#battle action force holiday special

[all-action-all-picture]

Battle Action No. 248, dated 8 December 1979. This cover was later reused for No. 662 (dated 9 January 1988 and then titled Battle with Storm Force) and a 'Best of Battle Holiday Special'. This was a relatively obscure publication from 1992 which often gets left off any list of Battle's Summer or Holiday Specials. Treasury of British Comics.

#battle #treasury of british comics #battle action #08dec #1979 #best of battle holiday special #the sarge #09jan #1988 #storm force #battle with storm force

[itsasainz]

the poison drips through | Roman Roy x Reader

Summary: grief is a natural instigator of reflection; Logan’s funeral forces you to look back on your own grief, and your relationship with Roman.

Word count: 7.3k

Warnings/tags: death of a parent (Logan Roy, reader’s mother), discussions of abuse (physical, emotional), grief and breakdown, mentions of addiction, depression and associated mental health struggles in a parent and in reader, implications of suicide, toxic and/or abusive familial relationships.

a/n: roman roy has a special place in my my heart. he’s awful, he’s product of his environment, I can’t justify his actions, I love him, it’s confusing, I don’t know. I binge watched all of succession in seven (7) days.

masterlist!

You’re not sure how old you were when you first met the Roys, but you find it strange to think of time pre-Roman, pre-Roy, when you were free of proxy-politics, hidden slights and subtle digs. You must have been a preteen, maybe twelve. It would make sense—the second summer after your father moved to New York, when he bought the house in the Hamptons. Your mother had stayed in London that summer, leaving you and your siblings to battle the sweltering Long Island heat alone with your father, who worked most of the summer anyway. Had it been the Sailing Club or the Golf Club where you’d first met Siobhan Roy? You aren’t sure, but you remember the bathroom where you’d run into her, and how a five minute conversation had turned into five weeks of friendship. It had gone beyond that five weeks—even when you got back to the UK, you’d found ways to keep in touch, and spent holidays together when you were in the same place; you’d grown accustomed to Kendall’s strange attempts at seeming “hip” and cool, and Roman’s whining and jokes.

Shiv had been, and is your friend—in many ways, your best friend—but you’d always had a sweet spot for Roman. It wasn’t until you moved to New York more permanently, right after you graduated, that you actually befriended him, your work at his father’s company at first forcing you into the odd work dinner or late night at the office, but routines were formed, at some point. Thursday lunches together, Monday morning coffees. At some point, he’d stopped seeming like Shiv’s whiney older brother, and become funny—most of the time. Roman, you had, at some point understood, took time. But most of your relationship with him came after Greece.

The first time you went on holiday with them—beyond the Hamptons or British countryside—you were twenty-three, and had found yourself on a ten-day trip through the Greek islands on Logan’s oversized yacht. It was that ten days that you realised that you were in, not particularly intentionally, but in nonetheless. You remembered everything about that trip; the private jet that took you to Thessaloniki, the starting point of the trip—you’d fly back to New York from Heraklion, with the entire family, who were coming from various outposts across the globe. To start with, though, it was just the two of you, walking on the scorched tarmac of Thessaloniki’s international airport, leaving the gleaming private jet behind, already feeling slick with set in the hot, midsummer air. You had appreciated the perks of a private jet that day—no queues, no crying babies or seats reclined into your knees—and didn’t have to think twice about where your luggage was, because everything had been taken care of by a team of people you barely saw, working like ants under the foliage. A refreshingly air conditioned car had brought you smoothly to the port, where a smaller boat, already stacked with your luggage, had taken you quickly to the gleaming palace on water that was the Roys’ yacht. The boat was like a small, disturbingly empty, city; an almost utopian place, gleaming and shimmering under the Mediterranean sun, a labyrinthe of rooms and decks and corridors. Despite the surplus of space, it was split between a select few; Logan Roy, of course, his four siblings and their own guests, a selection of board members and his third wife, who you’d met only once or twice before, Marcia. That day was languid, a steady flow of arrivals as the hours passed and the yacht sat just outside of the port, watched by the locals and tourists alike, most likely speculating about the owners of such a gratuitous yacht, carelessly waiting for all the world to see.

You and Shiv had been greeted by Connor, in his pre-Willa days, already in his forties though; Kendall had appeared at first without your notice, but the sound of his children, still babies then, had alerted you of his arrival, alongside his then-wife, Rava, who you still respected wholeheartedly. Roman had been next, harder to miss, making sure to “jokingly” insult everyone aboard within five minutes. You weren’t sure whether to feel flattered when it took him a minute or so to come up with an insult for you, but that train of thought was quickly lost to the arrival of the man himself; Logan Roy came with a fleet of people. He spoke about three words to you directly on that first day, but you supposed that wasn’t so bad—you were hardly novel to him anymore, given how your recent promotions had drastically increased your time spent with him and Kendall. Roman, however, was a different matter entirely.

You’d seen him around an awful lot, and spoken to him maybe twice, never for longer than a passing comment or introduction, though he knew of your friendship with his sister. And yet, here you were, on holiday with his family, and he was suddenly fascinated. Over those ten days, between your hours spent gossiping with Rava and his hours spent talking business with his brother and father, you somehow found time to get attached to the youngest son of the Roy dynasty.

Roman was a piece of a work, there was no denying it. He was insulting, defensive, childish, et cetera, et cetera, but he was often funny, too, and within days you had understood him well—he, like Kendall, Shiv and Connor, was driven by his father’s approval, but as is the way in any family, each of the siblings had manifested the same fears and motivations in different ways. Shiv’s fear of intimacy made for relationships with people who depended on her—for money or status—but who she could keep at an arm's length, and cast aside if they got too attached. Roman more openly craved connection, but his fears and traumas came to light in a more physical expression. The jokes at his expense had swiftly enlightened you to his troubled relationship with sex and affection, while, even this early on, Kendall’s addictions were beginning to form cracks in his determinedly “hip” façade. Most of these things you had already understood, but an extended amount of time on a vehicle that you can’t exactly leave had opened it all up to you—unlike the Hamptons, you couldn’t piss off to the other side of the island or back to the city, but only to the other side of the yacht, and even for a big yacht, it never allowed you to genuinely leave. The thoughts that would later become a strange, fucked up mantra began to formulate on that holiday; before you’d put it into words, or understood what you were asking yourself, the statement was swirling around your consciousness; the poison drips through.

Each of the Roy siblings was broken and damaged in a way you’d never seen before, but your long standing practice of people-reading and your love of untangling the dynamics within groups made the holiday a sort of project—by the end, you’d created a map in your head of the different events and people that made up the complex web of Roy troubles, built off the foundations laid by your friendship with Shiv and many brief interactions with her extensive family over the decade. It was an incomplete map—there would be things you didn’t discover until his death, a decade later, and things you would never know, but that initial map, fraction of what it would become, was the starting point for your relationship with Roman.

Your morbid fascination with the family, and apparent loyalty (though you only realised it years later) met with his intrigue with you. Shiv never brought friends on holiday, he disclosed on the third or fourth day—as such, everyone was trying to work you out, your game, your presence, beyond the limited stuff they already knew. But at the end of the trip, it wasn’t Shiv who you’d spent the most time with, but Roman.

You’d thought of it as a ten-day deep-dive into the family, one that wouldn’t be repeated and that would have few repercussions—for you, anyway, but something had been pushed into being on that yacht that would change the trajectory of your life.

Upon your return to the company, tanned and rested from your break, you found that your routine at work changed a little at first, and then a little more, and then completely. A week after the end of the holiday, Roman had barged into your office at around lunchtime, insulted a photo on your desk and dragged you out for an overpriced lunch to discuss work stuff—a legitimate offer, you later found out from Gerri, about an actual deal that he genuinely wanted to pick your brains about. The work-related talk had lasted maybe fifteen minutes before the two of you were side-tracked by something entirely inconsequential and spent the rest of the hour essentially gossiping. His coarseness surprised you a little, though it shouldn’t have, and you remember your initial reservations about his overt slights and hyperactivity—though nowadays you’ve grown to love both. The deal—the one he’d wanted to pick your brains about—had gone better than anticipated, partially, it was said, due to your counsel. So it became more regular—Thursday lunchtimes became your lunches with Roman, and he would stop by your office for discussions almost every day, uncharacteristically invested in his work, according to his siblings. You started to move up through the company too, taking on more responsibility, spending more time with the family, getting closer to the top.

At some point, you and Roman had become friends. You gravitated towards each other at galas and occasionally went for drinks after work on a Friday night. But, despite your time together, there was something odd about the dynamic—neither of you particularly spoke about your pasts, your childhoods. There was a certain shame you had about your upbringing—you knew it was entirely unfounded, that you’d been better off than the vast, vast majority, but then again, you spent most of your time with multibillionaires these days. Generally, you avoided discussions about family wealth, and guarded the inner-workings of your family, and all its troubles, in a way that is far more impossible for a family of the Roys’ calibre—you had your own secrets, a great many things you refused to discuss, and he knew that. In turn, Roman didn’t seem to want to delve into what it was like to grow up with the mighty Logan Roy as a father; so neither of you pushed it, and the subject of who you were pre-Roman began to fade; it would take a couple of years for it all to be disclosed, and even then, most of your big revelations about your relationship with him seemed to come in times of crisis.

You were friends. Work friends, really, but edging into the ground of the simpler terms; you were friends. You were, perhaps, his only one, or one of very few, and he was one of a fair few on your part, though he and Shiv were almost entirely separate from the company you kept outside of Waystar; you’d sometimes wondered what they’d think of the people you spent your Saturday nights with, or the clubs you frequented. But for years, he was your friend, and only your friend.

You’re not entirely sure when things began to get muddled, and lines began to blur. After one crisis or another, he had turned up at your door, late into the night, too tired and too upset to take the piss out of your apartment—a sure sign something was wrong—and ended up in your bed. You hadn’t slept together, but had spent the night beside one another, in hushed conversation or drifting into restless slumber. You’d woken up with his back to you, and it hadn’t been brought up again, not even when he turned up at your door a week later. Sleeping in the same bed as Roman became more common, though it was never sexual—it eased slowly from the simple need for company to admissions of wanting some form of affection—you would sometimes wake up to find that you had curled into one another, that in your unconscious states you had found an intimacy that was impossible in your waking lives.

And then, at some point, something had changed. You’d created a setting in which Roman could actually communicate—not without difficulty, but a space where he could say what he thought and attempt to move away from what he felt he should think. The emotional stuff took longer, but with those changes came a definite change in the nature of your relationship—namely, there was a newfound romance to it.

You’d held off the idea of a relationship with Roman for a long time—through all his joking, overly casual proposals, which you suspected were a way of him affirming some need for rejection, assuring himself that he was unlovable by presenting the ridiculous to have it shot down, as expected. But that had changed as he had, gradually, changed. As he became more open, more honest in that mesocosm of your apartment, developing a unique ecosystem of trust and loyalty and, you supposed, love, allowed him to become accessible to you in new ways.

Sex had taken longer. You were, to all intensive purposes, his girlfriend for a long while before you actually had sex. It was tentative, a slow process of breaking down barriers and rebuilding his relationship with a lot of things, in order to create a version of him that was capable of vulnerability. It’s still a work in progress. At some point (a nonchalant way of putting it—your milestones with him may have been muddled, but they were still deeply significant to you), the relationship had been opened for scrutiny at the hands of his family. You had, in some senses, created a healing process that they couldn’t comprehend, and you think that for that they will always resent you, but for the most part his siblings saw someone who made their brother a little happier and a little less skittish, and his father saw someone who could talk business and keep his son in check.

You didn’t know if there would ever be a wedding to commemorate it, and you doubted there would be children, but your ever-evolving relationship with him made you happy, and you knew it made him happy. Sometimes, you just wished that all that progress you’d made with him would translate to other aspects of his life, but such hopes never came to fruition—at the end of the day, he was still the young boy desperate for the approval of his hard-headed, abusive father.

It was that relationship with his father that made his relationship with his siblings so twisted. You and Shiv weren’t so close these days, but there was still amiable respect and remnants of that original loving friendship, but circumstance had torn rifts in the friendship of your teen- and twenty-something selves. In your thirties, that love had been somewhat lost, or changed—you’d probably always feel that friendly love for Shiv, the one responsible for this entire trajectory of your life.

Now, however, feels simultaneously like the best and worst time for a reflection on the ins and outs of your relationship with Roman Roy. Your bed is a mess, sheets tangled from Roman’s tossing and turning, his frame tense as he paces back and forth, pink flashcards clutched in his grasp. You’d helped him write them over the last few days, through the frustrations that he couldn’t get the words right or couldn’t express his true feelings.

It is only natural that on the morning of a funeral, you think of the funerals you have been to before. The one that stands out, the paradox, is the funeral that exposed your true upbringing to him; it wasn’t the wealth—Roman had hardly expected anything quite so extreme as his own family, but rather the people, your people, and how different they were from his.

You’d received the call late at night—UK and US time differences had gotten confused, your uncle thought you were five hours ahead, not behind—and had tried to gloss over the reason you were suddenly going back home for a week. Of course, in registering your time off with work—paid compassionate leave—he had discovered the truth, and insisted he accompany you. So Roman had met your family at a wake—not ideal, but it made sense. Your family, for all their flaws, had an open, friendly attitude; anyone was welcome in your home, and help was always offered where it could be, a notion so foreign to him that he’d never quite managed to grasp it.

Your family had been confused but welcoming of him; the context of your mother’s death was a strange setting to first impressions, but they liked him nevertheless. Your brother found his jokes more than a little amusing, and your little cousin seemed to think he’d hung the moon, which had more than baffled him—he’d never liked kids, even when they looked like you might have when you were little, even (perhaps especially) when they made him wonder about having children with you. That funeral had been a modest affair with a large turnout—most of the neighbourhood seemed to be there, but there was no fancy coffin or grand church; it was a small funeral, as your mother had wished, and as fitted the circumstances.

You remember a conversation with your sister a day or two later; sat in the garden, smoking, she had turned to you, posed that fatal question; What if the poison drips through? You had dismissed it initially, but at some point, probably after another depressive episode after, you had understood it. The poison drips through. But that was then, and this is now. This is not a modest funeral in your mother’s hometown, but a lavish one, in New York City.

No, this funeral is different.

Logan Roy’s funeral is not a neighbourhood affair, but an international one, and your Roman is doing the eulogy—hence the pacing and the flashcards. He is already dressed, and you are still in your pyjamas, but that is hardly the consideration—in this moment, you are simply concerned over whether or not Roman will make it through the eulogy; with every hour that passes, you become less convinced by his claim that he has “pre-grieved” his father’s death. If Roman breaks, the whole world will see it, abuse it, manipulate it; but everyone, Roy or not, should be able to grieve their parent’s death—no matter how awful they were—without judgement or manipulation.

He looks up from his cards— “You’re not dressed yet.”

“We have time.” you chide, but slip out of the tangle of bedsheets and turn the shower on. “Getting there on time is not going to be an issue.”

He dismisses you again, announcing the lines from his flashcards to himself as you shower, still going as you do your make up and dress, eat a little food—as much as you can stomach on a day like this, and make sure everything in terms of logistics will run smoothly, send a quick text to Shiv to make sure she’s coping—you’re sure none of them are—and eventually let Roman know it’s just about time to go.

His composure is already cracking by the time you get to the car. There is a sense of foreboding, and though you can’t bring yourself to iterate the thought, you have a distinct premonition that Roman’s eulogy will not happen as planned. You’re even wondering if he’ll sneak out before it’s his turn to speak, but you push the thought away. Roman would be okay, he always managed to scrape himself out of trouble, somehow.

The funeral is sombre, to no one’s surprise. You end up on the front pew, between Roman and Kendall, though you’re not entirely sure how. The service is long, as Roman Catholic funerals usually are, in your experience, and Roman will have to sit through the rest of it after his eulogy—whether it’s good that he’ll get it over with, or bad that he’ll have to sit with it for ages after is something you can’t decide on. You suppose that regardless of which point in the service he did the eulogy, he will always have to sit with his words.

And then it’s his part, and he doesn’t even manage the first sentence. You realise, the moment that he looks over to the coffin, that it’s over. You’re the first to get to him at the front, pulling the cards from his hands and letting him collapse into you, the cards getting taken by Kendall, the Roys all there to offer some form of support to their faltering sibling. His questions, his grief, are concerned with Logan’s body, lying and waiting in that coffin. It does, admittedly, seem unnatural that such a force could be contained in such a simple box. You feel almost like you are carrying him back to the pew, tucked under your arm, and welcoming him into your side, his body pressed into yours as though you are the only thing keeping him on earth, as if he would be gone without you. You let him cling, you make it to the end of the service without a further disruption, and then tell Shiv you’ll walk him back to the reception yourself, make sure he’s in a better state before you present him to the world once more. You sneak him out somehow, find a long route back that is not impacted by protests or by paparazzi.

The walk is slow, and he comes to himself little by little by the simple process of walking. He calms his breathing, starts to look about, register his surroundings and the events of the last few hours.

“Why’d you take us this route?” he asks. It’s not the quickest route, and it’s too strange a route to simply be about avoiding photos or crowds. He’s frowning, but you don’t seem embarrassed or confused by his line of questioning.

“My grandparents used to say that you should leave a funeral in small groups, and never all take the same route. It was some superstitious thing—like, if you all took the same route back then the soul of the dead would be able to follow you home, and they’d never leave.” You don’t say that you would hate for Logan’s soul to remain here, to follow him for the rest of his life.

He frowns at you. “I don’t think there’s much we can do to stop him from staying.”

You sigh. “You’re probably right.”

“I’ll never escape him, will I?”

“Roman, for the first time in your life you can step out of this sphere. You can look at the world without the oversight of that bastard, and you can pick a direction. You have the choice, the ability to choose for yourself without his consequence. If you want so badly to escape him, then you can. It’s in your grasp.”

He doesn’t respond, meandering toward your destination. Eventually, he formulates a response. “He’s gone, but the rest of them aren’t.”

You don’t push it—it’s for another day. Instead, you hold his hands in the street, and the pair of you head towards the reception.

He’s beside you for the majority of the evening, until you go to get a drink so that kendall can have a word—a bad idea, in retrospect—and you return to find him gone. Kendall shrugs you off, and no one else knows or cares where he’s gone. You call him a few times, wonder if he just needs some quiet, and then feel your instincts correct you; Roman has not gone for a moment of quiet, you know him better than that, and there is no guarantee he is safe or calm or well.

So you leave, try his phone a few more times, and some morbid curiosity leads you toward the sounds of the protestors. Perhaps it’s your gut, perhaps there is something that viscerally understands his masochism and self destruction. You know you’ll find him in that mob, at the mercy of the only people who will show him violence like his father used to. You feel sick with the thought, nauseous with the understanding of what he is doing to himself.

Sure enough, by the time you find him he has been beaten to a pulp, he is black and blue and bloody, damn near smiling with the pain despite being barely able to stand or walk, destroyed by a sadistic crowd. They do not know this man, you think, as you bundle him into a car, they do not understand grief if they can do this to a man who had freshly lost his father.

At your apartment, you sit him against the bathroom wall, on the floor, splatters of blood on his clothes, tainting the white tiles. He’s incoherent as you sort the first aid kit, and find a cloth to clean him up with. You work methodically, sure to keep him conscious in case of a concussion, as you clean and dress every part of broken skin, and treat his bruises with an ointment you find in the bottom of the kit, and strip him of his stained clothes, providing him with a change. You do not leave him alone, for fear of what might happen, and help him into some new clothes, sweaters and top, too casual for him to ever actually wear—you’d bought the joggers over a year ago and seen him wear them twice—before settling him into bed. You know enough about concussions to know you should wake him up frequently to check on him, but for now you let the tears come in waves. You’ve cleaned the physical wounds, and you hope that with every round of tears comes a cleanse, one that will make the wounds of his broken life easier to heal come the morning, as though the tears themselves will act to wash the grit from the graze, or to pick the shrapnel out from the marred flesh of this open wound.

You look around your apartment, out the window at the city below, and an idea strikes you—almost certainly a bad one, but you’re beyond the point of caring. “Rome,” you say, “You wanna go to Barbados?”

-

Caroline’s place in Barbados is lovely, if a little mosquito-ridden, and it feels oddly bonding to care for Roman together with his distant, almost neglectful mother. She loves him, that much is true, but it’s never enough.

You have thought more about your own mother in the last two weeks than in the last few years—not because you’d wanted to forget her, you saw her in everything—these thoughts were more active, like you were searching for the memories that might guide you in how to deal with this, or help Roman to cope. Your mother had been a different kind of a parent to Logan, and her issues had never been sought out—it was like no matter what she did, she would always have been claimed the same way, her life would always have made yours worse, despite anyone’s efforts to change that.

The poison drips through. That had been your sister’s line, and now Kendall’s. You’d experienced some of what your mother had first-hand, and it always made you wonder if everyone is destined to become their parents, to mirror their lives no matter how consciously they tried to avoid it; whether they resign themselves to it, or try so hard to avoid it that they do a full circle, returning to the likeness of their parents, everyone you’ve ever known is the product of their parents; it is biological, cultural, psychological.

It’s no surprise when Shiv arrives, ready to turn Roman to her side of the discussion about the board meeting. It’s late afternoon when you and Shiv find a moment—Roman has disappeared, and you sit on the paved surrounding to the pool, legs soaked up to your knees, weight leant back on your arms. The youngest Roy is somewhere behind you, to the right, probably on a deck chair.

“Do you think—and tell me to fuck off if you like—that maybe this whole deal is a good thing?”

You hear her sit up, and turn to look at her. She’s frowning at you, “How so?”

“I don’t know, ‘cause, like, you guys—all of you—have just been trapped in this sphere of Waystar and ATN and your dad, and all of you are just fucking miserable. What if you—what would be so bad about just getting out? You could free yourselves from all this bullshit, and there’s no Logan to pull you back in, so you could just… be. Just, y’know, learn a bit more about who you are outside of your father’s sphere of influence. Plus, like, Kendall’s gonna break, Roman already has, and you—all of you—are, frankly, pretty fucking fragile at the minute.”

She moves to come and sit next to you, slipping her feet into the pool beside yours. “You don’t understand.”

You shrug. “I’m sure I don’t.”

“We’re never, really, going to be free of it. Any of it.”

She shifts, her head resting on the bare skin of your shoulder, hair ticklish on your neck. You rest the side of your face on the crown of her head. “Maybe, maybe that’s true. But for the first time in your lives, the door’s open.”

The silence stretches out over the pool, filling the air, making you wonder what’s going on in her head. You sit like that for a while and at some point you realise she’s crying— not sobbing, not shaking with the force of it, but just sitting there, letting the tears stream; you don’t think she’s even really blinking, but the stillness remains, you don’t move. She needs this. You know about the scheduled meeting rooms for crying—Roman mentioned it—but this doesn’t feel like mourning. Not for her father, at least.

“Hey, fucknuts,” Roman calls, appearing at the edge of the courtyard, still barefoot in the shorts and top Caroline had gotten him when you first arrived. Shiv swiftly brushes the tears away, smiling up at him. He looks between you. “Ah, fuck—what… nevermind.”

Suddenly, you are plunging through the chlorinated water, lungs straining at the shock, hands splaying out through the cyan waters, in some momentarily suspended, bubbly universe, the tiled walls of the pool reflecting its pale, eggshell blue translucence onto your skin. You burst upward, drawing in a deep breath and flicking your hair from your face as your toes find the floor of the pool. “Argh, fuck you!”

Roman is laughing, Shiv in a similar state to you, and the moment feels distinctly child-like. You wade through the neck-deep water to the edge, and reach up to him to help you out, but he shakes his head. “Fuck that,” he chides, “I’m not that stupid.”

Shiv is laughing now, and you realise that you’re smiling despite yourself. “Rome, come on, at least help the pregnant lady.”

“Yeah, Rome, help the pregnant lady!” Shiv echoes, joining you at the edge and reaching for him. He knows what’s about to happen and submits himself to it regardless, letting her get a grip of his hands and be practically thrown over your heads, crashing sidelong into water. The splash and waves lap at your chin but you and Shiv are too busy laughing to notice; he struggles upright and rolls his eyes through his smile.

“Cunts.” he groans.

Shiv splashes him in the face with some water, and he swears again, splashing her back and catching you in the process. The ensuing water fight is short and chaotic, halted by Caroline’s arrival to tell you all to be quiet. Roman is laughing, the three of you paddling to the shallow end through some half-hearted apologies. Clambering out and grabbing some towels, you meander down to the seats and drinks table overlooking the seas, drying out your hair and letting conversation turn to business. This is where Kendall finds you, twenty minutes later, in a serious discussion about the board meeting.

The next few hours are a rollercoaster. Calls, discussions, debates, the classic Roy egoistical outlook on why each of them are better suited to the CEO position and why they have been groomed for it. Privately, as you meander in and out of their discussions, conscious that you’re not really involved in their family stuff at all, you settle on the idea that perhaps none of them are. Your feelings about the deal are one thing, meant to be separate from your feelings about them, but they intertwine now—the future of the company lies with them, and their capabilities, and their decisions. That’s not particularly your concern, you’ve been starting to manoeuvre your way out of your current position of influence, toying with the idea of leaving completely, selling your shares and heading elsewhere, but the idea of leaving them behind, leaving Roman behind, is too difficult to consider. What if you didn’t have to factor that in? What if you could walk away knowing it wasn’t them you were walking away from?

It’s this spiralling thought process that subdues you during dinner, ignoring Peter’s friend—James? John?—and knocking back continuous cocktails. Shiv frowns at you, “Trying to get hungover before the board meeting?”

You let out a half laugh. “If I drink a bit more tomorrow I won’t get the hangover.”

Kendall watches you for a second. “Clear minds tomorrow.”

You roll your eyes. Caroline glares at you all for ignoring the pitch you’re currently being presented with and you glance at Roman beside you. He’s anxious, he has been since the morning of the funeral, and you get the sense that he—body, mind and soul—is consuming himself, like he’s just destroying the fabric of himself from the inside out, so destroyed by his father’s death. The whole structure of his life, its fabric and its character, has been defined by his father’s presence and absence, and the man’s ability to maintain his presence even through his absence, but that presence, that famed presence, their “dear, dear world of a father” diminishes with every passing second.

Roman’s hand finds yours under the table, slightly clammy, taking you by surprise. His initiation is uncharacteristic. You give his hand a slight squeeze, and in response he laces his fingers into yours, a more substantial hold. Be here, he seems to ask. The world goes quiet—it’s just you, Roman, and your palms against one another under the table.

Like all things, the moment passes, the chaos returns. More phone calls, an equivocal end to the dinner, and you end up at the house, the Roys down at the beach. You lie at the end of Roman’s bed, feet still on the floor, staring at the ceiling fan; there could be any manner of discussions going on between the siblings at the sea, you could wake up to find they’ve drowned one another or something. Knocked each other out with a coconut or some shit. Roman, your Roman, and his grief, his deep felt love and guilt and terror, lost in the storm of this entire shitshow. You think of that day at Connor’s ranch when you saw the scars on Logan’s back, Ewan’s eulogy about his polio and self-blame, the mirror he made his children look in when they cried. Broken people make broken people. It’s easy to think of time as linear—past, present, future—but it’s more of a circle, you think. Infinite, never-ending, always repeating the same old mistakes. Kendall’s distant fathering, Logan’s abusive fathering—were they really so different?

The poison drips through.

It’s difficult to compare your childhood with the Roys’, but you remember those same thoughts, of a different nature—you’d been lucky enough to live in a world where things were talked about, and you had been able to process things as they happened, rather than let them bubble under the surface, but there had always been that idea. Your family history, the mental health troubles, ECT treatments and various crises in your family history, long before your time, and the effects that you had grown up with. You remember the first time you understood that your mother wasn’t quite right. You remember trying to get her out of bed to walk you to school and the realisation that she wasn’t really there, not in her mind, anyway. And in your teenage years, when you felt that yourself for the first time, you remember the terror of becoming her, of losing all feeling until you couldn’t get out of bed for days at a time.

When you took Roman to her funeral, you hadn’t told him how she’d died, too scared it would be weird or uncomfortable. He’d worked it out, and confronted you in the bathroom at the wake. Sat on the bath met, you had unleashed it all on him, and it had been one of the few genuine conversations you’d had with him in those first years. It had been a different kind of a struggle to his—it wasn’t actively inflicted by your parents, it wasn’t an intentional abuse like the kind he had experienced, but an enforced bystander effect—instead, you had had to stand at the sidelines as your mother collapsed in on herself, decaying before your eyes until you gave up and left. Half the world away, you had learned to understand those things, but now Roman had hints of it in him—he was barely even a bystander in his father’s death, but the grief and guilt were parallel.

This deal was his version of moving to NYC. An escape, an out.

You must drift off, because you open your eyes to the muffled chant; a meal fit for a king. Downstairs, you find them, concocting some awful smoothie, cackling like maniacs. As teenagers, it had been one of those games you’d played when their parents were away, seeing who could stomach the most awful of concoctions for trivial prizes and rewards—apparently this is similar, an initiation to a proper CEO position, on Kendall’s part. You make yourself known by handing Shiv a bottle of Tabasco, Kendall groaning and the other two cheering.

Caroline’s interruption only spurs it on, and by the time you’re heading back to bed, the smoothie having been dumped on Kendall’s head, a crown, you can barely stand you’re so tired.

Still vaguely unfamiliar, you wake up with Roman’s face pressed into your neck, his breath warm and ticklish on your skin, arm thrown over your waist and legs tangled together, a position that makes you think he really is comfortable with you, even if it’s taken a ridiculously long time to get here. You wonder if he can hear the air in your lungs or the blood in your arteries, or whether he notices the patter of your heart as you recognise this display of unconscious affection. Eventually, the rest of the building comes to life, and Roman wakes, moves from you with a sort of embarrassment, changing from his Walmart shirt into business attire. You wear the pantsuit you’d gotten with this board meeting in mind a while back, your office fashion being a slight point of pride—you weren’t the biggest fan of the drab stuff people usually wore, and liked to use interesting cuts and shapes to create range in the endless blouses and blazers and skirts and trousers of your work clothes. Subtle, but not boring.

Back in NYC, after a morning of calls and diplomacy and last minute bids for votes, you are greeted with a room full of people in expensive suits waiting and chattering anxiously as board members start to file in. You still don’t know how to vote, whether you’ll side with the siblings or not. Instead of stressing, you wrangle some gossip out of Stewy and do a shot in the bathroom. Zero hour.

With a pencil, you tally up each vote on a Post-It note stuck to the page of your notebook where you were planning to take notes, both Shiv, to your right, and Roman, to your left, glance at the tally every few seconds. You will be the last three votes.

When it reaches Roman’s turn, it is 6-4 toward the deal, he votes against and you are faced with a choice. If you vote for the deal, Shiv’s vote is purely nominal, and the deal will go through whether she likes it or not—you will be the decider; if you vote against, then it is an even 6-6 and she will cast the deciding vote. You look at the faces of each of the Roys, the children who have grown up to get to this moment. It feels ridiculous that it might be your choice. In the end, that is what makes you vote how you do—this is their livelihood more than it is yours, and you want Shiv to have the options in front of her—you can cope either way. So you vote against the deal—not for any loyalty to Kendall, but for one of your oldest friends, to give her some ounce of autonomy when you know that’s something that has been scarce in her life. Perhaps it's cruel to give her the choice between her brother and her husband, but, selfishly, you don’t want Roman to hate you.

“No, I vote against.” you eventually utter out, earning a triumphant nod from Kendall. Shiv glances at your tally, confirming the equal scores, confirming that it is her choice that makes or breaks the deal—literally.

And she breaks.

You see them, the Roy children, through the glass walls that separate the various conference rooms. You see the pain, the anger, the fear; it comes to a head, and all of the raw emotion of the last days is borne into the world, witnessed through the glass. You listen to Kendall’s rage, and for a minute you are a teenager, listening to one of Logan’s tantrums after one of Roman’s misdemeanours. For a minute, you realise how quickly Kendall turns into his father. For a minute, you feel your heart break on their behalf—at the end of the day, they are children, mourning for a father whose love was confusing and hateful.

The poison drips through.

You are your mother’s daughter, and he is his father’s son.

Afterwards, as you stand beside Shiv in a commemorative photograph, it is understood that there is no singular reason behind this. The freedom of her siblings; the power as the wife of a CEO, not the sister; the wishes of her late father; Kendall’s rage; Roman’s breakdown; the inevitable becoming of one’s own mother. When you and Roman leave, despite the knowledge that Roman is emotional and angry and probably confused by a sense of relief, you resolve that you will call her in the morning. You’ll make your exit as quietly as you can, but you will try to book Saturday morning brunches with her like you used to when you were in your early twenties. You’ll text Rava a little more, and try to create some positive influences in the next generations of Roy children.

You think of your parents. Of Logan, of Caroline, of your own siblings and your own childhood. The poison drips through. What if it doesn’t have to?

#roman roy x reader #shiv roy x reader #succession #succession x reader #roman roy #shiv roy #Kendall roy #succession fanfiction

[shuttershocky]

So, how did being Dad to a Boy for five days straight go?

I've been replaying it while on holiday for the Lunar New Year, yeah.

I've always had complicated feelings towards God of War 2018. Hack and Slash / Character Action is my favorite genre of action games so to see the most established western hack and slash move away from that in favor of Dad of Boy's really slow combat with the camera SO DAMN CLOSE TO HIS SHOULDERS like we're playing Resident Evil 4 and seeing websites calling it an upgrade to more "thoughtful" combat really grinds my gears.

I also disliked how Dad of Boy feels so affected by modern AAA game design's obsession with RPGs. There are RPG elements now where equipment has stats to min-max. Every battle ends with XP GAINED on the right side of the screen. There's a leveling system based on the overall strength of your equipment that I really, really hate because it's not actually based on the strength of your equipment, but each equipment's "level" factor (for example, an accessory with worse stats but a higher rarity will give a bigger boost in level than a lower rarity accessory with better stats), and this matters because rather than a measure of how powerful you are, enemy behavior changes depending on the level gap. If an enemy is 3 levels above you with a purple health bar, their attacks deal more damage and become unblockable, rather than their difficulty being based entirely on the raw difference in your stats. I would ignore that anyway and take on some purple HP bar opponents if I could, but coming back to an encounter later with a higher level and seeing an enemy I couldn't defeat literally have behavior changed to become way easier after I caught up in levels (suddenly their unblockable attacks become parryable!) was fucking bullshit. The difference in strength from a level gap should be the strength in levels, not having attacks changed to become easier if you've caught up. Fuck.

That being said, I actually like the story direction Dad of Boy takes, which was many old fans' complaints about the game. They're always like "It takes itself too seriously now, Kratos isn't any fun anymore" okay but the very premise of Dad of Boy is fascinating. The young Kratos would literally grab a random woman fleeing the wrath of the gods and throw her into some gears to keep the gates from closing, the fact that they made God of War 2018 a sequel and not a reboot, where the shadow of Kratos' actions in Greece that led to the destruction of the Greek pantheon and the death of the entire country haunts him, is so damn cool.

I just really, really love the concept of seeing THE Hyper-Murder Man resurface years later as a father and be forced to confront that his sweet-natured son Atreus, who he thought took entirely after his mother, turn out to have the same violent temper and arrogance that he once did.

Sure, Zeus and the Greek gods had it coming the way Odin and the rest of the Aesir currently have it coming, but Kratos recognizing the soul-crushing pain his path of vengeance took him through and wanting to save his son from that, and yet not having the emotional intelligence to connect to Atreus, finally gives him a Herculean battle that he can't solve with his fists.

Shut up about Sony specializing in movie games for a second, Kratos is terrified by seeing even a little bit of himself inside his son, but the only tool he has in this fight is martial discipline because being a Spartan is the only form of self-control he's ever known. Yes ,Dad of Boy being ashamed of God of War the video game sucks, but Kratos being ashamed of being the God of War as soon as he loves someone and sees it affect them is so damn interesting. Control the God of War in his son? Kratos can barely control himself. You wonder where the old Kratos went and then if you stun a Wulver and go for the instant kill Kratos grabs the werewolf by the jaw and rips it in half while building Spartan Rage and you're like "Ah he's right here"

I just really, really like the idea of doing something so ambitious with such an established character with years of history behind him. Old man fueled by parental love really wants to break the cycle of violence when he can't stop breaking necks is an idea I'll always get hooked on.

Plus, Kratos has the smartest man in the world's head hanging from his belt trying to give him dad advice in between telling him the undead are all coming from his left. That's pretty funny.

[rippleclan]

[Image ID: The title of this lore post is "Clan Holidays: Harvest Moon". The image below the title is a pixelated, yellow full moon.]

Ah, so Puddlespeckle's tales about the Harvest Moon stirred your curiousity, huh? Well if you're curious what this holiday is like, I'll happily tell you more.

Clan Calendar: When To Celebrate Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon is much easier to track than Longest Night due to the Clan's reliance on the moon and the seasons to track time. The harvest moon is the first full moon of autumn. The Clans are experts in tracking the patterns of the moon, so it is easy to know when the harvest moon is about to rise over the Clans.

Harvest Moon Origins

It was the first autumnal Gathering to include AshClan as a full Clan. The great fire that decimated the territories meant that there were fewer flax harvests from WheatClan. SlugClan's prized mud was still hard underneath their warriors' paws. LynxClan was growing hungry, and AshClan hoarded what little they had for themselves. The gloom of approaching cold moons hung over their heads and more than a few left entirely for the security of the human settlements. It was slated to be an unpleasant Gathering, but the worst was yet to come.

LynxClan had a new deputy by the name of Fuzzytuft. This relaxed tom felt unprepared for his new position. He lacked leaderly ambitions. While he had great ideas to revitalize LynxClan, he struggled to put them into action. As the Gathering began, he slipped away from the other deputies, who seemed more qualified than he ever would be. As he took a breath away from the crowd, a stranger approached, begging for help. They were sick and bleeding. Fuzzytuft was horrified and brought the stranger to the Leader's Stone so the clerics could help them. But he forgot the old stories and did not realize this cat was a Herald, a Spirit of Shadow who revealed a path for its allies.

The harvest moon strengthened its powers. As soon as it got close to the heart of the Gathering, it dissolved into a puddle of shadow. From that puddle, all the forces of the Dark Forest and beyond poured into the Gathering. It was only the strength and paranoia of the survivors of the fire that helped the Clans win that monstrous battle, but not without more tragedies. The horror began AshClan's era of isolation and inspired the other Clans to search for protections from this night when the shadows held such power.

Preparation

Harvest Moon is a day to protect the Clans from the Spirits of Shadow that lurk on the edges and threaten innocent lives. There are many types of spirits, but each Clan typically focuses on a specific type for Harvest Moon in any given year. Clerics and artisans prepare special protections against the spirit, including charms, rituals, and a performance detailing a story with the spirit.

The Clans also want to show off the bounties of summer before the cold moons cover the land. Artisans and caretakers coordinate a grand meal. LynxClan typically organizes the meal as they are closest to the Leader's Stone. Each Clan wants to provide the star catch and push hunting patrols to find a particularly juicy piece of prey to cook.

Celebration

The Clans arrive at the Leader's Stone at early dawn. Only kits, those too weak to travel, and a couple guards stay behind. The Clans spend the entire day at the Leader's Stone, only leaving late into the night. It can be considered a day gathering due to the games and challenges that sporatically spring up, but it differs due to a strong focus on ritual, performance, and morality tales warning listeners of signs of the Spirits of Shadow.

Unlike other Gatherings, where cats stay behind for an informal After-Gathering, everyone leaves at the same time. This is to maintain the spiritual protection developed during the celebration. If someone stays behind, they risk weakening the protection and inviting the Spirits of Shadow to hunt them.

#warrior cats #clangen #rippleclan #warriors #rippleclan lore

[short-wooloo]

Favorite Lightsabers explanations

original post:

https://www.tumblr.com/short-wooloo/714444043240783872/short-wooloo-favorite-jedi-lightsabers-1-mace

1. Mace: THE purple lightsaber, to the point that I'm unwilling to accept anyone else having a purple saber while Mace is alive (before or after is fine, but my headcanon is Mace's concentrated awesomeness caused the Force to go "no one else gets a purple one"), the shock and surprise at a purple saber onscreen in aotc is one of my most cherished memories, I also love the hilts design, the slender semi-symmetry and gold accents

2. Yoda: I can never get over the simple fact that Yoda has a lightsaber, as a kid I didn't think it was allowed, so seeing him draw his saber in the theater (much like Mace's purple) blew my mind, and I love how Yoda's saber has some visual cues and similarities to the other sabers of the lineage

3. Obi-Wan (TPM): this one was MY LIGHTSABER as a kid, I had a toy of this one and I'd spend hours running around pretending to be Obi-Wan and cut down battle droids

4. Luke: the original green lightsaber, everyone who has one lives in Luke's shadow, I also think Luke's is a better version of Obi-Wan's lightsaber design, the mostly silver with a hint of Bronze accenting it really just works, and the green is just so pretty, this saber is the reason why the high end toy saber I bought has a green blade

5. Stellan Gios: I love it because it does something I never considered, it's BOTH kinds of crossguard saber! Physical and energy blade, thus it's also insanely practical too! Now your hands are protected from the crossguard blades, and I like how when deactivated the physical crossguard folds up

6. Rey: first yellow saber onscreen! Wish it hadn't been only at the end, would have put this one higher (3rd or 4th) if so (at least I have the LEGO Holiday special), but since Rey's getting a new movie, we'll see more of it in action and I'll have to move it up on the list, but anyways I love how it's made from Rey's staff, it represents where she came from and what she’s become, symbolism is great

7. Tenel Ka: Its a lightsaber made into a tooth, that is so cool, love it, reused it for an oc, also it's the only instance I can think of in SW where a first attempt at building a lightsaber went wrong and the builder had to redo it

8. F: Yellow lightsaber and a katana? Yes please!

9. Zayne Carrick: I don’t think he was the one who introduced me to the idea of yellow lightsabers, but he is the one who popularized it for me, and I think he’s the first major/lead protagonist in a SW story to have one, or at the very least his story was the first I read where the lead had a yellow lightsaber

10. Gungi: I love stuff carved from wood, my favorite aesthetic, so a lightsaber with a wooden hilt is an instant win for me, and the green blade just makes it feel so natural

Bonus, Megatron: it's purple and its a transformer lightsaber! It needs to be in more Megatron toys

@ensomniaa

#wooloo-writes #wooloo writes #star wars #sw #lightsabers #mace windu #rey #rey skywalker #yoda #obi wan kenobi #stellan gios #gungi #tenel ka djo #zayne carrick #sw visions f #luke skywalker #megatron #transformers

[lemaistrechat]

Phases of Skeletor’s Life

Sources are what I’ll call “the main 80s continuity”. This includes both Filmation cartoons, mini-comics packed with the action figures near the end of the line but not before, the newspaper comic and The New Adventures of He-Man.

PHASE 1, Backstory. Skeletor was either a demon from another dimension who always had a bare skull for a head, or King Randor’s brother Keldor. If the latter, his experiments with magic caused him to uncontrollably cross spacetime (”The Search for Keldor”).

He studied magic under Hordak (making it possible that his extra-dimensional demon homeland was Horde World, but no writer has explicitly said so) and arrived/returned to Eternia with his invasion fleet. As the Horde conquest failed, Skeletor was stranded behind enemy lines at the end of a half-successful commando mission to steal the King and Queen’s twins (She-Ra, “The Secret of the Sword”/”Reunions”)

Between the Horde invasion landing and its failure, they made Snake Mountain their base. Skeletor convinced Zanthor, a member of the Council of the Wise, to betray its Golden Discs of Knowledge to him, using knowledge their contained to shape the Snake Mountain base. Zanthor was banished to a phantom dimension by Zodac and the rest of the Council of the Wise, then they disbanded. (He-Man episode “The Golden Discs of Knowledge”)

Besides Hordak any other named Hordesmen in the invasion force, and briefly Zanthor, Skeletor’s earliest allies were Beast Man, Mer-Man, Trap Jaw (AKA Kronis), Tri-Klops and Evil-Lyn. The 2002 continuity showed the order they joined Keldor (Beast Man -> Kronis / Tri-Klops or vice versa -> Evil-Lyn, Mer-Man implicitly last) but this one didn’t. Fisto also held his forest domain as a fief from Skeletor for some time, defecting when Prince Adam was 16. (He-Man episode “Fisto’s Forest”)

PHASE 2-1 (Filmation Season 1)

Skeletor and Beast Man reassemble the Evil Warriors. They spend many months on various schemes to take over Eternia, though rarely in the full group of six. Prince Adam is 18.

PHASE 2-2 (Filmation Season 2)

New Evil Warriors join: Clawful, Webstor, Whiplash, Kobra Khan, Two Bad, Spikor and Modulok.

PHASE 2-3 (Filmation She-Ra)

Skeletor meets Hordak again. They briefly team up (”Secret of the Sword”/”Battle for Brightmoon”), then fight whenever they meet (”Gateway to Trouble”, “My Friend My Enemy”, “Of Shadows and Skulls”, “Horde Prime Takes a Holiday”, Christmas Special). Modulok soon defects to the Horde. Prince Adam turns 20 or 21. Skeletor, Beast Man and Trap Jaw are last seen together assaulting the Bee People’s Hive starship (She-Ra, “Assault on the Hive”).

PHASE 3, honorary Snake Man and new Evil Warriors

One day when only he and Kobra Khan are at Snake Mountain, Skeletor goes spelunking into unexplored caves beneath Snake Mountain. King Hiss is released from mystic confinement. Rattlor and Tung Lashor are summoned from the Etherian Horde to join him. Hypothetically, Skeletor and King Hiss are independent allies living together and each planning to backstab the other when He-Man and Hordak are defeated, but all the old Evil Warriors stop coming to Snake Mountain and the pair act like co-commanders of the Snake Men. King Hiss manages to free Sssqueeze and Snake Face from where they were mystically banished. The robots Blast Attack and Twistoid are added to this group. (mini-comics “King of the Snake Men”, “Snake Attack”, “The Ultimate Battleground!”, “Revenge of the Snake Men”, “Energy Zoids”. Alternate telling in “Vengeance of the Viper King” newspaper comic.)

Eventually the Snake Men are banished again. Either before or after this, Skeletor summons Scare Glow and Ninjor from across space and time to serve him. This doesn’t seem to work out long-term. (”The Search for Keldor” mini-comic, “Ninjor Stalks by Night” newspaper comic)

With the Snake Men gone, Skeletor summons alien mercenaries Saurod and Blade. Evil-Lyn and Beast Man return to him, though at one point they also try to run away from him and conquer Blade’s home planet Merrian.

PHASE 4, The New Adventures

Some time later, Skeletor has become a cyber-lich, with advanced prosthetics all over his remaining flesh.

He lives at Snake Mountain with none of the Evil Warriors except a tribe of humans who wear ram hides. He also has a different staff from the old Havoc Staff.

He makes his way onto a starship from Primus and joins the Mutants of Denebria led by Flogg. (New Adventures, “A New Beginning”)

On the moon of Nordor, he finds a power crystal that changes his body/armor again. (New Adventures, “Sword & Staff”)

He falls in love with a Mutant woman, Crita.

His beloved Crita schemes her way into a position of power independent of Flogg as the Queen of the Gleanons of planet Necron. When a peace treaty is signed between the rulers of Primus and Flogg’s Mutants, he and Crita do not abide by it and attack He-Man and his friends. He-Man knocks them into a small spacecraft and sarcastically officiates their wedding before tossing it into orbit. (”The Final Invasion”)

That was the last we saw of him before continuity reboots. Really.

#motu #the new adventures of he-man #skeletor #hordak #the horde #eternian royal family #snake men #king hiss #evil warriors #flogg #crita #he-man #nyeh!

[aroayr-shuk]

Who wants to have a Star Wars marathon with me?

And I'm not talking just the movies

Not just the live action

Not just the ones we like

I mean a marathon, all of the movies, TV shows, live action and animated, all of it.

That means the Prequels, The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, Solo, Kenobi, Andor, the Originals, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Resistance, and the Sequels. Yes even Visions and Tales of the Jedi. And I have nothing against watching all of the shorts Blips, Forces of Destiny, and Grogu and Dust Bunnies. And yes, before you start to get comfortable even the "vintage" Star Wars Clone Wars, Ewoks, The Battle for Endor, The Faithful Wookie, Caravan of Courage, Droids. Holiday Specials! And to top it all off, we'll watch the Lego Star Wars 😈

#star wars #a new hope #return of the jedi #the empire strikes back #the phantom menace #attack of the clones #revenge of the sith #the clone wars #the bad batch #solo #kenobi series #rebels #rogue one #andor #the mandalorian #the book of boba fett #resistance #the force awakens #the last jedi #the rise of skywalker #tales of the jedi #visions #lego star wars #anakin skywalker #luke skywalker #leia organa #padme amidala #obi wan kenobi #clone troopers

[redgoldsparks]

December reading and reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon.

The Savage Beard of She Dwarf by Kyle Latino

She Dwarf might be the last of her kind, but this only fuels her desire for adventure, danger, and travel. Her famous warrior mother died before she could lead She Dwarf though the final coming of age trials, so our hero is on a quest to find the lost kingdom of Dwarves to see what knowledge she can gain from the ruins. A long the way she battles and befriends a whimsical cast of misfits who end up tagging along for the journey for reasons of their own. This story is action packed, fun, beautifully drawn and extremely aesthetically queer though there are no outright discussions of anyone's gender or sexuality. I highly recommend this comic for fantasy comic fans of all ages, it was released during covid and never got the promotion or attention it deserved. Buy this book for someone for the holidays!

Under a Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, read by Michelle Dockrey

This third book is the series is more whimsical and light than the first two, which I suppose makes sense as it takes place primarily in a nonsense world. It introduces a few new characters, as well as bringing back Christopher and Kane from book 1. A group of these teens sets out together on a quest, but not all of them return to Earth at the end of it. I'm definitely planning to continue with the audio books of this series.

Batcat by Meggie Ramm

This magical, brightly-colored tale follows Batcat, a creature of comfort, who is driven out of their cozy home by an annoyingly friendly ghost. On their quest, Batcat is forced to face some of their deepest fears (the dark, being eaten) and some of their biggest questions: are they more a bat, or more a cat? Readers of all ages who have wondered about their own place in a world keen on dividing things into categories will relate to this quandary, and delight in the playful ways that Batcat defines themself outside of the binary. I got to read an advanced copy of this adorable book because it was written by a dear friend. Yes, I am biased, but I loved this story and highly recommend people check it out when it is released in March of 2023, or preorder it now!

Funny Planet: How Comedy Ruined Everything by Ken Jennings

This is a conversational, light, easy to read nonfiction that traces the way comedy and humor have spread their roots into almost every aspect of American life. Advertisements are now expected to be funny, as are politicians, the news, the modern art world and some types of avant-garde fashion and food. Also, social media, particularly twitter, which (even in its crumbling perhaps final days) is a near constant stream of jokes and jibes at every current happening, large or small, including very horrific tragedies that probably shouldn't be made light of. And things that were already funny, like sitcoms, have nearly doubled their joke density in the past 50 years. The author explores the historical development of comedy in these different fields, and also wonders what it is doing to our brains to be fed such a constant stream of jokes. I missed a lot of the references by virtue of having seen almost none of the TV shows or comedy specials the author was referring to, yet still found this a quick and lively read.

¡Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico by Christine Suggs

Suggs' debut memoir is a complete delight. The themes of language, translation, family, queerness, fatness, and being biracial are beautifully woven together into a rich and authentic whole. Nothing is overstated, simply presented as it was lived, and illustrated in a lovely palette of warm browns, bright golds, and smoothing blues. I loved the tiny avatar of the author's internal thoughts and how it interacted with the text and images on the page. This book uses all of the visual tools of comics to tell a wonderful coming of age story and the result is as sweet as pan dulce. I had the chance to read this book ahead of it's review and I can't recommend it more! Pre-order it now or look for it on shelves in April 2023.

The Box In The Woods by Maureen Johnson read by Kate Rudd

This fourth book in the Truly Devious YA murder mystery series introduces a new cold case for anxious teen detective Stevie Bell to bang her head against. This one, a quadruple murder from 1978 which took place in the woods outside a summer camp, was mishandled from the beginning. Dubbed 'The Box in the Woods' murders, the police at the time initially thought it was a drug deal gone wrong, then thought it might be the work of a contemporary serial killer. Stevie is hired by the new owner of the summer camp, who wants to make a podcast about the crime. Stevie doesn't care about the podcast, but she does love getting to bring her friends with her to a camp and getting her hands on a difficult case. This book continues to develop Stevie's friendships and romantic relationship in satisfying ways. I remain very delighted by and impressed with this series, and I'm excited there's a fifth book coming out before the end of the year!

Buzzing by Samuel Sattin and Rye Hickman

]The power of a supportive role playing group can't fix everything, but it goes a long way. Isaac is a teen with OCD, who suffers from near constant intrusive thoughts, cleverly visualized here as bees with mean voices. Over the story he builds confidence and community by leaning into his love of fantasy and drawing; as a former fellow misfit teen artist, it was wonderful to watch him grow. This is a nuanced and diverse coming of age story, I'm so excited for all of the readers who will discover it and see themselves in it. The art is excellent, both in the real world day to day parts of the story and the D&D fantasy parts of the story. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this book because I am friends with both of the authors- pre order it now, or look for it on shelves in July 2023!

Falcon written and read by Helen Macdonald

This was my second book this year by Helen MacDonald. Shorter and more traditionally nonfiction that H is for Hawk, this book is a collection of facts and anecdotes about the relationship of falcons and humans across many centuries and cultures. Human have long anthropomorphized falcons, attributing to them traits such as nobility, cunning, and martial prowess. Humans have been training and hunting with falcons for at least 3,000 years; lately, we have driven many species to near extinction, and created involved and wide ranging programs to try and rehabilitate the dwindling populations. I listened to this entire four hour audiobook during one long car ride and was well entertained the whole time.

Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni

Chris, Jo, Elise, and Alex bonded over being the only queer waiters at a restaurant, but their friendship long outlasted their stint at the job. Ten years on, the crew, now in their mid and late thirties, face a whole slew of new challenges: parenting, vying for promotions, balancing partying and work, being judged by baby gays at the club, and scariest of all, drifting apart. Fans of Bongiovanni's Grease Bats will enjoy the familiar flavors of a messy, horny, queer and trans friend squad but paired with a more nuanced slice-of-life narrative. These characters are trying to stay true to themselves, invest in their communities, get laid, and support each other. But it's not so easy to balance all of those conflicting needs, and they frequently fall short. I was left hoping that the characters could forgive each other's deeply human failings. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of the book- it's available for pre-order now, or check it out when it's released in March 2023!

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker Chan

What a wonderful book to end the year with! This one came highly recommended by many friends and did not disappoint. Epic in scale, with fantasy rooted in Chinese history, this story is set in an alternate mid-1300s with Mongols attempting to control all of mainland China, but resisted by a rebel force. The book opens with Zhu, the only daughter of a peasant family struggling to survive during a famine. A fortune teller predicted a great destiny for Zhu's one brother, and nothing for her. But when her brother dies, Zhu decides she will inhabit his destiny instead. She disguises herself as a boy to seek shelter and education in a monastery, a story trope I have always enjoyed, but especially here because this book takes the narrative in a explicitly trans/genderqueer direction by the end. Elsewhere in the story, a eunuch general in the Mongol army hides a bitter desire for revenge from his dearest friend; the rebel leaders battle each other for power, doing nearly as much damage to their cause as they do to their enemies; and a daughter of a rebel commander despairs over the constant bloodshed and death of the seemingly endless war. This is a complicated conflict, in which neither side is morally superior to the other; I was equally compelled by the personalities on each side and also certain that all of them were on a path towards destruction that they could not escape.

#reading #book reviews #comic book reviews #books #audiobooks

[felassan]

BioWare Blog post - Community Update: May the 4th Be With You

BioWare Community Update

Friends! Welcome back to another BioWare Community Update!

The fourth day of May is a special holiday. It is one when we come together to celebrate all things Star Wars™. So please, allow us to say: Star Wars Day! May the 4th Be With You

While everyone celebrates differently, our May the 4th celebration brings with it a variety of special treats for players of Star Wars: The Old Republic™. First off, all players who log in between May 3rd and May 10th will earn a new minipet: the adorably boxy and extremely visible orange P1-XL Droid. 

During that same time, the Cartel Market will be holding a 50%-off collection-unlock sale—and all players will earn double XP. All these promotions run from May 3 (starting at 1200 GMT) to May 10 (ending at 1200 GMT).

We’ve also heard whispers about special May the 4th observances from our friends elsewhere in EA. But you’ll have to ask them about that.

Meet The Team

This is a particularly special May the 4th for us, because Star Wars: The Old Republic recently celebrated its 10th anniversary! So, it’s a perfect time to get to know some of the people behind the game. For this edition of the Community Update, we sat down with Creative Director Charles Boyd, Project Director Keith Kanneg, Lead Cinematic Designer Ashley Ruhl, and Community Manager Jackie Ko to discuss all things Star Wars.

First off, what’s your earliest memory of Star Wars?

KEITH: Well, mine may be the earliest. I had my first date with my wife nearly 45 years ago—to see Star Wars: A New Hope! Over the years, we took our kids to all the Star Wars films, waiting in lines for days, just to be near the front of the crowd.

CHARLES: I honestly don’t have one specific memory. I grew up with the original trilogy on Betamax and all the toys from my older brother, so it feels like it’s always been a big part of my life.

ASHLEY: I was maybe 7 or 8 years old. I remember watching Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on VHS, and at the end there was a trailer for Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. I excitedly asked my mom “So when does the next one come out?!” and was delighted to discover we already owned it.

JACKIE: I was probably around that age too—definitely younger than 10. My parents would take us to a video rental place and I remember pointing at a VHS tape of Return of the Jedi because I liked the cover art. I couldn’t quite grasp everything that was happening, but I just knew that I wanted to watch more and I wanted to be just like Princess Leia.

Why do you think Star Wars has become—and stayed—such a major cultural touchpoint? What makes it so special?

CHARLES: I think Star Wars is really excellent at presenting big, grand, and exciting ideas while also keeping them relatable. It’s as much a fairytale as a sci-fi story; family conflicts play out with blasters and space battles, and every location is populated by regular workaday folks right alongside the outlandish aliens and psychic space wizards.

KEITH: Right, Star Wars is about family, but it’s also about good versus evil, with deep and compelling stories. And, you know, lightsabers, stormtroopers, The Force…

ASHLEY: That’s what it is for me, that meshing of technology and fantasy. Star Wars has futuristic visions of spaceships and blasters that are detailed enough to feel real, but it also has a mystical power of The Force connecting all things in the galaxy. We can relate to the experiences while also believing in the magic.

JACKIE: For me, when you look at the original trilogy, it had a perfect combination of action, adventure, love, creativity, wonder—but it only gave a peek into what was clearly a much bigger universe. There are so many more stories that can be told within that galaxy, and each of those only adds to the magic.

What’s your favorite planet in Star Wars: The Old Republic?

KEITH: Oh, that’s not easy to answer! Tatooine comes to mind, but mostly due to A New Hope and a line in our game from Theron: “I don’t like Tatooine, but I do like saying Tatooine.” From a gameplay perspective, my favorite place for Daily Missions is Yavin 4, as there’s tons to do, fun missions, and a wide variety of mobs.

ASHLEY: I really like Voss. I enjoy the design of the Voss people, the landscape, and the experience of the Shrine of Healing. It’s a unique interpretation of The Force that goes beyond the Jedi–Sith conflict.

JACKIE: Alderaan! I cannot get over how beautiful this planet is. I’m from the desert, so I love any landscape that features snow—well, as long as it’s not at Hoth levels! Alderaan has the perfect balance of greenery and magical winter.

CHARLES: I don’t know if I could pick an all-time favorite, but my favorite recent addition is Mek-Sha, the lawless port built into a mined-out asteroid. I love the gritty outlaw vibe the artists brought to it. It feels like a ramshackle harbor that’s hanging over the void of space.

What is it about Star Wars: The Old Republic that has kept players coming back for more than 10 years?

JACKIE: Well, it’s like what I was saying about the original trilogy: Star Wars: The Old Republic adds to the universe several times over. There isn’t just a singular story. Players can get lost in all kinds of different stories—and then build their own stories and spaces with Strongholds and Guilds and the like.

CHARLES: It really is a unique experience. You play the hero (or villain!) of the story, decide what choices they’d make when it really counts, decide who they’ll romance or befriend or betray, and control their journey across the sprawling Star Wars galaxy.

ASHLEY: And all those different stories keep players coming back to try different roleplay opportunities. You can be a vicious Sith one day and a cavalier smuggler the next, and with a fully voiced story it feels like you’re creating your own cinematic saga. Plus, it’s fun to revisit all the iconic worlds from the movies. Riding a tauntaun mount on Hoth or a bantha on Tatooine is really satisfying.

KEITH: And I think the variety and customization helps make it special. You can be a Jedi, a Sith, a Mandalorian, and more. You can give each one a unique look. And even after 10 years, we have so much more planned. Our fans constantly push us for new content, new features, new ways to play, and I’m fully expecting we’ll continue to surprise them.

Keep an eye on our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook throughout the month to meet more of the folks who make Star Wars: The Old Republic happen. 

Community Spotlight

Given the special occasion, today we want to highlight some of the best community-created Star Wars: The Old Republic art on our feeds. Check out these amazing creators and give them some love. [link to full community spotlight]

And don’t forget to share your own creative works—art, cosplay, video, whatever—if you’d like to be featured in a future spotlight. Again, we’re on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and if you tag us or use a hashtag related to our games (like #SWTOR) we’ll be sure to see it. 

Until Next Time

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Star Wars: The Old Republic yet, there’s no better time than right now. Over these past ten years, Star Wars: The Old Republic has been fortunate to be home to a vibrant community and has a ton for new players to explore. If you’re curious to learn more about the game, be sure to check out its website for more details.

Until next time, May the 4th—and The Force—Be With You!

The BioWare Team

[source]

#bioware #video games #SW:TOR #long post #longpost

[hividsmarttv]

Hi there Hividians

Hubert the bot here, happy 4th of July to those who celebrate this holiday and a happy day to each and every one of you.

We have a special fourth of July stand in store right now with some blockbuster titles to celebrate this holiday. They are:

Born On The Fourth Of July Genre: Drama/War On the Fourth of July, a passionate young man's life takes a fateful turn as he enlists in the Vietnam War, experiencing the horrors of battle, enduring life-altering injuries, and struggling to find his place in a world he no longer recognizes upon his return.

Hamilton Genre: Musical/Drama "Hamilton" is a groundbreaking musical that chronicles the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton, from his humble beginnings as an immigrant to his pivotal role in shaping American history, told through captivating hip-hop music and an innovative theatrical presentation.

Harriet Genre: Biographical/Drama "Harriet" is an inspiring biographical drama that follows the incredible journey of Harriet Tubman, a former slave turned abolitionist, as she escapes slavery, risks her life to lead others to freedom through the Underground Railroad, and becomes an iconic figure in the fight against slavery.

Independence Day Genre: Science Fiction/Action In the midst of a catastrophic alien invasion on Earth, a group of determined survivors, including a skilled fighter pilot, a brilliant scientist, and a resourceful President, join forces to devise a daring plan to save humanity and reclaim their independence on July 4th.

National Treasure Genre: Adventure/Mystery "National Treasure" follows a treasure hunter and historian who embarks on a perilous quest, deciphering intricate clues and uncovering hidden secrets, in a race against time to protect a priceless historical treasure from falling into the wrong hands.

Captain America: Civil War Genre: Superhero/Action "Captain America: Civil War" pits the Avengers against each other as a political agenda divides them into opposing factions, leading to an epic clash between Captain America and Iron Man while they grapple with personal loyalties and the fate of their superhero team.

An American Tail Genre: Animation/Adventure "An American Tail" follows the heartwarming journey of a young Russian-Jewish mouse named Fievel Mousekewitz as he immigrates to America, faces the challenges of a new life, and sets out to reunite with his family while encountering memorable characters along the way.

Lincoln Genre: Historical/Drama "Lincoln" delves into the tumultuous final months of Abraham Lincoln's presidency, as he navigates the complexities of the American Civil War, pursues the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to abolish slavery, and grapples with personal and political challenges in his quest to unite a divided nation.

Flags Of Our Fathers Genre: War/Drama

"Flags of Our Fathers" recounts the true story of the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the six American soldiers who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi, exploring the complexities of heroism, media manipulation, and the impact of war on the lives of these men.

You can find these titles on the Fourth of July movie stand located next to the manager's specials.

Copyable DVDs: L$99 Transferable DVDs: L$79 Expand your collection or gift them.

Hivid -Bringing People Together

[shortfeedshq]

May the 4th Be With You: Celebrating Star Wars Day

If you’re a fan of the epic space opera franchise, Star Wars, then you probably know that May 4th is a special day in the fandom. Dubbed as “Star Wars Day,” it’s a celebration of all things Star Wars, from the iconic characters and memorable moments to the movies and the merchandise. In this article, we’ll dive into the history and significance of Star Wars Day, explore some of the ways fans celebrate it, and take a closer look at the cultural impact of the Star Wars franchise. Table of Contents - The History of Star Wars Day - The Significance of May 4th - How Fans Celebrate Star Wars Day - Star Wars Day Merchandise and Sales - The Cultural Impact of Star Wars - The Future of the Star Wars Franchise - Star Wars Day in the Time of COVID-19 - The Global Reach of Star Wars Day - Star Wars Day Trivia - The Star Wars Legacy: Why We Love It - The Force is Strong with Star Wars Cosplay - The Best Star Wars Games to Play on Star Wars Day - May the 4th Be With You: Fun Star Wars Activities for Kids - Famous Star Wars Quotes to Inspire You - Star Wars Day Conclusion The History of Star Wars Day The origins of Star Wars Day can be traced back to a play on words. The phrase “May the fourth be with you” is a pun on the famous line “May the Force be with you,” which has become a hallmark of the Star Wars franchise. While the exact origins of the phrase are unclear, it’s believed to have first appeared on May 4th, 1979, in an advertisement in The London Evening News, congratulating Margaret Thatcher on her election as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Over the years, Star Wars fans have adopted May 4th as their own special day to celebrate the franchise. The first organized Star Wars Day event was held in 2011 at the Toronto Underground Cinema in Canada, where fans gathered to watch screenings of the movies and participate in Star Wars-themed activities. Since then, the holiday has grown in popularity and is now celebrated all over the world. The Significance of May 4th Aside from being a clever pun, May 4th holds a special significance in the Star Wars universe. It’s the date when the final battle of the Galactic Civil War takes place in the movie, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. In the climactic scene, the Rebel Alliance defeats the evil Empire and restores peace to the galaxy. May 4th is also close to the release date of the first Star Wars movie, which premiered on May 25th, 1977. How Fans Celebrate Star Wars Day There are countless ways that fans celebrate Star Wars Day. Some organize movie marathons and watch all the films in the franchise, while others dress up in cosplay and attend conventions or other Star Wars-themed events. Many fans also take to social media to share their love for the franchise, using the hashtag #StarWarsDay In recent years, the Star Wars Celebration has become a major event for fans of the franchise. The event features panels, screenings, and exhibitions showcasing the latest Star Wars movies, TV shows, and merchandise. The next Star Wars Celebration is set to take place in 2022 in Anaheim, California. Star Wars Day Merchandise and Sales Star Wars Day has also become a huge day for merchandise sales, with retailers offering discounts on Star Wars-themed products. Everything from clothing and accessories to toys and collectibles is available for purchase, and fans can take advantage of these sales to add to their collection of Star Wars memorabilia. Some retailers even release special edition products on Star Wars Day, such as limited edition t-shirts or exclusive action figures. These items often sell out quickly, so fans need to act fast to get their hands on them. The Cultural Impact of Star Wars The Star Wars franchise has had a significant impact on popular culture since the release of the first movie in 1977. The movies have inspired countless spin-offs, adaptations, and merchandise, making it one of the most successful and influential franchises of all time. The Star Wars universe has become a cultural phenomenon, with characters like Darth Vader and Yoda becoming household names. The franchise has also spawned a legion of devoted fans, who have kept the series alive through conventions, cosplay, and online communities. The Future of the Star Wars Franchise Despite the conclusion of the Skywalker saga with the release of Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, the Star Wars franchise is far from over. Disney, which acquired the rights to Star Wars in 2012, has already released a new trilogy of movies, as well as several TV shows and spin-off films. Upcoming projects include a new trilogy of movies from Rian Johnson, the creator of the popular TV show Breaking Bad, and a new TV series called The Book of Boba Fett, which is set to premiere on Disney+ later this year. Star Wars Day in the Time of COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way that fans celebrate Star Wars Day. Many events and conventions have been cancelled or moved online, and fans have had to find new ways to connect and celebrate their love of the franchise. However, the pandemic has also provided new opportunities for fans to come together virtually. Many online communities have organized virtual events and watch parties, allowing fans from all over the world to participate in Star Wars Day celebrations. The Global Reach of Star Wars Day Star Wars Day has become a truly global phenomenon, with fans from all over the world celebrating the franchise on May 4th. From Australia to Europe to the Americas, fans come together to share their love of Star Wars and honor the legacy of the franchise. Star Wars Day Trivia - The original Star Wars movie was released on May 25th, 1977, but Star Wars Day is celebrated on May 4th because of the pun “May the fourth be with you.” - The iconic “I am your father” line from The Empire Strikes Back is often misquoted as “Luke, I am your father.” - The word “Ewok” is never actually spoken in any of the Star Wars movies. - The original Star Wars movie was actually the fourth in the series, with the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy being released later. The Star Wars Legacy: Why We Love It The enduring popularity of the Star Wars franchise can be attributed to a number of factors. From its memorable characters and thrilling action sequences to its themes of hope, friendship, and the power of the human spirit, Star Wars has resonated with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The franchise has also been able to adapt to changing times and technologies, with new movies and TV shows continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the Star Wars universe. The Force is Strong with Star Wars Cosplay Cosplay has become an integral part of the Star Wars fandom, with fans donning elaborate costumes to bring their favorite characters to life. From Stormtroopers and Jedi to droids and aliens, Star Wars cosplay allows fans to express their creativity and show off their love of the franchise. The Best Star Wars Games to Play on Star Wars Day There have been a number of video games based on the Star Wars franchise over the years, offering fans the chance to explore the galaxy far, far away in their own way. Here are some of the best Star Wars games to play on Star Wars Day: - Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order: This action-adventure game puts players in the shoes of a young Jedi Padawan as they explore the galaxy and fight against the Empire. - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: Considered by many to be one of the best Star Wars games ever made, this role-playing game takes place thousands of years before the events of the movies and allows players to create their own characters and make choices that affect the story. - Star Wars Battlefront II: This multiplayer shooter lets players engage in epic battles across a variety of iconic Star Wars locations, playing as both heroes and villains from the movies. - Star Wars: The Old Republic: This massively multiplayer online role-playing game allows players to create their own characters and explore the Star Wars universe alongside thousands of other players from around the world. Conclusion Star Wars Day is a celebration of all things Star Wars, from the iconic movies to the spin-offs, TV shows, and merchandise that have made the franchise a cultural phenomenon. Whether you're a lifelong fan or a newcomer to the galaxy far, far away, May the 4th is the perfect day to celebrate the enduring legacy of Star Wars. FAQs - What is Star Wars Day? Star Wars Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated on May 4th that honors the Star Wars franchise and its legacy. - Why is Star Wars Day celebrated on May 4th? Star Wars Day is celebrated on May 4th because of the pun "May the fourth be with you," which sounds similar to the iconic phrase "May the Force be with you" from the movies. - How do fans celebrate Star Wars Day? Fans celebrate Star Wars Day in a variety of ways, from watching the movies to attending conventions and dressing up in cosplay. - What is the future of the Star Wars franchise? Despite the conclusion of the Skywalker saga, the Star Wars franchise is far from over, with new movies, TV shows, and spin-offs in the works. - What are some of the best Star Wars games to play on Star Wars Day? Some of the best Star Wars games to play on Star Wars Day include Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars Battlefront II, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Read the full article

[usagirotten]

The new LEGO Star Wars TIE Bomber is coming

The Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, TIE Bomber Lego is coming with a featuring 625 pieces. Coming to fans right from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, the TIE Bomber is ready to deploy. Featuring 625 pieces, the Empire is ready to bring some firepower to the battlefront with an impressive model that comes in at 4" high, 6" long, and 7.5" wide. Three Star Wars Minifigures are included with Vice Admiral Sloane, the TIE Bomber Pilot, and Darth Vader. Collector will also be able to build the lovable Gonk Droid for assistance. The TIE Bomber has a functioning cockpit, stud shooters, and a dropping tornado attack. LEGO has given Star Wars fans a must-own set here, allowing them to build up their Imperial Forces with a deadly starship to change the tide of any battle. The Star Wars TIE Bomber is priced at $64.99, set for a January 2023 release.    

  The LEGO Group has been recreating starships, vehicles, locations and characters from the Star Wars universe since 1999, and there is an amazing variety of sets to thrill fans of all ages. - LEGO® Star Wars™ TIE Bomber (75347) for action play – Fans can relive thrilling Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back scenes with this brick-built TIE Bomber starfighter toy - 3 LEGO® Star Wars™ minifigures with weapons, plus a Gonk Droid – Darth Vader with a lightsaber, Vice Admiral Sloane and a TIE Bomber Pilot, each with a blaster pistol, plus a Gonk Droid LEGO figure - Built for battle play – The TIE Bomber has an opening minifigure cockpit, a warhead bay with torpedo-dropping function for 4 torpedoes (the set includes 6 buildable torpedoes) and 2 stud shooters - Cart to transport torpedoes to the TIE Bomber – The cart has space for a LEGO® minifigure driver and for 2 torpedoes at the back - Gift idea for ages 9 and up – Give this 625-piece building toy as a holiday gift, birthday present or special treat for fans of the classic Star Wars™ saga and any Star Wars collector - Build, play and display – This brick-built TIE Bomber model measures over 4 in. (10 cm) high, 6 in. (16 cm) long and 7.5 in. (20 cm) wide - Step into a new way of building – The LEGO® Builder app is an interactive digital mentor for kids, guiding them through their building experience on their tablets or smartphones - Fun construction toys for all ages – LEGO® Star Wars™ sets enable kids and adult Star Wars fans to recreate iconic scenes, play out their own creative stories or simply display the buildable models - High quality – LEGO® components meet demanding industry standards, ensuring a simple, secure connection every time - Safety first – LEGO® components are dropped, heated, crushed, twisted and carefully analyzed to make sure that they comply with stringent global safety standards   Read the full article

#collectibletoy #lego #starwars #toy

[matriarchsdevotee-archive]

For the HC meme! 👻, 💢, 😨, 🎂, 🌱 , ✏️, 🌪️, 💚 ! Varietéy

Headcanon memes

👻, 💢, 😨, 🎂, 🌱 , ✏️, 🌪️, 💚

👻 GHOST - do they believe in ghosts? what are their "ghostly experiences", if any?

Mmm okay real quick definition bitching here: Poe: A monster in ocarina of time. May or may not be associated with a once-living being, but always hostile to some degree. Material enough to get its butt kicked by a 10 year old kid who passes for a kokiri.

Ghost: An immaterial, illusionary/incorporeal soul of an ex-being who is sentient enough to communicate with the living, for good or bad intent.

Nabooru knows that poes exist to some degree - she isn't sure what they are, but she knows they exist. She pays lip service to ghosts not existing during blessings and teachings, but she can't shake the feeling that something is following her through the desert to the temple. Flashes out of the corner of her eye when she's on a solo raid in the dead of night in Hyrule field. Whistling in the sealed off rooms of the fortress. But it's surely nothing.

💢 ANGER - what are some habits they have that will take some getting used to?

Nabooru is not an easy person to live with - one among many reasons she spends most of her time at the temple when she can. She wakes up obscenely early and goes to sleep in the mid afternoon, she insists on as close to silence as you can get in communal living when she's studying, and she has a very short fuse. The latter is more a problem to herself, though, since she turns her temper inward rather than focusing it on whoever riled her up. Bottling up her anger only makes her fuse shorter and it turns into a vicious cycle.

She's generally better as a nomad, but inflicting the early wake up call on the rest of the tribe was a harsh price to pay for freedom from fear of Hyrulean raids.

😨 FEARFUL - when scared, do they go into "flight" or "fight"

Fight! Cowardice is the worst trait a Gerudo could possess, and luckily for Nabooru, she always rises to a challenge. Perhaps too often. The hardest thing for her to internalize about being one of the tribe's leaders is that she can't afford to get herself killed in action - which is not to say that she considers herself more important than her sisters, but that she understands that taking out a strategic leader in a battle or defense situation is a great way to get the rest of her troops killed as well.

 This is much more difficult to remember when she's on her own. She can force herself to retreat if it's for the benefit of those present - but backing down to a challenge when she's on her own? Well, there's a reason she was as easy to kidnap as she was.

🎂 BIRTHDAY CAKE - when is their birthday? do they like celebrating it?

Her birthday is April 24th, at the very end of the "rainy season." The Gerudo do have a festival for everyone's birthday at the end of the calendar year, but they also tend to mark an individual's birthday with small, personal presents and a special meal. Nabs enjoys her individual birthday (And the special deserts that come with it) but she prefers the overall festival! She loves holidays more than anything - it's the best part of her work and personal life, when she can see everyone come together and remember what makes their culture theirs.

🌱 SEEDLING - what is their most vivid memory from childhood?

During her first ceremony as a temple aid, she almost died in a trial by fire., The silver gauntlets are retrieved from the temple of spirit every year during a ceremony to honor the great lady Penthislea, who led them to the desert centuries ago. The youngest member of the temple will be tasked with retrieving them, since that side of the temple can only be accessed by the pure of heart (And small of hands). Nabooru trained and studied for weeks to successfully retrieve the artifacts and take them back to the alter, but along the way she was caught in a fire trap. She was able to duck just in time before she was injured beyond saving, but she needed extensive healing on her hands. To this day, she still has unnervingly thin fingers and burn scars that go up to her elbows, which is why she wears gloves.

✏️ PENCIL - is there a particular quote / lyric that you associate with them?

"In all these years, I've learned to hope is no way to survive" - Call Me Immortal by Unleash the Archers, because no matter how hard I try, I always end up associating Ocarina of Time with a Space Opera

🌪️ TORNADO - what is the biggest change you've ever made to them? how have they changed from their original version?

I very briefly wrote Nabooru as a pacifist, but that didn't get further than one draft of the Forsaken Lies fic. I think I was coming from a point of "it's weird that we don't see Nabooru with weaponry, either in the game or official artwork" and also "general counterpoint to Ganondorf." I think you could probably get some mileage out of a Nabooru that's slower to anger than her sisters, but A) I write enough Urbosa for that to be a distinction between the two, and B) It's fundamentally incompatible with my stronger hc of her being priestess of the tribe, since the Gerudo tradition tends to put more weight on fighting than avoiding fights, no matter what game/continuity we're in.

💚 GREEN HEART - what things make your oc feel comforted? hugs, kisses, food?

Food! Nabooru is a terrible cook, so relieving her of the burden is always a way to get on her good side. It's one of the very, very few things she looks forward to when she has to escort trading missions - Zorian fish stew is one of her favorite treats, not to mention goron-spice (Applied to meat or vegetables instead of rocks, of course).

#vicious-valor #well there you have her folks lakjsdf

[jamiaugusztin]

Hi friends... May the 4th be with you! May the force be with you ✨️ Have a fab night! We are showcasing Star Wars Collectibles Featuring: Triumphant Characters & Machines 1) 40th Anniversary Special Edition Monopoly 2) Han Solo and Chewbacca Character Candy Dispensers by Disney 3) Holiday Yoda Bobblehead 4) Legacy Collection - Obi-Wan Kenobi and Super Battle Droid Action Figures - 1 of 6 - 2010 Edition 5) Return of the Jedi AT-AT 6) Spudtrooper Mr. Potato Head 7) The Phantom Menace Episode I Obi-Wan Kenobi Action Figure 8) The Phantom Menace Episode I Watto Action Figure 9) The Power of the Force EV-9D9 with Datapad Action Figure 10) X-Wing Fighter Vintage Collection We have more culturally influential fictional characters / machines new in box and on card onsite. These fine Star Wars Characters are new in box and ready to be part of a Star Wars fans collection. Take a moment to view these games and more merchandise at everyone's #ShopSmall Store: Now and Then Galleria LLC. Here, are some of the things that you can do on the website.. 1 ☆ View current Merchandise, Collectibles, New, Vintage, Retro also Handmade Crochets by my mum: Mumsie of Stratford 2 ☆ We offer Shipping Discounts starting at $100.00! 3 ☆ A Complimentary Gift with your Purchase 4 ☆ Register to Enter for our Prize Drawings in 2022! 5 ☆ Then Opt in for the Newsletters 6 ☆ Play Free and Fun Games! 7 ☆ Visit us here: https://www.NowandThenGalleria.com - Direct Link In My Profile I thank you for seeing my feed. Music: Dark Trap - DARKNESS by Alex-Productions https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx0_M61F81Nfb-BRXE-SeVA Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US #StarWars #ActionFigure #Monopoly #HanSolo #Chewbacca #PEZ #CandyDispensers #Disney #Yoda #Bobblehead #ObiWanKenobi #SuperBattleDroid #ReturnoftheJedi #ATAT #Spudtrooper #MrPotatoHead #ThePhantomMenace #Watto #ThePoweroftheForce #EV9D9 #XWingFighter #DarkTrap #Vintage #Retro #MumsieofStratford #FreeGames #Giveaways #Gifts #NowandThenGalleria (at Now and Then Galleria LLC) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdJ_xN5gb87/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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[all-action-all-picture]

An ad for Battle Picture Weekly Summer Special 1976

An ad for Battle Picture Weekly Summer Special 1977.

An ad for Battle Picture Weekly Summer Special 1978 from 24 June of that year.

By 1984 the title had changed. Here is the ad for the Battle Action Force Holiday Special from 14 April of that year. Treasury of British Comics.

#1978 #battle #battle picture weekly #battle picture weekly summer special #summer special #1977 #1984 #battle action force holiday special #hasbro #palitoy #action force #24jun #14apr #30jun #holiday special