writing… not so much

If they built all this up just to have Jaime die with Cersei I’m seriously going to be ticked

Honestly, out of all the ways I would like to see his ending go, that is at the literal bottom of my list with “burnt alive by Dany”. Jaime deserves better

So does Brienne fight me

Well, I can’t really see straight because I still have tears in my eyes. But I still know Varys looks like a boss

“Umm… Cersei. You have all those scorpions and Drogon’s right there. Why not just shoot him?” – My Wonderful Dad

“Who cares? He’ll probably be written off next week, anyway, for the CGI budget’s sake.” – My Wonderful Brother

So, what I’m getting from this meeting is that the battle for the Iron Throne has come down to the war of the two pyromaniacs. Lovely

Tyrion doesn’t want to see the city burn, yet he’s still rah-rahing for Dany. I have no words

Cersei, once again, doesn’t kill Tyrion when she has the chance. Then again, she hasn’t killed Drogon yet, either, so…

Tyrion claiming Cersei’s not a monster, yet I have such little faith left in his judgement that I don’t believe him

Got to say, red really brings out Cersei’s green eyes and golden hair

(at least one of the Lannisters still has their blond locks)

And… they’re not seriously going to end things like this, right? Right?

And… they did

Just like that, it’s over

So… Missandei’s last word was “Dracarys”. How utterly terrible

And they killed Missandei. Just to further Dany’s plotline. Jorah and Rhaegal and the Dothraki weren’t enough for her to snap, oh, no, they needed to kill Missandei, too

I would rage, but I’m sure there will be plenty of metas already written about how wrong this is by the time I post this, so I won’t bother anyone with my anger

“Screw you, D&D.” – My Wonderful Dad

“Yeah, thanks for ruining everything.” – My Wonderful Brother

I share the same sentiments

They’re lucky their cast is so wonderful, otherwise I’d honestly quit watching

Meanwhile, Dany’s officially on the brink of turning dark. I do wonder what her stans will say to justify things this time

If I had to guess, it’s that she has a good heart. Haven’t heard that one 60,000 times before

Welp, that’s the end of the episode. I miss Bryan Cogman and Dave Hill

Thank you every single actor who made this episode worthwhile. I love you all more than you’ll ever know

I’m going to go eat some more ice cream

#anti daenerys #anti jonerys #dark!dany #anti d&d... #politcal!jon musings #please help my children #i can't bear to see them suffer like this

[as-many-times-as-it-takes]

The Boy who Never Gave Up

I want to talk about something interesting from the fight in S06:E5 and the weight of all the episodes that led up to it that made it even more jawdropping.

For obvious reasons, it’s one of the most moving pieces I’ve ever seen in animation, and especially in the series. We know that Keith has been pushed to his absolute limits. But the extent of it is just amazingly portrayed in his reactions and, I believe, in the absence of his reactions as well.

It all begins with S01:E1: The Rise of Voltron

There isn’t a single Paladin or part of the Voltron crew that hasn’t experienced loss. They all have had their struggles and have grown so much from them. But fuck if Keith isn’t the universe’s punching bag through the first six seasons. In the beginning, he throws literally everything he has into a split second opportunity to rescue Shiro. Shiro, the only person who had never given up on Keith who was missing for TWO YEARS and reported DEAD and a FAILURE by the very Garrison that brought them together. Keith searched and struggled and mourned for Shiro for two years alone in the desert. But he never gave up. He became the Boy who Waited.

And it paid off. Shiro returned! Keith’s faith and unwavering loyalty were rewarded. Not only was he correct in his beliefs that Shiro was still out there, but it meant something even more important. Shiro had kept his promise. He came back. Shiro never gave up on Keith, just as much as Keith never gave up on Shiro. Fast forward FYI, this is a LONG POST beneath the break. But I promise it’s worth it if you stick it out with me. Though I’m not sure our hearts will...

S02:E1: Across the Universe Pushed to their limits while running from Zarkon, the Paladins are separated across the universe. While Keith is fortunate enough to still be with Shiro, he faces another dilemma: Shiro’s mortality and failing spirits with the insurmountable odds. Wounded, exhausted, and depressed Shiro asks the unthinkable of Keith. “Keith, if I don’t make it out of here... I want you to lead Voltron.”

You can practically /hear/ the explosion of emotions inside Keith. What the hell is he supposed to do with that!? Shiro can’t die, he just got him back! He didn’t wait two whole years lost and drifting on hope alone just to have him struck down and watch him die. And no way in hell was he going to lead anything! Shiro was the leader. /Shiro would always be there/ ...... right? Keith protests. He tries to shore Shiro up. He would do anything to prevent that future. He takes these fears and buries them deep inside and forbids them from being entertained in his thoughts for even a moment. Things work out this time, and Keith doggedly marches on. But this is a close call that cannot be so easily forgotten. Fast forward

S02:E8: The Blade of Marmora Finally reunited with Shiro, Keith suddenly finds himself free to deal with aspects of himself that he had shoved into a corner for all those years. How could he have had time to process these things while his best friend was lost? But no matter, he now had a chance to gain some answers with the Blade of Marmora. Now he had an opportunity to face down the resentment, fear, and sadness that was left behind when he felt that his family had abandoned him. Finally Keith had an opportunity to learn about himself and not worry 24/7 about Shiro for a few moments. And once again, the cruel joke returns. The very test that might finally alleviate some of his pain only stabs him harder. Not only is his unwavering faith for Shiro thrown back into his face like shards of broken glass, this time we really have his feelings bared for all to see.

This time it’s fucking spelled out in blood, sweat, and tears. Enemy after enemy, pain, wounds, exhaustion. It’s all bearable to Keith. Until Shiro appears before him. Just like when Shiro turned to Keith when he felt his strength fading, Keith desperately wants to see the man who means the world to him when his own strength falters.

Except this cruel mirage is meant as a test. Keith, who has dedicated his very being to Shiro, is given the option of: Learn about yourself, or Shiro will leave you. Keith resists. He tries telling Shiro how important this is to him. He pleads with Shiro to understand him and not to abandon him.

In his desperation, Keith bares part of himself to Shiro. He tells him how much he means to him in one of the only ways he knows how. Like a brother.... keep in mind, Keith is here right now trying to solve the puzzle of why his family ‘abandoned’ him. This statement means so much with so few words.

And yet when all fails, and he believes he will lose Shiro for good, hell even when Keith sees that it was merely a test, but he sees that the blade will still cause conflict and danger to Shiro, he gives it all up.

He is a Paladin of Voltron. His place is at Shiro’s side. If it means he will never know why his family left him, so be it. He would tolerate that pain a hundred more years then suffer one more day without Shiro. Even when he’s finally given the small gift of learning that he has Galra blood in him, it’s still just more puzzles and questions. Sometimes, it seems, the Universe simply laughs at him.

Fast forward

S02:E13: Blackout, S03:E1: Changing of the Guard, & S03:E5: The Journey This is it. Taking a huge gamble, the Voltron team finally faces off against Zarkon himself in an effort to finally rid the universe of this deadly madman. In the climactic showdown, the Paladins and every member of their team give their all. Exhausting every last ounce of strength, they are finally able to overcome Zarkon and put him out of commission. But this victory came at a terrible price.

Keith’s brokenhearted calls goes unanswered as the Black Lion is brought back to the hangar in silence. The airlocks open to an empty cockpit. Everyone is stunned and hurt. But none are more broken than Keith.

For the others, they lost a beloved friend and leader. For Keith? He had just lost his entire world. In the blink of an eye, the one person he held dear above all else was gone.

And still he didn’t give up. He became the Boy that Searched.

Can you imagine the pain of going through this same morbid dance all over again? Only this time, it wasn’t hushed military secrets that you could at least convince yourself were false. This was the middle of battle. Keith was /there/. But once again, Keith was alone. Of course he had his friends in the fellow Paladins, Allura and Coran. But that wasn’t the same. He cared for them. But no one would ever be like Shiro to him.

And so Keith turned to the stars, endlessly searching by himself while the rest of the team turned to carry on. It was important for Voltron to move forwards, mind you. But Keith could not move on. Perhaps the others could take the next step.

But Keith refused to give up.

But despite the fact that Shiro is completely irreplaceable, neither is Voltron and the rest of the universe’s needs are forced over Keith’s. Despite his desperate pleas and every last attempt to deny the possibility that Shiro will never return, Keith is forced to accept his best friend’s last wishes.

Despite his own pain and reservation, he carries on. It’s what Shiro would have wanted. He forcefully buries his despair and sorrow because even at the end of it all, he couldn’t dream of disappointing Shiro.

And, once again, Keith’s faithfulness and tenacity pay off. While carrying on the team, Keith still manages to find the time to search. And this time, /Keith/ finds Shiro.

S03:E6: Tailing a Comet In a painful parallel to Across the Universe, Keith has very little time to celebrate and heal. The Shiro that he’s found is battered and broken in body and spirit. Once again, Keith expends all of his energy into picking Shiro back up. He finally found him /twice/. This was a miracle in it of itself and if Shiro needed Keith’s strength to get back on his feet, then Keith would bleed out every last ounce he had. “They need you, you know.” Keith tells Shiro. But you can practically hear the silent scream behind those words. 

‘I need you!’

But, Shiro, and then the team come first. And Keith still cannot quite bring himself to figure out his own emotions fully let alone try to explain them to Shiro. So instead, he gives Shiro his vow. How many times will he come to Shiro’s aid before they finally see the end?

A powerful line that started this blog actually. That made me break my own silence of hiding in the background and watching the fandom from a distance. Because, holy shit this is so powerful.

As many times as it takes? What a simple way to say: I will wait for you until the stars fall from the sky. I will run to your side regardless of the danger. I will stand by you and protect you and uplift you when you falter. I will sacrifice what I have for your wellbeing and approval. I will search for you to the ends of the universe, and I will bury my heart and carry on in your stead to carry out your last wish if that is all I have left.

Fast forward

S04:E1: Code of Honour

With Shiro finally back, Keith has some much needed time to heal. Whether he suspects anything is wrong with Shiro, or if the awkward pseudo power struggle gets to him, the end result is the same. For the first time, he feels like he has to distance himself from Shiro. To start following the things that are important to him, but also as a means to center his universe back into the proper order. Shiro is the leader. If that means Keith must go off on his own, then so be it. But here, Keith is finally able to take a stand and ask for what /he/ wants. No longer terrified of losing Shiro, he’s able to start growing, even if it will mean they will be apart for awhile.

“But just know that we’re here for you whenever you need us.” Shiro tells him.

Not that the other Paladins are chopped liver, but that’s not what’s important right now. Keith says “I know /you/ are.” And while I might be taking it a bit too literally, Keith’s eyes certainly imply extra trust in Shiro, if not the entirety of that statement.

For the first time in a long, long time, Keith strikes out on his own to heal on his own terms.

But Keith was never far away....

S04:E6: A New Defender

When a horrible trap seizes Voltron and the rest of the crew and threaten to destroy everything they’ve ever done, Keith returns. With time running out and Shiro’s life on the line, Keith does not even hesitate for a moment to give the ultimate sacrifice. Knowing his own Galra fighter lacks anything near the stopping power required to see everyone to safety, Keith swings around and prepares a suicide dive without a second thought. For the first time, it is Shiro who has to face the cold possibility of going on without Keith. And if not for the timely intervention of Lotor, their story may have ended here.

Fast forward

S05:E4: Kral Zera

Once again, despite their separate missions, Keith finds himself never far from Shiro. When a bombing run set to destroy the leading figureheads of the Galra Empire suddenly threatens Shiro’s life, Keith risks it all to protect the one he holds above all others. His animosity towards Lotor and the rest of the Galra is thrown aside in a heartbeat. He risks his own life even as his fellow Blades abandon him to preserve the mission. But it doesn’t matter. Keith once again risks everything. He will never give up on Shiro.

Fast Forward

S06:E5: The Black Paladins

Finally we arrive at the end of it all. Haggar’s end game finally sees fruition as the unthinkable happens and Shiro is forced to turn on the team and flee with Lotor. With time running out, Keith throws himself into the Black Lion without a second thought, leading the charge with Voltron until even that won’t be enough. Convincing the others to break apart Voltron, Keith plummets into the wormhole that Shiro fled through by himself in an injured Black Lion. There is no thought of danger or anything else. He has traveled the universe and returned only to have the enemy try to steal Shiro from him again.

Only this time, Keith is ready. He has grown in every aspect. He is older, wiser, and has finally reached his limit. This time, /Keith/ is the power to be reckoned with. This time, they are afraid of /him/. There is no hesitation as he tears through the hull of a Galra ship to go after his lifelong friend.

Sensing a way to kill two birds with one stone, Haggar/Honerva sends Shiro away to draw Keith away to their mutual destruction.

“The Red Paladin’s connection to you runs deep. Deeper than the others.” She states. It is a weakness she will exploit to allow their escape and ideally cripple Voltron permanently.

And so Keith doggedly pursues Shiro to the remote hidden base where he is forced to defend himself against Shiro as his beloved friend turns on him with deadly intent.

Which brings me to the whole reason I started this long, long article. (And thank you to those of you who have stuck with it. I am getting to the point, I promise.)

I started the article with this:

“ For obvious reasons, it’s one of the most moving pieces I’ve ever seen in animation, and especially in the series. We know that Keith has been pushed to his absolute limits. But the extent of it is just amazingly portrayed in his reactions and, I believe, in the absence of his reactions as well. “

Despite Shiro’s dark actions and violence, Keith never ceases to attempt to communicate with him, which wears him down, little by little as he gives and gives and gives in his last desperate gamble to shave Shiro’s life.

It begins when Shiro parries Keith’s assault.

Finally, Keith reacts

Shiro remembers? The first hint that he’s still in there. Like blood in the water to a starving shark, Keith centers on that lifeline. Shiro is STILL. THERE.

And so Keith calls that out.

Keith remembers too. He’s never forgotten. This memory has kept him going for years now. This promise has stood out against all other things.

And Shiro replies with some of the most brutal words he’s ever said.

In a few short sentences, Shiro rips apart every insecurity Keith ever had. Keith’s feelings of abandonment and loneliness, his insecurities in his own leadership and his fear of Shiro’s disapproval; all things that he’s probably only shared in whispers to his only friend. A sacred trust of words that he could only share with the one he trusted, or even words that were never spoken aloud.

And yet Keith’s face never changes. He listens to the most bitter and cruel things the most important person in the whole universe to him has spat in his face and he never bats an eye.

In the face of despair. In the face of death, even death at the hands of the most beloved and trusted friend he has ever had, Keith refuses to give up. He would rather die at Shiro’s own hands rather then let himself be distracted when Shiro needs him the most.

And at the end of it all, Keith finds himself on the precipice of disaster. Struck down by the one man he has torn the universe apart for, he is forced to shield the last blow that would end it all. And it is here, after years of suffering and pain and dedication that Keith finally shatters.

What does he have left? Keith has given everything. He was the Boy who Waited. He was the Boy who Searched. He sacrificed everything he ever had. He buried his feelings until they burst. He has traveled his own hell a thousand times and beaten back impossible odds. He has suffered and wept, tearing himself apart again and again for the one man who never gave up on him. He’s risked his life and been prepared to give it before for Shiro.

So he gives Shiro the only thing he has left.

No. He’s said that before. He’s given that concession to Shiro.

And at last, Keith bares the very core of his essence to Shiro. This declaration of love was the last thing he had to give. Keith has lain down his time, his mind, his pain, his life. The very last thing he had to give was the one thing he kept buried away from everything else.

His heart.

And when the whole universe falls apart and everything around them is destroyed. When they both plummet towards the planet, Keith refuses to let go. At the end of times, if he cannot save Shiro, he will never give up on him. If Shiro will pass, then so will Keith. By his side, as he was always meant to be. As /they/ were always meant to be.

By itself, this episode was hauntingly beautiful. But when you pull apart everything that led up to it, everything that Keith has endured to get to this point, it becomes absolutely chilling. This is so profound. A friendship and dedication that transcends anything and everything. Commitment that runs so much more than simple affection.

Love

#sheith #shiro #keith #im sorry this is so long #i just needed to say it all #these two are so very dear to me #what a gift we got this season #to see the cumulation of it all #thanks to everyone who stuck it through XD #my very long meta rant #patience yields focus #as-many-times-as-it-takes

[wellhellothereboys]

BF Episode Names + Work Summaries (Part 1)

These summaries are my OWN and WILL contain spoilers. Some, but not all works will be related back to the show. Thank you!

Click episode names for links to online versions of the works by the way :D And please let me know if you think I made an error, I’m more than willing to fix it

I literally read all of these in three days so I’ll be posting for eps 13-24 in less than a week (I hope)

E1: A Perfect Day For Bananafish by J.D. Salinger

Muriel and Seymour, her husband (who Muriel calls “see-more”), are staying at a hotel near a beach. Muriel calls her mom to reassure her that everything has gone well, but her mother is anxious about Seymour’s state since he returned from war. Of course, Muriel says everything is fine and that Seymour is down at the beach. The reader can assume that Muriel takes a nap shortly after the call with her mother. At the beach, Seymour talks to a little girl (Sybil) and goes to swim with her and just play around. He proposes that they try to look for bananafish. He mentions that these fish eat bananas (strange) in spaces between rocks that they are then unable to escape because of weight gain from the food and they die. Sybil eventually says that she saw a bananafish, which for some reason prompts Seymour to kiss her foot (something you wanna tell us, Seymour?). Sybil runs inside when they get out of the water, and Seymour goes up to his and Muriel’s room. In the elevator, he claims that a woman is staring at his feet (honestly Seymour, what’s with the FEET?). When he gets to the room, Muriel is asleep. Without much further explanation, he grabs a gun and shoots himself. 

We can obviously see the correlation between the drug in the show and the fish in the story, as both of them prompt the victim to cause harm to themselves. Seymour was also affected by mental illness after being at war, which could relate to Griffin’s character.

E2: In Another Country by Ernest Hemingway

During a war, Nick (the narrator) is in a hospital with Italian soldiers. Nick can be interpreted as an extension of Hemingway himself within the story. Nick meets three soldiers at the hospital that have earned medals for brave actions. This makes Nick feel bad, because his medal was awarded to him simply because he was an american fighting in the war and was accidentally injured. Nick also meets a younger soldier who wears a cloth over half of his face (an injury that he got BEFORE the war). Because this soldier is the only person who hasn’t gotten a medal for bravery, Nick finds ease in talking to him. Oh! I should probably mention that this story is supposed to be a reflection of Hemingway’s war experiences as well. Anyway, during physical therapy one day, a major is quite rude to Nick and tells him not to get married (Nick brought up the topic) because his wife would leave him. Later, the major apologizes and says that his wife passed away not long ago. For the rest of the story, the major looks out the window instead of focusing on his therapy.

E3: Across The River And Into The Trees by Ernest Hemingway

This one far easier to explain. Essentially, a middle aged man named Cantwell can feel that he’s going to die soon and has a relationship with a 19 year old girl in his last few months. As is typical with Hemingway, there is mention of war happening during this time. However, war is not the focal point of the story (this time). The young girl, Renata, is referred to several times during a flashback that tells the reader of Cantwell’s time in World War I. Apparently, Cantwell knew Renata for a while and was romantically involved with her. Cantwell’s friend, Jackson, urges him to stay with Renata for his final days. Cantwell decides to do just that, and so his final days are spent having sex with a girl less than half his age. Renata seems like she doesn’t give half a crap about it either so that’s... better? Idk all of this is nasty. Anyway, as you can tell, Cantwell ends up dying. He has a heart attack in the back of a car. He quotes Stonewall Jackson before he dies and leaves a note along with his body that basically just says to return a set of guns to someone. ALSO I feel like I should mention that Cantwell literally called Renata his DAUGHTER and she didn’t mind it, even though they were also getting drunk and having sex like all the time. 

Obviously, the pedophilia relates to Dino and his whole category of people in BF. That’s about all I can get out of this one. 

E4: This Side Of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This one is a LONG boy but the concept can be shortened so that’s what I’m gonna do. Basically a guy named Amory goes to Princeton but he’s SUPER lazy. He doesn’t pay attention in class but he still learns from friends/books. World War I starts and of course he joins. His mom dies while he is away. When he gets back he falls in love with a woman named Rosalind. She loves him too but she doesn’t want to marry anyone poor (and Amory is kind of broke). She breaks off their engagement and marries a rich guy instead. Amory drinks to forget until alcohol becomes illegal. Later, he has a fling with a girl named Eleanor. Then, his friend gets caught with a girl but Amory says it was his fault to keep his friend from having to deal with the consequences. Amory finds out that a his last close family friend has passed away. He runs into one of his dad’s other friends who gives him a short life lessons before he keeps walking back to Princeton. Amory is still not over Rosalind, so he thinks about her on the way home. The book ends with a really emotional (but kind of overdramatic) scene of Amory looking up at the sky and reflecting on his life, saying that the only person he really knows is himself.

E5: From Death To Morning by Thomas Wolfe (this link is kind of a pain sorry)

This is NOT a single work, but rather a collection of many. It’s a whole book of short works of fiction, so rather than explain each and every one of them, I’m just going to give you some major themes so you get the idea. Thomas Wolfe was admired by William Faulkner, who’s works are used later in Banana Fish. In From Death To Morning, all of the 14 stories featured have a theme of loss. Even the titles themselves make that clear. A majority of them involve death, and a solid amount take place in different parts of New York.

Death happens a LOT in BF. Loss is also a powerful motivator for Ash (because of his dead brother) and Eiji (because of his pole-vaulting career). Other characters are also motivated by losses of their own.

E6: My Lost City by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This is a nonfiction essay written by Fitzgerald. It talks about his life in New York, and has a depressing approach. There isn’t necessarily a flowing plot, but some very important points are made throughout the story. The author discusses his expectations of New York (celebrity life, luxury, freedom) and then moves to mourn the loss of such dreams. Real life in New York was not as great as he thought, to no one’s surprise. He leaves the city a couple of times, in hopes that he’ll regain his appreciation for the city. Most people have heard of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald’s most famed work. The exciting parties mentioned in the book, along with the tragedies and the melancholy tone of some parts is a reflection of his feelings towards the city. In My Lost City, he is connecting the New York of his dreams to reality. However, he also feels that he cannot part with the city. Every time he plans on getting out of the situation he’s found himself in, he finds himself coming back to where he started.

Honestly, I see one of the largest BF to Lit connections with this one because of the way Eiji saw the city. He came to New York with a certain mindset, and he was being sort of a “fanboy” of the city. He was SO excited about everything, but then every expectation was ruined within the first few hours of his stay. Though he came in with an image of a movie-like city, he ended up being introduced to the world of violence, drugs, and just about every crime you could imagine. And yet, like Fitzgerald, he stayed and kept hope for happier times. (And as we know, he found happiness with Ash.)

E7: The Rich Boy by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The rich boy in the story, named Anson Hunter, believes him to be sort of above other people because of his money. This is basically a projection of how Fitzgerald thought of the upper class. Anson, however, is not the narrator. This will be important later. In the beginning of the story, Anson is in love with a girl named Paula (whom he met when he was in the Navy), and believes he has control over her. This arrogance causes her to become frustrated with him and she leaves him. Anson then moves on to be in a relationship with a girl named Dolly. She is a lot more playful and does not let Anson control their relationship, but he tries to anyway. They’re a very good match, honestly. He is playing with her feelings but she’s playing him right back. The problem, however, is that Anson still loves Paula. So, he leaves Dolly and goes on to fuck up other people’s relationships like he fucked up his own. He hears that his aunt is cheating on his uncle with someone, and he makes a big scene out of it even though it wasn’t any of his business. The man that she was with kills himself soon after. The next time Anson sees Paula, she says she never loved him. Obviously, he’s saddened by that but apparently it isn’t enough to make him change his ways. Paula dies when giving birth to her second husband’s child. At the end of the story, Anson drinks with the narrator (his friend for all this time), but leaves as soon as he sees an attractive woman nearby.

E8: Banal Story by Ernest Hemingway

In this story, the narrator is not named. He sits and eats an orange in the beginning, while he reflects on past events that don’t really have anything to do with him (Mesopotamia, cricket games, etc.). He reads a magazine as he reflects. Then, the story shifts and all of a sudden it’s talking about a dying bullfighter’s funeral. Apparently, people come to the funeral basically just for clout. He’s pretty popular, so everyone wants to be able to say they knew him. A bunch of people buy pictures of him but don’t actually care about them. Hemingway says the people basically just shove them into their pockets and don’t pay much attention to them. While this happens, other bullfighters are glad that this guy will no longer be a part of the competition. Essentially, this famous dude dies and no one seems to give half a crap. I think this might be related to the beginning of the story in some way. My personal theory is that the bullfighter’s death may be portrayed as unimportant to people, but in the future someone may think back on it? I’m not exactly sure, but it could be a sort of loop to the man thinking about the past in the beginning.

E9: Save Me The Waltz by Zelda Fitzgerald (yes, F. Scott’s wife)

This is vaguely an autobiography about Zelda’s life, divided into four sections. The main character is named Alabama Braggs, even though she technically represents Zelda. There’s a lot of content, so I’ll give you the most important parts of each section instead. Part one involves Alabama’s life until around the age of 20. Alabama sees her older siblings experience heartbreak while she lives a life trying to act older. She begins to act spontaneously. She drinks excessively, sleeps around, and woos as many men as she can. She eventually falls in love with a man named David. Alabama had always dreamed of moving to New York, and David was planning to do so. She doesn’t like the idea of being tied down, but she loves David. In the second part, she is engaged to him. They soon get married. He doesn’t have much money, but Alabama is unaware of this. Although the family runs out of money a lot (which makes Alabama realize her husband is poor, but she loves him regardless), they still live luxurious lives. They irresponsibly spend money on parties and such. When Alabama gets pregnant, her parents visit her. They are unhappy with her life, but Alabama does not seem to pay any mind to this. David and Alabama become bored of NYC and decide to go to France. Alabama is anxious on the way there and spends most of her time on the boat in their cabin with her daughter (Bonnie) while David drinks. After they get settled in France, Alabama has an affair with a guy who later moves to China, leaving her lonely. When David has an affair after they move to Paris, Alabama takes up dancing with a famous ballerina who is willing to teach her. In part three, the couple’s relationship becomes more strained when Alabama chooses to commit to ballet instead of her relationship with David. They stay in Paris a while longer before splitting apart. In part four, Alabama lives in Italy, where she performs for a ballet. David sends her flowers, but does not visit. Bonnie visits once, but doesn’t like her mom’s life. Eventually, they all go back to America to see Alabama’s dying dad. She gets to spend time with him before he passes, and the book ends with them throwing a party (like the good old days) and her cleaning up the mess afterwards. The family decides to all move somewhere together afterwards.

E10: Babylon Revisited by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Oh great, another complicated one. This summary will explain the general progression of events, but I WILL be leaving out some things that you might think are important so I strongly encourage you to read this one. As the story opens, Charlie is coming to visit his daughter, who greets him with excitement. The other people in the house seem to dislike Charlie. He used to drink a lot and act recklessly, but he’s stopped engaging in that lifestyle a long time (~1.5 years) ago. Others still seem to keep that impression of him. While Charlie does not specifically try to regain trust from the others in the household, he continues to cherish his daughter throughout. He does everything that is expected of a loving father. After a lot of convincing, Lincoln (an adult in the household) tells Charlie that he can live with Honoria (Charlie’s daughter). Marion (the other adult in the household) continues to hold a grudge against Charlie because his wife was her sister and she died after cheating on him. In the end, Charlie is separated from his daughter because of something that affected Lincoln at the time. He decides to continue to send Honoria gifts even though he knows he should be doing more.

E11: The Beautiful And Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Anthony Patch is the main character in this. His grandfather tried to get him to start a career in writing for a very long time, but Anthony has not paid much attention to it. He claims he is working, but does not (big mood). He falls in love with a girl named Gloria who uses her looks to get anything she wants. Gloria likes a movie director for a period of time, but drops him and gets with Anthony as soon as Anthony expresses his interest. They start out happy together, but soon realize their differences and struggle in their relationship. When they realize they do not have enough money, they push that problem off to the future and throw parties instead. His grandpa shows up to one of these parties without warning and scolds Anthony for his behavior. He disinherits him and dies shortly after. The grandpa’s secretary writes Anthony out of his will, so Anthony is left with little to nothing. Gloria and Dick (Anthony’s friend) go to fight in court for the money. This whole time, by the way, Gloria gives no shits about her own life. She doesn’t fear death at all. She is sad, however, when her old interest tells her that she is too old to be a lead actress. Anyway, Anthony goes into town and tries to find someone who could loan him any money. No one agrees, not even his best friend. After being tossed around because of his lack of money, Anthony makes it home. A few weeks later, Gloria and Dick come home to Anthony being emotionally nostalgic on the bathroom floor (he’s drunk, too) declaring that they had won the case. At the end of the novel, Anthony is described in distant 3rd person. He is said to have been physically and mentally drained by a family friend’s suicide. His money has also been taken away from him.

E12: To Have And Have Not by Ernest Hemingway

A man named Harry Morgan is a smuggler and takes money to do jobs for people. He agrees to help a Chinese man named Sing smuggle people across the border. Once he does this and gets the money, however, he kills Sing instead. Almost a year later, he is smuggling alcohol but becomes injured by Cubans. Harry and his friend decide to sink the alcohol and come back for it later or have another ship take it. A U.S. official sees this happen and reports the action. Harry gets his boat taken away and his arm is cut off as a result. Harry steals his boat but then gets it taken away from him again. He visits his family one last time and his wife gives him a loaded gun to take with him. Harry leaves, but is hurt by Cubans soon after. He gets away while his friend is killed. Eventually, Harry gets to a rich area that takes him in to a hospital where he dies during surgery. He gets to know these people a little before he dies, and their lives contrast the way Harry lived for the whole first section of the book. Among these rich families is a gay couple (because Hemingway is what the kids call, “woke”) and a bunch of people with various backgrounds, both good and bad. Marie ends up not going to his funeral because of guilt. 

Harry’s wife reminds me of Jessica from BF honestly because she cares a lot about him and is also really badass while trying to protect him.

#banana fish #ash lynx #classic lit #eiji okumura #why did i do this #this is so self-indulgent

[kaleidoscopeofrainbows]

One Foot Out of the Closet, Part Four: When your Sister is Practically a Saint and you feel like a Grain of Dirt

I have grown up Catholic.  It’s all I have known.  I used to be extremely connected to my faith.  Especially in High school.  But something changed.  My sister, in some dramatic turn of events, became a nun and it was almost that immediate as well.  She just broke the news randomly one day and started her quick ascent towards nundom.  It has take its toll on my family and me.  But even though we were grieving her sudden move away from us, people felt the need to keep reminding us how lucky we were that our sister is out in some cornfields praying for world piece twelve hours a day.  It’s not a blessing! At all.  She tore herself out of my life.  She left me feeling like a terrible sister.  I feel like I can never make up for our time apart.  I can’t make up for the years I was an obnoxious, immature, frustrating sister. She’s a thousand miles away and we only are allowed to visit twice a year.  Or my family does.  I stay here.  I say I’m staying because I need to focus on my art or finding a job but the truth is I can’t stand looking at her.  I can’t stand how happy she is.  She has reached some level of perfection I don’t think I will even attain.  I feel like I could never be truly loved by her.  She doesn’t even know me.  I don’t think I even know her. I don’t think I have ever known her.

I remember one December, staying in that monastery.  I was going through so many issues at one time.  As if dealing with my family’s constant bickering was not enough, I was struggling with the boy I swore I liked, my sexuality, and the death of someone I had just started to be friends with.

I should probably name the boy because he’s the same guy I mentioned in a previous post (we came out to each other eventually but I tried to profess my “love” for him several other times).  I’m going with Marble.  So, at this time, I had sent Marble a letter along with a drawing he requested.  The letter explained how I felt about him, my frustration when after I made my mind up to tell him, he had already started dating an actual girl.  We were only corresponding through messaging apps since we lived in two entirely different regions of the United States.  So, again, it was ridiculous that I even hoped it would work out.

Besides that drama, my true sexuality was becoming more evident.  I was scared of it so I would continue to hope and press for a relationship with Marble throughout the next year.  I felt terrible.  My sister was in the process of becoming a holy woman in the church and I was on my way to becoming a big Catholic disappointment.

About my almost friend: when I was homeschooled, I was part of a club (the club I first met Bird in) and there was this one kid whom I thought was kind of awkward so I usually avoided hanging out with her.  A week before I left for the monastery, I attended a Christmas party with people from my homeschool group.  I got over myself and made conversation with the awkward kid and realized she was actually pretty cool.  We liked the same fandoms, she liked art.  I showed her some of my work and she said she liked my drawings.  After that night, I swore I was going to make more of an effort to get to know her.  I don’t know why I had such an issue with her before.  But while I was off visiting my sister, the person I finally promised to accept died in an “act of God” sort of accident.

Back at the monastery, I was sifting through all these bitter emotions.  My family argued about some board game we were trying to play and…That was it.  I snapped.  I ran outside and didn’t come back for hours.  It at least felt like hours.  I had never felt such a wild rage engulf me.  I tried to walk it off.  The monastery grounds had trails.  I walked all of them.  I wanted to run away.  I wanted to escape.  I wanted to break something.  I wanted to break myself.

It was cold.  I wore a hoodie over my shirt but not much else to fend off the heartless weather.  I wanted to feel my skin dry out and itch red and sore in the blistering cold.  I deserved it.  I deserved to suffer.  I broke a limb off a tree.  I felt my fists fly at a light pole.  I punched a hole in a sign: “Mary’s Way.” I shouted profanities.  My tear-crusted eyes widened when I realized how much of a monster I was becoming.  I needed to stop.

So I did. 

But I never admitted to the damage I caused.  It could have been a storm. It could have been a deer.  An angry deer.  I wouldn’t know, I don’t get deer where I live.

It was surreal.  I never felt violent before.  I have never been very aggressive in all my life.  I would describe myself as calm, collective, passive.  When I’m outraged, I’ve been known to throw unbreakable objects: a tissue box, an empty water bottle…But even then, I never wanted to hurt anything. 

That was the most exhausting strain of emotions I ever dealt with.

I think, looking back, what made it so frustrating was that I felt so alone.  I felt like the family who is so loving and understanding could not possibly understand me.  I felt like everyone was abandoning me. My sister, my almost friend, my potential boyfriend and life raft out of dealing with my true sexuality, my religion, my God…they all seemed to have left me.

I recall walking back in the cold, my brother saw me a distance off and ran to greet me.  He hugged me and the terrible emotions subsided.  For a bit at least.  I may fight with him sometimes but he’s a really good brother when I need him to be.

It’s not always important to have people understand you on the exact plain you are standing on.  Sometimes, it’s more important to simply have people who will love, accept, and listen to you where you are.  I hope whoever reads this knows that, even if you feel misunderstood, you are loved and there is help for you out there.  Also, sometimes it’s necessary to let out some emotions. 

I think there’s an episode of Supergirl that talks about controlling emotions (S1:E6, Redfaced). I found it illuminating. It’s a little cheesy but it’s good stuff.

#lgbt #gay #lesbian #Bisexual #transgender #catholic #religion #supergirl #love is love #pride

[frogboy0]

Amphibia season 2 rewatch + notes :)

So here is my season 2 Amphibia analysis stew as promised! I hope you enjoy! I had more than a fee break through regarding theories and what not!!!

S2: E1 Handy Anne 

Anne is having some pretty bad memories about all the shit that went down at Toad Tower with Sasha, I feel bad for her :( they're all only 13,,, 

Anne: The house… Everything I worked so hard to protect 

The second time (I think) we officially see Anne's eyes glowing blue! The first time was in season 1 but it was only for half a second and frankly, when I first saw it, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me or it was some animation eerie BUUUUT!!

This time we KNOW it was on purpose, it wasn't quick and it even gave a little 'shing!' sound effect! 

I love seeing how the blue heart stone is evoking itself in Anne through passionate, emotionally driven situations like right now!!

I think Anne worked so hard to protect the house and the Planters this episode is not only because this is just how Anne Is but also because she probably felt a little more than helpless during Toad Tower, she couldn't help or protect Sasha and was helpless to just watch her best friend just fall to her death (before getting saved by Grime of course but still).

Also Hop Pop says it takes 2 weeks to get to Newtopia, obviously they had a lot of stops and interruptions on the way but if they DIDN'T, it would've been 2 weeks. But that got me thinking…

If Sasha and Grime are going to Wartwood in season 3, do you think we'll get some episodes with just them and their travels there? I think it would be cool to have more Sasha and Grime episodes!!! 

S2: E1 Fort in the Road 

Hop Pop is so cute, I can't even get mad at him and all his rules,,, 

Okay so that ancient technology with all the old frog structures are apparently called "The Ruins of Despair" and they've been around longer than any written history 

I wonder if they had another name before that or of they were renamed by King Andrias (who we know is like over 1,000 years old) as a way to scare people into not looking or checking out the ruins since they are super important ancient tech

Sprig: Forget the rules! This place has everything! Cool atmosphere, implied historical significance!

Oh if only you knew my sweet baby boy,,, 

ALSO THE TECH GLOWS BLUE... JUST SAYING 

I wonder if there are more buildings that make robots around Amphibia as well.

Anne: You know, there was a time I would pick out the bug bits [of the crickets and cream ice cream] THAT TIME HAS PASSED!! 

I can't believe Anne just,,, eats bugs now. That habit is gonna be hard to break. 

We know Sasha wasn't eating bugs if the food they had at Toad Tower was anything to go off of, so I wonder if Marcy was eating bugs. If she was, it was probably super fancy ones like beetles (are beetles considered a delicacy in Amphibia? I dunno) since she was living with King Andrias

Whatever, her and Anne could potentially bond over eating bugs then. Sasha thinks it's DISGUSTING 

Also, 

FROBO!!!! MY SOOOOON!!!

S1: E4 Toadcatcher

I mean, I know we talk about Marcy's self destructive tendencies but I think we gloss over Sasha's. She does NOT want to think about what happened in Toad Tower, she literally throws herself into her training to the point of obsession to AVOID thinking about it. 

Also, omg Sasha has Suspicion Island downloaded on her phone too, I wonder if she and Anne would talk about the show a lot with each other.

And Grime letting himself go and basically leaving everything to Sasha was a pretty dick move. I mean, I know he basically lost everything and has the emotional competence of a meatball but COME ON. Sasha has to fend for herself and Grime WHILE repressing the SHIT out of her trauma, but I get it honestly. They aren't close yet, I know. 

But I think it's amazing how much their relationship has grown. Like, the end of season 2 Grime would NEVER do that to Sasha. 

Grime 'You hate the sword don't you, I knew I should've gotten a gift receipt!' Would rather die than see his daughter repress her emotions like that and not be there for her. 

Their relationship has just come so far y'all,,,

GENERAL YUNAN!!!!!!!

SCOURGE OF THE SAND WARS, DEFEATOR OF RAGNAR THE WRETCHED, AND THE YOUNGEST NEWT TO EVER ACHIEVE THE RANK OF GENERAL IN THE GREAT NEWTOPIAN ARMY!!

SHE'S HERE!!

(Also doesn't the Newtonian flag kinda look like The Night? Or is it just me,,,?)

Yunan just cartwheeled out of the bar, she just,,, does that

God I'm in love.

Yunan taught Marcy how to make GREAT entrances and exits, you CAN'T convince me otherwise 

(Yes I am a supporter of General Yunan and Lady Olivia being together AND adopting Marcy FIGHT ME-)

And all those dramatic poses Yunan does when she introduces herself, she definitely learned those from Marcy, there's not a doubt in my mind. 

Aw Grime still has something left to fight for, it's his and Sasha's friendship I'M-

Did Sasha and Grime really come up with the idea of leading a rebellion to take over the capital from a fucking adrenaline rish after fighting Yunan? That's HILARIOUS

S2: E5 Wax Museum 

I honestly didn't think I'd make an analysis of the Gravity Falls parody (even though it is SUPER FUNNY) but I nearly forgot this is where we see the Skip Man!!!! 

So Mr. Ponds (again, fucking HILARIOUS) told Anne while she was in that wax tube thing that he found it in Newtopia! 

Now this could mean 2 things depending on WHEN he actually found it. 

1- It's Marcy's and she dropped it somewhere and he found it which I doubt considering I don't think Marcy would have a Skip Man if Anne's PARENTS had one 

2- This is what a I believe more. This was from King Andrias somehow. That maybe from all his weird, crazy, colonizer multiple universes thing he has going on, must have dropped or left or something with that Skip Man for Mr. Ponds to just find it lying around in Newtopia 

I dunno how important the Skip Man is to the overall plot line but I DO know that this means there are OTHER ways of getting to other worlds besides the Calamity Box then, or at least showing us that we could transport things to other worlds. 

S2: E6 Marcy at the Gates 

MARCY MARCY MARCY MARCY MARCY MARCY!!!!!

Oh wow, I didn't even know Marcy was warped right inside the Newtopian city walls when she got transported here, I figured she teleported right outside or at least a couple miles away. Buuuut thinking about it now it makes sense, there's no way Newtopia would just let in any ol' rando, especially not some creature they've never seen before. 

Hop Pop: Marcy, how would you like to be adopted? 

SHE WOULD LIKE THAT A LOT ACTUALLY 

Okay okay GREEN EYES GREEN EYES!!! Marcy's eyes (as we all know) turned green in this episode! 

Since the gem of wit (what Marcy has) is green, it makes sense that her eyes would turn green in this scene! Her last line just before they turned green was: 

Hop Pop: Who knew those ants were so bouncy!

Marcy: I did! Because I studied them!! 

Marcy studies, she learns, and applies her knowledge like, all the time. And she did so here as well, she was not only proving her agency to Anne, she was protecting her skill of knowledge to ALL of them! To show them ALL how much she's learned here in Amphibia! 

I believe the next time we see her eyes glow in season 3, it will be in a situation with a similar case. To show everyone her knowledge or her applying said knowledge in things (and those things are most likely life or death situations)

LADY OLIVIA!!!! HEY GIRL!!! 

I LOVE how they introduced King Andrias at the very end with him looking down and watching over the group from his castle and then saying how all the pieces are coming together along with the flipwort board!!! Such a great way of showing how he was the big baddie this entire time!!

S2: E7 Scavenger Hunt 

Okay I was right, Marcy DOES eat bugs like Anne does, if her saying that Burg makes the 'best beetle burgers in all of Newtopia' was anything to go off of

Sorry Sasha, I guess you're alone in the whole not eating bugs thing. 

But I'm still wondering what types of bugs qualify as a sort of delicacy in Amphibia because now we know it's not beetles if they're in plain ol' burgers (or maybe they COULD be if you prepare them right?)

Listen LISTEN, I HATE King Andrias for all his killing a 13 year old (especially MARCY!!) And not to mention all his COLONIZING but,,, 

I think it's the cutest thing EVER that instead of just giving Marcy a message, he makes it into a puzzle for her to solve because! Marcy! Loves! Puzzles! 

(But I do know he only does this not because he cares but because he wants to make her think that he does. That he does care for her and cares enough to set things up in ways that she likes. That he is only using her for her skills and brain. And because he is GROSS AND MEAN AND-) 

Anne's ability to form such close knit bonds so easily and not to mention quickly (And half the time by accident) is something that I touched upon in the Season 1 analysis stew with Sasha!

I said that Sasha felt lesser in terms of relationships when compared to Anne. Because Anne can make these amazing relationships where people are willing to risk their lives for her, because Anne has this wonderful support system and Sasha doesn't (or, at least not at the time).

Sasha didn't have anyone to help hold her at Toad Tower but Anne did. Sasha didn't want to drag down one of the only people she actually cared about. She wants to PROTECT Anne, not see her hurt, suffering and struggling to hold her up. 

And that is exactly how Marcy feels, or at least in a way. Marcy can't make relationships in the way Anne can. That's why she even tried her luck at the Calamity Box in the first place. Because moving is scary, because she will be away from her only friends, the only people who cared for HER, because she has trouble making friends and would NEVER be able to make any in a new school with new people and NO support system. 

Marcy isn't like Anne. Sasha isn't like Anne. That's why Anne is the heart, that's why she's the emotional connection they need in their logical worlds.

I think Marcy, like she said in this episode, is jealous of Anne's friend-making ability. And Sasha, I think she just feels… inferior (but I guess that's jealousy as well) something she HATES feeling. 

Matt Bradly himself even said that Marcy and Sasha have SEVERELY doubted Anne's abilities when they were still back on Earth. 

But Amphibia changed that. 

S2: E7 The Planters Check In 

Kinda fucked up that Anne didn't help Marcy (And Andrias too I guess) with trying to find information on the Calamity Box.

Like, I know she can't translate ancient texts like Andrias and Marcy could but staying for some moral support could've been nice and also considering she just LEFT Marcy, who she hasn't seen for MONTHS, for days at a time to go hang out with the Planters. 

But I know this is a regular thing for their friendship (plus Sasha) to leave Marcy to do the work for school like with group projects.

Anne: Just like group projects back home! 

And damn, that royal Newtopia credit card can single handedly destroy Amphibia's entire economy.

So frogs can stick to things, newts can swim up and down streams like, super fast (just like amphibians in the real world) so what can toads do that are unique to them? Should I Google real life toads or did toads do something in Amphibia that I missed?? 

S2: E10 The Sleepover to End All Sleepovers 

Aw wait, Marcy has plants?? That's?? So?? CUTE!!!! 

Hop Pop is gonna have some me-time while Lady Olivia is gonna be in the kitchen drinking wine,,, these parents omg,,, 

Hop Pop is a tired dad/grandpa and Olivia is a wine mom confirmed

I think it's so cute how Anne and Marcy are like the older kids while Sprig and Polly are just like Anne's younger siblings, just AGDKDKAJA 

HHHHH DID LADY OLIVIA FALL ASLEEP READING

In the Heat of the Swamp

IS THAT A STEAMY, EROTIC ROMANCE NOVEL FOR MOMS???? WHAT!!!! 

I LOVE HER SO MUCH 

And not to mention she was knocked out in a rocking chair holding a margarita WITH SLIPPERS ON

SHE'S SUCH A MOM GUYS 

Marcy: You know, some cultures believe that mirrors can ward off malevolent spirits Marcy: OR SUMMON THEM! (Maniacal laughter*

Marcy, you're too gosh darn cute to be scary even if you tried 

Some of those spirit things came out of the coffins in the crypt, maybe they're the souls/spirits/ghosts of whoever died in those coffins? 

Well if they are my next question is why are those bodies even down there in the first place and were those spirit things SUPPOSED to exist/be there?

Also, why are there moss men in the garden? And why are they chained up?

I think the moss men were created there, probably made by King Andrias or whoever to replace the robot army (that they didn't have for a while since their ancient technology was all gunked up at the time).

It also REALLY worries me that one of the tunnels in the basement (or let's be honest, the dungeon) leads to MARCY'S ROOM!! LIKE??? WHY???? 

Why do the reflection of the mirrors cause those spirit things to turn physical? Will this be important in the future? I think we all should remember this.

S2: E10 Day at the Aquarium 

Ooooo!!! Let's take a look at this book, shall we?? 

Okay so on the left page, we see the 3 gems with their corresponding main attribute. The green is brains/wits, the blue is heart/passion, the pink is a fist/strength, yadda yadda yadda all stuff we know already

BUT what I found the most interesting is on the right page! There it shows small, simple pictures of the 3 temples which I found super cool!

But even cooler was the thing on the bottom left!! It looks kinda like a capsule, but it plays music apparently? My mind automatically jumped to the Skip Man but I doubt that it's supposed to be that. 

Maybe it's something that has to do with the actual Calamity Box instead? Like, we know it technically is a music box too, maybe it's a device INSIDE of it that plays music and does something else as well?

Well, it has to be important if this is the page we're shown, right? I'm sure we'll see more of it in season 3! 

Anne: Anytime I was feeling gloomy back home, the Aquarium would always make me feel better! 

Aw, now I'm thinking about when Anne was back home and going to the Aquarium and just being so amazed by all the fish and stuff there. That's so cute,,, 

I've watched before but it STILL pains me, the whole Marcy being SUPER hurt that Anne had just chosen the Planters instead of her but still let her go and even played it off like it was still the "most logical thing to do" as if like, 5 seconds ago she was saying the OPPOSITE 

(I'm just a Marcy kin y'all) 

The scene also reminds me sort of the whole thing with Sasha back at Toad Tower, how she let go of Anne. 

Both Marcy and Sasha let Anne go. They both chose Anne over honestly, themselves.

Sasha was ready to straight up DIE to keep Anne from straining or hurting herself. And Marcy was willing to let Anne go, something she was so unwilling to do with both her friends which is the reason they're in Amphibia in the FIRST PLACE, just for Anne. 

They both see how close Anne is with the Planters. They both know that she loves them and sees them as family and they… I think they honestly want what's best for Anne even if that thing isn't them. 

I think those 2 scenes mirror and play off each other very well. 

But honestly, the whole re-reunion with Anne and the Planters always makes me tear up,,, they care for each other so much,,,, 

Andrias: Always sad to see someone go, isn't it? I have a proposition for you, Marcy. And I think you'll find it VERY interesting 

Okay, wow manipulative jerk much? Andrias KNEW how much Marcy cared for her friends and KNEW that she was probably so SAD after watching Anne WILLINGLY choose the Planters over her. 

He knew she was in a vulnerable state, he knew that she would agree to ANY plan if it meant not having to leave her friends again. He knew she trusted him and he knew he could get her to be his little pawn. 

Just…

FUCK KING ANDRIAS

Me and my homies all hate him

S2: E13 Ivy on the Run 

Okay really quick, ANNE WAS ALSO IN MUAY THAI??? 

So far, Anne plays varsity tennis, rock climbs, AND also did Muay Thai. Fucking JOCK 

S2: E13 After the Rain 

Okay so at the end, Hop Pop finally shows the others the book with the giant 'P' on the cover that had information about the Calamity Box 

He said that it's been in his family for as long as he could remember (And he is around 68 years old so that's like 68+ years) 

But why would the Planters have information of the Calamity Box?

Hmmmmmmm….

S2: E14 The First Temple 

So right off the bat, when handed the Calamity Box, Marcy had pressed a couple things on it and music started playing which then caused the gems to be able to pop out of the top. 

So there are OTHER things you can do with the box it seems and doing certain actions (besides opening it of course) can lead to different things happening and Marcy knows this!

This also means that Marcy knows OTHER things that the box can do, whatever she was doing in True Colours with opening the portal and saying something along the lines of "Okay, I just need to-!"

Marcy knows this box. She knows how to work it at least somewhat but that knowledge is still more than many characters combined. 

Also, remember what I was talking about in A Day at the Aquarium? With that capsule looking thing that plays music? Well I speculated that it was probably something INSIDE the music box and guess what the music box just did before popping out those sweet gems? 

Play music.

Now, I wanna say that maybe every time you do a different action on the Calamity Box, the box plays music but I can't be certain. Because during True Colours when Marcy had reopened the portal, no music was playing. 

Granted that could have been because she was further away or maybe even because they were playing some super cool, dramatic and suspenseful music. But I dunno. Maybe? 

Marcy: But don't worry because none of them were Marcy Wu!

Marcy: Head of the chess club, master RTS player, straight A student (except for gym because I was reading in class which only proves my point!) 

HHHHH Am I looking too deeply into this or did she get the introduction/monologue from Yunan? (Please let me be right. Please let me be right. Please let me be right. Please let me-)

"Only the worthy will have the wisdom to choose. Whether it's more important to win or have the humility to lose"

"A choice was made to save thy friends and, honestly, doesn't that make you a winner in the end?"

Only so I REALLY liked how they handled the first temple. How they were testing not just intelligence but EMOTIONAL intelligence as well (because intelligence comes in different forms!!!) The humility and the wisdom to step down, to willingly lose in order to make the right choice, to realize that the lives of your friends are more important than any temple or puzzle.

They also showed this in the actual temple trials. How in the second and third trial you NEED more than one person in order to solve it. Hell, even in the first trial, those floating ball things happen to whoever was holding the cube, ANYONE could've done it, people could've taken turns trying to solve it!

This temple tests intelligence, and it also tests humility and priorities and co-dependence.

OH OH OH!!! ONE MORE THING!!! 

Okay so I, like a ton of other people, have been thinking that the weird secret basement where The Night is was in that OTHER secret room that King Andrias and Marcy found during their research in Lost in Newtopia. 

BUT I WAS WRONG!

The basement with The Night was in the Throne Room (And Andrias seems to be well aware of its existence) while the room that Andrias and Marcy found was in the Royal Library (And it looked like he didn't know about it, though it could've been a cover up but I don't think that, I think that's where they found info on the Calamity Box) 

They're different rooms!! So I doubt Marcy knows ANYTHING about The Night OR about the secret room in the Throne Room. 

And speaking of The Night… Rewatching this made me realize that The Night has… gears and screws and bolts. And like,,, wires. (BUT there are less wires here than there were in the Season 3 intro). So… 

What the FUCK?? 

IS The Night a robot or at least was made with that ancient technology? Or maybe their life force is being kept alive by those metal parts and stuff?

King Andrias: The prophecy is being undone as we speak, my Lord. Soon, we will have our revenge

Okay so obviously we know the prophecy is where the holders of the 3 gems come together in an epic showdown and beat the shit out of the big baddies

But draining the stones force from the girls would mean they are unable to go all super saiyan which is what I'm assuming that was what Andrias meant when he talked about "undoing the prophecy"

Because making the girls unable to go super saiyan means they can't have the gems' powers and that means they can't try to stop the big baddies.

But we know that draining the stones' powers from the girls isn't needed to make the box take them home, if we look at Marcy during True Colours. She was able to open the portal without the blue gem's charge. 

Charging the stones was never important to get Anne, Sasha, and Marcy home, it was important because it was going to prevent a prophecy.

S2: E17 The Second Temple

"But empathy alone isn't enough. For what is heart without responsibility?"

I really like this!!! I LOVE how for every temple, it focuses on the main attribute but then there is a secondary thing that makes you TRULY worthy!

Like with the first temple, Marcy was smart yes, she could get through all those puzzles easy. But what made her worthy wasn't her brain, it was her ability to make the right call and step back, losing to save those she cares about. 

It's just like that with the second temple! Anne has the heart obviously, she's got grit and is passionate and not afraid to help and do what is right. But that alone isn't what made her so special. Her ability to own up to her actions, to take responsibility for them is what makes her so amazing! 

And not to mention this is something she learned to do while IN Amphibia! Anne wasn't really one to admit she did something wrong and was always quick to pass the blame, but she's grown and matured here. Same with Marcy! I doubt back home Marcy would have EVER willingly lost or willingly get a bad grade on ANYTHING for ANYONE! They've both grown in little ways and I love it! 

I also think it's super cool how the 3 trials for the heart stone were kinda like,,, low key. Like, you obviously couldn't KNOW it was the trials or you would obviously sacrifice your life for a stranger or to your warmth for your friends. They had to make sure that all your actions you were doing out of your own free will and your own morality. 

S2: E17 Barrel's Warhammer 

The whole thing with Sasha reassuring Percy and Braddock that if things get too wild, she'll stop the whole thing… But ended up NOT doing that… 

I think that Sasha meant what she said, I think she really does care for the two of them and really did wanna make sure they were okay and not you know, scared or eaten. 

But when push came to shove and Sasha was too focused on her goals and her own stuff, she didn't take into consideration their feelings. She was just too driven, too passionate, too CLOSE.

I think this was the kinda thing that probably happened a lot back home. Sasha obviously cares for Anne and Marcy and always wants to make sure they're okay but sometimes her care and protection can get too much, that sometimes she just does in the wrong way and ends up hurting them. 

And not to mention that she has probably done the same thing with them as she did with Percy and Braddock. I wonder how many times Sasha had reassured Anne and Marcy that if things, no matter the situation, were too much or scary or risky or anything, she would stop and they could go do something else.

But it didn't happen. Sasha would get so caught up in it and just… not do it, she would go against her word because whatever they're doing was almost done it not that much or whatever ither reason she would say. And Anne and Marcy would just keep going even though they didn't want to because Sasha is the leader, because Sasha is their friend. 

I don't think Sasha is a bad person, I don't think any of the girls are bad people. I just think they all are just flawed.

And also like, 13. What 13 year old is morally the best honestly?? Middle schoolers are the WORST and middle school judt fucking sucks for EVERYONE 

S2: E18 The Third Temple 

"You've definatly got skill no doubt, but it's time you learned what strength is all about"

*one epic fight scene later* 

"Congrats, bruh! You finally what it takes to go the distance. For what is true strength without persistence?"

The third temple is about strength, no doubt about that obviously. But the most important attribute that accompanies true strength besides how much you could dead lift is, you guessed it, persistence!

Sasha has shown time and time again how much determination and grit she has. Hell, even in Barrel's Warhammer I even said how she can get so driven by her goals that it kinda becomes her downfall.

Because like intelligence comes humitly and empathy comes responsibility, strength needs persistence. The need to keep going, to keep pursuing even when all else is against you.

That's how we knew by the end of THIS episode that there is NO WAY Sasha was gonna go through with the rebellion. Because Grime said himself that there was "nothing stopping this rebellion now"

But there was, it's Sasha.

Because strength comes persistence. And if Sasha believes is happening shouldn't be happening, there is no WAY IN HELL THAT IT'S GONNA HAPPEN! NOT ON HER WATCH! 

S2: 19 The Dinner 

Nothing to really say about this episode besides that it's ONE OF MY FAVORITES (besides any Marcy centric episodes and True Colours)

Also I think it's ADORABLE how the girls are all wearing clothes that kinda show where they were transported to.

Sasha has army from Toad Tower. Marcy has teal/aquamarine robes with even a pink sea shell on the collar, which is literally what everyone wears in Newtopia. And Anne has a cute, simple outfit with flowers to show Wortwood. 

It's just cute :)

S2: 20 True Colours 

I honestly didn't think I'd have anything to talk about for this episode that hasn't been said 1000000x better by other people on this site but I think I got something!

The Calamity Box doesn't send people home by just opening it again like how the girls did when they firdt got transported to Amphibia.

Granted, I'm sure someone has said that already and I already did touch upon it but I'm saying it again.

The Calamity Box doesn't need to be completly or even partly charged to transport people. 

The gems use is to take away the power from the holders, to prevent them from going all super saiyan not to charge the box for it to work.

We know this because even with all the gemstones charged when Sasha opened the box, nothing happened. And at the end, Marcy was able to open a portal with the blue stone not fully charged. 

Marcy KNOWS how to open the portals and I bet she learned how to when her and Andrias found that secert library wing and info on the box. 

AND AGAIN!!! 

When Andrias takes the box, he presses a couple things on the top which is the thing that sets forth that giant laser on top of the palace that blows up Toad Tower.

This box can do a LOT more than we ever thought…

Overall Notes and Season 3 predictions

Okay so first of all, I hate Andrias but DAMNIT HIS VILLAN BUILD UP WAS SOOOOO GOOD!!! 

I mean starting with his very first sort of appearance, where we see him watching over the others from his castle window. And it's all dark and he moves his flipwort pieces and stuff!! AAAA!!

And then in episode 7 where they get the message/puzzle from him via arrow and Hop Pop screams, "AH! SOMEONE'S TRYING TO KILL US!" Like YES HE IS GUYS!!! 

And Marcy is autistic, OBVIOUSLY! As someone who is autistic as well, I see a LOT of my own habits and tendencies in her! Her avoidance of eye contact, hyperfocusing or The Zone, her hyperfixations, her need of constant stimuli, RAPTOR ARMS!!!! 

And who could forget...

Anne: Who says there has to be one [sleepover] queen? 

Marcy: everyone. That's kinda how the whole system works, Anne 

SHE TAKES THINGS SO LITERALLY!!! 

I just love her guys,,,, can you tell she's my favorite? 

Alright before I get too sidetracked with talling about Marcy, let me get into what I think may be in store for season 3! 

LET'S BEGIN!!! 

Okay so first of all, the Season will start sorta slow, not TOO much plot driven things will happen in probably the first couple episodes. 

And I doubt we'll be seeing anything of Marcy until maybe episode 4 or 5 honestly. 

I think the first episode will start with Anne and the Planters trying to hide from the world, maybe they're getting waaaay too much attention and need to lay low. 

Then it'll end with them making it to Anne's house and the second episode will start from there. 

The next 2 or 3 episodes from there will be with the Boonchuy's and the Planter's getting used to each other, maybe with a TINY TINY cut to what Sasha and Grime are doing. 

Speaking of Sasha and Grime, I think that they escape the King and get the FUCK out of Newtopia, leaving Lady Olivia and General Yunan behind with the agreement they will be more like leaks or the inside you know?

Sasha and Grime will definatly then start to head back to Wortwood, but this traveling could take place over the course of a couple episodes but I predict they may get there in around episode 5 or 6, maybe 7.

But anyway, I think Anne may think about everything that went down in True Colours, maybe while explaining to her parents what happened and they'll all start to think about what the FUCK did she do back there with the whole turning blue thing. 

Which would then lead to Anne trying to learn how to control it. 

Anne will probably be taking the Planters out to show them her world, with disguises of course. But it won't last long as it seems that the news or the government are gonna be after them. 

And those 2 mechanic girls, I think they'll be helping Polly rebuild Frobo. 

And the girl with the blue hair looks kinda young, I think she's a practicing doctor or something. I bet she'll be like a doctor who's gonna check Anne out to figure out how she turned blue (with very little answers of course) 

And back on Amphibia, Marcy's probablt gonna be in that tube for a while and the next time we see her will probably be her waking up from it. (Which could be anywhere from episodes 5 to maybe even 8) 

I DO think that she's the one controlling that robot thing that was chasing them in the Season 3 intro, there was a camera. But I have no idea why she would be so there's some holes in the theory… 

Also, I really don't think The Night is gonna be controlling Marcy. I think her brain is way too valuable to just,,, control. It'll be taking away her only "use" so to speak (I don't think Marcy is only food for how smart she is, just to be clear). Plus, if The Night was gonna control someone, you would think it was be the big beef cake Andrias. 

So I think she doesn't really remember what happened during True Colours (with Andrias' betrayal) and is just getting manipulated again by Andrias

So when Sasha and Grime get back to Wortwood, they're gonna lead a rebellion with the frogs, toads and the newts, officially uniting them all against their king.

Anne is gonna be on Earth, dealing with the things that are getting sent there by King Andrias (And potentially Marcy?) While learning to control her blue power thing.

And Marcy is gonna be helped by Anne and Sasha I think. Like reminded of all the shit that went down and then the 3 of them are gonna take down Andrias TOGETHER!!! :D

And I'm HOPING to get a super saiyan for Sasha and Marcy!!! 

I dunno how Sasha will unlock her's but I think Marcy May be able to unlock her power when she finally realizes how fucked up Andrias is. Like taking back control of her feelings and refusing to be manipulated any longer by finally remembering what happened during True Colours.

Anyway, this is just my take and may not even happen but I'm still excited for season 3 nonetheless!

I hope you enjoyed my Amphibia Season 2 stew!!!

#amphibia #anne boonchuy #hopadiah plantar #hop pop #sprig planter #polly planter #sasha waybright #Marcy wu #king andrias #season 2 #analysis #my ramblings

[placetobenation]

Welcome to Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch! On a regular basis, JT Rozzero, Aaron George, Andrew Flanagan, Jordan Duncan and Jason Greenhouse will watch an episode of TV’s greatest sitcom and provide notes and grades across a number of categories. The goal is to rewatch the entire series chronologically to see what truly worked, what still holds up today, what feels just a bit dated and yada, yada, yada it will be a great time. So settle into your couch with the cushions flipped over, grab a Snapple and enjoy the ride!

Best Character

JT: Kramer was amazing throughout this whole thing. The start of the story was a bit contrived but once he got that old TV set into his apartment, the magic flowed through him. It was an inspired performance as he lived inside his own little old school TV world, creating an entire production out of nothing that eventually became too much to handle. Dance like nobody is watching, they say? How about cos-play Merv Griffin when nobody is watching, budro.

Aaron: As the sole member of the adult cast that doesn’t participate in the toy fiasco, Kramer walks away with this one. I feel I’ve been railing against the character turns in the last few episodes, but as absurd as it is the whole Merv Griffin business seems to work for the K-Man. For years he’s been a psychopath. He assumed he was Batman after driving one bus, he selfishly burned a cabin to the ground; there’s no doubt that he would fish a dirty set out of the trash and begin to question his friends as though they were guests.

Andrew: I’ll give it to Elaine this time. To me it felt like she was having the most fun in this episode, particularly when it comes to the gestures and looks that elevate otherwise mediocre storylines. For example, her laugh at Kramer’s talk show flirting really clinches the whole scene. Kramer was excellent as well, but Elaine’s work really stood out to me.

Jordan: Kramer. I love everything about the Merv Griffin show. His fascination with the set, his sleeping “backstage”, finding Merv Griffin’s cigar in a dumpster. Maybe the best part is when he decides to take a short break while everyone is over, and he just stops to eat some chips and drink a Coke, then says, “We’re back!” This is one of my all time favorite Kramer storylines.

Best Storyline

JT: This was a nice bounce back across the board but the Merv Griffin stuff takes it for me. Kramer was awesome as he went through all the stages of hosting a talk show, from excited, to serious, to depressed to… edgy? All of his small tics and quips while navigating through the every day updates of his friends carried the episode. It was a fresh, unique idea that still fit within Kramer’s personality.

Aaron: The evolution of Kramer’s show from basic interview program to “Scandals and Animals” was nearly perfect. George staggering unto the set to that triumphant music is an all time moment.

Andrew: The Merv Griffin stuff was easily the best part of this one. It’s a really good showcase for Kramer, and it’s definitely the best plotted story, with the most satisfying payoff of the episode. I thought that framing a lot of the expository dialogue as talk show banter was a nice touch, and the show’s devolution into a Jerry Springer style confrontation series was pretty inspired.

Jordan: It’s the Merv Griffin stuff and it’s not even close, for a couple reasons. First – The Merv Griffin storyline is really, really funny. But also, the other ones are… not so great. Jerry drugging a woman so he can play with toys is stupid and doesn’t age well thanks to Bill Cosby. George and the pigeons doesn’t really do anything for me either. Elaine and the sidler is fun enough, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Kramer digging old furniture out of a dumpster and turning his apartment into a talk show set, complete with guests and music.

Ethical Dilemma of the Week

JT: Should you drug a woman to play with her toy collection? That would be a no, Jerome.

Aaron: GI Joe or Army Pete? Obviously Joe would bust down Pete’s door and have his way with him while his family watched on in terror. Seeing their father taken to brown town across the same table that Mama Pete had her stroke on would surely be enough to push those little Petes over the edge. The rest of their childhood would be a haze, leading to a snake-filled life of crime and terror. Sometimes you have to sleep in the bed you made Joe.

Andrew: At what point should George have cut his losses and let Miranda go on thinking he was an animal hating sociopath? Once the vet bills hit triple digits, I would think.

Jordan: Is George really a monster for hitting those pigeons at the beginning? I will swerve for an animal on the ground – dogs, cats, rabbits, squirrels. But I think I’m with George here – if it’s a bird, I assume it can fly away. Those birds were suicidal, and George was simply helping them end their life.

Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)

JT: I am glad they didn’t have Elaine just start hooking up or falling for Lou. It was nice to see her in a non sexual relationship storyline for a change. Relationship Grade: Tic/Tac

Aaron: Both relationships we’re shown involve a reasonable person dealing with a god damn monster. Remember when Jerry was just upset over peas not being eaten properly? Relationship Grade: It’s enough.

Andrew: Once again, any storyline featuring a metaphorical sexual assault does not age well. Everything in the Jerry and Celia relationship felt gross, and there is no way Miranda was worth all the hassle. Relationship Grade: Still getting nothing/10

Jordan: Jerry is seriously gross here. No, he’s not sexually assaulting her, but it’s still assault. This one is much worse with age as well. And he brings George in on it too! And Elaine! What a scumbag! It is NOT a victimless crime. GI JOE WOULD NEVER DO THIS/10

What Worked:

JT: I enjoyed the inane Cain and Abel conversation to open the show; “Merv Griffin’s cigar” cracked me up too; Jerry cutting Celia’s sad story off to celebrate her toys is perfect Jerry; Kramer immediately acting like a TV show host is tremendous; Kramer hitting zingers and playing the entrance music cracks me up every time; And then him sitting and having a snack during “commercial” and saying “ok we’re back” is an all timer; Peterman trashing Lou’s work was funny; George was vintage Costanza at the vet office: cheap and whipped; As dark as the whole thing is, the scene with George and Jerry force feeding Celia wine and turkey was well executed; Newman’s wax bean tale; George getting changed by his parents on the home movie

Aaron: Pretty much everything with the Merv Griffin show was gold. What made the whole thing work, though, was how everyone is visibly uncomfortable with it. Elaine demanding “what ‘s wrong” with Kramer is the only sane question anyone should be asking. Michael Richards nails everything. The one-liners, the snide looks to the “audience.” It’s a near perfect Kramer performance, right down to lauding the sound of gravel. If ONLY he had tripped and destroyed the set! George denouncing the “deal” with the pigeons is also wonderful. We know the man is a murderer and this one takes it a step further. Cheap, angry and full of feathers. I never knew this was the George I needed. Peterman’s fear of Elaine possibly being undead hit nicely, as did Frank fostering George’s trauma in the four hour home video. I don’t know what Haitian Voodoo Rattle Torture is, but I want to learn how to do it to my wife. Finally Jim Fowler and his Hawk ended up being a tremendous straight man to George and his invalid squirrel.

Andrew: The Merv Griffin stuff is kind of the platonic ideal of late Seinfeld storylines: an admirably wacky idea, with solid escalation (I especially liked Newman as sidekick, and the “shut down and retool”) and a fun ending. I thought Elaine and Kramer gave excellent performances in this one, Peterman is solid as well, and the cast playing with children’s toys is funny. And putting the allusions to date-rape drugs aside, Celia repeatedly gorging herself on wine and turkey and passing out on the couch is a pretty good gag, and Jerry’s complete lack of shame is a funny way to play it.

Jordan: “El Paso, I spent a month there one night!” – what a great line. Seriously, the Merv Griffin stuff is an all timer for Kramer. It makes no real sense, yet it makes total sense as it plays out with the theme music, Newman as a sidekick, it’s just all perfect. Jerry and Kramer not knowing the story behind Cain and Abel is pretty fun, especially Kramer thinking it was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I don’t really care for the storyline with George and the pigeons, but George actually makes it work fairly well. The squirrel turn works out pretty well, with George having to care for a wild invalid that knows he tried to kill it. The lengths he will go to for an OK looking woman is commendable. Dead Tooth is a nice little side venture for Elaine, and it gives us some Peterman! She can sidle up to me any time she’d like. “Well Stinky, this is your lucky day!” was a good line from Elaine. Jim Fowler wondering where the cameras were is a nice line.

What Didn’t Work

JT: Lou Filerman… eh; Fuck Jerry for mocking Hakuna Matata and Cup O’ Soup; I love the concept and it goes glorious places but how does Kramer fit the entire TV set in his living room?; Miranda is annoying AF, George should have just bailed; Celia had to catch on to this scheme at some point, right? How much turkey and wine can she ingest before it clicks?; Also, I appreciate them trying to tie everything together, but Elaine bringing Lou to Celia’s was overkill at the end and made Celia look even dumber

Aaron: I hated the playing with toys storyline, and not for the metaphorical rape. I get that they’ve presented Jerry like a man-child for nine years but this is fucking ridiculous. He REALLY needs to step away from a woman who’s giving him “crazy” sex to go “Pew Pew” with Army men? They aren’t even interesting toys! One is a wind up monkey.  And how stupid is Celia? She knows she was drugged for her toys with turkey and wine then the very next night she’s being force fed again to get some Mickey Mouse gum. Just break into her house at night and steal from her you morons! How many canker sores does Fillerman have and why do I have to hear about them. Peterman would have called this incoherent drivel!

Andrew: I can talk myself into George going through all the trouble to save the squirrel (he has a documented need to be liked), but they don’t ever bother showing any motivation for the character, so the effort seems unjustified and the whole storyline ends up feeling kind of pointless. Elaine’s “sidler” isn’t especially inspired or memorable, but it does give her and Peterman a chance to land some good lines. I’m not sure the “playing with a woman’s toys” and “forcing a woman into sex” parallels were ever a good idea, but they sure did age badly.

Jordan: It’s the toy storyline. I honestly couldn’t watch it and think of Bill Cosby, so it hasn’t aged well at all. Still, I tried to imagine it from a 1997 perspective… and it’s still stupid. Know why? Those toys are stupid! Someone tell Jerry and George that, by this point, Playstation is out and they can play better football video games. Jerry showing zero remorse fits the character I guess, but it still sucks. At least it had a nice finish with Kramer bringing her in as a surprise guest.

Key Character Debuts

– Miranda

Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes

– “Look at this. Boy, one minute Elliot Gould is sitting on you and the next thing – you’re yesterday’s trash.” – Kramer

– “Oh, the sex is wild but she’s got this incredible toy collection and she won’t let me near it!” – Jerry

– “Wha-You never see him. He sidled me again in my office. I was sitting there making Cup-A-Soup singing that song from “The Lion King”. – Elaine “Hakuna Matata?” – Jerry “I thought I was alone.” – Elaine “That doesn’t make it right.” – Jerry

– “You, sidle? Y-You … you stomp around like a Clydesdale!” – Jerry

–  “I don’t get these birds! They’re breaking the deal. It-it’s like the pigeons decided to ignore me!” – George “So they’re like everyone else.” – Jerry

– “So when I saw George on the street with an 18 pound turkey and a giant box of wine, I thought: … What a coincidence. We’re just about to eat.” – Jerry

– “Lately, though, I’ve been, uh, – I’ve been buying the generic brand of waxed beans. You know, I rip of the label… I can hardly tell the difference.” – Newman

– “Oh, we’re discharging the squirrel. We think he’ll be better off at home.” – Doctor “He has no home. He’s a squirrel.” – George “Hmm-hm. Your home, Mister Costanza. Just make sure he gets his medicine six times a day and keep his tail elevated.” – Doctor

Oddities & Fun Facts

– Wild Kingdom’s Jim Fowler plays himself on the set

Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)

JT: Last episode we talked about how the characters were doing stuff outside of the scope of their normal behavior. That was all corrected here as even though these stories were a bit outlandish, all of the actions were solidly within their personalities. Jerry is definitely the type of man-child that would go to great lengths to play with toys. George is the type of pussy whipped loser that would become caretaker to a squirrel just to be with an attractive woman. Elaine dealing with workplace nonsense is right in her wheelhouse and Kramer, well, this storyline was perfect Cosmo. I am prepared to be told I am overrating this one, but the Merv Griffin stuff is some of all time favorite Seinfeld foolishness: in that sweet spot of nonsensical but sensical within the universe. Kramer was pitch perfect throughout it all and this may be one of his finest episodes as a character. Final Grade: 8/10

Aaron: So, way better than the last few weeks. This may be a ten with a better Jerry segment, but as it’s sheer stupidity I can’t go near the full monty. The toys storyline is like the AIDS that GI Joe gave army Pete. It poisoned everything until his children were forced to build something called a Trouble Bubble. Final Grade: 8/10

Andrew: This is a tough one for me to rate, as my memories of it are a lot fonder than my reaction on rewatching. I’m not overly impressed by the writing, the majority of the storylines are disappointing, and the date-rape allusions really cast a pall over the whole thing. Any yet, when I recall the image of George running over a bunch of pigeons, or getting clawed by a hawk on a talk-show set, I chuckle. Maybe that says more about me, actually. I think the important thing to remember here is that the Merv Griffin stuff rules, and this is a big improvement over last week. Final Grade: 7/10

Jordan: I love this one, and have some personal affinity to it as my dad loved it a lot, so I always think of him when I see it. Still, it’s carried heavily by the Kramer stuff and the rest kind of drags, but not so badly that it ruins the episode. I really just don’t like the Jerry stuff, where the George and Elaine stories are just forgettable. After last episode, forgettable is a bounce back, and an all time storyline vaults this even further. Grade: 8/10

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

[papermoonloveslucy]

Lucy Buys a Boat

S1;E30 ~ April 29, 1963

Synopsis

Lucy talks Viv into buying a boat that's barely seaworthy. When they finally get it on the lake, it slips away from its moorings, trapping a seasick Viv and a bossy Lucy without a sail. Then the leaks start springing up!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Vivian Vance (Vivian Bagley), Jimmy Garrett (Jerry Carmichael), Ralph Hart (Sherman Bagley), Candy Moore (Chris Carmichael)

This was the last episode of season one. It was also the last episode filmed in black and white. It is, however, not the last episode aired in black and white as CBS declined to air season two in color.

This is the only episode this season to only feature the main cast.  

This was intended to be the last episode of “The Lucy Show.” Lucy only came back to TV because Desilu couldn't sell their other shows without a hit. This series was used to leverage the sales of other Desilu programs. Lucille Ball was also concerned that one season of shows would not sell well in markets that showed daily repeats (“stripping”) as the program would only be worth one month of daily viewings if shown every weekday. “I Love Lucy” would last a station nine months of daily stripping. 

The episode was filmed on March 28, 1963. 

The original airing included commercials for Lux soap, Pepsodent toothpaste, Wisk laundry detergent, and Jell-O gelatin. There was also voice over promo for “Password” (Lucille Ball’s favorite game show) which aired at 10pm Mondays. That evening, the guest was Arthur Godfrey. Coincidentally, during the early 1950s, “I Love Lucy” was promoted by “The Arthur Godfrey Show,” which aired in the time slot just before it. 

Ad in The Danfield Tribune:

Answer the call of the seven seas!  An unforgettable adventure for your whole family! For sale: 26 foot sailboat, sleeps 5, large galley, complete with trailer, only $100 down.  

Lucy and Viv normally take a cottage by the lake during the summer. Lucy says when she was a little girl she practically “lived on boats.” Lucy may be referring to Chautauqua Lake, which is adjacent to Jamestown, New York, Lucy Carmichael's hometown.

Lucy says she bought it with the hull in the water so she didn't notice the shape the boat was in.  She adds that she didn't have Lloyd Bridges with her. Lloyd Bridges was the star of “Sea Hunt” (1958-1961), a TV series about a scuba diver which featured extensive underwater filming. Bridges played a doctor on the season five opener of “Here’s Lucy” in 1972. He was previously mentioned in “Lucy and Viv Put in a Shower” (S1;E18).

Posing at the prow, Lucy insists she bought the boat from its original owner, Viv sarcastically says “I wonder if he was standing where you are when he discovered America?”  Viv is, of course, referring to Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), whose three ships are said to have been the first to travel to the ‘New World’ (aka the Americas) in 1492. Columbus's legacy continues to be debated. He was widely venerated in the centuries after his death, but public perceptions have changed as recent scholars have given greater attention to negative aspects of his life, such as his enslavement of the indigenous population and his brutal subjugation of the Taíno people, as well as allegations of tyranny towards Spanish colonists. Lucy Carter talked extensively about Columbus in “Lucy Competes with Carol Burnett” (HL S2;E24, above) during the Secretary Beautiful Pageant. 

Viv refers to a bossy Lucy as Captain Bligh. William Bligh was a real-life British Admiral who was in charge of the HMS Bounty when a mutiny set him adrift in 1789. His story was related in many films, including one in 1962.  

Viv references the fact that she was once a WAVE, a navy organization of women during World War II. This was first established in “Lucy Becomes an Astronaut” (S1;E6).  

Lucy gets a telephone call from a Mr. Hussey at the marina. This may be a reference to actress Ruth Hussey, who did the film The Facts of Life (above) with Lucille Ball in 1960.  Along with Ethel Merman, Hussey starred in a pilot aired as part of “Vacation Playhouse”, the summer 1963 replacement for “The Lucy Show.”  

Lucy says that Viv has brought enough seasickness pills for the Queen Mary.

Lucy is referring to the RMS Queen Mary, an ocean liner launched in 1934 for the Cunard Line. The ship was officially retired from service in 1967 and is now permanently berthed in Long Beach, California, serving as a tourist attraction, museum, and hotel.

When Viv dons her life jacket while still docked Lucy calls her “chicken of the sea.” 

Chicken of the Sea is a provider of packaged seafood, primarily canned tuna. Their television commercials were ubiquitous throughout the 1960s. In 1963, the year this episode aired, the company was sold to Ralston Purina.

While preparing her dinner on board, Lucy sings a bit of “Sailing, Sailing (Over the Bounding Main)” a folk song first composed in 1880 by James Swift (aka Godfrey Marks). The music (sans lyrics) was extensively used as underscoring during “Bon Voyage” (ILL S5;E13) in 1956 when Lucy misses the SS Constitution headed for Europe.  

Once again, faced with the boat's tiny bunks Viv gets claustrophobic. This was established in “Lucy Becomes an Astronaut” (S1;E6). In real life, it was Lucille Ball who suffered from the condition.  

Nautical Vocabulary!

VIV: “I’m afraid I’m just a landlubber at heart.”

Landlubber ~ Lubber is an old word (dating from the 14th century) meaning a clumsy or stupid person. The term landlubber refers to an unseasoned sailor.

VIV: “I’ll bet this is the first time anybody’s been shanghaied on a lake.” 

Shanghaied ~ force someone to join a ship lacking a full crew by coercion or other underhanded means. 

JERRY (to LUCY): “You’d better give us a rest, or you are going to have your first mutiny.”

Mutiny ~ an open rebellion against the proper authorities, especially by soldiers or sailors against their officers. The most famous in popular culture was in Mutiny on the Bounty, so Jerry is continuing the analogy of Lucy to Captain Bligh. 

VIV (to LUCY): “Oh, go shiver yer timbers.” 

"Shiver Me Timbers" ~ is an exclamation usually attributed to the speech of pirates in works of fiction. The word ‘shiver’ means “to break into small fragments or splinters” while the ‘timbers’ refer to the wooden support frames of old sailing ships. So the saying was most likely alluding to the shock of a large wave or cannonball causing the hull to shudder or split asunder.

LUCY (into telephone): “We’ve been working on her for days and she’s really yar!”

Yar ~ When a boat is trim, responsive, and in all ways lively in handling. In The Philadelphia Story (1940), Kate Hepburn’s character famously says about a boat “My, she was yar!” 

Fast Forward!

A scene from this episode was included in “Lucy and Viv Reminisce” (S6;E16), the series’ only clips episode. 

In “Lucy in London” (1966) Lucy Carmichael’s leaky raft sinks her and her Captain (Anthony Newley) right in the middle of the River Thames.  Instead of being filmed on a soundstage, the special was done on location in the icy waters of the Thames in London. 

In “Lucy Runs The Rapids” (HL S2;E4), Lucy Carter’s sleeping bag gets dragged out into the middle of the Colorado River and slowly sinks under the weight of the water!  Again, this was filmed on location, not in a studio. 

Callbacks!

A leaky raft also sank Lucy and Desi in the feature film Forever Darling (1956).

A leaky boat was part of the comic finale of “Lucy's Summer Vacation,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” about a visit to fictional Lake Wotchasokapoo, Vermont.

The Ricardos and the Mertzes were also seen on a boat in distress in “Desert Island” (ILL S6;E8) where the group goes motor boating off the coast of Florida but runs out of gas.

The set for the boat was constructed on a gimbal - an elevated platform that could be manipulated for back and forth motion. The same construction was used to shake the set of One Oak Cabins in “First Stop” (ILL S4;E14) to replicate the shaking of the building as the train passes by. 

Lucy says “I don't know what's wrong with those bunks. We tried them at home and they're just fine.” This may be callback to “Lucy and Her Electric Mattress” (S1:E12) where Lucy and Viv slept in Sherman and Jerry's bunk beds.  

Viv also had trouble with the bunks when they were quarantined in a space capsule simulator in “Lucy Becomes an Astronaut” (S1;E6).

Lucy trying to fix dinner in a moving galley is reminiscent of a similar sequence in the 1953 film The Long, Long Trailer.

In this episode, Viv takes too many sea sickness pills and gets drowsy. On the “Staten Island Ferry” (ILL S5;E12) it was Lucy who took too many pills - resulting in her almost missing out on getting her passport!  To assure this won’t happen on her transatlantic crossing, during “Bon Voyage” (ILL S5;E13) Lucy’s mother gives her a jumbo sized bottle of sea sickness pills! 

This is yet another episode where Vivian Vance eats a banana!  Ethel Mertz also ate one during “Bon Voyage” (ILL S5;E13), snacking on the contents of Lucy’s fruit basket! 

Blooper Alerts!

Timing is Every...{crash}...Thing! When Lucy and Viv run the boat mast into a window in the French doors, there's obviously no glass in the window. The glass shattering sound is a bit delayed.

Ripples v Waves! Lucy says they are adrift on an inland lake, but unless there's a violent storm the severe pitching of the boat would be unusual for lake waters. If you look closely, you can see that Lucy’s plate of meatballs is actually on tiny casters. Naturally, meatballs were chosen because they are round and would roll!  One of the meatballs does fall on the floor (see above photo) but Lucille Ball either doesn’t notice or decided it was not worth trying to rescue, let alone stop shooting. 

Hats Off to Lucy!  During the stunt with the sliding deck chair, Lucy's hat falls off.

“Lucy Buys a Boat” rates 5 Paper Hearts out of 5 

#The Lucy Show #Lucy Buys a Boat #1963 #TV #CBS #Lucille Ball #Vivian Vance #Candy Moore #Sailboat #Ralph Hart #Jimmy Garrett #Lloyd Bridges #Ruth Hussey #captain bligh #chicken of the sea